❓ Mrs. Harvey questions the Premier on why the government won't provide $10,000 grants to struggling small businesses. The Premier deflects, questioning if this is Liberal Party policy and highlighting existing support measures.
AnsweredQoN 767Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
STATE ECONOMY —
SMALL BUSINESS
767. Mrs L.M. HARVEY to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question.
Given that Western Australia's domestic economic recovery is dependent
on a strong small business sector, most of which does not pay payroll tax, why
will the government not provide grants of up to $10 000 for our struggling
small businesses so they can survive this economic crisis?
SMALL BUSINESS
767. Mrs L.M. HARVEY to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question.
Given that Western Australia's domestic economic recovery is dependent
on a strong small business sector, most of which does not pay payroll tax, why
will the government not provide grants of up to $10 000 for our struggling
small businesses so they can survive this economic crisis?
AnswerView source ↗
I will ask the question again. It is
now 8 October. Is that the Liberal Party's policy? Is it the Liberal
Party's policy to give every small business in Western Australia $10 000?
Is that its policy? The election is coming. Shadow Treasurer, is that your
policy? Is that your policy? If the Liberal Party wants to announce that, we
can always cost it. In fact, we may well have already done so. If the Liberal
Party wants to give everyone with an ABN $10 000, irrespective of how their
businesses is travelling—that appears to be the Liberal Party's
policy and that is certainly what the member for Darling Range has had to say—just
say so. Is that your policy?
Mrs L.M. Harvey : The
struggling businesses —
Mr M. McGOWAN : Is it your
policy?
The opposition leader did not listen
to what I had to say. She always goes on her phone as soon as I start speaking. As I outlined to the house, we have provided
grants for tourism businesses all over Western Australia, support for
Lotterywest retailers and support for travel agents, and we have waived licence
fees and rent for tenants of the government. The commercial tenancy
legislation is providing support for retailers and tenants all over Western Australia.
There have been payroll tax reductions and a $2 500 credit on nearly 100 000
small business electricity bills. They have never seen anything like that sort
of support before, and every one of those people in a household, which I assume
is all of them, will also get a $600 credit on their electricity bill. We have
an economy that is not in recession and we do not have COVID present. We have
the most relaxed restrictions of anywhere in Australia currently, which are
allowing people to get back to work and the business community to go better in
this state than in any other state in Australia, and the only people, perhaps
one of the only groups of people, who do not like it is the Liberal Party. We
have found that businesses across the state appreciate the fact that our state
is COVID free. Had you been in office, we would not be.
The SPEAKER : That is the end
of question time.
now 8 October. Is that the Liberal Party's policy? Is it the Liberal
Party's policy to give every small business in Western Australia $10 000?
Is that its policy? The election is coming. Shadow Treasurer, is that your
policy? Is that your policy? If the Liberal Party wants to announce that, we
can always cost it. In fact, we may well have already done so. If the Liberal
Party wants to give everyone with an ABN $10 000, irrespective of how their
businesses is travelling—that appears to be the Liberal Party's
policy and that is certainly what the member for Darling Range has had to say—just
say so. Is that your policy?
Mrs L.M. Harvey : The
struggling businesses —
Mr M. McGOWAN : Is it your
policy?
The opposition leader did not listen
to what I had to say. She always goes on her phone as soon as I start speaking. As I outlined to the house, we have provided
grants for tourism businesses all over Western Australia, support for
Lotterywest retailers and support for travel agents, and we have waived licence
fees and rent for tenants of the government. The commercial tenancy
legislation is providing support for retailers and tenants all over Western Australia.
There have been payroll tax reductions and a $2 500 credit on nearly 100 000
small business electricity bills. They have never seen anything like that sort
of support before, and every one of those people in a household, which I assume
is all of them, will also get a $600 credit on their electricity bill. We have
an economy that is not in recession and we do not have COVID present. We have
the most relaxed restrictions of anywhere in Australia currently, which are
allowing people to get back to work and the business community to go better in
this state than in any other state in Australia, and the only people, perhaps
one of the only groups of people, who do not like it is the Liberal Party. We
have found that businesses across the state appreciate the fact that our state
is COVID free. Had you been in office, we would not be.
The SPEAKER : That is the end
of question time.
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