In This Issue
"It is our choices, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities" - J.K. Rowling |
Considered Value
Issue 126 - December 2018
SA Payroll Tax-Changes from 1 January 2019On 25 October 2018, legislative amendments to reduce Payroll Tax in South Australia for small business received Royal assent. Therefore, from 1 January 2019 businesses with grouped annual taxable wages of:
As these changes are coming into effect during the 2018/19 financial year, Revenue SA has advised this financial year will be split into two return periods: period one from 1 July 2018 to 31 December 2018, period two from 1 January 2019 to 30 June 2019. The following table details the rates and thresholds that will apply during these two periods:
Businesses that are already registered will need to remain registered for the 2018/19 financial year even if below the new threshold. If they advise RevenueSA that their estimated Australia wide wages (or group wages) for the 2018/19 financial year are under $1.5 million, they will be converted to an annual cycle and will need to complete their 2018/19 Annual Reconciliation by 22 July 2019. Businesses with estimated wages over $1.7 million for 2018/19 will not have any changes, they will need to continue to lodge monthly and annual reconciliations as per normal. Please contact your Brentnalls SA team member if you would like to discuss any of the above. 10 Tips For Managing Christmas Functions |
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5% of Australians experience identity crime that results in financial loss, making it more common than assault or car theft.* This means it is becoming ever more important to secure our information online. Here are 10 tips to help protect your business and personal information.
*Australia's cyber security strategy 2016 |
New Flexible Working Arrangement Rules
From 1st December 2018 modern awards will include new rules about requesting flexible work arrangements.
Employees (other than casuals) can request a flexible working arrangement if they have worked with the same employer for at least 12 months. Casual employees can make a request if they've been working for the same employer regularly and systematically for at least 12 months and there is a reasonable expectation of continuing work with the employer on a regular and systematic basis.
Eligible employees can request flexible work arrangements if they:
- Are a carer (under the Carer Recognition Act 2010)
- Have a disability
- Are 55 years or older
- Are experiencing family or domestic violence or
- Providing care or support to a member of their household or immediate family who requires care and support because of family or domestic violence
An employer must first discuss the request with the employee to try to reach an agreement about a change to their working arrangements. Employers should take into consideration the needs of the employee, the consequences for the employee if changes in working arrangements aren't made and any reasonable business grounds for refusing the employee's request (e.g. too costly, significant negative impact on customer service, efficiency, productivity, impractical to recruit new employees or no capacity to change other employees working arrangements).
If a request is refused, the employer must provide the employee with a written response within 21 days, which outlines whether the request is approved or refused and the reason for refusal. More information can be found on the Fair Work website.
The National Employment Standards do not require the employer to choose between granting an employee's request in full or refusing the request. Rather, employers and employees are encouraged to discuss their working arrangements and, where possible, reach an agreement that balances both their needs. If the employer and employee reach an agreement on a change in working arrangements, the employer must provide the employee with a written response, setting out the agreed changes.
Software Corner: | ![]() |
What is it?
Google Docs is a free Web-based application for creating and modifying word processing and spreadsheet documents. These files can be easily accessed with any computer with internet access and a functional web browser. The ease of access promotes collaboration amongst multiple users at any time.
Who can it help?
Google Docs is ideal for any team undertaking a project. The ability to track edits and for multiple users to work on the same document makes collaboration between multiple users a simple task.
Benefits
- Google docs has many benefits for small business which include:
- Ability to convert most file types to Google Docs format.
- Invite other people to collaborate on a doc with you, giving them edit, comment or view access.
- Collaborate online in real time and chat with other collaborators.
- View your documents' revision history and roll back to any version.
- Download Google Docs to your desktop as Word, OpenOffice, RTF, PDF, HTML or zip files.
- Translate a document to a different language.
- Using the inbuilt Google search engine to help populate spreadsheets.
- Easy to use integration with Google Images and YouTube to improve presentations and documents.
- There is no software to install, everything is accessible through them Google Docs website.
- Email your documents to other mpeople as attachments.
Pricing
Google Docs is a free software however you may add additional features for $5 per user a month. These extras include additional storage over the base Google drive online storage offered.
Client News
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We congratulate Dr Roger Absalom and Louise Absalom from Redgum Vet and Pet Boarding for being the major winner at the 2017/18 Rowe Partners Port Augusta Outstanding Business Awards. They won the Rowe Partners Most Outstanding Business Award as well as the Sundrop Farms Excellence in Medium Business Award, shown below. |
We congratulate our clients Cadgile on their recent business sale to French engineering company FIVA group. Gary McRae, GM of Cadgile, recently attended the Euronaval Defence Maritime conference in Paris to announce the sale and represent Cadgile at the conference.
Brentnalls News
Congratulations to Emily Hunt and partner Dane on the birth of their son Oliver.
We welcome Bailey Nisbett who has joined us as an intermediate accountant.
We congratulate all staff recently completing their university exams, particularly those who have now finished their degrees.
We farewell Rafal Stawicki and Caitlin Smith and wish them all the best for their future endeavours.
In October, Brentnalls SA supported the Cora Barclay Centre in their Loud Shirt Day.
Christmas Closure 2018 We would like to advise that our office will be closed for Christmas and New Year from Friday 21 December 2018 at 12 noon and will re-open on Monday 7 January 2019.
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This Christmas, instead of sending Christmas gifts, we've made a life changing donation to Make-A-Wish. makeawish.org.au |
This month Brentnalls SA is supporting:
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Meet James Moore
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I started working at Brentnalls SA just under two years ago as an intermediate accountant. Having completed my CPA at the beginning of this year, I moved up to the position of senior accountant, with a greater emphasis on providing support to the more junior members of the team. This is a role I really enjoy as I love helping people in general and it enables me to pass my knowledge of the job on to those less experienced. I love how the culture of Brentnalls SA really puts an emphasis on growing you as an individual but also as an accountant. My aim is to one day fill a more managerial role within the firm. In my spare time I love exercising, hanging with friends and exploring new places with my partner and dogs. I love to travel, when time permits, and recently returned from a four week trip to the UK and Europe. I'm also a huge Formula 1 fan and follow the sport closely. I was lucky enough to attend the Italian Grand Prix in Monza earlier this year.
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The information provided in this newsletter does not constitute advice. The information is of a general nature only and does not take into account your individual objectives, financial situation or needs. It should not be used, relied upon, or treated as a substitute for specific professional advice. We recommend that you contact Brentnalls SA before making any decision to discuss your particular requirements or circumstances. Brentnalls is not a partnership or a joint venture. Instead, the business of Brentnalls SA is independently owned and operated and it is an independent member of the Brentnalls Affiliation of Accounting Firms. Individual member firms do not accept responsibility or liability for the actions or inactions of any other individual member firm. |