Please find below a letter template inviting your local Member of Parliament to visit your family business. This letter can help parliament better understand the impact of family businesses on the economy and community in Australia and New Zealand.
LETTER TEMPLATE FOR AUSTRALIAN FAMILY BUSINESSES
Subject: Invitation to visit our family business and hear our story
Dear [MP name],
I am writing as a local family business owner and member of Family Business Association to invite you to visit [business name] in [suburb/town] and hear firsthand about the contribution family businesses make to our community, economy and workforce.
Family businesses are one of the largest sectors in Australia, making up around 70% of all Australian businesses. They are employers, manufacturers, service providers, innovators, exporters, community contributors and long-term investors in local economies. Yet family businesses are often not well understood in policy settings, despite the unique pressures they carry and the important role they play across generations.
The recent news that A.H. Beard, a 126-year-old, five-generation Australian family business, has entered voluntary administration is a sobering reminder that even long-standing, trusted and nationally recognised family enterprises are facing significant pressure. Their decision to enter administration reflects the sustained impact of three converging pressures: a sharp contraction in household discretionary spending, a structural shift in the retail market to low-cost imported goods, and material increases in manufacturing input costs.
For family businesses, these challenges are not simply commercial. They affect employees, suppliers, local communities, family legacy and the ability to pass strong businesses on to the next generation. Family businesses often take a long-term view, investing through economic cycles and building resilience for future generations. However, they also face complex issues including succession planning, workforce pressure, regulatory burden, taxation settings, access to capital, and the challenge of balancing family and business needs.
This is why it is important that governments understand, support and promote Australian family businesses as a distinct and vital part of the economy and social fabric.
We would welcome the opportunity to host you at [business name] so you can meet our team, learn more about our business, understand the issues we are navigating, and hear what would make a practical difference to family businesses like ours.
During your visit, we would be pleased to share:
- Our family business story and connection to the local community
- The people we employ and the suppliers and customers we support
- The opportunities and pressures facing our business
- Why family business policy recognition matters
- Practical ways government can better support and promote Australian family businesses
We would be grateful for the chance to arrange a time that suits your schedule. Please contact me on [phone number] or [email address] to discuss a visit.
Thank you for your service to our community, and for considering this invitation. We hope to welcome you to [business name] soon.
We hope your visit will help inform stronger recognition of family businesses in government policy, programs and economic development priorities.
Yours sincerely,
LETTER TEMPLATE FOR NEW ZEALAND FAMILY BUSINESSES
Subject: Invitation to visit our family business and hear our story
Kia ora [MP name],
I am writing as a local family business owner and member of Family Business Association to invite you to visit [business name] in [suburb/town] and hear firsthand about the contribution family businesses make to our community, economy and workforce.
Family businesses are one of the largest sectors in New Zealand, making up around 75% of all New Zealand businesses. They are employers, manufacturers, service providers, innovators, exporters, community contributors and long-term investors in local economies. Yet family businesses are often not well understood in policy settings, despite the unique pressures they carry and the important role they play across generations.
Family businesses often take a long-term view, investing through economic cycles and building resilience for future generations. However, they also face complex issues including succession planning, workforce pressure, regulatory burden, taxation settings, access to capital, and the challenge of balancing family and business needs. For family businesses, these challenges are not simply commercial. They affect employees, suppliers, local communities, family legacy and the ability to pass strong businesses on to the next generation.
This is why it is important that governments understand, support and promote New Zealand family businesses as a distinct and vital part of the economy and social fabric.
We would welcome the opportunity to host you at [business name] so you can meet our team, learn more about our business, understand the issues we are navigating, and hear what would make a practical difference to family businesses like ours.
During your visit, we would be pleased to share:
- Our family business story and connection to the local community
- The people we employ and the suppliers and customers we support
- The opportunities and pressures facing our business
- Why family business policy recognition matters
- Practical ways government can better support and promote New Zealand family businesses
We would be grateful for the chance to arrange a time that suits your schedule. Please contact me on [phone number] or [email address] to discuss a visit.
Thank you for your service to our community, and for considering this invitation. We hope to welcome you to [business name] soon.
We hope your visit will help inform stronger recognition of family businesses in government policy, programs and economic development priorities.
Yours sincerely,
