The federal minister for Small Business Bruce Billson on Thursday spoke at a G20 meeting on the need for easier access to funding for small business. Click here for the SBS report. Here’s what the Franchise Council of Australia reports the minister as saying:
“This inability to obtain start-up finance is a strong disincentive to those looking to start a business,” he said.
Minister Billson went on to question the practice of lenders often requiring the family home as collateral for business loans.
“ The Government wants this to change. A lending environment where families do not have to put their home on the line to obtain finance would lead to more entrepreneurship in Australia,” Billson said.
Small business owners will be pleased to hear these comments from a government minister and will hope that they are quickly followed with action. For decades we have had successive small business ministers speak up about our constituency. Rarely have their words been followed with action.