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    The ASBFEO responds to requests for assistance from small businesses and family enterprises that are in dispute with other businesses or Commonwealth Government agencies. 

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The November 2025 Small Business Pulse is now available

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It's not all doom and gloom. Here's why businesses are feeling more optimistic

Originally published in The Canberra Times

Australia's small and family businesses are backing themselves and drawing on their self-belief and entrepreneurial instincts to envision a more positive year ahead.The ASBFEO Small Business…

… increase. It increased 0.5 per cent compared to the same time last year. With relatively stable economic conditions … how they can delight their customers in new ways. It might be through unique experiences, personalised service, … spending plenty of time in their business, tending to the day-to-day, but more and more are carving out time to work on …

Media Centre item
Op-ed
ASBFEO Live

Australia wants to lift productivity? Here are some practical initiatives

Originally published in The Canberra Times

By Bruce Billson

The first half of this year has been characterised as a test of endurance for many small businesses, but I'm encouraged by the enduring optimism and the promise of improvement.…

… on is the increase to the national minimum wage . You'll be aware the Fair Work Commission has announced a 3.5 per … to cope with another cost impost at this challenging time. But we cannot forget that small businesses are also … of self-employed small business owners working full-time who earn less than the average full-time adult wage. …

Media Centre item
Op-ed
ASBFEO Live

Stressed about how AI will affect your work? You are not alone

Originally published in The Canberra Times

By Bruce Billson

It is big in the minds of many small business people. Uncertainty and complexity can constrain growthWe have just released the latest ASBFEO Small Business Pulse and there is a…

… that influence decisions and drive behaviour and the "real time" business decisions being contemplated or taken. The … strength and there's reason for small business owners to be hopeful that this will support their business to thrive. … accessing finance by small businesses more expensive, at a time when many business owners are dipping into their own …

Media Centre item
Op-ed
ASBFEO Live

TRANSCRIPT: Franchising Code of Conduct Review

Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson interview with Leon Delaney on Radio 2CC Canberra.

Subject: Franchising Code of Conduct Review

Leon DelaneyThe Small Business and…

… the phone now. Good afternoon.  Bruce Billson Leon, fab to be with you and your listeners, sir.  Leon Delaney  Thanks … are well-known, and those brands have proven the test of time. There are other systems that might have just been, … and spending a quarter of a million bucks to get your day in court? That's an area where we think more work needs …

Media Centre item
Transcript
ASBFEO Live

Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson interview with Oliver Peterson

Radio 6PR Perth

Subject: internet domain name changes

Oliver Peterson

You’re being warned if you're a small business owner and for that matter, if you go to a website,…

… Ombudsman. Good afternoon. Bruce Billson Oli, great to be with you and 6PR listeners. Oliver Peterson It's great to … be a genius to know that change is happening. And for some time I've been urging the non-government regulator that … the thing I'm trying to surface. There is a window of time that runs out around the 20th of September. For …

Media Centre item
Transcript
ASBFEO Live

Even if these aren't new ideas, we have a chance to shift the conversation

Originally published in The Canberra Times

By Bruce Billson

The Treasurer has released the agenda for the much-vaunted three-day Economic Reform Roundtable he is hosting in just a few short days (August 19 to 21), and there is feverish…

… has released the agenda for the much-vaunted three-day Economic Reform Roundtable he is hosting in just a few … entrepreneurship, investment and competitiveness and would be funded by tax changes for the big end of town. It is an … where the focus of the Economic Reform Roundtable should be and what practical commitments should emerge. Even if some …

Media Centre item
Op-ed
ASBFEO Live

TRANSCRIPT: Small business problems with digital platforms

TRANSCRIPT

Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson interview with Thomas Oriti.

ABC News Radio

Subject: Small business problems with digital…

… Ombudsman. Bruce, good morning. Thank you for your time. Bruce Billson Thomas, fab to be with you and your listeners.  Thomas Oriti How bad is this … customer relationships where there's valuable data about payment arrangements and the like. It might be that they've …

Media Centre item
Transcript
ASBFEO Live

This must be the last time Optus cuts off small business

Originally published in The Daily Telegraph

By Bruce Billson

The new Optus leadership needs to demonstrate it truly understands the economic pain the recent outage has inflicted on some small and family businesses.

Our…

… This must be the last time Optus cuts off small business 21 November … small and family businesses deserve respect and not to be treated in such a shabby way as they have been by Optus. … Comments by the company that the loss was only $2 a day shows it does not understand its customers. This is what …

Media Centre item
Op-ed
ASBFEO Live

Business disputes are often in the Federal Court. But, where does that leave those too small to pay the costs?

Originally published in The Canberra Times

By Bruce Billson

Competition laws will work better for small businesses with a dedicated court list.

For small businesses, effective competition is vital. Knowing they can compete on a level…

… disputes in the federal jurisdiction. This reform would be a practical solution to the systemic barriers that small … face in enforcing their legal rights, including the cost, time and complexity of legal proceedings. While the … processes are no guarantee that a satisfactory outcome can be achieved. We see many cases where resolution is delayed or …

Media Centre item
Op-ed
ASBFEO Live

TRANSCRIPT: 2024-25 federal budget, small business mental health in Bathurst, small business procurement

TRANSCRIPT

Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson interview with Dusty Fitzpatrick.

Radio 2BS Bathurst

 

Subjects: 2024-25 federal budget…

… now. Bruce, good afternoon.  Bruce Billson Dusty, good to be with you and your listeners.  Dusty Fitzpatrick It's … also matched to that amount. That's not the case this time around. So, whilst that relief will be there, people … than half are aged over 50, with only 6% under the age of 30. Now it's about 8% nationally.  But this tells us that …

Media Centre item
Transcript
ASBFEO Live

Insolvency figures, small business pulse, ASBFEO assistance

TRANSCRIPT

Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson interview with Nick Rheinberger.

ABC Radio…

… Good morning, Bruce.  Bruce Billson Nick, great to be with you and your Illawarra listeners.  Nick Rheinberger … sort of business activity, so it's a really disturbing time. The business conditions, thank goodness, look like … disputes we deal with at my office, about 40% of those are payment disputes. So that's where people have delivered the …

Media Centre item
Transcript
ASBFEO Live

OP-ED: Big tech must do better by small biz

Bruce Billson 

Published in The Daily Telegraph and the Courier-Mail

15 October 2024

When a small business has a problem with a Big Tech digital platform - such as having your account shut down after being hacked…

… your account shut down after being hacked - solving it can be a nightmare. These platforms require a time and resource-poor small business to navigate the most … my agency has soared by 86 per cent compared with the same time last year. Over the past two years, the number of small …

Media Centre item
Op-ed
ASBFEO Live

Temporary insolvency protections sensible as lockdowns continue

The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson has urged the Federal Government and regulators to consider the reactivation of temporary insolvency protections, to support small and family businesses doing it tough in…

… protections for small and family businesses that may be trading insolvent due to lockdown trading restrictions. … June, and that trend is widely expected to continue with payment times stretching out. “Bringing back temporary … like this that give otherwise viable small businesses more time to recover or turnaround, preventing a wave of …

Media Centre item
News
ASBFEO Live

Privacy changes coming for small business

Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson interview with Leon Delaney.

Radio 2CC

Subject: Privacy changes coming for small business

Leon Delaney

Small businesses in…

… on replacing the current arrangements. but what will they be replaced with, and will they be workable for small … a risk to their business. That's been with us for some time. But in the Privacy Act, there is a general exemption … need to involve deep ponderance around principles and 20, 30, 40 hours navigating that framework. For businesses …

Media Centre item
Transcript
ASBFEO Live

Right-sized regulation for small businesses will boost productivity

Published in the Canberra Times.

Of the businesses in Australia, 97 per cent of them are small businesses.Small businesses generate nearly $600 billion of economic activity accounting for 32 per cent of our nation's GDP and provide jobs for 5.17…

… business was much larger, and I'm optimistic that it can be again. With government focused on boosting productivity, … cashflow concerns, digital impacts, cyber threats, poor payment times and an ever-changing business landscape. The … of "right-sizing" and implementation support saps precious time, resources and attention away from already stretched and …

Media Centre item
Op-ed
ASBFEO Live

Ombudsman launches Inquiry into Commonwealth Procurement

The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson has launched an Inquiry to examine the impact of reforms to Commonwealth procurement rules on small business.

The Inquiry was referred to the Ombudsman by the Minister…

… Ombudsman launches Inquiry into Commonwealth Procurement 30 March 2023 The Australian Small Business and Family … great to see the Australian Government’s commitment to be a bigger customer for small businesses,” Mr Billson said. … contracts can be complex, costly, confusing and time-consuming. “Supporting the opportunity for small and …

Media Centre item
Media Releases
ASBFEO Live

40,000 SMALL BUSINESSES HELPED BY OMBUDSMAN

The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman has reached the milestone of helping 40,000 small businesses seeking assistance with a dispute.

Ombudsman Bruce Billson said this was a significant moment for the agency.

“…

… watch the financial and emotional damage occur in real time with no ability to stop it. “One of the absurdities of … that clear, appropriate, and standardised procedures be put in place to enable a timely resolution for small … to be about payments which accounts for 38%, up from 30% two years ago. There has also been a rise in the …

Media Centre item
Media Releases
ASBFEO Live

Small businesses renewal accelerates as owners embrace growth and transformation

Key highlights: ASBFEO Small Business Pulse November 2025

The ASBFEO Small Business Pulse increased by 0.8% in the three months to November 2025 – the third consecutive quarterly increase. It increased 0.5% compared to the same…

… quarterly increase. It increased 0.5% compared to the same time last year. There is strong momentum amongst small … quarterly increase. It increased 0.5% compared to the same time last year. The Australian Small Business and Family … as tax deductions [6] . Regulators’ terminology can also be confusing for entrepreneurs. For example, confusion on …

Media Centre item
Media Releases
ASBFEO Live

Why it’s time to celebrate our hard-working self-employed

Originally published in Kochie's Business Builder.

We rightly honour and respect people for the livelihoods they carve out and the contribution they make to workplaces and the economy. But what is often missed as a vital and valued path to…

… Why it’s time to celebrate our hard-working self-employed 28 August … come from? Let’s celebrate the self-employed The dream to be your own boss, working when and where you choose while … than two-thirds of self-employed women choose to work part-time, compared with only 47 per cent of women in the general …

Media Centre item
Op-ed
ASBFEO Live

MEDIA RELEASE: Surge in small business disputes with Big Tech platforms

The number of small business disputes with Big Tech platform providers is 86 per cent higher than the same time last year, according to the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, Bruce Billson.

Mr Billson said over the past…

… platform providers is 86 per cent higher than the same time last year, according to the Australian Small Business … your account shut down after being hacked – solving it can be a nightmare.  “These platforms require a time and resource-poor small business to navigate the most …

Media Centre item
Media Releases
ASBFEO Live

OP-ED: Big tech is failing the little guys

Bruce Billson 

 

Published in the Bendigo Advertiser and ACM Network

14 October, 2024

BIG tech digital platform providers need to urgently lift their game and provide clear, appropriate and easily…

… providers has soared by 86 per cent compared to the same time last year. And over the past two years, the number of … your account shut down after being hacked - solving it can be a nightmare. These platforms require a time and resource-poor small business to navigate the most …

Media Centre item
Op-ed
ASBFEO Live

Recognising the vital contribution family businesses make to our community and economy

Published in Convenience World's October 2025 edition.

By Bruce Billson 

Some of Australia’s most prominent and successful businesses are family businesses. They are also some of the most enduring, over generations, building a legacy…

… services businesses in your community, often these will be family-owned and led.   Owning and running a small …   For many, there’s no switching off at the end of the day and family business leaders often invest their personal funds, energy and time to make it work. They are always striving, because they …

Media Centre item
Op-ed
ASBFEO Live

Franchising, when done well, can bring small business success

Originally published in The Canberra Times.

By Bruce Billson

Franchising, when done well, is one of the most dynamic and scalable models of entrepreneurship available to small business owners. It offers a unique blend of independence and…

… a powerful model, but it also means that both parties must be aligned in purpose and practice. The recently released … a culture, and a set of obligations that will shape your day-to-day life. Prospective franchisees and franchisors alike need … a culture, and a set of obligations that will shape your day-to-day life. Prospective franchisees and franchisors …

Media Centre item
Op-ed
ASBFEO Live

Don’t let complacency catch you out in coming 3G shut-off

By Bruce Billson.

Originally published in the West Australian.

Small, family and farming businesses should take urgent action to make sure they are not caught out by the 3G switch-off coming in October.

This change is about far more…

… bookings and payroll, could stop working. At risk may be security systems and cameras, tablets, telephones in … is an awful lot of technology and equipment used every day that’s actually enabled by 3G, and I fear many small … to get on with business. It would be terrible if the first time you learn it runs on 3G is when it shuts down, and that …

Media Centre item
Op-ed
ASBFEO Live

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…

… us with a direct human contact to enable these disputes to be escalated and a satisfactory outcome achieved quickly. … watch the financial and emotional damage occur in real time with no ability to stop it. “There have been too many … with scammers only removing them once they receive payment. “Most disturbingly, there are commercial service …

Media Centre item
Media Releases
ASBFEO Live

New Franchising Sector Powers for Small Business Ombudsman

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,…

… of franchising data sets. The Ombudsman will also be given the power to name and shame franchisors who have not … discourage big business from using their muscle to force time and resource-poor small business to have no alternative … but to seek redress in court – an expensive and time-consuming pathway they almost always cannot afford to …

Media Centre item
Media Releases
ASBFEO Live

Help at hand for small businesses

Originally Published in The Canberra Times

By Bruce Billson

Vibrant, culturally and linguistically diverse small businesses are essential to growing our economy.

WE ALL depend on the small and family-run businesses in our lives - from…

… contribution is widely valued and recognised. What might be less obvious is the diversity of small business owners.  … from ASBFEO case managers, almost 60 per cent had a payment dispute. This is almost double the number of … needed active case management assistance from ASBFEO for payment dispute in the March 2025 quarter. Sadly, payment …

Media Centre item
Op-ed
ASBFEO Live

MEDIA RELEASE: Small business Ombudsman's guide to using social media securely

The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, Bruce Billson, has released a guide for small businesses using social media as their business platform, with tips to reduce the chances of being hacked.

“Using social media can be a…

… the chances of being hacked. “Using social media can be a valuable way to grow and increase awareness of your … 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 …

Media Centre item
ASBFEO Live

TRANSCRIPT: Supermarket inquiry, Federal Circuit Court Small Business and Codes List

 TRANSCRIPT

Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson interview with Ross Greenwood.

Business Now, Sky News

Subject: Supermarket inquiry, Federal…

… apply pressure on smaller suppliers. And if so, what can be done about it? Well, one organisation that will hear these … cost. You might have to wait two years before you get your time to argue your case. And then there is that risk that if … you’ve been working with small business for such a long time and many thanks for your time today. Bruce Billson Good …

Media Centre item
Transcript
ASBFEO Live

For small businesses, it’s a season to be … prepared!

Originally published in Convenience World Magazine and Business Builders

Over the past few years, Australia has endured an onslaught of natural disasters. Floods, storms, cyclones and bushfires have devastated communities, and the impact on too…

… For small businesses, it’s a season to be … prepared! 10 December 2025 Originally published in … has been just as severe. These warmer months can be peak season for natural disasters, just as for many small … brings with it Australia’s natural disasters, now is the time to prepare. If you are a small business owner, start …

Media Centre item
Op-ed
ASBFEO Live

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