What's happening in October

It’s National Safe Work Month, with Safe Work Australia encouraging businesses across the country to prioritise safety every day. 

They’ve got practical resources to guide discussions and activities that you can use throughout October and beyond. 

A simple way to get involved is by hosting a SafeTea chat at your workplace. Grab a cuppa, gather your colleagues and start an important conversation about health and safety at work.

October is Indigenous Business Month. A month-long celebration and showcase of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses. It highlights some of the amazing and innovative Indigenous businesses out there, and seeks to inspire the next generation of Indigenous entrepreneurs

As a business owner, you can also use the month to review your procurement and consider engaging Indigenous suppliers. You can check out platforms like Supply Nation, Indigenous Chambers of Commerce and Indigenous Business Direct, or make connections with local Indigenous business owners in your local community.

10 October is World Mental Health Day. It’s a day to raise awareness of mental health issues and advocate against social stigma. 

Take some time to: 

• check in with your own mental health – there are a range of support services available for business owners
• learn about your work health and safety obligations and how you can create a safe and healthy workplace
• learn to manage stress in your business and spot the signs of stress in your employees. 

It’s important to be aware of cyber threats all year round, but in October we are reminded to review our cyber security practices for Cyber Security Awareness Month.

The theme for Cyber Security Awareness Month 2025 is ‘Building our cyber safe culture’. Businesses are encouraged to take some simple steps to prioritise cyber security:

• Install all software updates to keep your devices secure.
• Use a unique and strong passphrase on every account.
• Always set up multi-factor authentication.

NSW Small Business Month is a month-long program offering free and low-cost events on a range of topics, including: 

• staffing
• cyber security
• marketing
• artificial intelligence
• mental health 
• cash flow.

Whether you’re looking to build connections, learn new skills or gain insights, you’re sure to find an event to boost your business. 

October Business Month is set to deliver a range of events to spark ideas, build capability, and connect the Northern Territory business community. This year’s theme is to ‘Play to our strengths’.

The events will focus on:

• Digitalisation: embracing AI and smart technologies to drive productivity and innovation.
• Workforce: attracting, retaining and developing talent for long-term success.
• Resilience: building agile businesses that respond to changing consumer behaviours and market shifts.