Mr LIEBERMAN —My question is addressed to the Minister for Workplace Relations and Small Business. Minister, will you assure the House that the opportunity to act on called for reform for the benefit of small business in Australia will not be lost as has occurred so often with past Labor governments?

Mr REITH —I thank the member for Indi for his question. I certainly can give him that assurance. We will be acting on the Reid committee recommendations. We will be doing so comprehensively, in fact bringing down a statement the likes of which has not been seen for more than 20 years in this country in delivering a strong and comprehensive response to that particular report.

I understand that the Leader of the Opposition has today claimed credit for what we are doing, which is really quite incredible when you think of the differences between them and us on this issue. The Prime Minister referred to the 17 reports that Labor had which led to nothing during Labor's years; and what an incredible tally they are. Labor came into office in 1983 promising to look after small business and they got a report in 1984 and did nothing. In 1986 they introduced a bill and did nothing. Again in 1986 they had an exposure draft on franchise and did nothing. In 1986 they had a second exposure draft and did nothing. In 1987 they had a ministerial council meeting and they abandoned the draft that they introduced in 1986.

Then in 1989 they had a House of Representatives committee and a discussion paper from the Trade Practices Commission. In 1990 they got really busy about small business, so they had a House of Representatives committee again, they had a discussion paper from the Trade Practices Commission and they had a government response. They were so good at doing nothing they decided to do it all again in 1991. They called for a report. Then they had another report from a Senate committee. Then they thought, `No, we have had reports. We have had reviews. We have had discussion papers. It is time for something new, something different, something powerful for small business.' They had a task force. That was in 1991.

Then they went quiet. Then they sat back. They rested on their laurels. They had done nothing, absolutely nothing. Then in 1994 they got Bob Gardini to do a review and they did nothing. In 1995, as we headed towards the 1996 election, once again they lifted the pace and the tempo of their great policy development and they had a report by a working party, a supplementary report and we ended up with yet another discussion paper.

At the end of it, after 13 years, they did nothing with 17 reports. And the Leader of the Opposition has the gall to stand up and say, `If only we had been re-elected in 1996 we finally would have done something about it.' In fact two years after they introduced one change to the Trade Practices Act they themselves were then fiddling around with their better business conduct bill which they introduced in the last week of the parliament before the 1996 election.

What I can say to small business people in this country is that this afternoon we will introduce reforms, amendments to the Trade Practices Act, which will give it real teeth for the protection of the small business community. Our package of reforms will introduce some real change in the behaviour of businesses to the benefit of small business. We will ensure that the ACCC has the capacity and the resources to undertake its enforcement role on behalf of small business. It is time for action. Our response to the fair trading report built on our existing track record of development and improvement for this sector. Above all, we want a new deal, a fair deal, for small business.

Mr SPEAKER —The honourable member for—

Mr LIEBERMAN —Mr Speaker, I ask a supplementary question.

Mr SPEAKER —The honourable member for Hotham will resume his seat. The honourable member for Indi.

Mr LIEBERMAN —Having regard to the 17 reports prepared by the previous govern ment, will the minister give consideration to—

Mr Lee —Mr Speaker, you had already called the member for Hotham.

Mr SPEAKER —You are right. The honourable member for Indi will resume his seat. I had already called the honourable member for Hotham, although you would recognise there was some need to accept the supplementary.