Business Know How

1 July 2026 Law Changes: Tranche Two AML/CTF Rules Now Apply to Jewelers and Precious Metal Dealers

On 1 July 2026, multiple national changes begin: the lowest marginal income tax rate drops from 16% to 15% for $18,201–$45,000 (employers must apply updated PAYG tables), individuals can claim a $1,000 work expense deduction without receipts, and super caps rise (concessional cap to $32,500 and transfer balance cap to $2.1m) while the SG rate stays at 12%; wage, payday super and parental leave changes were covered in episode 65. The episode focuses on AML/CTF Tranche Two, extending AUSTRAC regulation to many sectors, including dealers in precious metals, stones and products, where $10,000+ cash or digital currency transactions (including structured linked payments) trigger obligations such as AUSTRAC enrollment by 29 July, a compliance officer, risk assessment, written AML/CTF program, customer ID checks, threshold and suspicious matter reporting, staff training, and 7-year recordkeeping, with severe penalties for non-compliance.

00:00 New Financial Year Changes

03:06 Tax And Super Updates

04:47 Tranche Two Explained

06:24 Who Gets Captured

07:49 Ten Thousand Dollar Rule

10:04 Bullion Dealer Notes

10:48 Core Compliance Duties

14:14 Real World Example

15:10 Customer Experience Tips

16:13 Penalties And Enforcement

17:18 Seven Step Action Plan

19:40 Wrap Up And Resources

Employment law changes (wages, Payday Super, PPL):  Episode 65 — businessknowhow.com.au

AUSTRAC enrolment portal (AUSTRAC Connect):  austrac.gov.au

AUSTRAC guidance for dealers in precious metals, stones and products:  austrac.gov.au

AUSTRAC bullion dealers overview and quick guide:  austrac.gov.au

ATO updated PAYG withholding tables:  ato.gov.au

ATO income tax rate changes:  ato.gov.au/about-ato/new-legislation/in-detail/individuals/personal-income-tax-new-tax-cuts

EOFY Legal Checklist for Australian Businesses: 7 Actions to Take in the Final 6 Days In the final six days of the 25–26 financial year, Melissa Bush presents a practical end-of-financial-year legal checklist for Australian businesses to address overlooked compliance risks before 1 July. She outlines seven key actions: audit employment contracts, classifications, and pay arrangements ahead of wage increases; reconcile any outstanding super contributions before payday super and increased ATO visibility begin; review aged receivables and issue formal payment demands for invoices over 60 days (and seek legal advice for debts over 90 days); confirm ABN, business name, licenses, permits, and ASIC details are current; check major contracts for automatic renewal clauses and notice windows; reassess whether the business structure, shareholders’ agreement, and (if applicable) trust distribution resolutions are fit for purpose before 30 June; and update personal documents, especially a current will and enduring power of attorney, to support business continuity.

00:00 Six Days Left

01:21 Podcast Intro

02:27 Why This Checklist

03:23 Audit Employment Setup

05:39 Reconcile Super Now

07:32 Overdue Invoices Plan

09:17 Update Registrations

11:17 Avoid Auto Renewals

13:11 Rethink Structure

14:55 Wills And POA

17:06 Seven Item Recap

18:33 Year End Wrap Up

1 July 2026 Employment Law Changes: Wage Rises, Payday Super, Parental Leave Expansion & Victoria NDA Restrictions

Melissa Bush briefs Australian employers on key employment law changes taking effect from 1 July 2026 (plus immediate Victorian changes), warning of active enforcement by the Fair Work Ombudsman and ATO and providing a pre-30 June checklist. The Fair Work Commission’s 2026 Annual Wage Review increases the national minimum wage 6% to $26.44/hour ($1,004.90/week) and modern award minimum rates 4.75%, effective from the first full pay period on or after 1 July, with a phased removal of the C13 classification; employers must update payroll and ensure salaries still absorb award entitlements where applicable and enterprise agreement rates remain above awards. “Payday super” replaces quarterly payments: super must be received by funds within 7 business days of each payday (with a 20-business-day rule for new starters), triggering non-deductible SGC if late. Government-funded paid parental leave expands to 26 weeks, with 4 weeks reserved for the non-primary carer, requiring policy and workforce planning updates. Victorian law restricts NDAs in sexual harassment settlements unless requested by the complainant, with strict procedural requirements and a 12-month termination right.

00:00 July Law Changes Overview

01:25 Show Intro Disclaimer

02:32 Minimum Wage Award Rises

06:09 Payroll Checks BOOT

08:46 Payday Super Explained

13:01 Payday Super Checklist

15:03 Paid Parental Leave Update

19:35 Victoria NDA Limits

23:20 Final Summary Next Steps

https://calculate.fairwork.gov.au/FindYourAward

https://www.fairwork.gov.au/about-us/workplace-laws/annual-wage-review/annual-wage-review-2026

https://www.ato.gov.au/businesses-and-organisations/super-for-employers/payday-super/about-payday-su...

https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/parental-leave-pay

https://www.vic.gov.au/restricting-non-disclosure-agreements-sexual-harassment-work-act-2025

The Great Wealth Transfer: Family Business Succession Without Family Fallout

Melissa Bush explains that Australia is entering its largest intergenerational wealth transfer, with $3.5 trillion (possibly closer to $5 trillion) expected to move from over‑sixties to younger generations in the next 20 years, and that succession is especially complex for family businesses. She notes family businesses comprise 70% of Australian businesses and employ 50% of the workforce, yet only about 30% transition to the next generation (12% to the third). The episode distinguishes ownership succession from leadership succession and explores equality vs fairness vs equity in inheritances. Bush compares lifetime transfers (managed handover, mentoring, continuity, possible tax structuring) with testamentary transfers (disruption, disputes, lack of readiness), recommending a hybrid approach. She urges families to start conversations now and outlines a framework: regular valuations, professionalized systems, leadership development, a family constitution, and aligned legal documents (will, enduring power of attorney, shareholders and buy-sell agreements, trusts), supported by structured family meetings and diagnostic tools.

00:00 Trillions at Stake

00:57 Why Family Businesses Differ

01:59 Show Intro and Disclaimer

03:06 Roadmap and Big Picture

05:01 Succession Success Rates

08:15 Should One Child Inherit

10:55 Ownership vs Leadership

12:34 Equality, Fairness, Equity

18:33 Transfer Now or Later

24:09 Start the Conversations Now

28:31 Practical Succession Framework

33:13 Wrap Up and Next Steps

https://familybusinessassociation.org/resources/family-business-diagnostic-tool

https://familybusinessassociation.org/community/advisor-directory

https://www.tdgp.com.au

Previous episodes:

Episode 19 - Business Succession Planning

https://www.businessknowhow.com.au/podcasts/business-know-how/episodes/2149042140

Episode 55 - Is a simple will enough for a business owner?

https://www.businessknowhow.com.au/podcasts/business-know-how/episodes/2149186556

Episode 59 - When business and divorce collide

https://www.businessknowhow.com.au/podcasts/business-know-how/episodes/2149200656

Episode 60 - Shareholders agreements

https://www.businessknowhow.com.au/podcasts/business-know-how/episodes/2149202582

ABN Isn’t Enough: Navigating Licences, Permits and Council Approvals for Australian Small Businesses

Melissa Bush explains that registering an ABN and business name is only the start and many Australian businesses need approvals across three tiers of government Commonwealth (e.g., tax, employment, ACL, ASIC licences), state/territory (e.g., trade and building licences, insurance, certification), and local council (e.g., development consent, building approvals, food premises registration, outdoor dining, signage, noise). She outlines typical approval needs for food and hospitality (Food Standards Code, food authority registration, food safety supervisor, council inspections, liquor licensing), trades and construction, health practices (AHPRA registration, premises consent, accessibility, medicines approvals), and retail/e-commerce (product licences, ACL, privacy, ASIC where relevant). She recommends using ABLIS to identify obligations, confirming premises suitability with council, and auditing/renewing licences, noting serious risks of illegal trading, shutdown orders, prosecution, contract breaches, and invalidated insurance.

00:00 The Costly Approval Trap

01:41 Show Overview and Disclaimer

03:59 ABN Is Only Step One

04:35 Three Government Tiers

06:29 Council Approvals Matter

08:26 Food Business Requirements

11:39 Trades and Construction Licences

13:00 Health Practice Compliance

14:30 Retail and Online Rules

15:59 Using ABLIS to Check

19:14 ABLIS Limits and Myths

20:58 Penalties and Insurance Risks

23:47 When Licences Get Suspended

25:15 Practical Approval Checklist

28:14 Wrap Up and Next Steps

https://ablis.business.gov.au/

https://business.gov.au/

https://business.gov.au/registrations

Unpaid Internships in Australia: When Work Experience Becomes Employment

Melissa Bush explains that the Fair Work Act doesn’t define "intern", so unpaid arrangements may be treated as employment if they look and function like work, triggering minimum wage, award entitlements, superannuation, back pay and penalties. She outlines two lawful pathways: a vocational placement under s12 (unpaid, required by an authorised course, and documented by the institution) or a non-employment arrangement where the person does no productive work, receives meaningful training, and the main benefit flows to them. She details key indicators used by courts and the Fair Work Ombudsman (purpose, duration, control, benefit, and payment expectations) and cites enforcement examples (Croc Media fines and back pay; D.Studio Architects underpayment recovery). She also covers higher civil penalties after the Feb 2024 reforms and the Jan 2025 criminal offence for intentional underpayment and provides a checklist: verify vocational status, keep placements short/observational, document and review, and when in doubt, pay.

00:00 The Internship Trap

01:54 Show Intro and Roadmap

04:17 Why Internships Matter

08:02 Two Legal Pathways

08:21 Vocational Placement Rules

11:11 When It's Not Employment

13:43 The Employment Line Tests

18:21 Case Study: Croc Media

21:46 Case Study D Studio

24:17 New Penalties and Crimes

29:47 Practical Compliance Checklist

34:31 Wrap Up and Resources

Resale Price Maintenance in Australia: Why Minimum Pricing Demands Are Illegal (and What to Do)

Melissa Bush explains resale price maintenance (RPM) under Australian competition law, noting suppliers cannot set or enforce a minimum resale or advertised price, threaten suspension of supply, or use conditional rebates or advertising restrictions, and that RPM is a per se prohibition under the Competition and Consumer Act (Section 48). She outlines why RPM harms retail price competition, especially for small retailers, and notes ACCC enforcement and a narrow, rarely used authorisation process. The episode reviews late-2025 ACCC undertakings involving Connected Audio Visual, Golf Imports, and EE Group Australia and highlights the December 2023 Federal Court penalty of $15 million against Techtronic Industries Australia for widespread, enforced RPM. Bush clarifies that recommended retail price is legal only as a non-mandatory suggestion and provides action steps for retailers (review agreements, document pressure, and report to ACCC) and suppliers (audit and remove clauses, notify networks, train staff, and seek legal review).

00:00 Supplier Threat Call

00:34 Why RPM is Illegal

01:17 Episode Roadmap

02:32 RPM Defined Simply

03:43 Per Se Rule Explained

04:10 Why the Law Exists

05:36 ACCC Cases Overview

05:47 Case CAV Dashcams

07:14 Case Golf Imports

08:37 Case EE Group Drones

10:09 Techtronic $15M Penalty

12:16 What RRP Really Means

13:17 Supplier Dos and Don’ts

14:40 Disclaimers Don’t Help

15:18 Retailer Action Steps

16:55 Supplier Action Steps

19:04 Key Takeaways Recap

21:37 Get Help and Subscribe

https://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/dash-cam-and-car-audio-supplier-connected-audio-visual-admits-...

https://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/wholesaler-golf-imports-admits-to-engaging-in-resale-price-mai...

https://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/drone-supplier-ee-group-admits-to-resale-price-maintenance

https://www.accc.gov.au/business/selling-products-and-services/small-business-toolkit/exclusive-deal...

https://www.accc.gov.au/business/competition-and-exemptions/minimum-resale-prices

Shareholders’ Agreements: The Missing Document That Can Save Your Business

Melissa Bush explains why every Australian company with more than one shareholder needs a tailored shareholders’ agreement, distinct from a public constitution or the Corporations Act replaceable rules, because it governs owners’ relationships, confidentiality, and key risk areas like share transfers, valuation, contributions, exit rights, and deadlock. She illustrates the consequences through Pitak v Sudtipatudom (NSW Supreme Court, 2025), where two couples informally agreed to run a Loftus Lane, Sydney café 50/50, but the operating company (SLT) was solely owned and directed by one party, with nothing in writing; disputes over profit vs revenue, alleged $77,745.32 cash contributions, and control escalated into years of litigation, ending with claims dismissed and the café liquidated. Bush outlines common mistakes: relying on trust, using templates, never reviewing agreements, and not involving accountants/financial planners and invites listeners to contact Shire Legal or join the Café Kickstart course.

00:00 Cafe Dream Turns Sour

01:27 Why You Need One

03:13 Podcast Intro Disclaimer

04:20 What It Is Exactly

04:33 Constitution vs Agreement

08:01 Who Actually Needs It

08:36 Trust Is Not Enough

10:03 The Pitak Case Setup

13:26 Court Issues And Rulings

17:54 How An Agreement Fixes It

21:23 Exit And Deadlock Clauses

24:21 Common Mistakes To Avoid

29:19 Wrap Up And Next Steps

https://www.businessknowhow.com.au/blog/partnership_0925

When Marriage Breaks Down: Protecting Your Business, Company and Family Trust

Melissa Bush explains how relationship breakdown can expose business interests, company shares, trust assets, goodwill, and even notional property to scrutiny under the Family Law Act 1975, and why last-minute restructures can be reversed. Using the 2024 Federal Circuit and Family Court case Emmerton & Manwaring (No 2), she outlines how a common company-and-family-trust structure was undermined by poor governance: mixing personal and company finances, failing to meet director tax obligations (including DPN and Division 7A issues), mismanaging trust dealings (including unpaid rent), inadequate records and disclosure, and attempting voluntary liquidation mid-proceedings. She emphasizes that liquidation is not an escape and that lack of planning fuels costly litigation. Practical steps include a shareholders agreement, strict financial separation, proper trust documentation, staying current on BAS and super obligations, considering a binding financial agreement, and maintaining strong records.

00:00 Business at Breakup

03:34 What We Will Cover

04:12 Family Law Meets Business

06:20 Emerton Case Setup

08:46 Lesson One Structure Misused

11:05 Lesson Two Director Tax Traps

14:23 Lesson Three Trust Mismanagement

16:25 Lesson Four Records Disclosure

18:25 Lesson Five Liquidation Myth

20:44 Lesson Six No Exit Plan

22:57 Protective Steps Checklist

29:25 Key Takeaways and Wrap

https://www.businessknowhow.com.au/blog/businessdivorce_0226

How NCAT Works: A Practical Guide to Resolving NSW Small Business Disputes

Host and lawyer Melissa Bush explains how the New South Wales Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) helps NSW business owners resolve disputes more quickly, affordably, and informally than court. The episode outlines NCAT’s divisions, focusing on the Consumer and Commercial Division for unpaid invoices, goods and services disputes, retail and commercial lease disputes, and home building matters, while noting other divisions relevant to licensing, regulation, discrimination, and professional conduct. Bush covers when to apply (after attempting written negotiation), how to lodge an application, and how to prepare evidence with organized documents, a timeline, and clear outcomes sought. She describes what happens at hearings and conciliation, discusses when lawyers are optional or useful and how representation may require permission, and explains enforceable orders NCAT can make, including payment, work completion, contract, and lease-related orders.

00:00 Business Disputes Intro

01:06 Podcast Welcome Disclaimer

02:14 NCAT Overview Roadmap

03:31 NCAT Divisions Explained

05:39 Common Business Disputes

07:41 When to Apply Process

08:53 Preparing Your Evidence

10:10 What Happens at Hearing

12:01 Do You Need Lawyer

14:40 Orders NCAT Can Make

16:14 Key Takeaways Next Steps

New South Wales Civil & Administrative Tribunal

https://ncat.nsw.gov.au/

NCAT Procedural Directions and Guidelines

https://ncat.nsw.gov.au/publications-and-resources/procedural-directions-and-guidelines.html