Bruce Billson, the former small business minister who is now chairman of the franchise lobby group, Franchise Council of Australia. Credit:Andrew Meares After the various scandals at franchise giant 7-Eleven, Domino's, Caltex, Pizza Hut and United Petroleum, it was obvious something needed to be done. To put it in context, 7-Eleven has so far paid out $128 million in back pay to workers ripped off by franchisees, who claim a flawed business model pushed them to cut corners while the franchisor made big profits. Billson's leaked emails come on the back of revelations that he failed to disclose salary from the FCA while he was still in parliament. Billson was previously the minister for small business but announced his retirement from politics in the wake of the ascendance of Malcolm Turnbull as Prime Minister in September 2015 which coincided with a demotion from cabinet and loss of his ministerial position. ABC's 7.30 revealed he became a director of the FCA and was paid $75,000 while he was still a member of parliament, breaching the parliamentary disclosure rules.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull with Bruce Billson in 2016. Credit:Andrew Meares Billson issued a statement apologising for the "administrative failure" he had made and said he had contacted the Clerk of the House to apologise. It prompted Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to step in on Thursday to say he should have disclosed the second job. "He's apologised for that, I understand. It was not appropriate to fail to comply with the standing orders and not make that disclosure."

'Unprecedented' lobbying Since joining the FCA, Billson's lobbying efforts to dilute the bill have been described as unprecedented as his relationships and connections helped him reach right into the bowels of the government and the party room. Could you please assist me with this meeting request please? (note the two pleases). Bruce Billson in an email After complaining that the bill was unfairly picking on the $170 billion franchise industry, Billson's latest rump of emails, now warn that key industry bodies are now concerned that the government's definition of a franchise is too broad. He claims the definition could include just about anyone for "this new joint employer liability purpose", ranging from trade mark licences, Uber and taxi services, many couriers, delivery services and "various other types of commercial agreements". "All that is required is the connection between the supply of goods or services and the granting of a right to use a trademark, design or intellectual property," Billson said in an email to a Coalition minister on July 24.

In one email Billson lists a series of scenarios: "How about a corner milk bar proprietor that promotes the SMH editions she sells to make a living get the 'independent contractor' status or her cleaner wrong and this may see Fairfax on the hook?" Billson warned. The emails, sent in mid July, ask for meetings with a delegation of business groups that he would lead ahead of the bill being debated in the Senate. In one email he says "under the banner Coalition for Growth, Enterprise and Opportunity I hope to bring with me leaders from a number of industry associations ... which all share the FCA's concerns about the overreach, unintended consequences and regulatory compliance costs of the current legislation." In one email, he requests a meeting with a Coalition minister and says "could you please assist me with this meeting request please? (note the two pleases)." In June, Fairfax obtained other leaked emails sent by Billson that gave an insight into the extent of his lobbying efforts. Emails were sent to the US ambassador Joe Hockey flagging a potential diplomatic incident with the United States and a potential loss of investments if the bill was passed.

His latest emails make a dig about the fact that previous emails that he has sent to politicians were leaked to Fairfax Media. Loading "Please note ... my emails to the responsible minister have been leaked to select Fairfax journalists that have been campaigning for this joint employer liability drawing on publicised Fair Work Act contraventions involving very substantial high profile franchise systems that are not representative of the sector in its entirety." Against a backdrop of some serious lobbying efforts, Senator Cash has remained resolute in her commitment to honour an election promise and get the bill through the Senate, despite the best efforts of the business lobbyists, doing whatever they can to water it down.