Australia’s payment-times data: what 27.2 days means

Australia’s latest Payment Times Reporting Scheme update puts average small-business invoice payment at 27.2 days. The figure is useful evidence of payment practice—but it is not a promise that any particular owner will be paid on time, or a measure of how many invoices meet a 15-day standard.

What happened

An August 2026 update from Australia’s Payment Times Reporting Scheme reports that 69.8% of small-business invoices were paid within 30 days, with an average payment time of 27.2 days.

The regulator reports that 69.8% of small-business invoices were paid within 30 days and that average payment time was 27.2 days.
The update identifies 96 businesses as Fast Small Business Payers, a category for businesses paying within 20 days.
The figures describe reported payment times under the Australian scheme; they do not establish that every small supplier is paid within those periods.

What it means for small businesses

An average of 27.2 days is not the same as a 27.2-day term, a 15-day benchmark, or a guarantee for an individual invoice.

For owners in other countries, the Australian figures offer a point of comparison, not a substitute for local law or evidence about their own customers.

Reseated’s Cashflow Council supports payment within 15 days of an undisputed invoice, automatic interest when payment is late, and publication of payment times.