Small business to get good news: Swan

Small businesses will be the winners from an overhaul of the country's tax system,
Treasurer Wayne Swan has hinted.
The long-awaited Henry tax review is to be unveiled on Sunday and Mr Swan says it
contains good news for small businesses.
He singled out small businesses for special praise during a media conference on
Saturday, saying they had kept their doors open during the financial crisis to the
benefit of the country.
"They also deserve reward for their efforts," Mr Swan told reporters at Parliament
House.
He also sought to head off protests from Western Australia about the tax review.
The government wants to increase taxes on mining companies, arguing they're not
sharing around the profits of the resources boom.
Such a tax hike would hit the mining powerhouse states of WA and Queensland, and WA
has argued that it shouldn't have to bail out underperforming states in the east.
Mr Swan stood firm on the mining tax increase, saying companies were now paying less
tax as a percentage of profits than they had in the past.
"Mining companies have been extremely profitable in recent times," he said.
"This is about a fair share ... and it's about making sure that all Australians
share in that growth."
He sought to reassure the citizens of WA, which he described as an "important
wealth-creating state for Australia".
It also has the country's only Liberal government and is the only state holding out
over the government's proposed health reform.
"Could I just make a point to all of our friends in WA, we have carefully calibrated
this package to make sure that Western Australia is a significant beneficiary," Mr
Swan said.
He reiterated his promise that the tax overhaul would not increase tax as a share of
GDP but he was coy on whether it would contain more income tax cuts, or increase the
tax on petrol.