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Daily Mail
6 hours ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Urgent warning to Aussies with a side hustle from UberEats delivery drivers to OnlyFans models
Australians working side hustle jobs are set to get a rude tax bill as the government cracks down on gig economy roles. The Australian Taxation Office is now directly contacting digital platforms to identify potential income taxpayers - meaning those with a side hustle can no longer hide. CPA Australia, which represents Certified Practising Accountants, warned the ATO's new sharing economy reporting regime was targeting everyone from social media influencers to food deliverers. Jenny Wong, the group's tax lead, said this meant Australians doing gig economy jobs with the likes of UberEats, DoorDash, Airtasker, YouTube and even OnlyFans risked a big tax bill if they failed to declare their income from these platforms. 'Until this year, individuals have been required to self-declare the income from their side-hustles,' she said. 'Now nothing will go under the radar. If you deliver food with DoorDash, work some casual jobs through Airtasker, or make content for Patreon, YouTube or OnlyFans, these sites are now reporting your earnings to the tax office. 'Though people might not consider earnings from digital platforms as income in the same way as their regular job, it is all viewed the same way by the ATO. 'Chances are that many people have simply not been declaring this income at tax time. That all changes now.' Ms Wong said the tax office was also targeting those who rented out items online. 'If you use a website to rent out a car parking space or your designer handbag, this income will be recorded, and you'll need to pay tax,' she said. The tax office's sharing economy reporting regime is expanding, meaning it will now be aware of all income earned from gig economy jobs in the 2024-25 financial year, above the $18,200 tax-free threshold. 'So, if you've had a successful year earning money through advertising revenue and streaming subscriptions, as well as through gifts and gratuities, the ATO will be expecting you to cough up,' she said. 'Yes, this even includes free cars, holidays, clothes and anything else you're lucky enough to receive as a form of payment. 'Depending on how much you've earned during the year, this could be a significant amount, maybe even tens of thousands of dollars.' What can be claimed on tax? Australian workers can claim items worth up to $300 in one financial year if they are used exclusively for work purposes, including a handbag used to carry a laptop computer and home office furniture. But H&R Block's director of tax communications Mark Chapman said these items had to be used to generate an income. 'Let's be clear: to claim items like bags or sunglasses, they must be used in the course of earning income; and if there's any personal use, only the work-related portion can be claimed. And as always, records are essential,' he said. 'Items of capital equipment (such as furniture, computers and associated hardware and software) which cost less than $300 can be written off in full immediately.' Australians working from home can claim 70 cents an hour on their tax, as a fixed rate claim method, provided they had proof since July 2024, in the form of diary entries, rosters or time sheets. Purchases made before June 30 can also be claimed as a tax deduction. 'With many retailers running end of financial year specials, any purchases you make now can be deducted in this year's tax return so from a cash flow point of view, you can minimise the time between purchase and tax deduction,' Mr Chapman said. What's the biggest misunderstanding about tax claims? Tax planning accountant Ben Johnston, a director of Johnston Advisory, said he had encountered many Australians during his three-decade career who thought the entire cost of a work-related item could be claimed on tax - because of those end of financial year sale campaigns on television. 'The benefits of tax deductions are so overstated where leading into the financial year - Officeworks, Dick Smith, Harvey Norman - all encouraging and really making people have urgency to spend money where it's actually really dumb to spend money to save tax,' he told Daily Mail Australia. 'Our tax system confuses and misleads people to spend money they don't need to just to save tax. 'A lot of people think they spend $10 on stationery and they get $10 back in tax when in fact they might be lucky to get $3.20 back. 'The notion of something being a hundred per cent tax deductible gets confused with being 100 per cent refundable and it's so false and retailers really prey on it.' Mr Johnston said he was frustrated by how many people didn't realise a tax claim simply reduced someone's taxable income. This led to them spending money falsely hoping to save money, even if it didn't necessarily put them into a lower marginal tax bracket. 'A refund's actually a false economy in a lot of ways - a lot of people don't understand that,' he said. 'Someone earning $200,000 a year - the most they get back out of that $10 is $4.70. 'If you're an apprentice, that hasn't worked a full year or only earned under $20,000, you spent $10, they get no money back because they don't pay tax. 'You only spend money on what you need for work - if you spend money incentivised for tax, then you're stupid; you're only getting a proportion of it back based on what your tax bracket is.'
Sydney Morning Herald
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
This first-time actor won a French Oscar, then went back to fixing trucks
When Abou Sangare turned up at an open casting call for The Story of Souleymane, he just needed work. The 24-year-old had arrived in Paris from Guinea in 2017 and was finding it difficult to get a legal, on-the-books job. He had no dreams of stardom. But at this year's Cesars – the French Oscars – he won the prize for Best Male Revelation. Like the character he plays in the film, Sangare was an undocumented immigrant facing a bureaucratic nightmare in his search for work. In his words, it's like being in prison: 'You cannot work, you cannot just go out and enjoy yourself with your friends. Gathering documents and telling stories and being rejected, this is something I can really identify with.' While Souleymane prepares for the crucial interview that will decide if he's granted legal residency, he makes a precarious living as a courier for a company akin to UberEats, speeding through the city on his e-bike to complete his deliveries on time, while doing his best to steer clear of anyone who might ask to see his papers. He rarely gets a chance to catch his breath. Director Boris Lojkine, who started his film career in documentary, says it was important 'to build a thriller that doesn't take liberties with social reality'. The film is packed with action and suspense, yet what it shows isn't far from everyday experience for many people in cities around the world. Following its premiere at last year's Cannes Film Festival, the film had significant success in France. It was nominated for eight Cesars and won four. Some details from Sangare's own life were incorporated into the dialogue, particularly in the final scene. But the script was essentially complete before he came on board, the product of extensive research by Lojkine, who started as a philosophy teacher. 'I'm white, I'm not African, I'm not a delivery worker, it's not my life,' Lojkine says. 'It's very far from my life. So if you want to make a film on that kind of reality, you have to do it right.' That meant numerous lengthy interviews with delivery workers he approached on the streets of Paris, most of them undocumented immigrants like Souleymane, who effectively operate as subcontractors, using identities 'borrowed' from those with the right to work. The information they gave him forms the basis for what we see in the film: the tricks of the trade, the danger of being swindled, how the characters live, eat and sleep. 'Everything happens like it happens,' Lojkine says. 'It's always important for me that the people who are represented in the film think that the film is true – it's the most important thing.' In his eyes, the couriers he spoke to represent a particular modern condition, isolated both as migrants and as nominally self-employed entrepreneurs. 'There is no colleague, no boss, you're alone with your phone.' Souleymane's phone is his most precious possession, charged with a double significance. 'The phone is his relation to the world – it's his work tool, but it's also his connection to his family and his friends in Guinea. There is something very contemporary in it,' says Lojkine. He underlines that the film is not just concerned with asylum seekers or undocumented migrants, but with the plight of all those working in the 'gig economy'. 'It's not the problem of being undocumented, it's the problem of the status of these workers,' he says. 'If they're employees, then you have to give healthcare; if they have an accident, then you are responsible for them. 'But if they are independent, if they are self-employed, if they are freelancers, there is no social security for them. And this is a big fight, not only in France but worldwide.' How much difference can a film make to any of this? Lokjine insists, first and foremost, that The Story of Souleymane isn't a message movie, but an experience. 'I want the audience to be in Souleymane's shoes for two hours.' Loading But Sangare is in no doubt that films can change lives, and that this film in particular has done so. 'First, it has changed my life,' he says. 'Then, we have many people writing to us telling us that now they look differently at delivery people, that they realise that they are real people. 'There are even delivery people who told us that before ... they would knock on people's doors and they would just take their bag and leave, whereas now there are more and more people who stay for a minute and exchange words. There is a connection, a minimum connection, which I'm sure is due to the film.' Sangare says his involvement with cinema has been 'a very positive experience', but it's not one he's in a hurry to repeat. He always wanted to be a heavy truck mechanic and now has a job in a garage. Having obtained the necessary documents by working as an actor, he has pursued the job that was his main objective all along. While he would consider an interesting role if it came up, he won't spend his time seeking them out. 'I'll have someone else do it for me,' he jokes. For now, he feels he's done enough. Loading The Story of Souleymane opens in selected cinemas on June 26, with advance screenings June 20-22. Jake Wilson travelled to France courtesy of the Alliance Francaise.
The Age
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Age
This first-time actor won a French Oscar, then went back to fixing trucks
When Abou Sangare turned up at an open casting call for The Story of Souleymane, he just needed work. The 24-year-old had arrived in Paris from Guinea in 2017 and was finding it difficult to get a legal, on-the-books job. He had no dreams of stardom. But at this year's Cesars – the French Oscars – he won the prize for Best Male Revelation. Like the character he plays in the film, Sangare was an undocumented immigrant facing a bureaucratic nightmare in his search for work. In his words, it's like being in prison: 'You cannot work, you cannot just go out and enjoy yourself with your friends. Gathering documents and telling stories and being rejected, this is something I can really identify with.' While Souleymane prepares for the crucial interview that will decide if he's granted legal residency, he makes a precarious living as a courier for a company akin to UberEats, speeding through the city on his e-bike to complete his deliveries on time, while doing his best to steer clear of anyone who might ask to see his papers. He rarely gets a chance to catch his breath. Director Boris Lojkine, who started his film career in documentary, says it was important 'to build a thriller that doesn't take liberties with social reality'. The film is packed with action and suspense, yet what it shows isn't far from everyday experience for many people in cities around the world. Following its premiere at last year's Cannes Film Festival, the film had significant success in France. It was nominated for eight Cesars and won four. Some details from Sangare's own life were incorporated into the dialogue, particularly in the final scene. But the script was essentially complete before he came on board, the product of extensive research by Lojkine, who started as a philosophy teacher. 'I'm white, I'm not African, I'm not a delivery worker, it's not my life,' Lojkine says. 'It's very far from my life. So if you want to make a film on that kind of reality, you have to do it right.' That meant numerous lengthy interviews with delivery workers he approached on the streets of Paris, most of them undocumented immigrants like Souleymane, who effectively operate as subcontractors, using identities 'borrowed' from those with the right to work. The information they gave him forms the basis for what we see in the film: the tricks of the trade, the danger of being swindled, how the characters live, eat and sleep. 'Everything happens like it happens,' Lojkine says. 'It's always important for me that the people who are represented in the film think that the film is true – it's the most important thing.' In his eyes, the couriers he spoke to represent a particular modern condition, isolated both as migrants and as nominally self-employed entrepreneurs. 'There is no colleague, no boss, you're alone with your phone.' Souleymane's phone is his most precious possession, charged with a double significance. 'The phone is his relation to the world – it's his work tool, but it's also his connection to his family and his friends in Guinea. There is something very contemporary in it,' says Lojkine. He underlines that the film is not just concerned with asylum seekers or undocumented migrants, but with the plight of all those working in the 'gig economy'. 'It's not the problem of being undocumented, it's the problem of the status of these workers,' he says. 'If they're employees, then you have to give healthcare; if they have an accident, then you are responsible for them. 'But if they are independent, if they are self-employed, if they are freelancers, there is no social security for them. And this is a big fight, not only in France but worldwide.' How much difference can a film make to any of this? Lokjine insists, first and foremost, that The Story of Souleymane isn't a message movie, but an experience. 'I want the audience to be in Souleymane's shoes for two hours.' Loading But Sangare is in no doubt that films can change lives, and that this film in particular has done so. 'First, it has changed my life,' he says. 'Then, we have many people writing to us telling us that now they look differently at delivery people, that they realise that they are real people. 'There are even delivery people who told us that before ... they would knock on people's doors and they would just take their bag and leave, whereas now there are more and more people who stay for a minute and exchange words. There is a connection, a minimum connection, which I'm sure is due to the film.' Sangare says his involvement with cinema has been 'a very positive experience', but it's not one he's in a hurry to repeat. He always wanted to be a heavy truck mechanic and now has a job in a garage. Having obtained the necessary documents by working as an actor, he has pursued the job that was his main objective all along. While he would consider an interesting role if it came up, he won't spend his time seeking them out. 'I'll have someone else do it for me,' he jokes. For now, he feels he's done enough. Loading The Story of Souleymane opens in selected cinemas on June 26, with advance screenings June 20-22. Jake Wilson travelled to France courtesy of the Alliance Francaise.
Business Insider
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Business Insider
He worked multiple jobs just to pay rent in the US — so he packed up and moved to Thailand to chase a new life as a fighter
Maxwell Wolfe left the US and moved to Koh Samui, Thailand, to become a Muay Thai fighter. His daily routine in Samui involves waking up at 5 a.m. and training twice a day. He prefers the simplicity of his life in Thailand over the rat race in the US. Maxwell Wolfe had never traveled outside the US — until he flew to Thailand in 2019 for a Muay Thai fight on the island of Koh Samui. He lasted two minutes in the ring, took an elbow above his right eye, which left a scar, and then lost. But instead of flying home feeling defeated, Wolfe was hooked. Wolfe grew up in northern Virginia and had started practicing martial arts in his early 20s, when he was at a crossroads in his life. As someone with ADHD, he always found it hard to conform to conventional societal expectations. "I never really fit the mold, and martial arts is one of the very few things in my life besides music and art that made sense to me," Wolfe, now 34, told Business Insider. That match in Samui lit a fire in him, and he hoped to return to Thailand sooner to continue pursuing the sport. But the pandemic threw a wrench in his plans, and he continued training in the US instead. But life wasn't easy. With the rising cost of living, he had to juggle IT jobs, work in nightclubs, and deliver Uber Eats to pay his rent. In late 2023, things came to a head when he lost both of his IT jobs. Feeling stuck both personally and professionally, Wolfe decided to return to Samui in search of a reset. Starting afresh in Samui Once he arrived in Samui, he signed up for training at Lamai Muay Thai, a local gym. The training routine he followed gave his days structure and a sense of purpose that he quickly grew to appreciate. But as a foreigner, he realized his time in Thailand was limited. "One day, I went up to Ralph and said, 'How do I live a life like this?'" Wolfe said, referring to the owner of Lamai Muay Thai, Ralph Beale. That's when Beale told him about the Destination Thailand Visa, or DTV. Introduced last year, it can be used by digital nomads, remote workers, and those interested in participating in cultural or wellness activities — including Muay Thai. Beale told BI that the training center welcomes foreigners of all experience levels to its classes and currently has around 12 fighters training under the DTV. Wolfe's original plan was to stay for just one year. Enough time, he thought, to rebuild himself through Muay Thai. But with the visa valid for five years, the possibility of staying longer began to take shape. Eat, sleep, train, repeat Wolfe represents Lamai Muay Thai in local matches. "They get a small fight purse when they compete, which can start as low as a few thousand baht," Beale said. Most foreign fighters aren't in it for the money, but rather for the chance to compete in Thailand. Those who prove themselves in smaller arenas often earn opportunities on bigger stages, like those in Bangkok, he added. Wolfe's lifestyle on Samui is far from the relaxed and idyllic island dream one might expect. His day starts at 5 a.m. After washing up, he takes his supplements and has a light breakfast — typically a piece of fruit, like a banana. Then, it's time for training. "I usually reach the gym when the sun's still coming up, stretch a little bit, and then I run 8 to 10 kilometers in the morning," Wolfe said. After cooling down, he moves on to padwork or a CrossFit session. After morning training, Wolfe heads home and spends the afternoon on online IT courses. By 4 p.m., he's back at the gym — and ready to do it all over again. He lives in a house just five minutes away from his gym with several other fighters. One of the biggest challenges he faced was adapting to the strict discipline required by his new life. Getting into the habit of waking up early was tough, and staying mindful of his diet proved equally challenging. "I couldn't be eating all this processed crap. I couldn't have much seasoning on it," he said. "There's also temptation — I'm not even a big drinker, but alcohol is ridiculously cheap here." Adapting to a simpler life If there's anything he misses about the US, it's the sense of familiarity. "This is straight up jungle life," he said. "You've got to make sure you have a charger. Going to this spot means that you have no communication. Going to that spot means you'll encounter wild dogs." "It's one thing to be street smart back where I'm from, but being jungle smart is a completely different thing," he added. The Muay Thai gym has become a place where Wolfe has made some real friends. He finds that people in Samui are generally more open and accepting. Wolfe says he's slowly trying to learn the Thai language to get along better with the locals, including some of his trainers. Apart from training, competing, and representing the gym, Wolfe's life in Samui gave him the breathing space to grow his IT career. The lower cost of living in Samui has relieved a lot of financial pressure, allowing him to focus on upskilling himself and running his remote cybersecurity and IT consulting business. On the side, he's also building an AI app to help martial arts athletes track progress and improve performance. "Muay Thai is my main focus right now, and I'm fully committed to it. But I know fighting isn't forever," he said. Compared to the rat race, he prefers the simplicity of his life in Samui. "Despite the pain and discipline, it's so much better. I may not be working toward a luxurious apartment, which I'll never pay off in my lifetime, but I could see myself having a little house here, and I'd be happier than most people who are making six figures as a lawyer in New York," he said. In May, Wolfe fought his first Muay Thai match since receiving the visa. He walked away with a win.
Time Business News
2 days ago
- Business
- Time Business News
Why Crypto Gift Cards Are Becoming the Go-To Choice for Gen Z Shoppers
So, you've got some Solana sitting in your wallet, and you're wondering what to do with it. HODL? Maybe. Stake it? Could be. But what if you could turn that crypto into real stuff you actually want, like gaming credits, Uber Eats, or that monthly Netflix binge? That's where gift cards come in, though they're not just any gift cards—we're talking crypto gift cards available on platforms like CoinsBee, which lets you buy gift cards with Solana and other digital coins in seconds. No in-betweeners, no banks, just vibes and digital cash flow. What Makes Gen Z Embrace Crypto for Shopping? We're not boomers, we grew up with tech in our hands, and we're over the whole 'just use your debit card' routine. Why? Because crypto is ours. It's decentralized, fast, and it doesn't judge your 3 a.m. McDonald's splurge. We also hate friction. If a payment method makes us wait, asks for 3 forms of ID, or charges mystery fees, it's a nope. Crypto solves all of that. It's: Instant (bye-bye 3-day bank holds); Private (no oversharing your life with banks); Low-fee (especially when using Solana—yeah, we're looking at you, ETH gas fees). Plus, with CoinsBee by our side, we can spend our crypto in a way that feels like second nature. Buy a gift card, copy the code, done. Convenience, Speed, and Personalization in Gifting Let's be real—half of our gifts are last-minute. Someone's birthday tomorrow? No problem. Just grab a gift card for their favorite game, app, or food spot using crypto. It's digital, it's fast, and it actually looks thoughtful (even if it took you 30 seconds). What makes it even better? Personalization. You're not stuck choosing from a sad shelf of generic cards. On CoinsBee, you can pick from thousands of brands: Spotify, for the music junkies; Xbox, Steam, or PlayStation, for the gamer crew; Netflix and Disney+, for the couch squad; Amazon, for literally anyone. You can even gift someone a Google Play or Apple Store card so they can pick their own poison. Popular Platforms and Gift Card Categories Among Zoomers We don't all spend our money the same way. But the cool thing is, CoinsBee gets that. Here's what Gen Z is actually copping with crypto gift cards: Gaming: Think Riot Points, Roblox, Nintendo eShop—tokens of joy for the 'one more game' crowd; Think Riot Points, Roblox, Nintendo eShop—tokens of joy for the 'one more game' crowd; Food: Uber Eats, Domino's, or whatever helps you avoid cooking again this week; Uber Eats, Domino's, or whatever helps you avoid cooking again this week; Streaming: Spotify, Netflix, Crunchyroll. Because silence is awkward and anime is essential; Spotify, Netflix, Crunchyroll. Because silence is awkward and anime is essential; Travel & Ride Shares: Airbnb, Uber, FlixBus—so you can travel without checking if your card will decline. It's not about what boomers think we want. It's what we actually spend on. Security and Budget Control Features that Appeal to Young Users Let's talk facts: scams suck. And if you've been in crypto longer than a week, you've probably seen a few rug pulls or shady DMs. Crypto gift cards help avoid that mess. Why? Because once you grab that card code, it's yours. No bank info leaked. No sketchy forms. Just a clean, private transaction. CoinsBee even skips KYC for most purchases under $1,000, which means no awkward passport selfies. Oh, and if you're trying to stay on budget? Gift cards are low-key perfect. Load $50 onto a Nike gift card and boom—you can't overspend. That kind of planned irresponsibility actually helps. Predictions: How Will Gen Z Shape the Future of Crypto Payments? Let's face it—we're already shaping it. We're the ones turning Discord servers into DAO communities. We're paying friends back in stablecoins. We're using wallets the same way our parents used checking accounts. So what's next? Mainstream shops accepting crypto directly? Already happening; Gift cards as a way to bypass crypto-unfriendly stores? That's now; Entire friend groups splitting dinner bills with SOL? Give it a year. If we keep using crypto for everyday purchases, the market will keep building tools for us. Platforms like CoinsBee aren't just following the trend—they're giving us the tools to spend crypto like it's fiat, but better. TL;DR Gen Z is done waiting on slow banks and weird fees. We want fast, private, flexible ways to spend what we earn (or trade). Crypto gift cards hit all the right notes: easy to use, secure, and totally on-brand. So, if you've been sitting on some Solana, maybe it's time to stop waiting for the next bull run and start spending smart. Head over to and see how simple it is to buy gift cards with Solana. No gatekeepers. No drama. Just crypto, doing its thing. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
