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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2001 Week 8 Hansard (7 August) . . Page.. 2463 ..

MR SMYTH (continuing):

This government is proud of the results that the small business community, in particular, has achieved in building up Canberra, in creating jobs, and in helping make up for Labor's $344 million deficit, which had accrued by the time they left government.

MR QUINLAN: I notice that the government also found it necessary to put out a huge advertisement, a notice to taxpayers about what taxes were reduced during the budget.

Mr Hird: Is he making a statement?

MR SPEAKER: Order! Continue with the supplementary question.

MR QUINLAN: Harold, give me a break. Minister, are there any other TV campaigns, publicity or glossy issues planned by your department between now and the caretaker period, or now and the election?

MR SMYTH: Mr Speaker, the program of initiatives to help small business has been a fundamental point in what this government has sought to achieve over the last six years. It is curious: my memory of these brochures is that, when they were put out under the previous government, they included glossy pictures of the ministers. This is strictly a document that outlines-

Mr Quinlan: We caught you on that one. That was the housing document.

MR SMYTH: Exactly.

Mr Quinlan: Six, wasn't it, in four pages.

MR SMYTH: The programs that we offer, the opportunities that exist, where there is a relationship with other departments and how they can assist. It is appropriate for the government to be telling the small business community these things, because they have actually asked us to do this in meetings. If those opposite had ever met with them, they would have said to them, "We want to know about what programs you offer us."

This is responding to a need that the business community itself discussed with the government. We will continue to make sure that we make appropriate information accessible to the small business community, because it is doing its part in creating jobs and building up assets in the ACT and, through the charges that it pays, making up for the $344 million deficit that those opposite left us.

MR SPEAKER: Mr Berry, just before you ask your question, I wish to recognise the presence in the gallery of two senior officials from the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights in the Republic of Indonesia, namely Mr Suharyono and Ms Etty Suryati. They are respectively Senior Officer of the Director-General of Legislation, and Senior Officer of the Director-General of International Law. Welcome to the Assembly.

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