SMALL BUSINESS

Mr GRIFFITHS (Goyder) (14:34): My question is for the Minister for Small Business. Why has South Australia recorded the worst rate of small business failures in the nation during the June 2011 quarter, and is there a correlation between South Australia having both the highest state taxes in the nation and the highest rate of small business insolvency? Finance analysts Veda Australasia recently reported that South Australia recorded a 6.3 per cent increase in insolvencies amongst small business in the last 12 months and a 19.6 per cent increase in the last three years, the highest rate of insolvency in the nation.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Industry and Trade, Minister for Small Business, Minister for Correctional Services) (14:35): The Liberal Party tries to point out its qualifications on small business, yet they stand alone in this state in opposing the government's attempts to bring in a small business commissioner.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: A sore spot for them. This government has a record second to none—

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Member for Norwood, you are warned.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: —for its support of small business, but don't believe me—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: —believe the Farmers Federation, believe the MTA, believe the Council of Small Business of Australia, believe small businesses all across this state that are crying out for the Liberal Party to support our bill—and they won't. They have abandoned small business. There are dark forces at work in the Liberal Party. Dark forces are at work which—

Mr GRIFFITHS: Point of order: matter of relevance. Is the minister actually guaranteeing that the commissioner will ensure that South Australia does not have the highest rate of insolvency?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! That wasn't a point of order; that was another question. Minister, back to the question.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: If you run a retail outlet on The Parade and, due to retail sales being down because of the high Australian dollar and your landlord is not cooperating—

Mr Pisoni interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Member for Unley, you are warned.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: I can't hear you mate; sorry, speak up.

An honourable member interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: If you own a retail outlet on The Parade and you need someone to be on your side, you need a small business commissioner, yet the member for Norwood votes against—

The SPEAKER: Point of order. Member for Finniss.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Norwood, you are warned for the second time.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Member for Finniss, what is your point of order?

Mr PENGILLY: I believe the minister is straying into a bill before the house currently.

The SPEAKER: I am sure he would not choose to do that; back to the substance of the question.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: I apologise to the house. I want to quote from a paper of record, a paper of note, The Australian. The shadow minister says we are the highest taxed state in the nation. According to The Australian, the leader of public national debate, they say—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: 'No,' members opposite say. Okay, fine, no problem. That's on the record. I understand.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: My advice to the member for Davenport is a haircut, a few kilos and it's yours. The national average for a tax take for a state is $2,769 per capita; in South Australia, it is $2,477, according to The Australian. In my time in this house, I have never known The Australian to be wrong.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Point of order, the Minister for Police.

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: I would just ask that members opposite show some respect and tone it down a little bit. My dad has got a hearing aid in; just turn it down a little bit, but you are a little bit over the top.

The SPEAKER: Thank you, minister. I am sure you haven't contributed to any of this today. The member for Bright.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!