Advocacy
The Victorian Small Business Commissioner is an independent voice to all levels of government on the challenges and opportunities that Victoria’s small business people are navigating.
The Commissioner regularly meets business owners, chambers of commerce, local councils, industry associations and peak bodies to monitor the impacts of market trends, legislation and government policies upon small businesses and their operating environment.
Key issues the Commissioner raised during financial year 2023-24 included, but weren’t limited to:
- Weakened consumer confidence impacting small businesses
- Continued labour and skills shortages in most industries
- Increasing small business debt enforcement from the Australian Tax Office
- Increasing business and compliance costs in Victoria
- Weakened business conditions and confidence
- Insufficient consultation on policy changes in Victoria with respect to practical implementation timeframes
- Frustration among small businesses on the implementation of Australian Government budget initiatives.
The Commissioner and VSBC staff also actively work with stakeholders to address matters raised through this advocacy work, such as government payment times to small business suppliers and disruption management.
Small Business Friendly Councils
Small Business Friendly Councils have made a commitment to work collaboratively with the VSBC to deliver six commitments in support of small business. Examples include paying small business suppliers promptly, managing disruption, providing ease of access to information and reducing red tape. This work is intended to uphold a fair and competitive operating environment for Victoria’s small businesses.
Is your local council small business friendly? You can read about the work in more detail on the Small Business Friendly Council web page.
Disruption management
Infrastructure projects, road repairs and private developments can all be disruptive to small business trading conditions.
The VSBC advocates for small business owners to be fairly informed and engaged in the planning and delivery of potentially disruptive works. This is important as it provides business people with the opportunity to provide feedback on how the proposed works could be modified and managed to minimise their impact. It also allows for small businesses to prepare for the adjustments required to trade through the period of disruption, and to ensure that their customers and clients are also informed.
The VSBC has published Small Business Engagement Guidelines for project teams and the Guide to Managing Disruption for small businesses impacted by works. These guidelines are intended to prompt project teams to properly inform and work with impacted businesses, and to equip small business owners to best prepare for the disruptions and to trade through disruptive periods.
The VSBC can also directly advocate on behalf of small business owners disrupted by projects. The VSBC can step-in to seek information and direct communication lines with project teams and seek clarity on project scope and schedules and investigate opportunities to modify those work schedules to minimise the impact of works as best as practicable.
Managing disruption is also a key commitment of the Small Business Friendly Council Charter, where the VSBC and signatory councils are jointly committed to managing and minimising disruption to small businesses.
Fair Payments Policy
The Victorian Small Business Commission is committed to ensuring small businesses are paid promptly for their goods and services. The Victorian Government’s Fair Payment Policy requires departments and applicable agencies to pay invoices with a contact value of less than $3 million within 10 business days. The Commissioner monitors department and agency performance under the policy with results published in the VSBC Annual Report.
The Victorian Small Business Commission works with Small Business Victoria and Victorian Government departments and agencies to continue to improve payment times to small business suppliers.