Legal matters
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Government secretly freezes funding for start-up services
10:28PM | Thursday, 18 October 2012 | Cara WatersThe Federal Government has frozen funding for small business support services while telling people the process was ongoing.
Australia’s first small business commissioner urges SMEs to work smarter
10:04PM | Wednesday, 17 October 2012 | Oliver MilmanMark Brennan, Australia’s first federal small business commissioner, has stressed the importance entrepreneurs should place on sound management and cashflow, after the Federal Government announced his appointment.
ACCC takes HP to court
10:25PM | Wednesday, 17 October 2012 | Cara WatersThe ACCC has brought proceedings in the Federal Court against HP, accusing the computer giant of issuing false and misleading warranties.
Unions dictate unfair dismissal reforms, business groups say
10:23PM | Tuesday, 16 October 2012 | Cara WatersBusinesses are critical of the limited change to unfair dismissal provisions announced by the Federal Government yesterday, claiming unions have been effectively given a veto right on reform.
Small wins for business on unfair dismissal laws
10:47PM | Monday, 15 October 2012 | Cara WatersWorkplace Relations Minister Bill Shorten today offered limited relief on unfair dismissal laws to business but the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry says the reforms are unlikely to go far enough.
Zero tolerance on sexism in the workplace
10:14PM | Friday, 12 October 2012 | TaskmasterTaskmaster Enterprises takes a zero-tolerance approach to sexist language in the workplace. You’d be wise to do the same.
ACCC to clarify country of origin labelling but Australian Made Campaign says "deceptive" rules need to be changed
10:56PM | Thursday, 11 October 2012 | Cara WatersThe ACCC says its country of origin guidelines for product labelling are fine; consumers just have to learn to understand its system.
Beware legal claims when checking out staff on social media, SMEs warned
10:19PM | Wednesday, 10 October 2012 | Oliver MilmanSmall businesses have been warned they are risking potential lawsuits by placing too much emphasis on information they find out about employees’ private lives on social media.
Fair Work Ombudsman launches age discrimination prosecution
10:21PM | Tuesday, 9 October 2012 | Cara WatersWelcome to Australian employment law: Where two laws are always better than one.
ACCC flags financial penalties for Franchising Code breaches
10:31PM | Monday, 8 October 2012 | Cara WatersThe Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has called for stronger sanctions for breaches of the Franchising Code as the sector continues to boom.
Complaints mount as national Business Names Register struggles
10:25PM | Monday, 8 October 2012 | Cara WatersThe national business name register is continuing to give start-ups headaches.
Gillard urged to help create 'Silicon Beach' for Australian tech businesses
10:38AM | Monday, 8 October 2012 | Oliver MilmanThe tech sector has told the Federal Government that regulations need to change if Australia wants to have its own Silicon Valley.
Tax watchdog calls for improvements to ATO’s audit processes
10:54PM | Friday, 5 October 2012 | Michelle HammondThe tax watchdog wants the Tax Office to improve its audit processes, after the ATO wrongly investigated almost 6,000 small business owners as part of a crackdown on the cash economy.
Time and cost of red tape on small businesses spiralling: Report
10:23PM | Friday, 5 October 2012 | Oliver MilmanNearly three quarters of Australian small businesses spend longer complying with regulations than they did two years ago, according to a new study.
Calls mount for US start-up visa to spur immigrant-founded start-ups
10:46PM | Wednesday, 3 October 2012 | Michelle HammondAlmost a quarter of US tech start-ups were founded by immigrants, according to a new report by the Kauffman Foundation, but this figure is currently in decline.
Eagle Boys franchisee fined $30,000 for underpaying staff, lack of experience blamed
10:19PM | Tuesday, 2 October 2012 | Patrick StaffordBusiness inexperience rather than malice led to underpayment of employees by a NSW pizza franchisee.
Companies hit with $1 million penalty for door-to-door selling practices
9:49PM | Friday, 28 September 2012 | Michelle HammondThe Federal Court has ordered two businesses to pay a total penalty of $1 million for illegal door-to-door selling practices, following action by the ACCC.
Government mulls IP crackdown on “weak” patents
9:46PM | Tuesday, 25 September 2012 | Michelle HammondThe Federal Government is considering tough new standards for innovation patents to stop large companies from abusing Australia’s IP system, admitting weaker patents can “create problems”.
US start-up kicked off Kickstarter following IP infringement claims
9:19PM | Friday, 21 September 2012 | Michelle HammondA US start-up accused of intellectual property infringement says it was kicked off Kickstarter just 10 hours before its campaign was due to end, highlighting the potential risks of crowdfunding.
Home-based businesses warned over card fraud threat
9:53PM | Thursday, 20 September 2012 | Michelle HammondHome-based businesses and other small online retailers have been issued a warning from the payments industry body, which has launched a new program to help combat online card fraud.
