❓ Mrs. Hayden asks the Premier about urgent financial assistance for small businesses not paying payroll tax during the Coronavirus outbreak. The Premier responds by highlighting existing stimulus measures, the importance of consumer support, and the need for landlords and local governments to provide relief.
AnsweredQoN 168Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
CORONAVIRUS —
SMALL BUSINESS — IMPACT
168. Mrs A.K. HAYDEN to the Premier:
I
have a supplementary question. Is the Premier going to provide urgent financial
assistance to those small businesses that do not pay payroll tax, before
it is too late?
SMALL BUSINESS — IMPACT
168. Mrs A.K. HAYDEN to the Premier:
I
have a supplementary question. Is the Premier going to provide urgent financial
assistance to those small businesses that do not pay payroll tax, before
it is too late?
AnswerView source ↗
There are 226 000 small businesses
in Western Australia—226 000. We are looking at what further measures
we can take within our budget and what further measures administratively we can
take to alleviate any red-tape burden or the like on businesses. But one of the
major things that can be done is consumers can continue to support our small
businesses. The Minister for Small Business just said it. I have been saying it
now for six weeks. Keep going to our cafes and our retailers—keep
going. There is no need not to. There is no need not to go and buy a coffee or
buy lunch or have dinner. There is no need to desert these businesses. If
people are going to buy a suit or a dress, or some products, or a gift or a birthday
present, go and do it. If people are going to buy a new car or a used car, go and do it. The more people stop doing that, the
worse it will become. Fear begets fear, and it will continue to spiral down while people do not go and patronise businesses. There are limits to what
we can do. As I said, we have built up a surplus of $2.5 billion. We put in
$600 million plus yesterday, and we have put in $700 million plus over the last
couple of months in additional stimulus measures. But the main thing consumers
can do is continue to support these businesses.
The other thing, and the real threat
to them—the big threat to them—is that a bank will foreclose,
or a landlord will evict them in this
situation. I feel terribly sorry for retailers in major shopping centres. They
are very vulnerable . They have often invested hundreds of thousands, if
not millions, of dollars in shop fit-outs and the like. If customers are not
coming in, what do they do? The best thing is that the landlords do not kick
them out, and that they alleviate them of their rental responsibility, and that
local governments assist them with fees and charges.
We will continue to do more. But
this is a community responsibility. This is a responsibility across business,
local government, federal government and state government. It is a world
responsibility. We will do our best to keep the economy strong. We have to keep
our trade routes open. We have to keep our trading economy going. We cannot
lose the mining sector in this environment. If we through some kneejerk
reaction say we have to close our ports, God help business in WA. We will lose
everything. We need to continue to support our trading economy, and consumers
need to continue to support our businesses in our state.
The SPEAKER : That is the end
of question time.
in Western Australia—226 000. We are looking at what further measures
we can take within our budget and what further measures administratively we can
take to alleviate any red-tape burden or the like on businesses. But one of the
major things that can be done is consumers can continue to support our small
businesses. The Minister for Small Business just said it. I have been saying it
now for six weeks. Keep going to our cafes and our retailers—keep
going. There is no need not to. There is no need not to go and buy a coffee or
buy lunch or have dinner. There is no need to desert these businesses. If
people are going to buy a suit or a dress, or some products, or a gift or a birthday
present, go and do it. If people are going to buy a new car or a used car, go and do it. The more people stop doing that, the
worse it will become. Fear begets fear, and it will continue to spiral down while people do not go and patronise businesses. There are limits to what
we can do. As I said, we have built up a surplus of $2.5 billion. We put in
$600 million plus yesterday, and we have put in $700 million plus over the last
couple of months in additional stimulus measures. But the main thing consumers
can do is continue to support these businesses.
The other thing, and the real threat
to them—the big threat to them—is that a bank will foreclose,
or a landlord will evict them in this
situation. I feel terribly sorry for retailers in major shopping centres. They
are very vulnerable . They have often invested hundreds of thousands, if
not millions, of dollars in shop fit-outs and the like. If customers are not
coming in, what do they do? The best thing is that the landlords do not kick
them out, and that they alleviate them of their rental responsibility, and that
local governments assist them with fees and charges.
We will continue to do more. But
this is a community responsibility. This is a responsibility across business,
local government, federal government and state government. It is a world
responsibility. We will do our best to keep the economy strong. We have to keep
our trade routes open. We have to keep our trading economy going. We cannot
lose the mining sector in this environment. If we through some kneejerk
reaction say we have to close our ports, God help business in WA. We will lose
everything. We need to continue to support our trading economy, and consumers
need to continue to support our businesses in our state.
The SPEAKER : That is the end
of question time.
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