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INDUSTRY INSIGHT RETHINKING BUSINESS IN A POST-COVID MARKET Businesses struggling with the punishing effects of the pandemic need a culture of innovation to support them, which is where franchising can play a role. By Franchise Council of Australia CEO Mary Aldred. Ihad hoped three months ago, as many of you also would have, that by the time I wrote my next FCA CEO’s piece that there would have been significant improvement in the impacts of Covid-19 and that harsh restrictions would have been lifted across Australia. Unfortunately, this has not been the case, especially in Victoria where most businesses remain closed. In other states and territories, weak recovery is being reported with various surveys indicating many are still at risk of permanent closure or reduced size of operations. The FCA has continued to proactively help members navigate complex and continually changing government restrictions on a business’s ability to operate, particularly home services where there seems very low risk to the community of having those services still working, especially when their government-owned equivalents are operating. Commercial leasing arrangements have been a continuing source of friction for both small and large businesses. The FCA has secured an exemption on collective bargaining on commercial leasing from the ACCC, and state/territory-based leasing legislative reform remains a key priority. The FCA has also been providing expert advice and support for members on key business operations and compliance matters, especially workplace relations and the challenges associated with remote workforce management and working from home. As some of the larger industry groups, such as airlines, retrench significant staff, the FCA has been promoting best-practice franchising as a good 32 CONVENIENCE WORLD SEP/OCT, 2020