Page 784 - Week 03 - Tuesday, 8 March 2016
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
I was interstate last week when I received a tearful phone call from the wife of this mechanic. She was in tears because she was feeling intimidated. She does not know why she needs to have a DA. She has been to her lawyer. Her lawyer does not know why she needs to have a DA. This is a family that have chosen to operate their business from home because of personal circumstances, some of the ones that Dr Bourke talked about. They have members of their family who are profoundly disabled, they have carer responsibilities for them, and it is better and easier for that family to run their business from home.
They have a range of issues that cause them to tick all the boxes in relation to operating a home business. But what has happened after three weeks of communication with Access Canberra? The Chief Minister during question time was talking about how great Access Canberra was and how it opens the way for businesses. Everything they say sounds great until somebody has to confront the circumstances.
This small business employs three people and provides exemplary service. This mechanic is not some fly-by-nighter. He is approved by the ACT government to give rego inspections. He is completely and utterly qualified on all aspects under the fair trading arrangements. He complies with the code of conduct set out by small trading. He was assisted by the Motor Trades Association and Mr Gentleman to set up his home business. We are now in a set of circumstances where they do not know what the future will bring. They do not know whether or not they will be closed down. They have been told that they need to have a DA, but they are afraid to apply for a DA because they do not know how much the goalposts will change during the process and whether the government wants to close them down.
This is what happens when you have a government that does not understand business.
Mr Doszpot: And does not care.
MRS DUNNE: And does not care. I have written to Mr Gentleman; I have raised this matter with Mr Gentleman. I put on the record again—and I made this point in my letter to Mr Gentleman—that it is causing considerable personal distress to and having a huge impact on this family. No-one will give them a satisfactory answer as to why they need to change the way they operate their business and no-one will give them a guarantee that they will be allowed to continue the operation of their business. This is why this government has it so wrong when it comes to small business.
MR RATTENBURY (Molonglo) (4.00): The Greens agree with Mr Hanson that small businesses are vital to the ACT economy and that the ACT needs an innovative and sustainable private sector which generates significant and meaningful employment in the region. It is quite clear that we need to be less of a single employer town, and I think that whilst we are making progress in that area, clearly, there is more to do. I also agree with Mr Hanson that a diversified, resilient and dynamic business sector will support a prosperous community. What we perhaps differ on is how to get there, but that is a matter for discussion, I suppose.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video