Commissioner to talk small business in regional Victoria’s north east

Victorian Small Business Commissioner Lynda McAlary-Smith will be visiting Marysville, Alexandra, Mansfield and Benalla to hear more about issues confronting local small business people and raise awareness of available supports.

Commissioner McAlary-Smith will meet with business owners and their supporters to talk about the challenges faced locally as they work on recovering from the pandemic.

“We know from our work in dispute resolution that often, the issues regional businesses experience can be different to what we see in Melbourne,” Commissioner McAlary-Smith said.

Commissioner McAlary-Smith will talk about the kinds of disputes the Victorian Small Business Commission (VSBC) can help with – from disagreements over rent relief to situations where supplier invoices haven’t been paid.

”Of all commercial disputes that come to the VSBC, we resolve more than one third early on, often just by providing help over the phone.”

If the matter can’t be resolved this way, the VSBC can arrange a free or low-cost session online with an impartial mediator who can help the people in the dispute to reach a fair outcome.

Commissioner McAlary-Smith will meet with local small business owners, councils, small business networks, rural financial counsellors and other small business supporters while in the north east.

Commissioner McAlary-Smith will be available for interview during her visit from 1–3 March. For media enquiries, contact Chris Harris on 0436 698 132 or at christine.harris@vsbc.vic.gov.au.