"Over the last three years, our government has provided $2 billion in targeted support for Australian small businesses. This targeted support is there for small business in the good times and the not-so-good times."

Address to the House of Representatives, Private Members' Business

Monday 28 July 2025

It's been three years, but, in some ways, it seems less than a day—welcome back, Member for Goldstein. It reminds me of the great Arthur Mailey, pre-World-War-II spin bowler, then journalist, then owner of a butchery, who put up a sign on the counter of his store that read: 'I bowled tripe, I wrote tripe and now I sell tripe.' It's been three years, but the same tired, old tripe or tropes are again being placed on the table—anti worker and anti fairness in super. We've heard this before.

Nonetheless, I rise to speak to the motion brought forward by the member for Goldstein. I want to thank the member for bringing this motion forward because, despite its manifest shortfalls and negative tone, it gives all of us on this side of the House an opportunity to set the record straight about the great work that the Albanese government is doing to support Australian small businesses to grow and thrive.

Let's talk about what the government has actually been doing to support small businesses. Over the last three years, our government has provided $2 billion in targeted support for Australian small businesses. This targeted support is there for small business in the good times and the not-so-good times. These supports have been developed through engaging with and listening to small businesses and working with them to deliver what they need.

Let's talk about some of those supports. Let's talk about our efforts to tackle energy costs for small businesses. We continue to deliver targeted energy bill relief and energy efficiency grants. One million small businesses have been able to access up to $800 in bill relief and up to $25,000 in grants to fund energy upgrades. The grant program, in particular, is worth more than $56 million in total. Let's talk about the $33.4 million we've spent to improve payment times for small business, including the overhauled Payment Times Reporting Scheme. Let's talk about the $60 million that's been invested in the digital assistance program, the Cyber Wardens program, the Small Business Cyber Resilience Service and the cyber health check. Let's also talk about the $400 million the government has put forward through the Industry Growth Program to help small businesses to develop, innovate and grow.

When times are tough, we are providing targeted and specific support to small businesses and the Australians who work so hard to keep them going. Let's talk about the $25.9 million in funding for supports for the mental health and financial wellbeing of small-business owners through the NewAccess for Small Business Owners program and the Small Business Debt Helpline. This government has the backs of small businesses and small-business owners.

All this is underpinned by our National Small Business Strategy. For the first time, our government has brought together the governments of Australia to find efficiencies and cut red tape for small businesses.

You can cut red tape without cutting entitlements for workers or working families. We have elevated the interests of small businesses to the very heart of government decision-making. Last week, Minister Aly convened a small-business roundtable to ensure that the diversity of views of small businesses are heard and that their views are part of the national conversation around economic reform and productivity. These are some of the things we're doing to support small businesses.

While we're doing all that, what do those opposite do? When we brought forward a tax cut that benefited 1½ million sole traders across Australia, they opposed it. But the most important point is this: when I engage with small businesses in my electorate of Bean, as I do on a regular basis, owners tell me that they really appreciate the support they are receiving, that they know this government has got their back. Forget motions and debates in this place; it's that direct feedback that really matters.

The reality is this: we understand small business on this side of the House. We understand the challenges, the struggles and the stress. We have small-business owners across our Labor caucus. Those opposite don't understand. They don't care. This motion is emblematic of much of what we hear from those opposite these days—pointless, tired and missing the point entirely, selling tripe and tropes. They are lost in the wilderness, and motions such as these suggest they have still some way to go to come out the other side.