❓ Opposition asks about government support for small businesses given reported closures. Premier defends government record, highlighting initiatives and criticising the previous government's actions.
AnsweredQoN 444Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
SMALL BUSINESS —
FEES AND CHARGES
444. Ms L. METTAM to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question.
Given that 30 000 businesses have shut their doors since this government came
into office, what is the Premier doing to develop a small business crisis
rescue package for those small businesses?
Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected.
The SPEAKER : Treasurer! I call
you to order for the second time.
FEES AND CHARGES
444. Ms L. METTAM to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question.
Given that 30 000 businesses have shut their doors since this government came
into office, what is the Premier doing to develop a small business crisis
rescue package for those small businesses?
Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected.
The SPEAKER : Treasurer! I call
you to order for the second time.
AnswerView source ↗
I come from a background of having
parents who ran a range of small businesses. I grew up around small business.
We actually lived in one. I understand the difficulties that come with running
a small business. Sometimes they close for a range of reasons. The reasons can
be many and varied, but then new businesses open as well. At the same time that
some are closing, others are opening. I want to see people in small business be
successful. I want to see them get ahead and do well in life. That is why I just
outlined two of the initiatives that we have taken, one of which is assistance
with employing apprentices. We have not put up land tax like the Liberals and
Nationals did. Last week I also announced a major package in which the
government directly assists and supports Lotterywest retailers. We are doing
numerous things across government that includes the drafting of subcontractor
legislation to ensure that the Small Business Commissioner can assist
subcontractors. These are all things that the previous government did not do
when it was in office. It ignored small business. It mouthed words of support
for small business, but when it came to the crunch, it ignored them. The
previous government did nothing for them. All it did was put up their taxes,
put up debt and say to them, ''You have got to pay for it.'' This
government has a great deal of sympathy and empathy for people in small
business.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Vasse!
Mr M. McGOWAN : Considering
that the member is the shadow Minister for Tourism, I would have thought she
would be congratulating this government on the enormous increase in interstate
and overseas tourists coming to Western Australia, the increase in tourists
holidaying locally at home —
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Vasse! I call you to order for the first time.
Mr M. McGOWAN : — the
fact that we are securing direct flights from Japan and the fact that we have
opened an east coast office under this government.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Vasse! I call you to order for a second time.
Mr M. McGOWAN : This
government has done all these things to support the tourism industry that
members opposite did not do when they were in office.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Vasse! I call you to order for the third time.
Mr M. McGOWAN : In fact, the
new leader of the Liberal Party as Minister for Tourism drove tourist numbers
through the floor. Members opposite should not come in here—the
Liberals and Nationals who did nothing for small business—and pretend
to care.
parents who ran a range of small businesses. I grew up around small business.
We actually lived in one. I understand the difficulties that come with running
a small business. Sometimes they close for a range of reasons. The reasons can
be many and varied, but then new businesses open as well. At the same time that
some are closing, others are opening. I want to see people in small business be
successful. I want to see them get ahead and do well in life. That is why I just
outlined two of the initiatives that we have taken, one of which is assistance
with employing apprentices. We have not put up land tax like the Liberals and
Nationals did. Last week I also announced a major package in which the
government directly assists and supports Lotterywest retailers. We are doing
numerous things across government that includes the drafting of subcontractor
legislation to ensure that the Small Business Commissioner can assist
subcontractors. These are all things that the previous government did not do
when it was in office. It ignored small business. It mouthed words of support
for small business, but when it came to the crunch, it ignored them. The
previous government did nothing for them. All it did was put up their taxes,
put up debt and say to them, ''You have got to pay for it.'' This
government has a great deal of sympathy and empathy for people in small
business.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Vasse!
Mr M. McGOWAN : Considering
that the member is the shadow Minister for Tourism, I would have thought she
would be congratulating this government on the enormous increase in interstate
and overseas tourists coming to Western Australia, the increase in tourists
holidaying locally at home —
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Vasse! I call you to order for the first time.
Mr M. McGOWAN : — the
fact that we are securing direct flights from Japan and the fact that we have
opened an east coast office under this government.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Vasse! I call you to order for a second time.
Mr M. McGOWAN : This
government has done all these things to support the tourism industry that
members opposite did not do when they were in office.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Vasse! I call you to order for the third time.
Mr M. McGOWAN : In fact, the
new leader of the Liberal Party as Minister for Tourism drove tourist numbers
through the floor. Members opposite should not come in here—the
Liberals and Nationals who did nothing for small business—and pretend
to care.
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