"Ajen is an accountant who is down to earth and genuinely interested in their clients prospering."
"As a trusted advisor you guided our business back on course when the outlook was far from positive and we look forward to your continued assistance into the future"
"His attitude towards his work and my portfolio has been exemplary. He always finds time for me at short notice and is a benefit to all."
"Ajen always has a high standard of professional manner. He continued to give me good advice and is a reliable person, helpful in sorting out problems and finding solutions easily."
"Ajendra has made himself available sometimes even after normal business hours, to assist us with any questions we have, even when sometimes they may have seemed silly or simple, he has answered in full and easy to understand terminology, at no point has he ever made me feel silly for asking."
"He is always accessible to speak with and even calls me to ask if I need help with anything."
"Ajendra's willingness to dedicate "caring time" to his clients sets him apart from others."
"I am confident to refer friends and family to his team because I know they are in the most capable hands. Ajendra’s honest, caring and upbeat nature has been an absolute godsend and I am so thankful that our paths crossed"
"Ajendra’s speaks with you in a language that you can understand and comprehend easily which assists in equity and partnership with your tax agent."
"We find you have a personal approach to your accounting practice, which makes everyone feel like number 1. This is a rare and special trait, and leaves us knowing we are in good hands."
"He is very astute, and at the same time down to earth and really interested in his clients prospering. For people like us who are new to small business this is an absolute god sent."
"He shows a genuine interest and I never feel rushed. He has created a warm and friendly environement."

Small businesses need hands-on help with cyber security

Firms confront too much information but insufficient practical guidance when it comes to digital lockdown, says COSBOA.

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Vulnerable small businesses need help with cyber security as part of the government’s push to make Australia the most digitally locked down nation by 2030, according to the sector’s representative body.

 

COSBOA chair Matthew Addison said the missing ingredient in the 2023–30 Australian Cyber Security Strategy was how small firms could implement appropriate systems.

“Small businesses tell us that they hear about cyber security risks but don’t know what to do or if they can do anything,” said Mr Addison. 

“They also tell us there is so much information they don’t understand.” 

He said COSBOA supported “action-based behaviour change information for small businesses” and that the development of its Cyber Wardens model was to “enable education and enhanced security for the people in small business.” 

The council said the goal of its submission was to advocate greater education services, investment in cyber security infrastructure, and a balanced approach to its regulatory requirements for small businesses. 

One of its recommendations was that any legislative changes or reforms regarding cyber security that the government enacted should be accompanied and supported by government-endorsed best practice guidelines to help small businesses understand how to follow the change. 

COSBOA also recommended government support for educational programs such as Cyber Wardens — which it launched in association with CBA and Telstra — which would supply practical advice on how small businesses could ensure they were compliant with introduced regulations.  

The organisation said an expansive roll-out of its Cyber Warden program as a designated cyber essentials certification scheme would strengthen and support the uptake of cyber security services and technologies in Australia. 

“Subscription to the scheme would enable small businesses the capacity to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data stored on devices that connect to the internet,” said the submission. 

“The Cyber Warden scheme would form a cornerstone of the strategy and would establish a set of baseline technical controls to help SMEs improve their cyber defences and publicly demonstrate their commitment to cyber security.” 

COSBOA also advocated against the penalisation of firms for non-compliance, as the council sought to protect small businesses from further penalties as they recover from the pandemic and several economic challenges. 

Family Business Australia’s acting chief executive Andrea Moody said the organisation supported an expanded role out of COSBOA’s Cyber Wardens program.

“Family Business Australia is proud to support the Cyber Wardens program, we believe this initiative will provide valuable training and resources to help individuals and organisations protect themselves against cyber threats,” said Ms Moody. 

“As family-owned businesses are often targets of these threats, it is crucial to educate our members and the broader community about cyber security best practices.”

 

 

Josh Needs
19 April 2023
accountantsdaily.com.au

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