Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

And there is a time for a shandy of light too, just as there is a time to scull a full-strength beer at the Double Bay Oak.

In the past week, I have been in Melbourne; I have been in Perth; I have been in Townsville, Mackay, Gladstone, Sydney, Adelaide, Launceston and Brisbane to encourage the small businesses of our country to have a go. Yes, at CIBO Espresso in Glenelg, they are going to upgrade their fit-out under our instant asset write-off. At Dolci Sapori in Clayfield in Brisbane, they are going to get a refrigerated van thanks to our instant asset write-off. At Steve Geiger Cabinets in Mackay, they are going to upgrade their workshop thanks to our instant asset write-off.

This is the best budget ever for small business. It is the first time in history that any government has backed pro-small-business rhetoric with actual policies specifically designed to give small business a fair go. That is clearly reflected in the surge of confidence right around our country. The ANZ consumer confidence index is up 3.6 per cent. The Westpac index of consumer sentiment is up 6.4 per cent. And why wouldn't they be up?—because small business is 96 per cent of all businesses. Small business employs 4½ million Australians. Small business is the engine room of our economy. Small business people are the people who mortgage their homes to invest, to employ and to serve their communities. When small business does well, everyone does well. This government understands that, and the test for members opposite will be: how much do they understand that? I suggest that they could help understand it by passing our legislation through the parliament this week.

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