Lisa Chesters (Bendigo, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

That is exactly right. We closed on the Sunday and that was the day on which we celebrated as a family and we made that choice. Businesses today still have that choice. But what I resent about what this government is doing, and what I resent about what the Productivity Commission is doing, is that rather than taking on a debate about reform or about the Fair Work Act they are trying to hide behind a few regional small businesses and behind cafes. They are trying to make the debate about a start on workplace reform not in this parliament, not at the big business end of town and not in the Fair Work Commission. They are trying to make it in the small cafes in regional communities. They are trying to say, 'This cafe will open if we cut penalty rates.' They are trying to say, 'This small retailer will open if we cut penalty rates.' It is just not true. It is wrong that the government continue to use small business, bully small business and make small business a puppet, saying, 'This is why we are pushing reform.' It is wrong that the government are doing this—just what small business in my electorate are saying during this debate.

Some speakers on this motion have mentioned Defence procurement, and I am proud to stand here and say that Bendigo—Josh, are you listening?—makes the Bushmaster. We are proud of the fact that we manufacture the Bushmaster.

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