Small Business Commissioner

In reply to Ms MICHAELS (Enfield) (23 November 2020). (Estimates Committee A)

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General, Minister for Planning and Local Government): I have been advised:

The table on page 23 of the annual report refers to enquires made under the Small Business Commissioner Act 2011which includes general enquires about small business issues or small business startups. The Small Business Commissioner advises that the drop in 'small business issues' enquiries between April and June 2020 could be accounted to the COVID-19 pandemic where small businesses were experiencing hardship. These inquires have been recorded under the COVID-19 Emergency Response Act 2020.

The below table shows the total number of enquiries received under each relevant Act. It is evident that the number of inquiries under the Small Business Commissioner Act 2011 has decreased from the previous year, however enquiries under the Retail and Commercial Leases Act 1995 have significantly increased and there were 241 inquiries under the COVID-19 Emergency Response Act 2020.