CHRISTCHURCH
New Zealand
Working harder on reforming business regulation to make doing business easier; establishing an environment conducive to small business growth; and ensuring the interests of small businesses are considered in the opportunities and regulatory issues related to climate change - these were the strategic priorities agreed to at the Small Business Ministerial Council’s (SBMC) tenth meeting today in Christchurch, New Zealand.
The Council, comprising the Australian Government, State and Territory Ministers and the New Zealand Minister responsible for Small Business discussed a wide range of issues that are affecting small business. Issues discussed included the impact of climate change, the initiatives to streamline Australian Business Numbers and business names, business licensing, retail tenancy leases, franchising, new work in the area of indigenous small business and small business banking packages.
Australian Business Number/ Business name
The Council endorsed in principle recommendations for a business model presented to it for the development of a seamless, single, on-line registration system for both Australian Business Numbers (ABN) and business names, including trademark searching.
Impacts of climate change
The Council recognised that small business is a large and diverse sector and that climate change impacts on individual businesses will vary broadly. A paper from the Queensland and Tasmanian Governments identified that some of the climate change impacts for small business include: the need to reduce resource use and emissions levels; rising costs due to increased charges for carbon-intensive products/services and inputs (e.g. electricity and water); changing consumer and supply chain demands; increases in insurance premiums; and the increasing importance of a ‘clean and green’ reputation.
A working group was established representing all members of the Council, led by Queensland, to develop initiatives to assist small businesses to meet climate change challenges and opportunities.
Mutual recognition of business licensing
The Council decided to request the Business Regulation and Competition Working Group to consider integrating business licensing into the National Trade Licensing Reform framework.
Retail tenancy leases
Having considered the draft recommendations of the Productivity Commission’s inquiry into the retail tenancy leases market in Australia, the Council committed itself to achieving greater national consistency and harmonisation, whilst maintaining the effectiveness of fundamental tenancy protections, in retail markets across States and Territories. It established a working group of officials, co-chaired by Victoria and New South Wales, to report back to the Council on the issues involved in achieving this by December 2008.
Small business banking
The Council expressed its support for the work Small Business Victoria is undertaking to develop a suitable web-based tool to assist small businesses in Victoria to understand and compare loan products. The initial stage of the project is expected to be finished by the end of September 2008.
Franchising in Australia
The Council noted two recent reports from Western Australia and South Australia on franchising issues. The Council noted that the Australian Government will, consistent with its pre-election commitment, consider the introduction of a well defined obligation for parties to bargain and negotiate in “good faith” as part of the franchising code of conduct.
Trade Practices Act
The Council noted a report prepared by New South Wales on significant small business trade practices issues and amendments to the Trade Practices Act.
Indigenous Small Business
The Council strongly endorsed an issues paper relating to indigenous business enterprises and agreed to establish a working group, led by Western Australia, to further investigate ways to strengthen the entrepreneurial culture amongst indigenous people and support the formation and development of indigenous small business enterprises in Australia and New Zealand. The Council agreed to hold a seminar on the issue prior to its next meeting.
Other Matters
The Council agreed that Northern Territory would host the 2009 meeting of the SBMC.
All jurisdictions were represented at the Ministerial Council meeting:
New Zealand Hon Clayton Cosgrove, Minister for Small Business and Associate Minister for Finance.
Australian Government Hon Dr Craig Emerson, Minister for Small Business, Independent Contractors
and the Service Economy.
Australian Capital Territory Hon John Hargreaves, on behalf of Hon Jon Stanhope, Chief Minister and Minister for
Economic Development and Business.
New South Wales Hon Joe Tripodi, Minister for Small Business and Minister for Regulatory Reform.
Northern Territory Mr Richard Galton, Chief Executive Officer of the Department of Business, Economic and
Regional Development, on behalf of Hon Kon Vatskalis, Minister for Business and Economic
Development and Minister for Regional Development.
Queensland Hon Desley Boyle, Minister for Tourism, Regional Development and Industry.
South Australia Mr Michael O’Brien, Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier on behalf of the Hon Karlene
Maywald, Minister for Small Business, Minister for Regional Development, and Minister
Assisting the Minister for Industry and Trade.
Tasmania Hon Paula Wriedt, Minister for Economic Development and Tourism.
Victoria Hon Joe Helper, Minister for Small Business, and Minister for Agriculture
Western Australia Hon Margaret Quirk, Minister for Small Business.