Save Business Connect: Protect Small Business Support in NSW from Budget Cuts
Save Business Connect: Protect Small Business Support in NSW from Budget Cuts
The issue
This petition affects almost everybody around you, family, friends, your local café, your hair-dressers and thousands more, every single person who has a small business or dreams of running a small business in New South Wales is directly affected by these budget cuts.
The NSW Government’s recent announcement of budget cuts targeting the Business Connect program represents a devastating blow to small business support in New South Wales . This $10+ million annual program, which has been operational since 2017, faces elimination with cuts taking effect on September 30, 2025 . The timing of these cuts, during a period of economic uncertainty and rising business costs, threatens to undo years of progress in small business development across NSW.
The Business Connect program stands as one of Australia’s most successful small business support initiatives, having supported over 37,500 businesses since its inception and generating $42.8 million in economic benefits . With a benefit-cost ratio of 1.5, the program delivers $1.50 in economic value for every dollar invested, while maintaining extraordinary customer satisfaction rates of 92%. The proposed cuts of $11.7 million represent a 31% reduction in funding that will eliminate critical support for NSW’s 800,000+ small businesses.
Business Connect fills a vital gap in the small business support ecosystem by addressing significant market failures.
Research reveals that 68% of small businesses don’t know where to go for business advice, while 57% cannot afford private consulting services. Additionally, 44% express concerns about the quality and trustworthiness of private advisory services, and 37% feel overwhelmed by too many choices.
The program addresses these challenges by providing free, independent, and tailored business advice without eligibility restrictions Unlike other government programs that have specific criteria or limited placements, Business Connect is available to all NSW residents who own or intend to start a small business. This accessibility makes it unique among government-funded business support programs in Australia.
Once the funding to this program is gone, there is no agenda to have a similar, or equivalent program, funded in New South Wales again.
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The issue
This petition affects almost everybody around you, family, friends, your local café, your hair-dressers and thousands more, every single person who has a small business or dreams of running a small business in New South Wales is directly affected by these budget cuts.
The NSW Government’s recent announcement of budget cuts targeting the Business Connect program represents a devastating blow to small business support in New South Wales . This $10+ million annual program, which has been operational since 2017, faces elimination with cuts taking effect on September 30, 2025 . The timing of these cuts, during a period of economic uncertainty and rising business costs, threatens to undo years of progress in small business development across NSW.
The Business Connect program stands as one of Australia’s most successful small business support initiatives, having supported over 37,500 businesses since its inception and generating $42.8 million in economic benefits . With a benefit-cost ratio of 1.5, the program delivers $1.50 in economic value for every dollar invested, while maintaining extraordinary customer satisfaction rates of 92%. The proposed cuts of $11.7 million represent a 31% reduction in funding that will eliminate critical support for NSW’s 800,000+ small businesses.
Business Connect fills a vital gap in the small business support ecosystem by addressing significant market failures.
Research reveals that 68% of small businesses don’t know where to go for business advice, while 57% cannot afford private consulting services. Additionally, 44% express concerns about the quality and trustworthiness of private advisory services, and 37% feel overwhelmed by too many choices.
The program addresses these challenges by providing free, independent, and tailored business advice without eligibility restrictions Unlike other government programs that have specific criteria or limited placements, Business Connect is available to all NSW residents who own or intend to start a small business. This accessibility makes it unique among government-funded business support programs in Australia.
Once the funding to this program is gone, there is no agenda to have a similar, or equivalent program, funded in New South Wales again.
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The Decision Makers
Petition created on 29 June 2025