Robert Oakeshott (Lyne, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

The member for New England was caught up very deeply in that. I would hate, to use a cliche, for the baby to be thrown out with the bathwater; I would hate the government to pull money out of that process because the process was distorted by previous governments. If the process of the RDAs is one that the government supports and endorses—bringing the state and federal regional development arms together is eminently sensible—then let us fund it appropriately. Let us get some good money into there, and let us see the small business communities of regional Australia get behind this exercise. Let us let the engine room do its job and let regional small businesses run this country the way they have previously. I would hope the government supports the comments I have made and that we do get some support, particularly, as I said at the start, on the small business tax break.

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