How is Labor performing for small businesses? “Minus ten.”
And the alternatives offered up by the Opposition? “A crock of doo-doo.”
Those are the words of independent MPs Dai Le and Kylea Tink, respectively, who told a leading small business conference the federal government and its major opponents are not meeting the needs of Australian entrepreneurs.
Le, Tink and their fellow Federal independent MPs Zali Steggall and Allegra Spender shared their frustrations at the Council of Small Business Organisation Association (COSBOA) national summit on Wednesday afternoon.
Key concerns included the federal government’s handling of major industrial relations reforms, the Coalition’s tepid response to amendments put up by independents, and what the panel saw as a broad lack of small business experience within the major parties.
The passage of Labor’s recent industrial relations reforms was especially “fraught” with challenges, Tink said.
Tink, who operated a temp agency before entering politics, said ‘same job, same pay’ provisions initially embedded in the Closing Loopholes package caused her considerable alarm.
“To the [Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke’s] credit, I took that up to him and said, ‘You’ve never run a temp agency, I have this is what it takes. This legislation is not going to work,’” Tink said.
“And they were prepared to listen.
“But I think the IR legislation for all of us, was really taxing and really hard.”
Le, who proudly represents culturally and linguistically diverse regions in western Sydney, voiced her concerns that complex reforms may be inaccessible to busy entrepreneurs with English as a second language.
“I did try to get the Minister constantly to include culturally and linguistically diverse communities in the legislation… I’m still pushing for that, they’re acknowledged it,” Le said.
Overall, however, Le was clear in her assessment of Labor’s performance for SMEs.
“I don’t think they talk about small business at all… they don’t talk about any policies that really improve the lives of people running a small business.”
The Coalition was not spared from the independents’ ire, either, with Spender saying it could have used its decade in power before the Albanese Labor government to meaningfully address issues central to the Australian economy.
Soaring energy prices, and the cost of home ownership making life harder for entrepreneurs to get started, “are not issues of the last 10 minutes, they are issues of the last 10 to 20 years,” Spender said.
“And there has not been enough focus on the practical reality of running a business in Parliament.”
“We have to hold both major parties to account because everyone talks about small business being the backbone of the economy, but you have to judge by the actions and difference you make,” Spender added.
While the panel was quick to criticise what they saw as indifference to the small business measures proposed by the crossbench, Steggall said the independents would continue “nudging” the major parties.
One key proposal floated by Steggall is the establishment of a singular definition of small business, that would cut through the myriad of thresholds and calculations used by Australian regulators.
That red tape-slashing endeavour has already earned support from Senator Jacqui Lambie, a key policy powerbroker in the Upper House.
Tax reform proposals, the concept of a simplified small business award, endeavours to boost small business procurement policies, and a further expansion of the instant asset write-off also emerged from the panel.
While the crossbenchers admitted a respect for each other and a consultative approach to politicking, key differences emerged.
Le suggested plans to overhaul Australia’s natural gas users would work to the detriment of many small business restaurant owners whose cuisine is based on gas-fired cooking.
Steggall, who secured her seat in Parliament on an emissions reduction platform, was visibly opposed.
Yet the panel was convinced in its ability to provide an electoral alternative to voters, including the small business sector.
“When we work with [independent Senator] David Pocock, Jacqui Lambie, and [independent Senator] Tammy Tyrell, and collectively cover these problems, you know, we can have even more power,” Spender said.
“And that’s a really big part of what we do every week.”
Senior Business Journalist
Focused on the small business sector, David’s work covers the political, regulatory, and economic issues facing Australian entrepreneurs. Prior to joining SmartCompany, he was a reporter for Business Insider Australia. You can follow him on LinkedIn.
