The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman (ASBFEO) supports small businesses and family enterprises across Australia. We help resolve disputes, advocate for better policies, provide practical information and share data and insights about the small business sector. Established in March 2016, we are an independent statutory office dedicated to helping small and family businesses succeed.
Our mission is to contribute to Australia being the best place to start, grow and transform a business. We do this by assisting and advocating for small and family businesses.
How we pursue our mission is just as important as our mission. Our guiding principles are the overarching values and behaviours that our people bring to their work and deliver our services.
How we help
We help resolve disputes Australian small and family businesses may have with other businesses or Australian Government agencies, franchising participants and other industry code participants, while avoiding costly legal processes.
We provide advice and advocate for policies that support small and family businesses.
We raise awareness through resources, guidance, events and information to help small and family businesses succeed.
We also bring together data and insights to celebrate the important contribution of small and family businesses, and highlight the conditions they face. The team releases regular updates on the Small Business Data Portal and works with a range of stakeholders to build an evidence base.
Meet our team
Lynda McAlary-Smith
Ombudsman
Lynda McAlary-Smith commenced as the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman in March 2026.
A qualified lawyer and experienced senior executive, Lynda brings a wealth of experience from over two decades of working with businesses across various sectors throughout the country.
As an independent statutory appointment, Lynda is a strong advocate for small businesses and family enterprises across Australia. Lynda works to ensure that small businesses have access to the support and resources they need to thrive including dispute resolution and assistance services.
With an extensive background as a regulator, Lynda has worked across multiple jurisdictions, including the Commonwealth and Victoria, focusing on workplace relations, building and construction, and broader business regulation. Lynda’s leadership experience includes serving as Victorian Small Business Commissioner, where she managed statutory powers across multiple legislative areas, as well as holding senior executive roles at the Victorian Building Authority and the Fair Work Ombudsman.
Before her regulatory career, Lynda was a commercial litigator in private practice. Beyond her professional commitments, she is a Director on the Board of The Australian Ballet School and serves as an Ambassador for the Australian Cervical Cancer Foundation.
Dr Craig Latham
Executive Director, Assistance
Craig’s experience stretches across business, government and academia in both Australia and New Zealand. He has specialist expertise in commercial and tax law, regulatory reform, and private sector/government collaboration. Craig has a passion to improve the commercial environment so that small and family businesses can flourish, and a focus on speedy and low cost dispute resolution for business disputes. Craig holds undergraduate degrees in economics and law, a Masters of Law and a Doctorate of Philosophy focussed on disruptive technology and regulatory systems.
Aidan Storer
Executive Director, Advocacy
Aidan has broad experience in government policy, having worked on competition and consumer law; data and digital policy; and anti-scams and financial services regulation. He also has experience reporting on domestic business conditions, including on the impacts of economic shocks and regulatory settings. Aidan is passionate about economic reform that encourages market conditions where businesses can freely enter, compete, innovate and thrive, and highly values stakeholder engagement and the insights they bring to the policy process. Aidan holds undergraduate degrees in law and political science, and a post-graduate degree in international relations.
Accountabilities and annual plan priorities
We measure our performance across:
- assistance and dispute resolution
- advocacy and policy influence
- data and research
- communications and outreach
- corporate operations.
Read more:
- Strategic Framework and Annual Plan
- Quarterly reports
- Annual Reports – see Part 5 of the Treasury’s Annual Report.
Our legislation
We were established under the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Act 2015. Our functions and powers are set out in:
- Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Act 2015(opens in a new tab)
- Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Act 2015(opens in a new tab).
Independent reviews
Our assistance function is independently reviewed at regular intervals. Reviews have been completed in:
Freedom of Information
The Freedom of Information Act 1982 gives people the right to request access to information held by Australian Government agencies.
ASBFEO is part of the Treasury portfolio. Treasury manages Freedom of Information (FOI) requests on our behalf.
For information about making an FOI request, disclosure logs, charges, review rights and correcting personal information, visit Treasury’s Freedom of Information page.
AI Transparency Statement
We follow the Australian Government’s Policy for the Responsible use of AI in Government(opens in a new tab) and operates under Treasury’s AI governance, security and risk management arrangements.
We may use Treasury-approved AI tools, including Microsoft 365 Copilot and Microsoft Copilot Chat, to support administrative and business support activities. AI is used to assist staff and does not replace professional judgement or accountability. ASBFEO does not use AI to make decisions affecting small or family businesses, or other stakeholders. Requests for assistance, dispute resolution activities, advocacy work and policy advice remain subject to human assessment and oversight. All AI-generated content is reviewed by ASBFEO staff before use.
Staff using AI tools must comply with Treasury policies, security requirements and training obligations. ASBFEO staff must manage information in accordance with Australian Government privacy, security and records management requirements.
This statement is reviewed annually, or sooner if significant changes occur to Treasury’s us of AI, Treasury’s governance arrangements or Australian Government requirements relating to AI.
For enquiries, contact ai@treasury.gov.au