Alicia Payne (Canberra, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Small Business. How is the Albanese Labor government continuing to deliver for Australian small businesses in the face of global uncertainty?

Anne Aly (Cowan, Australian Labor Party, Minister for International Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Canberra and welcome her back to this place after her period of maternity leave. I thank her also for fighting for small businesses in Canberra—small businesses like one of my favourites, Fancy Yarns. Fancy Yarns is run by owners Cat and John, and they recently held another amazing Australian Yarn Show event right here in Canberra. It's an annual event that showcases small businesses in the yarn industry, from producers through to retailers and creatives as well—so I wanted to give them a bit of a shout-out.

The Albanese government understands how important small businesses are, and we're ensuring that small businesses have the right conditions in place not just to survive but also to thrive. Since we came to government, Australians have established more than 26,000 new small businesses every month. Behind that figure there are visionary individuals who take an idea or take a passion and turn it into a business—a business that employs people and supplies critical goods and services, and a business that builds communities.

Our National Small Business Strategy, the first of its kind, means that we're working closely with states and territories across three essential pillars—supporting small businesses to grow, levelling the playing field for them and easing the pressure on small businesses. But we know that running a small business can be tough, and I know that members on this side of the House who have run small businesses know exactly what I'm talking about—and it's even tougher when you don't know what's around the corner, when unexpected price shocks or supply shortages throw you curveballs.

Mr Speaker, you've heard the Prime Minister, the Treasurer and other ministers talk here about shielding Australians from the worst of global uncertainty. We are working as a team across portfolios to deliver for small businesses and ensure that they too are shielded from the worst of global uncertainty. We're ensuring that they're able to take advantage of Australia's transition to renewable energy, and I'm pleased to inform the House that the latest draft default market offer proposes that small-business electricity costs could drop by as much as 21 per cent. We're also ensuring that they can reduce their energy costs by accessing the home battery program, which thousands have already done. We're boosting fuel supply, amending fuel standards and working with industry and international partners—including, as the minister announced earlier today, the standards for diesel as well.

On this side of the House we remain focused on delivery, particularly in the face of global uncertainty. We are the party for small business.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask that further questions be place on the Notice Paper.