Businesses are being encouraged to promote their commitment to good payment time practices by signing up to the National Payment Transparency Register, established this week by the Australia Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman (ASBFEO). The Ombudsman, Kate Carnell, first called for a national register in her report into payment times and practices, published in […]
A parliamentary committee recommendation for banks to reduce ‘tap and go’ transaction fees has attracted support from the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Kate Carnell. The House of Representatives Standing Committee on Economics recommended that banks let merchants send tap-and-go payments from debit cards through eftpos instead of credit, and that regulatory action be taken […]
Federal Government agencies are paying 96% of their small business contractors within thirty days of receiving an invoice, according to a new report. Minister for Small Business, Michael McCormack said the latest Pay On-Time report also found agencies were paying 60% of invoices up to $1 million within 20 days, and that the overall results […]
To help small businesses get online and reach new markets through digital platforms, the Federal Government has overhauled its Australian Small Business Advisory Services (ASBAS) program, Minister for Small Business Michael McCormack has announced. McCormack said the redesigned program will allocate $18 million in grants over three years to specialist advisers who will engage with […]
We’ve all encountered ‘difficult’ people in the workplace. Whether it’s a boss, a colleague or a subordinate, it’s challenging working in close quarters with someone whose personality or approach to work doesn’t always gel with our own and who pushes our buttons. You know who I’m talking about – the sort of person who rarely listens to […]
The Small Business Ombudsman has launched an inquiry into access to justice for small businesses, explaining the current legal system puts them in “no man’s land”. According to Kate Carnell, small business operators are at “the wrong end of a power imbalance” in dealings with big business and governments. “Consumer protections don’t always apply to […]
High-profile entrepreneur Mark Bouris will head up a taskforce established by the Federal Government to encourage small businesses to adopt digital technologies that will streamline their operations. Bouris will be joined on the Small Business Digital Taskforce by Spiro Pappas (Executive General Manager of Global Institutional Banking at NAB), Pip Marlow (former MD, Microsoft Australia), […]
Australia’s small businesses have been slow to leverage technology that would improve the customer service experience even though consumers are increasingly turning to large organisations to satisfy their spending needs, according to Katrina Konstas, Vice President Small Merchant JAPA, American Express. Konstas spoke with Dynamic Business about findings from American Express’ Economy of Shopping Small: […]
A survey of 1280 SME operators has found that nearly half (49.6%) had relied on unfair contract terms legislation, implemented last year, to negotiate fairer terms with big businesses during the past six months. Conducted by East & Partners, the SME Transaction Banking survey also showed that nearly four in five respondents (78.2%) were aware […]
The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) says its only at the ‘tip of the iceberg’ in terms of its efforts to ensure small businesses are not subject to unfair contract terms. Since 12 November last year, when unfair contract terms laws were extended to small business contracts, the ACCC has taken successful court action […]
