As we’ve seen with the devastating northern NSW and Queensland floods – and costliest ever – earlier this year, a one-in-1,000-year flood doesn’t only occur every millennium. Despite the minuscule 0.1% chance of that type of flood happening in any location any year, it can occur in two consecutive years, says Weatherzone. That’s what the town of Lismore has endured already this […]
Landlords’ offers of rent reductions, rent-free periods, or fit-out contributions are handy sweeteners for SMEs looking to sign commercial leases. But these may be waning, with SMEs looking to lease 300sqm the lease most in demand across many sectors. Ensure your business follows these due diligence tips before signing a lease in this fluid environment. Permitted use […]
The Australian Work Health and Safety Strategy has called on the manufacturing sector to reduce its rates of fatalities and serious claims. This is an industry with the eighth-highest fatality rate and second-highest serious claim frequency rate in Australia – more than nine claims per million hours worked in 2019-20. The main cause of fatalities and injuries […]
Fleet managers have had a rough ride over the past couple of years. Supply chain issues have delayed parts deliveries and increased wait times for new vehicles. Globally,125M vehicles that were scheduled to be built since January haven’t rolled off production lines, says the Australasian Fleet Managers’ Association. However, there’s still plenty that fleet managers can control – […]
Understanding the difference between an independent contractor and an employee is a problematic area of employment and related laws. The official business.gov.au website defines independent contractors as their own bosses, so they work for themselves. Meanwhile, employees work in your business, and you pay them a wage and control how, where and when they do their work […]
Fraudsters tend to keep a step ahead of everyone. If you think you understand the problem of fraud and economic crime now, you may see it change by June due to the pandemic’s impact. That’s a finding from the Australian Institute of Criminology‘s report on fraud and its relationship to pandemic and economic crises. It says […]
Whether you’re a hands-on commercial property landlord or delegate the duty to a property manager, it’s always timely to refresh your understanding of responsibilities. This article focuses on non-retail commercial premises, and you can find out more about the distinction here. Building maintenance Your key responsibility is to ensure your property is in a safe, proper […]
The difference between insuring your work vehicle(s) under personal or commercial cover may not appear much, but the deeper you look, the more they diverge. Here’s why it’s important to know what distinguishes these policies. This will help you secure the correct cover to protect your assets. How are personal and commercial car insurances different? […]
Businesses are constantly changing and growing, so if your business is enjoying a growth spurt, congratulations. But a changing business climate often means new insurance requirements. Here’s what you need to do about your insurance cover to ensure your business has adequate ongoing protection. This will help reduce your risks of being over or underinsured. […]
Australia’s reliance on offshore manufacturing during the pandemic has come under the spotlight. Our dependence on overseas supplies for much-needed masks, vaccines, and even the diesel engine additive AdBlue, has highlighted just how little we manufacture here in Australia. How the pandemic exposed our reliance on global supply chains Today, domestic manufacturing accounts for a […]
