Ben Small (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business, and my fellow Western Australian, Senator Cash. Could the minister please outline to the Senate how Australia's small businesses are recovering from the economic impacts of COVID-19 and how the Morrison government has assisted to keep their doors open throughout the pandemic?

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

I thank Senator Small for his question, and I also acknowledge Senator Small as someone who is a small-business owner himself. He built a small business up from scratch in the south-west of Western Australia. He knows what it's like to have sleepless nights, he knows what it's like to employ people, and he knows what it's like to pay wages.

It's people like Senator Small, the small-business men and women across Australia, that the Morrison government continues to deliver for. Why? Because, as we know, they are the backbone of the Australian economy. They are the employers of over six million Australians. Every day over six million Australians wake up and they are able to go to work and have the dignity of work because of the small and family businesses in Australia. Look at what they do in local communities. As we know, they are the lifeblood of their local communities. They sponsor the sporting teams and the community events, and they often offer young Australians their very first job.

The Morrison government have provided $251 billion in economic support to the lifeblood of the Australian economy throughout COVID-19. In particular, as we know, JobKeeper has been an essential policy. It's now estimated to have provided $90 billion worth of support, and it is a wage subsidy on a scale that has never been seen in Australia. The cash-flow boost, giving businesses back their own hard earned money, saw over $35 billion provided to over 800,000 businesses. The supporting apprentices wage subsidy has kept around 119,500 apprentices on the tools in 62,600 small businesses. They are the backbone of the Australian economy, and the Morrison government backs them every step of the way.

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

Senator Small, a supplementary question?

Ben Small (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister advise how the government will continue to build a stronger Australia by supporting small and family businesses throughout 2021?

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

In 2021 the Morrison government will continue to put more money back into Australians' pockets and will protect more of what they've earned—because let's face it: it's their hard earned money—and will, of course, support families and businesses. Our legislated tax cuts for small and medium businesses, the full expensing for new investments—something that was welcomed widely by businesses across Australia—and our loss carry-back measure are a suite of policies that will all provide that much-needed support and much-needed boost for small businesses, who, as we know, still continue to do it tough. We need to help them to ensure that their businesses are able to grow so that they can continue to create more jobs for Australians. Our $4 billion Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements wage subsidy is supporting small businesses out there to take on a new apprentice in their business. Small businesses are the backbone of the Australian economy, and the Morrison government will back them every step of the way.

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

Order, Senator Cash. Senator Small, a final supplementary question?

Ben Small (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, how has the government's record of delivering for small and family businesses put in place the conditions to allow our small businesses to recover, invest and employ more Australians as we emerge from COVID-19?

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

On the Morrison government's side of the chamber, we have a proud record of supporting small business. In fact, as Senator Small would know, it's not just about being the business owner and running the business; you work enormously hard. You are often the HR department, you are often the bookkeeper, you are often the marketing department, you are often the floor staff, and you often need to get the family to work in the business on the weekend. But every day small-business people across Australia get up and go to work because they are passionate about their business. They're passionate about giving other Australians the opportunity of work. The one thing that I'm always humbled by when it comes to small business is that they don't ask for a lot from government. They don't ask for much, but what they do need and do want is to be supported to do what they do best—run their business and employ Australians.

In terms of our tax cut for small businesses, this was so important. We gave them back money, their hard-earned money, so they could reinvest back into their business.