Advocating for small business

Ensuring the voice of Western Australian small business is heard and considered by governments at all levels is one of our key roles.

Our Policy and Advocacy team is focused on:

• evaluating and providing advice on existing government policies and legislation
• completing submissions in response to proposed new or amended government policies
• conducting research into the small business sector
• liaising with, and representing, the views of small business owners to government bodies
• providing advice and support to the Minister for Small Business on matters affecting the sector.

Through this work, we influence the development of policy and legislation that relates to the small business sector, ensuring that its impact is minimised. By doing so, we are supporting the government to improve the operating environment for small business owners.

Completed policy and advocacy activities

Policy submissions and advocacy work we completed during the 2020/21 year includes:

• providing a small business perspective on the various government-led COVID-19 economic, industry and regional recovery efforts as part of the $5.5 billion WA Recovery Plan
• advocating on behalf of classes of small businesses particularly hard hit by government trading and travel restrictions, and small business as a whole
• developing grant and support programs relating to the COVID-19 pandemic including:
  • the Small Business Lockdown Assistance Grants program to assist small businesses impacted by lockdowns and trading restrictions
  • the $3 million Travel Agents’ Support Package to assist travel agents suffering from the impacts of COVID-19
  • the $1 million International Education COVID-19 Industry Support Fund to support international education providers sustain their operations until international students return
  • the roll out of a Roadhouse Assistance Program to keep critical roadhouses open
• influencing the Government’s emergency commercial tenancy relief measures, including settings guiding rent relief negotiations and dispute resolution
• providing strategic policy advice to government on the development and implementation of contact tracing measures
• improving security of payment protections for subcontractors in the construction industry
• influencing the enhancement and extension of unfair contract term protections for small businesses
• reducing administrative and regulatory burdens on cohorts of small businesses
• representing small business interests on government committees and working groups.

Help shape future policy and advocacy submissions

The views of small business owners play an important role in helping us learn more about their key concerns. These views are then incorporated into our policy submissions.

If you operate a small business in WA and would like to have your say on issues affecting the sector by participating in future surveys, please contact us.