News
Malcolm Turnbull has indicated that the National broadband network (NBN) was a “mistake” and confessed there is a “reasonable question mark” over whether the project will ever provide taxpayers with a return. The admission was made by the Prime Minister in a doorstop interview, today, following comments NBN Co CEO Bill Morrow made to Fairfax […]
Legislation to remove double taxation on digital currencies, such as Bitcoin, has been passed by Australian Parliament, with fintech industry leaders describing the news as a win for consumers and businesses. The Treasury Laws Amendment (2017 Measures No. 6) Bill 2017 was tabled in Parliament, last month, by Treasurer Scott Morrison. He said the reform, which will […]
Monash University is harnessing video games as part of a digital service to help employers hire talented graduates. According to the university, the game-based job and career matching platform, Monash Talent, provides recruiters and hiring managers with a snapshot of a graduate’s unique characteristics, including their key strengths. Each snapshot is based on how a […]
Eight terms in the standard form contract used by JJ Richards & Sons to engage small businesses have been deemed unfair, and therefore void under Australian Consumer Law (ACL), by the Federal Court, this week. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) instituted Federal Court proceedings against waste management giant, last month. It alleged […]
Unemployment has hit a five-year low in NSW, dropping to 4.6% – more than a full percentage point below the next best state and almost a full percentage point below the national average. The latest figures from the ABS show 21,100 new jobs were added in September, about 2.5 times more than Victoria, the next closest state. […]
A survey of 2000 small, medium and large NSW businesses, undertaken by the state government, has revealed nearly half don’t have measures in place that specifically address mental health in the workplace. Noting that people spend a third of their adult life at work, with the potential for significant mental health impacts, Minister for […]
Comments made by the incoming chair of Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) indicating financial institutions have forgotten whose money they are investing should prompt Federal Government to rethink its super fund governance reforms, argues the Industry Super Australia (ISA). This week, Financial Services Minister Kelly O’Dwyer recommended that James Shipton, a former Goldman Sachs […]
A 7-Eleven Franchisee in Brisbane is facing court for allegedly dismissing a worker by removing him from the roster after he refused his employer’s request to repay an amount he had been paid. Balaji Australia Pty Ltd and current director and shareholder Madhav Ponnada will also face the Federal Circuit Court on allegations that false […]
Energy retailers and generators will be handed “unprecedented power to… control prices and drive up bills” under a new deal announced by the Federal Government, the Electrical Trades Union (ETU) has warned. On Tuesday, Malcolm Turnbull revealed the Federal Government will accept a recommendation of the Energy Security Board (ESB) for a National Energy Guarantee […]
Serious weaknesses in the security protocol used for all modern protected Wi-Fi networks, both personal and enterprise, have been exposed by a Belgian researcher who warns cyber attackers can gain access to and manipulate sensitive data or even inject malware into a network. According to Mathy Vanhoef, a doctoral researcher in computer security from […]
Rising electricity costs over the past decade are a “drain on business productivity,” according to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s inquiry into the national electricity market. The commission’s preliminary report into retail electricity pricing highlights concerns about the operation of the National Electricity Market, which pose an “electricity affordability problem” for consumers and businesses. […]
The NSW Government is establishing a $150 million equity fund to allow it to ‘buy a stake’ in top performing businesses across the state, Deputy Premier John Barilaro has announced. Barilaro said the GO NSW Equity Fund, which is being established in partnership with First State Super, would see the Government take an equity […]
Nearly 300,000 small businesses have taken advantage of the Federal Government’s $20,000 instant asset tax write-off scheme, according to 2015-16 tax office data. The data was revealed by Minister for Small Business Michael McCormack, who described the instant asset write-off program as a “shot in the arm” for small businesses. “The instant asset write-off is […]
Stating that small business subcontractors are vulnerable to delayed payments, the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, Kate Carnell has announced she is examining payment terms and conditions for “subbies” working on government projects. “Most government departments pay their invoices within 30 days, but when a prime contractor is appointed to manage a project […]
Research showing that SMEs are reducing capital expenditure due to rising energy prices has prompted criticism of the state governments by the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman. The Ombudsman, Kate Carnell, pointed to the latest East & Partners SME survey* of 1280 businesses, which showed that 39.5% of SMES plan to scale back […]
The second round of the Federal Government’s $8 million Women in STEM and Entrepreneurship (WISE) grants program is now underway, with organisations encouraged to apply for funding to support activities that eliminate barriers to girls and women pursuing STEM education, careers and businesses. Funding between $5000 and $250,000 is available to businesses, not-for-profits, education provider […]
Australia Post has announced that it has achieved gender parity in pay, with an average 0% pay gap between men and women across the organisation. This marks an improvement on 2016, when Australia Post recorded a gender pay gap of 1.4%, below the national average of 16%. Acting Managing Director and Group CEO Christine Corbett […]
National Australia Bank’s decision to introduce shorter, plain English loan contracts for small business borrowers has been welcomed by the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman. According to the bank, more than 130,000 business owners will benefit from the complete overhaul of its existing business standard loan form contract, which involved simplifying contractual clauses, […]
The current design and rollout of the National Broadband Network is likely to maintain – and perhaps even increase – Australia’s ‘digital divide’, according to the parliamentary committee tasked with inquiring into the NBN rollout. In a report handed down, last week, the Joint Standing Committee on the NBN noted the network’s rollout presents many […]
The NSW Government has pledged to invest ‘at least’ $50 million in improvements to phone and data connectivity in rural and regional areas of the state. The $50m+ Connecting Country Communities fund was announced by Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW John Barilaro, this week. “For people living in regional and remote NSW, poor mobile […]
