The peak industry body added that it will monitor with interest the performance of the Ombudsman which was set up to be independent of government with the power to act as:

• A government advocate for small businesses and family enterprises;
• The concierge for a dispute resolution service to allow businesses to resolve disputes without resorting to costly litigation;
• A contributor to the development of small business Commonwealth laws and regulations.

Growcom said that it believes that Carnell’s experience as a small business owner for fifteen years, and in working in industry associations representing small businesses and family enterprises, will stand her in good stead for this role.

She was previously CEO of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, representing more than 300 000 businesses across Australia, but is better known in our industry as the former CEO of the Australian Food and Grocery Council which each year publishes an important statistical review of performance which includes the fresh produce sector.

Carnell’s office is about to embark on a formal consultation period to ask small businesses, family enterprises and representative associations to advise her of the key issues. She will then publish an advocacy agenda and forward work plan based on these discussions.

Growcom said that it will contribute to this discussion on behalf of family owned farms in the horticultural sector. It will rely on input from the Queensland Horticulture Council but it have no doubt that issues to be raised will include the imbalance of power in the operation of the supermarkets in the sector and Growcom’s support for the introduction of the effects test by the federal government.

Growom pointed out that family farms continue to dominate agriculture in Australia and many of them in our sector are small businesses with turnovers of less than $1 million and fewer than 100 employees.

As ABARES noted at this year’s Outlook Conference in Canberra, family farms have provided most of the capital that underpins the Australian farm sector.

More than $2 billion is added to the productive assets of the Australian farm sector annually. About 60 to 70 per cent of investment is provided directly by the owners of family farms.

Growcom said it has no doubt that Carnell will be studying the report on the inquiry into barriers for small business employment by the House of Representatives’ Standing Committee on Education and Employment released this month.

With regard to horticultural businesses, it directs Carnell’s attention particularly to three of the committee’s recommendations to overcome inhibitors to small business employment:

Recommendation 4:

The Committee recommends that the Australia Government work with states and territories to boost employment and business productivity by reducing state and territory governments’ reliance on payroll tax as a form of revenue.

Payroll tax is a perennial thorny issue raised by family farm owners as restricting the development of their businesses and expansion of employment opportunities in the sector.

Recommendation 7:

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government conduct a review of careers advice and support provided in schools [and online]. The purpose of the review must be to assess any gaps or areas of weakness in the current written and verbal advice that is provided [by schools and by federal and state governments], and to improve the quality of the careers advice that young people receive.

We believe this is particularly important in promoting the wide range of careers available in the agricultural sector.

Recommendation 14:

The Committee recommends that, in light of the importance of digital infrastructure for the viability of small business, special focus be given by NBN Co on ensuring their timely access to high speed broadband.

Growcom said that the existence of ‘black spots’ in regional areas – some of which are surprisingly close to major metropolitan areas – is a major inhibitor in the delivery of government services, information and communications which must be overcome to ensure the future development of the horticulture industry.