Tropical Cyclone Arthur: disaster recovery grants now available

If your business was hit by the destructive forces of Tropical Cyclone Arthur during 1-16 March 2025, there’s now additional disaster recovery funding open to Queensland small businesses. Here’s the lowdown on who’s eligible, how much you can claim and what the process is for putting through a claim for funding. Who’s eligible for the […]

Greater protection against unfair trading practices: what you need to know

As reiterated in the recent Federal Budget, the Albanese Labor Government is extending protections against unfair trading practices to small businesses. This initiative acknowledges the power imbalances you may sometimes experience as a small business dealing with larger entities that have more buying power. But what do these protections actually mean for your company? What […]

Possible extension of the $20k instant asset write-off

In the 2025 Federal Budget, the Albanese Labor Government made a promise to extend the existing $20k instant asset write-off, if elected. So, what is the instant asset write-off and how could it be helping your business? What is the $20k instant asset write-off? The $20,000 instant asset write-off is a tax measure that allows […]

Labor wins Federal Election: the impact for your small business

The Australian Labor Party won the 2025 Federal Election with a convincing majority on 3 May. This means Labor has another three years to continue its plans for supporting Australian enterprise, making life easier for small businesses and boosting the use of digital technologies. Let’s look at the main policies that could have a positive […]

Electricity prices are on the rise: how can you minimise your costs?

Small businesses on the East Coast may find their electricity bills rising by between 4.2 and 8.2% in the coming months. That’s the big news from a new draft determination by the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) for electricity prices in 2025-26. Power is a major outlay for any small business, so a steep rise in […]

Reducing the uncertainty: financial forecasting and planning

Uncertainty can be a major threat to your strategic financial planning. Being unsure of what lies around the corner makes it difficult to make those important financial decisions around operational budgets, investment and growth funding. But by using forecasting and scenario-planning, you make it easier to manage your finances and reduce some of the financial […]

The Fundamentals of a Business Budget

A business budget is one of the essential tools in managing your business finances and actively building your business. A budget shows what you plan to do with your cash over the next year. For a complete picture of your business health, you need to review the profit and loss statement, the balance sheet, the […]

Disaster management: getting ready for emergency weather events

We’ve seen the raw power of nature, and how freak weather conditions can quickly endanger your business. But what can you do to prepare for these emergency weather events? Emergency events that stop your business trading Whether you’re a freelance sole trader, a bricks and mortar retail company or a family-run farming business, we all […]

Getting help with your small business debt

Are you struggling with debt? It’s a real worry when debt levels are on the up, but cashflow levels are heading down. We know the stress, uncertainty and pressure you can feel as the business owner. But it’s not all bad news. There are ways to overcome the debt and get things back on track. […]

Clearer IR and a fairer deal for small businesses

The Fair Work Act plays an important role in providing fairness at work and preventing discrimination against employees. But is the complexity of the industrial relations (IR) framework holding back the potential of Australia’s small businesses? The Council of Small Business Organisations Australia (COSBOA) certainly thinks so. COSBOA launches a new blueprint for IR and […]