Reading Time: < 1 minute A new wave of Federal Government funding is set to provide entrepreneurs and small businesses in Central Queensland with more advice and support. $770,000 has been injected into Queensland’s Bundaberg Business Enterprise Centre (Bundaberg BEC) as part of the Australian Small Business Advisory Services (ASBAS) Central Queensland National Interest Initiative. “The Abbott Government allocated the […]
Reading Time: < 1 minute Most of the upswing in consumer confidence that came as a result of the Government’s Budget has been reversed this week, according to the latest ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence findings. Consumer confidence fell 4.6 per cent, dropping to 111.0. The economic outlook for the next year dropped by 8.2 per cent, while the economic outlook […]
Reading Time: 2 minutes A $228,000 fine has been handed down to the operator of a travel services company for underpaying an employee because she thinks the requirement of minimum pay rates is “just crazy”. Melbourne businesswoman Na Xu was penalised $35,496 and her company Grandcity (GW) Travel & Tour Pty Ltd fined a further $192,840 for underpaying an […]
Reading Time: < 1 minute Three measures aimed at supporting small business were introduced yesterday as part of the Government’s $5.5. billion Jobs and Small Business package. The new legislation allows for unincorporated small businesses to receive a five per cent tax discount and gives new small businesses the chance to deduct start-up expenses immediately. Expenses such as legal advice […]
Reading Time: 2 minutes The Fair Work Ombudsman has conducted spot checks in restaurants, cafés and catering companies throughout the country, finding over $1.2 million in underpayments in the process. A total of 2,752 employees in 456 businesses were underpaid over $1.215 million, $386,000 of which came from the underpayment of 698 staff members in Victoria alone. The spot […]
Reading Time: 2 minutes Australia’s manufacturers are seeing improving conditions, according to the latest ACCI-Westpac Survey of Industrial Trends. The survey has revealed strengthening conditions for the third consecutive quarter, with a rise in building activity and an improvement in service sector investment cited as positive contributors. The recent Budget’s jobs and small business focus is also being highlighted […]
Reading Time: < 1 minute Almost $100,00 in penalties has been handed down to a Cairns businessman and his tour company after he was found guilty of underpaying five backpackers. The Brisbane Federal Circuit Court has fined Leigh Alan Jorgensen $12,000, his company Trek North Tours $55,000, and has ordered his company to back-pay the workers a total of $29,956 […]
Reading Time: 2 minutes Small businesses look to be responding to the Federal Budget’s stimulus. The latest Commonwealth Banks Business Sales Indicator (BSI) has revealed spending by Australian businesses peaked in May, reaching the highest sales growth in three years. The BSI jumped 0.8 per cent in trend terms during the month of May, following similar rises during March […]
Reading Time: 2 minutes In a big move to crack down on piracy, the Senate has passed legislation that will see infringing websites blocked in Australia. Yesterday saw the Copyright Amendment (Online Infringement) Bill 2015 passed with 37 votes in favour and 13 against. There was plenty of support for the Bill, with the Government and the Opposition both […]
Reading Time: < 1 minute Changes to Australia’s annual leave system have today been introduced by the Fair Work Commission (FWC). A review of annual leave award provisions has resulted in a range of changes, including new capabilities for employers to direct employees to take paid annual leave when the worker is accumulating a excessive amount of leave. Other changes […]