In our campaign to make life easier for people in their own business the main aims of COSBOA are to:

• have governments treat small business as individuals and not expect them to have the same skills, knowledge, resources and capacity of big business;
• decrease red tape and compliance costs on small business owners;
• create a fairer market place for the owners of small business; and
• provide support to small business owners who are in crisis or who are ready to grow.

Specifically COSBOA wants government to:

• remove employers involvement in the collection of superannuation funds for their employees, this can be achieved by better use of the taxation system;
  
• have a dedicated small business minister in the federal cabinet;
  
• have a dedicated small business Ombudsman or small business commissioner operating in the federal bureaucracy.  This is to ensure a fair go for small business and provide a person to whom a small business owner, or family, can go to when they believe they have been treated harshly;
  
• develop a workplace relations system that acknowledges that a small business is run by an individual who cannot be expected to have the same ability and understanding as the paymaster of a large company;
  
• give small business owners the same protection from unfair contracts and unscrupulous behaviour by big business as provided to the consumer.  COSBOA understands that some industry sectors will have different needs in areas of contract law and we also know that many families involved in small business need the same protection as any other individual;
  
• conduct a small business impact statement when any new significant retail development occurs in a town or community and ensure that the developer compensates the family of any business that is negatively affected by the development;
  
• complete an independent small business impact statement on any new policy proposal or any new legislation from the federal bureaucracy or parliament.

COSBOA and the marginals - After much debate the Council of COSBOA has decided to conduct a mail out of information to small businesses in selected marginal seats.  This activity will not be recommending how to vote, COSBOA knows that no one can tell a small business owner how to vote.  We will, however, be providing information on the needs of small business owners and suggested questions that these owners may wish to ask of their candidates.  Small business owners make up to 18% of the voters in many federal electorates and they do have a big say in who is elected.  These people will not vote solely on small business issues as they are individuals with plenty of other needs and wants.  Many have small children, many more are heading to retirement, some have health as a major concern and others may be focused on the environment.  But they do have one thing in common and that is their business.  We will highlight what we see as key small business issues and ensure owners know what is being offered from all sides of politics to the small business community.

The COSBOA 2010 National Small Business Summit was highly acclaimed by those who attended.  Hundreds of small business owners mixed with policy makers and exhibitors to make the day a huge success with lots of sharing of experiences and discussion on what really counts for small business.  NSBS 2011 promises more of the same. 

The Council of Small Business Organisations of Australia (COSBOA), is Australia’s peak body exclusively representing the interests of small businesses.

Our goals are to:

• Promote and support the development of small businesses in Australia;
• Advocate to advance the interests of small business in Australia, including through policy change and regulatory reform;
• Foster an increased awareness and understanding of the role of small business in Australia amongst public servants and elected government officials, larger businesses, the media and the general community read more ››

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