Business
26 October, 2026
Government has brought small business ‘to its knees’
Small business is “on its knees” and the Albanese Government is largely to blame according to Shadow Treasurer Tim Wilson. Mr Wilson was speaking at Sutton Farm in Sutton Forest last Thursday as a guest of Business Southern Highlands.
Small business is “on its knees” and the Albanese Government is largely to blame according to Shadow Treasurer Tim Wilson.
Mr Wilson was speaking at Sutton Farm in Sutton Forest last Thursday as a guest of Business Southern Highlands.
The visit was part of the Shadow Treasurer’s ‘Stand with Small’ campaign focused on giving small business a voice.
Mr Wilson – who is the Member for Goldstein in Victoria – was brutal in his assessment of the Albanese Government.
He said part of the problem was that there were not enough people in the Albanese Government with small business experience and no one advocating for small business.
He said the Government didn’t understand the consequences of its decisions – pointing to the ban on credit card surcharges, which he said had left some small businesses as much as $60,000 out of pocket.
He said other damaging decisions had included the ATOs credit card ban and the PayDay Super legislation.
The Council of Small Business Organisations Australia (COSBOA) has said PayDay Super will result in “significant” new costs to small business and has called for cost support, a staged implementation of the new system and fair penalties.
Mr Wilson said it was one of the most challenging times for small business in the nation’s history.
He said recent changes had cumulatively led to a “crunch” and were tipping many small businesses over the edge.
The Shadow Treasurer said the challenges facing small business were real and would continue until there was a change in government.
“I want to win so we (the Opposition) can become your champions,” Mr Wilson told members of Business Southern Highlands.
Mr Wilson said the Opposition was looking at legislative changes through a Small Business Act to create a protective shield around small business.
He said the Act would create a legal maximum payment term for big business and government when working with small business and the requirement for a small business impact statement for every new law.
He said the Opposition also wanted to see new and expanded minimum requirements for government procurement from small business.
Mr Wilson described small business as an “essential glue” providing social connection and bringing people together.
He said research had shown there was significant concern over the decline of traditional high streets caused partly by small business closures.
He warned there were two more budgets before the next Federal Election and economic conditions were likely to deteriorate.
He said the Federal Government’s proposed changes to discretionary trusts, in particular, could be “catastrophic”.
Many small business operators use discretionary trusts to protect their assets.
Mr Wilson said a 30 per cent minimum tax on discretionary trusts would threaten the financial viability and survival of many small businesses.
The Opposition’s call for legislative change comes as the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry reports that the mental health of small business operators has declined sharply over the past two years and that a third of small businesses across the nation have considered closing.
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