The government is set to undertake a review of the Franchising Code of Conduct and its impact on fairness and competition in the sector. The regulatory framework has been amended a number of times since its introduction in 1998, including more recent changes made following recommendations from a joint committee…

The Australia Tax Office (ATO) has now given the go-ahead to taxpayers with simple affairs to lodge their annual tax returns as most information required for lodgement has already been pre-filled. This includes information from employers, health insurers, banks, share registries and other relevant institutions. However, while most information will…

The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman (ASBFEO), Bruce Billson, has said that small businesses were feeling shut out of government contracts due to their lack of knowledge, experience, and contacts. These businesses felt that the procurement processes were hard to navigate and they lacked the right contacts and…

When an accountant prepares a tax return in Australia, it is not uncommon for the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) or a government revenue authority to initiate an audit or review. However, this does not necessarily imply any faults in the accountant’s work – in fact a lot of the time…

As tax season gets underway, the Australian Tax Office (ATO) is advising accountants to warn their clients about possible scammers. The ATO has noticed an uptick in scammers seeking to impersonate the authority on social media platforms, where some taxpayers go to find assistance for their tax and super concerns.…

It is tough news for Australians servicing student loans as the latest indexation to be applied will be the highest in the last three decades. The government does not charge interest on student loans but does apply an annual adjustment that keeps the debt in line with the rising cost…

Stage 3 tax cuts that are expected to take effect in 2024 will benefit men more than women. This is primarily due to the gender pay gap that has seen a higher proportion of men attain higher salaries through negotiations with management and not having to take time out of…