Mark Baker (Braddon, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is addressed to the Prime Minister. Would the Prime Minister update the House on how the government continues to support Australian small business? Are there any threats to the small business sector?

John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In reply to the member for Braddon, I remind the House that this government remains the best friend that small business has ever had. Not only is this government the best friend that Medicare has ever had, we are also the best friend that small business has ever had. We have done many things, and the most meritorious of all is the way in which we have provided a sound economic climate. The figures quoted yesterday by the Treasurer, in relation to the attitudes of small business to governments around Australia, illustrate that.

In recent times the removal of the unfair dismissal nightmare was a great boon to small business. I noticed in the past week that there have been a number of gyrations and permutations from the Labor Party in trying, once again, to walk both sides of the street in relation to small business. We know what Labor’s record was. Over the years before the current law came into operation, on 44 occasions the Labor Party voted against an exemption for small business that would have only extended to firms having 15 to 20 employees. The current law, of course, provides an exemption for firms with up to 100 employees.

Over the past couple of days the shadow minister responsible, the member for Rankin, has tried to walk both sides of the street. He briefed the Sydney Morning Herald to the effect that he was going to make a big speech last night in which he was going to announce a significant change in relation to Labor’s position on unfair dismissal laws. He said he was going to get rid of the Beazley reinstatement option. The whole impression was given that change was in the air, as far as the member for Rankin was concerned. But when the speech came out last night there was not a lot of change in the air. And that was picked up in an absolutely hilarious interview on Brisbane radio this morning between Madonna King and Craig Emerson in which, amongst other things, Madonna King said:

You’re being a little tricky here, with respect, Dr Emerson, because I read you those parts of that report and at no point ...

And so the exchange goes on. Basically, what happened is that he briefed Phillip Coorey from the Sydney Morning Herald. He said: ‘Look, we’ve got a big speech tonight. We’re going to put our arm around small business. We’re going to look after them.’ Along comes the speech and nothing happens. Along comes his interview this morning and, quite understandably, the journalist was rather cynical about the way in which the member was behaving. But let me come to the nub of the policy issue and let me quote from the shadow minister. He said:

I am saying to you right now, in answering your question, that I have not said, either in the speech or on your program, that we are exempting small business.

Not in the speech or in the program!

What I am saying is that we will take into account the special circumstances of small business in developing our policies.

Let me say in very plain language to the member for Rankin, and to those who sit opposite, that the only way that you can take properly into account the special concerns of small business is to leave the law exactly as it is.

I can tell you what small business wants. Small business wants the present law. Small business does not want any tinkering with the present law. Small business does not want union officials back interfering in their business. Small business likes the present exemption. Small business knows that the present exemption has led to more jobs. Small business should be listened to, and the law should be left exactly as it is.