The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, Bruce Billson, has released a guide to raise awareness among small businesses selling online about United States’ copyright laws that can shut down their access to customers without warning.

“We have seen Australian-based small businesses have their livelihoods damaged by unfounded allegations being made under these laws and then have their products taken down without warning by the major selling platforms,” Mr Billson said.

The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, Bruce Billson, is encouraging all Australians to celebrate National Family Business Day on Thursday 19 September.

“It’s a great moment to reflect on the crucial role family-owned businesses play in the economy and throughout our communities and I commend the Family Business Association on this initiative,” Mr Billson said.

The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, Bruce Billson, says small, family and farming businesses should urgently make sure they are not caught out by the 3G switch-off happening in the next few weeks.

Mr Billson today appeared before the Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee inquiry into the shutdown of the 3G mobile network. He called on telecommunications companies and business equipment and service suppliers to step up and do more to make sure small businesses were not harmed by the shutdown.

The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, Bruce Billson, says he welcomes the regulator’s decision to retain and enhance vital protections for small businesses in the new Banking Code of Practice. 

“A push by the banks to shrink the Code has been rejected and they must continue to include an explicit and detailed pledge outlining how they will handle complaints,” Mr Billson said. 

The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman’s website – www.asbfeo.gov.au - is now available in more than 100 languages to

The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, Bruce Billson, has urged small, family and farming businesses to make sure they are not caught out by the 3G switch-off happening in August and September.

“The 3G switch-off will affect more than just your mobile phone signal,” Mr Billson said.

The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, Bruce Billson, is urging Federal Parliament to give certainty to small business about two crucial tax breaks announced in last year’s budget.

“Time is running out with just six weeks until the end of the financial year for small business to claim these deductions, but they still don’t know if they’re allowed to make the claims,” Mr Billson said.

“We’re hearing from confused small businesses who just want certainty.”

The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, Bruce Billson, welcomes the Australian Government’s response to the review of the Franchising Code of Conduct by Dr Michael Schaper.

The Minister for Small Business, Julie Collins, has announced that the Government has accept Dr Schaper’s recommendations including for the Ombudsman to lead work to improve standards of conduct in franchising by developing best practice guidance and education, and to improve the comparability and publication of franchising data sets.

The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, Bruce Billson, has welcomed the introduction of legislation into Federal Parliament that will create a “designated-complaints” mechanism to fast-track serious disputes for small businesses to the ACCC.

“Vast numbers of small and family businesses every year are being compromised and, in some cases, profoundly damaged by unfair business practices and uncompetitive markets,” Mr Billson said.

Bruce Billson, the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman sat down with Nick Fox, Deloitte’s Payment Times Reporting Lead to discuss the recent release of the first Payment Times Reporting Register.

Below is a summary of the discussion: