Use the cash flow of the business to build wealth and save tax by maximising superannuation contributions.

Funds for a business can be sourced through:

• Leasing, renting or hiring.
• Sale of existing fixed assets.
• Factoring of debts.
• Working capital efficiency programs.
• Effective cash management systems.

Business retreats can be effective tools for maintaining and, if need be, sharpening the focus of the business, but they should include key operatives as well as family members. They should be carefully structured so that they are not dominated by a senior family member and they should have a mix of work and play. Interactions in the fun sessions have a beneficial value in terms of work morale and cooperative endeavour.

The decision to hire a manager of information systems is more dependant on the nature of the systems' function and the relationship between the organisation's management and the development and maintenance of the systems than it is on the size of the organisation. As a rule of thumb, you should look at hiring a manager of information systems when the efficient management of the systems is beyond the time or skills of the staff. A popular alternative is to outsource this to a third party.

Your first action should be to advise your agent. Then you should follow the advice they provide. You have the right to have your accountant with you at any stage of an audit. You have the right to ask for interviews to be held at mutually convenient times during normal business hours.

There are two fundamental but crucially important guidelines to follow:

1. Keep the relative proportions of your debt and equity at a level that is normal for the industry and comfortable for the business.
2. Ensure that the returns from assets exceed the cost of borrowing.

You can move to the concept of total employment cost - that is, package superannuation as part of the employee's salary - but ensure that you do not breach the Superannuation Guarantee provisions. Where possible you can outsource work to contractors who would be responsible for their own superannuation, provided that all the requirements are satisfied to have the contractors excluded from your Superannuation Guarantee obligations.

Take advantage of imputation credits. That is, purchase shares that offer high levels of franking credits. Income split. Utilise a partner's lower tax bracket. Tax deferral. Speed up deductions within the financial year and delay receipt of assessable income. Negative gearing. Use borrowed funds to invest in income-producing investments so the interest is tax deductible.

Yes, and this may happen even when the directors have taken some remedial action in an attempt to solve the company's financial problems.

Nothing. Don't expect governments to do anything. They will talk about it, but they won't do anything. It's up to enterprising people, organisations and investors to do something. Government should not interfere. They shouldn't try to change the way the market operates. It should be up to people to recognise an opportunity, take the risk, drive the advantage and make money out of it.