Cec Busby

“In her final weeks, I promised her I’d take care of the family. That promise stays with me.” When Jonathan Caspanello launched his North Queensland fashion label, Caspa Collective, in June 2025, he felt like he had a lot to prove. He was building a brand from scratch and taking a financial punt on designs he hoped people would want to wear in an industry known for its competitiveness. Behind his ambition wasa persomal commitment: a promise he’d made to his mum before she died from bowel cancer.

The backlash against Australia’s new card surcharge ban is gathering momentum, with a federal Labor minister suggesting banks should be stopped from charging small businesses fees, as a new advertising campaign takes the fight to Canberra. Mortgage broker Joseph Daoud and accountant Belinda Raso have launched  the national advertising campaign calling on the government to stop putting the cost of card payments on small business owners.

The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) will continue accepting credit card payments until 30 June 2027, backing down on plans to ban them from 1 December following a fierce backlash from small business groups. The announcement follows discussions between Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Tax Commissioner Rob Heferen , after a week of massive criticism directed at both the ATO and the federal government over the controversial ban.