Canberra delegation

The Franchise Council of Australia (FCA) has concluded an impactful two-day delegation to Canberra. The series of high-level meetings provided the delegation with substantial insights including into the Government approach on the Independent Review of the Franchising Code.

Led by FCA Chair Brendan Green, CEO of Hire A Hubby, and FCA CEO Matthew Monaghan, the delegation of senior Franchise Sector leaders including:

• Richard Thame, CEO of Couriers Please;
• Steve Grossrieder of JAX Tyres and Auto;
• Dan Mesiti, a multi-site Boost franchisee;
• David Mansfield, Managing Director of Ascott Australia;
• Matt Fitton and Amber Biesse, COO and Founder and CEO and Founder respectively of Nurse Next Door;
• Costa Cominos, Associate Director, National Retail Partnerships, Optus; and
• Kerri Wane, CEO of San Churro.

Left to right: Richard Thame; Chief Executive Officer of Couriers Please, David Mansfield GAICD; Managing Director of Ascott Australia, Brendan Green; FCA Chair and CEO of Hire A Hubby, Matthew Monaghan; FCA Chief Executive Officer, Costa Cominos; Optus Associate Director, National Retail Partnerships, Kerri Wane; Chief Executive Officer at San Churro, Steve Grossrieder; Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director at JAX Tyres & Auto, Amber Biesse; CoFounder and Chief Executive Officer at Nurse Next Door, Matt Fitton; Chief Operating Officer and Co Founder at Nurse Next Door.

The FCA Influencers Plus group engaged in fruitful discussions with political and bureaucratic decision makers that revolved around the pressing issues of franchising, skill, and workforce shortages, and improvements to the governing framework.

The visit commenced with a critical dialogue with the Office of the Minister for Skills and Training, the Hon Brendan O’Connor, focusing on the pivotal role of franchising in the vocational education and training sector. It progressed to a productive roundtable with Minister for Small Business the Hon Julie Collins, who is at the helm of the Franchise Code Review. Minister Collins reiterated her dedication to a collaborative and consultative approach, ensuring the review’s outcomes are both practical and balanced. Detailed discussions about the workforce issues and the sector’s needs also took place with the office of the Minister for Industrial Relations, the Hon Tony Burke.

An especially informative meeting with the team at Treasury running the Franchise Code Review was another highlight. Discussions with Deputy Leader of the Opposition, the Hon Sussan Ley, and Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor, further underscored the bipartisan importance of the franchising sector.

Quotes from Brendan Green, Chair of the FCA:

“The FCA's active and ongoing presence in Canberra highlights our dedication to fostering a resilient franchising sector to support our members who make up a large proportion of small businesses in Australia.”

“Our meetings in Canberra this week are an ongoing focus for us in underlining Franchising's significance to the Australian economy. It's imperative we collaborate with those political and departmental stakeholders who shape the legislative and regulatory framework so we help to nurture a thriving business environment.”

“The FCA takes pride in the social and economic contributions its members make to the country. The delegation’s visit served as a testament to this commitment, ensuring that the voices of the sector are heard and considered in legislative circles.”

“The Franchise Council of Australia remains steadfast in its mission to advocate for excellence and education within franchising and will continue to engage in meaningful dialogues to propel the industry forward.”

For media inquiries, please contact:

LJ Loch 0488 038 555 or [email protected]