Is Your Business Meeting its Environmental Obligations? Environmental protection legislation is consistently being reviewed, with new laws being passed regularly at commonwealth, state and local government level. This new legislation contains severe penalties for environmental offenders, so it is vital as a business that you know what your environmental obligations are and how to meet them. If […]
As with most professions these days, financial advisers are subject to a number of regulations and standards put in place by governments to protect consumers and investors. Financial advice is a very personal affair, requiring intimate knowledge of a customer’s finances and having a direct impact on that person’s financial future. Whatever kind of advice […]
If you’re in the business of lending money for personal use, then you have a range of obligations under the National Consumer Credit Protection Act. The NCCP is a nationally consistent legislation that is designed to protect consumers and ensure the finance and credit industries operate in an ethical manner, according to professional standards. Its […]
How it Impacts your Business Running a business is tough enough these days, without the added risk of the ‘enemy from within’. Bribery or corruption can have serious implications for your business. It can mean investigation, the risk of criminal prosecution, damage to your reputation and to your share price if you are a listed […]
Equal opportunity is now a business buzz word. This is largely due to the growing number of harassment and discrimination cases being brought before the courts. It’s also due to the fact that it’s the employers, not the perpetrators who are receiving the fines, because equal opportunity legislation puts the onus of responsibility squarely on […]
Cartel behaviour is not the most widely discussed area of competition and consumer law (CCL), and according to research by University of Melbourne it is largely misunderstood by people operating in the business sector. However, cartels cause significant damage to the markets in which they operate. By participating in anti-competitive conduct, cartels drive prices higher, […]
Australian business and market regulators are becoming more assertive in enforcing legal compliance and many regulators are being afforded more power to pursue suspects. Both the ACCC and ASIC, for example, have recently been given more power to investigate suspicious activities, and the maximum penalties and fines for those found guilty of offences have been […]
Whistle blowers represent both a threat and an opportunity for compliance officers. The obvious threat for compliance officers is that an employee who has identified an area of non-compliance within the company chooses to report the issue to an external regulator, the ramifications of which may include heavy penalties for the company. New whistle blower […]
Training is vital for all new employees and there are two main areas of knowledge they need to acquire: Technical knowledge — the procedures involved in performing their role Industry-specific knowledge — the knowledge required to ensure their actions do not expose your organisation to non-compliance. In the past, organisations and SMEs focused solely on […]
A contract is a legally binding agreement entered into by two or more parties, which contains three basic components: Agreement (offer and acceptance) Consideration (exchange of goods or services) Intention (agreement to be legally bound). Businesses enter into a variety of contracts all the time with suppliers, customers, insurers, landlords, financiers, partners, employees and so […]
Much like the general insurance industry, private health insurers have their own voluntary code called the Private Health Insurance Code of Conduct. It was developed by the Australian Health Insurance Association (AHIA) in conjunction with industry stakeholders, with the aim of enhancing the relationship between health funds and consumers. Nearly all of today’s private health insurers […]
Workplace bullying has a cost to those being bullied, a cost to the community and can have a significant cost to your business. Learning how to identify and deal with workplace bullying through compliance training can save you a lot of time and money and lead to a more positive and productive workplace. What is workplace bullying? […]
