The Fair Imports Alliance has called on the Customs management to come clean and provide crucial importation data to industry, business and the Productivity Commission (PC) inquiry into the future of retail. 

The Fair Imports Alliance spokesperson Brad Kitschke said industry was still waiting for answers to questions about the low value importation threshold crucial to the Productivity Commission (PC) retail inquiry submitted to the Customs and Border Protection Service on 7 March.

"These questions were then followed up at a Customs forum for industry held on 25 March in Melbourne, but went yet again, unanswered," Kitschke said.

"The Fair Imports Alliance has written to the Minister for Home Affairs Brendan O'Connor and lodged Freedom of Information requests in an attempt to gain access to data held by government agencies after most of the questions it had placed on notice prior to the Customs forum on 25 March were not able to be answered at the event.

"We have hit a brick wall and we need the Minister to step in.  We have been told by Customs it provided some advice to the Board of Taxation when reviewing the low value importation threshold in 2010, but that information isn't being provided to industry.  We are told a lower rate of the threshold is not 'administratively or economically feasible' but we have seen no modelling, no data, no analysis, no reports.  On what basis is this claim made if the data doesn't exist? This information is crucial to industry being able to properly contribute to the PC inquiry process. Fair Imports Alliance is concerned the PC may not be able to make informed recommendations.

"We asked questions like: how many packages come in under the threshold in a year, what is their value, what has been the increase? Customs say they either don't have the data, can't share it with industry or it's for 'government only'. If they don't have some of this data, what have they been basing their decisions on for the last five years? ," Kitschke said.

 We were delighted to hear the news last week that Editor of Newsline Australia, Glynn Lavender, had added another member to his family.

Grace Isabelle Lavender was born on 19/4/2011 weighing in at a nice 8.8lbs.

Mother and baby are doing well.... Dad is apparently a wreck!

We wish them all the best as they adjust to family life as a quartet. 

Emily Lavender welcomes her new sister

COSBOA is particularly disappointed that in the address by Minister Combet that there was no mention that small business people and their families will not wear the carbon tax on behalf of the Australian Community. 
COSBOA has watched the carbon tax debate with deep interest and growing trepidation. We do not want a carbon trading scheme in which small business has all extra costs passed on by government and big business.  
Peter Strong, Executive Director of COSBOA stated today "We know from hard experience that any extra costs imposed by government are pushed down onto the small business family. For example any extra power costs in a Westfields Centre will without doubt be passed straight onto the small business owner, plus another 10% or even 20% for handling fees. Westfields, Centro and the like will not pay an extra cent as it will all be forced onto their tenants." 
He added "COSBOA will not support any process that will force extra costs onto people. If a small business has an extra costs it doesn't come from the business, it comes from the income of that family. And a simple answer that they should just increase their prices shows a serious lack of understanding of the modern business world. Owner drivers are locked into contracts, retailers are on leases, manufacturers are limited by suppliers and where their market is based. It isn't that easy for most small businesses."  
Mr Strong also stated that "We believe that the multi speed economy (including reverse) will be magnified by this process unless we get it right. The fickle economy is already hitting hard on tax receipts so let's hope Mr Combet gets it right for all of us and not make it worse." 
Small business people are the ones who will innovate and take advantage of changes made to the way we use and produce energy, let's support them and not inhibit this behaviour. Do not force extra costs onto some families while compensating other families.

Imaging and Entertainment Expo Convention Sessions

Embracing Technology and understanding how to translate the terminology to the general public is Charlie's speciality. As Technology Editor for Channel Nine's Today Show and weekly appearances on 2UE Charlie is used to communicating the confusing techno terms and getting people passionate about the products.

This is the ideal session to have a look at how you are communicating with your customers.  

Is there a better way? Come along and get some new ideas on how to talk to your customers. 

Friday 24^th June

For more details of Conference sessions or to register for the Conference, go to

 www.pmaaustralia.com.au

Paid Parental Leave - Is your business ready?  

Australia's first paid Parental Leave scheme came into effect on 1 January 2011.

As you may be aware, under the new scheme eligible employees are entitled to 18 weeks' pay at the federal minimum wage of $570 a week before tax if they are the primary carer of a newly born or adopted child.  As an employer, you will be responsible for administering Paid Parental Leave for your eligible employees from the start of the next financial year which is just a matter of weeks away.

Essentially, your role in the Paid Parental Leave scheme is one of paymaster.  If you haven't done so already, you must register your business for the scheme through Centrelink Business Online Services. To register you must provide information such as your business bank account details, pay cycle details, business name, Australian Business Number (ABN), and contact details.

You only have a matter of weeks to develop and implement appropriate policies in your business so you're ready to provide Parental Leave Pay from 1 July 2011.

If you have an eligible employee your business will be notified by the Family Assistance Office who will confirm with you the employee's eligibility and ask you to provide further information and confirmation of their details.  

Leave funds will be deposited into your nominated business bank account before your employee's usual pay cycle cut-off date. The funds will be provided fortnightly over 18 weeks, or through three six-weekly instalments.

When you pay your employee, you will need to withhold tax from the Parental Leave Pay under your usual PAYG withholding arrangements. You also need to keep financial records of all funds received and paid to the employee.  Any unpaid Parental Leave funds need to be returned to Centrelink.

Unlike normal employment conditions, you are not required to make superannuation contributions for Parental Leave Pay and nor is it subject to payroll tax liabilities or workers compensation premium liabilities.

Article contributed by ADP.

 Fri April 29:                        PMA Future Leaders Program Sydney Workshop