News
In just six-hours, the Federal Government have backpedalled on their plans to introduce paid parental leave into the Fair Work Bill, angering Green’s Senator Sarah Hanson-Young. Senator Hanson-Young has called on the Government to rethink their stance on the issue, claiming that Australian families are “tiring of the Prime Minister’s hollow promises.” “This rapid backflip […]
The Australian Industry Group has called for the Federal Government to delay the commencement of the 2010 carbon emissions trading scheme (ETS) due to the current economic crisis. Supporters of the scheme, the group suggested the government pass legislation to ensure implementation, but has recommended the government postpone the scheme until 2012. “Businesses are strapped […]
Search engines are commonly used to find information on the internet. In the world of search engines, click-through mean cash for advertisers. In the US, Jim Jansen, associate professor of information sciences and technology at Penn State and his team including Amanda Spink from Queensland University of Technology, have undertaken a study to gauge customer […]
Social networking and blogging are now the 4th most popular online activities, according to Nielsen’s “Global Faces and Networked Places” report. A staggering two-thirds (67 percent) of the global online population now visit social networks
I received an interesting newsletter from a prominent investment institution last week attempting to allay investor’s fears in regard to the share market. Obviously many investors are either leaving the managed funds preferring to invest directly or they are simply losing faith that the funds can deliver. What concerned me most about the newsletter was […]
The Federal Government’s stimulus package will not contribute to a revival of the retail sector, according to a recent forecast issued by consultancy Access Economics.
The Government’s proposed changes to Industrial Relations laws have come under fire from the Opposition, claiming that they put the interests of unions ahead of jobs. Malcolm Turnbull has called on the Government to change the definition of small business in its new workplace laws; with Nationals Senate leader Barnaby Joyce saying it is wrong […]
Watch out how much you drink in the pub because you may be charged a massive fee from the ATM without even realising it. Fresh off the back of the Reserve Bank’s amendments to ATM fees, iCash has introduced the CashPod, dubbed a “unique selling point” for pub owners allowing them to substantially raise ATM […]
With the Federal Government’s $900 cash bonus – part of the $42 billion stimulus package – hitting consumer bank accounts today, research conducted by the Australian National Retailers Association (ANRA) has shown that people are divided on whether to spend the money or save it. The ANRA consumer sentiment survey has shown that 22 percent […]
Charities have become the latest victims in the global financial crisis, with a growing number applying for funding to meet a rising demand for services. According to Perpetual, Australia’s largest manager of charitable trusts, 942 charities have applied for funding this year, up 26 percent on last year. The applications have totalled $60 million. With […]
Written by Sara Cheng Last November China announced a 4 trillion Chinese Yuan (AUD 905 billion) stimulus package to stabilise its economy and reach 8 percent GDP growth in 2009. CNY 4 trillion will be fully invested before the end of 2010, and China has a detailed implementation plan which has been in action since […]
The global financial crisis is really starting to hit home with the World Bank predicting the global economy will shrink for the first time since World War II. The World Bank is predicting the crisis will force another 46 million people into poverty and developing countries will experience possible political unrest. The bank’s president Robert […]
Nationals Leader Warren Truss has spoken out about the Federal Government’s proposed Fair Work Bill, claiming it does more than restore former industrial relations laws: “They’ve done deals clearly with the trade union movement and this legislation goes way beyond what they were given a mandate for from the Australian people,” he says. The proposed […]
The Australian Retailers Association (ARA) has come out firing against the big banks, claiming that they are out of touch with the financial needs of small business.
The number of trade jobs advertised online fell in February, according to the Olivier Group. The Olivier Job Index fell by 9.08 percent in February, with the biggest falls coming from the trades, services, transport, engineering, building and construction sectors. Online advertisements for trades and services jobs slumped by 20.33 percent during February, while building […]
Industry groups are urging the government to extend the first home buyer grant beyond the June 30 2009 cut-off in order to support the economy. The grant has lured first home buyers into the market, with official statistics indicating there has been a significant boost of activity in recent months. Mortgage Choice chief executive Paul […]
Vodafone Australia, in collaboration with Cisco and Research in Motion (RIM) have announced their full portfolio of Vodafone Business One communication solutions is now available to small business. First announced in June 2008, the Vodafone Business One portfolio has been extended to include new services including a ‘Voice Package’, delivering an integration and convergence between […]
Small businesses finding it difficult to attain finance can expect assistance from the Federal Government, says Minister for Small Business Craig Emerson following a roundtable discussion between banks and business groups late last week. If an SME has had an application for credit refused by a financial institution, they will have a second chance to […]
A new survey commissioned by Westpac and conducted by TNS, has found that business women are less optimistic about the economic downturn that their male counterparts. The survey of financial decision makers in small and medium sized businesses found that 60 percent of women are less confident in their ability to successfully manage their business […]
Family owned businesses are more vulnerable in the current economic climate, than non-family owned businesses, according to CEO of Family Business Australia, Philippa Taylor. Family owned businesses in Australia number 2 million and Taylor expects many are going to “go to the wall” in the next few months. “Their lack of a solid business plan […]
