Tasmanian budget gives payroll tax relief … Careers Australia enters voluntary administration … Kraft brand to disappear

By Dominic Powell and Emma Koehn 

Small business groups have welcomed measures in the Tasmanian state budget designed to encourage SMEs to employ and train apprentices.

The budget includes a $25 million package of payroll tax relief, including $17.1 million to waive payroll tax for businesses that employ young people and apprentices, reports the ABC. 

Businesses can also receive a new $4000 incentive to employ apprentices and trainees, a move Tasmania Small Business Council executive officer Robert Mallett said was a win.

“The announced $4000 incentive to employ and train apprentices and trainees will ensure that in the next 3-5 years Tasmania will have the skills base to be self-sufficient with service and trades personnel to take advantage of our improving economic situation,” Mallett said in a statement on the budget.

Small businesses across the country have previously called on the federal government to do more to encourage the states to streamline payroll tax.

Careers Australia enters voluntary administration

Over 1000 staff members will be immediately stood down without pay after vocational education provider Careers Australia entered into voluntary administration yesterday.

The ABC reports the appointment of administrators is due to allegations of a number of past incidents at the company, leading to the federal government denying it access to funding as part of its vocational education overhaul announced last year.

The company, which provided education for over 15,000 students across Australia, has cancelled all classes, with PBB Advisory appointed as administrators. In a letter to staff, the administrators said: “We do not currently have sufficient funds available to meet payroll and other costs which would allow us to continue trading the Group on a ‘business as usual’ basis”.

“Accordingly, we hereby confirm you are stood down effective 25 May 2017 whilst we undertake an urgent assessment of the Group.”

Kraft brand to disappear from Australian shelves

Iconic Australian brand Kraft is set to disappear from grocery shelves, as news.com.au reports parent company Mondelez will look to remove the Kraft branding from all its products by the end of the year.

Although the products will still be sold, the Kraft branding and name will be ditched. Kraft cheese singles will be renamed “Dairylea Slices”, and Kraft Peanut Butter will be branded as “The Good Nut”.

In a statement, Mondelez cited “boring legalities” as the reason for the change, and said the products were being “slightly refreshed”.

“We don’t want to bore you with the details, but due to licensing changes, Kraft Singles will now appear under the Dairylea brand,” it said.

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