Perin Davey (NSW, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business, Senator Cash. How will building an outward-looking, open and sovereign trading economy help to strengthen the Liberal-National government's record delivery for Australian small and family businesses and local job creation, particularly in regional New South Wales?

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

I thank Senator Davey for the question. Senator Davey, like all of us in the Morrison government, understands it is critical to put in place policies to support small and family businesses in Australia. Why? Because, when it comes to rural and regional Australia, they well and truly are the backbone of those communities. They give back to those communities. They support local jobs. They support local charities. And of course they support the local sporting organisations. This support has only been made even more important because of the impacts of COVID-19, the impacts of the bushfires and the impacts of the drought on our economy.

The government has a strong record of supporting small and family businesses across Australia, including fast-tracking tax relief for small and medium businesses, because we understand that the money that we gave back to them—which was their own money—they were able to invest back into their business to grow that business and create more jobs. We've also, as you know, improved access to finance for those businesses so that they can access the money that they need, again, to grow their business and to create more jobs. We're also ensuring that small businesses are paid on time through our own government policies—leading by example, of course—but also in the implementation of the payment times reporting framework.

On this side of the chamber, the government's side of the chamber, we're absolutely committed to cutting red tape and supporting small businesses with advice in disputes with the ATO and big business. In the wake of COVID-19, we have put in place targeted measures to support small businesses. The government's funding boost today of the Export Market Development Grants scheme acknowledges the importance of ensuring that small businesses have the opportunity to develop their ability to get into export markets.

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

Senator Davey, a supplementary question?

Perin Davey (NSW, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can you explain how the government's skills agenda, now bolstered by the JobMaker plan, is assisting in the creation of local training opportunities and skilled employees in regional and rural New South Wales?

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

The government is supporting apprentices in Australia and creating local training opportunities, in particular in regional Australia. Senator Davey might remember the implementation of the Australian apprentice wage subsidy, a very successful measure which of course provides wage subsidies for apprentices in areas of skill shortage, in particular in rural and regional Australia. That wage subsidy was actually opposed by those on the Labor side of politics. It was quite bizarre, actually. One would've thought they would've supported that measure. It was targeted at creating opportunities for small and family businesses to take on apprentices in particular areas of need and in rural and regional Australia. But at the time it was famously called by those on the Labor side of the chamber a 'political fiasco'. Well, no, it wasn't a political fiasco. It was a policy that was implemented specifically to support businesses in rural and regional Australia.

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

Senator Davey, a final supplementary question?

Perin Davey (NSW, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you. Why is supporting small and family businesses, and their apprentices, critical to supporting local economies, local jobs and local economic recovery following COVID-19?

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

Again, the Morrison government understands that you need to support small and family businesses across Australia because they are the backbone of the Australian economy. It is critical that we put in place policies that will support them through this crisis and enable them to come out the other side and prosper, grow and, ultimately, create more jobs for Australians. There are around 3.5 million small businesses in Australia. They give the dignity of work every day and they employ over six million Australians. When you come from rural or regional Australia, as so many on this side of the chamber do, you acutely understand that these businesses are the backbone of the local economy, they are the ones out there supporting local jobs, they are the ones out there supporting local charities and they are the ones you often see supporting local sporting organisations. It is incredibly important that we put in place the right policies, as we are doing, to support these businesses so they can prosper, grow and create more jobs. (Time expired)