Small businesses are the lifeblood of Australia's economy and society, driving innovation, creating jobs and sustaining communities.
Yet they face mounting challenges, from navigating red tape to rising energy costs, wages, and supply chain disruptions. Addressing these issues and removing barriers to growth is vital to unlocking their full potential and securing Australia's economic future.
We need to streamline the definition of small business in the Fair Work Act to fewer than 25 employees and move to greater alignment of definitions broadly across portfolios.
Read More
We need to streamline the definition of small business in the Fair Work Act to fewer than 25 employees and move to greater alignment of definitions broadly across portfolios.
There are numerous definitions of what a 'small business' is, which is just another layer of complexity small businesses face - before they can determine what red tape and programs are applicable to them, they need to first assess whether they are even considered to be a 'small business'. Better aligning these definitions will be a positive step to reducing the red tape burden for small businesses.
Streamlining the definition of small business in the Fair Work Act to fewer than 25 employees would reduce red tape and make the system much fairer to businesses.
More small businesses would be able to access a range of exemptions which would significantly boost their ability to comply with the incredibly complex and onerous industrial relations laws in the Fair Work Act.
Alternatively, the definition should be streamlined to businesses with fewer than 25 employees for the Fair Work Act, excepting redundancy provisions.
Read Less
We need to increase the Instant Asset Write-off threshold to a figure of $50,000, make it available to businesses with a turnover up to $50 million, extend to digital assets, and make it a permanent feature of the tax system.
Read More
We need to increase the Instant Asset Write-off threshold to a figure of $50,000, make it available to businesses with a turnover up to $50 million, extend to digital assets, and make it a permanent feature of the tax system.
The benefits of the write-off have been demonstrated in recent years, but the farce of year-by-year chaotic renewals needs to be replaced by a system that builds certainty and confidence.
Increasing the Instant Asset Write-off to $50,000 and making it permanent will help small businesses invest in tools and technology to grow.
Read Less
The Federal government needs to create a dedicated Minister for Red Tape Reduction and a cross-agency 'Red Tape Taskforce' to reduce regulatory burdens.
Read More
The Federal government needs to create a dedicated Minister for Red Tape Reduction and a cross-agency 'Red Tape Taskforce' to reduce regulatory burdens.
Red tape burdens have grown like topsy over recent decades, and the welter of new rules and regulations have a serious cost in time, money and stress.
In ACCI's 2024 Small Business Conditions Survey, 82 per cent of small businesses said that red tape is having a significant impact on their operations.
Identifying and cutting superfluous red tape would give a new lease of life to businesses that want to thrive and grow.
Read Less
It should be required that a Small Business Impact Analysis be undertaken and published for al proposed legislative or regulatory measures.
Read More
It should be required that a Small Business Impact Analysis be undertaken and published for al proposed legislative or regulatory measures.
The impact of new or amended regulations on small businesses are often overlooked.
Ensuring that the impact is considered will be useful in assessing the worthiness or otherwise of proposed changes.
Read Less
We need to enable the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) to provide binding advice to small business owners of modern award matters, protecting them from claims where the advice was followed.
Read More
We need to enable the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) to provide binding advice to small business owners of modern award matters, protecting them from claims where the advice was followed.
Many small employers cannot afford to seek out legal advice from expensive law firms on award interpretation.
Frequently they rely on advice from the FWO for these important matters. The advice of the FWO to small business owners should be binding and act as a safe harbour where followed.
Read Less
The Federal government must establish a small business division of the Fair Work Commission, which is equipped to make expedited decisions and provide tailored support and advice for small employers.
Read More
The Federal government must establish a small business division of the Fair Work Commission, which is equipped to make expedited decisions and provide tailored support and advice for small employers.
Time-poor small business owners are struggling with the immense complexity of the Fair Work Act and the many new obligations imposed on them by the Government's recent legislative changes.
The Fair Work Commission should have a small business division that deals with claims relating to a small employer in an expeditious manner so that they can get back to the important stuff - operating and growing their business.
Read Less
Join a network of like-minded Australians and receive updates on our campaign progress.