Business News

The Australian Retailers Association (ARA) has welcomed greater choice for retailers on tap and go payments, but urges more action. The ARA says it’s “pleased” that ANZ and Westpac have decided to give retailers a choice on how tap and go debit-card transactions are processed. But although it’s a “step …

The VACC has called on the next federal government to create an “automotive blueprint” that lays out its policy intentions. The call comes from the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce’s (VACC) election manifesto, Keep Australia Moving. The VACC says the blueprint is necessary if the automotive industry is to “continue …

Retaining employees saves time, effort and money. A good employee experience or engagement program are crucial. Steve Bennetts is Senior Principal Consultant, Employee Experience, at software and management company Qualtrics. He said: “The cost of employee turnover can be massive. “Some estimates put it at up to 200 per cent …

Ombudsman Kate Carnell has welcomed the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman’s (TIO) announcement that it will form a Small Business Team. “From April 1, 2019, small businesses who are in dispute with their telephone, mobile or internet services provider will have a specific team to contact,” she said. She also highlighted the …

Disclosure and transparency are still necessary, according to the Fairness in Franchising report, but are insufficient to protect franchisees operating small businesses against the abuse of contractual power by some franchisors. The Fairness in Franchising report was released by the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services on March …

Master Grocers Australia (MGA) has welcomed the government’s decision to allow easier access to justice for small businesses. According to MGA, the ‘Small Business Access to Justice’ policy aims to help small businesses bring cases of anti-competitive behaviour to court. It does so by allowing requests for a ‘no adverse costs order’ …

Caltex has announced its financial results for the 12 months ending December 31, 2018. The company says its RCOP (replacement cost of sales operating profit) NPAT (net profit after tax) result of $558 million is “above guidance provided in December 2018”. It also announced an off-market buyback of about $260 …

Mental illness in the workplace is costing the economy $60 billion a year, claims a counsellor who specialises in treating business leaders. Gabriel Edwards (right) is the founder of Breathing Space Counselling Practice. She says senior management has a duty to make workplace mental health and wellbeing a priority. “CEOs …

Aussie small businesses are overcoming stiff competition by getting tech savvy, according to a new global report. It also found that, despite various challenges, the small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) sector is in “good health” globally. The State of Small Business Global Report comes from TradeGecko, in collaboration with Golfdale …

Ombudsman Kate Carnell has welcomed the Labor party’s commitment to three key changes to legislation on unfair contract terms. Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman (ASBFEO) Ms Carnell described Labor’s announced changes to unfair contract terms as “in line with our submission to the review currently being undertaken by …