Henry Pike (Bowman, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Mental Health) Share this | Hansard source

I want to speak today about the realities facing families, retirees and small businesses in my community. Recently, I released the findings of my January 2026 Redland Business Survey, and I want to thank every local business who took the time to respond. Their feedback was incredibly insightful and deeply concerning.

Almost 89 per cent of the businesses responding in my electorate expect their input costs to increase or significantly increase over the next 12 months. At the same time, 13 per cent anticipate reducing staff levels, up from just 10 per cent six months ago. Nearly half, 48 per cent, believe the economy will contract in the year ahead, while only 20 per cent expect growth. Most alarmingly of all but perhaps not surprisingly, 96 per cent of respondents believe that the current federal government is not delivering policies that encourage growth or support small business.

Business confidence in the Redlands is not just softening; it is sliding. But these statistics only tell part of the story of the economic pressures facing my community. I have been inundated in recent weeks by constituents reaching out to outline how the rising cost of living is affecting them and their households. A 73-year-old pensioner, Patricia, in my electorate, wrote to me about her struggle. She receives just over $1,300 per fortnight from the pension. Her rent is $1,140 per fortnight, leaving just $204 to cover food, electricity, petrol, insurance and medical costs. At 73, she's returned to work, driving for DoorDash. She's working into her 70s not as an added extra but just to sustain herself. This is just one of many examples, many stories that I'm hearing from my constituents.

But, listening to the government in question time any day this week, you'll be forgiven for thinking that we're entering some sort of golden era. Australians have never had it so good, according to this government. But that is absolutely not the case in my community. Small businesses in the Redlands are telling me that red tape is relentless and confidence is falling. My constituents are emailing me, calling me every day, talking to me at street stalls about the costs being too high and energy bills totally unaffordable.

The government must confront the reality that policy settings are squeezing retirees, families and employers at the same time. If we continue down this path, we risk entrenching a two-speed economy, one where governments grow but private enterprise shrinks, where pensioners work longer but feel less secure and where aspiration is replaced by anxiety. This is not the sort of Australia that we want. This is not protecting Australians' way of life or restoring their standard of living. Under the Albanese Labor government, Australia is heading in the wrong direction, and we need to fix that as soon as possible.

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