Peter Strong: Here are the people who could replace Michael Schaper as the ACCC’s small business advocate

There will soon be a very important vacancy at the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. The excellent Michael Schaper is moving on and will leave a big hole that needs to be filled.

He doesn’t leave for another nine months but ACCC commissioner jobs take a long time to fill as the states have to approve any appointment. So, we have to make sure the right person gets that job.

I believe there are four pillars of support needed for the small business community: a dedicated small business minister in Cabinet; a small business ombudsman and state commissioners; an effective peak body unambiguously representing small business; and dedicated small business commissioners appointed to our regulators.