Home topics news via pexels News News Ombudsman demands action on barriers facing women in small business Yajush Gupta March 9, 2026 Only five per cent of women business owners report facing no barriers to growth. Australia’s small business ombudsman says bias in the system is real and requires action now. What’s happening: ASFBEO Bruce Billson marked International Women’s Day yesterday by recognising the contribution of women in small and family business, while calling out the structural barriers that continue to limit their growth. Why this matters: Only five per cent of women business owners report facing no barriers to growth, pointing to a gap between how far women have come and how far the systems supporting them still need to travel. More than half a million Australian women describe running a small business as their main job. They represent 35 per cent of all small business owners nationally, a share that has grown from just 19 per cent in 1966. On International Women’s Day yesterday, Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson said that progress deserves recognition, and that it also demands action. “This represents a profound shift,” Billson said. “In 1966, women accounted for just 19 per cent of business owners. Today, women are starting, leading and sustaining businesses across every sector and every region of the country. This progress deserves recognition, and it also demands action.” The picture Billson painted is one of genuine advancement sitting alongside persistent, structural friction. Women are building businesses across