March E News 2026
- Apr 1
- 16 min read
March 2026 ends with a significant global shift as the Iran conflict drives oil prices above US$110, fueling inflation concerns and market volatility. Closer to home, this month’s update focuses on essential preparations for the 1 July Payday Super transition and the importance of regular financial health checks to keep your business resilient. We also clarify the distinction between a hobby and a business for tax purposes and share local Northern Rivers community events. Please note our upcoming Easter and Anzac Day office closures, along with this month's key lodgment dates, as you plan your April schedule.
As we conclude March 2026, the escalation of the Iran conflict has evolved from a geopolitical headline into a dominant macro risk, driving Brent crude above US$110 and refuelling inflation fears. This energy shock is acting as a tax on global growth, triggering a significant valuation reset that has seen the S&P 500 pull back 9.1% from its record highs. With the market increasingly sensitive to sticky inflation and a "higher-for-longer" rate environment, we are seeing a widening performance gap even among previously resilient mega-cap tech stocks. This month, we break down the implications of these shifting dynamics for corporate earnings, market volatility, and the current economic outlook.
With Payday Super officially commencing on 1 July 2026, now is the time to transition your payroll processes to ensure compliance with the new requirement to make contributions each pay cycle. To avoid potential Super Guarantee Charges, all contributions must be received and allocated by your employees' funds within seven business days of payday. We recommend reviewing your cash flow and updating employee super details immediately to prevent processing errors. In this edition, we provide a readiness checklist and resources like the Cash Flow Kit to help you shift from quarterly payments to this new "qualifying earnings" model and ensure your software is fully prepared for the July 1 deadline.
Conducting a regular financial health check is essential for ensuring your business remains efficient and positioned for growth. By consistently reviewing your balance sheet, profit and loss, and cash flow statements, you can identify critical trends such as shifting profit margins or budget variances before they impact your bottom line. Benchmarking your performance against industry standards, including ATO small business data, further clarifies your competitive standing and highlights areas for improvement. In this month's update, we explore how to analyse these key financial documents to facilitate more informed decision-making and keep your business on track.
As side hustles and micro-businesses become more common, it is important to distinguish whether your activities constitute a hobby or a formal business for tax purposes. Generally, if you are performing regular tasks with the intent to make a profit—such as keeping business records or maintaining professional licenses—the ATO may classify you as carrying on a business. Conversely, one-off transactions or activities without a profit motive typically fall under the hobby category. To help you meet your tax obligations and get your registrations right from the start, we invite you to watch the video below or reach out to our team for a professional assessment.
The Northern Rivers holds regular Community Events. See what's on and keep up to date on all the fantastic opportunities and help to support local. There is plenty to do.
A reminder, there are important lodgement dates to note this month, including Easter Office Closure hours and Anzac Day.
We are evolving—stay tuned for our upcoming rebrand.
Warmest wishes to you and your loved ones for a safe, restful, and very happy Easter break.
The WD Nicholls Team
The sharp escalation in the Iran conflict has become the market’s dominant macro risk at the end of March 2026. The main reason is simple: investors are no longer treating this as only a geopolitical story. They are treating it as an oil, inflation and growth story at the same time. By 30 March, Brent crude had surged above US$110 a barrel in multiple reports, with some outlets citing intraday levels near US$115–117, while U.S. crude pushed above US$100. U.S. equities have responded accordingly, with the S&P 500 down 9.1% from its record and the Nasdaq continuing to underperform as energy prices and uncertainty rise.
Why oil matters so much is that it feeds directly into inflation expectations. When markets worry about disruption to the Strait of Hormuz or broader Gulf energy infrastructure, they are not just repricing crude; they are repricing transport costs, input costs, freight, aviation fuel, fertiliser and household energy bills. That creates a difficult mix for central banks. If oil stays elevated, inflation can remain sticky even as economic activity slows, increasing the risk of a stagflation-style environment rather than a clean growth slowdown. The IMF has already warned that a prolonged Middle East conflict would likely mean higher prices and weaker global growth, with the size of the hit depending on duration, geographic spread and damage to infrastructure.
That helps explain the recent behaviour in share markets. Energy producers and some commodity-linked names have benefited from the oil spike, but the broader market reaction has been negative because higher energy costs act like a tax on households and businesses. In the U.S., the S&P 500 was down 6.77% year to date as of 30 March, while the Nasdaq was down 7.75%, showing how much more sensitive growth and technology stocks are when markets start to question earnings multiples and the outlook for interest rates. In Australia, the ASX 200 also fell on 30 March, with local reporting pointing to weakness in banks and technology while energy stocks outperformed.
The technology sell-off in the U.S. has therefore not been caused by one issue alone. The Iran conflict has been the catalyst, but it has hit a market that was already becoming less willing to pay premium valuations for long-duration growth stocks. Rising oil prices increase inflation risk, which can delay or reduce the chance of rate cuts. That matters most for technology because those valuations are heavily reliant on future earnings. At the same time, investors have become more demanding about whether the enormous AI spending programs of the major platform businesses will produce enough revenue and margin to justify the capital being deployed. In other words, geopolitics has intensified an existing valuation reset.
The “Magnificent Seven” have been a good example of that pressure, and importantly, they are no longer moving as one uniform group. Using the latest available market snapshots around the end of March, Apple was down about 7% year to date, Microsoft about 24.3%, Nvidia about 8.2%, Amazon about 11.2%, Alphabet about 2.8% to 3.5% depending on share class snapshot, Meta roughly 19% to 20%, and Tesla roughly 19% to 20% for the year. The key message is not just that they are down, but that dispersion inside the group is widening. Microsoft, Meta and Tesla have faced notably heavier drawdowns than Apple, Nvidia or Alphabet, which suggests markets are becoming far more selective about business models, legal risks, AI monetisation and near-term earnings delivery.
Looking ahead, the biggest market risk is that oil stays high for longer rather than just spiking briefly. If the conflict drags on, or if key shipping lanes and energy infrastructure remain impaired, central banks may be forced to stay restrictive for longer even as growth slows. That is the worst combination for equity valuations. It would likely keep pressure on consumer spending, lift business input costs, squeeze margins in transport, manufacturing and discretionary sectors, and weigh on confidence more broadly. Small and mid-cap companies would also be vulnerable because they generally have less pricing power and less balance-sheet flexibility than the global mega-caps.
The second risk is that the market broadens its concern from energy to earnings. So far, investors have mainly repriced sectors that are most sensitive to rates and oil. But if elevated energy prices start feeding through to weaker company guidance, downgrades to earnings expectations could extend well beyond technology. That is especially important because much of the U.S. market’s leadership over recent years came from a small group of very large growth stocks (Tech Stocks). If those names are no longer offsetting weakness elsewhere, market volatility can rise quickly.
The third risk is policy uncertainty. Markets are reacting not only to actual conflict developments, but also to changing headlines around negotiations, threats to infrastructure and the status of oil flows. That makes day-to-day sentiment fragile. It also means investors should expect larger swings across oil, bond yields, currencies and equities than would normally occur in a standard economic slowdown.
For investors, the key takeaway is that this is no longer simply a headline-driven geopolitical wobble. It is a live test of whether markets can absorb an energy shock without a renewed inflation problem. If the conflict de-escalates and oil retreats, some of the recent weakness in growth and technology may reverse quickly. But if crude remains elevated and inflation expectations drift higher, markets may continue rotating away from expensive growth and toward energy, defensives and businesses with stronger near-term cash flows.
Here are the numbers for March:
Paying Super on Payday
Payday Super starts on 1 July 2026. If you’re an employer, Payday Super means you will need to make a super contribution for eligible employees for each payday.
You don’t need to wait until 1 July to get ready – you can start now.
Use this checklist to get ready for Payday Super.
Now: Understand the new requirements
Check the changes. Payday Super starts 1 July. Understand what this means for your business by visiting ato.gov.au/paydaysuper or watching the ATO's Payday Super video on the key changes.
February to March 2026: Plan and prepare
Plan your transition
Set a start date. You need to make a super contribution for eligible employees for each payday from 1 July.
Get advice if you need it. Talk to your tax professional if you’re unsure about the best timing for your business to transition, or how you’ll pay super going forward.
Prepare your business
Review cash flow. Update your business process so that you can pay super with each pay cycle. The ATO's Cash Flow Kit has tools and resources to help you successfully manage cash flow.
Review payroll governance and business processes:
Check you have up-to-date super fund details for all eligible employees. Check this information is correct (such as member account numbers and unique superannuation identifiers) to prevent any errors.
Review and correct error messages you receive from super funds. Any payments you currently make that receive a warning or information message now could be rejected after 1 July 2026, causing a late payment.
April to June 2026: Lock in your plans
Confirm when your software will be ready. Contact your digital service or payroll provider to find out.
If you use a clearing house or super fund portal, check if they are ready and if you need to make any updates.
If you're still using the Small Business Superannuation Clearing House (SBSCH), transition now to an alternative provider – see the SBSCH checklist.
Check payroll governance processes:
Set up a process to quickly correct any errors with your super contributions so the super fund receives the contribution within 7 business days after payday.
Understand the new concept 'qualifying earnings' (QE):
Read about how this applies to calculating your super guarantee (SG) payments at ato.gov.au/QE or on the ATO's factsheet.
Pay your SG for the January to March quarter by 28 April 2026.
You must switch to Payday Super from 1 July.
July 2026: Payday Super starts
Payday Super is now law. Super guarantee charge (SGC) may apply if contributions are not made on time, in full and to the correct fund.
When paying super, you must:
ensure all SG contributions are received by, and can be allocated by, your eligible employees' super funds within 7 business days after payday (unless longer applies)
calculate super from qualifying earnings
report qualifying earnings and super liability in your Single Touch Payroll (STP)-enabled software.
Make your final quarterly payment by 28 July 2026
Remember you won’t be able to use the SBSCH for any payments on or after 1 July 2026.
There is no late payment offset available for this quarter.
Tips and resources
Avoid SGC by paying your eligible employees’ super in full, on time and to the correct fund. For Payday Super, this means contributions need to be received by, and can be allocated by, the super funds within 7 business days after payday (unless longer applies). We recommend you pay super on payday as you need to allow time for payment processing and any corrections to be made.
The Cash Flow Kit can help your business thrive
Use the simple steps, tools and resources to successfully manage your business cash flow.
Build your cash flow skills and knowledge by working through the kit yourself or discuss how to make the most of it with your trusted adviser.
Download the free Cash Flow Kit App
The Cash Flow Kit app is free to download and use. Click the button below for download instructions.
It has everything you need to get your cash flow basics right and is available for Windows and Mac.
A financial health check helps you understand your current financial position and plan for the future. Learn how to review your finances to see if your business is on track.
It’s important to give your business a financial health check at least once a year so you know how it’s performing.
Reviewing and analysing your finances will help you:
run your business more efficiently
understand your potential for growth
make better business decisions.
Review your financial documents
Review and analyse your main financial documents regularly. These include your:
balance sheet, which reports your assets and liabilities
profit and loss statement, which shows financial performance and profitability over time
cash flow statement, which tracks how much cash you generated over a period
budget, which compares estimated spending to actual spending
Look for any trends or things that are unusual, as these could be areas you need to work on to save money or increase sales. Things to look out for include:
falling sales
low profit margins
more spending than you budgeted for
the amount of existing debt
periods of high or low cash flow.
Benchmark your business against others
Benchmarking lets you compare your financial performance against similar businesses.
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) publishes small business benchmarks so you can find out if you’re in the benchmark range for your industry. This information can help you decide if you need to make any changes to your business.
Source and credit: Business.gov.au
You might not think you’re running a business from your hobby or side hustle activities. If you’re starting to earn money from doing these activities regularly, you may be carrying on a business without realising it.
Generally, carrying on a business involves ongoing and repeated activities with the intention of making a profit. These activities can include:
keeping records of your work
obtaining and maintaining any necessary licences or permits
regularly providing goods or services.
On the other hand, your activities may indicate that you’re not operating a business where:
your transactions are one-off
you don’t intend to make a profit
you work solely as an employee rather than independently.
Need more information to help you get it right and meet your tax obligations, watch the video below or speak to one of our friendly team.
Source and credit: ATO.gov.au
We always like to support our locals! Here are some community events happening this month (in date order).
Bangalow Farmers Market dates on Saturday's, 4, 11, 18 and 25 April | 7:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Discover the Heart of Local Food at Bangalow Farmers Market Every Saturday morning from 7:00 am - 11:00 am, the Bangalow Hotel carpark transforms into a vibrant hub of local food. Our farmers offer a bountiful harvest of fresh produce, artisan goods, and more. Meet the farmers, learn about sustainable practices, and support your local community. Visit Bangalow Farmers Market and experience the true essence of local food.
Location: Piccabeen Park, Cnr Deacon and Ashton Streets, Bangalow
Brunswick Heads Community Market next date is Saturday, 4 April | 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM
The Brunswick Community Market is held on the first Saturday of each month from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm.
Located on the riverbank, this market features a variety of stalls with local and imported goods, including handmade products, fresh produce, plants, food, and clothing.
Visitors can find artisanal goods, grab a coffee or hot food, and enjoy the riverside location.
Location: Memorial Park, 11 Fawcett Street, Brunswick Heads
Byron Bay Twilight Market next date is Saturday's, 4, 11, 18 and 25 April | 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM
The Byron Twilight market is a gathering of artists, designers, healers, producers and musicians showcasing their talents and designs in a vibrant, family-friendly atmosphere.
Every Saturday from October to April.
Location: Railway Park, Jonson St, Byron Bay
Byron Bay Community Market next date is Sunday, 5 April | 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM
The Byron Bay Community market is held from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm on the 1st Sunday of every month.
The market hosts an eclectic collection of stalls that showcase what Byron has to offer.
From Sunday 6 July the market will be temporarily relocated to the Main Beach Foreshore, while drainage work is carried out.
Location: Main Beach Foreshore, Bay Street, Byron Bay
Farm Walk at Banyula: Soil health monitoring and landscape rehydration date is Wednesday, 8 April | 2:00 PM to 4:30 PM
Banyula and our agriculture team are hosting a farm walk at Clunes to explore the importance of soil monitoring.
See how Natural Sequence Farming techniques have been applied to provide landscape function and soil health outcomes.
Learn about the Soilmentor app and how it is being used.
Hear from Josh Wellman, Managing Director and Natural Sequence Farming practitioner; about how the Banyula farm landscape is being managed.
Learn about soil improvement actions being implemented.
See the effects of contour cultivation works.
Fresh fruit and nuts will be provided prior to and following the farm walk.
What to bring
closed shoes for paddock walking
sun protection
water bottle.
Contact
Mark
THIS IS A FREE EVENT - BOOKINGS ESSENTIAL
Location: Address for the farm walk will be provided closer to the event following registration. Banyula
Upcycled Sewing and Craft Sessions 2026 dates on Friday's, 10, 17 and 24 April I 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Come along to an upcycled sewing and craft session.
Sessions will be running every Friday at The Re-Market (Tip Shop) from now until the end of the year (excluding Good Friday - Friday 3 April).
These friendly, no-pressure drop-in sessions are a great chance to:
Fix and mend your favourite pieces
Upcycle clothing or fabric finds
Learn simple sewing skills.
No experience needed. Just come along, learn skills, share skills and enjoy some hands-on creativity using upcycled materials.
All ages and abilities welcome.
Maximum of seven (7) people per session.
Location: The Re-Market, Byron Resource Recovery Centre, 115 The Manse Road, Myocum
Council Ordinary Meeting next date is Thursday, 16 April | 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM
If you'd like to speak at a Council Meeting, register for Public Access by visiting Address a Council meeting.
A livestream is available to watch online.
Questions about the meeting?
Phone: 02 6626 7000
Email: council@byron.nsw.gov.au
Location: Byron Shire Council Chambers, 70 Station Street, Mullumbimby
Mullumbimby Community Market next date is Saturday, 18 April | 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM
The Mullumbimby Community Market is held on the third Saturday of each month from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm.
The market is a vibrant family-friendly festival held in Summers Park. Discover unique treasures among the diverse stalls offering artisan clothing, jewellery, homewares, plants, and more, all while enjoying live music and delicious food. With its warm, welcoming atmosphere and support for the local historical society museum, the Mullumbimby Community Market is a must-visit destination for both locals and visitors.
Location: 150 Stuart Street, Mullumbimby
Federal Community Market next date is Sunday, 19 April | 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM
The Federal Community Market is held on the third Sunday of each month from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm.
The market has been able to restart following the completion of Federal Drive, that has been closed for over two years following the devastating 2022 floods. It has over 30 stalls, local vendors and a coffee cart.
This is a beloved community where the Federal Market has long been a cherished event with a vibrant atmosphere, offering the community a chance to come together, enjoying the music from our locally-based musicians.
Location: Federal Halls, 466 Federal Drive, Federal
New Brighton Farmers Market dates on Tuesday's, 3, 10, 17, 24 & 31 April | 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM
New Brighton Farmers Market was established by the North Byron Farmers Market Association in 2007.
The aim was to create a local food economy; to give the local community access to farm fresh produce and to support local farmers and producers. The Association also wanted to create a meeting place in which to grow and strengthen community.
New Brighton Farmers Market has received overwhelming support from day one, with loyal customers returning consistently week after week. The market now hosts approximately 30 farmer and producer stalls each Tuesday.
The market is held from 8:00 am to 11:00 am every Tuesday.
Location: Tom Kendall Oval, Park Street, New Brighton
Come along to a drop-in session about the former Mullum Hospital DCP date is Monday, 20 April | 1:00 PM to 3:30 PM & Tuesday, 21 April I 9:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Come along to a drop-in session to learn more about the draft Site-Specific Development Control Plan (DCP) for the Former Mullumbimby Hospital site.
Drop in anytime on either day to chat with the project team.
You can also provide your feedback in person or by visiting the Draft DCP for the former Mullum Hospital Site on Your Say
Location: Council Offices, 70 Station Street, Mullumbimby
Anzac Day Services and March date is Saturday, 25 April | 4:30 AM to 12:00 PM
Details about Anzac Day services and marches happening in the Byron Shire on 25 April 2026.
Bangalow
10:30am - March from the Bangalow Hotel to the Cenotaph
March starts at 10.40am from Bangalow Hotel, Byron Street to Station Street, Bangalow, for a short outdoor service at the RSL memorial.
Bangalow Road Closures
From 10:40am to 11:45pm.
Station Street north of Byron Street
Byron Street west of Station Street
Byron Street at the east bound leg of the Granuaille Road and Lismore Road roundabout.
Brunswick Heads
There will be an Anzac Day Dawn Service at the Cenotaph in Memorial Park, Fawcett Street, Brunswick Heads starting at 5.00am.
Participants should gather at 4.45am.
Brunswick Heads Road Closures
Fawcett Street between 4.30am to 6.30am.
Byron Bay
Byron Bay RSL Sub-Branch will be holding their ANZAC Day Service this year starting with the Dawn Service at the Memorial Gates at 5.30am to 6.00am.
After the Dawn Service there will be breakfast at the Byron Bay Services Club at a nominal cost.
The 10.30am March will start at Bay St [Apex Park] down Fletcher left into Marvel and proceeding to memorial gates where the service will commence at 10.50 am to 11.40 am.
Byron Bay Road Closures
Tennyson Street and Marvell Street intersection between 4.30am and 5.30am and then again (approximately at 10.45am) when the parade reaches the gates to conduct the main service.
Mullumbimby
The Dawn Service is held at 4.30am at the Cenotaph opposite the Ex-Services Club.
This will be followed by breakfast at the Club. Free to veterans The mid-morning march will leave at 10.50am from Apex Park.
A civic service follows directly after the march.
Mullumbimby Road Closures
Dalley Street closed to traffic between Burringbar Street and Tincogan Street between 8.00am and 12.00pm.
Traffic disruptions will also occur between the Prince Street and Argyle Street intersection and along Burringbar Street between 10.40am to 11.00am.
Location: Council Offices, 70 Station Street, Mullumbimby
Council Extraordinary Meeting next date is Thursday, 30 April | 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM
If you'd like to speak at a Council Meeting, register for Public Access by visiting Address a Council meeting.
A livestream is available to watch online.
Questions about the meeting?
Phone: 02 6626 7000
Email: council@byron.nsw.gov.au
Location: Byron Shire Council Chambers, 70 Station Street, Mullumbimby
Source and credit: Byron.nsw.gov.au/Recreation-Culture/Events-Venues/Whats-On
OUR OFFICE WILL BE CLOSED FROM 5.00 PM THURSDAY, 2 APRIL, FOR THE EASTER HOLIDAY AND OUR TEAM WILLRETURN 8.30 AM ON TUESDAY, 7 APRIL 2026.
Key lodgment and payment dates for business
21 April
Lodge and pay quarter 3, 2025–26 PAYG instalment activity statement for head companies of consolidated groups.
Lodge and pay March 2025 monthly business activity statement.
28 April
Lodge and pay quarter 3, 2025–26 activity statement if lodging by paper.
Pay quarter 3, 2025–26 instalment notice (form R, S or T). Lodge the notice only if you are varying the instalment amount.
Make super guarantee contributions for quarter 3, 2025–26 to the funds by this date.
Note: Employers who do not pay minimum super contributions for quarter 3 by this date must pay the super guarantee charge and lodge a Superannuation guarantee charge statement by 28 May 2026.
30 April
Lodge TFN report for closely held trusts if any beneficiary quoted their TFN to a trustee in quarter 3, 2025–26.
Lodge lost members report for the period 1 July 2024 to 31 December 2025.
Source and credit: ATO.gov.au
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