Speaking up for Small Business

Representing small business in dealing with onerous administrative burdens and unfair practices by other businesses or State and Local Governments.

The NSW Small Business Commissioner role was created to give small businesses a strong voice within government.

Small businesses are often not members of an industry body or business association, which limits the opportunities for them to express their viewpoints to government. Big businesses have a greater capacity to use resources to make their case to governments and run campaigns on issues of importance to them.

Small business operators, however, are so busy running their businesses that they find it difficult or even impossible to take time out to lobby government for changes that will end unfair practices, and which could benefit their business. Even if given the opportunity, many small business operators would not know where to start.

As well, the small business sector is so disparate and varied that it's difficult for the sector to speak with a strong and unified voice.

The NSW Small Business Commissioner works directly with individual small businesses and peak industry bodies such as the Council of Small Business Organisations of Australia (COSBOA) and the NSW Business Chamber, in order to speak up for small business issues.

This means that small businesses now have a voice in dealing with unfair practices and onerous administrative burdens that affect their business.

• Apply for help with unfair treatment or red tape

• Advocacy success stories

• Submissions to reviews on small business issues