Bert Van Manen (Forde, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Treasurer. I refer to the Treasurer to Aarons Linen Service, a business in my electorate which currently employs 200 people. They have estimated that their costs will increase by approximately $1 million per annum under a carbon tax. What compensation will the government be providing to businesses like Aarons Linen Service or will they simply have to shed staff to stay in business?

Wayne Swan (Lilley, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is a bit rich for members of the coalition to come into this House and pretend to be friends of business, given their recent behaviour. They were not friends of business during the global financial crisis and the global recession. They would have seen tens of thousands of businesses go to the wall, and that is a fact. They are not friends of business—

Honourable Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The Treasurer will resume his seat. The member for Mackellar on a point of order.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Mackellar, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Seniors) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order and refer you to page 551 of the Practicewhere it states that should the minister be unable to give an answer he should simply tell the House that he will come back to it when he has the information. Could you so direct him?

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is not in my power to so direct and I will not be doing so. The Leader of the House.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On the point of order, Mr Speaker, of course the question was hypothetical in how it was put forward. How can you possibly calculate a figure? It is just made up.

Honourable members interjecting—

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Given that the Treasurer is 25 seconds into his response, the dogs have barked and the caravan has moved on on a point of order about the question. If I were to characterise the member for Mackellar's point of order as seeking direct relevance, that is the point of order for this question. The Treasurer is responding, he knows the requirements of his response and he has the call.

Wayne Swan (Lilley, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Speaker. The concerns of business and the pace of business in Australian society is of immense importance. Of course, business is a very significant employer in our economy. The government wants to support business and we have supported business very strongly, not just during the global recession, but also by putting in place measures which will assist business. We understand that, in our two-speed or patchwork economy, not everyone in business is doing well.

We set out over a year ago to make sure that we put in place a series of initiatives which would assist business. The first one was a big tax cut or a significant tax for small business via the $5,000 instant asset write-off and our proposals to bring down the corporate rate of tax over time. They are opposing the revenue source that will provide that advantage for Australian business. They ought to be acutely embarrassed because they have a view that the mining industry already pays too much tax and that small business and the rest of business should not get a tax cut. I think they are acutely embarrassed by that.

As we go forward in designing an emissions trading scheme we are acutely aware that we have to get the settings right and acutely aware that what we must do for our country is to support growth in our economy. That is what we are doing as we consult with business, as we consult with the community and as we work through the multiparty committee. We are doing all of those things. Of course, those opposite just want to promote a scare campaign. We will conclude the details of an emissions trading scheme as soon as we can, and we will go out there and vigorously have a debate about who is going to support our economy, set us up for the future, create the jobs of the future, get the investment in renewable energy and make sure we protect this planet, this country, for our children and our grandchildren.