If you or your crew use a work vehicle for personal purposes, your business might be liable for fringe benefits tax (FBT). The Australian Taxation Office lifts the bonnet on FBT to help you get your obligations right and avoid unwanted consequences. If your business provides its employees with non-cash perks in addition to their regular wage or salary, then you might be providing a ‘fringe benefit’, which could have tax implications for your business. FBT is a tax that businesses pay when...| Building Connection
Victoria’s Building and Plumbing Commission (BPC) will soon have the power to order builders to fix serious defects after homeowners occupy their properties, a move aimed at improving consumer outcomes and boosting confidence in the state’s housing industry. Currently, the BPC can only act before a new build is signed off. Chief executive and commissioner Anna Cronin called the reform a “game changer” for consumers and a strong incentive for builders to “get it right the first time....| Building Connection
Research from Allianz Australia has revealed that mental health support in the workplace remains a challenge, with managers and employees feeling distressed due to the workload. Almost two-thirds of surveyed managers and 80% of surveyed employees don’t believe their company enforces positive workplace habits and boundaries to reduce burnout. Most of the surveyed managers (78%) say barriers promoting burnout are the lack of time and resources (26%), the availability of suitable technology (2...| Building Connection
The Housing Industry Association (HIA) is calling for a national energy security and supply plan to support Australia’s building product manufacturers, recognising their vital role in the economy and in supplying materials for housing. The HIA has shared the concerns of several Australian manufacturers regarding the escalated cost of energy and the impact it’s having on Australia’s manufacturing base. The residential building industry relies on local manufacturers to supply materials li...| Building Connection
Spring is the perfect time for a reset, and not just for your home or car, but your health. Dr. Farhan Shahzad explores everything tradies can do to get their health back on track as the weather changes. For tradies, who often work long hours in physically demanding environments, looking after your body and mind is vital. I’m an occupational and Environmental Physician, and I’ve seen firsthand how small changes can make a big difference in preventing injury, improving energy levels, and k...| Building Connection
Running a building business today takes more than bricks, mortar and margins. The skills shortage is biting hard, young talent is looking elsewhere and stress levels across the industry are dangerously high. To thrive, builders need a new playbook, one that tackles skills, inclusion, leadership and wellbeing head-on. I learned this the hard way. In my first business, we scaled quickly but ignored culture, structure and wellbeing. By the time we hit AU$6 million turnover, staff were leaving, s...| Building Connection
Research from the University of Melbourne, commissioned by MATES in Construction, highlights that the gap in suicide rates between construction workers and other Australians is closing. The report confirms that male construction workers die by suicide at nearly double the rate of other employed men (25.7 per 100,000 vs 14.3 per 100,000). However, in Queensland, Victoria and South Australia, rates are steadily declining and intersecting with the national average. The Suicide in the Constructio...| Building Connection
