Bernie Ripoll (Oxley, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister Assisting the Leader for Small Business) Share this | Hansard source

In 2013, it was Labor that established the role of, and appointed the first, Australian Small Business Commissioner as a voice for Australian small business. Mr Mark Brennan commenced as the inaugural Australian Small Business Commissioner, bringing to the role a strong track record of achievement in small business, including serving for seven years as the inaugural Victorian Small Business Commissioner.

It was under Labor's small-business policies that for the first time there was a direct voice to the Australian government through the appointment of the Australian Small Business Commissioner. The commissioner's role was as an advocate within the Australian government to represent the interests of Australian small businesses and to work in consultation with key stakeholders, including industry organisations and small business operators, state small-business commissioners and other government agencies, to hear the concerns of small-business people.

Labor supports in principle the government's intention to transition Labor's role of Small Business Commissioner to ombudsman; however, we will consider carefully any draft legislation when we see it. Small business needs an independent advocate or voice to act on its behalf, and we would hope that the government will ensure the independence continues under any proposal brought to this parliament.

I think it is timely to remind the Minister for Small Business that his discussion paper was released back in April and submissions closed in May. The minister issued a press release in August saying, 'Small businesses will shortly be invited to comment on the draft legislation.' It is now the end of October and we are still waiting to see the draft legislation. It is no secret that this minister has made many promises to small business since becoming minister. Let us see how long it takes for him to keep those promises. Meanwhile, small business is still waiting.

The first act of the Liberal Minister for Small Business and the Liberal government was to cut billions in tax measures introduced by Labor that delivered real, tangible, practical benefits to small business. For example, the tax loss carry back, which was designed to offset the disproportionate burdens faced by small business, was cut by this minister. It is generally accepted by governments around the world that some features of tax systems are biased against small business. Labor recognised this and we did something about it. That is why we introduced preferential taxation for small business, which would allow it to carry back losses incurred in earlier years of their operation at a time when cash flow is critical to their business.

The instant asset write-off was another tax assistance measure for small business that was expanded under Labor but was cut by the Liberals—cut by the Liberal Minister for Small Business. I say to the minister, who claims to be the best friend of small business, that there is some difference between what he says and what he does. Taking away help is not helping small business, and small business knows this because it is part of its day-to-day operation. The repeal day is another example of hype and bluster from this government and the small-business minister. If this government was serious about getting rid of red tape then why did it propose that job seekers, for example, were going to have to apply for 40 job applications per month, only to later abandon the bad policy when told by Labor and the business sector that it saddled businesses with more red tape? This Liberal government just does not understand small business. It is all talk, all ideology, but no substance. I did not hear the Minister for Small Business stand up for small business or tell the Prime Minister that this was a bad idea. But, luckily, someone did listen.

The facts are that Labor removed more than 16,000 regulations when we were in government. But the difference between Labor and the Liberals is we did not make a song and dance about it, because it is part of your job—it is part of everyday work—and it should not be a stunt, which is what we are now getting from the Liberals. They want to make a big deal about it but it is just a stunt. The Liberals have made a huge deal of this. It is akin to saying: 'Let's have a "turn up to work day". Aren't we great?—we've turned up to work today.' No, that is your job. Do it; do not keep going on about it.

The Liberals' repeal day is a joke and a bad policy. Some of the regulations that were removed under the repeal day as part of the government's work included removing consumer protections in FoFA laws and giving a fresh licence for contractors to cut the wages of cleaners. That is not good. It is not good for small business. It is not good for workers either. You cannot, in the guise of a repeal day to do anything and everything, at the same time remove good regulations that help small business or help workers. Surely removing regulations that are good cannot be good for the economy as well.

This is a government that is driven by ideology over substance and that takes away practical support for small business. If the government were serious about helping small business it would reverse some of the bad decisions it has already made and would reintroduce some of Labor's very good policies. (Time expired)

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