Mr HAWKER —My question is to the Minister for Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business. Can the minister outline to the House how small business will benefit from incentives in last night's budget?

Mr REITH (Workplace Relations and Small Business) —I thank the member for Wannon for his question. One of the most important things you can do for small business is keep interest rates down, keep inflation down. No-one should ever forget that, when Labor was running the economy, we had interest rates of over 20 per cent for small business, and it sent thousands of small businesses broke and gave us a record unemployment rate of 11.2 per cent. So we continue to see good economic management, which is good news for small business.

We have also got some particular programs for small business—one of which is the Small Business Enterprise Culture Program starting in July. It is not the money that is important here; it is a means of providing assistance to small business, with management skills to make sure that small business is on top of the issues and to help them manage their business. We think mentoring, for example, is a good idea. When a retired accountant can help out an existing firm, that is good for small business, a practical measure.

We are also going to go ahead with our business entry point. The budget has got money for that. That is a great idea too, because that is part of our attack on red tape. If we can cut the level of red tape, that means business can get on with doing what they want to do—which is to run their business instead of filling out forms.

Mr Tanner —What about the GST?

Mr REITH —I get the interjection about the tax package. An average firm has 32 relationships in an average year with the Taxation Office. Under the tax package, which the Labor Party is opposed to, that will be reduced from about 32 to four, so that is a massive attack on red tape and definitely worth supporting.

Lastly, we are also going on with the other reforms which are so important for small business—for example, reforms to the unfair dismissal law. Not only is this a good deal for small business but, if we can have a better system for small business, they will go out and create more jobs. On the unfair dismissal alone we think there are another 50,000 jobs that could be created. This government is unashamedly pro small business. What is good for small business is good for the country, and this budget has been a tremen dous boost again to the small businesses around Australia.

Mr Howard —Mr Speaker, on that very positive note I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper .