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The Commissioner’s Year in Review 2021

The second year of COVID-19 was a severe challenge for small businesses

17 May, 2022

The NSW Small Business Commission received an unprecedented 47,500 enquiries in 2021, a 53 per cent increase on the previous year.

The issue that dominated the concerns of small business was rent relief and getting support from the Commission’s mediation service to negotiate it.

Over 2,300 applications for mediation were received during the year.

The Commission also managed thousands of requests for information and assistance on other forms of financial relief, grant eligibility questions and questions on the impact of public health restrictions on small businesses and their staff.

The Commission provided detailed advice to government on many matters affecting small businesses, including reviewing proposed legislation and regulations for their impact on the sector.

Key projects during the year included the tender support program to help small businesses learn how to bid for NSW Government work.

Read more in our Year in Review.