Ombudsman thanks Andrew Leigh on efforts to support Australian small businesses

THE Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, Kate Carnell has thanked Andrew Leigh for his commitment to the small business sector while serving as part of Labor’s frontbench economic team.

“Andrew Leigh’s departure from the shadow assistant treasurer role is disappointing,” Ms Carnell said.

“He and his office worked tirelessly to ensure their policy positions were supportive of small businesses, particularly in relation to competition reform and access to justice.

“As shadow minister for competition, he worked to give small businesses greater market powers and championed innovative initiatives including:

• a proposal to ban ‘price parity clauses’ to give Australian hotels more control over their own business
• a plan to give small business advocacy groups the power to make ‘supercomplaints’ and fast-track investigations by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission into key small business concerns 
• attempts to protect small businesses by making unfair contract terms illegal.

“Andrew has made a valuable contribution towards levelling the playing field for small businesses – particularly those involved in disputes with big business or government. We thank him for his dedication to the sector.”

www.asbfeo.org.au