Michael Johnson (Ryan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Small business is the subject of my speech in the parliament today. Some 1.2 million small businesses exist in this country and they employ over three million Australians. Small business is vital in my electorate of Ryan and as the federal member for Ryan, which I have the great privilege to be, I place an enormous emphasis on promoting small business and promoting opportunities for small business owners and operators to come together, to learn from each other, to network and to value add to their organisations. Small business is critical in our country because it sustains families, it sustains communities and it sustains the greater national economic prosperity and the growth of this nation. It creates jobs in so many ways, it provides important goods and services that the likes of Coles, Kmart and the big chains do not provide.

Not only is small business the lifeblood of the Ryan community in just the same way as roads, schools and hospitals but small business is also the lifeblood of this country. As I said, some 1.2 million small businesses in this country employ over three million of our fellow Australians and, as the federal member for Ryan, I place a great emphasis on promoting small businesses in my constituency.

Since 1996 the coalition government, led by the Prime Minister, has of course given enormous emphasis to economic growth and prosperity in this country. Today we have record levels of employment and the economy is strong and robust. There are opportunities galore for the people of Australia. People who have great ideas, great imagination and innovative technology are the ones who are creating and leading the prosperity in this country. Over 1.7 million jobs have been created in Australia. Most of them are full time. This country will continue to place enormous emphasis on creating job prospects not only for young Australians coming out of school and university but also for mature age Australians. This is an important part of our role as individual members and senators of this parliament.

I want to remind the people of Queensland and the people of Ryan electorate in particular that the Queensland government reaps some $7.7 billion of GST funds. This is an enormous amount of money. The states and territories across this country are awash with GST funds. It is about time that the Queensland government spent some of this money not only in our health facilities—hospitals in Queensland are crumbling; they are absolutely wasting the GST that comes into Queensland—but, in particular, on small businesses, just as the Commonwealth is doing. In conclusion, I want to commend the Howard government and all those community businesses in Ryan that do their part to ensure that posterity and growth continue. (Time expired)