Business leaders and senior politicians, will come together to discuss issues facing small businesses across Australia at the Vodafone National Small Business Summit in Melbourne at the Event Centre Collins Square, 23-25 August 2017.

Now in its 15th year, the summit, hosted by the Council of Small Business Australia (COSBOA), has a conference theme of “Collaboration and Communities” - building and strengthening partnerships between policy makers and industry leaders with the focus on the future of small business owners in Australia.

 

Across the two days, more than 30 speakers will discuss and debate matters facing small business people including banking and finance, regulation red-tape, cyber security, workplace relations, Vocational Education & Training (VET) and owner work-life balance.

 

The summit’s focus on banking requirements for small businesses and impact of managing financial stress will see respected voices from both sides of the fence, including Philip Dalidakis, Victorian minister for Small Business, Innovation and Trade; Kate Carnell, Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise ombudsman and Anna Bligh, chief executive of Australian Bankers' Association, share insights and discuss how banks can improve how they operate with small business owners.