Oceania: Strategy

The Fair Trad­ing and Build­ing Leg­is­la­tion Amend­ment Bill 2026 was passed by par­lia­ment dur­ing Feb­ru­ary 2026 with the changes effec­tive on 1 April 2026.

On 18 March 2026, the Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC) released its Consultation Paper on proposed changes to the net tangible assets...

The idea is that ordinary Australians can supercharge their retirement by leveraging into residential property through an SMSF.

The new regime imposes a $7,500 cap on political donations, bans foreign donations, mandates real-time disclosure and, significantly for business, applies retrospectively from 15 April 2026. Businesses that have made a political donation in Victoria since 15 April 2026, or which are planning to make a donation ahead of this year’s election, should review their donations policies and compliance procedures now.

The Australian Government's 2026 Defence Industry Development Strategy outlines a comprehensive action plan to strengthen the nation's sovereign defence industrial base through procurement reform, industrial growth initiatives, and enhanced export capabilities. How will the establishment of the Defence Industry Hub, Industrial Development Agreements, and the new Defence Delivery Agency reshape Australia's defence sector and accelerate capability delivery?

The Australian Department of Home Affairs has announced substantial changes to visa application charges and salary thresholds effective 1 July 2026, with employer-sponsored and skilled visa fees rising approximately 25 percent—far exceeding standard indexation rates. These increases affect core income thresholds for various visa streams and introduce new financial considerations for businesses sponsoring overseas workers.

Cathro and Partners' expanded Cathro Clarity dashboard reveals diverging trends in Australian insolvency: corporate appointments have nearly tripled since FY22 while personal bankruptcies rose only 15%, with debt agreements now accounting for 43% of personal insolvencies. The data exposes striking industry patterns, particularly healthcare's disproportionate representation in personal bankruptcies compared to corporate failures, and construction's dominance across both categories.

A new study examines how tradable rights in regulated markets derive value not just from immediate use, but from the strategic flexibility they provide firms over time. Using New Zealand's quota fisheries as a case study, researchers demonstrate that rights with longer tenure command premium prices by allowing firms to optimize harvest decisions based on market conditions.

Global wine consumption has plummeted to its lowest level since 1961, with Australia facing a structural crisis of oversupply and declining demand. As export markets contract and consumer preferences shift toward premium wines, the industry confronts a fundamental question: can it restructure quickly enough to survive, or will the market force the transformation by default?

Business growth expert Mark Calleja joins The Cut to discuss why many SME owners remain trapped at the seven-figure plateau despite working harder than ever. Drawing from practical experience, he reveals the operational blind spots, cashflow mistakes, and mindset barriers that prevent businesses from scaling beyond their current limitations.

Teamwork generally brings better results than individuals who fail to collaborate. How do you build these teams?

Remediation occurs for a host of reasons. You may identify remediation risk from internal activities (e.g., an audit, a control break) or external activities (e.g., a complaint, a regulatory exam, a lawsuit).