Barnaby Joyce (Queensland, National Party, Leader of The Nationals in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Small Business and very recently promoted Manager of Government Business in the Senate, and as this is my first question to him in that new promoted role I would like to congratulate him on his promotion. I refer the minister to the comments of Mr Dominic Greco, head of the Convenience and Mixed Business Association who is reported in last weekend's Australian Financial Review as saying, 'Right now small business feels extremely neglected,' and noting the minister's interest in business. Given that the Rudd-Gillard government has had four ministers for small business in less than five years—and with the announcement yester­day of this minister's imminent resignation, which we are all terribly disappointed about, it brings the total to five in less than five years—when will the government gets its act together and provide a consistent and stable policy foundation for the 2.7 million small businesses in Australia?