Small Business Association of Australia

27/08/2026

Yesterday we had the pleasure of hosting Brisbane's Business Community at our SBAA Business Breakfast at The Brisbane Club.

Thank you to everyone who joined us - it was an exceptional morning of insights, connection, and community.

We extend our sincere thanks to our guest speaker, Denis Wagner. It was a privilege to hear Denis tell the story of Wagners and his thoughts on what a modern Australia should look like.

A sincere thank you to:

- Our Event Partner: Constant Contact
- Our Supporting Partner: Ubrix
- Our guest speaker: Denis Wagner
- Our MC: Renée Chaplin
- Our photographer: Andy Pudmenzky
- The team at The Brisbane Club
- Our registration team: Sandie McCoy, Ronnie Yap, and Janet Mhindurwa

Following the success of yesterday's layout, our breakfasts will permanently feature cabaret-style seating for optimal stage viewing. We have also introduced new preferred pricing options for dual-ticket bookings and full tables of 8.

Our next breakfast is on 30 September with Major General Mick Ryan, AM (Retd). Tickets are officially open: https://events.humanitix.com/business-breakfast-with-major-general-mick-ryan-am-retd?c=facebook

We look forward to bringing Brisbane's business community back together next month.

24/08/2026

The Small Business Association of Australia thanks Consul General Brisbane Ms Neetu M Bhagotia for an invitation to CEO and Founder Anne Nalder to attend the 80th anniversary of India’s Independence held at The Star Casino.

The event was attended by many dignitaries including His Excellency Nagesh Singh, High Commissioner of India to Australia, state members of parliament, the opposition and councillors with the event showcasing stunning Indian fashion by Vinay Gupta showcasing India’s rich culture.

The event provided Anne Nalder the opportunity to catch up with colleagues she had not seen in a while.

Congratulations Consul General and your team for a spectacular event.

18/08/2026

Thinking about joining us next Wednesday? We would love to see you there!

There is still time to grab your ticket for our Business Breakfast with Denis Wagner at The Brisbane Club on 26 August. If you’ve been meaning to lock it in, this is your official friendly reminder that registrations must close this Friday, 21 August, at 6:30 am.

Denis is a true Queensland business titan, and he will be sharing the inside story of how Wagners scaled from a small family business into an ASX-listed powerhouse. From building the Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport to navigating intense market competition, his 30 years of industry leadership offer incredible lessons for all of us. He will also be sharing his visionary perspective on the economic and social challenges shaping a modern Australia.

Alongside the discussion, you’ll enjoy a hot plated breakfast, fresh fruit, Danish pastries, and plenty of coffee and tea. It is going to be a wonderful morning of learning, networking, and catching up with Brisbane’s brilliant business community.

With thanks to our Event Partner, Constant Contact, and Supporting Partner, Ubrix, for their support of this breakfast series.

Join Brisbane’s business community at The Brisbane Club for breakfast and a discussion with Queensland business titan Denis Wagner.

04/08/2026

Coming up: Business Breakfast with Denis Wagner

There’s still time to join us at The Brisbane Club on 26 August for breakfast with Denis Wagner.

Hear the story behind scaling a family business into an ASX-listed company and gain valuable insights into the decisions, challenges and opportunities that shape successful organisations.

Bookings close at 6:30am on Friday 21 August. Reserve your seat today.

With thanks to our Event Partner, Constant Contact, and Supporting Partner, Ubrix, for their support.

Join Brisbane’s business community at The Brisbane Club for breakfast and a discussion with Queensland business titan Denis Wagner.

24/07/2026

Join us on 26 August at The Brisbane Club for our next Business Breakfast, featuring guest speaker Denis Wagner.

A fifth-generation Queenslander, Denis' family history in the state dates back to 1856. In 1989, Denis, together with his father and brothers, founded Wagners in Toowoomba, growing it from a regional family business into an ASX-listed company and one of Queensland's leading business success stories.

Along the way, Wagners has helped shape Queensland's infrastructure through landmark projects including Wellcamp Airport and the Pinkenba Wharf, while developing innovative construction materials recognised around the world. In 2009, the company was recognised by the Queensland Government for its significant contribution to the state's development, and in 2018 the Wagner family was inducted into the Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame in recognition of its entrepreneurial leadership, delivery of highly complex infrastructure projects, and development of world-class building products.

Drawing on more than 40 years of industry experience, Denis will reflect on the journey of building Wagners into an internationally recognised business before sharing his perspective on the economic and social challenges facing Australia today. He'll explore what Australia can do better as a nation, the role of business in shaping our future, and what a modern, prosperous Australia should look like.

This promises to be an engaging morning of insights, discussion and valuable networking with fellow guests.

We look forward to welcoming you on 26 August.

We thank our Event Partner, Constant Contact, and our Supporting Partner, Ubrix, for their valued support.

Registrations are now open: https://events.humanitix.com/business-breakfast-with-denis-wagner?c=facebook

The voice of the small business owner.

22/07/2026

This morning we had the pleasure of hosting Brisbane's Business Community at our SBAA Business Breakfast at The Brisbane Club.

Thank you to everyone who joined us - it was an exceptional morning of insights, connection, and community.

We extend our sincere thanks to our guest speaker, Ross Elliott. His presentation offered an unparalleled look into Brisbane’s changing economic and demographic landscape, providing our guests with valuable perspectives on the future of our city.

A highlight of the morning was a surprising and deeply moving performance by Roger Davy - Tenor/Entertainer, who filled the room with "You’ll Never Walk Alone." It served as a reminder that while leading a business can often feel isolating, events like these exist to ensure our business community stands together.

A sincere thank you to:
- Our Event Partner, Constant Contact
- Our Supporting Partner, Ubrix - Smart Cities
- Our guest speaker, Ross Elliott
- Our guest entertainer, Roger Davy - Tenor/Entertainer
- Our MC, Joanne Brooks
- Our photographer, Andy Pudmenzky
- The team at The Brisbane Club
- Our registration team: Sandie McCoy, Ronnie Yap, Janet Mhindurwa, and Mariam Elliott

Our next breakfast will be on 26 August with Denis Wagner:
https://events.humanitix.com/business-breakfast-with-denis-wagner?c=facebook

We look forward to continuing the series and bringing together Brisbane’s business community for many more meaningful conversations.

19/07/2026

Founder and CEO of the Small Business Association of Australia, Anne Nalder is off on an early start tomorrow, Monday 20 July, 2026.

She will be heading to the Channel 9 Mt Coot-tha studios bright and early for a live interview on Today, chatting with Silvia Jeffreys at 7:19am.

The interview will be about the worrying rise in small business collapses across NSW and why this is an issue affecting businesses right across Australia. It's a conversation that matters because behind every business closure are families, employees and communities feeling the impact.

If you're up and about, Anne would love you to tune in. And if you miss it, don't worry, the interview will be replayed later in the morning.

Anne looks forward to sharing her thoughts on an issue that deserves much more attention.

15/07/2026

One Nation and Accountability:

The following is a personal experience post from Founder/CEO Small Business Association Anne Nalder.

Why am I speaking about this now?

I've remained silent about this since December 2025.

The reason I'm speaking now is about accountability.

Watching recent overseas engagements involving Senator Pauline Hanson has caused me to reflect on my own experience with One Nation. At a time when so many Australian small business owners are struggling with rising costs, staffing shortages and economic uncertainty, I believe it's fair to ask whether our elected representatives are giving enough attention to the people they were elected to represent.

For many years, I've provided a platform for politicians from across the political spectrum to speak directly to Australia's small business community. Every major party and independents have been welcomed because I believe business owners deserve to hear from everyone and make up their own minds.

Last year, One Nation accepted my invitation to speak at our annual Small Business Summit. Senator Pauline Hanson and Senator Malcolm Roberts both accepted in writing. Senator Hanson also returned her signed speaker agreement, and together they were promoted as keynote participants in our official Summit magazine.

One Nation was allocated a joint session featuring both senators to speak on small business reform.

Approximately one minute before the session was due to begin, Senator Malcolm Roberts apologised that Senator Hanson would not be attending, explaining she had been delayed by traffic. Senator Roberts then presented on his own.

While I appreciated Senator Roberts letting me know, I have never received a personal apology or explanation from Senator Hanson for not attending an event she had committed to and which had been promoted to hundreds of delegates. And yes, there can be genuine reasons for failing to show.

I was also disappointed that the presentation by Senator Roberts moved away from the agreed focus of small business and into broader political commentary. As part of the Terms & Conditions of being a speaker, every presenter had been asked to discuss the challenges facing small businesses and what they would do to support them.

More recently, I contacted Senator Roberts regarding a matter affecting a small business owner that required his urgent attention. He agreed to assist, but despite my having direct communication with him, I have not received any follow-up.

This isn't about attacking One Nation.

If Labor, the Coalition, the Greens or any independent MP had treated my organisation or the small business community in the same way, I would be writing exactly the same post.

As someone who advocates for small business owners, I believe every elected representative should be accountable for the commitments they make.

I will continue to invite politicians from all sides because that's important in a democracy.

But I will also continue to ask questions when I believe accountability is warranted.

That's not politics.

That's standing up for Australia's small business community.

13/07/2026

Registrations officially close this Thursday, 16 July at 11:30 PM for our business breakfast at The Brisbane Club featuring Ross Elliott.

As venue and catering numbers are being finalised this week, we kindly request that you secure your attendance prior to this deadline to ensure your accommodation. We are unable to accept late additions once arrangements are locked in.

Final registrations: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/sbaa-business-breakfast-ross-elliott-on-you-thought-you-knew-brisbane-tickets-1992530410094?aff=facebook

With appreciation to our Event Partner, Constant Contact, and Supporting Partner, Ubrix.

12/07/2026

The Continued Eradication of Small Business – Does Anyone Care?

Coles is reportedly seeking to acquire Greencross Vets in a deal worth around $4 billion, potentially bringing Petbarn into its growing corporate empire.

The question every politician should be answering is:

How much corporate concentration is enough?

For decades Australians have been told that bigger businesses mean greater efficiency, lower costs and cheaper prices.

But where are the cheaper prices?

Australians are facing a cost-of-living crisis, rising grocery bills, increasing insurance costs, unaffordable housing and the growing cost of doing business.

At the same time, we have watched industry after industry become dominated by fewer and fewer corporations.

Banking became the Big Four.

Supermarkets became dominated by Coles and Woolworths.

Hardware became concentrated.

Liquor retailing consolidated.

Media ownership reduced.

Independent fuel retailers declined.

Insurance became increasingly concentrated.

The promise was always the same:

Bigger businesses would deliver better outcomes for consumers.

But the reality is far more complicated.

Once markets become too concentrated, large corporations gain greater pricing power. Efficiency gains do not always flow back to consumers. Sometimes they contribute to increased profits and greater corporate influence.

Meanwhile, small businesses continue to disappear.

Small businesses are not just numbers on a spreadsheet.

They are Australia's largest private-sector employer.

They are the innovators.

They create jobs, train apprentices, support local communities and keep competition alive.

They are in every postcode, every industry and every regional town across Australia.

Small businesses do not just compete with large corporations — they keep them honest.

So this is my question to politicians from every side of politics, and especially to those who claim they stand for Australians and Australian interests:

Where do you stand on small business?

Do you support allowing corporate giants to continue growing through acquisition after acquisition?

Do you believe these mergers will genuinely protect competition and keep prices lower?

Or do you recognise that there comes a point where too much concentration harms consumers, workers and small businesses?

Because once independent businesses disappear, they do not simply come back.

Once competition is gone, it is extremely difficult to rebuild.

Every politician should answer one simple question:

At what point does a free market stop being free when only a handful of corporations control it?

Australia does not have a small business problem.

Australia has a political courage problem.

For too long, governments of all persuasions have accepted the idea that bigger is always better.

It isn't.

Not for consumers who have fewer choices.

Not for families facing rising costs.

Not for small businesses trying to compete against corporations with enormous market power.

Small business is the backbone of Australia.

The question now is not whether we should have protected small business.

The question is:

Will politicians finally have the courage to protect it before there is nothing left to protect?