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LATEST NEWS
[1 July 2010]
Today we launch our
Charter of Contractual Fairness.
We've drawn the principles of contract fairness heavily from the new
consumer unfair contract protections laws. If it's fair for consumers,
it's fair for small business people.
And we're
writing to Australian corporations asking them to commit to contract
fairness in their dealings with small business people.
[1 July 2010]
The Federal government has pushed through changes to the Trade
Practices Act to protect consumers from unfair contracts. This is
positive. But originally it was also going to protect businesses from
unfair contracts. It has backed out of this.
We've looked at the new laws and summarised the situation. It's not good
enough. Small business people are (again) losing out. We (self-employed
and small business people) have new obligations to treat consumers
fairly (good!) but no protection from unfairness ourselves (bad!)
Here are the new laws:
For how the legislation defines unfair contract terms, go
here.
Click
here for Ken Phillips' associated Business Spectator article.
Here's why small/micro business people should have TPA protections
from unfair contracts.
[29 June 2010]
If you pay someone to fill out and lodge your BAS return, you should be
aware of new regulations covering such services. Here are the
new rules which are designed to protect you. And here is
information about registration of BAS services.
[27 June 2010]
The Gillard government wants an Internet filter. Many people say "NO
filter!" It won't work and minces democracy:
No Clean Feed
APC Magazine
The US government is looking at
Internet control.
But the UK government says
leave the internet free.
Have your say: National Small Business Summit. Brisbane, next week, 8th
July. Register
to attend.
Can't attend? ICA's Ken Phillips will be going along.
[25 June 2010]
Read
this and see if you expect the US to avoid a double dip in its
economy! It's all about the consequences of debt-induced financial
problems. We've accumulated stories covering:
• current and expected US bank collapses;
• the 'insolvency' of US state and municipal governments;
• the pending collapse of the US commercial property market loans book;
and
• the almost bizarre story of GM, which blows out of the water any
traditional notions of what capitalism means in the USA.
Update 29 June 2010: Click
here for a summary of the recently passed US financial reform
legislation.
[17 June 2010]
We need more babies: The Age
explains why!
The Rudd Government has passed its new Paid Parental Leave legislation.
That's good! Here's:
A government booklet
A Ministerial Interview
The legislation
A detailed background briefing
Now for the bad! The government has created a new red tape small
business nightmare. The peak small business body
COSBOA and others explain why! Will the government never learn the
simple needs of small business?
The Abbott Coalition tried to amend the legislation to remove small
business red tape but this was rejected by the government.
Update 21 June 2010: Click
here for Ken Phillips' Business Spectator article.
[10 June 2010]
Just as the UK is moving toward more sensible small business
(contractor) tax laws, in Australia we're having to defend the progress
we've made.
UK moves to fix bad contractor tax laws
In Australia our tax laws for self-employed people are not perfect, but
they are fairly good. The UK has had a big problem (called IR35) for a
long time. Now the new UK government has made the following commitment:
"Review IR35 as part of a wholesale review of all small business
taxation, and seek to replace it with simpler measures that prevent
tax avoidance but do not place undue administrative burdens or
uncertainty on the self employed, or restrict labour market
flexibility."
The UK
Professional Contractors Group has been fighting for this for a long
time. Here are the explanations:
PCG
comments on the Queen's speech.
PCG
explains IR35 and the proposed changes.
Australia risks going backwards to bad contractor tax laws
We've asked the PM
to clarify his position on PSI laws and stop any confusion. The
Abbot opposition has
called for the contractor PSI laws to remain.
The ATO has
won another case against a contractor on PSI laws. This particularly
affects IT contractors working through labour hire arrangements. We
comment on the problems in this area.
This reinforces
other ATO wins. If you're a PTY or Trust, you have to be
very careful to pass the results test. Check our
PSI ready reckoner.
Update 13 June 2010: Click
here for an opinion piece by an IT contractor on the implications
for IT people.
Update 14 June 2010: Click
here for Ken Phillips' Business Spectator article.
[9 June 2010]
There have been two important recent announcements covering protections
from union bullying tactics. We explain both situations
here. Here's the
latest union thuggery on commercial construction sites in Victoria.
[7 June 2010]
The latest Australian Bureau of Statistics data on self-employed numbers
indicate a decline of 56,000 (2.8%) between November 2008 and November
2009. We've
analysed the data with links to the ABS.
[6 June 2010]
It's good to see some government action to reel in potential sham
contract and phoenix company operations in Queensland. We've
reported on the problems before involving tourism operators. Here's
the
update.
[6 June 2010]
Ah, we'd all love to see our name in lights! Now it'll be easier. You'll
be able to register your business name nationally instead of state by
state. This makes sense. Here's the
detail.
[2 June 2010]
Here's the story of a contractor who simply didn't want to accept a
contract that he considered unfair. It involves government and a
contract management company.
Here's
the overview.
Our letter to the
contract management company.
Our letter to the
government department.
[28 May 2010]
In 2007, the Rudd ALP opposition undertook to keep the current
Personal Services Income tax laws (see item 138 and question 1).
This was good and they have stuck to the promise so far. But now they
have created a policy vacuum going forward on the PSI tax issue. It's
all to do with the Henry tax review!
Today we've written to the PM asking him to clarify his forward PSI
policy. Here's
the letter. It pretty much explains everything! We're making
enquiries of the Abbott coalition as well. We'll publish both responses. All articles and news supplied by
Independent
Contractors of Australia
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