Former Liberal Deputy Premier Dan van Holst Pellekaan begins his role as South Australia's new Small Business Commissioner today.
He will serve in the role supporting South Australia's 150,000 small businesses for a three-year term.
Mr van Holst Pellekaan served as a Liberal MP from 2010 to 2022 and has a long history working with small businesses including as a cabinet minister in the former Liberal Government.
He also has seven years of experience as a small business owner in the retail and hospitality sector and has held positions as a board member and adviser to a number of commercial, infrastructure and service providing organisations.
His background in governance – across both state and local government - and in advising small, medium and large businesses makes the former Liberal Minister ideal for investigating complaints on behalf of small businesses in relation to their commercial dealings with other businesses as well as assisting with their dealings with state and local government.
Mr van Holst Pellekaan will work closely with Minister Michaels and report to her on matters impacting the state's vital small business sector.
The Malinauskas Government is committed to supporting South Australia's small businesses having invested $22 million to deliver a dedicated strategy designed to support the sector to grow.
Small businesses contribute more than $49 billion to our state's economy and employing 300,000 South Australians – approximately 40 per cent of our workforce.
As put by Andrea Michaels
I'd like to welcome Dan to his new role as South Australia's Small Business Commissioner.
I know that he will be a strong and thoughtful advocate for small businesses in our state and I'm looking forward to working with him.
The former Liberal Deputy Premier has been a small business owner himself and
has a long history of working with small businesses in his roles in state and local government.
Having been a small business owner myself, I truly appreciate the importance of receiving advice and support from someone who really understands what it's like to own a business and has a genuine understanding of the issues and pressures that come with it.
As put by Dan van Holst Pellekaan
I'd like to thank the Minister and the Malinauskas Government for this opportunity to be a voice for South Australian small businesses beginning today.
I look forward to working collaboratively to help the small business sector grow and thrive in South Australia, which the Business Council of Australia recently assessed as the best jurisdiction in Australia to do business.
I will continue to be a strong advocate for small business owners and I look forward to assisting them with advice and effective dispute resolution when challenges arise.
