Opinion | SmartCompany

The surcharge ban kicks in on October 1, but do we even need card payments anymore?

Caroline Tran — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 02:07:32 +0000

The debate no longer needs to be only about cash or cards, as new payment methods give businesses more options.

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Australia’s plastics recycling problem is now a business problem

Richard Fine — Mon, 21 Sep 2026 01:39:58 +0000

A red flag has been raised about the country's waste management following Recycling Plastics Australia entering voluntary administration.

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Most of my company’s revenue comes from exports, but I don’t have to worry about shipping

Ross Symons — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 03:49:08 +0000

Australia's gaming sector shows that export success can be achieved without shipping physical items offshore.

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The $20,000 tax write-off nobody is using

Natalie Lennon — Fri, 04 Sep 2026 00:23:20 +0000

The $20,000 instant asset write-off may be finally permanent, but new data suggests businesses may not have the cash or confidence to use it.

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AI is quietly changing what your business insurance covers

Anish Sinha — Wed, 02 Sep 2026 01:38:49 +0000

AI could be quietly changing what your business insurance covers, with Australian insurers adding new AI-specific cover and exclusions to policies.

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KPMG’s audit scandal puts the credibility of Australia’s biggest companies under a cloud

Bernard Keane — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 00:10:00 +0000

The KPMG Senate inquiry has raised fresh questions about auditor independence and whether investors can trust the Big Four to police Australia’s biggest companies.

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AI-generated lawsuits are flooding the courts. Lawyers are paying the price

Michael Bradley — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 01:44:00 +0000

The courts are barely holding back the deluge of AI-written content used by lawyers. But it’s small-fry compared to another problem that threatens to overwhelm the justice system altogether.

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The Brisbane queues outside Panda Mart reveal a bigger problem than cheap imports

Trent Rigby — Thu, 06 Aug 2026 00:51:03 +0000

Panda Mart’s Brisbane opening says less about the retailer than it does about Australia’s product safety system, which can police a physical store but not the millions of parcels arriving from the same suppliers.

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Small businesses aren’t banks: Why Australia’s 60-day payment cycle needs a reset

Mark Lawry — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 05:24:53 +0000

ASIC data reveals insolvencies among Australian businesses have surged, with small businesses bearing the brunt of rising cashflow pressures.

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Funding women founders: We cannot keep doing the same thing and expect change

Rachel Yang — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 23:56:00 +0000

Supporting women founders matters, but achieving gender equity in venture capital will require systemic reforms, writes Rachel Yang.

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