Business News

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is proposing to implement a class exemption that would allow franchisees and fuel retailers to collectively negotiate with their franchisor or fuel wholesalers. The ACCC is trying to gain support for this exemption that would also enable small businesses to collectively negotiate with their …

Cybercriminals are targeting businesses with a new scam that uses fake invoices to trick the business into paying money. Because the invoices look convincing and arrive from a legitimate-looking email address, busy finance teams can struggle to distinguish them. Worryingly, this type of scam is on the rise. According to …

Ombudsman Kate Carnell has welcomed the Queensland government’s commitment to faster payment terms for small businesses. Ms Carnell has also urged other states and territories to follow suit, after expressing disappointment that it took so long. “A reduction in invoice payment times from 30 days to 20 days is to …

While eliminating risk entirely from your supply chain is unrealistic, there’s plenty you can do to reduce it, says Upstream. Any business that depends on a supply chain has to live with risk. Supply-chain risks include: Unpredictable demand Interruption to supply Environmental fluctuations Financial volatility Physical conditions. But while businesses …

The ATO is issuing garnishee notices while tax disputes are still before the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, says a new report. The report on early debt recovery action by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) comes from the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman (ASBFEO). ‘Severe’ impact In response, Ombudsman Kate …

BP has awarded its first Advancing Low Carbon accreditation in Australia to its community partnership with food rescue organisation, OzHarvest. In 2018, OzHarvest rescued 8,517 tonnes of food, according to BP. In turn, this saved 5,300 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent from entering the atmosphere. BP Australia President Andy Holmes …

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 …