Financial Services

ACCOUNTING bodies have called on the Australian Tax Office to be more lenient with small and mid sized businesses that breach their GST obligations.

THREE Western Australian companies have been given a five-star rating in a national survey of corporate governance practices.

BUSINESS borrowers should review their cash flow projections to assess the impact of higher interest rates, accountants and finance brokers have recommended.

COMMERCIAL lawyer Neal Fearis believes the Australian Securities and Investments Commission has tightened its scrutiny of schemes of arrangement during the past year.

THE use of schemes of arrangement has attracted substantial criticism this year, particularly in relation to the takeovers of BankWest and MIM.

ST John Ambulance WA has outsourced its $45 million superannuation fund to Acumen Super.

A MAJORITY of chief financial officers is yet to identify the impact of the planned introduction of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) in Australia, according to a new survey.

CREDIT mangers have been advised to constantly monitor their exposure to customers so they can act quickly if problems arise.

CREDIT managers attending a conference last week had to deal with the fallout from a struggling telecommunications company.

THE Federal Government’s revised corporate law reforms have received a cautious welcome from accountants, auditors and company directors.

TRADE payments by Australian industry have fallen to an average of 47 days, the lowest level in four years.

A SURVEY of small business has found that many organisations fail to regularly implement simple debtor management practices.

TALK of interest rate rises is sparking concerns about falling sales and increased operating costs, according to the lates Dun and Bradstreet National Business Expectations Survey

THE Department of Agriculture has achieved big financial savings on its way to winning an environmental award for fleet management.

THE Australian Taxation Office has announced changes to make it easier for businesses to claim deductions for low-cost items such as office supplies, crockery and small tools.

In the final part of our cash flow management series, Mark Beyer looks at finance options.

COMPANIES worried about corporate fraud have recently been given stark reminders about the magnitude of the problem.

In part three of our series on cash flow management, Mark Beyer looks at the role of technology.

AUSTRALIA’S publicly listed debt collection companies have improved their financial performance over the past year but the sector as a whole is characterised by weak earnings.

In the second part of our series on cash flow management, Mark Beyer looks at trends in trade payments.

In the first part of our series on cash flow management, Mark Beyer introduces some strategies businesses can employ.

TAX campaigners have hailed a recent Federal Court decision as a big win for investors in mass marketed ‘tax effective’ investment schemes.

In the final part of our fleet management series, Mark Beyer seeks advice from some of the major players in the local market.

THE Australian Taxation Office plans to conduct 70,000 compliance reviews this year to detect and deal with businesses operating in the black economy.

SEALANES, Western Power and Brightwater are three very different organisations with highly varied approaches to fleet management.

In the first of a three-part series on fleet management, Mark Beyer looks at the changing profile of the industry.

A PROPOSAL to exempt insurance agents from disclosing commissions on risk products has been roundly criticised by financial planners and the consumer lobby.

WESTERN Australian businesses have been urged to start planning now for the implementation of international accounting standards in 2005.

This week Mark Beyer looks at the impact of the tighter insurance market.

THE methodology used by business brokers to value businesses was roundly criticised at an accounting forum in Perth early this week.

In this week’s article on risk management, Mark Beyer looks at business risks that may not be properly managed.

In the first of a three-part series on risk management, Mark Beyer looks at the management of currency and interest rate risks.