INTHEBLACK February 2023 - Magazine - Page 49
WORK SMART
SNIPPETS OF INTEREST
The With Interest podcast features economic updates and developments
for the business world. Here are some highlights from recent episodes.
SMALL BUSINESS
DISASTER RELIEF
Helen Davis, general manager, and Sandra
Blake, financial counsellor, offer advice on
accessing the The Small Business Debt Helpline,
a free service for small business owners that
plays a key role in supporting small businesses
in the wake of natural disasters.
BACKGROUND
Davis: “We were established following the
horrendous bushfires during the summer of
2019–2020. We quickly evolved to supporting
small businesses affected by a range of disasters.”
AFTER A DISASTER
Davis: “What we see, several months later,
is people calling where there is the ongoing
impact of the disaster. At that point, they are
struggling to pay their debts. We have a team
of financial counsellors on staff...So, when
someone calls us, their call will be picked up by
their financial counsellor.”
FINANCIAL COUNSELLING
Davis: “Our financial counsellors have a diploma
of financial counselling. The financial counsellors
on our team all specialise in small business, and
many of them also have experience as a small
business operator.”
WHERE TO START?
Blake: “What’s your most important issue?
Shelter and safety are always a priority. Are you
safe? Is your business shut? Are you planning an
insurance claim? We’re keeping up with what’s
being offered when and who it applies to, and
we can sort through all that for you.”
CYBER SECURITY MATTERS
Keddie Waller, head of public practice and small
to medium enterprises at CPA Australia, outlines
security considerations for small businesses.
DO ENTITIES HAVE TO REPORT SECURITY
BREACHES?
“Only where the entity has not been able to
prevent the likely risk of serious harm as a result
of the breach does it need to be reported by
that entity.”
STOLEN DATA AND ITS USES
“This could be everything from a person’s details
being used to apply for a credit card to other
financial services in their name. It could be to
apply for benefits such as income support, and it
could even be to apply for a passport.”
A RISKY BUSINESS
“The ACSC [Australian Cyber Security Centre]
reported a 13 per cent increase in cyber crime
in 2021. That means that one incident every
eight minutes...It is imperative that small
businesses take the right steps to protect
themselves, their business and their staff and
clients.”
TO REPORT A DATA BREACH
“Visit the Office of the Australian Information
Commissioner and follow their guidance. Let
them know your organisation’s agency or
name, contact details, a description of the data
breach and the kinds of information involved...
Then you have to provide recommendations to
individuals about the steps they should take in
response to that data breach. If you hold cyber
insurance, I recommend one of the earliest
things you do is contact your broker, because
they will be able to give you guidance.”
Listen to the podcast
Listen to the podcast
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With Interest
podcast
intheblack.cpaaustralia.com.au 49