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Advocacy

The QSBC works to enhance the operating environment for small businesses in Queensland through advocacy, collaboration, delivery of projects and programs, and the provision of information and advisory services.

Local or specific issue affecting your small business

If you have a local or specific issue affecting your small business that you would like assistance with, please make an enquiry and our Assistance Team will help you understand your options.

Broader matters affecting all small businesses

If you are a small business, we encourage you to contact your local Chamber of Commerce, peak or industry association, or your Small Business Friendly Council economic development team first as they may already be aware of the matter.

If you have a broader matter you would like to discuss which affects all small businesses, a particular industry or market, or a region of Queensland, please make an enquiry and our Advocacy Team will explore the matter further with you.

ENQUIRY
While we can assist you with challenges relating to operating your small business, we cannot arbitrate matters, make rulings, give directions or issue orders.

Small Business Friendly Councils (SBFC) program

The SBFC program was established in Queensland by the QSBC and commenced in October 2020. The program aims to enhance the operating environment for small businesses at the local government level by providing participating SBFC members with the framework, network and tools to create tangible outcomes and practical improvements for their small business community.
Learn more about the SBFC program

Find out more about:

Partnerships

National Small Business Commissioners’ forum

The Commissioner collaborates as part of the National Small Business Commissioners’ (NSBC) forum. Participants include the small business commissioners of New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia together with the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman (ASBFEO).

Officers from the QSBC also regularly collaborate with officers from ASBFEO and interstate Commissioners’ offices via a National Strategy Group, which focuses on national small business policy and advocacy matters, and a National Assistance Group, which focuses on continuously improving assistance and dispute outcomes.

Office of Productivity and Red Tape Reduction

The QSBC collaborates with the Office of Productivity and Red Tape Reduction (OPRTR) on red tape reduction activities. The QSBC regularly provides feedback from small businesses and stakeholders to OPRTR about regulatory barriers and the compliance burden. The QSBC also participates in Queensland Government regulatory reviews led by OPRTR.

Committees

The Commissioner (or nominated proxy from the QSBC) participates on a range of committees to advocate for Queensland small business interests.
  • Australian Taxation Office Small Business Stewardship Group (observer), May 2020 – present
  • Business Registry Strategic Advisory Council (member), July 2021 – present
  • Council of Small Business Organisations Australia’s Member and Stakeholder Roundtable (participant), February 2022 – present
  • Department of Small Business, Employment and Training, Small Business Wellness Package Working Group (member), July 2022 – present
  • Energy and Water Ombudsman Queensland Advisory Council (member), May 2022 – present
  • Federal Regulatory Advisory Group and National Small Business Commissioners combined forum (member), March 2017 – present
  • General Goods and Services Industry Reference Group (member), January 2018 – present
  • National Assistance Group (member) – July 2021 – present
  • National Small Business Commissioners Forum (member), March 2017 – present
  • National Strategy Group (member) – July 2021 – present
  • North Queensland Small Business Recovery Advisory Council (member), November 2019 – present
  • Procurement Industry Advisory Group (member), March 2017 – present
  • Queensland Small Business Advisory Council (ex-officio member), May 2022 – present
  • Small Business and Franchising Consultative Committee (observer), March 2017 – present
  • Small Business Industry Roundtable (chair), March 2017 – present.
  • Better Regulation Taskforce, February 2017 – December 2020
  • Summertime Taskforce Industry Reference Group (chair), September – December 2021.

Submissions

The QSBC makes submissions to the Queensland Government and the Australian Government, advocating for small business interests.
Property Law Bill 2022 – exposure draft

21 October 2022
Submission on the public exposure draft of the Property Law Bill 2022 as part of the Property Law Act Review – Department of Justice and Attorney General (Qld)

Work Health and Safety Act 2011 – review

21 September 2022
Submission on the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 as part of a 5-yearly review – Office of Industrial Relations (Qld)

Online Small Business Lenders Code of Practice – revised draft

19 August 2022
Submission on the revised draft of the Online Small Business Lenders Code of Practice as part of a regular review – Australian Finance Industry Association

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander economic strategy – draft

30 June 2022
Feedback on the development of a new Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander economic strategy – Department of Seniors, Disability Services and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships (Qld)

Trading (Allowable Hours) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2022 – consultation

10 June 2022
Submission on the Trading (Allowable Hours) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2022 as part of the inquiry into the operation of the Trading (Allowable Hours) Act 1990 – Education, Employment and Training Parliamentary Committee (Qld)

2019 Monsoon Trough Recovery – review

31 January 2022
Feedback on the progress of recovery from the 2019 Monsoon Trough to inform an incremental report as part of the 2019 Monsoon Trough Review – Office of the Inspector-General Emergency Manager (Qld)

Modernising Registry Fees – discussion paper

28 January 2022
Submission on the Modernising Registry Fees discussion paper being delivered through the Modernising Business Registers program – Treasury (Cth)

Summertime Taskforce Project Recommendations report

3 December 2021
The Queensland Small Business Commissioner’s Recommendations Report on activating outdoor trade to support business expansion and local place-making

ePayments Code – review

18 November 2021
Submission to the final round of consultation of the Review of the ePayments Code – Australian Securities and Investments Commission

Discretionary Mutual Fund Review – interim report

3 November 2021
Submission on the interim report of the Discretionary Mutual Fund Review – Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman

Trading (Allowable Hours) Act 1990 – inquiry

15 October 2021
Submission to the inquiry into the operation of the Trading (Allowable Hours) Act 1990 – Education, Employment and Training Parliamentary Committee (Qld)

Interim Action Plan for Tourism Recovery – draft

15 September 2021
Feedback on the draft Interim Action Plan for Tourism Recovery – Department of Tourism, Innovation and Sport (Qld)

Treasury Laws Amendment Bill 2021: Unfair contract terms reforms – exposure draft

13 September 2021
Feedback on the exposure draft of the unfair contract terms reforms to strengthen protections for consumers and small businesses – Treasury (Cth)

Projects

At any time, we have a range of projects underway to enhance the operating environment for Queensland small businesses.

April 2022 – ongoing

COVID, floods, bushfires and other disruptions take a serious toll on many small businesses. It’s tough for any business to replace or repair lost or damaged equipment or facilities essential to operating their business.

Equipment has become harder to replace due to increased costs, scarcity of supply or longer than usual lead times. The QSBC, in partnership with GIVIT, a national not-for-profit organisation registered with the Australian Government Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission, established the appeal to help small businesses replace or repair equipment or facilities.

If you are a small business experiencing significant hardship due to events outside of your control (such as COVID, floods or bushfires), you can contact us to be connected with one of our partners for assistance.

If you would like to pledge your support for small businesses experiencing significant hardship, you can nominate to donate or fund items needed or donate funds that GIVIT can use to help small businesses via the GIVIT website.

The Minister for Employment and Small Business and Minister for Training and Skills Development tasked the QSBC to lead the Summertime Taskforce project, which aimed to identify ways to make best use of Queensland’s great weather, facilitate better use of outdoor areas and on-street dining, and revitalise CBDs.

To inform the project, the QSBC established and chaired an Industry Reference Group with representatives from peak industry bodies and associations, councils and key Queensland Government departments. In December 2021, the Summertime Taskforce project delivered a report with practical recommendations and an action plan for the Queensland Government’s consideration. The report can be viewed here.

In October 2022, the Queensland Government provided their response to the report.

In the response, the Queensland Government supported or supported in principle all three recommendations in the Summertime Taskforce project report and committed to taking action.

To deliver on the Queensland Government’s commitment to take action, the response also provided the Queensland Outdoor Activation Action Plan (the Action Plan) – a package of assistance measures and reforms to support outdoor activation.

The Action Plan focuses on three key areas – improving the operating environment, celebrating and raising awareness, and connecting and building capability.

The Queensland Government will work with the QSBC, local councils and the small business community to implement the Action Plan over three years from 2022 to 2025.

The Action Plan will support improvements to the small business regulatory and operating environment, assist business owners and operators and local councils with guidance and information, help connect businesses to support and ideas, and build on existing assistance available to maximise opportunities for outdoor trade activation.

The response can be viewed here.

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Acknowledgement of Traditional Owners and Elders
The Queensland Small Business Commissioner acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we work and pays respect to their Elders past, present and emerging. We extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
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