Small business worth more than half a trillion dollars to the Australian economy

The economic contribution of small business to the Australian economy has topped half a trillion dollars, according to a report released today by the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, Bruce Billson.

The value of small business to the economy surged by 15 per cent in 2021-22 to $506 billion and accounts for one-third of Australia’s GDP.

Ombudsman spells out what the Budget got right and wrong for small business

First published on Kochie’s Business Builders, 10 May 2023.

The Budget handed down on Tuesday night will help small businesses deal with some of the contemporary challenges they face as they prepare for a forecast lower rate of economic growth and continued pressures on their businesses.

There’s no mistaking that it is tough going for the entrepreneurial women and men who take on the task of running a small business or being self-employed.

DIGITAL PLATFORM PROVIDERS NEED TO DO BETTER FOR SMALL BUSINESS

Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, Bruce Billson, has called on digital platform providers to dramatically improve their dispute resolution processes for small business.

Mr Billson said there has been a noticeable increase in complaints and disputes involving digital platform providers, and since July 2020 the Ombudsman has taken on more 236 cases involving small and family businesses.

RIGHT-SIZED RULES BEST ‘CATCH’ TO ‘RELEASE’ SMALL BUSINESS FROM EXCESSIVE REGULATION WITH SEAFOOD LABELLING

Many Australians will enjoy Australian seafood this Easter, but it should not come at the expense of proposed new country of origin labelling rules imposing a compliance nightmare for small and family businesses.  

The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, Bruce Billson, is calling for a common-sense approach to new labelling laws currently being considered.  

“Country-of-origin labelling for seafood in hospitality should be simple, useful and proportionate to the seller’s offering,” Mr Billson said.  

Paying on time tricky business (Op-ed)

By Bruce Billson

Originally published in the Herald Sun.

At a time when small and family businesses face headwinds, it’s not too much to ask that their big business customers play their parts by paying their invoices in a more timely way.

Woeful figures just released by the government regulator reveal only three out of 10 big businesses pay their small business customers within 30 days, while almost a quarter take more than 120 days to pay up.

BIG BUSINESSES URGED TO “LIFT THEIR GAME” ON PAYMENT TIMES

Only three out of 10 big businesses pay their small business customers within 30 days while nearly one-quarter take more than 120 days to pay up, according to new payment times data.

“This is a woeful performance and is bitterly disappointing news for small and family businesses to start the year,” said the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, Bruce Billson.