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PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
Appointment of MTA-ACT Deputy Executive Director
Members will recall that in November 2007, I was pleased to advise that the Board had successfully completed negotiations with Regional Group Training (RGT) which installed MTA-ACT as the Chief Executive Officer of RGT. I also announced that the Executive Director of MTA-ACT, Phil McGilvray, would be the nominated representative in that position and continue as the Executive Director of MTA-ACT.
Since then, Phil, with support from Helen, has managed to ensure that the Association’s day to day operations have been maintained. As well, Phil has been working on restructuring RGT to ensure its ongoing financial viability whilst maintaining the delivery of training within all the industry sectors that RGT represents.
In order that both the Association and RGT continue to meet their overall objectives, the Board identified the need to appoint a Deputy Executive Director and after a lengthy recruitment process I would like to announce the appointment of Mr. Bob Gardner to that role.
Bob has extensive industry experience, after starting as a motor mechanic with Commonwealth Motors back in 1965. Nine years of service later he moved to a new role with Robert Hughes Motors for a further 13 years.
Bob made the move to management when he accepted a position with Discount Tyre Service as Assistant Manager, eventually progressing to the role of Group Operations Manager and Group Trainer. Discount Tyre Services was purchased by Goodyear in 2007, and Bob was retained by Goodyear as the Franchise Business/Development Manager.
I’m sure you will agree that Bob’s appointment is a worthy one and will only further enhance the ability of the Association to meet the requirements of our members.
I ask you to join with me in congratulating Bob on this appointment and welcoming him to MTA-ACT. Bob will take up his new position on Monday 25 May 2009.
Peter Taylor
FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S DESK 
“ALL INCLUSIVE” PRICING TO BECOME MANDATORY
Late last year the Federal Government passed the Trade Practices Amendment (Clarity in Pricing) Act 2008. This Act inserts a new section 53C into the Trade Practices Act and requires quoted or advertised prices to be “all inclusive”. The amendment having passed through Parliament will become effective from Monday 25th May 2009
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What does all inclusive pricing require?
The new provisions prohibit representations about price for the supply of goods or services (eg. a quote or advertisement) unless the representation includes an equally prominent statement of the total minimum quantifiable consideration for the supply concerned. If any minimum level of charge is known and quantifiable, it must be included in the advertised price.
Any business with anything other than the simplest pricing structure is likely to be affected. For example:
- Quoting GST exclusive prices will be illegal unless the GST inclusive is also quoted just as prominently.
- If a product requires delivery, any quote or advertised price must include a total price that includes the minimum delivery charge.
- If a car dealer advertises a price for a car that is “plus dealer delivery and statutory charges”, it must also include the total price inclusive of these charges.
Members will need to review their advertising practices to ensure they comply with the new requirement. To assist the ACCC has produced a Pricing Manual for the motor vehicles industry. For a copy of the Manual please go to our website at www.mtaact.com.au
SMALL BUSINESS TAX BREAK AMENDMENT
Recent small business tax breaks (Tax Laws Amendment Small Business and General Business Tax Break Bill 2009) announced in the last stimulus package and the recent Federal budget announcements have now passed through both Houses of Parliament.
The small business tax breaks increases the deduction from 30 per cent to 50 percent on eligible assets costing more than $1,000 for business with an annual turnover of less than $2 million. For business with a turnover greater than $2 million the deduction is increased from 10 per cent to 30 per cent. Eligible assets must be acquired between 13 December 2008 and 31st December 2009.
Any one considering purchasing any asset that may qualify as an eligible asset, should seek professional advice.
SCAMwatch UPDATE
Credit Card Scam Targeting Small Business
SCAMwatch is warning small to medium businesses to be on the look out for unusual or complicated orders from overseas, particularly orders which are being paid for by credit card.
The 'prospective buyer' claims that they have made a credit card payment for more than the agreed price. They will then request the unsuspecting business owner to forward the excess money onto freight companies, travel agents or various other businesses usually via wire or money transfer. This scam appears to be a variation on the cheque overpayment scam.
SCAMwatch understands that large or complicated orders were placed by a person or business based overseas. These orders were placed for both goods and services, such as restaurant and hotel bookings. No specific business sector is targeted, with industries ranging from garden turf to tyres.
In many instances, businesses have reported that the order was clearly suspicious. For example, a buyer in West Africa placed an order for garden turf. Other business owners became suspicious as the prospective buyer offered to pay for the goods or services through a complicated set of transactions involving the transfer of monies from one or more parties.
However, other businesses reported losses.
Given the economic downturn, a lucrative order can be seen as a windfall, but businesses should be cautious and warn staff responsible for taking orders or making payments about this scam.
Warning signs
- A large or complicated order is placed by someone based overseas.
- They insist on paying by credit card (or cheque/moneygram), but will pay more than the invoiced price so that the money can be transferred on by the seller to a third party such as freight companies, travel agents or various other businesses.
- A number of credit card numbers are used, in some cases the numbers are in close sequence.
- The seller is usually asked to transfer the excess funds via wire or money transfer.
Protect yourself
- Be suspicious of any unexpected complicated or suspicious orders from overseas. Be wary of payments which involve a number of credit cards, several separate orders or large orders where transport is likely to cost more than the value of the product.
- Only accept the invoiced price and do not send the goods until the payment is verified by your bank.
- A bank can provide assistance on how to verify the credit card numbers as they may be stolen or auto-generated.
- Only deal with trusted freight companies that you can contact via details obtained independently such as from the phone book. Never use the details provided by the prospective 'buyer'.
- Do not send money to anyone you do not know or trust and avoid money transfers.
Report
Report the matter to the ACCC's Infocentre on 1300 302 502 or visit the report a scam page in SCAMwatch.
WORKPLACE SAFETY 
Safe Work ACT Awards 2009 - Entries now open !!
The ACT OHS Commissioner's office is now accepting entries for the Safe Work ACT Awards 2009.
Submitting an entry for this year's awards will involve 5 simple steps:
1. Create an online account
First you must register your details in our online awards submission system. By entering and registering your details and a password that will be linked to your email address you will then be able to return to the system at any time up until the date of closure for entries (30 June 2009) to make further amendments or updates to your entry or entries.
2. Submit an entry
Once you have created an account you will be able to logon and add an entry (or entries) for the awards category (or categories) of your choosing.
3. Upload your Nomination Form
Either before you have created an account, or at any stage subsequent to that, you will be able to download a Nomination Form for the category or categories you wish to nominate form. This is perhaps the most important part of your entry.
This year's categories are:
Best Workplace Health and Safety Management System:
Public Sector
Private Sector
Best Solution to an Identified Workplace Health and Safety Issue
Best Workplace Health and Safety Practices in Small Business
Best Individual Contribution to Workplace Health and Safety
Most Successful Promotion of OHS in Workplaces
Best Workplace Health and Wellbeing Program
Best Health and Safety Training Program
The Nomination Form will allow you to enter your responses to each of the Judging Criteria. Remember, these criteria will be used by the judges to assess each of the entries.
Once you have completed the Nomination Form, logon to your account again and upload the word document in the space provided.
4. Upload any other supporting documents
The system will also allow you to upload any other material which supports your entry - these may be pictures, documents, video material, etc.
5. Check before the closure date that your entry contains all the material you wish to submit.
Entries close on 30 June 2009 and the winners will be announced at a function at the national Convention Centre on 22 October 2009.
So, logon to www.safeworkactawards.com.au click on the orange button, and get working on your entry.
MTAA SUPERANNUATION FUND 
May 2009 Federal Budget - Superannuation
The Global Financial Crisis has severely affected all parts of the economy including the financial services sector and harsh measures were much foreshadowed. However in reality the measures announced in the Budget for the superannuation industry were arguably far less than anticipated. The 2009 Budget has introduced the following proposed changes to superannuation:
Concessional contributions cap
The concessional contributions cap will be reduced from $50,000 to $25,000 with effect from 1 July 2009. This cap will continue to be indexed.
The transitional cap for concessional contributions for those aged 50 years and over will also be reduced, from $100,000 to $50,000. This reduced cap will apply for the 2009/10, 2010/11, and 2011/12 financial years, after which individuals aged 50 and over will revert to the lower $25,000 cap (indexed). The transitional cap is not indexed.
Non-concessional contributions cap
The non-concessional contributions cap will remain at $150,000 for the 2009/10 financial year, and will only increase when the new lower $25,000 cap is increased by indexation.
Going forward, the non-concessional contributions cap will be calculated as six times the level of the (indexed) concessional contributions cap.
It is expected that the bring-forward provisions will continue to allow eligible individuals to make non-concessional contributions of up to $450,000 over a three-year period.
Temporary reduction to the Government Co-contribution Scheme
The Government will temporarily reduce the matching rate and maximum co-contribution that is payable on an individual’s eligible personal non-concessional superannuation contributions, with effect from 1 July 2009.
The superannuation co-contribution matching rate will be reduced from 150% to 100% for contributions made in the 2009/10, 2010/11 and 2011/12 financial years, and to 125 per cent for contributions made in the 2012/13 and 2013/14 financial years.
The maximum co-contribution payable will be reduced to $1000 for contributions made in the 2009/10, 2010/11 and 2011/12 financial years, and to $1250 for contributions made in the 2012/13 and 2013/14 financial years.
The co-contribution matching rate and maximum co-contribution payable will return to 150 per cent and $1500 for contributions made in the 2014/15 and later financial years.
The co-contribution income thresholds will continue to be indexed. No changes were announced in relation to other eligibility requirements for the co-contribution.
Minimum drawdown on account-based pensions
The Government will halve the minimum drawdown amounts on account- based pensions for the 2009/10 financial year. This extends the drawdown relief provided by the Government for the second half of 2008/09. This change is intended to assist pension account balances to recover from capital losses associated with the global recession.
Small and insoluble superannuation accounts
Superannuation providers will be required to transfer certain lost superannuation accounts to unclaimed monies, with effect from 1 July 2010. Superannuation providers will be required to transfer lost accounts with balances of less than $200 (small accounts), and those which have been inactive for a period of five years and have insufficient records to identify the owner of the account (insoluble accounts).
There are currently around 3 million lost accounts with balances of less than $200 and this measure will potentially reduce the problem by 40 per cent.
It will also bring long-term benefits for funds as they will no longer need to administer or apply member protection to dormant accounts. It will also improve equity for other fund members where costs are currently apportioned to those members when applying the member protection rules.
Former holders of these lost accounts will still be able to reclaim their money from the ATO at any time.
For more information please contact MTAA Super on 1300 362 415
Disclaimer for the end of the editorial: The information in this article is provided by Motor Trades Association of Australia Superannuation Fund Pty Ltd (ABN 14 008 650 628 AFSL 238718), Trustee of the MTAA Superannuation Fund (ABN 74 559 365 913). Any advice contained in this article is of a general nature and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. All care has been taken to ensure that the information contained in this article is correct at the time of this publication; however, neither the Trustee of MTAA Super nor its advisors accept responsibility for any error or misprint, nor for anyone acting on this information.
URGENT REMINDER – TRADE PRACTICES ACT COMPLIANCE
I remind all members that compliance with the Trade Practices Act (TPA) should be a high priority matter for all businesses. Non-compliance with the TPA can result in significant penalties. You will be aware also that there is legislation in the Federal Parliament to introduce jail terms for price fixing and other cartel behaviour.
Competitor businesses cannot engage in price fixing. Price fixing can include such activities as competitors agreeing on an amount to be charged to consumers; even if that amount is only a component of the total price (for example, the dealer delivery charge component of the price of a motor vehicle).
Price fixing is illegal – in all circumstances (unless otherwise authorised by the ACCC through a formal process of examining public costs and benefits); including in relation to advertising.
The ACCC website contains information for businesses about compliance with the Trade Practices Act.
Should individual businesses have concerns about their compliance with the Act they should immediately contact their own legal advisers.
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