QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Senator WONG (South Australia—Minister for Foreign Affairs and Leader of the Government in the Senate) (15:14): Senator Ruston, if the question goes to what has occurred in relation to small business under this government, as I said yesterday, there are more small businesses today than when we came to government. There are more. There are more active small businesses since we came to government, and there was an increase in the number of small businesses in the last financial year.

I know that is your rhetoric, and I know you want to engage in some personal attacks, but the reality is the majority of small businesses do not utilise trust structures. The majority of small businesses are not affected by this change in any given year, and many small businesses, including sole traders, will benefit from the tax cuts. But what I'd say to you, Senator Ruston, is that you, along with Senator Hume, are leading the coalition into the same trap that you fell into at the last election—higher taxes or high deficits—and I do not know why your colleagues allow you to— (Time expired)