❓ Question on government reforms supporting small businesses, highlighting changes to liquor laws and the Western Australian Jobs Bill. The Minister's answer focuses on past neglect, new legislation to protect subcontractors, and increased liquor licenses.
AnsweredQoN 547Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
SMALL BUSINESS — GOVERNMENT REFORMS
547. Mr S.A. MILLMAN to the Minister for Small Business:
I refer to the McGowan Labor government's support for
small business, which has already seen greater flexibility for WA's
hospitality industry through reforms to liquor laws. Can the minister update
the house on the action this government is taking to further support small
business, drive our local economy and create more local jobs?
547. Mr S.A. MILLMAN to the Minister for Small Business:
I refer to the McGowan Labor government's support for
small business, which has already seen greater flexibility for WA's
hospitality industry through reforms to liquor laws. Can the minister update
the house on the action this government is taking to further support small
business, drive our local economy and create more local jobs?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Mount Lawley
for his robust advocacy on behalf of small business not only in his electorate,
but also right across the state. The government is very proud to be acting on
behalf of small businesses and assisting them after the neglect they suffered
for eight and a half years under the Barnett government. We passed the Western Australian
Jobs Bill in 2017, immediately after taking office. That action that was
intended to provide —
Mr A. Krsticevic interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Carine, please!
Mr P. PAPALIA : That action
was intended to provide opportunity for local small businesses to win
government contracts, from which they had been previously excluded. I have
witnessed this in action. I have seen builders in Pinjarra get a job that they
would have been excluded from in the past, primarily because they were local
providers and they were elevated up the chain of decision-making on the project
at the Pinjarra Paceway.
I am very proud to say that like so
many other members in this place, I was appalled by the treatment of
subcontractors, particularly in 2014 when the federal government was throwing
billions of dollars at the state Liberal–National government for
Building the Education Revolution. Thousands of subcontractors were left
without payment by primes. Many of the suppliers of those subcontractors were
left without payment. Marriages broke up, homes were lost and sold and,
tragically, some people took their lives. The only response they got at the
time was, ''It's a commercial matter.''
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Riverton.
Mr P. PAPALIA : The member for
Riverton interjects.
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Riverton, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr P. PAPALIA : The member for
Riverton is the individual who confronted the subcontractors who were begging
for assistance —
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Riverton, I call you to order for a second time.
Mr P. PAPALIA : The member for
Riverton effectively said, ''It's an issue between the primes
and the subcontractors; government cannot play a part. It's your
problem, effectively.'' He washed his hands of it. We did not think that
was right, particularly with government-controlled contracts and taxpayers were
paying the bills. I am very proud to say that we have introduced into
Parliament an amendment to the Small Business Development Corporation Act to
empower the Small Business Commissioner to investigate matters.
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
Mr P. PAPALIA : This is
something that the member for Riverton was incapable of conceiving of. When
this bill passes—rapidly, I hope—the
commissioner will be able to employ the subcontractor support unit within the
Small Business Development Corporation that we have created, funded and
resourced. It will be able to receive notifications of poor behaviour by prime
contractors and investigate. It will be able to compel provision of evidence.
That will be a significant change. I believe it will change the culture of the
construction industry in Western Australia for the better. That is something
that the member for Riverton and the previous government were incapable of
contemplating. They could not conceive of it, because it has not been done
anywhere else in the country. It is a first for the nation, and I am very proud
to say that we are doing it.
As the member for Mount Lawley
indicated, we have also amended the Liquor Act to assist numerous hospitality
outlets across the state. I can report that since we took office, the number of
liquor licences for small bars in this state—which exist only thanks to
the Premier in his previous incarnation in the last Labor government—has
increased from 112 when we took office to 129 currently. The number of tavern
licences has increased from 410 to 424, and restaurant licences have increased
over the same period from 1 056 to 1 087. That is because we have amended the
act to make it easier to encourage investment and to encourage small businesses
to take the risk and get into the game, and they are taking on that challenge.
I
am also happy to report that in October 2018, the Western Australian government
worked with the federal government to make up to $126 million available to
create thousands of apprenticeships and traineeships after signing up to the
federal government's Skilling Australians Fund national partnership.
Key to that is an employer incentive scheme that will be implemented on 1 July;
the member will be happy to know that that will be coming into play on 1 July.
It will provide training support to employers, including small businesses. The
employer incentive scheme will extend training support to around 6 000
businesses in Western Australia. That is a wonderful initiative.
There have been plenty of other initiatives. The Small
Business Development Corporation, in direct response to the member for
Scarborough's neglect of her small businesses during the development of
the Scarborough beachfront precinct and her government's poor treatment
of small businesses at that time, has developed the small business friendly
initiative. Some 56 per cent of all small businesses in Western Australia are
now covered by the small business friendly initiative, making it safer and
better for small businesses, defending their interests, promoting their
interests and giving them some support —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members, please.
I cannot hear this riveting answer. I am sure it is going to end very quickly!
Mr P. PAPALIA : The member
must have gone to sleep during the Minister for Local Government's
presentation.
Several members interjected.
Mr P. PAPALIA : You obviously
were not timing the Minister for Culture and the Arts!
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr
P. PAPALIA : For the first time in
almost a decade, small businesses in Western Australia have a government that
is supportive of them. They appreciate it, and the number of small businesses
is growing. The confidence of the small business sector is improving, and it is
all down to the interest and support demonstrated by the state government.
for his robust advocacy on behalf of small business not only in his electorate,
but also right across the state. The government is very proud to be acting on
behalf of small businesses and assisting them after the neglect they suffered
for eight and a half years under the Barnett government. We passed the Western Australian
Jobs Bill in 2017, immediately after taking office. That action that was
intended to provide —
Mr A. Krsticevic interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Carine, please!
Mr P. PAPALIA : That action
was intended to provide opportunity for local small businesses to win
government contracts, from which they had been previously excluded. I have
witnessed this in action. I have seen builders in Pinjarra get a job that they
would have been excluded from in the past, primarily because they were local
providers and they were elevated up the chain of decision-making on the project
at the Pinjarra Paceway.
I am very proud to say that like so
many other members in this place, I was appalled by the treatment of
subcontractors, particularly in 2014 when the federal government was throwing
billions of dollars at the state Liberal–National government for
Building the Education Revolution. Thousands of subcontractors were left
without payment by primes. Many of the suppliers of those subcontractors were
left without payment. Marriages broke up, homes were lost and sold and,
tragically, some people took their lives. The only response they got at the
time was, ''It's a commercial matter.''
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Riverton.
Mr P. PAPALIA : The member for
Riverton interjects.
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Riverton, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr P. PAPALIA : The member for
Riverton is the individual who confronted the subcontractors who were begging
for assistance —
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Riverton, I call you to order for a second time.
Mr P. PAPALIA : The member for
Riverton effectively said, ''It's an issue between the primes
and the subcontractors; government cannot play a part. It's your
problem, effectively.'' He washed his hands of it. We did not think that
was right, particularly with government-controlled contracts and taxpayers were
paying the bills. I am very proud to say that we have introduced into
Parliament an amendment to the Small Business Development Corporation Act to
empower the Small Business Commissioner to investigate matters.
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
Mr P. PAPALIA : This is
something that the member for Riverton was incapable of conceiving of. When
this bill passes—rapidly, I hope—the
commissioner will be able to employ the subcontractor support unit within the
Small Business Development Corporation that we have created, funded and
resourced. It will be able to receive notifications of poor behaviour by prime
contractors and investigate. It will be able to compel provision of evidence.
That will be a significant change. I believe it will change the culture of the
construction industry in Western Australia for the better. That is something
that the member for Riverton and the previous government were incapable of
contemplating. They could not conceive of it, because it has not been done
anywhere else in the country. It is a first for the nation, and I am very proud
to say that we are doing it.
As the member for Mount Lawley
indicated, we have also amended the Liquor Act to assist numerous hospitality
outlets across the state. I can report that since we took office, the number of
liquor licences for small bars in this state—which exist only thanks to
the Premier in his previous incarnation in the last Labor government—has
increased from 112 when we took office to 129 currently. The number of tavern
licences has increased from 410 to 424, and restaurant licences have increased
over the same period from 1 056 to 1 087. That is because we have amended the
act to make it easier to encourage investment and to encourage small businesses
to take the risk and get into the game, and they are taking on that challenge.
I
am also happy to report that in October 2018, the Western Australian government
worked with the federal government to make up to $126 million available to
create thousands of apprenticeships and traineeships after signing up to the
federal government's Skilling Australians Fund national partnership.
Key to that is an employer incentive scheme that will be implemented on 1 July;
the member will be happy to know that that will be coming into play on 1 July.
It will provide training support to employers, including small businesses. The
employer incentive scheme will extend training support to around 6 000
businesses in Western Australia. That is a wonderful initiative.
There have been plenty of other initiatives. The Small
Business Development Corporation, in direct response to the member for
Scarborough's neglect of her small businesses during the development of
the Scarborough beachfront precinct and her government's poor treatment
of small businesses at that time, has developed the small business friendly
initiative. Some 56 per cent of all small businesses in Western Australia are
now covered by the small business friendly initiative, making it safer and
better for small businesses, defending their interests, promoting their
interests and giving them some support —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members, please.
I cannot hear this riveting answer. I am sure it is going to end very quickly!
Mr P. PAPALIA : The member
must have gone to sleep during the Minister for Local Government's
presentation.
Several members interjected.
Mr P. PAPALIA : You obviously
were not timing the Minister for Culture and the Arts!
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr
P. PAPALIA : For the first time in
almost a decade, small businesses in Western Australia have a government that
is supportive of them. They appreciate it, and the number of small businesses
is growing. The confidence of the small business sector is improving, and it is
all down to the interest and support demonstrated by the state government.
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