Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

The best by a long way—now I'm getting disparaged by the deputy speaker! But it is true. There were some who called Mr Billson 'the best small small-business minister', very unkindly, about his stature. He also had the portfolio responsibilities for competition, policy and consumer affairs. If I thought the member for Hughes was animated, Mr Billson was totally animated in everything he did. But he's been the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman for some time, and his contract is not being renewed. I really would ask the government to reconsider that, because he is so enthusiastic about what he does and he's so good at his job. Those sorts of jobs should be above politics. Whilst I appreciate that Labor has made some appointments on bipartisan lines, the contract of Mr Billson should have been extended because of the experience, the enthusiasm, the success and the delivery that he has brought to that position. He is very, very good—Kate Carnell, a former Liberal chief minister here in the ACT, was also very good in that role—and I very much appreciate his advice, particularly when it comes to industrial relations. ASBFEO is a great website for anybody venturing into the difficult world of small business, because the advice that it provides in the very complicated world of IR has been very well received by companies, particularly small businesses.

We heard in question time today from the Minister for Small Business how small business is indeed the backbone of the economy—and it is. We should never forget that. I heard the minister—I listened to her closely—talking about the instant asset write-off. It's a shame that it has been limited under this government. I know that, when I was the small-business minister, the rate of tax being paid by small business dropped to its lowest level since the days pre World War II, and I was very proud of that fact. We should, every single one of us, be doing everything we can, and then some, to support, protect and help the small businesses in our electorates, because you don't know how valuable they are until you lose them.

A little bit on this particular bill, the Treasury Laws Amendment (Payments System Modernisation) Bill 2025—the law was written a quarter of a century ago, when, obviously, cheques, EFTPOS, Visa and Mastercard were the only ways Australians paid. It's a very different society these days. The law doesn't cover the systems that Australians use today—Apple Pay, Google Pay and Afterpay or even crypto and blockchain systems.

I talked about the superannuation fund collapse before, but I would say, too, that I think the other thing that small business would like us to talk about is making sure that we restrict the payment that has to go with using tap-and-go. If that were to be addressed by this government, I think there'd be a lot of cheering not only from small businesses but, indeed, from customers. I know the rate varies, but I'll tell you what doesn't vary or only goes up: the banks' profit margins. They are just milking customers dry when it comes to benefiting from tap-and-go. It is a lot of money. It mightn't seem so much when you buy your morning coffee, but it adds up. It does add up. I commend what the former member for Cowper Luke Hartsuyker did in that regard.

I commend the current member for Cowper for the amendment that he's brought forward to this particular legislation. I recommend the House wisely consider and adopt what he has put forward—as he enters the chamber—to improve this particular bill.

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