“Epidemic”: $350 million more unpaid superannuation as industry urges crackdown on dodgy employer

SmartCompany, May 3, 2019 Analysis of 2016-17 tax office data conducted by former Treasury official Phil Gallagher for ISA has found an additional 90,000 workers have been shortchanged on superannuation since 2013-14, totalling $5.94 billion in unpaid entitlements. The gap between those paid correctly and those ripped off has increased by 25%, or $350 million, over the last three years, …

Ministerial Review of the State Industrial Relations System

The Final Report of the Ministerial Review of the State Industrial Relations System, and the State Government’s proposed reforms in response to the Review was tabled in State Parliament on 11 April 2019. The Final Report makes a total of 85 recommendations for reform of the State industrial relations system to ensure it is modern, fair and accessible. Ministerial Review …

WA industrial laws could give union officials right to enter private homes

The West Australian, 13 April 2019 Union officials and industrial inspectors would have the right to enter private homes under industrial laws being pursued by the McGowan Government. People who work in domestic service such as cleaners, carers and gardeners are not considered employees under WA law but they will become employees of homeowners under proposed reforms revealed this week. …

60 years on, equal pay looms for WA women

The West Australian, 13 April 2019 Women who earn less than men despite doing a similar job — even if they work for different companies in different industries — will be able to ask WA’s industrial relations umpire for a pay rise, under plans by the McGowan Government. Six decades after Perth women took to the streets in a Labour …

Instant asset write-off passes in post-budget Senate blitz

SmartCompany, April 4, 2019 The government’s instant asset write-off expansion was passed through the Senate yesterday afternoon and is expected to be voted on in the lower house later today. Part of a post-budget blitz that saw 28 bills passed by the Upper House on Wednesday, the passage of the reforms will put the coalition in a stronger position with …

“Domino effect”: Businesses warned about contractor arrangements in wake of unfair dismissal case

SmartCompany on April 12, 2019 A recent dispute over whether a sales director was an employee or an independent contractor in the Fair Work Commission (FWC) has renewed calls for business owners to review their human resources processes. Details of a hearing to determine whether a sales director for Perth-based manufacturing firm Global Wear Solutions was eligible for unfair dismissal …

Federal election 2019: Wesfarmers boss says Labor policy set to hit small business

The West Australian, 13 April 2019 Scott Morrison and Bill Shorten will go head-to-head in Perth. Wesfarmers chairman Michael Chaney has warned that Labor’s living wage policy could “throw people” out of work, as new analysis shows small businesses will be hit hardest by the policy. Analysis of data from the the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia survey …

MESSAGE FROM OUR CEO – APRIL 2019

LINKEDIN. In addition to our Broadcast and the Blog on our web site we now have a LinkedIn site with regular postings. Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cosba/?viewAsMember=true   MORTGAGE BROKERS: With reference to an article published by SmartCompany on 17 March 2019 under the heading ‘Mortgage brokers rejoice as coalition backflips on trail commission ban,’ reports: “In what can only be considered …

Why the ATO is defying the Coalition over small business tax

The Australian, March 6, 2019 In its final weeks, the Morrison government is engaged in an intense battle with the Australian Taxation Office to determine whether there will be a fair small business tax appeal system, and one that’s not controlled by the ATO. And if the tussle between the government and the ATO is not resolved, then the blatant …