Western Australian small business share their experiences using the SBDC's support services.

Our corporate publications aim to inform the small business sector as well as provide information regarding our services.

Strategic Plan 2023-26

As the Western Australian Government’s key agency delivering services to and advocating for the needs of the small business sector, The SBDC reviews and refreshes our strategic plan every three years, to ensure it meets the evolving priorities of our clients, stakeholders and our state.

Our plan over the next three years is built on five strategic themes: to serve, evolve, strengthen, connect and grow, to meet our purpose of unleashing Western Australians’ enterprising business spirit.

Download a PDF version (20 pages, 1.9MB) 

Download a one-page summary (1 page, 195KB)

Annual report 2023-24

The report is a review of our performance for the financial year ending 30 June 2024. A copy of the report was provided to the Minister for Small Business, the Hon Jackie Jarvis MLC and tabled in the Parliament of Western Australia.

Download a PDF version (103 pages, 2.205MB)

Since 2004, the Parliament of Western Australia has been publishing annual reports for all Government departments and agencies. You can view previous SBDC annual reports from the Parliament’s website.

Business tips and advice

Looking for the latest information to help you run a business in Western Australia? Each month we produce an email update with the latest updates and tips for small business. Sign up now.

The SBDC Blog also provides practical support and advice to help you make the most of your business.

Complaints management

We encourage feedback about our service.

For further information see how to lodge a complaint.

Freedom of Information

The Freedom of Information Act 1992 enables the public to participate more effectively in governing the State and makes all government departments more accountable. It is our aim to make information available promptly and at the least possible cost. This publication outlines how you can apply to access information from us.

Complete the online form

Download a PDF version (8 pages, 320KB)

Word version (8 pages, 250KB)

Disability Access and Inclusion Plan (DAIP) 2024-2028

The SBDC’s Disability Access and Inclusion Plan 2024-2028 (DAIP) is our roadmap for ensuring we provide equal access to all of our products, services and events for people with a disability.

Download a PDF version (7 pages, 1MB)

We have developed the Small Business Friendly Local Governments initiative to recognise local government authorities in Western Australia that are committed to actively supporting small businesses in their local area.

Local governments are encouraged to sign the Small Business Friendly Local Governments Alliance to show they have committed to work with, and support, small business by:

• offering enhanced customer service
• reducing red tape
• making on-time payments
• having a process in place to handle disputes
• introducing other activities to improve the operating environment for small businesses in their area

Participating local governments will provide us with updates on how they are meeting these commitments.

Become small business friendly

All local governments in Western Australia are invited to participate. We also encourage you to contact us to learn more about the benefits of being small business friendly and how to get involved in this exciting initiative.

This initiative is supported by the WA Local Government Association, the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries and Local Government Managers Australia WA.

Participating local governments

We are delighted that the following local government authorities have signed the Alliance.

Each local authority participating in the Small Business Friendly Local Governments initiative has nominated a range of activities to improve their support to their small business community. Contact your local government to find out more about the support they are providing.

• Albany - City of
• Armadale - City of
• Ashburton – Shire of
• Augusta-Margaret River - Shire of
• Bassendean - Town of
• Bayswater - City of
• Belmont - City of
• Boddington – Shire of
• Bridgetown-Greenbushes - Shire of
• Brookton - Shire of
• Broome - Shire of
• Bunbury - City of
• Busselton - City of
• Cambridge - Town of
• Canning - City of
• Carnarvon - Shire of
• Chittering - Shire of
• Claremont - Town of
• Cockburn - City of
• Collie - Shire of
• Coolgardie - Shire of
• East Fremantle - Town of
• East Pilbara - Shire of
• Esperance - Shire of
• Fremantle - City of
• Gosnells - City of
• Harvey - Shire of
• Joondalup - City of
• Kalamunda - City of
• Kalgoorlie-Boulder - City of
• Karratha - City of
• Kwinana - City of
• Mandurah - City of
• Melville - City of
• Mt Marshall - Shire of
• Murray - Shire of
• Nannup - Shire of
• Narrogin - Shire of
• Northam - Shire of
• Perth – City of
• Port Hedland - Town of
• Quairading - Shire of
• Rockingham - City of
• Serpentine Jarrahdale - Shire of
• South Perth - City of
• Stirling - City of
• Subiaco - City of
• Swan - City of
• Toodyay - Shire of
• Victoria Park - Town of
• Vincent - City of
• Wanneroo - City of
• Waroona - Shire of
• West Arthur - Shire of
• York - Shire of

The Small Business Friendly Projects initiative aims to minimise the impact of construction on businesses by targeting both those responsible for construction projects as well as the business owners that could be impacted by these projects.

Construction work and infrastructure projects can have a significant impact on small businesses. This can include both financial and non-financial disruptions, such as a loss in turnover, reduction in customers and disruption to deliveries caused by road works.

As small business stakeholders have different needs to the broader community, we recommend government agencies have a specific small business engagement strategy in place to help minimise disruptions and the likelihood of complaints while the construction work is carried out.

To assist state government agencies and local government organisations, we have created practical guides which outline the steps you can take to minimise the disruption caused by construction work.

Guideline to help government agencies support small businesses

The Small Business Friendly Projects initiative provides an engagement framework for government agencies undertaking construction work that could have an impact on local businesses.

These tools will help agencies develop their own small business engagement strategies. The guide contains handy information such as:

• tips on when and how to engage with small businesses
• checklists for use by project staff during their discussions with small business
• what to consider when developing a construction mitigation program
• small business impact assessment report templates
• educational material on how to prepare small businesses for any disruption that may take place during construction.

Guide for State Government agencies

The guide to supporting small business during works projects is available to download as a PDF (28-pages, 785KB).

Guide for Local Governments

The guide to supporting small business during works projects is available to download as a PDF (28-pages, 2.5MB).

Guide for small business owners

We have also created a guide for small business owners impacted by construction work in their area. We encourage government bodies, and private organisations, to take a proactive approach by engaging with local businesses likely to be affected by upcoming projects. We have developed some video resources to assist small business owners through construction projects in their area. 

More information

State and Local Government stakeholders are encouraged to contact us for more information about the Small Business Friendly Projects initiative.

To provide additional support to small businesses impacted by construction works, you can refer them to:

• Contact our free small business advisory service for advice on how to plan around the period of disruption.
• Visit the templates, tools and guides section of our website to download and use our financial planning templates that can be used to plan around any disruption to their business.

The SBDC's Small Business Friendly Approvals Program was initiated to streamline the process of obtaining business licences and trading permits from local government authorities.

It was funded by the WA Government under the Streamline WA initiative to accelerate regulatory reform to support economic recovery from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The $2.2 million program built on two successful pilots undertaken with the Cities of Canning and Stirling in late 2019. Undertaken between January 2021 and April 2023, the Approvals Program enabled the SBDC to partner with 20 local government authorities to identify approvals reform initiatives to streamline the approvals process and help small businesses start, relocated and grow in their local communities.

Participating local governments

The SBDC partnered with the following local governments on the Small Business Friendly Approvals Program:

• City of Armadale
• Shire of Boddington (information session)
• Shire of Broome (masterclass)
• City of Bunbury
• City of Busselton
• Town of Cambridge
• Shire of Chittering
• City of Cockburn
• Shire of Esperance
• City of Joondalup
• City of Karratha
• City of Kwinana
• City of Mandurah (masterclass)
• City of Melville
• Shire of Nannup
• City of Rockingham
• City of Subiaco
• Town of Victoria Park
• City of Wanneroo
• City of Vincent

Program outcomes

This collaborative approach has resulted in:

• 213 local government staff participating in human-centred design workshop sessions.
• 499 reforms identified by participating local governments, with 78 per cent started or completed.

Expanded program outcomes will be published soon.

Interested parties can contact us for more information about the Small Business Friendly Approvals Program and regulatory reform to support small businesses in Western Australia.

Ensuring the voice of Western Australian small business is heard and considered by governments at all levels is one of our key roles.

Our Policy and Advocacy team is focused on:

• evaluating and providing advice on new and existing government policies and legislation
• completing submissions to governmental and parliamentary reviews and inquiries
• conducting research into the small business sector
• liaising with, and representing, the views of small business owners to government bodies
• providing advice and support to the Minister for Small Business on matters affecting the sector.

Through this work, we influence the development of policy and legislation that relates to the small business sector, ensuring that its impact is minimised. By doing so, we are supporting the government to improve the operating environment for small business owners in Western Australia.

Completed policy and advocacy activities

Policy submissions and advocacy work we completed during the 2022/23 year includes:

• A statutory review of the SBDC Amendment Act 2020 was completed with the report tabled in Parliament.
• A comprehensive submission to the statutory review of the Commercial Tenancy (Retail Shops) Agreements Act 1985 and representation of small business interests as part of a joint-agency working group.
• Updates provided to Streamline WA and the Council of Regulators on local government reform initiatives arising from the Small Business Friendly Approvals Program.
• Participation in the WA Government’s liquor reforms advocating for a risk-based system of licensing.
• Australian Bureau of Statistics’ review of the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC).
• Independent review of the Payment Times Reporting Act 2020 (Cth).
• Department of Industry, Science and Resources’ proposed Country of Origin Labelling for Seafood in Hospitality Settings.
• Department of Home Affairs’ 2023-2030 Australian Cyber Security Strategy Discussion Paper.
• Effectiveness of corporate insolvency in Australia.
• Capacity and capability of ASIC to undertake proportionate investigation and enforcement action arising from reports of alleged misconduct.
• Independent review of WA’s management of and response to COVID-19.
• Independent review of the WA Jobs Act 2017.
• Reforms to WA’s disability legislation.

Help shape future policy and advocacy submissions

The views of small business owners play an important role in helping us learn more about their key concerns. These views are then incorporated into our policy submissions.

If you operate a small business in WA and would like to have your say on issues affecting the sector by participating in future surveys, please contact us.

Our primary role is to encourage, promote, facilitate and assist the establishment, growth and development of small business in Western Australia.

99% of small business owners that used our services were satisfied with their overall experience. Here's what our clients are saying about the support they received from the SBDC.

How we support small businesses

We provide a range of services to the small business sector including:

• Business skills workshops.
• Business licence finder database to identify the required licences, registrations and codes of practice required for your business.
• Advisory services to provide guidance and advice on a range of small business matters, including a dedicated subcontractor support service.
• Commercial tenancy advisory service to provide guidance and information regarding commercial lease agreements.
• A low-cost dispute resolution service to assist with resolving business-to-business and business-to-government disputes.
• Anonymously report unfair business practices (such as non-payment, unfair contract terms or a breach of contract) for investigation.
• Policy, advocacy and advice to Government.
• Business migration.