In this raw and unfiltered episode, we take a hard look at the current landscape for Australian employers. From record-high insolvencies in hospitality and construction to the mounting pressures of wage rises and legislation changes, the real cost of doing business in 2025 is becoming clearer, and more dangerous.

We break down alarming statements from Fair Work Commission leadership, unpack the ideology dominating Australia’s IR system, and explain how it impacts your ability to run, grow, or even retain staff in your business. You’ll hear why so many small business owners are worried, and why they’re right to be.

We also share proven retention strategies you can implement right now to secure your workforce through this turbulent period. If you're a business owner, leader, or HR decision-maker, this is an essential listen.

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Go to www.hrcartel.com

In this episode of the HR Cartel, host Tim Dive dives deep into the reality facing Australian business owners post-election. With a government that shows no signs of lifting the cost burden on small and medium-sized employers, Tim breaks down the pressing challenges and what business leaders must now do to survive.

From skyrocketing wage costs and new criminal liabilities under wage theft laws, to the real-world implications of workplace performance management, this episode is a must-listen for every employer, manager, and HR lead trying to navigate the current IR landscape.

If you've found yourself wondering whether performance management systems are worth the investment—or questioning how much further you can cut without collapsing your workforce—this conversation is for you.

📌 Topics include:

• Why cost-cutting in business is misunderstood

• What “performance management” should actually look like in SMEs

• How political ideology is shaping IR outcomes

• What you need to do now to avoid non-compliance and survive the next wave of reform

This is one of the most frank conversations we’ve had yet.

Visit www.hrcartel.com to join the community, access the compliance portal, and stay protected.

In this explosive episode of The HR Cartel Podcast, Tim Dive dives deep into a high-stakes restraint of trade case where an ex-employee tried to take $120M worth of tender intel to a direct competitor, and the courts actually stepped in.

📌 Interim restraint orders were granted—three months after the employee had already jumped ship, proving that restraint clauses can work… when they’re written properly.

But just as courts begin backing employers, the current government is moving to wipe out restraint clauses for 90% of Australian workers.

So what now?

Tim unpacks:

• The case details and why this win matters for employers

• The IR changes coming if Labor retains power

• The contract clauses you must update NOW before laws change

• How to shield your business before the protections disappear

If you have sales, BD, or leadership staff—and your business relies on client relationships—you need to hear this.

🎧 Listen now. Protect what’s yours.

www.hrcartel.com

Episode 073: The 10 Adjustments Employers Are Making to Survive the Next 12-24 Months

In this episode of The HR Cartel Podcast, Tim Dive breaks down the real-world moves smart employers are making right now to tackle rising costs, productivity loss, and compliance risks in an increasingly hostile business environment.

With union wish lists becoming law, wage theft risks on the rise, and Fair Work changes biting hard, the next year won’t be easy for small and medium business owners.

So how do you stay afloat—without sacrificing your people or your performance? Tim unpacks the 10 macro, micro, and policy adjustments that employers are using to cut costs, reduce risk, and keep control over their business.

Learn about:

• Redesigns, restructures, and when to pull the redundancy lever

• Outsourcing HR, finance, and marketing the smart way

• The compliance traps of double and triple dipping (and why it could land you in jail)

• How AI is replacing roles and improving productivity right now

• Why performance management (done properly) is your best weapon

If you’re an employer who’s ready to stop playing defence and start leading smarter—this episode is for you.

To apply for membership to the Cartel, go to https://www.hrcartel.com/join-the-cartel scroll down and complete the form.

In this firecracker episode, we take the gloves off and call out an alarming trend: ideological activism embedded in the Fair Work Commission and Fair Work Ombudsman.

With a controversial decision just handed down, targeting modern awards through the lens of gender-based undervaluation, we ask the tough questions no one else is willing to:

• Is the Commission becoming a political weapon?

• Are employers being punished in the name of “equality”?

• Who really ends up paying for 30–64% award wage hikes? (Spoiler: it’s you.)

From pharmacy and childcare to aged care and health services, this episode exposes how well-meaning social agendas can destroy small business viability, and why this kind of economic activism is completely misplaced.

🔥 Expect bold takes, raw truth, and the kind of HR commentary that actually defends employers.

If you’re tired of being the one paying the price for other people’s ideologies, this one is for you.

🎧 Listen now. Push back harder. #TheHRCartel

www.hrcartel.com

In this raw and unfiltered episode, Tim Dive sits down with one of Australia’s most successful entrepreneurs, Phillip Di Bella; founder of Di Bella Coffee and The Coffee Commune, and passionate advocate for small business.

Together, they cut through the noise and dive deep into the real state of play for business owners in Australia. From red tape and rising costs, to leadership mindset and why trust in government is fading, nothing is off limits.

This is not your average business podcast episode. It’s a straight-talking, truth-telling convo between two people who live and breathe business, and who aren’t afraid to say the quiet parts out loud.

Whether you're in hospitality, construction, retail, or professional services, this one is for you. Expect insights, fire, and practical gold for running a business in a post-pandemic, pre-election world.

Key themes:

• The daily reality of small business owners in 2025

• Phillip’s take on government red tape and leadership failure

• Why many business owners feel “on their own” right now

• The true cost of over-regulation

• How to lead with resilience (and guts)

https://www.coffeecommune.com.au/

https://www.hrcartel.com/

"The Non-Compete Chaos & What It Really Means for Small Business"

In this episode of The HR Cartel Podcast, Tim Dive delivers a raw and unfiltered breakdown of the recent and proposed workplace legislation changes that could drastically shift how small and medium-sized businesses operate in Australia. From the alarming plans to outlaw non-compete clauses to the ever-growing influence of unions, this episode cuts through the noise to ask one key question: who is really protecting the employer?

Tim dives into:

• The true implications of removing non-compete clauses

• How small businesses are left exposed while trying to protect their people, clients, and intellectual property

• The shocking rise in regulatory red tape and union power

• Why the “right to disconnect” law was a pointless move

• What employers must start doing to protect their business and stay compliant

• What this all means ahead of the next federal election

If you’re a business owner or leader in Australia, this is the episode you cannot afford to miss.

In this episode of The HR Cartel Podcast, Tim breaks down the real impact of the current Labor government’s workplace law reforms. Small and medium businesses are facing an unprecedented compliance burden, extra admin, higher operational costs, and serious risks for directors and managers. Tim cuts through the noise to show you exactly what’s changed, why it matters, and how it’s affecting business owners, leaders and managers. If you lead an Australian business with under 200 employees, this is for you.

💡 Learn how to protect your business, your board, and yourself in this new era of compliance. 🎧 Tune in for practical advice and no-nonsense insights.

Access membership benefits now, go to https://www.hrcartel.com/join-the-cartel