I’m getting in a few days early as I plan on taking the day off on Monday!

For the benefit of those not from Australia – or those who ditched Australian History at school – each year on 26th January we celebrate Australia Day.

In short, this date marks the anniversary of the arrival of the first fleet in 1788 (…for those who know me well, I’m singing John Williamson songs in my head as I type!)

For most Australians, this long weekend is a time for having a relaxing BBQ with family or friends, with some enjoying a cool drink at the same time – it’s also a day for welcoming our newest Australian citizens and commemorating some great achievers through the Australia Day Awards.

I am proud to be a member of the Australia Day Advisory Committee to my local council – and I’d like to take this opportunity to congratulate all the award recipients this year!  I look forward to celebrating with you at the awards ceremony on Monday.

The other thing I’m looking forward to this weekend is…a guilty pleasure of mine…the Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic at Premier Speedway!  Yes, you read correctly – I’ve been going to watch the sprintcars in action since I was a little girl – and I still get a rush from the sights, the sounds and the smells!

How do you spend your Australia Day long weekend?

Regards

It’s no secret that the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) are sometimes seen as a debt collector – after all, it is their role to collect many types of taxation from the community on behalf of the Government.

But did you know that you, or your business, may have more than one “account” with the ATO?

For example, if you have a Higher Education Loan Payment (HELP) debt, this amount is isolated in a separate account attached to your Tax File Number (TFN).

Movements in the HELP account may relate to additional fees incurred, annual indexation and repayments applied at the time you lodge your tax return.

Similarly, most of us have an “Income Tax Account” which records our actual tax liability upon lodgement of our income tax return, as well as refunds issued or payments made.

One account you may not be familiar with is the “Integrated Client Account” or “ICA” – the ICA is attached to the TFN of all individuals or businesses who have GST, Fuel Tax Credits, PAYG Withholding or PAYG Instalment transactions (among others).

Important to note is that each of these accounts has a different numerical identifier for you to use when making payments.

It is extremely important to review your documentation from the ATO thoroughly, prior to making payments, in order to ensure that the payment will be applied to the correct account.

If you are concerned that you may have made a payment to an incorrect account, contact your registered tax agent and they will be able to check with the ATO on your behalf, and rectify the situation.

Regards

I know I’ve spoken about First Aid in the past, and I’ll probably talk about it again in the future – but today I want you to ask yourself…do you need it?

I’m heading off to teach my first course for 2015 today, so I thought it was an appropriate time to remind you all to have a serious think about First Aid.

As a business owner, you should have a policy in place to regularly review your First Aid needs. Do you need a First Aid Room, or will a First Aid Kit suffice, and is it fully stocked?  Do you have up to date policies and procedures? Do you have adequately trained personnel?

The Victorian Workcover Authority advises that while each workplace is different, the answers to the above questions may be impacted by the following:

• the nature of hazards and the severity of risk
• the size, layout and location of the workplace
• the number of employees and their work arrangements, including location, shift work, overtime and flexible hours
• access to medical services
• any previous injuries or illnesses

As an employee, you too should want to have the required knowledge to act in First Aid situations, or at least know who to turn to for help – and for some occupations, a valid First Aid certificate is a requirement!

I’m currently teaching Fist Aid for Western District Employment Access in Warrnambool. Drop them a line if you are interested in attending one of our courses.

Regards

It’s Frivolous Friday – now…I don’t have kids and I can’t be sure exactly when the school holidays finish…but I’ve seen all the “back to school” catalogues in my letterbox so it must be soon right?

I’ve absolutely loved seeing my news feed in Facebook and Instagram filled with the school holiday activities of friends and relatives with kids.

I don’t envy you having to keep them occupied for such an extended period of time, but I do marvel at the various activities you participate in – especially given the weather we’ve experienced!

If you’re struggling for ideas to get through these last few days…I googled the following tips for school holidays:

• visit the playground or beach
• swim at the beach or the pool
• attend a movie or create your own home theatre (or even a mini drive-in)
• check in with your local art gallery for free activities
• create a mini book club – read a book and discuss among friends
• practice a favourite sport…or learn a new one

If all else fails there’s always ironing school uniforms, covering books and labelling everything!!

Sorry, I’m not much help am I??

Regards