iscover SBR specialist launches database displaying practitioners’ success rates
BusinessA small business restructuring specialist has compiled ASIC data into a searchable database, making it easier to identify the best and worst performers in the SBR sector.
Small business restructuring (SBR) specialist and liquidator Jarvis Archer has created a new resource that he hopes will boost transparency in the SBR sector and help company directors, small business owners, accountants and bookkeepers pick reliable practitioners.
The new website, SBR Success, has compiled publicly available ASIC information into a searchable database of registered SBR practitioners. It also revealed how many SBRs each practitioner had initiated, and how many of these had successfully translated into SBR plans.
“The point of this platform is to put real, verifiable information in front of directors and business advisors so they can move forward with confidence and the best chance of success,” Archer said.
“ASIC already publishes the data and it’s publicly available. What was missing was somewhere that pulled it together in a way that’s actually useful to a business owner, accountant, or business advisor who doesn’t know the insolvency industry. That’s what SBR Success does.”
The federal government launched the SBR scheme in 2021 to support small businesses in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The initiative has provided businesses with a streamlined process to restructure their debts while remaining in control of the company, ASIC said.
The popularity of SBRs has grown significantly since the scheme’s inception, from just 70 in 2021–22 to almost 3,000 in the 2025 financial year, ASIC data has shown. Amid this growth, Archer warned that unqualified operators had entered the space. He said this was a key risk for business owners facing liquidation.
“When you’re given conflicting advice, it’s easy to go ahead with the option that sounds the best. But once you’ve handed over your money, it’s too late; an SBR is a one-time opportunity, and if you blow it, you don’t get another shot. You’re left with fewer options and less money,” he said.
ASIC data showed that the SBR success rate had fallen from 89 per cent in 2022 to 73 per cent in 2025, partly due to a tougher stance by the Tax Office. However, according to Archer, this decline has also been driven by poorly prepared SBRs by unqualified operators.
“With ATO debt already at record highs after the pandemic, it’s set to get bigger. Fuel prices and rising wages are pushing running costs higher, inflation and interest rates are increasing, and consumer spending is tightening,” Archer said.
“The current trading challenges will lead to many businesses carrying ATO and other debts they can’t pay. The SBR process can be a genuine lifeline for those businesses, but only if they get the right advice.”
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Emma Partis
Emma Partis is a journalist at Accountants Daily and Accounting Times, the leading sources of news, insight, and educational content for professionals in the accounting sector. Previously, Emma worked as a News Intern with Bloomberg News' economics and government team in Sydney. She studied econometrics and psychology at UNSW.
