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Monday, 23 August 2021
Page: 33

Senator POLLEY (Tasmania) (13:36): There are over 38,000 small businesses, employing over 91,000 Tasmanians, in my home state of Tasmania. That's over a third of the Tasmanian workforce. But this government, the Morrison government, has left them in abeyance without any real support. With the lockdowns in New South Wales and Victoria, Tasmanians are feeling the pinch. We have small businesses right across tourism, agriculture, manufacturing, arts, construction, transport and healthcare services.

Last week, with the shadow minister for small business, Matt Keogh, and our candidate, Ross Hart, the future member for Bass, I was able to visit a number of small businesses in my home city. They were talking about how it has been only their experience in business that has kept them afloat. They talked about the issues that they see within the community and the concerns that they have with these shutdowns and the impact that they are having on small businesses in my home state. I want to thank Jane Freeman at Balls n Bumpers, Malcolm Leedham and Marisa Ranson from Lead'em Footwear, and Paul Mischis from Route 66 for being so welcoming, and for being prepared to talk about the struggles they're facing. They are determined to see this pandemic off. They are working together, and we are seeing Tasmanians supporting each other.

But it's this government. Why so many people are in lockdown across this country rests firmly with Scott Morrison. He has failed to provide vaccines in a timely manner. He has failed to deliver quarantine. He had two jobs. Two jobs is all he had at this time, and he has failed every single Tasmanian, every single Queenslander and every single Victorian. Every single Australian who is locked down now is locked down because of Scott Morrison.