🦘 We're Back! Fight For Remote Working Rights, Qantas Increases Booking Fees, Card Surcharges Continue To Pile Up

G’day everyone! Hope you’ve all had an awesome weekend!

If the name ‘Outback Briefs’ sounds familiar but you can’t quite remember why, it’s probably because I seem to have chucked a week-long sickie last week!

Avid Outback Briefs readers will remember that exactly 3 weeks ago, there was a story about Aussie workers feeling the effects of burnout…

I guess that story was also talking about me!

As much as I’ve loved writing Outback Briefs for the last 7 months, the daily grind seems to have caught up to me.

So I’m going to be making an adjustment…

From next week onwards, Outback Briefs will be delivered on a weekly basis. But…

I want to make the newsletter even better. And that’s where I need your help!

To make sure I can make Outback Briefs the most value-packed newsletter for you all, I’d love to hear your feedback on how to improve the newsletter.

It’s only 5 questions, and you’ll automatically become my favourite subscriber if you fill it out!

Thank you for filling that out, it’ll help me make this newsletter as valuable as I can for all of you.

Anyways, let’s get into it!

Here’s what we’ve got in store for you today:

• Fight For Remote Working Rights

• Qantas Increases Booking Fees

• Card Surcharges Continue To Pile Up

Let’s have a look at the market snapshot before jumping into the news:

More Power to the People: Workers May Soon Have a Right to Remote Work!

Get ready to cozy up in your pajamas while you work, as millions of Australians could score the right to request remote work arrangements thanks to a looming decision from the Fair Work Commission (FWC).

This Friday, the FWC will host a hearing focused on introducing a 'working from home' term in the Clerks Award, which affects clerical and administrative workers.

If approved, employees under this award could legally request to work from home, although employers would still have the power to refuse for certain reasons.

The move has been welcomed by the Australian Council of Trade Unions, who believe it could enhance work-life balance, but not everyone is on board.

The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry deems it an unnecessary step that could stifle businesses.

As remote work continues to be a significant topic in today’s job market, this initiative could set the stage for future workplace flexibility in Australia.

Stay tuned!

Qantas Ups the Ante on Booking Fees: Fly Smart!

Qantas is shaking things up and not in a good way!

Starting October 9, the airline will hike its change and cancellation fees for domestic flights from $99 to $119.

This means if you're thinking about altering your travel plans or, heaven forbid, canceling your ticket, you’ll be digging deeper into your pockets.

The fee will also apply if you need to update your name on a booking, just in case you were considering a spontaneous name change!

And let's not forget, if your new flight is pricier than the original, you’ll face a fare difference as well.

While Qantas claims it’s the first fee increase since 2017 and, at $20, it's still below the inflation rate, it’s not a thrilling announcement for customers.

The airline recently reported a profit of $1.25 billion, though that’s a 28% drop from last year. Happy traveling—just check those fees first! 

Surcharges, Sweetheart Deals, and Small Businesses: The Card Payment Conundrum

Consumers are feeling the pinch when it comes to card surcharges in Australia, which have been dubbed “opaque and complicated” by experts.

An eye-opening report highlights how these fees create a multi-billion dollar profit pool for payment companies while leaving everyday shoppers to foot the bill.

It turns out that a simple swipe of a debit card doesn’t guarantee lower fees compared to credit cards, and digital wallets throw a spanner in the works too.

Small businesses, facing huge transaction costs, often pass on these fees to customers, while major retailers enjoy preferential rates due to their clout in negotiating deals.

As costs continue to soar amid stretching budgets, the Reserve Bank of Australia is stepping in to review this tangled mess.

Reform advocates are calling for better transparency in the payment system and a fairer deal for small businesses that have been left in the dust.

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You Made It!

If you’ve read all the way up to here, we just wanted to let you know that you’re an absolute legend!

Time to go to work and show off how clued up you are about what’s going on in the business world 💪

Keep an eye out for tomorrow's newsletter. Until then, we’d love to get your feedback below!