Small Business Loans

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS (15:17): My supplementary question is: are any of these small businesses in the position that they are waiting for payments from GFG Alliance over the 30-day period?

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (Treasurer) (15:17): I think if one has seen the statements from the Small Business Commissioner in the last 24 to 48 hours, it's highly likely that what the Small Business Commissioner has indicated is accurate, but you would need to speak to the Small Business Commissioner about the specific details. Certainly, I have seen his reported comments.

I do recall, in some of the requests—not all but in some—for repayment arrangements, that some did make claim to having, at that particular time, been awaiting repayment from GFG, but not all of those small businesses had made that claim. Whether or not they were all in that position but some only mentioned it in their renegotiations with SAFA, I can't attest to. But clearly the Small Business Commissioner's public statements would seem to indicate that at least some of those businesses are in circumstances that the honourable member is referring to.