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Working from home – is it the new normal?- Guidance for employers

Covid 19 has much to answer for including for many people changing the look of their workplaces in the short or long term. Many Australian’s found themselves forced to work from home. For many employers and employees this was not a change that they had anticipated nor one for which any forward planning had occurred. Many employers and employees, prior to coronavirus would have denied that their work could be successfully undertaken other than in the traditional workplace.

ATO review of high wealth tax payers begins

The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) is renewing their focus on privately owned and wealthy groups under their four year Next 5,000 tax performance program with the recent commencement of new reviews under this program. One of the areas of interest for the ATO under the review is formal tax governance, which is not common for private groups. We encourage all wealthy private groups to understand what this new approach means and to be prepared for a review on these matters.

2020/2021 Federal Budget tax brief

The 2020-2021 Australian Federal Government budget brings enormous stimulus to promote recovery of an economy devastated by natural disasters and the global COVID-19 pandemic.

2020/2021 Federal Budget superannuation brief

With the impacts of COVID-19 continuing to cause havoc across the world, this year’s Federal Budget focused mainly on jobs and getting the economy going again. This left superannuation to take a back seat with the Government holding to their election promise that there would be no adverse tax changes to the superannuation system.

Agribusiness Digital Solutions Grants Program

The Palaszczuk government in conjunction with the Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries have assigned up to $1.2million to industry organisations to develop, trial and promote digital solutions in agriculture and food supply chains.

Transfer Duty exemption for Queensland small business restructures

Queensland small business owners can restructure their businesses without incurring transfer duty under an administrative arrangement applying from 7 September 2020. Whether the owner’s objective is asset protection, tax planning or a more suitable operating structure, the new arrangements remove a long-standing hindrance to optimal business management and growth.

JobKeeper Update: 7 Alternative Test Categories Announced

On Wednesday 23 September 2020 the ATO registered the Coronavirus Economic Response Package (Payments and Benefits) Alternative Decline in Turnover Test Rules (No 2) 2020. These Rules set out the alternative tests that can be used to determine if the decline in turnover test is satisfied for the purposes of JobKeeper payments from 28 September 2020.

Small business capital gains tax concession, 15-year exemption, does your business qualify?

One of the most generous tax concessions available to business owners is the 15-year exemption under the small business CGT concessions.

Workplace Sexual Harassment is a Board and Business Owner liability issue

Sexual Harassment in the workplace has been unlawful for so long that you would think that we would have eradicated it by now. However, a recent report Respect@Work: Sexual Harassment National Inquiry Report (2020) reveals that we are far from managing this issue, and nowhere near eradicating it from our workplaces.

JobKeeper updates see split rates and changes to decline in turnover test

On 15 September 2020, Federal Treasurer, Josh Frydenberg announced registered updates to the JobKeeper rules (Coronavirus Economic Response Package (Payments and Benefits) Amendment Rules (No. 8) 2020) which will see an extension of the support payment for a further six months.