Earlier this week we discussed the history of Uber in its global legal battles to have its drivers accepted as independent contractors. The Uber battle is at the forefront of the gig ‘question’.
Today we focus on the Australian Taxation Office and its incompetence (from our experience) in assessing employee vs independent contractor status. The ATO should learn from a significant Uber legal decision in Australia. It probably won’t though More...
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Reflections on an incompetent ATO—ABNs & Gig stuff
Hysterical reaction to Uber (gig) drivers not being employees. ATO wake-up call
Earlier this month the Fair Work Ombudsman released a statement that, after a two-year investigation, it has concluded that drivers working through Uber are not employees.
The Transport Workers Union described the decision as ‘…devastating for workers in the gig economy’. One academic said the decision was ‘very disappointing’. More...
Thank goodness. Morrison Government is DOING, rather than just promising, ATO reform
Usually, in the lead-up to elections, governments make all sort of promises in the hope that this will give them favour with the electorate. But we’re delighted to report that with small business tax reform the Morrison government is delivering, not simply talking.
Today the government announced that the Small Business Tax Tribunal will start up on the 1 March 2019—just two weeks away. This is huge. We continue to see bad ATO small business audits and an ATO incapable of quickly fixing glaring audit errors. It’s an audit system of considerable incompetence, with small business people the victims. More...
Continuing our theme of (put me to sleep?) summer holiday tax reading
Goodness. We had lots of people respond to our last news alert of (boring) summer tax reading. Large numbers of people downloaded our December submissions to Parliamentary and Treasury reviews of the Australian Taxation Office.
So we thought we’d enliven your summer reading even more! This time it’s the submission we made to Treasury in its review of Australian Business Numbers.
Over the last few years the ATO has been aggressively denying individuals access to ABNs and cancelling ABNs. There’s been an attitude that many people are not really running small businesses. The ATO reckons that it can identify a ‘real’ business from a ‘sham’ business. More...
Let’s make reform of the ATO happen!
This year we have been highlighting the unfair treatment of self-employed people by the ATO. We’ve been doing a lot of work talking to politicians from all parties, senior public servants and the media. Self-Employed Australia continues to support and assist those who are under ATO attack.
Now we need your help. More...
The gig economy is exploitation by an evil empire. Discuss!
The supposed ‘rise’ of the ‘gig’ economy is causing much debate on whether its impacts are good or evil for society. There’s much confusion.
The author of a new book, Gigged: The End of the Job and the Future of Work, was interviewed on the USA Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) this week where the social issues were discussed. The four-minute interview can be seen here. More...
Government report says ATO denies “justice for small business”
Following the ABC Four Corners program ‘Mongrel Bunch of Bastards’ alleging Australian Taxation Office abuse of small business people, the first of three government-ordered reports was released yesterday.
The report from Small Business Ombudsman Kate Carnel states that the ATO has “serious system-wide issues” that result in “…fundamental denial of access to justice for small business.” More...
Unions and Turnbull on the same page? Destroying worker freedoms!
I'm afraid we're seeing a big political swing against freedom in the workplace. The most obvious driver of this agenda is the Australian Council of Trade Unions.
Essentially, what unions want are changes to the Fair Work Act to force businesses to do deals with unions. The FWA was created by the Rudd Labor government in 2009. But it has not worked to the advantage of the unions in the way unions had expected. The key to union/business deals is that unions offer businesses corrupt deals that either (a) reduce workers' wages and/or (b) make life more difficult for the businesses' competitors. Businesses pay money to unions for this 'service'. More...
It’s the gig economy, stupid!!
Technology is crushing traditional jobs. The command-and-control factory is being replaced by robots. Banks are rapidly removing pen-pusher jobs by the tens of thousands!!! For those with an economic bent, the Milton Friedman-type assumptions about how an economy operates are dead!
What’s taking over is the ‘gig’ economy. But what is it? It’s pretty simple really. More...
2017 a year of transformation. 2018 a year for building self-employed rights
2017 was a hugely busy and transformational year for Self-Employed Australia on many important fronts.
Since forming in 2000 under the name Independent Contractors Australia, we have focused on one thing—advocacy for the rights of self-employed Australians. In this respect, we have had major successes even though we are entirely a volunteer group. More...
Recent Posts
- “Reform the ATO”, says Senator. An important speech!
- Christmas just around the corner—some quick updates
- Let’s stamp out reverse factoring—It’s big business at its worst
- A Victorian Act of Evil — Most likely unconstitutional! — Most likely to be passed in Parliament
- ATO—Bullying and fear. IRS—Accountability, checks and balances, service!
- Explosive, gobsmacking statements by Tax Commissioner raise serious concerns about democracy, the rule of law and cover-up
- Big business is endlessly creative in screwing small business
- Democracy crumbling in chaos—do boofheads now rule?
- ‘Houston we have a problem’—says ATO—at long last!
- ATO power push lacks proper checks and balances—Credit agency reporting
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