1.     Personal income tax changes 1.1         Increase to low and middle income tax offset (‘LMITO’) The Government has announced a once-off $420 ‘cost of living tax offset’ for the 2022 income year, which will be provided in the form of an increase to the existing LMITO. This will increase the maximum LMITO benefit to $1,500 for individuals and $3,000 for couples, and will be paid from 1 July 2022 when…  Read more

Tax deductibility of COVID-19 test expenses After much speculation, the Government announced that COVID-19 tests, including Polymerase Chain Reaction (‘PCR’) and Rapid Antigen Tests (‘RATs’), will be both:    tax-deductible; and    exempt from FBT; broadly where they are purchased for work-related purposes. This will require the introduction of new specific legislation (i.e., to clarify that work-related COVID- 19 test expenses incurred by individuals will be tax-deductible or FBT exempt…  Read more

The NSW Government has announced more Covid business support over the next few months. The package, which starts February 1, includes: a lump-sum payment of 20% of weekly payroll with a minimum payment of $500 per week and a maximum payment of $5,000 per week. It is for businesses with a turnover between $75,000 and $50 million that suffered a 40% downturn in January and projected to do the same…  Read more

We have been asked many times how to treat staff time off for either taking the Covid test , having to quarantine or being sick with Covid. Fair Work rules around sick leave due to COvid-19 If an employee cannot attend work in these circumstances, the employee isn’t entitled to be paid unless they take paid sick leave or some other type of paid leave. If they have no paid…  Read more

Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. Read on for the latest updates and some ideas to help us all move forward. We’re thinking of everyone affected by lockdowns around the country and encourage you to reach out if you have any questions about your business during this time. Read on for assistance that may be available to you. End of Lockdown in Sight for Melbourne Melbourne will exit its coronavirus…  Read more

Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. Read on for the latest updates and some ideas to help us all move forward. We’re thinking of everyone affected by lockdowns around the country and encourage you to reach out if you have any questions about your business during this time. Read on for assistance that may be available to you. COVID-19 Government Support By State and Industry Small businesses that are currently…  Read more

Only couple of weeks until the applications for NSW Covid-19 Business Grant close! Who can apply for NSW Covid-19 Business Grant? Funding is available to support businesses, sole traders and not-for-profits that have experienced reduced demand or have had to close due to the public health orders. It will support businesses with cash flow for the first 3 weeks of the Greater Sydney lockdown, which started on 26 June 2021.…  Read more

Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. Read on for the latest updates and some ideas to help us all move forward. We’re thinking of everyone affected by lockdowns around the country and encourage you to reach out if you have any questions about your business during this time. Read on for assistance that may be available to you. Tougher COVID-19 Restrictions in Melbourne New stricter COVID-19 restrictions came into effect…  Read more

Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. Read on for the latest updates and some ideas to help us all move forward. Australia’s Path to Reopening International Borders Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced a four-stage plan which will determine when COVID-19 restrictions can be eased. In a nutshell, 80% of Australian adults will have to be vaccinated before international borders can open. So far, about 15.7% of adults have been fully…  Read more

Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. Read on for the latest updates and some ideas to help us all move forward. Greater Sydney Lockdown to Extended by 4 Weeks What began as a two-week lockdown on June 26 for the more than 5 million people living in Greater Sydney will now stretch until at least August 28, as COVID-19 daily case numbers continue to grow. Existing rules including the five…  Read more

This week the NSW state and Australian Federal Governments announced a combined support package to help households and businesses during the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown. The COVID-19 Disaster Payment will be expanded and increased under this agreement. The payment will increase to $600 if a person has lost 20 or more hours of work a week or $375 if a person has lost between 8 and less than 20 hours of…  Read more

Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. Read on for the latest updates and some ideas to help us all move forward. NSW Lockdown Extended for 2 Weeks Lockdown measures in Greater Sydney have been extended by at least another two weeks from Monday. At this stage it will last until 11:59pm on Friday July 30. We’re thinking of everyone affected and encourage you to get in touch with us if…  Read more

Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. Read on for the latest updates and some ideas to help us all move forward. Five states in lockdowns After months of keeping the coronavirus under control, five out of eight Australian states and territories are battling the highly infectious Delta variant. In order to prevent the spread, lockdowns in three large cities have been implemented, affecting more than 20 million Australians, or about…  Read more

Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. Read on for the latest updates and some ideas to help us all move forward. Melbourne’s Lockdown Lifted Lockdown in Melbourne was lifted on 11 June, but restrictions remain in place including a mandate to wear face masks at all times outside the home, limiting travel to within 25 km, and preventing some businesses from operating. Although restrictions have been eased further in regional…  Read more

Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. Read on for the latest updates and some ideas to help us all move forward. Melbourne’s 2-Week Lockdown to ease on 10 June with some restrictions to remain Melbourne will emerge from a two-week lockdown at 11:59 pm on 10 June, after only two new infections arose in Victoria on Tuesday. Victoria was plunged into a one-week “circuit breaker” lockdown on 27 May, but…  Read more

Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. Read on for the latest updates and some ideas to help us all move forward. Australia Drops COVID-19 Vaccine Target Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he won’t set a new target date for Australians to get vaccinated, as concerns about the AstraZeneca vaccine and European export restrictions delay the rollout of the programme. Despite this, Australia is still ahead of some nations including Canada,…  Read more

Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. Read on for the latest updates and some ideas to help us all move forward. Trans Tasman Travel Bubble to Begin 19 April Australia and New Zealand will create a quarantine and COVID-testing free travel bubble starting 19 April. However, flights to and from some Australian states may cease if there are future outbreaks. Australians made up 1.5 million or 40% of arrivals to…  Read more

Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. Read on for the latest updates and some ideas to help us all move forward. COVID-19 Vaccination Drive On Track, Says PM Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the vaccination drive against COVID-19 is on track to meet the target of having everyone inoculated by October, despite delays. As of 7 March 2021, the total number of people who have been vaccinated stands at 86,369.…  Read more

As you know, the COVID-19 pandemic is not just a public health issue, it’s also caused lockdowns and financial worries on a global scale. Small businesses are not strangers to the impacts of the pandemic. In a survey by the International Trade Centre (ITC) among 1,200 businesses in 109 countries between 20 April and 4 May, the pandemic has strongly affected 60% of the businesses. The results of the survey…  Read more

Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. We hope you and your family are safe and doing well. Read on for this week’s update. Support for Victorian businesses As you have probably heard, the Victorian Government has announced updated restrictions for Melbourne and regional Victoria to help slow the spread of COVID-19. Stage 4 restrictions started from 6pm on Sunday 2 August for metropolitan Melbourne. Stage 3 restrictions are in place…  Read more

We started 2020 with optimism and hope that this year was going to be better than the last– but then, COVID-19 happened and brought sudden massive changes worldwide. It has disrupted the way we interact, shop, work, and transact. Businesses of all sizes have been plunged into darkness, with some even having to shut completely Meanwhile, others managed to find dynamic solutions to shelter their businesses from the harsh impacts…  Read more