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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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. […]
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 […]
Long-term business loans are a catalyst for growth. And the good news is that Aussie small businesses are applying for more loans, boosting capital and funding new investment. According to the latest stats from Banjo’s small-to-medium-enterprise (SME) Business Barometer, there was a 43% increase in business loan applications for the first quarter of the 2025 […]
It used to be that your bank manager was an integral part of your business. But in these digital times – where banking is less about relationships and more about online transactions – is your bank truly supporting the ongoing growth of your business? The latest Australia Business Banking Customer Report from Publicis Sapient has […]
Paying the required surcharges on debit card transactions made by your customers is an operational cost that many business owners would love to see disappear. The good news for Australian businesses is that the Government is also keen to ditch debit card surcharges. In October 2024, plans were announced to ban debit card surcharging from […]