01:21

The treasurer, Josh Frydenberg, has just held a presser and has confirmed that the small business access to justice measures – which passed the Senate on Thursday over Liberal objections – will pass on the voices in the House.



Frydenberg declines to explain why the government has reversed its position – although the breakout of Nationals who backed Labor’s policy explains it.



Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce immediately followed the treasurer to take credit for the backdown:



So to hear today that we’re actually going to provide equality of access to justice - where people get a fair outcome not because of the size of their cheque book or their capacity to have a legal department but because they have a just case. This is something the National party have been fighting for for so long and it’s great to see it looks like it’s going to prevail ... So often you’ve seen farmers in the past have a just position against the major supermarkets but no capacity whatsoever to pay the legal fees that would be required to take it on.

Joyce also called for the government to revisit the divestiture powers, noting a bill to allow courts to break up big energy companies is still on the notice paper. He did not rule out amending the small business bill, explaining the Nationals “want both”.

On a separate issue, Frydenberg did not commit to a lower house vote on payday lending, he simply noted there is a committee inquiry report due on Friday.