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The numerous problems that need to be addressed
Part 1 of a 3 part series

People go into business for a variety of reasons, whether it be simply to make a profit or because they have a passion for a product or service. But in the Australian modern world, business owners always appear to draw the short end of the stick, so let’s discuss profit, taxes, governments dipping their hands in your pockets, and the union movement to see if we can’t make any sense of the insane world in which we live.

It’s insane if you’re a business owner, or perhaps even a corporation trying to make a profit, but at the same time make a difference to the lives of those with whom you interact – we’re talking staff, customers, suppliers and any other stakeholder you can think of.

In a business, there are revenues and costs. That’s it. One would hope that revenue is greater than cost so you make some money out of it, what we call profit. From that profit, the government has always stuck its hand out and taken some of that from you, so one would hope by the time all the leaches have had a go at you, there is still something left for you who, after all, is taking all the risks.

Some of the things that impact on profit may not show up in a profit and loss statement, which is why numerous business owners ask their accountants, “If I made all this profit, […]

The numerous problems that need to be addressed
Part 3 of the 3 part series

In this three-part series, I’ve been looking at how governments and unions dip their hands into the pockets of business owners and help themselves to any profits by way of taxes, high labour costs and other forms of revenue. I’ve come up with an idea to fight the unions and the government to stop rorting money from businesses and property developers; maybe it will one day come to fruition and a change will be made.

I’ve talked about business owners and how they pay exorbitant commercial rents to their landlords, with no chance of those fees decreasing. I’ve discussed government and union officials taking money from the taxpayers’ by way of increasing labour costs and taxes of any kind. I’ve even raised the issue of property developers paying for report after report after report just to get councils and various levels of government to look at the proposals.

And now here’s my plan of action.

Shut shop, and keep it shut
For many years the union movement, and employees in general, have always taken the position that, ‘If I don’t like something, I can withdraw my labour and I can sit outside the gate and your business won’t work.’

True. It’s called a strike. But here’s what I think.

I think all business owners in Australia, and even in other parts of the world, should get together and do the same thing. I’m not kidding. Shut your business for a week, just […]