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Last week, ICA’s Executive Director, Ken Phillips, wrote an open letter to Prime Minister Turnbull which was published in Business Spectator. It was about the PM’s desire for an innovation society. Ken said small business innovation is in trouble because of the Tax Office and other matters. He said that there are two tasks:  More...

Important new research released in April has found that the number of independent professionals (iPros) in Europe has increased 45 per cent since 2004. Undertaken for the Professional Contractors Group in the UK, the study not only presents data on a country-by-country basis, but also includes profiling results which show that the major determinants for choosing self-employment are a sense of fulfilment and flexibility in working patterns. More...

Thank goodness Holden is finally leaving Australia. The pain is over and no longer will ordinary Australian taxpayers and small business people have to pay to keep Holden going. Full blogpost here. More...

One of the biggest challenges facing large firms these days is how to manage a ‘blended’ workforce. Few companies are able to operate with employees alone. The use of independent contractors ‘blended’ with employees is a new ‘normal’.  More...

The proportion of small business people not taking on new workers in Australia has risen during 2013 according to the latest survey by MYOB. This must be a significant explanation for the projected rise in Australian unemployment. As we’ve shown before (see figures below) more than 60 per cent of workers are in small business. If small business people are under pressure, employment really struggles!  More...

It’s amazing the stories we receive at ICA from self-employed people describing their business ‘woes’. They’re not complaining about the commercial risks of being in business, but rather aghast at the stupidity of many of the regulations and situations they are forced to work with. Below are ten such stories we have received. It’s these practical examples that bring home the truth about the complexities of being in business for yourself. More...

I had a debate with union leaders at a conference last week. It was truly a ‘men are from Mars, women are from Venus’ experience. They were on about their ability to dictate ‘fairness’. I was about entrepreneurship through the human experience. We just didn’t ‘get’ each other. It was a robust exchange!  More...

An ICA member reflects that disability care requires flexible workforce arrangements, and people prepared to do the work! The ICA member says:

I am interested in the progress of the National Disability Insurance Scheme and admit self-interest.  I now have my 93-year-old, infirm mother living in my home and requiring a high level of care. More...

Penalty rate hikes in awards, particularly weekend and public holiday rates, are causing Australia to undergo a backward revolution. It's a step into the past by stealth. Restrictive trading hours are being imposed through the mechanism of business-breaking cost hikes. Full article here. More...

ICA member Allen Cummings says the 457 visa arrangements are not working in IT. Comments welcome. Allen says:

I am concerned that the media doesn’t understand what is happening in the IT industry with offshoring jobs and the use of cheap 457 visa IT staff to replace Australian IT staff. More...