Australia is to get its first national Small Business Commissioner, Prime Minister Julia Gillard has announced.
The office, not due to come into effect until January 2013, will support the nation’s 2.7 million businesses, employing nearly five million people. The Small Business Commissioner will be appointed in the second half of this year.
Gillard said the office will act as an advocate for small business within the Government.
Here at Dynamic Business we believe it is about time small businesses, who lack a strong lobby group, had a voice at a federal level.
In a statement today, the NSW Government tried to take credit for the creation of the new post, saying the Federal Government was following in its footsteps.
NSW Small Business Minister the Hon. Katrina Hodgkinson said: “Today the Commonwealth Government announced that a national Small Business Commissioner will be appointed later this year. The appointment of a dedicated voice for small business has been a long sought-after policy, yet one that NSW Labor failed to deliver when they were in Government.
“This is great news for small businesses and demonstrates the success of the NSW Government’s appointment of the State’s first Small Business Commissioner last year. The NSW Liberals & Nationals Government committed to delivering the first Small Business Commissioner for NSW prior to last year’s State election.
“The NSW Small Business Commissioner, Yasmin King, has since hit the ground running by giving a voice to small business across the State and fighting for their rights in the corridors of Government.
“It’s encouraging that the Gillard Government has finally announced an investment in services for small business operators across Australia – this has always been a key priority for the NSW Liberals & Nationals Government.”
