❓ Dr. Thomas questions the WA government about declining small business confidence despite the economic boom, citing a Sensis Business Index report. Ms. Quirk acknowledges interest rate sensitivity and cites ABS data showing an increase in the number of small businesses.
AnsweredQoN 86Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
SENSIS BUSINESS INDEX
I refer to the February Sensis business index, which indicates that small business confidence in Western Australia has dropped over the past 12 months from 75 per cent confidence to 58 per cent, and that an incredible 83 per cent of Western Australian small businesses believe that the Carpenter government either works against them or has no impact. (1) Given the massive opportunity provided by the economic boom, why is small business confidence plummeting, and what specific plans does the government have to protect small and medium businesses, including from increasing union activity? (2) How has small businesses’ net return on investment been affected by surging interest rates, and is this a factor in declining confidence? Ms M.M. QUIRK
I refer to the February Sensis business index, which indicates that small business confidence in Western Australia has dropped over the past 12 months from 75 per cent confidence to 58 per cent, and that an incredible 83 per cent of Western Australian small businesses believe that the Carpenter government either works against them or has no impact. (1) Given the massive opportunity provided by the economic boom, why is small business confidence plummeting, and what specific plans does the government have to protect small and medium businesses, including from increasing union activity? (2) How has small businesses’ net return on investment been affected by surging interest rates, and is this a factor in declining confidence? Ms M.M. QUIRK
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question. I am sorry that I did not hear all the questions. (1) The latest statistics from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show that the number of small businesses in Western Australia has increased from 186 000 to 204 000. Rather than being in decline or people not being confident about the future, small businesses are certainly confident that the Carpenter government would like to do everything it can to ensure that they prosper. We have excellent conditions, for both big businesses and small and medium enterprises. (2) I think the member is right about this survey. Small business is very sensitive to interest rate rises. These surveys, which are carried out on a fairly regular basis, tend to fluctuate depending on interest rates and other variables.
(1) Given the massive opportunity provided by the economic boom, why is small business confidence plummeting, and what specific plans does the government have to protect small and medium businesses, including from increasing union activity? (2) How has small businesses’ net return on investment been affected by surging interest rates, and is this a factor in declining confidence? Ms M.M. QUIRK replied: I thank the member for the question. I am sorry that I did not hear all the questions. (1) The latest statistics from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show that the number of small businesses in Western Australia has increased from 186 000 to 204 000. Rather than being in decline or people not being confident about the future, small businesses are certainly confident that the Carpenter government would like to do everything it can to ensure that they prosper. We have excellent conditions, for both big businesses and small and medium enterprises. (2) I think the member is right about this survey. Small business is very sensitive to interest rate rises. These surveys, which are carried out on a fairly regular basis, tend to fluctuate depending on interest rates and other variables.
(2) How has small businesses’ net return on investment been affected by surging interest rates, and is this a factor in declining confidence? Ms M.M. QUIRK replied: I thank the member for the question. I am sorry that I did not hear all the questions. (1) The latest statistics from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show that the number of small businesses in Western Australia has increased from 186 000 to 204 000. Rather than being in decline or people not being confident about the future, small businesses are certainly confident that the Carpenter government would like to do everything it can to ensure that they prosper. We have excellent conditions, for both big businesses and small and medium enterprises. (2) I think the member is right about this survey. Small business is very sensitive to interest rate rises. These surveys, which are carried out on a fairly regular basis, tend to fluctuate depending on interest rates and other variables.
Ms M.M. QUIRK replied: I thank the member for the question. I am sorry that I did not hear all the questions. (1) The latest statistics from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show that the number of small businesses in Western Australia has increased from 186 000 to 204 000. Rather than being in decline or people not being confident about the future, small businesses are certainly confident that the Carpenter government would like to do everything it can to ensure that they prosper. We have excellent conditions, for both big businesses and small and medium enterprises. (2) I think the member is right about this survey. Small business is very sensitive to interest rate rises. These surveys, which are carried out on a fairly regular basis, tend to fluctuate depending on interest rates and other variables.
I thank the member for the question. I am sorry that I did not hear all the questions. (1) The latest statistics from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show that the number of small businesses in Western Australia has increased from 186 000 to 204 000. Rather than being in decline or people not being confident about the future, small businesses are certainly confident that the Carpenter government would like to do everything it can to ensure that they prosper. We have excellent conditions, for both big businesses and small and medium enterprises. (2) I think the member is right about this survey. Small business is very sensitive to interest rate rises. These surveys, which are carried out on a fairly regular basis, tend to fluctuate depending on interest rates and other variables.
(1) The latest statistics from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show that the number of small businesses in Western Australia has increased from 186 000 to 204 000. Rather than being in decline or people not being confident about the future, small businesses are certainly confident that the Carpenter government would like to do everything it can to ensure that they prosper. We have excellent conditions, for both big businesses and small and medium enterprises. (2) I think the member is right about this survey. Small business is very sensitive to interest rate rises. These surveys, which are carried out on a fairly regular basis, tend to fluctuate depending on interest rates and other variables.
(2) I think the member is right about this survey. Small business is very sensitive to interest rate rises. These surveys, which are carried out on a fairly regular basis, tend to fluctuate depending on interest rates and other variables.
(1) Given the massive opportunity provided by the economic boom, why is small business confidence plummeting, and what specific plans does the government have to protect small and medium businesses, including from increasing union activity? (2) How has small businesses’ net return on investment been affected by surging interest rates, and is this a factor in declining confidence? Ms M.M. QUIRK replied: I thank the member for the question. I am sorry that I did not hear all the questions. (1) The latest statistics from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show that the number of small businesses in Western Australia has increased from 186 000 to 204 000. Rather than being in decline or people not being confident about the future, small businesses are certainly confident that the Carpenter government would like to do everything it can to ensure that they prosper. We have excellent conditions, for both big businesses and small and medium enterprises. (2) I think the member is right about this survey. Small business is very sensitive to interest rate rises. These surveys, which are carried out on a fairly regular basis, tend to fluctuate depending on interest rates and other variables.
(2) How has small businesses’ net return on investment been affected by surging interest rates, and is this a factor in declining confidence? Ms M.M. QUIRK replied: I thank the member for the question. I am sorry that I did not hear all the questions. (1) The latest statistics from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show that the number of small businesses in Western Australia has increased from 186 000 to 204 000. Rather than being in decline or people not being confident about the future, small businesses are certainly confident that the Carpenter government would like to do everything it can to ensure that they prosper. We have excellent conditions, for both big businesses and small and medium enterprises. (2) I think the member is right about this survey. Small business is very sensitive to interest rate rises. These surveys, which are carried out on a fairly regular basis, tend to fluctuate depending on interest rates and other variables.
Ms M.M. QUIRK replied: I thank the member for the question. I am sorry that I did not hear all the questions. (1) The latest statistics from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show that the number of small businesses in Western Australia has increased from 186 000 to 204 000. Rather than being in decline or people not being confident about the future, small businesses are certainly confident that the Carpenter government would like to do everything it can to ensure that they prosper. We have excellent conditions, for both big businesses and small and medium enterprises. (2) I think the member is right about this survey. Small business is very sensitive to interest rate rises. These surveys, which are carried out on a fairly regular basis, tend to fluctuate depending on interest rates and other variables.
I thank the member for the question. I am sorry that I did not hear all the questions. (1) The latest statistics from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show that the number of small businesses in Western Australia has increased from 186 000 to 204 000. Rather than being in decline or people not being confident about the future, small businesses are certainly confident that the Carpenter government would like to do everything it can to ensure that they prosper. We have excellent conditions, for both big businesses and small and medium enterprises. (2) I think the member is right about this survey. Small business is very sensitive to interest rate rises. These surveys, which are carried out on a fairly regular basis, tend to fluctuate depending on interest rates and other variables.
(1) The latest statistics from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show that the number of small businesses in Western Australia has increased from 186 000 to 204 000. Rather than being in decline or people not being confident about the future, small businesses are certainly confident that the Carpenter government would like to do everything it can to ensure that they prosper. We have excellent conditions, for both big businesses and small and medium enterprises. (2) I think the member is right about this survey. Small business is very sensitive to interest rate rises. These surveys, which are carried out on a fairly regular basis, tend to fluctuate depending on interest rates and other variables.
(2) I think the member is right about this survey. Small business is very sensitive to interest rate rises. These surveys, which are carried out on a fairly regular basis, tend to fluctuate depending on interest rates and other variables.
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