I welcome the news that from the start of 2022, businesses that engage in illegal activity can be banned from tendering for State Government projects, or have current contracts cancelled, under a new debarment regime. The activity that can see them cut out of lucrative Government work ranges from fraud to safety breaches, and importantly also...
In the 2025-26 financial year, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) will prioritise enforcing compliance relating to credit card surcharges and merchant fees. Paying by card is convenient for customers, but it can cost your business in the form of merchant fees charged by your payment processor (such as a bank). If your...
Running a business brings with it a number of risks and rewards. We asked members of our Facebook group, I’m a small business owner in Western Australia, what the best and worst things are about running their business. Here is some of their collective wisdom… It gives you a sense of purpose One of the overwhelming positives of running a small...
There can often be confusion and disputes when you’re exiting a commercial lease and need to meet a number of ‘make good’ obligations. The make good clause in your lease will outline the condition the building must be in when the lease comes to an end. Here is a summary of the top make good obligations that most often lead to a dispute, and some...
Small business owners wear many hats. From customer service and sales, to bookkeeping and recruitment — when you run a small enterprise, the buck stops with you. There’s no doubt that owning a small business has many rewards. However, it’s important to acknowledge that this lifestyle also comes with its fair share of challenges. There is the...
How can you effectively set goals in your business? We spoke to Trevor Flint, founder and director of Capstone Associates.
If your business is involved in some kind of a dispute, you’re not alone – and help is available. Here are some of the most common disputes in small business, followed by what you can do about them. Contractual disputes A common example of a contractual dispute is when you may have paid upfront for services that you haven’t yet received, such as a...
Keen to use your culinary skills as part of a new business or side gig? Here are our top tips to help you find the recipe for success.
If you renew your business trade mark through a private business, rather than IP Australia, you could end up paying three times more than required. You also run the risk of giving away future control of the management and renewal of your trade marks. Who is IP Australia? IP Australia is the Federal Government department that administers...
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has recently announced changes to how your employees can calculate tax deductions if they work from home. Here’s your guide to the changes. Millions of Australians work from home for some or all of their working week. If your business is structured to have your employees working from home at some stage, they...
Julia ‘Jools’ Nesbitt is the Co-Director of Masonex Building, a family shop fitting business she runs with her husband Mick. The registered building business, offering retail shop fit-outs, de-fits and store maintenance, was busy and in demand before COVID affected their environment. “Before COVID came around, we always had plenty of work,” said...
Small business owners with a business tax debt are encouraged to work with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) to help manage it through a mutually acceptable plan. Dealing with financial stress while running a business can be difficult, and a tax debt notification from the ATO can be something you’d prefer to ignore. While it is often tempting to...
