Further to our earlier article which provided an overview of the recommendations made by the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services in its report into the franchising sector, the Morrison Government has promptly acted on one of the recommendations by forming an inter-agency "franchising taskforce."
The taskforce is made up of senior officers from the Department of the Treasury, the Department of Jobs and Small Business, and the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
The role and duties of the taskforce will be to provide advice to the Minister for Small Business, Michaelia Cash, and Federal Treasurer, Josh Frydenberg, in relation to the 70 remaining recommendations made in the Report. This advice will form the basis for the Government's response to the Report and assist with providing a plan for reform by the Government. The taskforce will be responsible for coordinating a whole of government response to the recommendations made in the Report and will oversee consultation, industry engagement and contributions from relevant government portfolios.
Minister Cash is encouraging sector stakeholders, which includes franchisors, franchisees and advisors and suppliers, to provide input to the taskforce.
The formation of the taskforce is a welcomed development and will hopefully mark the beginning of reform to the Australian franchising sector and assist with correcting the entrenched imbalance of power between franchisees and franchisors.
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