The government has announced it has set up a franchising taskforce to examine the recommendations of the Fairness in Franchising report, which was handed down by the parliamentary joint committee on corporations and financial services.
“The taskforce will develop the government’s response to the report by carefully considering changes to the regulation of franchising to make it fair and effective for both franchisors and franchisees, while avoiding unnecessary regulatory burden,” Small Business Minister Michaelia Cash, said.
There are around 80,000 franchisees in Australia – mainly small and family businesses employing more than 470,000 Australians.
The committee’s main recommendations, revealed earlier this year, are designed to strengthen and expand protections for franchisees.
“The joint parliamentary committee made 71 separate recommendations — they are complex and interrelated and raise a wide variety of issues that range across a number of ministerial portfolios and legislation beyond the Franchising Code of Conduct,” said Ms Cash.
In keeping with the committee’s recommendation, the taskforce comprises senior officers from the Treasury; the Department of Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business; and the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
