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The Guardian
13 hours ago
- Business
- The Guardian
A good deal or a good deal of waste? How to be more conscious about your consumption during sales periods
Whether the discount is offered on social media, via email or in a banner on your favourite website, if a business you've ever been a patron of is having a sale you can be sure they'll find a way to tell you. 'Temporary sales events are aimed at leveraging FOMO,' says Jason Pallant, a senior lecturer in marketing at RMIT University. 'The idea is to make consumers feel like they will miss out on a great bargain if they don't buy something right away.' While it can feel good to click 'buy now' in the moment, ending up with piles of barely used impulse purchases leads to a particular kind of shame, regret (and clutter). With the end-of-financial-year sales period upon us, here are some strategies to ensure you are being conscious about your on-sale consumption. Believe it or not, our brains are wired to encourage us to buy things at a reduced price, especially when there is a sense of urgency – ie during sales and promotions. Cathrine Jansson-Boyd, a professor of consumer psychology at Anglia Ruskin University, says this is because of three things. 'When we see a price tag that we perceive as a good deal, the part of our brains that deals with pleasure is activated,' she says. Then, when we make a purchase, we get a dopamine hit that makes us feel good and, finally, when there is a time limit on the availability of the discounted price, it triggers heightened adrenaline. This combination means sales shopping can make people 'feel giddy with excitement'. Being aware of this dynamic and recognising it when temptation arises is the first step to exercising self-control and resisting the urge to make an impulse purchase. The second step is to take 'a calm pause between looking at an item and purchasing', says Dr Kate Luckins, the author of Live More With Less. This should help to 'counter the frenzy of the sale'. If you're shopping in store, one way to do this is by holding on to the item while you continue browsing and delay heading to the checkout. Or, if you're shopping online, stand up and walk away from your computer or put down your phone and do something else to see if the shine of the product wears off. Alternatively, sleep on it. 'In that pause, you will either obsess over the item you're considering, or you will move on and forget about it,' Luckins says. So as not to miss out on the savings promotional periods offer, Stephanie Atto from Australian Consumer and Retail Studies recommends keeping a list of products you are looking to buy and sticking to the list during sales periods. 'To resist sales pressures, consumers should focus on being informed and assertive,' she says. 'Be prepared by understanding your needs, doing your research and setting a budget.' The popularity of this strategy is borne out by data. Pallant says the increased frequency of sales periods has trained consumers to wait to make purchases. 'A recent shopper survey from Mailchimp suggests 76% of consumers use these events to buy products they were planning to buy anyway.' Although it might feel like being increasingly online gives retailers an advantage, Pallant suggests inverting this dynamic by keeping track of what you want to buy, what a good price is and gathering your own data. 'Do your research about how often these brands or products go on sale and what a good discount really is,' he says. 'There are so many sales events now that if you miss out on one, you might only have to wait a couple of weeks for another.' Given the frequency of email and social media marketing, you can do yourself a favour ahead of time by 'setting tech limits', Atto says. This can be as simple as running through your inbox and unsubscribing from brands and retailers that always seem to be communicating promotions, or unfollowing social media accounts that do the same. As the designer and poet William Morris said: 'Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.' Regardless of how much your dopamine-hungry brain is calculating you will save with the purchase of an item, once you've bought it, it's yours – so it's worth assessing whether it is a good investment. Try exercising some reverse Marie Kondo (the decluttering expert) and ask before the purchase: Does this item truly bring me joy? In six months, when I am cleaning out my cupboards, is its quality so good that I will still be proud to own it? The flip side of this is that shopping on sale can be an opportunity to buy something of beautiful quality or craftsmanship that might normally be out of your budget. 'Buying one piece or product we love rather than a bunch we kind of like at a discount is much more satisfying in the long term,' Luckins says. If you're having trouble using the form, click here. Read terms of service here.
7NEWS
3 days ago
- Business
- 7NEWS
Tax returns: The surprising things you can claim and the ATO fines you risk
The new financial year is just around the corner and that signals one thing — tax time. As we move towards July 1, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has revealed the deduction claims it will be keeping a very close eye on this time and warned there are penalties for those who provide false information. It also shared its 'three golden rules' for claiming a legitimate work-related expense, while tax experts have encouraged Australians to do their research to get back everything they are entitled to. What will the ATO be cracking down on this year? The tax office has already highlighted that work-related expenses, working from home (WFH) deductions and side hustles will be under the microscope this year, claiming these are areas that produce 'frequent errors'. 'For WFH deductions, the revised fixed rate method allows you to claim 70 cents per hour covering electricity, internet, phone, and office consumables,' RMIT University finance professor Angel Zhong said. 'However, you must keep detailed records of your hours worked and ensure you're not double-dipping by claiming additional expenses already included in the fixed rate. 'You can't claim rent or mortgage interest unless you're running a business from home and personal items such as coffee, tea, or snacks are not deductible. 'Similarly, you can't claim your entire internet or phone bill, only the portion that directly relates to your work.' More than 10 million people claimed work-related deductions in 2024, and many lodged expenses relating to working from home. 'Work-related expenses must have a close connection to your income earning activities and you should be prepared to back it up with records like a receipt or invoice,' ATO Assistant Commissioner Rob Thomson said. 'If your deductions don't pass the 'pub test', it's highly unlikely your claim would meet the ATO's strict criteria.' Experts say the ATO's target areas can be 'complicated and hard to understand'. 'That's why it's important to keep clear records and ask a tax agent or accountant if you're unsure,' Two Sides Accounting director Natalie Lennon told 'Being honest and organised makes tax time easier and helps avoid problems.' What can I claim? Deductions must be related to purchases made before June 30 if you intend to claim them in this tax return. What you can claim will depend on what you do for work. The ATO and accountants know the difference. 'It is important that taxpayers take reasonable care when lodging as penalties may apply where people have not taken reasonable care and increase when they are reckless or intentionally provide false information,' Thomson said. More than $2.2 billion in penalties were dished out to taxpayers who failed to comply with their obligations in 2023-2024. 'Cost of living is front of mind for many taxpayers and it is tempting to increase tax deductions to generate a refund but there are risks with trying to push the envelope with the ATO,' Chartered Accountants ANZ's tax lead Susan Franks told 'The ATO has sophisticated data-tracking through its data-matching programs which can verify disclosures in tax returns and can impose penalties and interest.' Among the 'most outrageous' work-related deduction attempts submitted last year was a taxpayer who tried to claim a luxury yacht as a work expense because 'they might have some business to do' on some islands, and an unnamed fashion industry manager who wanted to be reimbursed more than $10,000 they spent on luxury clothing to attend dinners and other functions. Three golden rules for deductions While it is important not to exaggerate work-related claims, it is important not to shift into auto-pilot either. 'Take time to seriously consider what's different about your expenses this year and think about what you could claim,' CPA Australia tax lead Jenny Wong said. 'Maybe you travelled more for work and were not reimbursed by your employer for meals or other travel essentials. Or maybe you started a new job where you had to buy tools, subscriptions, or pay for training and security clearances, for example. 'Check what type of expenses you could claim that are relevant to your type of work. We strongly advise against using AI advice when preparing your tax return.' The ATO's 'three golden rules' for claiming a deduction for a work-related expense are: You must have spent the money yourself; The expense must directly relate to earning your income; You must have a record (usually a receipt) to prove it. 'We have 40 occupation and industry specific guides on our website which you can use to work out what you can or can't claim as a work related deduction specific to your job,' Thomson said. 'The guides also explain the records you need to keep and income you need to include in your return.' Surprising expenses that you can claim on Handbags: 'To carry items you carry and use for work, such as laptops, tablets, workpapers, protective equipment or diaries — there is no limit, so it can be designer. However, if it's valued at over $300 it will need to be claimed over its useful life.' — Natalie Lennon Sunscreen: 'If you work outdoors (think tradies, landscapers, builders, even some hospitality staff), sunscreen is a legitimate protective equipment expense.' — Natalie Lennon Smartwatches (eg Apple Watch): 'If you require some of the smartwatch's functions as an essential part of your employment activities, you can claim a deduction for the expenses related to your work-related use of the smartwatch. But beware, as the rules are strict on this one.' — Natalie Lennon Your home office: 'Your computer desk and chair are tax deductible as long as you paid for them yourself. If you travel to the office, you could even claim for the laptop bag you use.' — Jenny Wong Identity checks: 'If you need to pay out of your own pocket for certain identity checks and documents, such as a blue card for a childcare worker, this can be tax deductible.' — Jenny Wong Keeping clean: 'If you work in a job that requires interaction with lots of customers and surfaces, you can even claim the cost of items like gloves and hand sanitiser. This could be a retail job, or train station attendant, for example.' — Jenny Wong What happens if I lodge a dodgy return? Franks said the ATO would call on its sophisticated data analytics to determine if anything looks 'outside the ordinary'. For example, are your claims for expenses higher than others in the same line of work, and can you back up expenses with records? Lennon said large or unusual deductions, inconsistent income reports, and claiming personal expenses as business costs are all red flags. 'The best way to avoid an audit is to keep clear records and only claim what you're entitled to,' Lennon said. The ATO says the odds of an individual being audited 'depend on whether they have included all their income in their return, and the claims they make on their tax return'. 'When a return is lodged, we use sophisticated programs and technology to detect income that hasn't been included or incorrect claims, which includes data matching against third party data,' Thomson said. When is the cut-off to lodge my tax return? October 31 is the deadline for Australians lodging their return themselves. For those using the services of a registered tax agent, you have more time — until May the following year. But make sure you have reached out to them and have the ball rolling before the start of November. Will I be fined for missing the October 31 deadline? If you fail to lodge in time, the ATO may impose penalties, starting with a $330 fine. 'The longer you leave it, the more you could owe,' Lennon said. If you are liable, the ATO will notify you in writing. 'We will consider your circumstances when deciding what action to take,' Thomson said. 'It is important that taxpayers take reasonable care when lodging as penalties may apply where people have not taken reasonable care and increase when they are reckless or intentionally provide false information. 'Our preferred approach is to work with taxpayers to help them meet their tax obligations.'
RNZ News
19-06-2025
- RNZ News
Six months out from social media ban, age-checking tech mistakes kids for 37-year-olds
Face-scanning technology tests could only guess age within an 18-month range in 85 percent of cases. Photo: Supplied/ABC Children as young as 15 were repeatedly misidentified as being in their 20s and 30s during Government tests of age-checking tools, sowing new doubts over whether the teen social media ban is viable. ABC News can reveal that face-scanning technology tested on school students this year could only guess their age within an 18-month range in 85 percent of cases. "It's definitely a problem," said Andrew Hammond, general manager of software consultancy firm KJR, which was tasked with running the trial. "So far, it's not perfect and it's not getting every child, but does that mean it's no good at all?" The full results of the age assurance technology trial were not expected to be released until later this year, but preliminary data had experts worried. "I don't think the ban is viable," said RMIT University information services professor Lisa Given, who had closely analysed the Government's policy. "Parents are definitely headed for a rude shock, in terms of what this legislation will actually deliver to them." Under the social media ban, more than 20 million Australians will be required to demonstrate they are 16 or older to log in to most major social media platforms. The ban is due to take effect in December, but the Government has yet to decide how it will be implemented, amid ongoing questions over whether age-checking technology is up to the job. The Government's technology trial, which has been running for eight months, was meant to provide some answers, but Professor Given said the public may be disappointed. "The accuracy level at 85 [percent] is actually quite low and an 18-month range is significant, when you're trying to identify a very particular age grouping," she said. "We are going to see a messy situation emerging immediately, where people will have what they call false positives, false negatives." Some students at Canberra's John Paul College, who previewed the technology as part of the Government's trial, were surprised, when their results were up to decades off the mark. Sixteen-year-old Andy was misidentified as 19, 37, 26, and 23 years old by various face-scanning tools he used. "I don't think the technology is ready yet to become a full-fledged primary defence system," he said. "It's pretty inconsistent." Seventeen-year-old Beth was given results ranging from 14-32. "I usually get told by other people that I don't look 17, I look older, so when it says 14, I thought… that's interesting." Her results from the other end of the spectrum were unwelcome for different reasons. "It's a bit insulting, because that's how old my aunty is," she said. "I don't want to look 32 just yet." Seventeen-year-old Nomi was especially concerned, when one tool mistook her for a 13-year-old. "I'm almost 18," she said. "If I try to sign up to an app and it tells me 'you're not meeting an age requirement', even though I am, that would be a problem for me." While the face-scanning results from the trial may not seem promising, Hammond said he was confident the ban would still work, because it did not rely exclusively on that tech. "If the solution to implementing the legislation was just facial age estimation, I'd say, 'Yep, it's probably not good enough'," he said. "However, it's just one of the tools in the toolkit that could be used." Age-verification providers are not discouraged by the early results either, arguing that other tech was always going to be necessary as a complement to get precise results. "You would never rely on age estimation for people who are literally at the age of 16," said Iain Corby from the Age Verification Providers Association, the industry body for age-check companies. "It was never going to be good enough for that," he said. One tool mistook Beth, 17, as being 32 years old. Photo: ABC News Corby said the early data reported by ABC News, showing an accuracy rate within 18 months for only 85 percent of students, is roughly what he expected. "I think even the best-in-class achieves about a year and a month, on average, above or below your real age." Among the methods tested were other age-estimation techniques that rely on biological traits, such as voice and hand movements, to guess the age of a user, but those methods struggled with the same accuracy issues and fewer companies offered the service. Another avenue was guessing a person's age based on their online activity, but that was also imprecise. Other tools offer a higher degree of certainty by inferring or even verifying a user's age, using data provided by third parties, such as banks, schools or healthcare providers. The strongest proof is a overnment-issued ID, such as a passport or a driver's license, but the legislation prevented social media companies from insisting on it. A last-minute amendment to the Bill, when it was passed back in November, meant platforms would be forced to offer users alternative methods to prove their age. That rule meant many Australians who could not easily provide those more reliable proofs might be forced to rely on less accurate methods, such as face scanning, if they wanted to use social media. "We do know, generally, that young people are going to be less likely to have a Government-issued ID that would satisfy some form of age verification," Given said. If facial scanning was on offer, under-16s who wanted to dodge the ban might be tempted to choose it anyway, in the hope they could fool it. "They might put glasses on, they might put make-up on, different hairstyle, different lighting, just to see if the system is actually able to accurately see that they're underage or over 16," Given said. The Government was expected to decide how the ban would work in the coming months, but one possible solution for the shakiness of facial scanning was a cascade-style system, similar to what we've see in bottle shops. Users might use face-scanning tech as a first hurdle and only be asked for further proof, if their result was within a 5-10-year margin of 16. "If you're within that margin for error, then you have to go to a second stage and find some other way of confirming that somebody is over the legal age," Corby said. Even so, everyone agreed it would not be perfect. "I'm optimistic, having seen the results," Hammond said. "Not necessarily making sure every 16-year-old doesn't get access, but making sure that most 16-year-olds don't get access to social media. "There's a number of solutions… and they have a level of accuracy. Now, whether the accuracy is good enough is a different question." Professor Given saw the end of the tech trial as an opportunity to reconsider the ban. "A responsible decision from Government would be weighing up the evidence in front of them and deciding whether that's actually a robust approach," she said. In the meantime, public expectations of the policy remained undeterred. "I think it's a really positive move for our young people," said John Paul College principal Craig Wattam. "I think that limiting their exposure to places that are potentially really dangerous is a really liberating thing." On the question of the tech's accuracy, he was also optimistic. "I guess this is the whole purpose of a trial," he said. "I'm confident that by the time we get closer to December… they may well have figured out more accurate ways to verify students' ages." A spokesperson for Communications Minister Anika Wells told ABC News the Government would be guided by advice from the eSafety Commissioner on how best to implement the ban. "We know that social media age-restrictions will not be the end-all, be-all solution for harms experienced by young people online, but it's a step in the right direction to keep our kids safer," they said. - ABC
Daily Mail
19-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Australian universities suffer a dramatic fall in global rankings
Australia's reputation in global higher education has taken a major blow, with the 2026 QS World University Rankings revealing a steep decline for more than 70 per cent of the nation's universities. A total of 25 Australian universities dropped in rank this year, with only two now remaining in the world's top 20. The University of Melbourne continues to lead domestically but fell six spots to 19th globally, down from 13th last year. The University of New South Wales also declined slightly, slipping from 19th to 20th. The University of Sydney suffered the most significant fall among the top-tier institutions, dropping seven places from 18th to 25th, removing it from the prestigious global top 20 altogether. Monash University was the only Australian university to improve its standing, edging up from 37th to 36th. Angela Calderon of RMIT University, a member of the QS Global Rankings board, described the rankings as 'a wake-up call' in an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald. 'We are experiencing an acceleration in the pace of change in higher education globally. Universities from emerging, middle-income economies and Asian countries are now global standouts,' Calderon said. The rankings arrive amid growing criticism that Australia's university sector is failing to meet the evolving needs of students and society. Professor John Quiggin, an economist at the University of Queensland and author of a recent report for the Australia Institute, was scathing in his assessment. 'Australia's universities are plagued with scandal and failing dismally,' he said. 'Australian universities are overseen by Vice-Chancellors who are paid vast sums of money, yet they are presiding over a sector which is failing staff, students and the broader community,' Quiggin added. The sector has also drawn fire for its heavy reliance on international student enrolments, which provide a major source of revenue due to significantly higher tuition fees. Government data shows 1,095,298 overseas students were enrolled in Australian universities, colleges, and schools in 2024, a 13 per cent increase from 969,307 in 2023. In response, the federal government has implemented measures to curb international enrolments, aiming to reduce the number to 270,000 this year. Despite the surge in student numbers, Australia ranks poorly on staff-to-student ratios, sitting 26th lowest in the world. This follows years of staff cuts across the university sector. Western Sydney University recently became a flashpoint for growing unrest, with protests erupting after it announced hundreds of job losses due to a 'large deterioration' in enrolments. The university forecasts a deficit of $79 million by 2026. Similarly, the University of Technology Sydney has announced it may cut up to 400 positions as part of a $100 million cost-saving drive. Macquarie University meanwhile also announced course cuts and reduction in staff, which would see around 75 jobs go. The QS World University Rankings is published annually by global higher education analysts QS Quacquarelli Symonds. It is based on data from 8,467 institutions, insights from 127,041 academics and 82,096 employers, and analysis of 19.8 million academic papers and 200 million citations.
ABC News
18-06-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
Six months out from teen social media ban, age-checking tech mistakes kids for 37-year-olds
Children as young as 15 were repeatedly misidentified as being in their 20s and 30s during government tests of age-checking tools, sowing new doubts about whether the teen social media ban is viable. ABC News can reveal that face-scanning technology tested on school students this year could only guess their age within an 18-month range in 85 per cent of cases. "It's definitely a problem," said Andrew Hammond, general manager of software consultancy firm KJR, which was tasked with running the trial. "So far, it's not perfect, and it's not getting every child. But does that mean that it's no good at all?" The full results of the age assurance technology trial are not expected to be released until later this year, but preliminary data has experts worried. "I don't think the ban is viable," said Lisa Given, professor of information sciences at RMIT University, who has closely analysed the government's policy. Under the social media ban, more than 20 million Australians will be required to demonstrate that they are 16 or older to log in to most major social media platforms. It is due to take effect in December, but the government is yet to decide how it will be implemented, amid ongoing questions as to whether age-checking technology is up to the job. The government's technology trial, which has been running for eight months, was meant to provide some answers, but Professor Given said the public may be disappointed. "The accuracy level at 85 is actually quite low, and an 18-month range is significant when you're trying to identify a very particular age grouping," she said. "We are going to see a messy situation emerging immediately where people will have what they call false positives, false negatives". Some of the students at Canberra's John Paul College, who previewed the technology as part of the government's trial, were surprised when their results were up to decades off the mark. Sixteen-year-old Andy was misidentified as 19, 37, 26, and 23 years old by various face scanning tools he used. "I don't think the technology is ready yet to become a full-fledged primary defence system … It's pretty inconsistent," he said. Seventeen-year-old Beth was given results ranging from 14 to 32. "I usually get told by other people that I don't look 17, I look older. And so when it says 14, I thought … that's interesting." Her results from the other end of the spectrum were unwelcome for different reasons. "It's a bit insulting because that's how old my aunty is … I don't want to look 32 just yet," she said. Seventeen-year-old Nomi was especially concerned when one tool mistook her for a 13-year-old. "I'm almost 18. If I try to sign up to an app and it tells me 'you're not meeting an age requirement' even though I am, that would be a problem for me," she said. While the face scanning results from the trial might not seem promising, Mr Hammond said he is confident the ban will still work because it does not rely exclusively on that tech. "If the solution to implementing the legislation was just facial age estimation, I'd say 'yep, it's probably not good enough'," he said. "However, it's just one of the tools in the toolkit that could be used." Age verification providers are not discouraged by the early results either, arguing that other tech was always going to be necessary as a complement to get precise results. "You would never rely on age estimation for people who are literally at the age of 16," said Iain Corby from the Age Verification Providers Association, the industry body for age-check companies. Mr Corby said the early data reported by ABC News (showing an accuracy rate within 18 months for only 85 per cent of students) is roughly what he expected. "I think even the best-in-class achieves about a year and a month, on average, above or below your real age." Among the methods tested were other age-estimation techniques that rely on biological traits such as voice and hand movements to guess the age of a user. But those methods struggle with the same accuracy issues, and fewer companies offer the service. Another avenue is guessing a person's age based on their online activity, but that is also imprecise. Other tools offer a higher degree of certainty by inferring or even verifying a user's age, using data provided by third parties such as banks, schools, or healthcare providers. The strongest proof is a government-issued ID, such as a passport or a driver's license, but the legislation prevents social media companies from insisting on it. A last-minute amendment to the bill, when it was passed back in November, means platforms will be forced to offer users alternative methods to prove their age. That rule means many Australians who cannot easily provide those more reliable proofs may be forced to rely on less accurate methods, such as face scanning, if they want to use social media. "We do know generally that young people are going to be less likely to have a government-issued ID that would satisfy some form of age verification," said Professor Given. If facial scanning is on offer, under-16s who want to dodge the ban might be tempted to choose it anyway, in the hope they can fool it. "They might put glasses on, they might put makeup on, different hairstyle, different lighting, just to see if the system is actually able to accurately see that they're underage or over 16," said Professor Given. The government is expected to decide how the ban will work in the coming months, but one possible solution for the shakiness of facial scanning is a cascade-style system, similar to what we see in bottle shops. Users might use face scanning tech as a first hurdle, and only be asked for further proof if their result is within a five or 10-year margin of 16. "If you're within that margin for error, then you have to go to a second stage and find some other way of confirming that somebody is over the legal age," said Mr Corby Even so, everyone agrees it will not be perfect. "I'm optimistic, having seen the results," said Mr Hammond. "Not necessarily making sure every 16-year-old doesn't get access, but making sure that most 16-year-olds don't get access to social media. "There's a number of solutions … and they have a level of accuracy. Now, whether the accuracy is good enough is a different question." Professor Given sees the end of the tech trial as an opportunity to reconsider the ban. "A responsible decision from government would be weighing up the evidence in front of them and deciding whether that's actually a robust approach," she said. In the meantime, public expectations of the policy remain undeterred. "I think it's a really positive move for our young people," said the principal of John Paul College, Craig Wattam. "I think that limiting their exposure to places that are potentially really dangerous is a really liberating thing," he said. On the question of the tech's accuracy, he is also an optimist. "I guess this is the whole purpose of a trial," he said. A spokesperson for Communications Minister Anika Wells told ABC News the government would be guided by advice from the eSafety Commissioner on how best to implement the ban. "We know that social media age-restrictions will not be the end-all be-all solution for harms experienced by young people online, but it's a step in the right direction to keep our kids safer," they said.
