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- 08OCT2021-FRI (copy 01)
08OCT2021-FRI (copy 01)
Corporate COVID-19 vaccine mandate for employees: What you need to know
Friday 8th October 2021
Let’s Talk: Dos and Don’ts for achieving work-life balance while working from home
Before the pandemic, working from home was seen as a perk, something that enhanced work-life balance. But now that organisations have had remote working thrust upon them, many people struggle to delineate work and play.October is Mental Health Month, so it is timely to acknowledge that remote working can cause overwhelm, isolation, anxiety and depression without a structured approach. Our experts provide their tips for making working from home productive and enjoyable.Let’s talk…
Corporate COVID-19 vaccine mandate for employees: What you need to know
Following months of recurrent lockdowns and restrictions in an attempt to slow or reduce the spread of COVID-19, both the Australian State and Federal Governments have said that administering COVID-19 vaccinations is the key to lifting lockdowns.
Google’s drone startup Wing launches world first shopping centre drone delivery service in Queensland
Drone delivery company Wing has recently partnered with Australian retail property group, Vicinity Centres to test run a world-first drone delivery service. In the pilot, goods were collected from shopping centres and delivered directly to homes and businesses across southeast Queensland. Over the past month, Wing has delivered 2,500 packages in their “rooftop model” pilot program.
Fin-tech app helps Australians settle debt
In an Australian fin-tech first, a Melbourne based company has developed an app that allows users to negotiate their debt with creditors from a single platform. The app, called Lever, streamlines the negotiation process, giving users greater control of their credit.
Five ways for business leaders to make the return to work, work
The Productivity Report aligns with previous indications on the permanence of this workplace shift. Earlier this year, the community of Chief Economists at the World Economic Forum reported remote working would have the longest-lasting impact post the pandemic. While Microsoft research found 73 per cent of employees want remote working to stay, and 67 per cent want in-person collaboration. However, research also highlights employee nervousness about returning to the office, while Gartner research revealed employee concerns about getting infected by an unvaccinated colleague.Organisations need to develop a return-to-work strategy to navigate this new world of working successfully.
How to keep customers coming back post lockdown
Post-COVID-19 freedom days are approaching throughout Australia, hailing the dawn of the next business era. It has all companies pondering how to retain customers as the country reopens.One of the biggest challenges for business is encapsulated in that delightful quote from Greek philosopher Heraclitus dating back some 2,500 yearsid:2021-10-07-08:35:39:985t: “the only constant in life is change”.
Prospective homebuyers in Australia’s borrowing power will be reduced by tens of thousands of dollars after the banking regulator intervened to tighten lending requirements in the face of surging house prices and mounting concern about the financial system’s stability. As record low-interest rates fuel the property market, the banking regulator took the first step on Wednesday to rein in higher-risk mortgage lending and rising family debts.
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has reduced some red tape for businesses in the external administration sector. The new rules extend the deadline for insolvent companies to compile and file financial reports. The deferral relief kicks in as soon as a company’s control is transferred to a third party, such as a voluntary administrator or temporary liquidator. Companies can then postpone financial reporting duties for a minimum of six months and up to two years. Simultaneously, a firm can postpone having an AGM until two months after the delayed relief expires.
In NSW, 39% of over 500 strata buildings surveyed had major issues, yet only 15% were notified to Fair Trading. According to a survey conducted by the NSW Building Commissioner and Strata Community Australia, the primary impediments to under-reporting are expense and a lack of understanding. Waterproofing and fire safety were two of the most frequently identified problems. The NSW government, according to Building Commissioner David Chandler, is attempting to restore consumer confidence in the home building business.
Oil prices fell over 2%, retreating from multi-year highs, as an unexpected increase in U.S. crude stocks caused buyers to take a breather following recent dramatic gains.
Bitcoin has returned, and it now has a notable new supporter. The price of the world’s most expensive cryptocurrency jumped about 10% to around $55,000, following news that billionaire George Soros’ investment business holds bitcoin. Soros, who is well-known for reaping large profits from traditional currency investments, is said to have begun trading in bitcoin in recent months.
India is currently facing a shortage of coal reserves, with demand greatly outstripping supply, potentially resulting in a serious power crisis. With the economy rebounding from COVID-19 lockdowns and other economic restraints, a sudden increase in energy demand has resulted in an unprecedented fuel shortage at the country’s coal-fired power plants. At the end of last month, these power plants had an average of four days’ worth of fuel on hand, down from 13 days at the start of August.
Soaring demand for coal and gas exports has fuelled a trade surplus boom, countering a sudden decline in iron ore market prices following China’s cooling-off. According to data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the country’s trade surplus jumped to $15.1 billion, surpassing market expectations of a $10.1 billion surplus due to reduced iron ore quantities. The surplus increased by $2.4 billion in August, owing to a $1.3 billion increase in resource exports and a $550 million increase in revenues from rural commodities exported offshore.
Since the initial coronavirus outbreak early last year, the number of people getting welfare payments in Victoria has climbed by about 50%. In August this year, 81,853 more people received Jobseeker or Youth Allowance than in February last year, a 46 percent rise. In February 2020, before the worst of the pandemic hit, there were 176,611 persons receiving Newstart payments – the former name for Jobseeker – and Youth Allowance across Victoria.
Oil prices rose, with US crude reaching a three-year high and Brent futures reaching a four-year high, after the OPEC+ group of producers stuck to its scheduled output rise rather than increasing it further. OPEC+ agreed on Monday to stick to its July agreement to increase output by 400,000 barrels per day (bpd) per month until at least April 2022, phasing out 5.8 million bpd of existing production limits.
The trade deficit in the United States reached a new high of $73.3 billion in August, as a small uptick in exports was overwhelmed by a considerably larger surge in imports. According to the Commerce Department, the monthly trade deficit climbed by 4.2 percent in August, reaching an all-time high, breaking the previous record of $73.2 billion established in June. Exports increased 0.5 percent to $$213.7 billion in August, reflecting increased overseas demand. Despite all of the supply chain issues at ports, imports increased by 1.4 percent to $287 billion.
China is preparing for battle in the trade and technology wars started by the US and will retain policies that can boost its competitiveness, according to Chinese official media after the US outlined its new tough trade stance.
