Bert Van Manen (Forde, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That this House:

(1) notes that:

(a) 96 per cent of all of Australian businesses are small businesses, employing more than 4.5 million people and producing more than $330 billion of the nation's economic output;

(b) in 2013-14 Australians started more than 280,000 small businesses;

(c) the Coalition Government has developed and started to deliver as part of the budget, the largest small business package in the nation's history—the Jobs and Small Business Package—worth $5.5 billion; and

(d) as part of the Jobs and Small Business Package, all small businesses will get an immediate tax deduction for each asset they buy costing less than $20,000; and

(2) acknowledges the work of the Prime Minister, the Treasurer and the Minister for Small Business in putting together a package that will deliver for small businesses now and into the future.

I have great pleasure in moving this motion on the coalition's Growing Jobs and Small Business package today and for the House to record and note its support. Small business in this country represents 96 per cent of all businesses, employing more than 4.5 million people and producing more than $330 billion of economic output for this nation. In 2013-14, Australians started more than 280,000 small businesses. This coalition government has developed and started to deliver, as part of this budget, the largest small business package in this country's history—the Jobs and Small Business package—worth some $5.5 billion. As part of the Jobs and Small Business package all small business will get an immediate tax deduction for assets they buy costing less than $20,000 after 7.30 pm on budget night.

This motion also seeks to acknowledge the work of the Prime Minister, the Treasurer and the Minister for Small Business in putting together a package that will deliver for small business now and into the future. The coalition's Growing Jobs and Small Business package is designed to have a tremendous impact on Australia's economic climate, particularly for small businesses around the electorate of Forde, where we have approximately 11,000 small businesses.

Our government is seeking to arrest the decline in the small business environment overseen by the previous Labor government, and we have now developed and delivered the largest jobs and small business package in the nation's history. The hardworking men and women of Australian small businesses deserve a government that will provide them with the opportunities to invest, grow and prosper. We are creating a more competitive system that supports small business growth and does not hinder it. Small business owners are the have-a-go Australians who follow their dreams, take a risk and dive into the world of business. They are the people who provide services, train and employ people, and contribute to economic growth in their local communities.

There is no doubt that small business is at the forefront of Australia's jobs and growth for the future. It is the coalition government that is delivering for small business now and into the future through our growing jobs and small business package. Creating the ability for business to reinvest leads to existing output being increased but at lower cost. It also leads to new and improved ways of doing business, overall improving our nation's productivity and longer-term wealth. We want to see higher investment leading to higher employment and wages over time. And we believe the measures undertaken in this growing jobs and small business package is the first step in achieving this. Along with other package measures such as reducing the company tax rate, we will see continued assistance for small business to allow them to grow and compete more effectively with larger businesses, thereby again creating the opportunity to grow and prosper and employ Australians.

More people in work means fewer people on welfare and more money for individuals and families results in a stronger Australian economy. Helping more small businesses to become profitable and sustainable and competitive will put small business owners in this best position possible to hire new employees, provide more jobs particularly, in my electorate, not only for younger people that are struggling to find employment but also importantly for an increasing number of older workers who are looking to re-enter our workforce. From 1 July 2015 incorporated small businesses will be eligible for the 1.5 per cent company tax cut, and small incorporated business will receive a five per cent tax discount up to $1,000 further improving cash flow and building a positive economy for small business.

It is with great pleasure that I move this motion. I commend the Prime Minister and the Treasurer for their terrific work and I commend this bill to the House.

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