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  • Disputes & Assistance

    Disputes & Assistance

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

    We provide information about dispute resolution options, access to mediation, alternative dispute resolution processes under the Franchising, Horticulture, Dairy and Oil Codes of Conduct, and assistance with disputes with the ATO.  

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        • Before you sign – do your research on the franchise
        • Assess the franchise opportunities and seek professional advice
        • Read the franchise agreement
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      • Managing change
        • Best practice for franchisors
          • The psychology of change
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      • Exiting a franchise
        • Franchisee-initiated exit - Compliance
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        • Tax implications - transferring or terminating a franchise
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  • Policy & Advocacy

    Policy & Advocacy

    The ASBFEO understand the challenges facing small businesses and family enterprises. 

    We provide advice and insights to policy and decision makers, conduct research, deliver inquiries, comment on legislation, provide advice to Ministers, and undertake outreach and engagement activities to ensure Australia is the best place to start, grow and transform a business.

    • 14 steps to boost Australia’s small and family businesses
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  • Resources & Tools Centre

    Resources & Tools Centre

    There are so many useful resources, tools and sources of information which assist and support small businesses and family enterprises to run their business.

    We have compiled these supports for you, relevant to your interests and needs, to help your business succeed.  

    • Our network
    • Cyber security
    • Financial Wellbeing
    • Mental health
    • Handling debts
    • Using social media securely
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    • Getting the most out of your digital marketing service provider
    • How Digital Marketing Providers can impress small business clients
    • Intellectual property
    • Disaster preparation and recovery
    • Climate-related financial disclosures
    • Self-employment
    • Changes to Australian workplace laws
    • The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (US)
    • Payment Times Reporting Scheme
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    • Working as a delivery driver
    • ‘Small Business, Big Dreams’ Fact Sheet
  • Media Centre

    Media Centre

    Connect with us and keep up with our latest news, media releases, social media, successes and policy and advocacy work. 

    We also share the latest developments from other government authorities and regulators, our peers and our networks on our Media Centre.   

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    • MSME Day
  • Small Business Data Portal

    Small Business Data Portal

    Our Small Business Data Portal brings together the latest statistics about small businesses and family enterprises and their contribution to the Australian economy.

    • ASBFEO Small Business Pulse
    • Small Business Matters
    • Contribution to Australian Gross Domestic Product
    • Contribution to Australian Employment
    • Number of small businesses in Australia
    • Apprentices and Trainees Employed by Small Business
    • Location of Australia’s small businesses by state and territory
      • New South Wales
      • Queensland
      • South Australia
      • Victoria
      • Western Australia
      • Tasmania
      • Northern Territory
      • Australian Capital Territory
      • Other Territories
    • Location of Australia’s small businesses - regional and metro areas

The November 2025 Small Business Pulse is now available

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  1. Home

Content type

  • Media Centre item (202)
  • Basic page (78)
  • Submission (66)
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Media Section

  • Media Centre (193)
  • Policy & Advocacy (2)
  • Disputes & Assistance (1)
  • Resources & Tools Centre (1)

Media Source

  • ASBFEO Live (202)

… million small businesses in greater capital city areas on 30 June 2023. Greater Sydney had the highest concentration of … Greater Melbourne (where they fell 1.8%) over the year to 30 June 2023. The main contributors to Melbourne’s decrease … (3.3%) and Greater Hobart (3.0%) over the year to 30 June 2023. The main contributors to these increases were …

… 0-19 (Small) 116,547 35,178 151,728 20-199 (Medium) 66,104 30,708 96,812 200+ (Large) 58,959 29,840 88,800 Unknown 7,800 … >, extracted on 30/07/22. Over three quarters of apprentices and trainees … 52,383 54,808 38,491 6,046 151,728 20-199 (Medium) 24,847 30,811 32,431 8,712 96,812 200+ (Large) 19,920 25,941 32,695 …

… on numbers and locations. Key findings for the year to 30 June 2023 Of the 2.5 million small businesses in … and external Other Territories. Victoria’s decrease can be attributed to a decrease in the number of small businesses … (3.3%) and Greater Hobart (3.0%) over the year to 30 June 2023. The main contributors to these increases were …

… which traditional sources of information and point-in-time surveys often miss.  “While interesting and informative, … money are insolvent.  “There is good reason for them to be worried, with corporate insolvencies at their highest … although they remain below pre-pandemic levels.  “Payment disputes are often an early warning sign of cash flow …

Dairy Code

… complaints. Internal dispute resolution processes may be managed by the processor’s complaint handling officer. … manage independently. The mediator will decide the date, time, and place that the mediation will take place and the … you of their costs. In general, the mediator has a half-day rate and a full-day rate, with the length of time for the …

Basic page

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

Financial wellbeing

… outcomes. Read your contract/agreement before signing and be aware of interest rates and penalties for non-payment. If you are unsure of anything, ask for more … should get in contact with the ATO. You can also set up a payment plan if your debt is under $100,000. Phone: 12 28 66 …

Basic page

… ,-10.4 -2.8,-0.7 -2.8,-0.7 -1,-1.9 -1,-1.9 -3.9,0 -4,1.5 0,-30.9 c … ,-10.4 -2.8,-0.7 -2.8,-0.7 -1,-1.9 -1,-1.9 -3.9,0 -4,1.5 0,-30.9 c …

Tasmania

… representing 2% of Australian small businesses on 30 June 2023. This is in proportion to the 2% of Australians … 15 January 2024 Table 1: Small businesses in Tasmania, 30 June 2023 Download data Source: Based on Australian Bureau … small businesses were in the rest of Tasmanian areas on 30 June 2023. This aligns with the population distribution, …

Basic page

… and out of the visitor/hub register each visit.  You will be issued with a single-use access pass each visit to access … through the back door near the bathrooms.  Hub passes must be returned at the end of your visit in the “Pass Return” box … at the reception counter and can be re-issued on the day of your next visit.   Note:  You are responsible to keep …

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

… ADR practitioner for the dispute. This appointment is to be made within 14 days of the ASBFEO receiving the request to … of their costs. In general, the practitioner has a half day rate and a full day rate. The length of time the ADR process will take depends on the complexity of …

… ADR practitioner for the dispute. This appointment is to be made within 14 days of the ASBFEO receiving the request to … of their costs. In general, the practitioner has a half day rate and a full day rate. The length of time the ADR process will take depends on the complexity of …

… has been completed by ASBFEO, any available documents will be forwarded to the applicant. If the requested documents or … log of information accessed under FOI requests must be published, except for personal, business or certain other … to FOI requests on the Treasury website at the same time as providing the response to the applicant. Documents …

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

South Australia

… There were 155,221 small businesses in South Australia on 30 June 2023, representing 6% of all Australian small … January 2024 Table 1: Small business in South Australia, 30 June 2023 Download data Total includes a small number of … Australian small businesses were in Greater Adelaide on 30 June 2023. This is consistent with South Australia’s …

Basic page

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

Queensland

… There were 482,836 small businesses in Queensland on 30 June 2023, representing 19% of all Australian small … 15 January 2024. Table 1: Small business in Queensland, 30 June 2023 Download data Source : Based on Australian … Greater Brisbane, there were 221,618 small businesses on 30 June 2023, representing 46% of all small businesses in …

Basic page

… a streamlined and improved user experience, reducing the time to register as a new business, or apply for additional … not been able to resolve the issue with them, the IGTO may be able to help. IP Australia  helps businesses to learn … a streamlined and improved user experience, reducing the time to register as a new business, or apply for additional …

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

RBA Review of Merchant Card Payment Costs and Surcharging

… RBA Review of Merchant Card Payment Costs and Surcharging Date Tue, 09/09/2025 - 12:00 File RBA Review of Merchant Card Payment Costs and Surcharging.pdf pdf 223.19 KB Summary RBA Review of Merchant Card Payment Costs and Surcharging  … RBA Review of Merchant Card Payment Costs and Surcharging  …

Submission

Implementing Australian’s Strategy for Nature 2024-2030

Submission

Merchant Card Payment Costs and Surcharging - Issues Paper October 2024

… Merchant Card Payment Costs and Surcharging - Issues Paper October 2024 … - 12:00 File 241217 SB - RBA Review of merchant card payment costs and surcharging.pdf pdf 245.35 KB Summary Reserve Bank of Australia Merchant Card Payment Costs and Surcharging - Issues Paper October 2024 …

Submission

Strategic Plan for the Payments System: Consultation Paper

Submission

Independent Evaluation of the JobKeeper Payment

… Independent Evaluation of the JobKeeper Payment Date Thu, 07/06/2023 - 12:00 File SB - Independent evaluation of the JobKeeper payment.pdf pdf 224.36 KB Summary Independent Evaluation of the JobKeeper Payment … Independent Evaluation of the JobKeeper Payment … Independent Evaluation of the JobKeeper Payment …

Submission

Treasury Payday super - Exposure Draft

Submission

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Acknowledgement of Country

We acknowledge the traditional owners and custodians of country throughout Australia and acknowledge their continuing connection to land, water and community.

We pay our respects to the people, the cultures and the Elders past, present and emerging.

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