Small Biz Matters: People, Policy, Purpose ~ Episode #230Broadcast date: 23 April 2024Host: Alexi Boyd, Small Business Advocate & Policy AdvisorGuest: Tim Beresford CEO Australian Financial Security Authority

So many acronyms, so little small business time. But the PPSR is one you and your advisors should know about. Why? Because it’s free, it helps to protect your assets and your business. PPSR stands for the Personal Property Securities Register which is an official government register; a public noticeboard of security interests in personal property that is managed by the Registrar of Personal Property Securities. According to the Attorney General’s department it must be reliable, managed responsibly and is accessible.

But that’s not much use if small businesses, the ones who can benefit the most, don’t know about it. So, who the AFSA is and what they regulate and enforce, how the PPSR came about and what important role advisors and associations can play in assisting small businesses to manage their assets?

The AFSA also manages the application of bankruptcy laws in Australia, which right now, is a big deal for small businesses. According to CreditorWatch’s most recent research, Australia is on track to see 10,000 small businesses collapse by the end of June, the worst number in 11 years. CreditorWatch has said the number of businesses in external administration has hit a record high.

Today we welcome Tim Beresford, the CEO of the Government regulator in charge of Australian Financial Security Authority to tell us about the importance of their work in engaging with small business in all industries and how they’re working harder to ensure more small businesses can take advantage of the PPSR and understand better the regulations around bankruptcy and personal property.  

PEOPLE –  Tim, tell us about yourself and how you’ve come to be an advocate for small business in this space? How can small business people best utilise the personal property security services in their businesses? Who should they go to for advice?

POLICY - Bankruptcy and personal property securities laws seem like a personal problem but we know the Government is very concerned about small businesses too. How has the COVID insolvency laws impacted the current state of small businesses?

PURPOSE -  How did the PPSR come about and what problem is it trying to solve? Who does AFSA regulate and enforce? Advisors play an important role in assisting small businesses to manage their assets - how can the Aust Financial Security Authority and advisors work better together to help small businesses to manage their assets?

Tim Beresford is the Chief Executive at the Australian Financial Security Authority (AFSA), having joined the agency in mid-2022. AFSA’s role is to support a strong credit system for Australia and is a visible, modern and contemporary regulator. The agency administers and regulates the personal insolvency and personal property securities systems and manages criminal assets.  Tim is also the immediate past Chair of the Benevolent Society (TBS), Australia’s oldest non-Indigenous not for profit.

Previously, Tim has held the roles of Acting Chief Executive of the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade), Deputy Vice- Chancellor of Macquarie University and First Assistant Secretary of the Social Policy Division in Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. He has significant leadership experience in the higher education, government, not-for-profit, financial services and professional services sectors. His areas of expertise include strategy, governance, public policy, change management and organisational design. He holds a Bachelor of Economics (Honours), Bachelor of Laws, a Masters of Philosophy (International Relations), and is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Relations) and is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

To find out more go to https://www.afsa.gov.au