I welcome the interim report of the Select Committee on Regional Development and Decentralisation and I welcome the fact that there were 21 submissions from Canberra alone—the biggest number of submissions from any town or city.

Canberrans brace themselves for coalition government budgets. They brace themselves because they're used to the cuts. They brace themselves because they're used to the attacks.

Dear Minister,

As Shadow Assistant Minister for Cyber Security and Defence I welcome the opportunity to comment on the consultation paper Digital Economy: Opening up the conversation produced by the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science. 

Any serious effort towards improving our nation’s cyber security must involve everyone. It must focus on educating the community about the risks of this rapidly changing environment, and it must empower the community to mitigate these risks to realise the benefits and potential of the digital economy.

I welcome this opportunity to speak on the Australian Grape and Wine Authority Amendment (Wine Australia) Bill 2017. The bill will enable the authority to implement all program activities under the wine support package; it will enable the authority to administer grant programs for wine, including the cellar door grant; and it will change the name of the authority from the Australian Grape and Wine Authority to Wine Australia.

I rise to oppose the Building and Construction Industry (Improving Productivity) Bill 2013 and cognate bill. Like many of my colleagues, I do so for the second time. In 2013, I spoke against this bill and I proudly do so again tonight.

I rise today to stand with my colleagues in opposing any changes to the GST. NATSEM modelling shows that an increase in the rate of the GST to 15 per cent would see people in the lowest 20 per cent of income brackets paying seven per cent more, while people in the highest 20 per cent income bracket would pay just three per cent more of their income. 

I rise today to pledge my support for small businesses right across this country. Members know of my love for small business. I ran my own small business—my own microbusiness —for 10 years before entering politics. And members know of my love of Canberra small businesses, which I meet with regularly.

I would like to acknowledge and thank the member for Mallee, who brought this motion to the House. This is a most important opportunity for members of this House to speak on the importance of small business nationally and the importance of how small business affects each member and their electorate. In my electorate of Wright, I have over 10,000 small businesses currently operating. The estimated turnover of all the small businesses in Wright is roughly $1 billion a year, making them the largest contributing sector to the gross regional product of my electorate.

On the eve of the ACT budget, I rise again to highlight the devastation that has been wrought by the Abbott government on the Canberra community—on my community. Almost every facet of the ACT's economy has spiralled downwards since this government came to office, thanks to more than 8,000 public service jobs being ripped from the city. And that is just so far.

I join with the shadow arts minister in condemning the Abbott government's cuts to the Australia Council and the creation of what appears to be a cultural fiefdom.

I rise today to speak about the importance of shopping local, the importance of supporting local jobs, innovation and creativity and the importance of reducing your carbon footprint. Fashfest opens in Canberra tonight. It is a four-day fashion event that shines the light on Canberra's thriving local fashion industry.