Federal Small Business Minister Bruce Billson has congratulated the high numbers of women who are starting small businesses.

Speaking at a community forum in Picton on Tuesday evening with Federal Member for Hume Angus Taylor, State Member for Wollondilly Jai Rowell and hosted by Wollondilly Shire Council, Mr Billson said ‘mumpreneurs’ were leading the way, starting new micro businesses from home.

“Australia is fortunate to have around 617,000 women either employed or running their own small business - and recent figures show a trend that more women than men are starting businesses across Australia.  Encouraging more women into the workforce is a focus of our government.

“I know the small businesses of Wollondilly will be welcoming the incentives announced in the recent Budget. The 1.5% tax cut from 1 July this year will make the small business company tax rate in Australia the lowest it’s been since 1967, when Sadie the Cleaning Lady was in the charts,” Minister Billson said.

“Immediate depreciation of assets, effective from Budget night this year, is seeing small business owners out from behind the counter, off the tractor, down from the ladder and into other businesses to start buying up and stimulating the economy. It’s what we want to see.”

Member for Hume Angus Taylor said he anticipated a rush on purchases under $20,000 before the end of the financial year. 

“Australians want to have a go and they want budgets that support them having a go. When I get around my electorate I see an outpouring of happiness about this budget - people are delighted that finally, after years of Labor, we have a government that understands aspiration and that understands ambition. We want to encourage it; we want to encourage Australians to get on, have a go, create jobs, invest and make Australia a better place.”

Mr Taylor said attendees to the Picton forum had also raised questions about new incentives to employ older Australians, trainees and apprentices, as well as opportunities under the new National Work Experience programme for employers to take on volunteers for up to four weeks.