Originally published in The Daily Telegraph
By Bruce Billson.
When a bushfire, storm, flood or other natural disaster strikes, small business owners are often the first to volunteer to fight fires, lay sandbags, assist with…
… About us The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman (ASBFEO) was … ASBFEO does not have specific agency responsibilities under the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability …
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… Contract disputes Reducing debt A vocational training business had an equipment lease and services contract dispute … technology business regarding devices and a debt. The small business contacted us, and we helped to coordinate and … she started investigations. She discovered she was still under contract to the local paper, even though she had never …
… Building resilience is the key for small businesses 03 January 2024 Originally published in The … bushfire, storm, flood or other natural disaster strikes, small business owners are often the first to volunteer to fight …
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Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson interview with Neil Mitchell.
3AW
Subject: Payment times
Neil…
… Payment Times 19 June 2023 TRANSCRIPT Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson … 3AW Subject: Payment times Neil Mitchell If you're a small business and you're chasing a bill for five or $10,000 …
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Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson interview with Oly Peterson.
6PR Perth
20 November 2023
…
… TRANSCRIPT: Small Business Cyber Security 20 November 2023 TRANSCRIPT Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson …
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… Background The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, Bruce Billson, launched the ASBFEO Small Business Pulse in August 2024. The Pulse is an …
Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson interview with Ricardo Gonçalves.
SBS On The Money
Subject: Small business natural disasters preparedness and…
… Transcript: Small business natural disaster preparedness and resilience 12 January 2023 Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson …
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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…
… MEDIA RELEASE: Small business Ombudsman's guide to using social media securely 28 May 2024 The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, Bruce …
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New instant asset write-off thresholds, updated tax rules, increased superannuation payments and a rise in the minimum wage are among changes coming into effect on 1 July, says Bruce Billson, the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise…
… SOME IMPORTANT END OF FINANCIAL YEAR CHANGES FOR SMALL BUSINESS 28 June 2023 New instant asset write-off thresholds, … cooktops, and installing batteries and heat pumps. Under the scheme, which is pending passage through …
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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…
… provide clear, appropriate and easily accessible help for small business - with a real person they can talk to. Whether it is … or any of the many other digital platform providers, small and family businesses are getting a raw deal when they …
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Originally published in the Canberra Times.
Finding adequate insurance cover at commercially viable terms is fast becoming a wicked challenge for small and family businesses.
There have been countless examples of small businesses closing…
… Excessive insurance premiums are killing small businesses 04 March 2024 Originally published in the … viable terms is fast becoming a wicked challenge for small and family businesses. There have been countless … it' insurance products that in some case undermine the business's ability to operate with any hope of being viable. …
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The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson says tonight’s Budget handed down by the Australian Government will provide welcome capability building, mental health and financial advice support for small businesses and…
… OCTOBER 2022 BUDGET 25 October 2022 The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson says … building, mental health and financial advice support for small businesses and incentives to grow, transform and become …
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… Queensland There were 482,836 small businesses in Queensland on 30 June 2023, representing 19% of all Australian small businesses (compared to 20% of Australia’s population … 2021-22 , Accessed 15 January 2024. Table 1: Small business in Queensland, 30 June 2023 Download data Source : …
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The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman (ASBFEO) has welcomed the expansion of subsidised legal advice for eligible small and family businesses to support more effective engagement in dispute resolution processes.
The…
… New low-cost support to help small and family businesses resolve disputes 03 March 2025 The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman (ASBFEO) has …
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By Bruce Billson
Originally published in the Herald Sun.
At a time when small and family businesses face headwinds, it’s not too much to ask that their big business customers play their parts by paying their invoices in a more…
… Paying on time tricky business (Op-ed) 14 February 2023 By Bruce Billson Originally published in the Herald Sun. At a time when small and family businesses face headwinds, it’s not too much … reveal only three out of 10 big businesses pay their small business customers within 30 days, while almost a …
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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…
… TRANSCRIPT: Small business insurance crisis 04 March 2024 Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson … that may choose, in some cases courageously choose, to under-insured and perhaps worryingly not insure at all …
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Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson interview with Nick Rheinberger.
ABC Radio…
… Insolvency figures, small business pulse, ASBFEO assistance 19 June 2025 TRANSCRIPT Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson …
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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.…
… has been characterised as a test of endurance for many small businesses, but I'm encouraged by the enduring optimism … foundation is essential. Courageous and committed small business owners have been contending with a prolonged … employees and employers alike. But if small businesses go under, that's devastating for the owner. It's livelihoods …
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… Western Australia There were 238,907 small businesses in Western Australia on 30 June 2023, representing 9% of all Australian small businesses and in proportion with 11% of Australians … Calculated by ASBFEO based on the ABS definition of small business of 0-19 employees. Source: Based on Australian …
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The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson has urged struggling small and family businesses to be proactive at tax time, as a new report reveals declining payment plans despite record collectible debt owed to the…
… Ombudsman urges small businesses to get on the front foot at tax time 30 June 2021 The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson has …
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… South Australia There were 155,221 small businesses in South Australia on 30 June 2023, representing 6% of all Australian small businesses (compared to 7% of the population living in … 2021-22, Accessed 15 January 2024 Table 1: Small business in South Australia, 30 June 2023 Download data Total …
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… There were 482,836 small businesses in Queensland on 30 June 2023, representing 19% of all Australian small businesses (compared to 20% of Australia’s population who are Queenslanders). There were 238,907 small businesses in Western Australia on 30 June 2023, …
Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson interview with Narelle Graham on ABC Radio South Australia.
Subject: Digital platforms and small businesses
Narelle Graham
…
… TRANSCRIPT: Digital platforms and small businesses 27 April 2023 Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson …
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Australia’s small business owners are rapidly getting older as the proportion of younger entrepreneurs shrinks, according to research from the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman.
Ombudsman Bruce Billson said the most…
… SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS GETTING OLDER 23 August 2023 Australia’s small business owners are rapidly getting older as the … with only 8 per cent of small business owners aged under 30. It is half the peak for this age group of 17 per …
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MEDIA STATEMENT
Ombudsman launches small business natural disaster preparedness inquiry
The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson has launched an…
… Ombudsman launches small business natural disaster preparedness inquiry 21 January 2022 MEDIA STATEMENT Ombudsman launches small business natural disaster preparedness inquiry The …
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… Ombudsman's Foreword We depend heavily on the small and family run businesses in our lives – whether it is … in training – nearly double the amount employed by big business. We celebrate the vital and deeply personal … steadily climbing. Just 8% of small business owners are under 30. That’s half the peak for this age group of 17% …
… Digital disputes Restoring business after a hack A small businesses social media … (while it was compromised) was returned in full to the small business. The small business was also alerted to …
Small business owners are being urged by the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, Bruce Billson, to be on high alert to the rising number of criminals who may try to impersonate their business or a government agency such as the…
… DON’T BE DUPED BY SCAM OPERATORS 27 November 2023 Small business owners are being urged by the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, Bruce …
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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…
… MEDIA RELEASE: Australian small business selling online warned to be aware of US copyright … livelihoods damaged by unfounded allegations being made under these laws and then have their products taken down …
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… What we do Our Assistance team helps small businesses and family enterprises to resolve disputes … about ASBFEO’s work and other supports available for small business and family enterprises. We manage the ASBFEO’s and … ASBFEO does not have specific agency responsibilities under the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability …