Regulations and Standards
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Smaller firms should check their bank for unfair credit terms
Kate Carnell | March 17, 2018The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, Kate Carnell, has welcomed the unfair contract terms and small business loans report released by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).
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Victoria paves the way for driverless vehicles
First 5000 | February 27, 2018Legislation paving the way for trials of driverless cars to begin on Victoria’s public roads has been passed as competition hots up to become the nation’s hub for autonomous vehicles.
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ACCC sets out 2018 competition targets
First 5000 | February 21, 2018The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission will focus on energy, broadband, the digital economy and financial services in 2018, opening opportunities for Australia’s mid-sized firms.
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5 steps to meet your beneficial owner obligations
First 5000 | February 9, 2018A new guide to help businesses understand and comply with their beneficial owner identification requirements has been released by the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre.
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Why 2018 will be a great year for Australian competition
First 5000 | January 26, 2018Australia is a wonderful country to live and do business in. This Australia day ACCC Chairman Rod Sims explains how recent changes to the Competition and Consumer Act will protect smaller firms from unfair and anti-competitive corporate practises.
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Public consultation opens on super compliance proposals
First 5000 | January 25, 2018New measures to strengthen the ATO’s investigative powers and ensure that smaller firms meet their superannuation liabilities will protect workers and reduce Australia’s $2.8 billion super gap.
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A busy 6 months for the ACCC
First 5000 | January 23, 2018Almost 5,000 small firms contacted the ACCC in the last 6 months of 2017, and action was taken against a number of larger firms for abusing laws regarding competition and contracts.
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Call to end loopholes in commercial tax debt disclosure
First 5000 | January 18, 2018Draft reforms affecting the transparency of commercial tax debts have been welcomed, but may not go far enough to deter firms which game the system to evade paying tax.
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Australian firms issued new guidelines on reporting foriegn bribery
First 5000 | January 10, 2018The Federal Police and the Director of Public Prosecutions have released new guidance to help firms assess their responsibilities in self-reporting attempts of foreign bribery.
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A year of progress for Australia’s SMEs
First 5000 | December 29, 2017The Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman has welcomed significant strides towards an improved business environment for SMEs in 2017, but warns that challenges await in the New Year.
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Banks revise their code of practice to rebuild trust in the sector
First 5000 | December 21, 2017The Australian Bankers Association has offered a new code of practise to head off consumer and small business complaints about the sector, but concerns remain regarding the new provisions and their enforcement.
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The easing of insolvency laws should encourage enterprise
Charles Bosse | December 14, 2017If we truly want to create a more dynamic and ambitious Australia, small business owners shouldn’t be ‘aced out of the game’ for having a go and coming up short.
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New mandatory data breach notification laws: What you need to know
Sophie Dawson | December 14, 2017New Australian and European Union data breach notification laws in 2018 should encourage firms to protect against leaks and help them respond quickly and effectively if breaches do occur.
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New inquiry into justice for Australian SMEs
First 5000 | December 4, 2017The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman has revealed plans for a new inquiry into access to justice for smaller Australian businesses.
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Can you prove how well your organisation is performing?
Stacey Barr | June 21, 2017Our world needs more courageous leaders who will accept the price of transparency and accountability and pursue high performance. Stacey Barr explains how performance measures can benefit your business.