26 September 1984 the SPEAKER: I Direct That the Petition Be Brought to the Table of the House
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1774 1774ASSEMBLY] The petition conforms to the Standing Orders of Oi-attatine Aueemtblg the Legislative Assembly and I have certified ac- cordingly. Wednesday. 26 September 1984 The SPEAKER: I direct that the petition be brought to the Table of the House. THE SPEAKER (Mr Harman) took the Chair (See petition No. 56.) at 2.15 p.m.. and read prayers. SMALL BUSINESS GUARANTEES BILL PORNOGRAPHY: VIDEO FILMS Second Reading Display itnd Satle: Pet it ion MR BRYCE (Ascot-Deputy Premier) [2.20 p.m.):!I move- MR GORDON HILL (Helena) t2.16 p.m.]: I have at petition signed by 19 585 Western That the Bill be now read a second time. Australians which reads as follows- The purpose of this Bill is to provide authority for the execution of guarantees for the repayment of We. the undersigned. wish to regi ster our loans to owners of small businesses. protest of the Giovernment of Western Australia's interference in our freedom of It gives me great pleasure to present this Bill to choice by their decision to ban the distri- the House. This Government's commitment to the bution, sale and hire in W.A. of those video profitability and growth of small business has been tapes passed by the State Advisory Com- widely understood and accepted. It is central to mittee on Publications as a restricted article the Government's first priority of employment as fromt September I st 1984. We believe that growth and economic development. this video laped material should continue to The scheme provided for in this Bill is a signifi- be available to those who wish to view it. cant initiative in a series of policy measures aimed at creating the environment in which small The petition conforms to the Standing Orders of businesses in Western Australia can prosper and the Legislative Assembly and I have certified ac- grow. cord ingly. The Small Business Development Corporation The SPEAKER: I direct that the petition be is the centrepiece of this series of initiatives, and brought to the Table of the House. since it was established on I January this year the (See pet it ion No. 55.) response from small businesses has indicated that it was an initiative that was long overdue. PORNOGRAPHY: VIDEO FILMS The corporation is currently handling nearly I 000 inquiries a month and is providing an Bainning: Petition invaluable source of free and confidential business MR COYNE (M urehison- Eyre) [2.17 p.m.]: I advice and information, as well as operating as a have a petition signed by 8 14 Western Australians first point of reference for advice about manage- which reads as follows- ment, financial and legal services, and Govern- ment regulations, procedures and policies to small The Honourable the Speaker and Members business proprietors throughout Western of the Legislative Assembly of the Parliament Australia. of Western Australia in Parliament In addition, the corporation provides advice and assetmbled information to the Government on a wide range of We. the undersigned commend the State issues which affect small business. The corpor Government for banning the sale and hire of ation has, for example. assisted in the development X rated Videos in Western Australia and of this guarantees scheme and will be the principle plead that the Government will not bend to point of contact once the scheme is operational. renewed pressures to reverse that decision. The corporation is well advanced with its major We further pray that the government will study of the small business sector in WA and. ensure that R rated Videos will be more among other projects, is developing a proposal for vigorously controlled and that all Videos will the establishment of a micro-computer demon- be classified. stration centre. Your petitioners therefore humbly pray The success of the Small Business Development that you will give this matter earnest con- Corporation enables the Government to keep in sideration and your petitioners, as in duty touch with small business and it also allows small bound. will ever pray. business to keep in touch with Government. fWednesday. 26 September 1984]177 1775 The result is sensitive and carefully targeted and Burke Governments have been shown to de- Government policies, of which this Bill is but one. liver that sound economic management. which meet the real needs of the small business l am waiting to hear the "Hear, hears" from the comnmunity. other side. As at result of reresentatiions received from a Mr Court: You will be waiting a long time. broad cross-section of the small business sector. I will shortly introduce to this House legislation Mr BRYCE: Economic growth in Australia be- designed wo eliminate the most unfair provisions of tween the June quarters of 1983 and 1984 was existing commercial tenancy arrangements. The over 10 per cent, making Australia the fastest Commercial Tenancy (Retail Shops) Agreements growing economy in the western world. Non-farm Bill is the result of at long and careful period of growth is anticipated to be of the order of five per consultation with all affected sectors of the busi- cent this financial year. ness; comnmunity. I am confident that the proposed Inflation fell during the last financial year by legislation will nice[ with widespread approval and 6.5 per cent and the rise in the Consumer Price will substantially improve the bottom line of se- Index in the current financial year is expected to curity for smnall business tenants in Western be just a little over five per cent. The message Australia. about the Australian economy is clear-profits are In other mecasures. the Government has made recovering, interest rates are falling, and business significant progress in reducing the real level of investment is picking up. Recent statistics indicate water rates for commercial consumers through that retail sales are also improving. progressive reductions in water allowances and, This, then, is the context in which I turn to the consequently. reduced waler rate charges. Over details of the Small Business Guarantees Bill. the consumption years 1983-84 and 1984-85, 75 As I have said, the purpose of the Bill is to per cent of business/commercial properties will provide authority for the execution of guarantees receive the full benefit of at 25 per cent real re- for the repayment of loans made to owners of dluction in wvater rates, and about 85 per cent will small businesses. The proposed scheme resembles pay less in total water rates and water usage one established by legislation in New South charges than they would have paid under the old Wales. s yst emi. The main features of the Bill arc as follows: Mr Menrsaros: You must admit we started the Clause 3 defines "small business" as a business system. enterprise that, firstly, is carried on for the pur- Mr BRYCE: F-or the information of the mem- poses of manufacturing or processing goods or for ber for Floreat. let mecrenphasise that the A LP, any other prescribed purpose. both inside and outside this Chamber, committed For the purposes of determining the eligibility itself to the principle of a pay-for-use, pay-for- of the applicant's activities, regulations to the connection water systeni somec years ago. proposed Act will detail specific industry classifi- Mr Mensaros: You can never do it 100 per cent. cations in accordance with the Australian Stan- dard Industrial Classification (ASIC) published Mr BRYCE: Exactly. by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. specific These substantial improvements are preliminary reference to the ASIC industry classifications in to the introduction of a full pay-for-service/ pay- the regulations eliminates the need to define eli- for-use system of water charges for small gible activities by way of a wordy definition which businesses, may be open to interpretation and legal argument. Payroll tax concessions in 1983-84 have relieved Industries embraced under the scheme include an estimated additional I 100 small businesses manufacturing, processing, mining and mineral from this lax. I an, confident that this year's exploration, construction, transport and storage. Budget will see a number of additional measures the wholesale and retail trade and a wide range of aimed at increasing the profitability of this sector. service industries. Almost all trading businesses All of these specific treasures are taking place will be eligible, with the exception of agriculture. within the wider context of economic recovery. fishing, forestry investment businesses, financial Small businesses do not need Government hand- institutions, hospitals, and a number of personal outs: wvhat they, require from Government is sound services. economic management which creates economic Specifically excluded also will be a business growth, brings down interest rates, reduces in- which would qualify for loan or grant assistance flation and creates jobs and demand for their under section 14(3) (in) of the Western products aind services. The policies of the Hawke Australian Tourism Commission Act 1983. 1776 1776[ASSEMBLY] The second part of the -small business" defi- implementing the scheme through the trading nition in clause 3 refers to a business enterprise banks and guarantees will normally be available that in the opinion of the Minister for Industrial only through this source. However, consideration Development- may be given to providing guarantees to other (i) is a small business enterprise: financial institutions in special circumstances. (ii) is not a subsidiary of. or does not form Clause 4(2) restricts the amount of guarantee part of a larger enterprise: and assistance for each applicant to an amount (iii) is managed personally by at least one of prescribed in the regulations. It is proposed to the persons entitled to a share of the limit the guarantee assistance to $100000 with profits of the enterprise.