Local support essential for small business recovery

Commonwealth Bank has today announced it will be more than doubling the number of local business bankers in branches...

Commonwealth Bank has today announced it will be more than doubling the number of local business bankers in branches across the country, and improving lending services in-branch and online, to ensure small business customers are supported on their road to recovery. The nationwide business banker expansion will offer more personalised...

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Why digital transformation can help your business take flight

Written by Dinesh De Silva, CEO of netStripes   As a business owner, you want your business to fly, but it's...

Written by Dinesh De Silva, CEO of netStripes   As a business owner, you want your business to fly, but it's never as easy as that. COVID-19 has made retail harder, and online seems to be the solution but it also comes with a host of unknown challenges. netStripes has partnered with...

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COVID-19 Update | 18 October 2020

Date for Victorian retail reopening has been announce In a much anticipated announcement, Premier Daniel Andrews has today confirmed that...

Date for Victorian retail reopening has been announce In a much anticipated announcement, Premier Daniel Andrews has today confirmed that Victorian hairdressers may reopen from 11.59pm tonight with strict safety protocols in place, and retail will reopen at 11.59pm on 1 November 2020. From this date, all remaining retail will open. Restaurants, cafes and...

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SafeCity Network: Brisbane CBD retailers alarming reports of youth chroming, assaults and harassment

The following trends in retail crime have been witnessed by Brisbane retailers of the past few weeks, as relayed...

The following trends in retail crime have been witnessed by Brisbane retailers of the past few weeks, as relayed across the National Retail Association's SafeCity Network. Retailers in Brisbane should be aware of an alarming trend of youths shoplifting Rexona aerosol cans for chroming purposes (the act of inhaling household...

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Retail’s best and brightest unveiled at the National Retail Awards 2020

After a year of unprecedented challenges the National Retail Association (NRA) has unveiled Australian retail’s best and brightest across...

After a year of unprecedented challenges the National Retail Association (NRA) has unveiled Australian retail’s best and brightest across an array of categories at a landmark online awards ceremony. The virtual format, attended by retailers from across the country, included various speakers from across the industry with the Minister for...

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The question of friendship in workplace investigations

by Steve Bennett, Manager, Forensic Services at BDO Australia   What is a friend? Many of us think we know the...

by Steve Bennett, Manager, Forensic Services at BDO Australia   What is a friend? Many of us think we know the answer, but when it comes to workplace investigations, the definition of who or what a friend is when considering conflicts of interest is not so straight forward. Government and corporate conflict...

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When do I need to notify WorkSafe of an incident in the workplace?

By Calum Woods and Lindsay Carroll, NRA Legal Over the past weeks, news has tragically emerged of two delivery riders...

By Calum Woods and Lindsay Carroll, NRA Legal Over the past weeks, news has tragically emerged of two delivery riders who were fatally struck by vehicles days apart in Sydney. The incidents have sparked renewed calls for more consistent WHS reporting obligations across Australia. When a serious safety incident occurs in...

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Message from the CEO | 13 October 2020

Following a year that has thrown up nothing but challenges for the retail sector, there was some welcome relief...

Following a year that has thrown up nothing but challenges for the retail sector, there was some welcome relief in last Tuesday’s Federal Budget from Treasurer Josh Frydenberg. With economies across the world plunged into recession it is an agonising time for anyone who operates a business, which is why...

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National Retail Association secures savings for members with BizCover partnership

The National Retail Association (NRA) has welcomed BizCover, Australia’s largest online business insurance service for SMEs, to its partnership...

The National Retail Association (NRA) has welcomed BizCover, Australia’s largest online business insurance service for SMEs, to its partnership network. With BizCover, you can skip the usual stacks of paperwork and phonecalls with brokers and switch to hassle free cover with a few clicks of a mouse. Simply answer a...

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Common sense prevails as retailers welcome senate inquiry into vaping

The National Retail Association (NRA) has welcomed the decision by the Commonwealth Senate to launch an inquiry into nicotine...

The National Retail Association (NRA) has welcomed the decision by the Commonwealth Senate to launch an inquiry into nicotine vaping products, claiming it as a win for common sense. Introduced by Government Senators Hollie Hughes and Matt Canavan, the Senate has agreed to establish an inquiry, with the Tobacco Harm...

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Federal Budget provides urgent relief to struggling retailers

The National Retail Association (NRA) has praised the Federal Budget announced by Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, claiming it provides numerous...

The National Retail Association (NRA) has praised the Federal Budget announced by Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, claiming it provides numerous measures that will offer urgent relief to struggling retailers. NRA CEO Dominique Lamb said measures aimed at boosting consumer spending and encouraging business investment had been items long advocated for by...

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Employer dodges conviction for child labour offences as regulator flexes muscles

By Alex Millman and Lindsay Carroll, NRA Legal In a stark sign of the times, the Victorian Wage Inspectorate (VWI)...

By Alex Millman and Lindsay Carroll, NRA Legal In a stark sign of the times, the Victorian Wage Inspectorate (VWI) has claimed its first criminal prosecution under child labour laws, and emphasized that it stands ready, willing and unafraid to prosecute wage theft offences when it gains that power next...

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Message from the Deputy CEO | 6 October 2020

Tonight, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg will hand down the first Federal Budget since April 2019. And it’s easily the most...

Tonight, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg will hand down the first Federal Budget since April 2019. And it’s easily the most important one in living memory. With Australia officially in its first recession since 1991, the entire nation will eagerly anticipate the blueprint for an economic recovery that the government will unveil...

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$1.2 billion wage subsidy for trainees and apprentices can bolster retailers bottom lines

The Morrison Government will invest an additional $1.2 billion to support Australian businesses to employ 100,000 new apprentices or...

The Morrison Government will invest an additional $1.2 billion to support Australian businesses to employ 100,000 new apprentices or trainees as part of the COVID-19 economic recovery plan. Starting 5 October 2020, businesses who take on a new Australian apprentice will be eligible for a 50 per cent wage subsidy,...

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Retailers call for $6000 small business grant to set up online stores in wake of COVID-19

The National Retail Association (NRA) is calling for a $6,000 e-commerce assistance package for every small business hurting financially...

The National Retail Association (NRA) is calling for a $6,000 e-commerce assistance package for every small business hurting financially as a result of COVID-19 to help them sell goods and services online, to be included as part of the JobMaker Digital Business Plan announced last Tuesday by the Morrison...

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Extended supports for Victoria’s commercial tenants and landlords

The Victorian Government has made changes to extend the Commercial Tenancy Relief Scheme (the Scheme) until the end of this...

The Victorian Government has made changes to extend the Commercial Tenancy Relief Scheme (the Scheme) until the end of this year. Under these changes, an eligible tenant who is seeking rent relief must apply to their landlord in writing with evidence that they are eligible for the Scheme as soon as possible. This is important as rent relief is only available from the date a tenant...

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