The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman (ASBFEO) was established 11 March 2016 to contribute to Australia being the best place to start, grow and transform a business. We do this by assisting and advocating for small businesses and family enterprises.
ASBFEO understands the challenges facing small and family businesses and provides advice and research to improve policies, access to dispute resolution information and services and mental health support should the need arise.
We celebrate the vital and deeply personal contribution made by the more than 2.5 million small and family businesses to Australia’s prosperity, wellbeing, and community.
We recognise that how we pursue our mission is equally as important as our mission. Our guiding principles are the overarching values and behaviours that our people bring to their work. They are the foundation of how we deliver the ASBFEO services.
Our Assistance team helps small businesses and family enterprises to resolve disputes involving other businesses or Commonwealth Government agencies and avoid costly formal legal avenues.
Our Advocacy team undertakes a number of different activities to advocate for small businesses and family enterprises to improve policies affecting them.
Our Communications team ensure that our audience know about ASBFEO’s work and other supports available for small business and family enterprises. We manage the ASBFEO’s and Ombudsman’s social media presence on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook, and chair a National Small Business Media Communications Network that brings together national and state government small business communications counterparts to share insights, information and collaborate on matters of importance for the small and family business sector.
Our Data and Economics team bring together a wide range of 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 work closely with a range of stakeholders to continue to build an evidence base.
Bruce Billson
Ombudsman
Bruce Billson commenced his role as Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman (ASBFEO) in March 2021. The Ombudsman is an independent advocate for small and family businesses.
Bruce brings three decades of experience, knowledge, commitment and an understanding of the issues facing small business. Bruce was the Australian Government Cabinet Minister for Small Business from 2013-2015, a founding Director of Judo Bank and has held various board appointments, including the Franchise Council of Australia, Deakin University Business School and Australian Property Institute. He has also owned and operated a number of small businesses, and knows first-hand the joys and challenges this involves.
The mission of the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman is to help ensure Australia is the best place to start, grow and transform a small business and family enterprise. ASBFEO understands the challenges facing small and family business and provides advice and research to improve policies, access to dispute resolution services and mental health support should the need arise.
Dr Craig Latham
Executive Director
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.
Dr Matthew Steen
Executive Director
Matthew obtained a PhD in economics from the University of Sydney in 2005 and subsequently worked as a senior policy adviser for industry associations in the areas of mining, superannuation, small business and manufacturing. Matthew also served as a senior adviser to a Federal Leader of the Opposition. Dr Matthew Steen joined ASBFEO as Executive Director of Policy & Advocacy in 2022.
ASBFEO is assigned resources and utilises corporate support and systems determined and provided by the Treasury department.
The majority of ASBFEO’s approximately 30 staff are located at the primary office, Level 2, 15 Moore Street, Canberra City, in premises commercial leased and managed by Treasury. ASBFEO also has staff co-located with Treasury at its Sydney office.
The approved operational budget and staffing levels are assigned by Treasury to ASBFEO and not separately publicly reported.
ASBFEO does not have specific agency responsibilities under the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 to produce a strategic plan consistent with the PGPA Act and notionally has its strategic intent reflected in the Treasury department plans and reporting.
However, to the extent possible and practical, ASBFEO is responsive to the PGPA Act framework for governance, performance, and accountability, and for the efficient and ethical use of public resources.
In accordance with our legislation, ASBFEO publishes quarterly reports on it activities that are provided the Minister for Small Business, Treasury portfolio ministers, parliamentarians, senior Treasury officials, peer agencies and regulators and key stakeholders.
The data in these quarterly reports is aggregated for ASBFEO’s own annual reporting and for ASBFEO’s input into the Treasury departments annual report.
ASBFEO Key Performance Indicators include:
Assistance & Information
- Response to requests for assistance
- Referral of actively managed cases
- ADR engaged in with good faith
- Publication where a party refuses to engage in ADR
- Timely appointments under Franchising Code of Conduct
- Case management satisfaction
- ADR satisfaction and resolution
Advocacy
- Timely lodgement of submissions
- Stakeholder consultations
- Sector coordination and alignment
- Number of inquiries or provisions of advice, whether self-initiated or referred by the Minister
- Embrace of ASBFEO advocacy positions
- Collaborative input for government agencies and regulators, and non-government requests for input/advice
Data Analysis & Reporting
- Updating data portal
- Data releases – Small Business Pulse and other products and updates
- Achieving DataLab objectives
- Data collaboration requests, research projects and portal enhancements
Communications
- ASBFEO external engagements and parliamentary committee appearances
- Published better practice guidance
- Website availability and visits
- Social and traditional media audience growth and engagement
- Media Release/op-eds/ASBFEO mentions
Enablement and Operations
- Resource management commensurate with allocated budget and staffing
- PGPA compliance
- APS Census and WHS reporting
ASBFEO does not have specific agency responsibilities under the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 to produce a strategic plan consistent with the PGPA Act and has only its broad strategic intent reflected in Department of the Treasury plans and reporting.
However, to the extent possible and practical, ASBFEO is responsive to the PGPA Act framework for governance, performance, and accountability, and for the efficient and ethical use of public resources.
ASBFEO has adopted a strategic framework to guide its activities, from which an annual plan of priorities, levels of service and initiatives is determined taking account of available resourcing, changes to legislative and assigned functions and the evolving small and family business environment.
For 2025, ASBFEO’s annual plan priorities include:
Assistance & Information
- Embedding new Code (Franchise, Food & Grocery, Horticulture and Oil) ADR facilitation function
- Implement the extended small business dispute assist subsidised legal advice service for eligible small businesses
- Develop, in collaboration with the ACCC, improved education resources for franchise participants
- Enhance case management CRM and associated requests for assistance reporting
- Pursue ISO credentials for dispute resolution processes and practices
Advocacy
- Advocate ASBFEO’s 14 steps to energise enterprise
- Refine Policy Forum participation and process for seeking submission/engagement intention input
- Examine practical measures to support ‘right-sized’ regulation for and improved consultation with small business
- Inquire into the comparative entrepreneurial disposition and environment for small business-led economic vitality
- Devise ways to deliver low-cost and timely resolution of disputes, including by instituting a small business and codes list in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia.
- Respond in a timely way to Ministerial referrals or requests for advice (if forthcoming)
Data Analysis & Reporting
- Further refinement of case data management and reporting
- Timely release and increased awareness of Small Business Pulse
- Enhance the small business integrated data research in partnership with the ABS
- Research the extent of ‘unseen’ entrepreneurship, formation and growth trajectory and contribution to the economy
- Further develop data portal with additional scheduled releases
Communications
- Refine sponsorship and conference/exhibition participation selection process including peer partnering
- Implement better practice ‘how to’ webinar series around the ‘business of running the business’ involving peer agencies
- Explore methods to significantly increase channel audiences and ASBFEO awareness
- Expand ‘earned media’ avenues to raise sector profile, shape thinking and lead opinions
- Increase utilisation of the ASBFEO website and channels to support small business owner awareness of support resources
Enablement and Operations
- Support ASBFEO (O’Connell) Review and implement agreed recommendations
- Adjust resourcing, structure and staffing profile to reflect approved Budget
- Regularise arrangements, user expectations and utilisation reporting for The Hub
- Refine performance reporting
- Optimise opportunities for staff career progression as an ‘employer of choice’
Download a copy of ASBFEO's annual plan priorities.
Follow us on social media to stay up to date with current job vacancies.
The activities of the Office of the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman are governed by the following laws:
Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Act 2015
Under the Act, the Minister for Small Business is required to initiate independent reviews of the ASBFEO’s assistance function. The first independent review of the ASBFEO’s functions was required to be completed one year after its establishment, by 30 June 2017. This review was led by Ms Su McCluskey with the final report provided to the Minister.
Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Act 2015
Under the Act, the Minister for Small business is required to appoint an independent review no later than every four years afterwards. This second review was led by Ms Carmel McGregor PSM and the final report was provided to the Minister in June 2021.
The Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the Act) gives members of the public a general right of access to documents of an agency and official documents of a Minister, other than exempt documents or parts of documents. Exemptions may relate to national security, material obtained in confidence, Cabinet documents, or other matters set out in the Act. The Act allows individuals access to their personal records held by Government and enables them to correct any personal information that is incomplete, incorrect, out of date or misleading. The Act also requires an agency to publish information on its operations under the Information Publication Scheme and a disclosure log of information that has been accessed under freedom of information (FOI) requests. A potential FOI applicant may find the information they are seeking is already available in those publications.
Receiving access
Once the FOI request has been completed by ASBFEO, any available documents will be forwarded to the applicant. If the requested documents or parts of them are within an exemption specified in the Act, ASBFEO will provide reasons for the decision to exempt. The FOI Act provides that a disclosure log of information accessed under FOI requests must be published, except for personal, business or certain other information set out in section 11C of the Act. ASBFEO publishes its responses to FOI requests on the Treasury website at the same time as providing the response to the applicant. Documents released under the FOI Act are generally made available on the website after 4pm on Fridays (other than public holidays).
Disclosure Log
Once the FOI request has been provided to the applicant, the request will be made available on the Treasury website's Disclosure Log.
How to apply for access
To make an FOI request the applicant should:
- apply online: info@asbfeo.gov.au
- apply in writing: Freedom of Information, Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, GPO Box 1791, CANBERRA ACT 2601
Describe as clearly as possible the information being sought. Include any reference numbers or articles that may assist in identifying specific material and where possible include a date range.
Request process
ASBFEO processed FOI requests in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 1982 and guidelines from the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.
Charges
There is no application fee for an FOI request. Processing charges may apply to requests other than for documents containing only personal information. If there is a charge, the applicant will receive a written estimate. Applicants can ask for a charge to be waived or reduced for any reason, including financial hardship or on the grounds of public interest. Evidence may be requested when seeking a waiver of charges.
Review rights
Applicants have the right of a review of FOI decisions made by ASBFEO. The following options are available:
Review by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner
Administrative Appeals Tribunal
FOI Contact
Mail address: Freedom of Information, Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, GPO Box 1791, CANBERRA ACT 2601
Email: info@asbfeo.gov.au
Phone: 1300 650 460