Small Business

Mr TELFER (Flinders) (15:31): My question is to the Minister for Small Business. How many insolvencies have occurred in the food and beverage sector in South Australia in the last financial year, and why? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

Mr TELFER: The latest CreditorWatch report showed the food and beverage sector recorded the highest failure rate of all industries in October, increasing to 8½ per cent on a rolling 12-month basis.

The Hon. A. MICHAELS (Enfield—Minister for Small and Family Business, Minister for Consumer and Business Affairs, Minister for Arts) (15:32): Can I just correct the member: my title is actually Minister for Small and Family Business. I know it really grates those opposite who had four years in government and didn't pay attention to the small business sector and don't understand the importance of family business in South Australia. It grates them; I know that.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. A. MICHAELS: I don't even have an equivalent on that side of the chamber. I don't know—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Members on both sides of the chamber will come to order!

The Hon. A. MICHAELS: —who the shadow minister is for small and family business on that side.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Minister, can you resume your seat, please? Members on both sides of the chamber will come to order. There will be no yelling out. I couldn't hear a word that was being said there, and I'm sure other people in the chamber couldn't. The next person to speak who is not invited to speak and on their feet will be thrown out for the rest of question time. The minister.

The Hon. A. MICHAELS: I was explaining that the difficulty that those opposite have is the frustration they are facing of having a government, the Malinauskas government, that is strongly supporting our small business sector in all aspects, including hospitality and other industries that are very important to South Australia. We are doing that through our Small Business Strategy and working—

Mr Patterson interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Morphett, you can leave the chamber until the end of question time.

The honourable member for Morphett having withdrawn from the chamber:

The Hon. A. MICHAELS: We are working collaboratively across government, including through the Minister for Tourism and others who are impacting the hospitality sector. We have LIV Golf; I know it grates those opposite that we have Adelaide 500. I know it grates those opposite that we have thousands of people coming to South Australia, eating in our hospitality venues, when they come here for Gather Round. It really grates on them, but we are doing everything we can to support our hospitality sector.