Sean Edwards (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Conroy. I refer the minister to a recent National Australia Bank monthly business survey released that showed that South Australia has the worst business conditions in Australia. Given this government's flippant attitude towards the small business ministry—having five ministers since 2011, the most recent appointed this week—how does this government expect small business to survive, let alone thrive, given this level of delinquency?

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr President. Could I thank my South Australian colleague for the question. It is quite extraordinary to hear a senator from the state of South Australia talking down the South Australian economy. Absolutely typical—because, unlike the opposition, the Gillard government has always had the best interests of South Australians in mind. In the infrastructure field all up we are providing an unprecedented $2.7 billion from our six-year Nation Building Program to rebuild and renew the state's road, rail and public transport infrastructure. Already federal Labor has more than doubled annual infrastructure spending from $109 to $272 per South Australian. On submarines, the federal government is committed to building 12 future submarines, which will be assembled in Adelaide. This is the biggest defence project Australia has ever undertaken. It means work for numerous Australian companies and for thousands of Australian workers, including boilermakers, welders, electricians, naval architects, engineers and many, many more. In the auto industry in March, the government has agreed to a $215 million co-investment deal with General Motors Holden. This co-investment will support— (Time expired)

Sean Edwards (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A further question of the minister, Mr President. I refer the minister to a recent quarterly business survey by Business SA that showed that 39 per cent of businesses in South Australia believe that poor economic management by the Gillard government will be a major constraint on business in 2013. Why doesn't the government believe small businesses deserve the undivided attention of a minister solely focused on the engine room of this economy?

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The co-investment between the government and GM will support thousands of jobs at Holden that otherwise would have been lost if the company had stopped making cars in Australia. It is not just the direct workers at the plant; it is a whole host of small businesses that are supported by the agreement in South Australia. The automotive industry pays the wages for around 52,000 Australians through equity.

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, on a point of order on the question of direct relevance: what the supplementary question was directed to was whether the minister believed that small business in South Australia was entitled to expect the undivided attention of a single minister—the senator having pointed out in his primary question that there have been five changes in that portfolio since 2011. The supplementary question is much narrower and more specific than the primary question. It asks only whether or not small business in South Australia is entitled to expect the undivided attention of a single minister. The minister has not addressed that issue at all.

Jacinta Collins (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary for School Education and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, once again we have a point of order that is not at all relevant to this question time. Senator Conroy has been directly relevant to this question. He has been highlighting what significant attention small businesses have been receiving. This opposition may believe that small businesses are a very narrow, very small group of businesses—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! This is debating the issue.

Jacinta Collins (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary for School Education and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

but the benefits that Senator Conroy has been referring to are a much larger group—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There is no point of order. The minister still has 26 seconds remaining and I call on the minister to continue.

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I know that the government's level of support for small businesses in South Australia is a matter of some interest, but they should listen to the facts. What small business in South Australia, and small business all around Australia, has been focused on is that the government has increased the small business instant asset write-off threshold to $6,500. Those opposite voted against it. Small business has the undivided attention of this government. (Time expired)

Sean Edwards (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I have a further supplementary question. Given that the government has introduced almost 21,000 new regulations since 2007 and the instability of a revolving door of ministers, will the minister now concede that the reason small businesses are struggling is because they have little faith in a government that burdens them with higher costs, higher taxes and more red tape?

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What is a burden on small business is when those opposite vote against an instant asset write-off threshold increase. That is a burden on small business. What is a burden on small business is living in the state of Victoria where the Victorian coalition government have ground the economy to a standstill. What is a burden on small business in this country—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order, Senator Conroy! Senator Brandis—

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

is the Queensland government driving unemployment—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order, Senator Conroy! Senator Brandis, on a point of order.

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, on a point of order on direct relevance: the question was about small business in South Australia—nowhere else. I look forward with interest to see how Senator Conroy's creativity can establish how an answer about small business in Victoria is relevant to a question about small business in South Australia. I ask you to draw the minister's attention to the question.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister has 33 seconds. I do draw the minister's attention to the question.

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, the instant asset write-off is a national write-off that is absolutely relevant to small businesses in South Australia. What is a burden to those small businesses in South Australia is that those opposite opposed it. An increase to $6,500 was voted against by those opposite. That is a burden on South Australian small businesses. (Time expired)

Mr President, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.