International support for FCA stand against State franchise laws

Sarah Stowe

The highest office holder in the world’ s biggest franchising organisation has backed the Franchise Council of Australia’s stand on the contentious private member’s bills raised in WA and SA by backbenchers Peter Abetz and Tony Piccolo.

Jack Earl, an award winning McDonald’s franchisee and the new chairman of the US based International Franchising Association, told the Australian delegation to the IFA’s annual three day convention that he found it difficult to understand why any franchisee or franchisor would want the kind of changes proposed by Abetz and Piccolo.

Another franchisee and previous chairman, Lawrence (Doc) Cohen, echoed Jack Earl’s remarks. Cohen has been twice voted franchisee of the decade in the Great American Cookie Company, now owned by Mrs Fields.

The two franchisees addressed a special seminar created by the FCA for the 48 strong Australian delegation, the association’s largest attending group.

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