Hills Small Business Completely Ignored By the Labor Government
Thursday, 6 October 2011
Labor’s decision to ignore small businesses in this week’s jobs forum shows this government’s disregard for the hard working small business owners who are the backbone of the Hills economy.
Federal Member for Mitchell, Alex Hawke MP, said that this lack of foresight showed just how out of touch Labor is with every day Australians.
“The fact that small businesses are not mentioned in the Gillard Government’s program and briefing papers is disgraceful,” Alex Hawke said. “Small businesses make an enormous contribution to our local economy and provide fantastic employment opportunities to people of all ages.
“It is hardly surprising that Labor, who has overseen the loss of 300,000 small business jobs since the change of government, would completely ignore small business.
“Small businesses account for almost half of all private sector jobs yet they are ignored by this government. Trade unions account for just 15% of the private sector workforce yet they have a very large presence at the forum. This is just the same old Labor looking after their own mates instead of listening to what the Australian public is telling them.
“Small businesses were ignored in the tax forum and they are now being ignored in the jobs forum. What I want to know is why this government chooses to ignore our local cafés, our local butchers, our local retailers, our local bakers, our local hairdressers and all the other great small businesses that are so valued to our local community here in the Hills?”
The Tax Forum and the Jobs Forum that took place in Canberra this week have been regarded by many as more waste from the Labor Government. Alex Hawke feels this is warranted as both forums ignored issues that are important to residents.
“There is one tax that everybody is worried about at the moment, the Carbon Tax, yet we have a tax forum where Labor does not allow anybody to mention the Carbon Tax. We then have a jobs forum where Labor completely ignores the employer of nearly half of all private sector workers, small business. People have a right to ask why this government is wasting their taxes on these forums if they won’t even discuss issues that are important to them.”
Whilst Labor continues to ignore the public and waste taxpayer dollars the Coalition stands for real action to support small businesses.
“We are aware that small business is the driver of Australia’s economy providing jobs for millions of Australians. We will always fight to keep the costs down for small businesses and to protect them from union bullying.
“We will always back small business to grow our economy and create jobs,” Alex Hawke concluded.