Fran Bailey (McEwen, Liberal Party, Minister for Small Business and Tourism) Share this | Hansard source

I was on the point of explaining how those 175,000 jobs have been created by small business people like Mr Phil Connolly from the Gold Coast. I was asked by the member for Gilmore if there are any threats to these benefits for small business that Work Choices has achieved. I have to say that, yes, there are. Let me quote from a small businessman, Mr Connolly, who said, ‘Labor does not care and is not listening to small business. Mr Beazley just does not appear to understand how small business works.’ He said, ‘I am concerned to hear that Mr Beazley would abolish AWAs and rip up Work Choices should Labor win government.’

Small business people like Mr Connolly do feel threatened. The Australian Labor Party just have not come clean about the fact that they are working hand in hand with the ACTU to develop any policy for small business. It would be the only time that the Leader of the Opposition would be content to sit quietly and listen to the ACTU and allow them to speak for him rather than having something to say himself. Business is very concerned about this.

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