News and views

We’re well and truly on the run-up to Christmas now and for business owners the main priority is to get organised for the extra demands of the festive season. It's important to get things clear as early as possible so that employees are certain about what their rights and responsibilities are.

We’re now fleshing out the 2016 calendar, with key themes for each quarter of 2016 – but before we set anything in stone, we want your ideas and preferences.

No man (or woman) is an island, they say – and that was a key theme at the recent launch of Aspiring Law’s new community-based business initiative, BizClub.

I read a lovely story earlier this year that reminded me of two things: why I’m so very fortunate to live in our neck of the woods, and how, when I moved here, the community promptly jettisoned any notion of “once an outsider always an outsider”.

It’s only a couple of weeks until the major changes around residential property taxes come into force – and we’ve been out and about on a bit of an educational blitz.

Trademarking stoushes are rearing their heads lately – everything from the quintessential “David versus Goliath” battles to smaller businesses butting heads over brand protection.

As we bid farewell to another ski season, it won’t be long and our neck of the woods will be back heaving with visitors enjoying the holiday season, and fruit-picking will be in full swing. And, once again, many local employers will likely be relying on temporary migrant workers to bolster their ranks to see their businesses successfully through another busy spell.