Page 1159 - Week 04 - Friday, 23 April 2021
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musicians and artists and, in turn, the small businesses that house them throughout the ACT.
In closing, there are a number of commitments that this government has made to support small, medium and family sized businesses. Some of them are very new, meaning that we do not have the necessary evidence to reflect entirely on their benefit. I am optimistic, as I continue to engage enthusiastically with the Minister for Business and Better Regulation, in reflecting on those programs and providing advice, where it is helpful, on where I identify shortcomings so that we can get the best possible policy outcomes. That is the power of this power-sharing Labor-Greens government.
I will continue to get up in this place regularly and support and endorse small, family and medium sized businesses throughout the ACT—be it my regular staple Friday night of attending a drag show of a Phish and Phreak Production, be it on a weekend night when I cannot be bothered cooking and I head down to the Chisholm Family Tav for some bangers and mash—I told them Parto sent me; don’t worry!—or be it any of the small, medium and family sized businesses throughout Brindabella where I am a regular customer.
My senior adviser has a little bit of a penchant for big earrings, so this is an important time to plug the marketplace in Wanniassa. They have a very impressive selection of earrings. I pointed it out to Minister Davidson just last week. As anybody in here knows, Minister Davidson does love a pin. They also have a very impressive supply of very funny, sometimes adult-only, pins. I will let Minister Davidson pick from those herself.
I genuinely thank Ms Castley again for bringing this motion to the floor. I do not question her commitment to small, medium and family sized businesses. In fact, our experiences before being elected to this place are not dissimilar, having worked in, for, or owned our own small businesses. I know the intent is good and the earnestness is clear. But on reflecting on the entire government’s policy agenda for small, medium and family sized businesses, I am not yet convinced that another meeting is what small business needs. I am convinced that there are a range of options already to engage with the minister.
I also want to reiterate some of the points made by my friend Dr Paterson, who has rightly pointed out a range of government supports and rebates that small, medium and family sized businesses can access. I implore any small, medium or family sized business in the ACT who is having any difficulty in navigating those programs to contact my office. I will be more than happy to walk them through it.
There may very well be in future the possibility of such a ministerial advisory council. But, given the positive agenda of this government in a range of different areas to bring small, medium and family sized businesses into the conversation, I remain unconvinced that yet another meeting is necessary.
MS CASTLEY (Yerrabi) (11.25): I rise to express my disappointment that this Labor-Greens government will not support the Canberra Liberals’ motion to set up an ACT small business ministerial advisory council. I express my disappointment in the
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