Alan Tudge (Aston, Liberal Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

The shadow member for union protection, Mr O'Connor, would have you believe that they are so excited about our small-business package that they cannot wait to come in here and pass the bill. Let me give a couple of quotes to indicate exactly how strong their support is. This was Bill Shorten's quote in relation to the small-business package in his budget-in-reply on 14 May this year. He described small business package as:

A giveaway to start a fire sale at second-hand car yards and Harvey Norman … it doesn't go very far.

That was the quote from Bill Shorten, the opposition leader, in relation to a small-business package. I would not say that that is overwhelming support from the Labor Party. What about Bernie Ripoll? What did he have to say just before we announced our package. He is these shadow spokesperson for small business. He said:

… in an attempt to grab a headline and say his own skin, the Prime Minister is proceeding with his ham-fisted plan to introduce a two-tier corporate tax system against the wishes of Australian businesses.

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