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As the enormity of the Coronavirus contagion sinks in, a rapid adjustment to what’s needed to survive is taking hold.

First is everyone’s health. We are in the hands of the health professionals and simply will do as they advise.

Second is to do the best we can to look after our collective and individual financial well-being. None of us will avoid financial pain, but some will feel (and are feeling) the hurt more than others. The more we pull together the stronger we will all be.  More...

We started our campaign against ‘reverse factoring’ in October last year. That’s the ‘game’ that large businesses play where they delay paying their small business suppliers. Then they say ‘oh we know a friendly financier who will lend you the money we’re not paying you!’ What a scam!

In November last year we called for reverse factoring to be stamped out. Here’s my YouTube comment from Parliament House.  More...

We’ve been pretty quiet during January on issuing news alerts. That’s because we’ve been doing a lot of behind-the-scenes preparation for 2020. This year we’re making a big push for key reform issues for self-employed small business people. The timing is right because there is heightened political interest in small business issues.

Our 2020 campaign agenda has three key targets, all to do with small business people receiving a fair deal: More...

It’s not long before we all attempt to eat too much Christmas pudding and hopefully settle down for a decent holiday relax! To all SEA members: our grateful thanks for your support during this very big year. Your membership contributions keep our efforts going, defending the rights of self-employed people.

To all our followers, including the many thousands of our social media watchers: our Seasons Greetings. We’d really appreciate your membership and support. You can join here.  More...

I’m in Parliament House Canberra.

We’ve talked about this before… reverse factoring.

Let’s stamp it out.

Here’s our quick YouTube post from Parliament calling for action:  More...

They are very good, you know! That is, big businesses are really good at working out how to ‘do over’ their small business suppliers.

Perhaps big businesses are most creative in the ‘gotcha’ game in the way they avoid paying small business people on time. Ooops, or sometimes even avoid payment?

Australia’s largest construction conglomerate, CIMIC, has been outed. It has been reported that instead of paying its small business suppliers within 30 days, it’s going to be 65 days! Ah—very smart! And get this: They are doing this on state government-funded projects such as Melbourne’s Metro Trains and Brisbane’s Cross River Rail.  More...

Now that the federal election has been called (18 May) the importance of how self-employed people vote can be understood.

Demographer Bernard Salt gives an excellent analysis in this article from The Australian. Salt draws on ABS small business activity data calibrated to electoral boundaries. He looks at demographic changes between the last election in 2016 and now. He focuses on sole trader and small business activity.  More...

Yes, well it’s pretty obvious that the political system is in chaos. But despite the turmoil we thought we’d give you some updates on a few more sane things (from our perspective) that are coming through.

Free legal advice in ATO disputes
The Labor opposition is talking of funding free legal advice on tax matters to low-income taxpayers if they win government. It’s further recognition by Labor of the unequal power relationship between small business people and the ATO.  More...

Here’s an easy question! What’s the most important thing in business? Answer: Collecting the money you are owed!!! Simple answer, hey, but something too many small business people don’t follow.

Having systems for prompt small business payments is a priority campaign for us. See here and here. More...

A few update issues:

Competition law reform. Success!
We reported to you last Sunday on why the ‘effects test’ Bill is opposed by Labor. It’s simple: Follow the money. Coles pays the shoppies’ union who pays the Labor Party. Coles opposes the Bill. Labor opposes the Bill. Well, on Wednesday, the Misuse of Market Power Bill (Effects test) passed Parliament. Here’s the Senate debate  (watch from about 12.52). Labor opposed. The Greens supported the Bill along with other independent Senators. Well done to them in ensuring a fairer deal for small business people and competition! More...