House debates Questions without Notice
Small Business
Kim Beazley Brand, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition
3:00 pm
My question is addressed to the Minister for Small Business and Tourism. I refer to the following comments by the minister for small business, reported today, when she said that collective bargaining:
... can allow franchisees to strike a better deal with big business. With collective bargaining, small businesses can reap the benefits of economies of scale ...
Minister, if collective bargaining is important for small business dealings with big businesses, isn’t it even more important for employees’ dealings with big businesses?
Fran Bailey McEwen, Liberal Party, Minister for Small Business and Tourism
I have to say that I am amazed that the Leader of the Opposition would even ask a question to do with small business—seeing that you do not stand for small business. I can advise the Leader of the Opposition that those comments were made in regard to amendments to the Trade Practices Act, which the opposition voted against in the Senate.
Julia Gillard Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Manager of Opposition Business in the House
Ms Gillard interjecting
Fran Bailey McEwen, Liberal Party, Minister for Small Business and Tourism
If the Leader of the Opposition had one iota of confidence in or understanding of small business, he would never reinstate unfair dismissal and he would not abolish AWAs.