Can you prevent a hack? In the wake of the Optus data leak, legislation before Parliament will lift the maximum fine for serious or repeated breaches of the Privacy Act from $2.2m to up to $50m. But there are no guarantees that even the strongest safety measures will prevent an attack. So, what does that…
To cut or not to cut? Stage three personal tax cuts In September, amid a climate of startling interest rates, UK Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng announced a series of tax cuts, including the reduction of the top personal income tax rate that applies to those earning more than £150,000 from 45% to 40%. Just ten days…
Register your .au domain! 23:59 UTC on 20 September 2022 is the cut-off to register for your .au direct domain. The .au domain is the new, general purpose, shorter Australian domain name option. If you do not register the direct match of your existing domain for the direct .au domain, you risk your brand…
Scams ACCC warning of suspicious messages as ‘Hi Mum’ scams spike Scamwatch is urging the public to be wary of phone messages from a family member of friend claiming they need help, following a significant rise in ‘Hi Mum’ scams in recent months. More than 1,150 Australians fell victim to the so – called ‘Hi…
It’s Not Easy Being Green Climate change featured heavily during the election and now the Albanese Government is putting into place some of the promises it made. We look at the current state of play and the likely impact. The Government’s Climate Change Bill passed the House of Representatives in early August and is…
Tax Time Targets The ATO has flagged four priority areas this tax season where people are making mistakes. With tax season almost upon us the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has revealed its four areas of focus this tax season. Record-keeping Work-related expenses Rental property income and deductions, and Capital gains from crypto assets,…
The 120% deduction for skills training and technology costs It’s a great headline isn’t it? Spend $100 and get a $120 tax deduction. Days after the Federal Budget announcement that businesses will be able to claim a 120% deduction for expenditure on training and technology costs, we started receiving marketing emails encouraging us to spend…
‘Don’t Rock The Boat’ Budget 2022-23 This is a safe, ballot box friendly Budget as expected with a focus on jobs, cost of living, home ownership, and health. Key initiatives include: A 6 month, 50% reduction in fuel excise with effect from midnight Budget night A $420 cost of living tax offset for low and…
The ATO’s Attack on Trusts and Trust Distributions Late last month, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) released a package of new guidance material that directly targets how trusts distribute income. Many family groups will pay higher taxes (now and potentially retrospectively) as a result of the ATO’s more aggressive approach. Family trust beneficiaries at…
NSW Business Support The NSW Government has announced a $1bn support package for struggling NSW small businesses. Acknowledging the difficulty that business operators have faced, the NSW Treasurer Matt Kean has announced a package of measures to support small businesses impacted by COVID-19 over January and February 2022. Releasing the package,…