The business community remains dead against a bold Productivity Commission bid to transform the corporate tax regime, even after it reduced the proposed rate for big firms. The government’s economic think tank on Friday released the five final reports from its inquiry into Australia’s stalled productivity...
Australia’s net migrant intake has continued to fall from its post-COVID record as the migration debate turns from numbers to values. Net overseas migration (NOM), which measures the amount of people that move to Australia minus those that move away, dropped to a little over 305,000...
A state pummelled by natural disasters and business challenges has unveiled “a healthy set of numbers” that predict four years of budget surpluses. Treasurer Tom Koutsantonis delivered a glowing assessment of the state’s finances in the government’s mid-year budget review on Friday, but the opposition accused...
Owners of modified or illegal e-bikes could be putting their insurance coverage at risk, leaving them exposed in the event of a house fire or accident. The warning comes ahead of Christmas as insurers urge prospective e-bike and e-scooter buyers to source the battery-powered mobility devices...
Following pressure from regulators, Australia’s largest bank says it will repay $68 million to low-income customers who incurred unusually high bank fees for services such as dishonoured payments and overdraws. Commonwealth Bank said on Tuesday it would make the “goodwill adjustments” in early February and customers...
When wildlife rescuer Ina Egermann finds a koala hit by a car, the first thing she does is apologise. “I say, ‘I’m so sorry that we humans have done this to you’,” the Friends of the Koala charity volunteer told AAP. Then she gently holds the stricken...
Australian gas users will be hoping for lower prices under a national reservation scheme but any reduction is expected to be dampened by dwindling supplies of the cheapest stuff. A long-awaited scheme to force east coast exporters to set aside some of the gas they extract...
History rarely announces itself in dramatic bursts. More often, it reveals itself through quiet turning points — moments when trends harden into realities and choices can no longer be postponed. 2025 was one of those years. It did not deliver a single defining shock, but instead...
As we move into Quarter 1 of 2026, business owners have a valuable window to get their tax affairs in order before the end of the financial year approaches. Early planning can mean the difference between paying more tax than necessary and putting strong strategies in...
As 2026 approaches, small business owners face an increasingly complex legal and regulatory environment. Rapid changes in technology, employment law, privacy obligations, and consumer expectations mean that “set and forget” compliance is no longer an option. Preparing now can help protect your business, reduce risk, and...