ADJOURNMENT

Senator SCARR (Queensland) (19:45): I note I'm the last speaker tonight. I'd like to express my condolences, my deep condolences, to the Colombian diaspora in Australia at the moment. I was touched to attend the Colombia festival in Brisbane, in my home state of Queensland, on 25 July.

It was a wonderful festival celebrating the independence day of Colombia, which is celebrated on 20 July. It occurred in 1810. It was a wonderful festival.

It reinforced the fact that people of Colombian ethnicity and origin are making such a wonderful contribution to my home state of Queensland in so many ways. Many of them come as students; some come as professionals. However they come to Australia, our Colombian diaspora is making a wonderful contribution to Australia.

Colombia has suffered, just this week, a devastating earthquake of a 7.4 magnitude. Hundreds have been killed; hundreds are missing. I want to say to our Colombian diaspora in Queensland and across Australia that our thoughts and prayers are with you.

Thank you for everything you contribute to our beautiful country. I was shocked to read the Housing Institute of Australia's 2026 Small Business Conditions Survey. Senator Polley, in the contribution she made just before I began to speak, talked about the government's efforts to build houses.

Well, I've got to tell you, if you read this HIA 2026 Small Business Conditions Survey—the country's not doing too well. The country's not doing too well in terms of inspiring or giving confidence to the small-business sector in the construction industry. I want to read out some of the startling findings in this survey: Do you anticipate that your business will make a greater profit in 2025/26 than in the 2024/25 period?

In answer to this question, 59 per cent said no—they don't anticipate a greater profit. And this is in the midst of a housing supply shortage. So the basic laws of economics, of supply and demand, would suggest that, when demand is high for the services you supply, your profit should go up.

Fifty-nine per cent don't think they will. Even worse is the answer to this question: Have you considered scaling back or closing your business as a result of red tape and compliances burdens? The answer from 68 per cent was yes.

So, in the middle of a housing supply shortage, when we are desperately trying to build more houses, 68 per cent of the small businesses in Australia in the construction sector, who are actually building those houses—68 per cent of them are actively considering either scaling back their business or closing their business. These are shocking statistics. Hear the answer to this question: Do you expect that your business will employ more staff in 2025/26 than in the 2024/25 period?

Seventy-three per cent said no. So, just when we want our small businesses in the construction sector to employ more people so we can build more houses and address the supply side of the equation, 73 per cent of businesses say that they don't expect to employ more staff. I go on—and maybe this is one of the answers: Have you had to take on additional staff, or asked existing staff to dedicate additional hours to administrative or regulatory task over the past 12 months?

Yes—56 per cent. They're taking on more staff to perform administrative or regulatory tasks when we actually need these small businesses out there on the tools, building homes. The last statistic, which is potentially linked to the warning—that so many construction small businesses are thinking about closing is a warning—comes from the question: Have you experienced an increase in personal stress as a result of increasing red tape and compliance burden?

Yes—88 per cent. Shocking statistics! (Time expired) Senate adjourned at 19:50