Chemist monopoly on vaping “worst of both worlds” for small business

The National Retail Association (NRA) has expressed its concern about a Federal Government proposal to hand pharmacies a monopoly...

The National Retail Association (NRA) has expressed its concern about a Federal Government proposal to hand pharmacies a monopoly over the sale of smoke-free nicotine products. NRA CEO Dominique Lamb said the proposal represented the “worst of both worlds” for small convenience retailers who currently rely on tobacco sales for...

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NRA releases blueprint for Australian retail recovery

The National Retail Association (NRA) has released an ambitious blueprint designed to tackle the unprecedented challenges confronting the sector...

The National Retail Association (NRA) has released an ambitious blueprint designed to tackle the unprecedented challenges confronting the sector and set Australian retail on course for recovery. The full impact from the outbreak of the Coronavirus is yet to be fully felt and it follows a summer of devastating drought...

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Message from the CEO – 5 February 2019

Running and operating a small business comes with many challenges - ensuring you have the right balance in staff...

Running and operating a small business comes with many challenges - ensuring you have the right balance in staff numbers, understanding Australia’s complex industrial relations system, and navigating tough economic times to name just a few. That’s why it’s vital that governments (at all levels) enact measures that make running...

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Message from the CEO – July 31

The Federal Government’s Parliamentary Franchising Inquiry is now well underway – the findings of which are due at the...

The Federal Government’s Parliamentary Franchising Inquiry is now well underway – the findings of which are due at the end of September. As an attempt to establish the fact among the fiction, the Inquiry has been honing in on areas like how the Code is being operated and its effectiveness,...

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Message from the CEO: 14 November 2017

That time has arrived once again - we are officially in ‘pre-Christmas trade’! As we all know, that can mean...

That time has arrived once again - we are officially in ‘pre-Christmas trade’! As we all know, that can mean frantic attempts keep clothes on hangers rather than change room floors; clearing tried-on footwear again and again and again; helping indecisive gift-buyers find that special something; and the never-ending carols...

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Federal Government to close superannuation legal loophole

by Angela Szczepanski and Sid Sidhu, NRA Legal The Federal Government is planning to introduce legislation in the coming months...

by Angela Szczepanski and Sid Sidhu, NRA Legal The Federal Government is planning to introduce legislation in the coming months that will address an estimated $1 billion worth of annual unpaid super. The Bill, which will amend that rules that currently allow companies to reduce their super contributions, will close...

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Message from the CEO: 6 March 2017

Last week, the NRA was concerned to hear the Federal Government announce that they would be cracking down on...

Last week, the NRA was concerned to hear the Federal Government announce that they would be cracking down on so-called ‘dodgy franchisees’ through the Fair Work Amendment (Protecting Vulnerable Workers) Bill 2017, which currently sits before the federal parliament. The legislation seeks to make franchisors more responsible for underpayment of...

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2016-2017 Federal Budget in depth

Last Tuesday the Federal Government handed down the 2016-2017 budget. With a strong focus on the future and providing help...

Last Tuesday the Federal Government handed down the 2016-2017 budget. With a strong focus on the future and providing help for small and medium enterprises, the government has committed to reducing the company tax rate over the next decade. The small business threshold will be raised from $2 million to $10...

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CONSULTATION REMINDER: Extending unfair contract term protections to small businesses

A new law recently passed by the Federal Government will protect small businesses from unfair contact terms in standard...

A new law recently passed by the Federal Government will protect small businesses from unfair contact terms in standard form contracts. The new law will will come into force on 12 November 2016 following a 12 month transition period. A small business is defined as employing less than 20 people,...

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Message from the CEO: 12 February 2016

It’s been a week of distractions in business and politics, from the instability of global stock markets to the...

It’s been a week of distractions in business and politics, from the instability of global stock markets to the decision of the Federal Government to abandon the idea of increasing the GST, to a looming Ministerial reshuffle. These are factors that can dent consumer confidence, which has otherwise been improving,...

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Review of card payments regulations

As a result of a review of the regulatory framework for card payments conducted last year by the Reserve...

As a result of a review of the regulatory framework for card payments conducted last year by the Reserve Bank, the Federal Government recently announced draft legislation that will insert a ban on surcharging in excess of merchant costs into the Competition and Consumer Act (2010). The Reserve Bank recently...

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Message from the CEO: 15 January 2016

The jobs figures released yesterday by the Australian Bureau of Statistics were very welcome news for the economy, and...

The jobs figures released yesterday by the Australian Bureau of Statistics were very welcome news for the economy, and for the retail sector. The ABS reported that 312,000 more Australians were in work in December compared with the same time 12 months ago, with most of those people finding full-time...

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Message from the CEO: 11th December 2015

The Federal Government this week released its innovation package which it hopes will spark an “ideas boom” across Australia....

The Federal Government this week released its innovation package which it hopes will spark an “ideas boom” across Australia. And while most commentary has tended to focus on high-tech industries and emerging technologies, it’s pleasing that the Government realises that ideas and innovation must also be fostered across traditional...

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