Andrew Wallace (Fisher, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As utility bills land on the desks of our small- and family-business owners, I know that families who own a business in Fisher are really feeling the pinch. Indeed, all families across the country are feeling the pinch of Labor's economic policies. Our small businesses are worried. They're worried about whether they can fulfil their orders. They're worried about how they will retain their staff or stay open for as many days, thanks to the skyrocketing of power costs, transport costs and material costs. Small and family businesses are concerned about the impact of Labor's union reforms on their teams of casual and part-time workers. Small and family businesses are trying to make the most of their existing food stock or inventory, with unstable supply chains meaning that they can't always rely on availability in the weeks to come.

It's a challenging time to be in small business, and perhaps more so in regional Australian communities like those in my electorate of Fisher. I'll continue to prosecute the case to this Labor government when it comes to their extreme industrial relations reforms, their red tape, their taxes and, on energy, their so-called affordability, reliability and security. Small and family business owners know that the coalition is on their side. Aspirational Australians know that the opposition has their back and will continue to be their voice in this place.