Small Business Topics

Every Australian business registered for GST must lodge a Business Activity Statement (BAS) with the ATO — either monthly, quarterly, or annually depending on your turnover and reporting obligations.

Australian small businesses can claim deductions for expenses that are directly related to earning assessable income.

In Australia, you must register for GST if your business has a GST turnover (gross income minus GST) of $75,000 or more per year, or $150,000 for non-profit organisations.

Cash flow — not profit — is the number one reason Australian small businesses fail.

The instant asset write-off allows eligible Australian small businesses to immediately deduct the cost of new or second-hand assets in the income year they are first used or installed ready for use, rather than depreciating them over several years.

Mixing personal and business money is one of the most common compliance mistakes small business owners make — and one of the easiest to fix.

Most small businesses carry some form of debt — equipment finance, overdraft, credit cards, or an ATO liability from a slow BAS quarter.

Understanding whether your margins are healthy requires benchmarking against your industry.

Hiring your first employee is a major milestone — and it comes with legal obligations that start before their first day.

Starting 1 July 2026, the Superannuation Guarantee (SG) must be paid at the same time as wages — on each payday, not quarterly.

Sham contracting occurs when a business treats a worker as an independent contractor when they are, in substance, an employee.

Correctly classifying a worker as an employee or independent contractor is one of the most important compliance decisions a small business makes.

Modern Awards are legally binding documents that set minimum pay and conditions for employees in specific industries or occupations.

Australian employees who have completed the minimum employment period (12 months for small businesses with fewer than 15 employees, 6 months for larger employers) can make an unfair dismissal claim if they believe their termination was harsh, unjust, or unreasonable.

An Australian Business Number (ABN) is an 11-digit identifier issued by the Australian Business Register (ABR).

Choosing between operating as a sole trader or a company (Pty Ltd) is one of the first and most consequential decisions for a new business.

Public liability insurance covers your business if a third party (customer, visitor, member of the public) suffers injury or property damage as a result of your business activities.

Having the right contracts in place protects your business from disputes, non-payment, and legal liability.

The Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) generally apply to businesses with an annual turnover of $3 million or more.

Signing a commercial lease is one of the biggest financial commitments a small business makes — often second only to hiring staff.

The Australian Consumer Law (ACL), administered by the ACCC and state fair trading bodies, applies to every business that sells goods or services to consumers in Australia — regardless of size.

Late payment and unpaid invoices are a persistent problem for Australian small businesses.

Intellectual property (IP) is often a small business's most valuable asset — your brand name, logo, product designs, software, processes, and creative content.

Most Australian businesses need at least one licence, registration, or permit to operate legally — and many need several.

Tradies have some of the broadest deduction categories of any occupation — but also some of the highest ATO audit rates.

For most tradies, the work vehicle is the single largest tax deduction available.

Western Australia regulates most building and trade activities through a licensing system administered by the Building Services Board (building, painting, cabinetmaking), the Electrical Licensing Board (electrical), and the Plumbers Licensing Board (plumbing, gasfitting, drainage).

A good quote wins the job, covers your costs, and delivers a fair profit.

Australian small businesses face a range of insurable risks.

Under the model Work Health and Safety (WHS) laws adopted by most Australian states and territories, every business operator is a Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU) with a primary duty of care to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of workers and others affected by the work.