Small business advocates have welcomed the introduction of the Payment Times Reporting Bill 2020 which will deliver transparency around the way big business pays their small business counterparts. The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Kate Carnell says the Bill will require big businesses to be upfront about how quickly they pay suppliers. “Much… Read more »
With restrictions finally starting to lift and many small businesses re-opening or ramping up, the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman (ASBFEO) Kate Carnell has called for a COVID-19 Recovery Plan, to help small businesses navigate the next phase of the pandemic. Carnell acknowledges small business owners will be looking for guidance as they… Read more »
The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Kate Carnell has called for the government to continue with free child care beyond the June 30 cutoff, describing it as an essential service. Carnell believes snapping back the service to its pre-COVID offering would severely impact working women and female-led businesses. “Women make up more than… Read more »
The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Kate Carnell has released a free online mental health resource for sole traders, amid alarming predictions of a dramatic rise in Australian suicide rates due to the economic and social impacts of coronavirus. Beyond Blue ambassador and sole trader Garry Mills hosts the short webinar, Chicken Soup… Read more »
Queensland ‘Small Business Champion’ Maree Adshead has been appointed as Queensland’s Small Business Commissioner. The role was created to temporarily provide much-needed advocacy for small business owners as they struggle to remain trading during the coronavirus crisis. The state’s SMBs will now have a single point of contact to negotiate on their behalf during disputes.… Read more »
The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman (ASBFEO) Kate Carnell has called for federal legislation requiring small businesses to be paid in 30 days, amid a fresh wave of big businesses using the COVID-19 crisis as an excuse for poor payment times. It’s a key recommendation made in ASBFEO’s final report regarding its Supply… Read more »
Small businesses struggling to cope with the COVID-19 crisis do not have to suffer alone, with the new and improved My Business Health offering dedicated holistic support to employers and sole traders. The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Kate Carnell says the My Business Health web portal has been re-designed to walk small… Read more »
The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Kate Carnell has written to Prime Minister Scott Morrison, requesting support for Australia’s small business sector, including the nation’s 1.4 million sole traders as the coronavirus crisis worsens. This morning the PM announced a raft of new measures including level four travel restrictions and a ban on… Read more »
The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Kate Carnell has urged senators to back the Australian Business Growth Fund Bill, saying it will significantly encourage business growth and promote economic expansion. “We strongly support the investment by the Commonwealth in the Australian Business Growth Fund to provide much-needed patient capital to SMEs seeking to… Read more »
The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman (ASBFEO) has expanded the reach of it My Business Health portal to provide practical advice and tips to support small business owners impacted by the bushfires. The portal was designed to provide holistic support to small business owners, and ASBFEO Kate Carnell hopes the site will assist… Read more »
The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman (ASBFEO) Kate Carnell says the voluntary Supplier Payment Code is ineffective and if the government is serious about getting big business to pay small business on time, legislation may be required. Carnell’s comments follow recent scandals surrounding reverse factoring in which certain larger corporations were miming data… Read more »
The pressure is mounting on companies and big corporations that are failing to pay small business owners in a timely fashion to pay up or be named and shamed. Currently, many big businesses are delaying payment of contractors and small business owners by up to 60 or 90 days. Instead of paying promptly they are… Read more »
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