Hollie Hughes (NSW, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Employment, Workforce, Skills, Small and Family Business, Senator Cash. Can the minister advise the Senate how the Liberal and National government's economic plan is supporting workers and businesses to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic and get to the other side?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do acknowledge that One Nation did have the call.

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

My apologies. Sorry. I will go to them next. I had Senator Roberts on the list provided to me so I didn't see you, Senator Hanson. I will come to you next. It will just be a switch. I wasn't advised of the change and I didn't see you trying to get my attention. My apologies. I will go to this question and then I will do that question next. It will be an easy switch. Senator Cash.

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr President. I thank Senator Hughes for the question, and in particular I acknowledge Senator Hughes' work that she's done in relation to ensuring that regional businesses and rural businesses in Australia are supported throughout COVID-19. As I think we would all acknowledge, small and family business are well and truly the lifeblood of the Australian economy, but in particular our rural and regional communities. These businesses have been and are the key to Australia's recovery from COVID-19. And without a doubt those small businesses will be the key to our future economic success.

Look what has happened in the ACT today. Small businesses have not had it easy throughout COVID-19. They have faced many challenges with lockdowns and restrictions severely impacting their operations. But any of us who have dealt with a small business know that they have faced up to those challenges and they are doing their best to get through COVID-19. The Morrison government is backing them every step of the way. In terms of the support that we have been able to provide small businesses, around $300 billion in direct health and economic support since the pandemic began has reached our shores to support these businesses, to support the essential workers, but also to keep Australians in jobs throughout the pandemic.

This extensive economic support—and this obviously includes JobKeeper, the apprentices wage subsidy and that important cashflow boost, giving back to small businesses what they themselves have actually earned—saw Australia's unemployment rate come down to a record low of 4.9 per cent. The Morrison government will continue to back small businesses every step of the way, because we know they're doing it tough, but we want them to prosper and grow and create more jobs. (Time expired)

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

Senator Hughes, a supplementary question?

Hollie Hughes (NSW, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, how is the government supporting businesses and protecting jobs through the current lockdowns and restrictions resulting from the pandemic?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As the outbreaks that we are currently seeing illustrate, Australia and Australians are not out of the woods yet. The Morrison government continues to work with the states and the territories to help their businesses and to support their staff who are impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This week, in partnership with the South Australian government, we've provided a $40 million support package for around 20,000 businesses in South Australia. In July we reached agreement with the Victorian government, and we are providing around $200 million to help support Victorian small and medium businesses. And in New South Wales we have an agreement with the New South Wales government where businesses that have a turnover of up to $250 million who've lost 30 per cent or more of turnover or that have just seen a decline of 30 per cent or more in turnover will be eligible for payments of up to $100,000 per week. Again, we are providing the economic support, working with states and territories, to help these businesses. (Time expired)

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

Senator Hughes, a final supplementary question?

Hollie Hughes (NSW, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, whilst those opposite are clearly supporting the airlines by fleeing lockdown as quickly as possible and not sharing it with Canberra, how can every single Australian help small and family businesses and their workers not only to get through the current challenges but also to ensure our economic recovery from COVID-19?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I think we all acknowledge in this place that everybody's personal circumstances are just that: their own personal circumstances. Certainly we also all know that in relation to small businesses the best thing we can do at this point in time is to assist them by getting vaccinated. The Prime Minister, alongside the states and territories, has worked to develop our four-phase plan to see us through COVID-19 and to get us out the other side. As more and more Australians get vaccinated—and it is pleasing to see that the vaccination rates in Australia are accelerating; it took us I think six days to get from 13 million to 14 million—we are protecting Australians against the virus. As we all know, getting vaccinated protects you, it protects your family and it protects your community. We want to see small and family businesses in particular prosper and grow, and one of the things we can do collectively is get vaccinated. (Time expired)