Curtin MHR Julie Bishop backs small businesses, like the Amia boutique across from her office in Rokeby Road.
Camera IconCurtin MHR Julie Bishop backs small businesses, like the Amia boutique across from her office in Rokeby Road. Credit: Supplied/Andrew Ritchie

Julie Bishop to reflect on small business at Western Suburbs Business Association breakfast

Jon BassettWestern Suburbs Weekly

|CURTIN MHR Julie Bishop will reflect on the future role of small business at a Western Suburbs Business Association (WSBA) breakfast this Friday.

“My message is that small business is the backbone of the West Australian economy, indeed nationally, with about 96 per cent of businesses in WA considered to be small businesses and with about 160 members the WSBA employs almost 2000 people,” Ms Bishop said.

After 20 years as Curtin’s MP, including five as the former Foreign Minister and 11 as the Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party, she cited corporate tax rates dropping to 25c and instant tax asset write-offs among Government policies to have helped small business.

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Her resignation to the backbench after August’s prime ministerial coup raised questions of her replacement and if she would take an overseas position.

Last Friday she chaired sessions of the World Economic Forum-organised inaugural Dubai Geostrategic conference of 700 delegates.

“I’m not setting myself up for a foreign role, I’m responding to requests and across the country and locally I’ve been getting a lot of requests to talk to women’s forums about leadership, about careers, about opportunities,” Ms Bishop said.

She said she hoped her legacy would be the New Columbo Plan for young Australians studying aboard.

She said stories of her mentoring two women for Curtin were not “exactly right”.

“There are a number of people who are members of the party in the Curtin Division who I think would be good members should they wish to enter Parliament. But I am the pre-selected Member for Curtin and that is my intention, to contest the seat again,” she said.

The breakfast will take place at the Claremont Football Club function room.

Late bookings can be made via info@wsba.net.au.