And a fever of excitement has been whipped up in the business community following Carnell’s appointment as Australia’s first small business and family enterprise ombudsman.
The five-year role is independent of government, with the governor-general appointing the ombudsman.
Having run her own string of pharmacies, Carnell well knows the hurdles faced by small businesses - those with less than 100 employees, the “mum and dad” enterprises that make up more than 90 per cent of businesses in Australia.
And, having served as ACT Chief Minister, Carnell knows how governments operate - sometimes not with the best interests of small businesses in mind.
Carnell has already been working as a business advocate as head of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and will bring that skill to her new role.
Controversially, Carnell has advocated cutting weekend penalty rates to help small businesses survive - a sentiment that does not sit well with low-income hospitality workers in particular but is music to the ears of family-run enterprises that employ people.
But, apart from government legislation, small businesses can encounter a myriad of problems with larger businesses and banks that they cannot afford to fight.
“Examples would be that a supplier has not honoured a contract, a landlord wants to discontinue a tenancy or a bank wants to foreclose on a loan,” Carnell said.
“Big businesses often have their in-house lawyers to deal with these disputes but small businesses can be sent broke if they get caught up in court cases.
“The ombudsman can step in and demand answers from the offending company and try to get some conciliation going.
“But the main worries businesses say they have are the complex tax system, red tape and workplace relations.”
Carnell’s position will have the teeth that the federal and state small business commissioners lack - although their roles remain vital.
“I am not going to reinvent the wheel- sometimes disputes or problems are best dealt with by the federal or state commissioners but we can be the one-stop shop that refers people to the right agency if it is not under the ombudsman’s jurisdiction,” Carnell said.
Carnell takes up her five year role on March 11 in Canberra and is not yet certain how many staff will be employed - but her office is expected to be a tight ship.
Still, Carnell is determined to be as visible as possible, hoping to visit business groups throughout the country to explain her role.
The Council of Small Business Australia (COSBOA) is ecstatic at the appointment of Australia’s first small business and family enterprise ombudsman, a position it has been advocating for a while.
“We have been calling for an ombudsman for our sector since 1977 when our association was first formed by concerned small business supporters. No other group has called for such a position until recently, so it seems that patience does pays off,” COSBOA CEO Peter Strong said.
“Kate Carnell is a great selection and will help develop laws that specifically help and not hinder small business.”
Salve for small business. Your ombudsman:
● Will compel parties in a dispute to attend conciliation meetings.
● Refer businesses to relevant agencies for assistance.
● Will give businesses a voice in government.
● Will be independent of government.
● Will serve five year term.
