Amanda Stoker (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Small and Family Business, Skills and Vocational Education, Senator Cash. I refer to the minister's answer yesterday about the government's commitment to small and family business. Can the minister provide me with any feedback she has received from businesses, particularly from my home state of Queensland?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Small and Family Business) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Stoker for the question. I had the opportunity last week to spend a lot of time in Queensland, including visiting, with Senator Stoker, a number of small businesses. We were delighted to be able to continue to tell them that those of us on our side of the chamber are backing them every step of the way and will be delivering for them a 25 per cent tax rate that they will pay five years earlier than they expected. When you ask how we can do that, it's called good economic management. Senator Stoker and I had an opportunity to talk to a number of small and family businesses whilst I was there. I got to visit a variety of sectors whilst I was in Queensland, including a fantastic franchise of Beaurepaires in Beenleigh; Living Silk in Paddington, with the member there, Trevor Evans; Honey I Scratched the Car, in Redcliffe; and the Empire Hotel in Rockhampton. I was there with our great candidate for Capricornia, Michelle Landry. I also had a fabulous opportunity to learn what it is like to be a zookeeper, of course going with Andrew Wallace to that great Australian icon in Queensland on the Sunshine Coast, Australia Zoo.

We were able to talk to these people about the policies they need their government to put in place. Certainly when it comes to tax, they were the first to put their hands up and say: 'We will benefit from these tax cuts being brought forward by five years. We'll have more money that we generate in our back pocket. And what are we going to do with that? We're going to reinvest back into our businesses. We're going to ensure that we reinvest this back.' They understand that when they reinvest the money back into their businesses they are able to prosper and grow. When a small or family business prospers and grows, they are able to create more jobs, in this case for Queenslanders.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Stoker, a supplementary question.

Amanda Stoker (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister advise the Senate about other government measures designed to benefit small and family business?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Small and Family Business) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, I can. Senators would be aware that in the budget this year we extended the $20,000 instant asset write-off for another 12 months—again, because we understand that businesses are able to utilise this policy to reinvest back into their businesses. In particular, again, I was able to again visit Beaurepaires in Beenleigh, with the fantastic member Bert van Manen. It is a great family business. We met with Kerry and Ronnie Visser. They bought their business three years ago and have worked so hard that they are now the No. 1 franchise in Australia. They have utilised the government's instant asset write-off. They have invested in technology that compresses air in a much more user-friendly manner. Because of the instant asset write-off, they have been able to utilise this to reduce their energy bills, which is a bonus to their business. (Time expired)

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Stoker, a final supplementary question.

Amanda Stoker (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is the minister aware of any risks to the government's strong commitment to small and family business?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Small and Family Business) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The answer is yes, and obviously it is a Shorten-led Labor government. They are a monumental risk to the millions and millions of small and family businesses across Australia. This is the Leader of the Opposition who, as recently as June of this year, had a policy that he was taking to the election that was to increase the amount of tax that small and family businesses pay in Australia. That was the policy they were taking to the election. Why? Because Mr Shorten and Labor don't understand small and family business. They don't understand that a business that has to close employs no-one. That's not good for the employer and it is certainly not good for the employees who no longer have jobs. Those of us on this side of the chamber will back small and family business every step of the way, and we will continue to put in place the policies to ensure that they're able to prosper and grow and create more jobs for Australians. (Time expired)