Protecting small businesses high on ACCC's agenda

Written on the 16 February 2016 by Broome Chamber of Commerce

The ACCC has released its latest biannual Small business in focus report, which has a continuing focus on the protection of small businesses.

This report highlights some of the ACCC's key work in the small business and franchising sectors between 1 July and 31 December 2015, and contains the latest small business and franchising complaints data.

'Over the last six months, the ACCC received almost 5,000 complaints from small businesses. Concerns about misleading conduct remain the biggest issue for small businesses,' ACCC Deputy Chair Dr Michael Schaper said.

'Conduct resulting in substantial small business detriment has been a priority for the ACCC and we want to make it clear that this type of conduct is unacceptable.'

The report also outlines the ACCC's recent and upcoming activities to help businesses understand their rights and responsibilities under the new business-to-business unfair contract terms protections.

'To help businesses big and small to make sense of the new law, the ACCC together with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, is holding a free interactive webinar on 16 March,' Dr Schaper said.

This webinar will provide a general overview of the new protections and, if your business offers standard form contracts to other businesses, what you need to do before the law takes effect on 12 November 2016.

You can register for the live webinar now.

For more information, read the full media release.

source: ACCC