25 November 2021
Of the 2.4 million businesses in Australia, the majority (2.35 million or 98 per cent) are small businesses.
Nearly two-thirds of businesses are sole traders and more than a third employ 1-19 staff. The state with the largest number of SMEs is NSW, with 33% of all SMEs located in NSW.
The industry with the largest number of small businesses is construction (17%) followed by professional, scientific, and technical services (13%) then rental, hiring and real estate services (11%).
Latest news
The ABA welcomes the commitment today by the Assistant Treasurer and Financial Services Minister Daniel Mulino to make the Compensation Scheme of Last Resort (CSLR) more sustainable by reducing the losses and costs associated with it. ABA CEO Simon Birmingham said changes to the CSLR must help contain losses that generate claims and place the… Read more »
Small businesses are benefiting from more favourable lending conditions thanks to stronger competition, as the full extent of banking support for these businesses is laid out in a new report released today by the Australian Banking Association. The ABA’s latest industry report focusing on small and medium businesses finds: ABA CEO Simon Birmingham said the… Read more »
The ABA urges the final passage of the Cash Distribution Framework Bill 2026 and accompanying legislation through the Senate this fortnight. ABA CEO Simon Birmingham said the legislation was a critical safety net to protect the long-term availability of cash for Australians who still rely on it. “Cash remains an important payment option for many Australians,… Read more »