Bruce Billson (Dunkley, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last night was huge. It was the third annual launch of the Shop Small campaign. Colleagues from right across the parliament came together to energise enterprise. The greatest renewable energy in our country is the optimism and positivity of enterprising men and women, and this campaign is about making sure all the terrific policy settings that we have put in place to give enterprising men and women every opportunity to succeed are backed by the consumer dollar. We know in this place there is no substitute for customers. You can have a great business plan and you can have great ambitions for the future, but without customers where is the viable business? Shop Small says to Australian consumers that if you value the men and women that make up the economic fabric of your community right across this vast continent, put some of your hard-earned behind those businesses. Give them the chance to delight customers, to innovate, to meet your needs, to recognise that strength in the small business community is vitality in the local economy.

American Express have got behind this campaign. They have been the founders. This year they are backed by Optus and Google, who are offering special deals for those that are participating. The major banks are involved. It is all about paying respect and giving support to enterprising men and women. So, as you are coming up to Christmas and you are thinking about something special to buy your sweetheart, why not shop small? Why not shop local? Why not get behind those enterprising men and women? The Shop Small campaign—get amongst it and give consumer support to the great policy settings this government is putting in place to support small business.