Tag Archives: small businesses

The ACCC says unfair contract terms are a “key focus” in its latest ‘Small Business in Focus’ report. The twice-yearly report provides an update on key developments in the small business, franchising, and agriculture sectors. It also reports on the ACCC’s continued actions to protect small businesses against terms in a …

The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Kate Carnell says she is deeply concerned by fresh data showing small business growth is in crisis. She urges the government to do more to break down the barriers to business expansion. “The Institute of Public Affairs’ (IPA) latest research has found …

The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Kate Carnell has welcomed draft legislation that extends the unfair contract term regime to insurance contracts. “Removing the current exemption for insurance contracts from the unfair contract term regime as recommended by Commissioner Hayne, is a logical step,” Ms Carnell said. Room …

Many of Australia’s 2.1 million small businesses, says a specialist payment consulting firm, are wasting revenue by not investigating the best payment service providers. Nor are they making the most of least-cost routing. According to Payment Consulting Network, small retailers often don’t have time to research or have the money …

Global risk-management provider SAI Global has revealed the most common reasons Aussie businesses come up short. Principal Advisor in Business Improvement at SAI Global David Smith carries out training and certification for organisations seeking to meet the ISO 9001 Standard for quality management systems. He said: “Organisations that use our …

Ombudsman Kate Carnell has welcomed the Queensland government’s commitment to faster payment terms for small businesses. Ms Carnell has also urged other states and territories to follow suit, after expressing disappointment that it took so long. “A reduction in invoice payment times from 30 days to 20 days is to …

Ombudsman Kate Carnell says the returned coalition government must make good on its pre-election commitments to small businesses. She called its focus on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) a “major factor” in its surprise election win. But she added that she now expects the coalition to act on its campaign …

Ombudsman Kate Carnell has welcomed the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman’s (TIO) announcement that it will form a Small Business Team. “From April 1, 2019, small businesses who are in dispute with their telephone, mobile or internet services provider will have a specific team to contact,” she said. She also highlighted the …

Master Grocers Australia (MGA) has welcomed the government’s decision to allow easier access to justice for small businesses. According to MGA, the ‘Small Business Access to Justice’ policy aims to help small businesses bring cases of anti-competitive behaviour to court. It does so by allowing requests for a ‘no adverse costs order’ …

Aussie small businesses are overcoming stiff competition by getting tech savvy, according to a new global report. It also found that, despite various challenges, the small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) sector is in “good health” globally. The State of Small Business Global Report comes from TradeGecko, in collaboration with Golfdale …