The federal government has announced it will appoint a new advocate for small business interests, which has been welcomed by the Franchise Council of Australia (FCA).
The National Small Business Commissioner (SBC) will focus on providing small businesses with a new voice to highlight their issues to the Australian government; provide a one-stop shop for small business services and information; and ensure the interest of small business remain at the forefront of government policy making.
FCA executive director Steve Wright said the said the FCA had been a long standing supporter of sensible, economically targeted support for the small business sector, in which franchising was one of the most successful and dynamic segments.
“The FCA is particularly pleased the National Small Business Commissioner (SBC) will focus on cutting red tape and eliminating state-national overlap,” he said.
“This is consistent with the views of the FCA, and economists and lawyers generally, that differing state laws simply add to complexity and compliance cost. It is good to see the Federal Government acknowledging this at a time when its Labor counterparts in South Australia and Western Australia seem bent on the opposite, at least in terms of franchising regulation.
“Hopefully, the dispute resolution element of the new National SBC office will help assure Labor in WA and SA that they do not need to go down a separatist path, creating an additional state-based regulatory burden for franchise businesses.”