STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS

Mr BATT (Hinkler—Deputy Nationals Whip) (13:45): A handyman from Booyal, a barber shop in the Bundaberg CBD, a convenience store at Coral Cove, a sheet metal and engineering business from Pialba—these are just some of the many hardworking small businesses of Hinkler who last month completed a quick survey to let me know how they are travelling. Sixty-three per cent of respondents said they were not confident about their future.

Fifty-six per cent said skyrocketing electricity prices are crippling. Wage costs are a major issue for 46 per cent, and red tape and regulation remains a burden for almost half. Many also identified the cost-of-living constraints facing their customers.

This is the reality for regional small businesses, yet the budget of broken promises from those opposite is in tatters, causing confusion and chaos for small business. Labor's toxic taxes don't need a tweak, a carve-out or another Canberra fix. They need the axe because you don't fix a bad tax by making it more complicated.

You scrap it. I sincerely thank each small business who took the time to complete the Hinkler small-business survey. In the gallery today from my electorate of Hinkler is my good friend and previous local government colleague Ms Judy Peters OAM, who is visiting Canberra this week to attend the 75th anniversary events as a life member of the Australian Local government Women's Association.

I've been fortunate to work alongside Judy in many roles across all levels of government, and I sincerely thank Judy for her time and community service and for always putting her community and its residents first.