Published in The Daily Telegraph and the Courier-Mail.
By Bruce Billson
Next Monday (October 28) is D-Day for the 3G network as it will be shut down, but I'm worried it could also put many small, family and farming businesses out of…
… The big shutdown is coming, be ready 23 October 2024 Published in The Daily Telegraph and … By Bruce Billson Next Monday (October 28) is D-Day for the 3G network as it will be shut down, but I'm … they may face. It would be terrible if the first time you learn it runs on 3G is when it shuts down, and that …
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The public rightly expects any personal information collected and stored by businesses - whether they are large or small - will be protected, says the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, Bruce Billson.
Mr. Billson…
… by businesses - whether they are large or small - will be protected, says the Australian Small Business and Family … acknowledgment of the special circumstances and limited time and resources of small business and that the exemption … reforms around cyber risk management, Digital ID, payment times, deepening the digital engagement of small …
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Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson interview with Julie-anne Sprague.
Radio 6PR Perth
Subject: 14 Steps to energise enterprise
Julie-anne Sprague
There is a worrying…
… me to find out why and how. Bruce Billson himself, Bruce G'day. Bruce Billson Jules, fab to be with you and your … 8 per cent of business owners that are under the age of 30, whereas in the ‘70s, it was twice that. So, something's … to business operators, that the burden has increased over time, and we need to look at that. But then you have an …
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The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, Bruce Billson, has welcomed the Albanese government’s move to introduce legislation into Parliament to crackdown on unfair contract terms and increase penalties for anti-competitive…
… large enterprises doing business with smaller firms to be a kindly customer – patient and understanding, with good … “What is also crucial, however, is that these new laws be enforced by regulators to defend the economic interests of … leap from $10 million to $50 million. “Fines need to be more meaningful and not just an easily absorbable ‘cost of …
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Originally published in the Canberra Times on Monday, 27 May 2024.
Bruce Billson
Winning a government contract can be life-changing for a small business. As all businesses know, there is no substitute for good…
… May 2024. Bruce Billson Winning a government contract can be life-changing for a small business. As all businesses … are looking for to engage in a complicated, costly and time-consuming process. Dismissing considered and … boost women-owned business opportunities and improve payment times. We found active stewardship is essential to …
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Opinion piece by the Ombudsman Bruce Billson.
Originally published in the Canberra Times.
Small business is the beating heart of our communities and our economy, so it is crucial to check the pulse of such an important sector to measure its…
… and the unseen 'business of running the business' can be physically, mentally and financially exhausting. That's … terms of their spending, preferences and confidence. The time-series for the Pulse covers the past eight years and has … increased, although they remain below pre-pandemic levels. Payment disputes are often an early warning sign of cash flow …
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Originally published in The Canberra Times.
Digital platforms have fundamentally changed the way small businesses connect and sell to their customers. Yet, when there is a problem - such as having your account shut down after being hacked -…
… your account shut down after being hacked - solving it can be a nightmare. Whether it is Facebook, Instagram, Uber, … cases, when there is a problem these platforms require a time and resource-poor small business to navigate the most … turn ads on or off and can remove or update advertising payment information. Have your account/s set up so the …
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Originally published in The Canberra Times
By Bruce Billson
More and more women are creating new businesses to find solutions to everyday problems.
About 35 per cent of small businesses are owned or led by women.
This is double…
… that 68 per cent of self-employed females are working part-time, compared to 47 per cent of female employees in the … the pressures that entrepreneurial women deal with every day. Where is the question about childcare and employee share … told that they needed a male on the application form to be approved. We have taken some strides since the 1950s but …
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15 October 2024
TRANSCRIPT
Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson interview with Leon Delaney.
Radio 2CC Canberra
…
… you before, Bruce, but many, many, many years ago, I think 30 years ago, I came up with this idea when recorded phone … McEnroe is. Leon Delaney He was the Nick Kyrgios of his day. Bruce Billson What great documentary about him and his … - they might also tap into a credit card or some other payment facility you have linked to your account that helps …
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Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson interview with Leon Delaney.
Radio 2CC Canberra
Leon Delaney
The Australian Small…
… Billson, good afternoon. Bruce Billson Leon, great to be with you and your listeners on this glorious capital day. Leon Delaney It's a beautiful day today, isn't it? It's absolutely a cracker. Now I've got …
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Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson interview with Deb Knight.
Money News
Subjects: COSBOA Summit, energising enterprise
…… welcome back to Money News. Bruce Billson Deb, great to be with you and your enterprising audience. Deb Knight Yes, … only 8% of business owners that are under the age of 30. It was nearly twice that in the ‘70s. So, something is … only 8% of business owners that are under the age of 30. It was nearly twice that in the ‘70s. So, something is …
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This week we celebrate National Family Business Day - on Thursday, September 19.
It's a great moment to reflect on the crucial role family-owned businesses play in the economy and throughout our communities.
Think about the many farming,…
… 2024 This week we celebrate National Family Business Day - on Thursday, September 19. It's a great moment to … services businesses in your community and often it will be family-owned and led. Some of our most enduring businesses … added layer of emotion. What if one of the offspring takes time away from the family business to gain experiences that …
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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…
… Small businesses can't be held to the same privacy standards 22 July 2024 Opinion … Mark Dreyfus of the special circumstances and limited time and resources of small business, the need for support … with this after they've been running their business all day. Small businesses will need clear guidance on the active …
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Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson interview with Nadia Mitsopoulos.
ABC Radio Perth
26 June 2023
Subject: Small Business Matters…
… a hook point, 8% of business owners are under the age of 30. That used to be 17%. So it's quite an interesting picture … Another allied piece of work we've been doing is around payment times - another example where too often small … they deserve from big business customers taking a long time, in some cases, one in four big businesses taking a 120 …
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Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson interview with Phil Staley.
ABC North Queensland
Subject: Small business natural disasters preparedness and…
… preparedness and resilience Phil Staley It's that time of year where tropical lows often form off our coasts. … good with that stuff. We all know that it's wet this time of year and we usually have strategies. So, here's a … now. Bruce Billson, good morning. Bruce Billson Fab to be with you and your listeners. Phil. Phil Staley That …
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Opinion piece by the Ombudsman Bruce Billson.
Originally published in the Canberra Times.
I fear we are sleepwalking into a "big corporate" economy.
Many small and family businesses are doing it tough right now and the post-COVID…
… electricity, insurance and rent. And there continues to be ongoing shortages of talent and skills with lower rates of … from the Privacy Act. Together, it is taking a toll on time-poor and resource-constrained small business owners. The … workplace obligations to employees, meet tax reporting and payment obligations in a timely way and pay small business …
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SPEECH
Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson.
Speech to COSBOA National Small Business Summit
I particularly want to acknowledge Matthew (Addison), Luke (…
… for whom, self-declared, their business is their full-time endeavour, take home less than average total weekly … for those people. They’re working their tails off every day. The average age of a business owner is 50, not 45 where … our small business owning fraternity are under the age of 30, half what it was in the 1970s. 70% of small businesses …
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The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson welcomes the Government’s commitment to lowering costs for businesses through least cost routing.
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has released the Payments System Review…
… least cost routing. “The Treasurer’s urging of the RBA’s Payment Systems Board to consider mandating the dual-network … is a game changer. “It is a clear statement that the time for strongly worded letters to financial institutions to … “The Government has committed to consider changes that may be necessary to promote least cost routing, particularly in …
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Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson interview with Tom Elliott.
Radio 3AW
Subject: Insolvency figures, small business conditions…
… across Australia are up 17% in the 12 months to June 30 just gone. In Victoria the figures are even worse. … pressures on businesses. It’s a fairly challenging time anyway. You touched on interest rates, input costs are … I'd like to think it's front of mind. I guess my job every day is to try and make sure that small and family businesses …
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The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson has welcomed ASIC’s announcement that they have cancelled or suspended Australian credit licences for failing to be a member of the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (…
… or suspended Australian credit licences for failing to be a member of the Australian Financial Complaints Authority … matters themselves. In the period 1 January 2021 to 30 June 2021, 24 licences were cancelled. “AFCA provides … dispute resolution to small businesses, saving them time and money by significantly reducing the need for …
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Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson interview with Jac Underwood.
Radio 2BS Bathurst
Subject: Small business owners…
… afternoon. Bruce Billson Jac, you're just saying that to be nice, but it is a treat to be with you and your audience. … was about 17% of small and family business owners under 30. Well that's, that's 8% now and that's really quite a … 51 and you have only 7% of your business owners aged under 30. And when you look at the statistics behind that, and we …
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Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson interview with Lisa Millar.
ABC News Breakfast
Subject: 14 Steps to energise enterprise, tap-and-go merchant fees, digital platform disputes, small business…
… a group of Australians that need their personal best every day and, in some cases, needing to be world class every day. … bit of breathing space as they tackle a really challenging time. Lisa Millar So, what are you saying, the credit card … got about 8 per cent, Lisa, that are under the age of 30. It was 17 per cent in the ‘70s. So, we really think you …
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Originally published in The Canberra Times
By Bruce Billson
With election talk building and political announcements starting to roll out, there has not been a more important time for small businesses to be seen, heard and supported.
…
… starting to roll out, there has not been a more important time for small businesses to be seen, heard and supported. The Australian Small Business … wait for years and years for supportive action at this time of significant economic and cost of doing business …
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By Bruce Billson.
Published in the Western Advocate.
More needs to be done to support and recognise small businesses.
A RECENT Westpac study found almost half of the people starting their own business are motivated by the dream…
… The obstacles entrepreneurs face 30 September 2024 By Bruce Billson. Published in the Western … big business to small business and ratings for big firms' payment performance. The recent US presidential debate … did not make a profit and three-quarters of full-time self-employed people earned less than the average total …
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Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson interview with Luke Grant.
Money News 2GB/3AW/4BC
13 December 2022
…
… Insolvency laws Luke Grant There probably needs to be a change to the system to help business avoid insolvency … lot to the economic vitality of the country, but it costs time and money. And so, this restructuring process was … of the fact that the business owner has invested much time, possibly a lifetime in the business, that the employees …
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Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson interview with Rick Hind.
ABC Radio Darwin
Subject: What is ASBFEO and what does it…
… relationships, they might also mess with the attached payment facility that's there and spend our money pimping … money for substations, all the cabling, the equipment, our time. I want to make sure that the developer is good for … if we do things on trade credit, on terms like ‘pay us in 30 days’ we might not get paid. So that's coming up as an …
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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…
… what is a vital part of getting paid, replacing what can be a tendinous, mundane and error-prone activity.” Mr Billson … vulnerable to invoice substitution scams – also called payment redirection scams or business email compromise - … people with all the critical information to execute the payment,” he said. Mr Billson welcomed the Australian …
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Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson interview with Leon Delaney.
Radio 2CC Canberra
Subjects: How small business can prepare for a…
… you a couple of bucks back, which is the equivalent of a day or two of what you pay to access our communications … had a direct loss. It's the same with banking services. Payment platforms went out late last week for a lot of the … and we touched on that in the report. If you're a time-poor small business owner, you don't really want someone …
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Opinion piece by the Ombudsman Bruce Billson.
Originally published in the Canberra Times.
Small, family and farming businesses should urgently make sure they are not caught out by the 3G switch-off which is now scheduled to take place on 28…
… is an awful lot of technology and equipment used every day that's actually enabled by 3G. Quite understandably, … thinking about what the piece of kit actually does and the time-saving or technology-enhancing way it allows us to get … bookings and payroll, could stop working. At risk may be security systems and cameras, tablets, telephones in …
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Originally published in The Canberra Times
By Bruce Billson
Over the past five years there have been 13 declared natural disaster catastrophes.
The devastation caused to our communities by these terrible floods, storms, cyclones and…
… fearsomeness so early in the season ... Businesses can be directly damaged or wiped-out, or they become an indirect … businesses have a current business continuity plan. It is time for small business to be prepared for natural disasters. … owner or leader out of the business for a period of time. An inquiry I conducted into the impact of natural …
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