Gerard Rennick (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business, Senator Cash.

Senator Watt interjecting—

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

Senator Watt, restrain yourself.

Gerard Rennick (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, in the wake of a year of unprecedented challenges, how has the Morrison government taken action to support small business through the COVID-19 pandemic to keep their doors open and to keep their employees in jobs?

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

To say that 2020 has been a challenging year for small and family business is an understatement. They are the lifeblood, as we know, of our communities. Every single day their hard work and dedication now see over six million Australians go to work, in a job, and they contribute around $418 billion to our national economy. COVID-19, though, has had a profound impact on them. In the wake of COVID-19 many, many small and family businesses have faced unprecedented challenges. Government mandated shutdowns because we needed to protect the health of Australians have meant that many small businesses around Australia faced disrupted supply chains and unimaginable trading restrictions when they were told that, because of the decision that we had to implement to protect the health of Australians, they would need to close their doors when we shut down parts of the Australian economy.

The disruption, of course, was no fault of the 3.5 million small family businesses around Australia. The Morrison government moved decisively and quickly to put in place historic levels of economic support to help those small and family businesses get through COVID-19. As we know, our JobKeeper payment has provided those small and family businesses what was needed to keep their employees on their books. Around 3.6 million Australians maintained that connection with their employer. The cashflow boost has now supported more than 800,000 employing small and medium businesses with $32 billion in terms of a cashflow injection. Of course, our supporting apprentices wage subsidy has now delivered over $741 million and is keeping around 104,500 apprentices in training on the job, where we need them to be.

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

Senator Rennick, a supplementary question?

Gerard Rennick (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is the minister aware of any examples of how the programs and supports the Morrison government has implemented have supported small business to rebuild, recover and play a key role in Australia's economic comeback?

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

I can give an example from Senator Rennick's home state of Queensland, a gentleman by the name of Paul, an electrical small business owner and operator in Toowoomba. As a result of COVID-19, Paul, like so many others, was looking to downsize his business, but when the government announced the JobKeeper policy, that gave Paul the incentive and the optimism to invest in his business. The wage subsidy gave him the cash flow that he needed to take on two new apprentices. He utilised the expanded, and now extended, instant asset write-off and he was able to invest in a new ute to support his work. When COVID-19 hit, Paul was looking to downsize, but with the support of government policy he not only was able to invest in his business and buy that new ute but also was able to utilise the wage subsidy and he has now brought on two new apprentices. That's what the government is all about, backing small and family businesses.

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

Senator Rennick, a final supplementary question?

Gerard Rennick (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister please update the Senate on how the Morrison government's GO LOCAL FIRST campaign is working to support small and family businesses, including over the Christmas and new year period?

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

Certainly, as the minister for small and family business, my message to all Australians this Christmas in the lead-up to it, as we go into the new year in 2021, is to go local first. The GO LOCAL FIRST campaign is all about raising awareness across Australia to spend with our local small and family businesses. Why? Because when you shop locally in Australia, you support a local community, you support a family, you support a local sporting club.

I am pleased to acknowledge that many senators and MPs across all sides of politics are proudly supporting the GO LOCAL FIRST campaign. In the lead-up to Christmas, if we have the ability to go out and purchase something, just remember: it might be something small to you, but, to that small and family business who has been doing it tough, it means a lot. My message to all Australians is: support our small and family businesses and go local first.