Statutory trusts have been considered and proposed by a number of inquiries as a means of ensuring prompt progress payments to subcontractors, and ring-fencing payments in the event of insolvency of their contractor. The ASBFEO has considered the various arguments for and against cascading deemed statutory trusts and, on balance, supports their implementation in the...

This report covers phase one of the Access to Justice inquiry. In this phase, 1,600 businesses across Australia were surveyed in order to gain an understanding of where small businesses go for advice and, when they escalate a dispute, what pathways they choose.

The major conclusion that has come out of the various debates surrounding energy policy is that there is a serious electricity and power affordability problem across the National Electricity Market (NEM). Price increases over the last decade are significantly affecting Australian businesses and consumers.

In the right circumstances, superannuation funds could provide capital for growth to SME’s and business more generally, complementing more traditional capital sources such as banks, according to this discussion paper.

This report contains eight recommendations outlining initiatives to increase the supply of capital, and raise SME’s awareness of alternative sources of finance outside traditional banking.