THE Fair Work Ombudsman’s Small Business helpline has received more than 150,000 calls since it was established in December last year.

The priority service was created following a Coalition election commitment to provide quick and reliable information to small business operators around Australia.

Minister for Employment, Senator Eric Abetz said it was essential that small business operators had access to reliable workplace relations advice.

"With more than 150,000 calls in a year, the Small Business Helpline is assisting thousands of hardworking small business operators,” Minister Abetz said.

Minister for Small Business Bruce Billson MP said he regularly spoke with small business operators who were after information to assist them in their daily operations.

"Small business operators want to do the right thing and that’s why it’s so important we give them the right tools to help them, such as this priority helpline,” Minister Billson said.

Small business operators mainly called for assistance and information on wages, modern awards and conditions of employment under the Fair Work Act.

Small business operators can call the dedicated Small Business Helpline on 13 13 94.

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WITH only two days left before Christmas, retailers can expect stampedes of last minute shoppers to hit stores across Australia today and tomorrow – bringing the pre-Christmas shopping period to an end which has seen $45 billion spent since mid-November.

The Australian Retailers Association (ARA) has also released its projected figure for retail sales on Boxing Day, with a whopping $2.072 billion expected to be spent on 26 December alone – a year on year increase of $72 million.

ARA Executive Director Russell Zimmerman said if Boxing Day 2013 was anything to go by, retailers are in for another successful day of sales this Friday.

“Boxing Day 2013 saw unprecedented crowds, with many stores forced to restrict entrance due to the sheer number of people already in store. Many shoppers spent hours waiting in lines – lining up to get into the store as well as lining up to make their purchases.

“While retail staff do a fantastic job of preparing for their Boxing Day sales, the ARA does encourage shoppers to remain patient and understanding if they plan to hit the shops this Friday.

“Overall, the fact that Boxing Day sales are set to increase by $72 million this year is a fantastic sign for the retail industry. The ARA does have remaining concerns, however, that some retailers in some states across Australia are disadvantaged by restrictive reading hours that prevent them from opening their stores on Boxing Day. We urge the government to review these restrictions as soon as possible,” Mr Zimmerman said.

Looking ahead to the post-Christmas shopping period as a whole (from 26 December to 15 January 2015), Australian shoppers aged 14 and older are tipped to spend an average of $850 each, representing a total of $16.1 billion in post-Christmas retail sales.

• PRE-XMAS: Shoppers expected to spend $45 billion from 15 November – 24 December ($2,370 per person and year on year increase of 4.3%)
   
• POST-XMAS: Shoppers expected to spend $16.1 billion from 26 December -15 January ($850 per person and year on year increase of 3.6%)
   
• BOXING DAY: Shoppers expected to spend $2.072 billion on Boxing Day (an increase of $72 million year on year)

Since 1903, the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) has been the peak industry body representing Australia’s $265 billion retail sector, which employs over 1.2 million people. The ARA ensures retail success by informing, protecting, advocating, educating and saving money for its 5,000 independent and national retail members throughout Australia.

Visit www.retail.org.au or call 1300 368 041

AUSTRALIAN shoppers (aged 14 and older) are tipped to spend an average of $850 each from Boxing Day through to 15 January 2015, representing a total of $16.1 billion in post-Christmas retail sales.

New research released by the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) and Roy Morgan revealed the figure of $16.1 billion represents an estimated year on year growth of 3.6 percent.

ARA Executive Director Russell Zimmerman said with only one weekend left before Christmas, shoppers are expected to flock to their local shopping precincts this Saturday and Sunday as well as early next week to purchase last-minute gifts.

“While plenty of Australians will complete their Christmas shopping for loved ones this weekend or early next week, many will hit the shops again come Boxing Day in hope of bagging a bargain or two for themselves.

“The post-Christmas shopping period is as equally as crucial as pre-Christmas preparations, and we congratulate those retailers who are working hard to prepare their stores, websites and staff for a chaotic (and hopefully successful) sales period from December 26.

“The festive sales period doesn’t just continue in the stores; there are also many shoppers who will be enjoying the sales from their living rooms. Some retailers are expected to start their Boxing Day sales as early as Christmas Eve this year.

 “This year, the hospitality sector shows the highest level of predicted growth at 6.7 percent. This is to be expected with most people on holiday from late December and looking to go out and socialise with friends. New Years Eve celebrations also provide a major boost to the hospitality sector.

“Household goods are also set to experience a small but significant jump in post-Christmas sales, indicating that gift buying will be replaced by shoppers making the most of Boxing Day sales and splurging on household items for themselves. 

“It’s fantastic to see that all states and territories are predicted to experience positive growth post-Christmas, ranging from 1.2 percent (ACT) to 4.2 percent (NSW). After what has been a tough year in business, the ARA is hopeful this positive trend will continue into 2015,” Mr Zimmerman said. 

Since 1903, the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) has been the peak industry body representing Australia’s $265 billion retail sector, which employs over 1.2 million people. The ARA ensures retail success by informing, protecting, advocating, educating and saving money for its 5,000 independent and national retail members throughout Australia.

Visit www.retail.org.au or call 1300 368 041.

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RESOURCE industry employer group AMMA (Australian Mines and Metals Association) has renewed its call for trade unions and employer organisations to stop being treated as a protected species and to be subject to the same standards and penalties as corporations, after the Royal Commission into Trade Union Corruption today reported serious criminality and disregard for our laws.

“The interim report of the Royal Commission has identified alarming criminal conduct among some Australian trade unions, including intimidation and coercion, blackmail, fraud and frequent misuse of members’ funds to set up union election slush funds,” says AMMA chief executive Steve Knott.

“There is nothing short of a culture of lawlessness in some trade unions, and a key driver of this is the ongoing treatment of registered organisations, including unions and employer groups, as special cases when it comes to governance standards, regulation and penalties for breaking the law.

“Having separate rules leads some union officials to think they are different from company directors, and that compliance with the law is optional.  Examples include the prosecution of the CFMEU over its illegal boycott of Boral and this week’s conviction of former HSU official Craig Thomson.”

The Australian Government’s approach, through the Fair Work Amendment (Registered Organisations) Bill 2014, is to create a separate Registered Organisations Commission to oversee enhanced regulation of unions and employer groups. This Bill is before the Senate and has been opposed by the Opposition.

“This is a step in the right direction, but creating another unique body to oversee unions and employer organisations is not the best approach,” Mr Knott says.

“It is well beyond time to stop treating unions and employer groups as a protected species with their own set of rules. Unions and employer organisations should be regulated by Australia’s Corporations Law under the watchful eye of the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC).

“Trade unions and employer organisations are often multi-million dollar businesses and in AMMA’s view, should be treated no differently to corporations, with the same responsibilities, oversight and penalties.

“Just as the community expects corporations to meet standards of probity and proper governance, the community is entitled to expect trade unions to meet the same standards, a point reinforced by the unacceptable conduct revealed by the Royal Commission.”

The Royal Commission’s findings, released by Employment Minister Eric Abetz, also present an undeniable case for the urgent reintroduction of the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC) – which was abolished by the former ALP government under trade union pressure.

“No part of our community, be it businesses, trade unions or any other organisations, should be able to engage in acts of willful defiance of our laws, maintain unaccountable slush funds, or fail to properly serve the interests of their members,” Mr Knott says.

“As Minister Abetz noted, 1800 pages of evidence now back the reintroduction of the ABCC, including today’s finding of ‘a culture of willful defiance of the law which appears to lie at the core of the CFMEU’; and that such criminality ‘reveals grave threats to the power and authority of the Australian state’.

“It is time our parliamentarians reflect community sentiment and deliver effective regulation that will to rid our nation’s union movement of crooks, criminals and thugs.”

www.amma.org.au

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