STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS

Mr TIM WILSON (Goldstein) (13:57): This morning, cafes served their first cup of commercial hope before dawn. It was to a sparky making their way to their first job of the day—often a local small business, like the pharmacist who greeted their neighbours by name. Small businesses are the lifeblood of the community and our economy, but so often they feel alone.

Last year, 15,000 went insolvent and even more closed their doors. Because, at the top of the hour, the news is always the same. The Prime Minister or the Treasurer is punching down on small business—higher taxes, delays and costly regulations—and now forcing them to absorb fees that the government won't adopt themselves and crunching payment options, and, with them, their necessary cash flow.

It leaves so many small businesses asking: 'Why does this government look to make our survival harder?' Perplexed! For every small-business owner who is being targeted by the Albanese government: we hear you, we see you and we stand with you. Our plan is simple: to introduce a legislative shield for small business, a small business act that protects you from the assault of the Albanese government to make sure you have a voice in the issues and decisions that affect you.

To have your say on what you should say, go to standwithsmall.org. We want an Australia where you thrive, but not one where you struggle to survive.