As a small business, how do you approach the end of financial year period? If you’re new to business and not sure what you can claim, read on. Alternatively,  if you’re in the familiar space where you’re scrambling to pull all your paperwork together, or make some last minute purchases before June 30, this article is for you too. There are always ways to maximise your tax return!   We’ve curated some lists and guides to explain several of the tax breaks and concessions applicable to SMBs. This is definitely a great time to shop, upgrade your business hardware, furniture, office supp ..read more

The Federal Election is just three days away and the ARA has been keeping a close track of the policy announcements of the major parties. Unfortunately, we’re yet to see anything substantial in terms of immediate measures to address ongoing labour shortages, which is why the ARA has called on both parties to commit to look at measures to incentivise Pensioners to work extra hours and help businesses fill the gaps in their workforces in the absence of the usual numbers of overseas workers and students. We’re in the tightest labour market in more than 50 years and we need to be thinking more cre ..read more

Every day, thousands of Australians need to prove eligibility or verify their identity to carry out everyday transactions and interactions. Whether it’s applying for a credit card, verifying their age or buying from a new retailer, current identity verification processes are inefficient and can deter customers. In today’s increasingly connected societies and as digital transformation grows, so too have the needs and expectations of the customer. Customers expect consistent, immediate and seamless retail experiences — online, in store and through mobile apps. Retailers must be at the forefront ..read more

Ladies and Gentlemen, I’m delighted to be here today and do hope you find this talk of interest. I’m going to take you on a journey around climate change which at times might feel a bit bleak and bereft of hope. However, I will also show you some of the footsteps on a path that that we all need to take in order begin to clear up some of the mess we have made.   Quite a few years ago I gave the Hawke Lecture – entitled A Sustainable Planet a Future for Australia. In it I talked about Hope – the benefits but also the pitfalls!   Hope, action and ingenuity saw us develop large cities an ..read more

Australian retail sales reached their highest levels on record in March, with trade up 9.4% compared to the same time last year. A record $33.6 billion was spent in stores and online, and whilst it’s a phenomenal result, we know that increased consumer prices are a contributing factor, and that spending challenges loom in the months ahead as cost-of-living pressures begin to impact family budgets. The Federal Election is now upon us, and we are closely tracking and responding commitments by all parties as they relate to our retail community and member needs. We’re calling for far greater certa ..read more

Last week I had the exciting opportunity to celebrate high impact ARA charity partner Good360 Australia's 7th birthday with a tour of their facilities in Smithfield, NSW. We look forward to continuing our work with Good360 Australia to raise awareness about the challenge of pre-consumer waste while also helping our sector increase its social impact, reduce its environmental footprint and accelerate the transition to the circular economy.  We are pleased to see the Victorian Government announce a new training initiative to allow hair, beauty and hospitality students to take up an appr ..read more

Australia’s largest retail industry group, the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) has welcomed the investment in health, transport, tourism, sustainability and skills in today’s Victorian budget and says it will continue discussions on upskilling the retail sector and underpinning a long-term, sustainable retail recovery.    ARA CEO Paul Zahra said that after two years of disruption, the overall retail sector is showing strong signs of recovery but some retailers are still trying to get back on their feet, particularly in Melbourne CBD. While the Victorian economy is expecte ..read more

Privacy regulations in Australia can often be subject to change and it is important for businesses to ensure compliance with their obligations as they evolve. In this article, we have outlined a brief guide for compliance in some key areas of Australia’s privacy sphere.   Privacy Act The Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (the Act) is responsible for much of the privacy regulation in Australia. As such, it is important to understand some key concepts from the Act in order to understand its effect on your business.   The Act is primarily concerned with the behaviour of “APP Entities ..read more

Rebranding your business can seem like a daunting task. Maybe you set it up yourself, did it on the fly years ago or maybe you’re not connecting with your ever-evolving audience anymore. But we believe that it’s an exciting time, as you plan for the future of your brand or organisation and continue to evolve its footprint on the world.   Officeworks went through the exact same experience earlier this year.  Many of the lessons we learned can be translated to small-to-medium sized businesses too. In this blog post we’ve captured our top tips for going through your own rebranding ..read more

Written by Marsh Pty Ltd Mental illness is the leading cause of long-term sickness amongst Australian workers, with work-related mental illness costing $543 million in workers’ compensation claims per annum1. It is widely reported that one in five people in Australia are living with a mental health condition2. However, the majority of mental illness seen in the workplace is treatable, and preventable, dependent on the health and wellbeing support available.  The 2021 Global Risks Report, published by the World Economic Forum in collaboration with Marsh McLennan, has identified ‘Deteriora ..read more