Mr GEORGIOU (3:00 PM) —My question is addressed to the Minister for Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business. Minister, would you inform the House of the impact that small business is having on Australia's export sector, and what is driving this success? Are you aware of any alternative plans to foster the small business sector?

Mr REITH (Minister for Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business) —I thank the member for Kooyong for his question. The question gives me the opportunity to bring to the notice of the House a document which was released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics last week entitled A portrait of Australian exporters. It is a very important document because it highlights the importance of small business in Australia's export effort. We have seen in recent years a bigger effort by small business, and I want to say to the small business community: `Good on you for having a go. It is fantastic for Australia. You are creating more jobs and it is very good for the national economy.' In 1997-98 there were 21,800 exporting businesses in Australia. Of these, 77 per cent were small businesses. They accounted for 13 per cent of Australia's gross revenue generated by exports. It is not only your medium sized small business but also the very small businesses—the microbusinesses employing fewer than four people. They have also been expanding. In fact, in 1997-98 the number of those businesses grew by 11 per cent per annum, reflecting a very strong trend. Of the 21,800 exporters, 4,000 of them were in services-only exports. But, here again, small business is a very strong player: of those, 88 per cent were, in fact, small businesses.

I was asked what was driving this growth. There is no doubt what is driving this growth: it is a series of sensible reforms made by the Howard government which gives a bit of encouragement to small business. We halved the capital gains tax. We got interest rates down. We have a better workplace relations system. We are putting a lot of incentives in place for the small business community, and it is great that they are responding. Of course, on top of that, the goods and services tax is great for exporters and is, therefore, great for our small businesses and gives them more encouragement. I was also asked whether there were any alternative plans to foster this growth in small business. The sad truth of the matter is that the Australian Labor Party has absolutely no policy to support small business. In their platform entitled `Engaging with the global economy', in which they say they are after creating better jobs through trade, there is, in fact, no mention whatsoever of small business. Here is this great dynamic sector out there doing a great job for Australia—growing, building, creating jobs, investing and improving their fair share—and do they get a word from the Labor Party? Not one word of interest, support or encouragement. But that would hardly be a surprise. It was only a few days ago—in fact, in July—that the Leader of the Opposition spelt out his attitude to small business when he said:

What a statement of the obvious! They used their numbers in the Senate to stop unfair dismissal laws and they used their numbers in the Senate to prevent sensible tax reform for the benefit of the small business community. Now, of course, we have the old roll-back policy sitting there to create more technical red tape for the small business community. That is pretty depressing for the small business community. It reveals the fact that the Labor Party are not prepared to support them.

I was very interested in the remarks of the Leader of the Opposition on Townsville radio last week. He was asked what his attitude was when somebody exposes the fact that you do not have a decent policy on some particular issue. The Leader of the Opposition was asked about the satirical radio program Cactus Island. In a light moment he said that he was deeply depressed by it. Then he went on to say:

I suppose he was talking about John Della Bosca—

Mr Adams —Mr Speaker I rise on a point of order.

Mr SPEAKER —The member for Lyons will be recognised in due course but not when he pretends that he can berate the chair. I call the member for Lyons.

Mr Adams —Mr Speaker, I was not berating the chair. Please accept my apology if you thought that was possible. I was trying to make sure that the Minister for Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business saw me standing and would resume his seat.

Mr SPEAKER —The member for Lyons will come to his point of order.

Mr Adams —Mr Speaker, the minister is not answering the question. He has gone off on a tangent on what the Leader of the Opposition said and he is dealing with cartoons and satire. I believe that you should bring him back to the question.

Mr SPEAKER —The Minister for Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business was asked a question about small business exports and alternative policies.

Mr SPEAKER —The Leader of the Opposition knows better. It would hardly be fair for anyone to pretend that they should at any stage have the right to interrupt whoever is the occupier of the chair. I believe that the minister had moved some way from the question. I understand that he had moved there as a result of reflecting on alternative policies, but I do not believe it is helpful for the House for members to be too derisory of each other. I call the minister.

Mr Crean —You have probably got nothing to say.

Mr REITH —In conclusion, there is a lot to be said on behalf of the small business community. It is a serious topic that the Labor Party has no policy. Not only do you have no policy, you use your numbers in the Senate—as you will this week—against the interests of small business, which costs this country jobs. When you see the cartoons revealing the inadequacy of your policies, then finally, maybe, the truth is out. So my present to the Leader of the Opposition is a few cartoons of him and his roll-back, speaking the truth, which is something he ought to take into account.

Mr SPEAKER —The Leader of the House knows better than that. Those papers will be retrieved.

Mr REITH —I will put them on the wall.

Mr SPEAKER —I have taken action, as the Leader of the Opposition must have noted.