Mr HAWKER —My question is addressed to the Minister for Small Business and Consumer Affairs. On behalf of the 6,000 small businesses in my electorate of Wannon as well as those right across Australia, I ask: given that the Labor opposition is consistently talking down the prospects for the economy and, in particular, those for small business, can the minister give us the true state of play with the future of small business and, in particular, the outlook for the coming 12 months?

Mr PROSSER —I thank the honourable member for Wannon for his question and for his deep interest in the affairs of small business particularly. It is interesting that the Labor Party seem to be taking such delight in trying to talk down the prospects for small business—basically trying to suppress any good news. So the last couple of weeks would have been a disaster for them. The ABS statistics on building approvals released yesterday say that over the 12 months there has been a 22.5 per cent improvement. In fact, for the month of January it was 10.4 per cent. For the building industry and the pull through trades that will have a significant effect.

I will keep going. Let us look at retail trades. Retail trade figures are showing, seasonally adjusted, a 2.7 per cent improve ment. These figures, in accordance with what the Treasurer is saying, build on the improving trend that we are starting to see come through. The Labor Party do not like it. Motormouth over there does not like it one little bit. He does not like it that for 13 years they tried to destroy small business but in the last 12 months we have done one heck of a lot to turn it around.

After 13 years of trying to wipe out small business, what is their policy now? What is the policy of new Labor with regard to small business? It is interesting. New Labor had a Labor review as part of their platform. New Labor reviewed the party platform. On the basis that old Labor tried for 13 years to destroy small business, you would think that new Labor would want to try to do something for small business. New Labor has 15 themes.

Mr Costello —What about the ACTU?

Mr PROSSER —What they do not include is any theme or any policy on small business. Prime Minister—

Mr Costello —Have any of them ever worked in small business?

Mr PROSSER —None of them have ever worked in small business. In fact, they are about trying to destroy small business. Look, Mr Speaker, the reports that have come out in recent times have built on the industry reports. The Australian Society of Certified Practising Accountants' survey found that small business had positive outcomes; the Yellow Pages survey found that two-thirds expect sales and profits to improve and 57 per cent expected the results of interest rates to improve their business.

Let us look at what the ACCI response said, because this is current stuff. The latest survey results show not only is confidence improving but so are actual outcomes. But they went further:

The expectation data shows that the current improvements—

Mr Crean interjecting—

Mr PROSSER —Oh, motormouth; if you don't like small business, give us a chance to do something for it. We are at least recognising the value of small business. But you don't like this quote from the ACCI:

The data shows expectations of an even better performance in the quarter to come for general business conditions, sales, exports, profits and improved investment.

Mr Speaker, we have in fact put in place initiatives to improve small business.

Opposition members interjecting—

Mr SPEAKER —Order! I issue a general warning and I will take positive action.

Mr PROSSER —You don't like small business, do you? You don't have any policies for small business. You couldn't wipe them out in 13 years. You have no policies in place. New Labor doesn't even recognise small business. We in fact have the policies in place and have taken the tough decision to set the course for small business. They have every right to be confident for the coming 12 months. Very shortly, in the coming weeks, they will be further impressed with the deregulation task force report to be released by the Prime Minister.