For many of our small and family business friends in North Queensland, it hasn’t been the start to the year that they were looking for. It has been a difficult month, surviving a natural disaster. We have had several team members on the ground and our thoughts are with all of North Queensland at this time. If you are a small and family business in a Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangement (DRFA) activation area, make sure you look at the disaster recovery for business grants and loans being coordinated by QRIDA.
As many of you would be aware, our office was part of The First 100 Days election commitments, and we have been refocused on red tape reduction and dispute management for small business. This month we have met many small and family business owners and industry bodies, such as Coffee Commune, Queensland Social Enterprise Council, the National Retail Association, Master Builders and the Family Business Association, to hear your views about red tape reduction opportunities. These examples have been quite broad ranging from the Fair Work Act, Biofuels, Dangerous Goods, the Australian Taxation Office, Payroll Tax, Stamp Duty and much more.
In February we have jumped back on the road, visiting businesses in Windorah, Birdsville, Longreach, Scenic Rim, the Gold Coast and Ipswich. Small and family businesses continue to discuss their experiences with skills shortages, energy costs and accessibility, access to capital, the regulatory burden and other impacts on productivity. From a red tape perspective, small and family businesses want action on things like government procurement, workers compensation, vehicle registrations, and mutual recognition of licences.
This month we launched our Reducing Red Tape web page to allow you to tell us about your experiences with red tape, its impact and any practical solutions you might have. We have been tasked by the Minister to collate your examples and to provide this information to him directly. If you are a small and family business and have any red tape examples you would like to share, please submit your examples via our Red Tape Examples form.
We have also been back in the studio recording new episodes of Small Business Big Stories. We are incredibly proud of all our brave small and family business owners across Queensland, and we are honoured that some of you have taken the time to talk to us about your journeys. We hope these provide you with some insights and perspective when it comes to your own journeys. Our latest episode is available now!
Upcoming activities
- 4-5 March 2025 – Hinchinbrook Regional Visit
- 6 March 2025 – Coffee Commune IWD lunch
- 7 March 2025 – BSCAA Women in Leadership Event
- 11 March 2025 – 2025 World Plumbing Day
- 12 March 2025 – HairHouse Queensland Franchisees Event
- 14 March 2025 – aFile Breakfast Even
Connect with us
If you are new to our newsletter or want to learn more about our services, resources, initiatives, and projects, visit the QSBC website. If you need more information, call us on 1300 312 344 or submit an enquiry.
Dominique Lamb
Queensland Small Business Commissioner
For more details, read the QSBC newsletter February 2025