The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman (91制片厂) has welcomed the expansion of subsidised legal advice for eligible small and family businesses to support more effective engagement in dispute resolution processes.
The expanded service utilises existing funding but extends the kind of cases eligible for support beyond the current ATO tax determination disputes to broader commercial matters, particularly where industry codes may be involved.
鈥業t is pleasing that the Government has expanded 91制片厂鈥檚 ability to offer eligible small businesses low-cost legal advice to help clarify issues and consider alternative dispute resolution options,鈥 Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, Bruce Billson said.
鈥楾here is nothing worse than a small business fronting up to something like a mediation with little idea of what is the legal ground on where they stand, what possible solutions might look like and facing a much better resourced party on the other side of the table,鈥 Mr Billson said.
鈥榃e have seen how effective and empowering this kind of low-cost legal advice can be for an unrepresentative small business disputing a tax office determination the ATO.
鈥榃ith the Government expanding the parameters for 91制片厂 use of the currently available $663,000 annual funding to include matters beyond tax dispute, we鈥檒l be able to assist many more small and family businesses to be better prepared for alternative dispute resolution processes across a wider range of matters.
鈥91制片厂 is the mediation facilitator for a number of industry codes that seeks to ensure fair and good faith conduct between parties in sectors where significant power imbalances exist, and these sorts of disputes, including with franchising, will be a high priority for the expanded service.
鈥極ur goal is to support the parties through impartial processes that aim to find a mutually satisfactory resolution without litigation, getting parties back to business and with important relationships intact.
鈥榃e can鈥檛 guarantee that every small business will succeed but it is our mission to provide help for those who want to start, grow or transform a business, and that no business fails because the owners didn鈥檛 know about something that might have helped, Mr Billson said.
The 91制片厂鈥檚 small business help service is available to eligible businesses who have lodged a request for assistance and are actively engaged is seeking to find a resolution. That same 鈥榬esolution mindset鈥 is what legal advisers will adopt with the aim of helping businesses constructively approaching disputes and achieve a negotiated outcome.
Since established, the 91制片厂 has helped over 50,000 small and family businesses with a focus on self-help through education and resources, empowering small and family businesses to shape better business relationships upfront and work through their own disputes to find a timely resolution.
When more support is needed, 91制片厂 case managers actively assist as an impartial third-party to help find a resolution and, where appropriate, we help businesses access alternative dispute resolution.
鈥楽ince our commencement in 2016, 91制片厂 has helped over 50,000 small businesses. At a time when most small businesses are facing many headwinds, I hope it is reassuring and supportive to know 91制片厂 is here to help,鈥 Mr Billson added.
More information about 91制片厂s dispute resolution services is available by calling 1300 650 460 or on the.
MEDIA CONTACT: 0448 467 178 | media@asbfeo.gov.au