The role of the Commissioner for Small Business is to help the more than 644,000 small businesses in the government resolve disputes and to provide advice, guidance and education to the small business community. Victoria`s Small Business Commissioner can help with mediation, retail lease disputes, advice and more. When will the Victorian government stop destroying these small and micro-enterprises? If it is not a question of closing them, add salt to the wound and limit their access to support. A seasoned public service executive with a long history of supporting the small business sector, Ms. McAlary-Smith brings deep leadership through her work at the federal and state levels. «I look forward to working with Ms. McAlary-Smith as she leads VSBC`s dedicated workforce and fights for a fair and competitive environment for small businesses.» «I thank Ms. O`Connell and Mr. Schramm for making outstanding contributions at a time when the Commission`s work was important to the survival of many small Victorian businesses.» The Victorian Small Business Commission (VSBC) provides low-cost mediation services to small businesses in Victoria to help them resolve disputes. There are currently over 644,000 small businesses across the state, representing over 97% of all Victorian businesses.

Happy to know that this service exists and that there is a way for small businesses to be heard «Small businesses are the lifeblood of Victorian businesses and our communities. We want them to survive and thrive, because then our economy and communities will thrive,» she says. The government`s own statistics «show the fragility» of these small businesses and their lack of resources. McAlary-Smith rightly refers to «small businesses (as) the lifeblood of the Victorian economy and our communities.» She continues, «We want them to survive and thrive, because then our economy and our communities will thrive.» However, we are once again faced with another Victorian support grant (Covid hardship cases) that establishes GST registration as an eligibility criterion. According to the government`s own figures, 28.4% of all businesses have sales under $50,000. 83% of all small businesses have sales of less than $100,000. GST registration is only required for businesses with revenues over $75,000. The Commissioner for Small Business advocates for a fair and competitive business environment and timely and cost-effective dispute resolution services for the government`s small business sector. As Deputy Ombudsman for Fair Work and, most recently, as Executive Director of Regulatory Operations at the Victorian Building Authority, Ms. McAlary-Smith has proven that she can achieve positive results for small businesses. «It will be my responsibility to ensure that the government continues to hear and understand the challenges and opportunities facing small businesses in Victoria.» VSBC was founded in 2003 and was the first of its kind in Australia.

Other states have since followed suit by creating a small business commission, with Queensland making the role of small business commissioner permanent this week. The Victorian Small Business Commission (VSBC) responded to 13,206 inquiries last fiscal year, many of which came from small business owners seeking advice during the coronavirus pandemic. New South Wales has taken a sensible approach to financial support, removing GST registration criteria and applying a phased approach to eligibility based on revenue loss to allow these businesses to access much-needed funds. Lynda took office as Commissioner in August 2021. A qualified lawyer and experienced public service executive, Lynda has achieved positive results for the small business community through her previous work, including as Deputy Fair Work Ombudsman and Executive Director of Regulatory Operations at the Victorian Building Authority. The first of its kind in Australia when it was launched in 2003, VSBC is designed to advocate on behalf of small businesses, educate people about their rights and responsibilities, and help resolve disputes before they go to court. This model has since been replicated throughout the country. Speaking to SmartCompany, McAlary-Smith said she was excited to «support small Victorian businesses and the incredible people who run them.» .