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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 07 Hansard (Tuesday, 29 June 2004) . . Page.. 2916 ..

I note that the Office of Film, Television and Digital Media got $300,000. It finally got some money 18 months after the opposition said, “Let’s establish a film industry here and make sure we take it forward.” So, again, the government has copied what we said. It was dragged kicking and screaming to tourism and it was dragged kicking and screaming to tourism funding. It has followed our lead but only at two-thirds of the rate that is needed. We said we would have an office of film and that we would do what was required to set up a film industry here. The fledgling industry is here and 20 or so facilities are into serious film making. We have award-winning film makers here. I will take my second 10 minutes, if I may, Mr Deputy Speaker.

MR DEPUTY SPEAKER: Yes. Proceed.

MR SMYTH: The Treasurer and I were at the small business awards last night, where last year’s winner, Bearcage, gave a presentation on how their year as the Telstra small business of the year for the ACT went. Clearly, we have got some of the best of the best here in the territory, but it did take the government a further 18 months to at least get on board with the idea that I had floated in December 2002. This has been the case with business generally. The government does not follow our pro business attitude.

You have the paradox that in the white paper the government says, “We are unashamedly pro business” and yet, as we have said many times in this place and will continue to say many times between now and the election, this is a government that is not pro business. You can say it, you can talk the talk, but these guys cannot walk the walk. I think they will find between now and the election a growing response from business communities—small, medium and large—to their approach to business. There should have been further payroll tax relief in both the last budget and this budget—in fact, all the budgets since they have come to office. But it is a case of “No payroll tax relief. We’ll keep slugging business”.

The government has introduced measures to give unions the right to enter, and business is worried by this. No matter what spin you want to put on it, business is worried about the rights that representatives of unions now have and they do not see that as pro small business. The business community is very much afraid of the industrial manslaughter legislation—this totally unnecessary legislation that this government has put in place as a sop to its union mates. Again, the business community at large is very worried by that legislation.

I notice that there is a private member’s bill on the notice paper relating to the portability of long service leave. The government says it is committed to such a move. It is also committed apparently to the portability of sick leave. The business community is dreadfully worried by this activity. The government will simply say that that is its policy and that it is pro small business, but the proof of the pudding is in the eating.

I noticed an article in today’s Canberra Times under the heading “Business confidence tipped to stay flat”. The Chief Minister is quick to point out that “there is a federal election coming, and of course it’s flat. It’s flat up to every federal election”. The following comment is made about half way through the article:

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