Comments for herVoice - Advocacy and Public Policy for Women in Business http://www.hervoice.com.au/blog The Australian Businesswomen's Network's Advocacy and Public Policy program for Women in Business Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:46:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 Comment on Free financial planning resources and reports by Platinum Financial Associates http://www.hervoice.com.au/blog/news-and-updates/free-financial-planning-resources-and-reports/comment-page-1#comment-2370 Platinum Financial Associates Fri, 24 Jul 2009 08:03:41 +0000 http://www.hervoice.com.au/blog/?p=37#comment-2370 Most of us don't have enough money to cover our minimum expenses. Why worry about something you are never going to be able to control or improve? Personal financing should start IN THE HOME at an early age, hopefully by parents who have a sucessful financial plan and outlook. Children learn what they live. Most of us don’t have enough money to cover our minimum expenses. Why worry about something you are never going to be able to control or improve? Personal financing should start IN THE HOME at an early age, hopefully by parents who have a sucessful financial plan and outlook. Children learn what they live.

]]> Comment on Your Budget Questions by robyn good http://www.hervoice.com.au/blog/blog-posts/your-budget-questions/comment-page-1#comment-2318 robyn good Thu, 14 May 2009 19:11:41 +0000 http://www.hervoice.com.au/blog/?p=156#comment-2318 I agree very little has been put forward in the current budget to assist small business. I know many will agree. My bug bears:- Payroll Tax Get rid of payroll tax!! The tax on businesses to employ people. Land Tax Stamp duty Extra export grant money is great! If you have the funds to spend in the first instance! 50% rebate on investment! Great if you have the funds, but how will this help the Australian economy when most of the items suitable for this rebate originate from offshore manufacturers. I also heard today that a lot of vehicle traders have actually increased the prices of vehicles by approx of 10% to “cash in” on the situation. One story is a guy organised to purchase a new van, fitted with all the bells and whistles was quoted one price last week, this week he was told, oh sorry mate that particular vehicle is not available anymore...but we do have an updated one but it will cost a little more..Approx 5k more than originally quoted. Is it true what I heard that superannuation will increase to 16%? The next 18 months will be very difficult for any small business; I wish everyone the best of luck and hope to see you all on the other side :-) I agree very little has been put forward in the current budget to assist small business.

I know many will agree.
My bug bears:-
Payroll Tax Get rid of payroll tax!! The tax on businesses to employ people.
Land Tax
Stamp duty

Extra export grant money is great! If you have the funds to spend in the first instance!

50% rebate on investment! Great if you have the funds, but how will this help the Australian economy when most of the items suitable for this rebate originate from offshore manufacturers.

I also heard today that a lot of vehicle traders have actually increased the prices of vehicles by approx of 10% to “cash in” on the situation. One story is a guy organised to purchase a new van, fitted with all the bells and whistles was quoted one price last week, this week he was told, oh sorry mate that particular vehicle is not available anymore…but we do have an updated one but it will cost a little more..Approx 5k more than originally quoted.

Is it true what I heard that superannuation will increase to 16%?

The next 18 months will be very difficult for any small business; I wish everyone the best of luck and hope to see you all on the other side :-)

]]> Comment on Major Parties Fiddle While the Economy Burns by Linda Fairbairn http://www.hervoice.com.au/blog/news-and-updates/parliamentarians-fiddle-while-the-economy-burns/comment-page-1#comment-2281 Linda Fairbairn Thu, 30 Apr 2009 10:08:45 +0000 http://www.hervoice.com.au/blog/news-and-updates/parliamentarians-fiddle-while-the-economy-burns#comment-2281 Crazy - Encouraging them NOT to spend it on electoral expenses so they can pocket it? Very hard not to be cynical and say three guesses as to how many will spend it on carrying out their duties when by sitting back with their feet up they will be rewarded for their inaction with this 'bonus' Crazy - Encouraging them NOT to spend it on electoral expenses so they can pocket it? Very hard not to be cynical and say three guesses as to how many will spend it on carrying out their duties when by sitting back with their feet up they will be rewarded for their inaction with this ‘bonus’

]]> Comment on Government Considers Banning Bank Exit Fees by Denys Williams http://www.hervoice.com.au/blog/news-and-updates/government-considers-banning-bank-exit-fees/comment-page-1#comment-2254 Denys Williams Mon, 20 Apr 2009 01:56:53 +0000 http://www.hervoice.com.au/blog/?p=134#comment-2254 I have several friends that fixed their interest rate at over 7% at a time when higher interest on their 300k-500k mortgages would have meant great hardship. Now those people are losing jobs and finding that swapping to another mortgage will cost them 25k-30k in exit fees even when using the same lender. Surely as a result of the differential between the actual cost of lending and the rate they are charging the banks have already made their money on these loans. How can they be allowed to engage in such damaging practice; damaging for the individuals concerned, and damaging for the economy when the repayments aren't met. I have several friends that fixed their interest rate at over 7% at a time when higher interest on their 300k-500k mortgages would have meant great hardship. Now those people are losing jobs and finding that swapping to another mortgage will cost them 25k-30k in exit fees even when using the same lender. Surely as a result of the differential between the actual cost of lending and the rate they are charging the banks have already made their money on these loans. How can they be allowed to engage in such damaging practice; damaging for the individuals concerned, and damaging for the economy when the repayments aren’t met.

]]> Comment on Women the biggest financial losers after divorce by Tricia http://www.hervoice.com.au/blog/news-and-updates/women-the-biggest-financial-losers-after-divorce/comment-page-1#comment-2209 Tricia Fri, 20 Feb 2009 00:27:07 +0000 http://www.hervoice.com.au/blog/?p=24#comment-2209 I disagree. I divorced my husband, and we both kept our jobs. He pays me $800/month in CS and pays for 1/2 the day care expenses. I also now get benefits from the gov't at rates I didn't even know existed before our divorce! I would say I get another 1700/month tax free. Yes, the bills are now all mine, but he has all those same bills too, yet does not recive another 1700/month like I do to cover them. I think if a women can keep a full-time job and raise kids (yes, it is hard but I have family close by and my husband and I still cooperate) then she does just fine financially after divorce. Most women I know go to reduced hours and part-time work, so of course their incomes appear lower. But remember all the CS money and Gov't benefits are not counted as income for divorced women w/kids, so in reality I think we are doing OK. I disagree. I divorced my husband, and we both kept our jobs. He pays me $800/month in CS and pays for 1/2 the day care expenses. I also now get benefits from the gov’t at rates I didn’t even know existed before our divorce! I would say I get another 1700/month tax free. Yes, the bills are now all mine, but he has all those same bills too, yet does not recive another 1700/month like I do to cover them. I think if a women can keep a full-time job and raise kids (yes, it is hard but I have family close by and my husband and I still cooperate) then she does just fine financially after divorce. Most women I know go to reduced hours and part-time work, so of course their incomes appear lower. But remember all the CS money and Gov’t benefits are not counted as income for divorced women w/kids, so in reality I think we are doing OK.

]]> Comment on Do Not Call Register - Should It Be Extended to Include All Telephone Numbers? by Alexis http://www.hervoice.com.au/blog/news-and-updates/do-not-call-register-should-it-be-extended-to-business-numbers/comment-page-1#comment-2045 Alexis Tue, 28 Oct 2008 02:00:05 +0000 http://www.hervoice.com.au/blog/?p=59#comment-2045 I feel all phone and fax numbers should be able to be listed, business included. If people opt-into a telemarketing list and want to be informed of opportunities then let it be their choice. I feel all phone and fax numbers should be able to be listed, business included. If people opt-into a telemarketing list and want to be informed of opportunities then let it be their choice.

]]> Comment on ABN invited to consult on new Work and Family program by Nerida Gill http://www.hervoice.com.au/blog/news-and-updates/abn-invited-to-consult-on-new-work-and-family-program/comment-page-1#comment-2038 Nerida Gill Sun, 26 Oct 2008 23:46:15 +0000 http://www.hervoice.com.au/blog/?p=69#comment-2038 Admin Bandit is a micro home based business and has been established as a "tele-working" business. ie. providers and staff work remotely. We are putting in place policies to facilitate staff working flexibly from home as the norm rather than the exception. This will include daily huddle meetings of 15 mins, weekly, monthly and quarterly special purpose meetings and use of current technologies to facilitate good communication and a high performing team. It will also involve staff selection processes to identify staff who thrive in a remote team environment and OH&S assessments of home offices, contracts describing the expections of working from home eg. office maintained in a safe state and free of obstacles. We will be engaged as a case study in a research project with the University of Canberra to help us identify and address what is working and build upon it and what is not working so it can be addressed. As a microbusiness, it would be helpful for grants to cover:- - establishing these teleworking processes and policies; - the costs of having OH&S assessments done of staff home offices; - implementing cutting edge technologies to facilitate good communication. Admin Bandit is a micro home based business and has been established as a “tele-working” business. ie. providers and staff work remotely. We are putting in place policies to facilitate staff working flexibly from home as the norm rather than the exception.
This will include daily huddle meetings of 15 mins, weekly, monthly and quarterly special purpose meetings and use of current technologies to facilitate good communication and a high performing team. It will also involve staff selection processes to identify staff who thrive in a remote team environment and OH&S assessments of home offices, contracts describing the expections of working from home eg. office maintained in a safe state and free of obstacles.
We will be engaged as a case study in a research project with the University of Canberra to help us identify and address what is working and build upon it and what is not working so it can be addressed.
As a microbusiness, it would be helpful for grants to cover:-
- establishing these teleworking processes and policies;
- the costs of having OH&S assessments done of staff home offices;
- implementing cutting edge technologies to facilitate good communication.

]]> Comment on $75 Million Climate Ready Program Opens For Business by Peter Nolle http://www.hervoice.com.au/blog/news-and-updates/75-million-climate-ready-program-opens-for-business/comment-page-1#comment-1804 Peter Nolle Wed, 24 Sep 2008 00:59:23 +0000 http://www.hervoice.com.au/blog/?p=56#comment-1804 Treadstone is currently assisting clients with preparing Climate Ready applications. We have had much success with the predecessor program called Commercial Ready. The new funding program has a much greater focus on "Green" projects and we are eager to see what type of projects get approved. Peter Nolle www.treadstone.com.au Treadstone is currently assisting clients with preparing Climate Ready applications. We have had much success with the predecessor program called Commercial Ready. The new funding program has a much greater focus on “Green” projects and we are eager to see what type of projects get approved.

Peter Nolle
http://www.treadstone.com.au

]]> Comment on Government Invites Comment on Proposed Carbon Pricing Scheme by Jean Cannon http://www.hervoice.com.au/blog/news-and-updates/government-invites-comment-on-proposed-carbon-pricing-scheme/comment-page-1#comment-1340 Jean Cannon Mon, 28 Jul 2008 06:04:28 +0000 http://www.hervoice.com.au/blog/?p=55#comment-1340 I was concerned that there is little mention of small business and the potential flow down effect on them especially in the even smaller section that the various business councils never consider. I would feel that the help to families would be more effective if low income rental housing and lower income home owners had their houses insulated so they use less heating and cooling and some of the money went into subsiding better public transport to help remove vehicles. This way it may actually reduce emissions. I would be concerned about just handing out cash to smoke drug or gamble - all of which seem to happen as a priority for some poor thing I was concerned that there is little mention of small business and the potential flow down effect on them especially in the even smaller section that the various business councils never consider.
I would feel that the help to families would be more effective if low income rental housing and lower income home owners had their houses insulated so they use less heating and cooling and some of the money went into subsiding better public transport to help remove vehicles. This way it may actually reduce emissions. I would be concerned about just handing out cash to smoke drug or gamble - all of which seem to happen as a priority for some poor thing

]]> Comment on Paid Parental Leave - Members’ Comments Sought by Kylie-Ann Petroni http://www.hervoice.com.au/blog/news-and-updates/paid-parental-leave-members-comments-sought/comment-page-1#comment-266 Kylie-Ann Petroni Mon, 19 May 2008 00:59:49 +0000 http://www.hervoice.com.au/blog/?p=46#comment-266 Hi there, We are a small business - 6 in total and our team is made up of mostly females. Over the past 3 years 3 of our key staff have had children. We decided right from the start that each member of our team was too valuable to lose and so we introduced a paid maternity scheme. It wasn't full pay, as we couldn't afford to do that and then hire some extra help so together we all came up with a payment structure that worked for all of us. The key part of this was that it was the same for all of us including myself. We also decided that each of us could still work from home if we wanted to so that we could still be part of the team and have some adult interaction. The second part of our scheme is that we all bring our children to work with us, and our clients are aware of this and we are all then supportive of the new mum and we help each other with the ups and downs of parenthood on a daily basis - the good and the bad! None of us have family here in Canberra and only have each other to fall back on so why would we as a business choose to make it harder for our team members to come back to the workforce! That never made sense to us. So far it has worked and it's been productive and I believe that our business has grown in ways that only enhance what we do for our clients - as we are all happy in terms of feeling as though we have found our work/life balance. Hi there,

We are a small business - 6 in total and our team is made up of mostly females. Over the past 3 years 3 of our key staff have had children. We decided right from the start that each member of our team was too valuable to lose and so we introduced a paid maternity scheme. It wasn’t full pay, as we couldn’t afford to do that and then hire some extra help so together we all came up with a payment structure that worked for all of us.

The key part of this was that it was the same for all of us including myself. We also decided that each of us could still work from home if we wanted to so that we could still be part of the team and have some adult interaction.

The second part of our scheme is that we all bring our children to work with us, and our clients are aware of this and we are all then supportive of the new mum and we help each other with the ups and downs of parenthood on a daily basis - the good and the bad!

None of us have family here in Canberra and only have each other to fall back on so why would we as a business choose to make it harder for our team members to come back to the workforce! That never made sense to us.

So far it has worked and it’s been productive and I believe that our business has grown in ways that only enhance what we do for our clients - as we are all happy in terms of feeling as though we have found our work/life balance.

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