Luke Howarth (Petrie, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Yesterday I was talking about small business and some of the great benefits that small business received in this year's budget—in particular the instant tax write-off. We know that the instant tax write-off will encourage small businesses to go and spend, which will create confidence within the economy. Now is the perfect time for businesses to look at their business plan and for small sole traders and partnerships to look at investing in an income-producing asset and at hiring more staff. I am very pleased that the government has introduced this $20,000 instant tax write-off.

But the budget is not just about small businesses, families and pensioners; it is also about the environment. In this budget we are continuing our strong record of supporting environmental sustainability. We can be a nation that values its environment, not through wasteful, costly and useless measures like a carbon tax, which hits the people who can least afford it through their electricity bills, but through practical measures like the Green Army projects that are currently rolling out around the Petrie electorate.

In this budget we have also seen the Minister for the Environment sign off on a historic ban on the disposal of capital dredge material in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. We inherited five major proposals from the Labor Party to dispose dredge spoil in the marine park, but since coming into government we have reduced this to zero. Now we have formally approved an amendment to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park regulations to put an end to this century-old practice once and for all. The ban applies to all past and present permits and future applications for capital dredge disposal. This will help reduce accumulated pressures on this vast and spectacular ecosystem and also aid in improving the reef's health and resilience.

The threat posed by Daesh is reaching out to Australians, as we recently saw in the Sydney siege. This is not the time to neglect our Defence Force. The government will continue to invest in the Australian Defence Force. What we saw previously under the Rudd-Gillard-Rudd governments was a $16 billion cut, a $16 billion reduction, in defence spending as a percentage of GDP. Defence spending went to its lowest level since 1938. The 2015 budget is part of the Commonwealth government's plan to build a strong and prosperous future for all Australians. In this budget, we will continue to make a significant investment in the safety and security of all Australians. We are continuing our commitment to increase defence spending of two per cent of GDP and build on the promise to provide Defence with a stable and sustainable funding growth path. Labor's mismanagement led to 119 defence projects being delayed, 43 projects being reduced and eight projects being cancelled—risking critical capability gaps. The Australian defence industry shed more than 10 per cent of its workforce because of budget cuts and deferrals, procrastination and a lack of opportunity for local suppliers. Not only is the coalition government prepared to invest in the skills and knowledge base of the Australian naval shipbuilding industry; it is also prepared to commit to a long-term investment to make sure this important industry employs a future in Australia and these critical skills are maintained.

It is through hard work and through working together that Australians achieve economic success. When you strengthen the economy, businesses succeed, families have less pressure burdened upon them and jobs are created. Small businesses were let down by Labor, and families were facing the consequences of uncertainty in employment and job insecurity. Now is the time for the people in my electorate of Petrie and all around Australia to embrace the incredible opportunities our nation has to offer.

The 2015 budget is about small business, growth confidence and opportunities. It is about increased opportunities for families, for parents to get back to work. It is about increased funding for the majority of pensioners. It is about a better environment, and the coalition has a strong record on the environment. It is about ensuring that our Defence Force is stronger and more productive and that we have got cutting-edge equipment for our ADF men and women. Finally, it is also about returning to surplus. We are the only party that has a plan to return the budget to surplus. We all know that we cannot continually spend more than what we earn every year. I look forward to implementing this strong plan, along with the government, over the coming months and years ahead.

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