Kara Cook (Bonner, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

We know that Australians are doing it tough, including small business, and I want to thank the Minister for Small Business for setting out so clearly all that we have done to deliver for small business in this country. We know that families are juggling bills, students are worrying about debts, renters and first homebuyers are feeling locked out and people are making impossible choices about their health. When Australians are under pressure, this parliament and this minister have a choice: we can step up and deliver relief, or we can stand back, point fingers, call people names and play politics. This Labor government and our small business minister have chosen to step up and deliver. We have heard today all she has delivered in such a short amount of time for small businesses in this country. Yet, day after day, the opposition stands up in this chamber and calls and calls cost-of-living relief 'reckless', and today is no different with the wording of today's MPI—reckless. Well, if helping small businesses is reckless, if helping Australians see a doctor when they're sick is reckless, sign me up. If easing pressure on students, families and first home buyers is reckless, sign me up. If backing Australians through a global cost-of-living crisis is reckless, then this side of the House is proudly guilty.

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