I agree with butch here. Things are tough for small business. I see many small shops change hands quickly. They open for a while and close up and are gone and if you look at their rents and overheads you will soon see why.

I have always said "If the boss can't make a quid, there is not much hope for the bloke he employs"

I wonder how many of us actually try to buy goods made in Aus. See tonight Heinz tomato sauce closing here and going to NZ and making sauce from chinese tomatoes. Just another 150 out of work. Who cares. Been happening for years now. We have little manufacturing business left in Aus. Poor fella, my country!

Yes Banjo, my wife & I actually discussed this tonight, & agreed to take all Heinz products off our shopping list.

They join a growing list, including anything with a Coles, or Woolworth's label. Far too much of their stuff is imported, so rather than try to remember what, I buy nothing with their brands.

Yes it costs more at the local supermarket, but I'm not broke yet, & I like to support locally owned businesses.

ah seems I have got it wrong, the sky is indeed falling.
And its going to be dreadful.
We are in for real trouble,apart from maybe Germany our economy is growing faster than the rest of the world, well Chinas doing ok.
And as people buy on the net, beggars are saving cash, our city's streets are dead.
But wait! I can help, I have the plans for small boats, costs not a lot you can have them cheap.
Lets all leave this sinking ship.
Become boat refugees before the rest of the roof falls.
Is that just low clouds? oh my gawd is it?

I am going to confess something here, as I am pretty much semi retired now.

I purchased my first shop in 89, paid $87K, turned over $8,000 per week and netted $2,000 per week. Huge wage in 89.

I have owned 5 shops in total over my 22 years.

Best one was in 94 to 97, turned over $30K per week, gross profit of 28%,netted a staggering $6,000 most weeks, more than the PM.

My last one, turned over $20K per week, gross profit of 50%, $10,000 per week, netted about $1600 per week.

The rest went in rent, wages and fees.

Everyone expects small business to fight for survival, but when it comes to jobs, they expect even the weakest workers to have job security.

Sorry, can't happen any more, especially when you continually seek out the best price, even if it is off the net, a practice you know full well costs local jobs.

This is why small business ha lost it's shine.

Butch,
Your sums may be lost on many here, but I am curious.

Your last shop, you netted $1600/week, out of that you paid tax right?
How many hours/week did you put in for that. How many staff?

How much capital did you have tied up in the shop and what return on capital? Also what return on your capital if you had stuck it in the bank?

*seek out the best price, even if it is off the net, a practice you know full well costs local jobs.*

Ah Rehctub, but the net also creates all sorts of new jobs. How
many people do you think now work in IT, designing and maintaining
websites for instance? Ask the couriers how much extra work they
have now. Australia Post is battling to cope with all the parcels.

Then think of all the new businesses now created online. Its huge.
Plenty of people make a good living just trading on ebay.

Then think of all the extra business created by people not being
ripped off so much anymore. If I can buy the same item for 50$,
which used to cost 100$, I still have 50$ left to spend on something
else. My standard of living goes up, the economy benefits.

Where I do agree with you is something you mentioned, ie this double
time and a half etc. Its ridiculous and will certainly cost
jobs. I've seen it already in many small businesses that might have
traded on Sundays of public holidays. Now they simply employ a family
member or close altogether. Workers lose, no matter what the good
intentions were of those who try and enforce these laws.