Jason Pallant, Vlad Demsar, Sylvia Gray, Tim Bednall and Melissa Wheeler and Sam Wilson February 25, 2021 Source: Unsplash/Laura Cros. Australians believe small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have the potential to drive our recovery post-COVID-19, but a collective effort from government, business and consumers is needed to help them thrive. The impact on small business The past 12–18 months have been extremely challenging for most consumer-facing businesses, except for supermarkets, and some home and electronics retailers. Larger businesses have drawn on resources and government support to adapt, offering new purchasing channels, modes of distribution, and product categories. Some recorded record sales, others continued to pay executive bonuses despite claiming government support schemes.