Australian shoppers are being kindly urged to “spend big” at small businesses this weekend as Black Friday kicks off. Bruce Billson, the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, said Australians had the opportunity to support small businesses after a challenging period. “When you spend at a local small or family business, it’s the gift that keeps on giving,” Billson said. “We know more than 40 cents in the dollar spent on small businesses flows back to the local community—that includes everything from wages to local residents, to sponsorships for local schools and sporting teams. Given the increase in the volume of online sales in the lead-up to Christmas, which is 28 days away, Billson said it was one of the final opportunities to shop for Christmas given the predicted delivery delays. “If you are shopping online for gifts, as a growing number of people are doing—now is the time …