NSW Small Business Commissioner

What NSW Small Business Commissioner does

The NSW Small Business Commissioner is an independent statutory authority of the NSW Government, established in 2013 under the NSW Small Business Commissioner Act 2013 and headquartered at 4 Parramatta Square, Parramatta, NSW. It serves the approximately 893,000 small businesses in NSW (employing fewer than 20 people) that collectively account for 97% of all NSW businesses, AUD $570.6B in annual sales and service income, and roughly 1.7M private-sector jobs. The Commission operates as a centralised point of contact, advocate, and dispute resolution body for the small business community.

Its core offerings comprise subsidised mediation services (particularly for retail and commercial lease disputes), statutory administration of the Retail Leases Act 1994 as Registrar of Retail Tenancy Disputes, a customer contact centre, advocacy representation to government and larger businesses, and an extensive resource library covering retail leasing, digital platforms, business continuity, mental health, and council engagement. Supporting programmes include the monthly Small Business Momentum Survey, the annual Small Business Month held in October, regional workshops, and partnerships with Service NSW Business Bureau, Transport for NSW, and Beyond Blue.

The Commission is funded through NSW Government appropriations rather than commercial revenue. Services to small businesses are free or low-cost (mediation fees are shared equally between disputing parties). It employs 51–100 staff and serves as the only body in NSW authorised to appoint mediators for retail lease matters and specialist retail valuers for rent determinations.

Name

NSW Small Business Commissioner

Legal name

NSW Small Business Commission

Website

https://smallbusiness.nsw.gov.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The NSW Small Business Commissioner is an independent NSW Government statutory authority that advocates for and provides subsidised mediation, advisory services, and information resources to the state's 893,000 small businesses.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Small Business Services

NAICS

Regulation, Licensing, and Inspection of Miscellaneous Commercial Sectors (92615), All Other Business Support Services (561499), Other Legal Services (54119)

SIC

Services-Management Services (8741)

akta.pro primary industry

Economic Development & Business Licensing (Local) (BPAIACAN)

Keywords

• Small business mediation
• Business dispute resolution
• Small business advocacy
• Commercial advisory services
• Government regulatory services

Headquarters

HQ city

Sydney, NSW

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: The NSW Small Business Commission is an independent statutory agency established by the NSW Government under the Small Business Commissioner Act 2013. It is funded through government appropriations rather than generating commercial revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

NSW Small Business Commissioner is an independent statutory authority that provides free or low-cost mediation, advocacy, and advisory services to help small businesses resolve disputes, particularly with government agencies. The Commissioner also produces guides, resources, and operates a contact centre to assist small business owners across New South Wales.

Product overview

The NSW Small Business Commissioner operates as an independent statutory authority providing a suite of government services rather than a commercial technology product. The core offering consists of: Mediation Services for resolving business disputes including retail lease matters, franchising, and contractor disagreements; the Retail Tenancy Guide and pre-lease fact sheets providing comprehensive guidance on retail leasing; the Digital Platforms Hub offering guidance on digital platform challenges; Resources for Councils including the Local Procurement Toolkit; the Small Business Momentum Survey providing monthly business confidence research; and Small Business Month events in October. Supporting services include a Customer Contact Centre (1300 795 534), advocacy representation, business continuity guides, mental health resources, and online mediation application processing. The organisation functions as a centralised point of contact for small business complaints, dispute facilitation, and government liaison rather than a software platform or SaaS product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mediation Services
• Advocacy Services
• Advisory and Consultation Services
• Small Business Resources and Guides
• Small Business Contact Centre

Quantifiable outcome

• Overwhelming majority of disputes resolved before formal court proceedings
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Service NSW Business BureaucoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing dedicated, one-on-one support to small businesses impacted by disruptions. Business Bureau teams provide in-person support across NSW communities and help businesses navigate disruption. Joint workshops are conducted with local organisations.
• Transport for NSWminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration to provide up-to-date information on road disruptions affecting small businesses, including detour routes and transport updates.
• Beyond BlueminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to provide mental health support resources for small business owners through the NewAccess for Small Business program - a free, confidential 6-week mental health coaching program.
• NSW Government AgenciescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorks with various NSW Government agencies to advocate for small businesses, reduce red tape, and coordinate support during disruptions. Collaborates with agencies including NSW Treasury, Department of Planning, and others on policy and support measures.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Service NSW: NSW Government one-stop customer service agency partnering with the Commission through the Business Bureau to deliver in-person small business support. Comparable as a government service delivery channel and ecosystem partner.
• Community Legal Centres NSW: Network of independent community legal centers providing free legal assistance to NSW small businesses and individuals on disputes, leases, and commercial matters. Adjacent service provider offering subsidized legal support that overlaps with the Commission's mediation and advisory mandate.

Direct peers

• South Australia Small Business Commissioner: South Australian statutory commissioner providing mediation, retail lease advice, and small business advocacy. Directly comparable in state-level mandate, regulatory authority over retail leases, and service portfolio.
• Western Australia Small Business Commissioner: Western Australian statutory office providing dispute resolution, retail tenancy services, and small business support. Closely analogous structure and functions to the NSW counterpart.
• Victorian Small Business Commission: Statutory body in Victoria that mediates small business disputes and provides advice on retail leases and commercial matters. Closely comparable in mandate, regulatory authority, and service model to the NSW Small Business Commissioner.
• Queensland Small Business Commissioner: Queensland state-level statutory commissioner providing dispute resolution, advocacy, and advisory services to small businesses. Operates the same essential model of mediation and small business support as the NSW equivalent.

Broad incumbents

• Fair Work Ombudsman: Federal agency investigating workplace complaints and enforcing employment law. Comparable as a statutory dispute-resolution body for the small business community, particularly on contractor and employment-related disputes.
• Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman: National-level federal agency providing small business dispute resolution, advocacy, and policy advice. Comparable function but operates federally rather than at a single-state level, with broader jurisdictional scope.
• NSW Fair Trading: NSW Government agency within Customer Service that handles consumer protection, bond claims, and trader complaints. Adjacent to the Commission because bond claims are routed through Fair Trading while the Commission handles related retail lease matters.

Regional players

• Tasmanian Small Business Council: Tasmanian body supporting small businesses through advisory and advocacy services. Comparable in mission but smaller in scope and operates under Tasmania's distinct small business policy environment.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/@NSWSmallBizCom
• Facebookfacebook.com/NSWSmallBusinessCommissioner
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nsw-small-business-commissioner
• Instagraminstagram.com/nswsmallbusinesscommissioner

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about NSW Small Business Commissioner