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.

Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson interview with Jess McGuire.

ABC Radio NSW Regional

Subjects: Small business conditions, ATO debt collections, ASBFEO Tax Concierge Service, global computer outage.

Jess McGuire

Opinion piece by the Ombudsman Bruce Billson.

Originally published in the Canberra Times.

The public rightly expects any personal information collected and stored by businesses - whether they are large or small - will be protected and only used for the reasons it was provided.

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

Income tax cuts, a rise in the minimum wage, updated information on tax deductions and increased superannuation payments are among changes coming into effect on 1 July, says Bruce Billson, the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman.

“It is essential that small business owners and managers understand these changes,” Mr Billson said. 

“Business leaders are responsible for getting this right and should check their payroll and accounting systems have been updated. 

The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, Bruce Billson, says the small business community is exasperated by the delay in passing vital incentives to invest and create jobs that will expire on Sunday.

The Ombudsman called for new safeguards to give small and family businesses certainty and a minimum 6 months to properly use government incentive schemes.

The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, Bruce Billson, is encouraging Australians to celebrate World Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Day on 27 June by saying thank you to small and family businesses for their contribution to our economy and our country.

“These are great people in plain sight, and we see them everywhere, every day,” Mr Billson said.

“We depend heavily on the small and family-run businesses in our lives who work every day to delight customers and energise enterprise. 

Originally published in the Canberra Times.

This week we celebrate World Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Day, which is a terrific opportunity to say a big thank you to the enterprising people who are the lifeblood of our communities.

We depend heavily on the small and family-run businesses in our lives - whether it is an electrician or builder, childcare operator, gardener, dog groomer, doctor or dentist.

The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, Bruce Billson, is encouraging small businesses to adopt eInvoicing as a more secure and faster way of getting paid.

“There are real opportunities for small business in engaging with eInvoicing,” Mr Billson said. “It’s a great way of sending invoices in a secure way, with improved cyber protection, simplicity and efficiency.