Western Sydney Business Access June 2019 by Access News Australia (ANA)

WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS

JUNE 2019 • ISSUE 98

BUSINESS | COMMUNITY | LIFESTYLE

JAWS The jobs site

with real bite. Jobs Available Western Sydney is Western Sydney's leading place for job seekers and employers.

How the west CENTRAL COAST BUSINESS

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Over 45,000 Facebook fans. FREE resume service and job alerts. See for yourself!

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Lor OTHER STORIES INSIDE

W SAB E 20 19 LAU N C H E D

PAGE 16

Main image courtesy Western Weekender.

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M O D E M E D I A' S 20 YEARS

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Parramatta has a new media brand P

The cover of the inaugural edition of PCI.

ARRAMATTA has a new newspaper with the launch last week of the Parramatta City Independent (PCI). PCI is the result of a collaboration with the Parramatta Chamber of Commerce, Access News Australia, publishers of Western Sydney Business ACCESS, and local editor Jason Burcher. Mr Burcher said: “It has been a long time coming and PCI has arrived not a moment too soon. No longer must the City of Parramatta be a one paper town. “Local media plays a critical role in any community by helping to inform, connect and inspire the people who live, work and play there. “It helps give a voice to those who deserve to be heard and provides a trusted conduit for the sharing of information critical to the empowerment of residents, students, workers, businesses and other stakeholders. “The Parramatta City Independent seeks to make a positive contribution by helping to define our community’s identity, sense of place and prospects by providing an adaptable platform for the spreading of ideas, promotion of opportunities and provocation of productive discussion. “We’ll aim to distil the unique character and richness of Parramatta and its neighbouring precincts, promoting events and activities while bringing Parramatta’s social, cultural,

environmental and economic possibilities into sharper focus. Above all we’ll strive to gain your trust as a credible, impartial and independent media source.” PCI will be published monthly as an A4 sized magazine and will be delivered across the Parramatt6a LGA to 130 distribution points. It will also be viewable 24/7 online at www.parramedia.com.au Parramatta Chamber of Commerce President Schon Condon said: “We congratulate the Parramatta City Independent on its launch, and as a Chamber we will do all we can to ensure that this media voice grows in line with our city. “The Independents’ ability to provide a passionate voice not only for the general community, but the business community, will support growth and prosperity and give cause for celebration.” Parramatta Lord Mayor Andrew Wilson said:” I heartily believe there is still the demand and need for high quality publications in Parramatta. “I admire the courage and vision of its publishers in seeking to expand our city’s media offering. I note that the experience and determination of the editorial staff is really second to none and I hope that they will continue to be able to develop those local Parramatta stories that the metropolitan media seems to ignore.”

New JAWS open for business

OB seekers and employers in Western Sydney now have a specialised platform that delivers the region’s most advanced online employment matching service. Jobs Available Western Sydney ( JAWS) recently launched a new platform which plugs employers into tens of thousands of potential applicants.

portal is ideal for employers looking for the best talent in the region and for job seekers who want to join some of Western Sydney’s top organisations. “Employers can easily track and review their job applicants. Job seekers can easily monitor their job applications,” Mr Swaleh said. “As Western Sydney rides the wave of development and growth, JAWS is positioned to attract employers and reach the biggest pool of quality applicants. “Employers have a unique method to reach potential staﬀ. Employers can see

JAWS has posted thousands of jobs since its inception in 2013. The popular portal focusses on Western Sydney job opportunities and has a Facebook following exceeding 45,000. The new look state-of-the-art website enables job seekers to create and post their resumes with the resume builder feature. Employers can source applicants from among the bank of resumes. Employers can now post their opportunity with greater confidence. JAWS director Rick Swaleh said the new

Cover image shows PM Scott Morrison campaigning in Western Sydney during the last Federal Election.

interested people and their qualifications ﬁrst hand. Job seekers have a unique platform to share details of their experience and skills with potential employers.” “With a powerful social media network of job seekers via Facebook and LinkedIn, JAWS extends the benefits of website advertising to tens of thousands of perspective applicants. Visit www.jobswesternsydney.com.au

SUICIDE PREVENTION HONOUR

WE ARE BEST FOR AEROTROPOLIS

SKY'S THE LIMIT FOR WEST

How conversations change mindsets

WSU lays its claim to airport

Perfect storm of opportunity

Family Business: Page 29

JUNE 2019 Western Sydney Business Access (WSBA) ACCESS NEWS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD ABN 39 600 436 799 Publisher/editor: Michael Walls M: 0407 783 413. E: michael@wsba.com.au Journalists: Red Dwyer, Iliana Stillitano, Terry Collins. Photographer: Sebastian Giunta Associate Editor: Dallas Sherringham Account Managers: Julie Jackson: 0447 291 780; Graham Maughan: 0431 557 791 Contributors: David Pring, Geoff Lee MP, Binh Rey. Printer: Spotpress Design: Design2Pro, PSD Brand Design. Website: www.wsba.com.au General enquiries: info@wsba.com.au Phone: 02 4572 2336 Fax: 02 4572 2340

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BENFITTING FROM LIGHT RAIL

GIRL IN THE MACHINE

Discounts and deals for game day

Riverside's upcoming production

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WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS ACCESS JUNE 2019

Regional Round-Up

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Project gets funding

Coleman Greig opens in Penrith

THE Campbelltown Billabong Parklands Project has received funding as part of the Western Sydney City Deal Liveability Program. The $18.7 million state-of-the-art project will see the construction of a water recreation space and water play facilities across a four hectare site located at the Apex Park in Bradbury

ESTERN Sydney law firm, Coleman Greig Lawyers has opened its third full-service office within the Greater Sydney region, at 121 Henry Street, Penrith. The state-of-the-art office will house a team of experienced lawyers and support staff dedicated to providing a full range of CBD-style legal services to clients across the Nepean region. Penith Mayor Ross Fowler OAM, Mayor of Penrith, welcomed Coleman Greig to the region at an event attended by a diverse list of local business representatives, members of the Penrith Valley Chamber of Commerce and representatives of Penrith City Council. As with Coleman Greig’s offices in Parramatta and Norwest Business Park, the newly opened Penrith location will offer a wide range of commercial legal services to the local business community – including Commercial Law, Litigation & Disputes, Commercial Property and Employment Law & WHS – as well as a selection of training and educational opportunities for business owners, such as accounting and financial planning professionals. Photo: Andrew Grima (Principal Lawyer, Commercial Property– Coleman Greig Lawyers), Karina Ralston (Principal Lawyer, Family Law – Coleman Greig Lawyers) and Councillor Ross Fowler OAM (Mayor–Penrith City Council).

NORTH WEST Sold on Main Street

A LOCAL investor has bought a leased commercial property, at 82 Main Street, in the Blacktown commercial business district for $2.1 million.

Leased for eight years

BIO Health Pharmaceuticals has

Chamber’s 70th

MORE than 150 people attended the Campbelltown Chamber of Commerce’s 70th anniversary. The chamber has 235 members.

Approval for retail

CIP Constructions has approval for a CFC large format retail outlet for the sale of machinery and equipment by the CFC Group, at the Bringelly Road Business Hub, Skyline Crescent, Horningsea Park.

CENTRAL WEST Laser Co leases

THE Laser Co Pty Ltd has leased a 250-square-metre warehouse and office, at 15 Mellor Street, West Ryde, for $200 a square metre from Trenrick Pty Ltd, for three years with a three-year option leased a 4900-square-metre freestanding warehouse, at 5 Healey Circuit, Huntingwood, from LJM Marketing Services, at $142 a square metre net for eight years.

Syndicate buys site

A SYNDICATE of local investors has paid $4.8 million for the 2006-squaremetre Mount Prichard Complex, at Mount Prichard. At 167-175 Meadows Road, Mount Prichard.

Potential of property

SOUTH WEST Infill project

INDUSTRIAL developer LOGOS Property has purchased a 15.3-hectare infill development site, at 246 Miller Road, Villawood, from Toll Group, with a completion value of about $200 million. LOGOS plans to develop 11.3 hectares into a logistics and intermodal estate on a speculative basis.

A PRIVATE investor has purchased a 221-square-metre leases retail property, at 52 Joseph Street, Lidcombe, for $1.9 million. The property has development potential to 32 metres in height.

Overseas visitors

IN the year to June 2018 international visitation to Parramatta increase by 14.6 per cent over the same period 2017. The 156.4 thousand visitors contributed $465.2 million to the city’s economy.

Western Sydney’s best online viewing

Produced locally viewed globally 4

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Honoured for suicide prevention work

Drawing on her own lived experience, the experiences of those around her, and a genuine passion for the wellbeing of young people, Rowena works tirelessly and effectively in building Western Sydney University’s capacity to empower staff and students to start meaningful conversations. Rowena has coordinated an R U OK? ‘cuppa and a convo’ initiative to encourage staff and students to reach out to their peers and ask the question, R U OK? To support the facilitation of these conversations, Rowena has negotiated a 2 for 1 coffee promotion across Western Sydney University Campuses; specifically, any community member can take the time to check in with their peer or colleague, and the coffee for the peer or colleague is paid for by the university. Across all campuses, an average Thursday sees the distribution of approximately 1,000 cups of coffee. Rowena also coordinated the simultaneous delivery of all Western Sydney University R U OK?Day 2018 events, including eight

OWENA Saheb, Wellbeing Coordinator at Western Sydney University, has received the ‘Education’ Award at the inaugural Barbara Hocking Memorial Awards. Held in Sydney by suicide prevention organisation R U OK?, the Awards recognise efforts to create a world where we are all connected and protected from suicide across five categories; Workplace, Education, Community, Conversation Champion and Young Conversation Champion. The panel took the time to celebrate Rowena’s significant contribution to suicide prevention work which has opened the conversation for many in the Western Sydney University community. “We were truly inspired by the work of all the nominees for the inaugural Barbara Hocking Memorial Awards. The support of the community is invaluable in helping us to spread the R U OK? message and it’s important that we let them know how much we appreciate their contribution,” said Katherine Newton, CEO R U OK?

whole of campus R U OK?Day events and 10 remote campus activations. To increase her delivery capability, Rowena developed a volunteer recruitment strategy. This resulted in: • Over 140 expressions of interest to volunteer. • Over 120 students and staff receiving RU OK?Day training. • 114 students volunteering four hours of the day to partner in the delivery of these events. Event evaluation showed over 1,200 R U OK? conversations took place across Western Sydney University as a result of the events, with many referrals being made to the university counselling service and external support services. Rowena gratefully accepted the Award and spoke of her passion for the normalisation of meaningful conversations. Details of all categories, finalists and winners for The Barbara Hocking Memorial Awards can be found on the R U OK? website at www.ruok.org.au/barbara-hocking-memorial-award

Rowena Saheb

City’s engineering hub underway

P Artist impression of the project.

WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS ACCESS JUNE 2019

ARRAMATTA’S $280m Engineering Innovation Hub is underway with plans for the project now on public display. A joint venture development with the Western Sydney University (WSU) and UNSW Sydney in partnership with Charter Hall, the project will also feature new shops, offices and public open space. The proposed hub will include a 19-storey education building for engineering and architecture students from Western Sydney University and the University of NSW. The design team Tzannes + Blight Rayner

Architecture won the design competition to create the Engineering Innovation Hub which will be located in the heart of Parramatta’s CBD. The facility will cater for WSU and UNSW’s education and teaching requirements through the 28,500sqm vertical campus along with office space for commercial tenancy, expected for completion in 2021. The project site is located at the eastern end of the Parramatta CBD at 2b-6 Hassall Street. Skills and Tertiary Education Minister Geoff Lee told media that the new hub would

bring leading research and support the state government’s goal of delivering 200,000 jobs in Sydney’s west. “This is an exciting time for our community as it grows into a world-class hub for education and innovation and quickly transforms into Sydney’s second CBD,” Mr Lee said. Planning and Public Spaces Minister Rob Stokes described Parramatta “as under transformation” with the addition of the Bankwest Stadium which recently opened. The proposal is on exhibition for community feedback until Wednesday June 19.

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Bright future for Life Savers deal RED DWYER

WO lifesavers rescued a floundering 92-year-old Australian company and a Kiwi-manufactured confection could lead to its survival. The iconic Darrell Lea chocolate firm went into voluntary administration in 2012 but vigorously administered CPR has kept the entity alive and thriving since then. Following an extensive review of offers PPB Advisory sold the company for a reported $25 million to the Queensland entrepreneurs Tony and Cristina Quinn, who embarked on a significant restructure of the brand – retail outlets across Australia closed and hundreds of employees were laid off. The family, subsequently, sold an 80-90 per cent stake in Darrell Lea to its current owners Sydney-based Quadrant Private Equity for about $200m, in 2018. Tony Quinn said at the time he felt his family had "done their job" in taking over Darrell Lea and making it a profitable business again. "In business, you must always be looking at what's best for the future. I'm more a build-it and move-on kind of guy," he said. With the survival of the iconic Darrell Lea brand now in the hands of Quadrant Private Equity, the confectionary company looked to buying a product manufactured in New Zealand – Life Savers – to help its revival. Darrell Lea CEO, Tim York, said Life Savers had “significant growth potential” with a bright future in Australia; Darrell Lea has the rights from Nestle

NZ to Life Savers in Australia and New Zealand. James Byrne, Life Savers marketing manager, said the company's balance sheet had turned around “completely” and he hoped the acquisition of the could turn into a similar success story. The company took the manufacturing equipment apart and shipped it to its state-of-the-art factory, at Ingleburn, in south-west Sydney where it expects to launch the “revitalised” product in September this year. In the meantime the Quinn family will bring, and maintain, the Darrell Lea brand along with their purchase last year of Melbourne-based Heritage Fine Chocolates, under the new banner of RiteBite "There are wonderful synergies between Darrell Lea and Heritage which present exciting opportunities for us to expand our footprint into new categories and with more products," said Mr York, CEO. James Byrne, Life Savers marketing manager, said the company's balance sheet had turned around “completely”

Above: Tim York and right the iconic Darrell Lea brand.

since the rescue attempt and he hoped the acquisition of Life Savers could turn into a similar success story. Purchases of its Easter products are indicative of the once floundering Darrell Lea thriving since its resuscitation and restructuring – sales went up 20 per cent versus those in 2018. Revenue of the new group is expected to exceed $200m in 2020.

Lights on go at Bankwest Stadium

WO giant Bankwest Stadium external signs have been lit up in another significant milestone on the journey of the new home of sport and entertainment in Western Sydney. The external signs are located on the eastern and northern facades of the Stadium.

The external lighting of the signs will be complemented by Bankwest Stadium’s integrated lighting technology inside the venue, featuring 260 LED sports lights in the roof and 360-degree LED ribbon screens. Bankwest was announced as naming rights partner for the Stadium in December 2018 after a seven-year partnership was

sealed between the company and Venues NSW, the NSW government agency that oversees Bankwest Stadium. The Stadium has been hailed as a gamechanger for sport in Western Sydney, with more than 100,000 fans and visitors already passing through the turnstiles for a series of sport, business and community events.

WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS ACCESS JUNE 2019

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We are best for aerotropolis: WSU RED DWYER

ESTERN Sydney University believes it is the best institution to realise Western Sydney Airport’s transformative effect on the future of the

region. The university claims its network of campuses across the region is the basis of a strategy to bring about the multiple benefits possible through the establishment of the $5.3b airport. “No other organisation has the depth, range and intensity of connections across every major Western Sydney centre,” said Professor Barney Glover, vice-chancellor of the university. “No other entity can attract, enliven and engage industry, government and community connections in the way the university can.” Professor Glover made these comment in his introduction to “Flight Path”, a document describing the strategy developed by the university commitment to the future of Western Sydney. “Flight Path is a comprehensive strategy that details Western Sydney University’s longterm commitment to maximising the social, cultural and economic benefits of the Western Sydney Airport for our region,” he said. Professor Glover said the document was “unequivocally” concerned with ensuring Western Sydney, the nation’s third largest economy and fastest growing region, determined its own future. “Why us? WSU is embedded in the West. We understand it. We know its challenges, its achievements and its potential,” he said. The 31-page document said WSU had commenced preparing for the airport prior to the its go-ahead announcement in April

Barney Glover.

2104 with its “Innovation Corridor” spanning the Hawkesbury, Penrith and Campbelltown network of Outer Western Sydney campuses. “The Innovation Corridor strategy was a precursor to the Greater Sydney Commission’s designation of Outer Western Sydney as the Western Parklands [City},” the document said.

“In many respects it set the agenda for government’s re-orientation of planning and policy development frameworks to support increased activity and growth on Sydney’s urban fringe.” The aerotropolis at Badgerys Creek would be a central beneficiary of the university’s “Western Growth” infrastructure strategy.

An example is the redevelopment of its Werrington campuses which will cluster business, industry and workers around world-leading education and knowledge job infrastructure. The campus would be the anchor of a ‘knowledge network’ linked with other campuses and a “gateway” to the aerotropolis. WSU has campuses at Bankstown, Campbelltown, Hawkesbury, Liverpool, Nirimba, Parramatta, Penrith, Sydney Olympic Park and Sydney CBD.

$296M rail nerve centre opens

ORE than 1.4 million train trips taken in Sydney every day will be safer and more reliable, including faster recovery from unplanned disruptions, with the opening of Australia’s first purpose-built rail operation centre. Premier Gladys Berejiklian joined Minister for Transport Andrew Constance to officially open the $296m

Sydney Trains Rail Operations Centre. “Sydney has one of the most complex rail networks in the world, and the NSW Liberals & Nationals Government has delivered a new Rail Operations Centre to ensure the best possible service for commuters,” said Andrew Constance. “Its massive display board is 33 metres long, bigger than that used by NASA’s

Mission Control Centre and can track where every train is running at any given time across the Sydney Trains network. “At similar facilities in Hong Kong and Tokyo, all critical operation teams are positioned in one location, which means better` co-ordination and response to critical incidents on the network.” Vision: www.sydneywest.tv

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How David became Jim, made millions DALLAS SHERRINGHAM

HE guy with the beard that started Jim’s Mowing and made a billion-dollar fortune is called David….and he doesn’t have a beard anymore. This is the first thing I learnt from a fascinating book just released about the life of the man behind the landscaping and garden maintenance giant. Jim’s, aka David’s, face is one of the best known in Australia. You see it every day emblazoned on trailers, trucks and signs. There is Jim’s Mowing, Jim’s Antennas and soon to be Jim’s Personal Training with the business generating $500m in revenue a year on the back of its 4000 franchisees servicing 35,000 customers a day. David Penman is his real name. The biography by Catherine Moolenschot , Jim’s Book, reveals Jim is just a nickname for Mr Penman who is David J Penman on his driver’s license and is called David by his family. He shaved the famous beard off some years ago. The book portrays a successful but hardnosed businessman who even fired his own sister and who describes “wrath” as his greatest weakness. Mr Penman in a media interview said Jim’s Book was “quite a revelation” even to him. “There were lots of things I didn’t know,” he said. He launched Jim’s Mowing in 1989 and signed his first franchise after managing to

David Penman and images of his successful franchise business.

uncover the franchise system of rival mowing franchise VIP. The book describes Mr Penman as “a powerful man with tight control over his franchise system”. He is described as having a reputation for being a ‘firer’, with many franchisors saying: “it’s always a revolving door at national office”. And yet Mr Penman has multiple staff members who have worked for him for five to 10 years and some who have been there for over 20.

Powerful man

One staff member describes Mr Penman’s hard line attitude in the book. “When it comes to business: he’s ruthless,” they said. “If you’re not contributing, you’re gone. Regardless of your situation... I’ve seen him fire a guy who was a week from his first baby.” Mr Penman is unapologetic about the less than rosy portrayal. “I also fired my sister and she has never spoken to me since,” he told interviewers ahead of the book’s publication. “I have a very single-minded focus, more than 4000 families depend on what we do and ultimately they are what counts.” Jim’s Book describes Mr Penman as changing his mind often, making decisions very quickly and getting angry in an instant. “Of the seven sins, wrath is definitely my downfall,” he said. However, if a franchisee has a genuine problem it will get fixed and that is why franchisees almost never go to court,” Mr Penman said.

Tough attitude

“I think in the whole history of Jim’s, in over 4000 franchisees and 30 years, we have been to court three times. It is almost unprecedented because I take a very tough attitude.” Away from business, Mr Penman lives a simple lifestyle and puts his money into finding a cure for addiction and depression. “I drive a seven-year-old Mitsubishi Outlander which is probably worth $10,000,” he told media outlets. “I never take holidays, if I eat out I go and buy pizza or go to the local Indian restaurant. We have someone clean the house once a week but apart from that we look after ourselves.” Surprisingly, he said the main problem with Jim’s Group was client demand growing faster than franchise numbers.

In 2018 the Jim’s Group turned down 175,000 jobs because there were not enough franchisees to do the work. Jim’s Book also explores Mr Penman’s eventful personal life. He has been married four times and has 11 children. Clearly, didn’t spend whole life outdoors, gardening. “It definitely took me a while to get it right,” he said. “I am obviously a difficult person to live with, there has to be some reason women can’t stand me.” “My current wife, (they’ve been married for 18 years) we absolutely adore each other, it has been like an 18-year honeymoon,” he said. Jim’s Book by Catherine Moolenschot is published by Wiley.

WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS ACCESS JUNE 2019

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Sky’s the limit for our region DALLAS SHERRINGHAM

HE rise and rise of Western Sydney has made it the powerhouse of the Australian economy and the coming of the Aerotropolis precinct will only enhance its vital importance to the nation’s future in the 21st century. A “Perfect Storm” of major projects are all coming together to make the West the place to be for investors and businesses seeking success in Australia. When the Metro Northwest opens later this month it will herald a new dawn in urban transport for our nation, providing a highly automated state-of-the-art link between the West and the Sydney CBD. Work is underway on the new international airport at Badgery’s Creek and many multinational companies have already made commitments to the massive Aerotropolis complex. The Light Rail project will link Parramatta with the booming Olympic precinct and places in between and the NSW Government has announced new ferries for the route between the CBD and the West. The opening of the North Connect Tunnel will eliminate the dreadful traffic jams of Pennant Hills Rd and will link the M2 with the rapidly developing Central Coast and Hunter regions. Add to this the opening of the highly popular Bankwest Stadium and the Sydney Zoo at Blacktown, plus university and medical campuses, new hospitals and tourist hotels and the sky is the limit for the West. NSW Treasurer and local MP Dominic Perrottet said the West and North West regions of Sydney were the key economic drivers of the State’s economy and were powering the Australian economy.

NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet.

Top performers

His comments came on the back of a new report showing the two regions are among the top performers in Australia. Baulkham Hills-Hawkesbury and Blacktown were among the five strongest regions in the country in the

new State of the Regions report released by CommSec. Parramatta topped the list for the Fastest Growth of Businesses with a 22% increase in the past decade. “This is a clear reflection of the hard work, pride and have-a-go attitude of the people in those communities,” Mr Perrottet said. “They are building a brighter future for themselves and their families, and the Government is playing a role in that through transformational projects such as the Sydney Metro Northwest, Metro West, Parramatta Light Rail and Bankwest Stadium. “We are building two new transport systems for Parramatta, the new stadium is already open and a clear winner, and the iconic Metro Northwest opened on May 26. “These projects create thousands of jobs during construction as well as attracting businesses and making the region more attractive and accessible for people.” The CommSec report – the first to look at 88 individual regions across Australia – focused on four key economic indicators: building approvals, the unemployment rate, population growth and growth in business counts. The unemployment rate in the Baulkham Hills and Hawkesbury region averaged three 3.0% in 2018 and 4.9% in Blacktown. The current national unemployment rate for Australia is 5.0% with NSW the lowest state at 4.3%. Healthcare, professional, scientific and technical services and retail industries all helped power employment across Western Sydney. The CommSec report highlighted strong business numbers and building approvals for new homes as key growth factors.

WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS ACCESS JUNE 2019

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WSU pushes on with new facilities RED DWYER

ESTERN Sydney University is pushing ahead with new education facilities in Parramatta and Bankstown as part of its Western Growth strategy and boost the future of their CBDs. Design team, Tzannes + Blight Rayner Architecture, has won the design excellence competition to create the Engineering Innovation Hub in the heart of the Parramatta CBD. WSU said the world-class hub would be an Australian-first – a high performance, technology enabled, environmentally sustainable vertical campus with integrated education facilities and commercial offices. It would be delivered through a joint venture between Western Sydney University and UNSW Sydney in collaboration with Charter Hall. “The new integrated education facility will cater for WSU and UNSW’s education and teaching requirements through the 28,500-square-metre vertical campus and provide office space for commercial tenancy,” said WSU vice-chancellor and president, Professor Barney Glover. The collaboration follows the partnership with Charter Hall on WSU’s nearby Parramatta City campus in the Peter Shergold building which embeds the university in the social, economic and cultural life of the city, the university said.

The Peter Shergold building in Parramatta.

Another example of the university embedding itself in the future of a city is the release of concept plans for a high-rise campus in the Bankstown CBD “Bankstown City campus will offer highly-accessible, technology-rich teaching and research facilities, and will provide our students with the opportunity to engage in work-integrated learning and collaborative research partnerships,” Professor Glover said. WSU said the campus, which would “revitalise” the CBD precinct, was set to open for teaching in early 2022. The construction of the CBD campus

spells the closure of the Milperra campus. The Parramatta and Bankstown campuses form part of the university’s Western Growth strategy – a program of works which aims to reshape its campus network, including establishing new vertical campuses within the growth centres of Western Sydney. A Deloitte Access Economics (2017) study found the combined campuses of Bankstown and Liverpool (opened in 2018) could contribute an estimated $54m to the economy of South-West Sydney.

Energy Switch now applies to gas

ORE than 1.3 million households across NSW can now save potentially hundreds of dollars a year on gas bills thanks to an expansion of the NSW popular Energy Switch service. Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Minister for Energy and Environment launched the expansion of Energy Switch to include gas. “Winter is here, so now is the time to compare gas and electricity plans. It takes only minutes but could save hundreds of dollars a year. Energy Switch helps ease the cost of living for families by helping them find the best deal,” Ms Berejiklian said. Energy Switch is one of more than 40 NSW Government rebates and incentives easing the cost of living. Others include cheaper Green Slips and refunds, $100 Active Kids and Creative Kids vouchers and free registration for regular toll users. Around 7,000 households have already switched electricity providers, bringing close to $3 million in annual savings since the free service launched last year. The average saving per household is more than $400 a year. It’s available at any Service NSW Centre or https:// energyswitch.service.nsw.gov.au/ The top 10 areas with the highest number of electricity switches so far are: Area Mulgoa The Entrance Dubbo Kellyville Liverpool Gosford Lismore Wagga Wagga Westmead Bathurst

Average Saving $612 $583 $536 $507 $490 $473 $456 $447 $446 $431

WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS ACCESS JUNE 2019

News

All the latest video news: www.sydneywest.tv

www.wsba.com.au

What comes from business dating

OMING up with a way to keep chimpanzees from breaking the padlocks on their enclosures and escaping, can be a tricky business. For Keiren McGovern of Independent Locksmiths and Security, it is all in a day’s work. “I was asked by Craig Sowden the GM at Sydney Zoo to supply padlocks for the carnivore, elephant & chimpanzee enclosures. But what we found with the chimpanzees is that they had the brains to sit, flick and rattle the padlock on purpose as to torment and drive the zookeepers mad. They also had enough leverage to swing and bounce the padlocks with force against the cage to break the padlocks and escape,” explained Mr McGovern. The master-keying manager’s solution was to re-design the padlock with a shorter shackle, leaving the chimps with no leverage to fidget with the lock. “It has resolved the issue and the monkey business has stopped,” said Mr McGovern. Independent Locksmiths and Security are just one of the success stories that have emerged from Western Sydney Business Connection’s Strategic Matching Events. The events are the brainchild of WSBC’s General Manager Amanda Brisot, who came up with the idea after learning of the unprecedented pipeline of work scheduled for Western Sydney over the next decade. “We wanted to come up with a practical way to help our members and small to mediumsized businesses in the region maximise the opportunity resulting from the investment boom,” Ms Brisot said. By connecting SMEs in Western Sydney to large corporations responsible for delivering major projects, Ms Brisot saw an opportunity for local businesses to win work in a cost effective and unique way.

“We get extremely excited when we hear from organisations who have won business through our Strategic Matching Events. Independent Locksmiths & Security for example, have a highly skilled team of technicians and have the capability to service some of the nation’s largest organisations. They just needed access to these tier one organisations” explained Ms Brisot. In addition to the Zoo, Independent Locksmiths & Security have also successfully secured business with Summit Care Baulkham Hills. With other major Western Sydney projects taking shape, such as airport works and the Northern Road upgrade, they also see the potential for winning business with construction giants, Lendlease and CPB Contractors.

A chimpanzee at Taronga Zoo and right, keiren McGovern and his team.

“Some call it speed dating for business but essentially our Strategic Matching Events provide SMEs the opportunity to participate in several 15 minute meetings with tier one organisations such as Lendlease, Multiplex and CPB Contractors.” In collaboration with the NSW Department of Industry and Industry Capability Network, WSBC have now held four Strategic Matching Events across the region. “We are extremely grateful for the forward thinking and backing from government departments and agencies such as the NSW

Department of Industry. Their support has not only enabled us to get this event series off the ground but has also allowed us to keep it going,” Ms Brisot said. The popularity of these events is undeniable. WSBC have received over 500 Expressions of Interest from SMEs wanting to attend and have scheduled 736 face-to-face meetings between 35 tier one organisations and 105 local businesses. For Ms Brisot supporting local business will inevitably grow the economy and generate jobs for the local community.

For more information about the Western Sydney Business Connection visit: www.wsbc.org.au

IS YOUR BUSINESS KEEPING UP WITH WESTERN SYDNEY’S GROWTH?

Business Engagement | Advocacy | Training & Development | Western Sydney Visitor Marketing www.wsbc.org.au

WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS ACCESS JUNE 2019

Parramatta Light Rail

All the latest video news: www.sydneywest.tv

www.wsba.com.au

Eat St businesses benefit from Parramatta Light Rail support

S part of Transport for NSW’s ‘Activate Parramatta’ plan, participating businesses along Parramatta’s ‘Eat Street’ (Church Street, between Palmer and George Streets, Parramatta, and some surrounding streets, are offering discounts and meal deals to celebrate game days at Parramatta’s new Bankwest Stadium. The local advertising campaign, developed to support local businesses ahead of and during construction of the Parramatta Light Rail, has also attracted retailers and accommodation providers including fashion boutique Sognau, sporting goods store Peter Wynn’s Score, Lichaa Menswear and Chemist Warehouse Parramatta, as well as the Novotel Parramatta (pictured, far right) and Meriton Suites. Parramatta Light Rail’s ‘Enjoy Game Day on Eat Street’ campaign includes a local restaurant guide featuring more than 25 local eateries handed out to nearly 10,000 game fans at the stadium. It is working to draw people into the area, with several businesses reporting a noticeable uplift. Lichaa Menswear has been trading in Parramatta for 10 years and owner Paul Lichaa recognises that game days generate additional foot traffic beneficial to Church Street retailers. “While sports fans do not typically buy a tailored suit on their way to the stadium, having increased foot traffic past our business improves brand awareness with new visitors,” says Paul. Lichaa’s brother and business partner Anthony adds, “This is a good step forward to support local businesses. We need more of these initiatives before and during construction of the light rail.”

Lichaa Menswear (above) has been trading in Parramatta for 10 years.

Mention “Parramatta Light Rail” instore at Lichaa Menswear & Formal Hire to receive 30 per cent off your next purchase storewide. At Peter Wynn’s Score, owner and former Parramatta Eels rugby league player Peter Wynn has seen an increase in the number of people walking through the area on game days. “It has certainly had a significant and positive impact on the businesses along Church Street. The exposure is really exciting, and the new stadium has made Parramatta a destination again for so many people.” This is one of many ways in which Transport for NSW and the Parramatta Light Rail project

are working hard to support local businesses before major light rail construction begins. Additionally, some of Parramatta’s most popular eateries have joined the Parramatta Light Rail Business Reference Group, a forum set up by Transport for NSW to support local businesses during the construction of Parramatta Light Rail Stage 1. New members include restaurant and cocktail bar Alex and Co., Lebanese eatery ElPhoenician, and two of Parramatta’s well-known burger restaurants Grill’d and Milky Lane, who will all bring valuable perspectives and experiences to the table.

WESTs TIGERS V RAIDERS

The Australian Turf Club, which owns and operates Rosehill Gardens Racecourse, advisory firm Forward Legal and menswear retailer Formal Image have also signed on to the Business Reference Group, which was established in September 2018. So far, Transport for NSW’s business support initiatives include the introduction of a construction ‘grace period’ for Parramatta’s ‘Eat Street’ each year, from the beginning of November until the end of January; a commitment that construction will not begin on Eat Street until 2020; and free business advisory services. For more information on the ‘Enjoy Game Day on Eat Street’ campaign and a list of participating businesses, visit www.activateparramatta. com.au For information about the Parramatta Light Rail, visit www.parramattalightrail.nsw.gov.au

NSW WARATAHS V ACT Brumbies

Bankwest Stadium 7 June 2019

Bankwest Stadium 8 June 2019

EELS V BRONCOS

Bankwest Stadium 15 June 2019

Enjoy

game day on Eat Street Parramatta

SPECIAL OFFERS

Visit www.activateparramatta.com.au DO SOMETHING ON

EAT STREET PARRAMATTA

PLAY | EAT | VISIT w

WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS ACCESS JUNE 2019

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WSABE

All the latest video news: www.sydneywest.tv

www.wsba.com.au

Images these pages: scenes from this year's WSABE launch.

Celebrate your success story

n 2019, WSABE are excited to deliver 20 award categories recognizing business excellence across a broad spectrum of fields and industries. If you have a business success story to share, please let us know by completing your free entry today! You can view our award categories and start your entry by going to www.wsabe.com.au.

Why Nominate?

• Leverage the WSABE platform to build your brand. • Connect with the Western Sydney Business Community through WSABE Events. • Be profiled digitally and editorially to a state-wide audience. • Aligned category winners progress to win the NSW Business Awards. Proudly hosted by the Parramatta Chamber of Commerce, The WSABE

Awards have over 29 years delivered a wealth of success stories and have assisted in establishing several highprofile businesses and careers. With four key events associated with the platform, the WSABE Awards also offer a substantial opportunity to connect with some of the region's key leaders and further establish oneself among a burgeoning business community. Winners are announced annually at the WSABE Gala, which last year unveiled 22 winners at the picturesque Rosehill Gardens Racecourse. ith an array of high-profile speakers, engaging performances, fine dining experiences, immersive theming, and most importantly, inspiring success stories, the 2019 WSABE Gala promises to live up to its reputation as Western Sydney's premier business event.

Continued on page 17

WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS ACCESS JUNE 2019

WSABE

www.wsba.com.au

All the latest video news: www.sydneywest.tv

Continued from page 17

Be sure to check out the WSABE events calendar below. Day Date Event Friday 12 July 2019 WSABE Entries Close Monday 12 August 2019 WSABE Finalists Announced Friday 13 September 2019 WSABE Gala Dinner WSABE would like to extend their appreciation to the platformâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s many sponsors and supporters, without whom this initiative would not be possible. A major thanks to Principal Partner, Commonwealth Bank, Major Sponsor, City of Parramatta, and to Category Sponsors, Australian Turf Club, DOOLEYS, HomeWorld,

icare, Parra Leagues, Parramatta Light Rail, PAYCE, Service NSW, University of New England, Wenty Leagues and Westfield Parramatta. WSABE would also like to extend their appreciation to their supporters and members of the WSABE Chamber Alliance who can both be viewed at the WSABE website.

ENTER NOW wsabe.com.au 4th April - 12th July Principal Partner

Major Sponsor

Category Sponsors

Sydney

Proudly hosted by Parramatta Chamber of Commerce WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS ACCESS JUNE 2019

WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS ACCESS JUNE 2019

News

www.wsba.com.au

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Tower a sign of city’s arrival BY DALLAS SHERRINGHAM

AJOR Cities around the world are judged by the size of their skyscrapers and Parramatta is about to join them when Western Sydney’s biggest office tower is built in the heart of the CBD. A stunning 33 story $500m tower dominating the CBD skyline is the eye-catching highlight of the project. Billionaire developer Mr Lang Walker will shortly start building the complex after winning a major state government tenancy for the Parramatta project. The Parramatta Square development will become home to 4200 public servants after Mr Walker’s Walker Corporation won a Property NSW tender to lease up to 43,800sqm of office space in 2021. The win comes after the two joined Parramatta office buildings valued at $1.7bn were given the green light by Sydney Central City Planning Panel. Known as 6 and 8 Parramatta Square, the joined buildings, one on top of the other, will become the largest commercial office tower in Australia comprising 125,000sqm, exceeding even the largest Barangaroo tower. The government tenancy gives Mr Walker a sufficient commitment to make the project feasible, with construction expected get under way within the next year. The joined towers will take their place within Mr Walker’s larger four-tower $3.2 billion development within the Parramatta Square precinct which is already well underway. The first tower, Tower 4 is expected to be completed in November this year and the whole project due for completion in 2022.

Parramatta Light Rail will provide access to the site for thousands of workers, while access to the existing train station will be made available through a new link into the square. As well as the university campus and commercial buildings, the mixed-use precinct includes retail space, community facilities, a civic building, community centre, library and a 250m long public domain.

Future development

Artist impression of the project.

12-year lease

The NSW government will take a 12-year lease, with two further five-year options, for the space in 6 Parramatta Square. Mr Walker and his team have also secured financial services group Link Market Services which will move its Sydney offices from Rhodes to the Parramatta Square development in 2021. Towers 3 and 4 at the Parramatta project are fully pre-committed, with tenants including National Australia Bank and the NSW government secured in an earlier tender. “Parramatta Square is taking shape quickly and the total project is now 75%

pre-leased with over 170,000sqm of high quality office space committed,” Mr Walker told property site Commercial Real Estate. “We expect to experience a strong flow of pre-leases off the back of the two anchor tenants signing long-term leases in the project, which is one of the largest urban renewal projects in the country and will see Parramatta city rival Sydney’s CBD in terms of amenity and high quality commercial space.” Charter Hall has also completed a building in the precinct, One Parramatta Square, or 1PSQ, which is the 26,500-square-metre home to the Western Sydney University.

The western Sydney hub has been singled out as a key part of the future development of Sydney under plans by the Greater Sydney Commission. A broader wave of redevelopment is under way in Parramatta, attracting developers and spurring the market in commercial real estate such as GPT’s $278m acquisition of the Eclipse tower from super fund Rest in August 2018. In 2018, GPT won approval for a $230m office tower development on the corner of Smith St and Phillip St. Charter Hall has also teamed up with Western Sydney University in plans to develop a $280m education and commercial office project at Parramatta. In 2017, Dexus sold a tower development in Phillip St to Charter Hall for $229m. It will become the headquarters for the NSW government’s Department of Education. Parramatta has the lowest vacancy rate of any office market in Australia and will be boosted by the light rail, the promise of a new rapid transit metro, the new Parramatta Stadium, Powerhouse Museum and other important public spaces.

JOIN THE GREATER BLACKTOWN BUSINESS CHAMBER TODAY

• Connect with local business people – clients, referrers, suppliers, colleagues, friends

DO YOU HAVE A GREAT BUSINESS IDEA?

• Attend workshops and utilise business resources to help you run your business • Promote your business – to those who need your products and services locally • Speak as one voice – together we can build the Blacktown economy and we all win! • Monthly networking events hosted by members in an atmosphere of fun and friendship

MEMBERSHIP STARTS AT ONLY $199.00 MAKING GBBC ONE OF THE BEST VALUE BUSINESS NETWORKS IN SYDNEY Come see us and start your business in the best way possible by making an appointment with us to receive Four Fully Subsidised & Confidential Appointments Offices across Western Sydney & the Blue Mountains

Phone 8880 6513 | services@greaterbbc.org.au | www.greaterbbc.org.au WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS ACCESS JUNE 2019

LOCAL PRODUCERS JOHN & MICHAEL SCHWARZ PRESENT A SPECIAL ADVANCED SCREENING FOR THE AFRICAN AIDS FOUNDATION AUSTRALIA

SUNDAY JUNE 30 @ 10.30am AT EVENT CINEMAS CAMPBELLTOWN

TICKETS $30 TO BOOK VISIT WWW.TRYBOOKING.COM/508778 OR CALL 02 4658 0580 20

WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS ACCESS JUNE 2019

THINK EVENTS... THINK As recently reviewed on the Sunrise I 7 Show, we have a variety of affordable facilities that can cater for all your function, meeting and event needs.

Book by June 30 and mention this add to receive a

$200

dining & beverage experience for 4 at MAZE*

WHATEVER THE OCCASION, WE CAN ACCOMMODATE...

FUNCTIONS FOR ALL OCCASIONS

With our own dedicated Functions and events manager to assist you in planning your day, whatever the occasion, we can accommodate your event:

Our function room, The Windsor, with its own audio visual and lighting systems is one of the best and most affordable corporate venues in the area:

• Business meetings in our recently renovated Boardroom • Product launches • Training seminars • Christmas parties • Team building… and many more

• Off-street parking • Seating for up to 200 people theatre style and 120 banquet • Fully air conditioned facilities • Private Bar • Stage • Dance floor • Break out areas include our beautiful gardens

WIDE RANGE OF FOOD OPTIONS

BAREFOOT BOWLS PACKAGES

Our Functions and events manager can help you match the perfect menu with your event with a wide range of options including:

Why not make your next event one to remember and add a Barefoot Bowls package to the day for a great team building afternoon.

• Morning and afternoon tea packages

Kick off your shoes after your meeting and enjoy a few hours on the green with a selection of platters of food and beverage packages to make it the perfect way to end your day!

• Working lunches • Buffets • Beautiful platter selections and grazing stations

We even host the bowls for you!

• A la carte dining in Maze Restaurant and on our balconies.

Contact our events manager to arrange your booking today on 9630 2875 or email lenore@nbcsportsclub.com.au For more information visit www.nbcsportsclub.com.au *BOOK the function room for 50 people or more by June 30 and receive a $200.00 Dining & Beverage Experience for 4 at MAZE.

WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS ACCESS JUNE 2019

166 Windsor Road Northmead 2152 21

BUSINESS AFTER FIVE NETWORKING EVENT

T H U R S D A Y 2 0 t h J u n e 20 1 9 , 5 . 3 0 P M P R O U D LY H O S T E D B Y

___________________________________________________________________________________________________ The Marsden Brewhouse offers a new place of excitement in Sydney's Western suburbs. With its own signature brewery onsite as the centrepiece and greenery surrounding a network of bars, dining and event spaces. The Marsden Brewhouse has been designed to invite the entire community to be a part of something big. It is a place where any and everyone can feel at home. It's a place to meet friends after work in the relaxing Parlour or the Public House with its large indoor and outdoor TAB area. From the Terrace with its giant screen, you can enjoy the outdoors and all the big games in the beautifully funished garden. TO BOOK NOW VISIT: www.stickytickets.com.au/87441 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________

HELD AT THE MARSDEN BREWHOUSE Cnr Hawthorne Ave & Richmond Rd, Marsden Park 22

WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS ACCESS JUNE 2019

L BUSINE A C

2019

ARDS

Nominate your favourite Parramatta local business Register your business or vote for your favourite today!

www.thebusinessawards.com.au

Presented by

Media partner

Parramatta Local Business Awards Nominations open 3rd June, 2019 Nominations close 25th June, 2019 MAJOR SPOnSORS

SUPPORT SPOnSORS

WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS ACCESS JUNE 2019

2019 PRECEDENT BLACKTOWN LOCAL BUSINESS AWARDS

Hard works pays off for SEC

The SEC team.

• Finalists in the Australian Small Business Champion Awards in 2019 in the category of – Electrical Business - These awards seek to acknowledge the hard work that business owners contribute to the local community and are the pinnacle of business success. Making it to these awards was a major achievement for the company as only 8 small businesses were chosen across the nation for their category. • Awarded a Certificate of Commendation at the 2018 NECA Excellence Awards for the work completed at 24/7 Fitness at Westpoint Blacktown. The 2018 Excellence Awards are the most prestigious awards offered in the electrotechnology industry and being recognised by Industry at the excellence awards is the highest of honours.

With over 1000 nominations, the awards celebrate excellence in quality, technology, innovation, management, WHS and commercial expertise. • Finalists in the Blacktown Local Business Awards 2017, 2018 & 2019 in the category of Service & Trades. The company provides commercial, residential, multi-story residential and all level 2 electrical work. SEC ensures that every job is

treated with the highest level of workmanship and professionalism. Quality services are always provided to their clients and best practices are always maintained. This is reflected through their ongoing reviews. Most importantly SEC make giving back to the community and charities an integral part of its’ business purpose. Visit: www.sec24hr.com.au

INE LL BBUUSSIN A A C C

SS ESS

LLOO

YDNEY Electrical Contractors Pty Ltd (SEC) was first established in 2013. With almost 17 years-experience in the electrical and communications industry, managing director Robert Theodoridis started the company with the vision to expand the business. Since then, the team has grown through hard work and perseverance and now has multiple company vans operating across Sydney, including the investment of a truck mounted elevated work platform to conduct all types of level two electrical work. The company’s dedication has turned SEC into an Industry leader, with Mr Theodoridis often invited to speak at industry events and represent industry at key forums and events. Mr Theodoridis has been acknowledged for his continued commitment to both his company and Industry and has been finalist as businessperson of the year at the local Business awards for 2018 and 2019. In the last couple of years there have been some big milestones within the company and this success is highly related to the thorough development and execution of companies Business Plan. SEC were: • Winners of the most outstanding Service & Trade at the 2019 Blacktown Local Business Awards. These awards reward the local community's best businesses and celebrates excellence and quality. Winning this award acknowledges the hard work of SEC and demonstrates the company’s credibility.

2018 2019

Sydney Electrical Contractors specialisng in: • New homes • Commercial fit-outs for retail shops, offices, warehouses and recreational facilities • Multi-story residential • Strata and Real Estate Maintenance • Level 2 Electrical Work (overhead and underground services, emergency and restoration repairs, new poles and temporary power supplys).

Level 2

Commercial

AAW S W A RD A R DS

WINNER BLACKTOWN CITY

Residential

Office: (02) 8007-7215 | Email: info@sec24hr.com.au | Web: www.sec24hr.com.au 24

WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS ACCESS JUNE 2019

2 2019 PRECEDENT BLACKTOWN LOCAL BUSINESS AWARDS For seafood see the Brothers

HE Brother's Fish Market is a name that resonates in the local small business fresh food industry for its excellence. First opening in 1977 in Seven Hills Plaza, the four Brothers George, Chris, Con, and Mario, from Vatili, Cyprus set out with a dream to be the very best in seafood. Now 42 years later their legacy precedes them, and to this day, they still lead with the same drive they've had from day one. With loyal customers returning from all over Australia for a taste of that fresh catch, The Brother's stand proud upon the platform they've built and hold the mutual love and admiration for fresh seafood they share with their customers with the highest regard. No matter what it is the Brothers generally have it! From fresh whole snappers and barramundi, yellow fin bream or Atlantic salmon fillets, crustaceans of all sorts, and even a mouth-watering assortment of cooked seafood from their fish and chips section they've got you covered. Their cooked seafood became so popular that in 2015 to meet the demand of hungry mouths they decided to expand their store and their range. Dedicated trips to the Sydney Fish Markets 4-6 days a week ensures they have what you need, when you need it and that it is always fresh! The journey may have been trying at times. The blood, sweat and tears, and sleepless Easter and Christmas holidays are all reminders of a family with a dream that over the years have helped fulfilled your families dreams on those special days.

WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS ACCESS JUNE 2019

Brothers Fish Market team.

So all in all, whether you've been one hundred times before or it is your first trip, make your way down to the Brother's for the freshest seafood (or even just a chat, which

they love just as much) and you'll always feel welcome. It has been 42 years of greatness, here's to 42 more!

THE BROTHERS FISH MARKET is at Shop 71-73 Seven Hills Plaza (224 Prospect Hwy, Seven Hills NSW). Phone 9621 8776

Mode Media

www.wsba.com.au

All the latest video news: www.sydneywest.tv

20 years of Mode Media Perception is key, perception is reality TERRY COLLINS

HRIS Hekeik and the team at Modemedia don’t just offer a company branding service – they create unique stories to make sure your business is perceived in exactly the right way in the marketplace. Mr Hekeik, with a background in business for over 30 years, started Modemedia some 20 years ago and now has a team of experts to help realise his passion for making every client shine. “We like to think of ourselves as storytellers,” he said. “We meet with the client and then set out to tell their story from a graphic and digital point of view. Branding a business is about so much more than just creating a logo. “We take a holistic approach and incorporate everything from websites and social media to corporate brochures to large outdoor billboards. “Perception is key and perception is reality; you want every aspect of your branding to make a lasting impression. “If the only thing someone is going to see is your business card, then it has to be spectacular; it has to stand out from the rest and make people want to contact you,” Mr Hekeik said the advent of social media and the internet had seen great changes in the way businesses could be promoted. “There are so many facets to getting your business brand out there these days,” he said. “We work very closely with our clients; our motto is we listen, we know, we care, we understand, we deliver. We measure our success by the growth and success of our customers.

Images these pages: scenes from the recent Blacktown Business Chamber Business After Five event sponsored by Mode Media at NBC Sports Club.

Social media

“We have evolved from a philosophy that a professional branding service should be a cornerstone of any successful business and have built up trust and credibility; we have some clients who have been with us for 10-15 years. “They love that they can come to one place and get everything they need to brand their business. “Whether you’re just starting out or looking to rebrand your existing business, we have a team of professionals who can develop cost-effective strategies, create amazing brands, build state-of-the-art digital platforms and launch awesome campaigns to guide you through the marketing minefield journey and make sure your brand gets noticed. “We listen, discuss, understand and advise. We create strategies and implement these to help effectively drive your business forward. “Integrity is a solid foundation of our business. This has been one of the keys to our success and the volume of referrals we receive, and is why we are still going strong after 20 years. Continued on page 27

WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS ACCESS JUNE 2019

Mode Media

www.wsba.com.au

All the latest video news: www.sydneywest.tv

Chris Hekeik with Rocco from Soccer Academy of Australia, winner of the $5,000 branding makeover.

Continued from page 26

“If we feel we can’t fulfil your design brief, we’ll be honest and tell you from the outset.” Conveniently located in the Parramatta CBD, Modemedia works with a range of clients, from small sporting organisations to larger national firms. WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS ACCESS JUNE 2019

Some of their clients include: Temperzone Australia, HITACHI Aust, Turner Freeman Lawyers, AIIB Insurance, MAZE Group Australia, West Sydney Wolves Basketball Assoc, Western Academy of Sports, BREED Australia and METROMIX Australia. Visit their website to see some of their amazing work at modemedia.com.au

Technology Success

All the latest video news: www.sydneywest.tv

www.wsba.com.au

5 reasons to invest in new computers for your business DARRYL MCALLISTER

S your computer so slow to start up that you go and fetch a coffee while you’re waiting? Or does it run at a crawling pace during the busiest parts of the day? Let’s face it - there’s nothing more frustrating than a slow computer! If this is happening to you, it might be time to invest in new computers. Here are five reasons to update your business hardware - especially with the end of the financial year approaching.

3. Current warranties and support

Keeping up with your work tasks and responsibilities is a big ask, and you want systems that are up to the job and make everyday processes faster and more efficient. If you’re using old computers, it’s likely the hardware warranties ended a while ago. And as mentioned, Windows 7 support is phasing out. Investing in new systems not only gives you the latest in hardware and software but means you will be covered by warranties and support – offering an extra layer of security for your business.

4. Tax write-offs are expanding

Small businesses (those with less than $10 million in turnover) can now instantly writeoff assets costing up to $30,000, rather than $20,000 as before. This enables businesses to claim immediate deductions. The program now includes larger businesses as well. Businesses with a turnover of $10m to less than $50 million may also be able to write off assets to this value, rather than using the depreciation rules.

1. You get the latest operating systems

With a brand-new computer comes the latest in Windows which offers new features and capabilities. If you are still running Windows 7 you really need to get on to Windows 10 now. Windows 7 did a great job for several years, but with the new apps on the market it is now outgrowing its usefulness. Here are some reasons to switch to Windows 10: • It works well with most apps on the market today. • It’s a natural progression from Windows 7, making it easy to learn. • Windows 7 software support is being phased out and will be gone by January 2020. • Windows 10 offers extra functionality and security compared to Windows 7.

they now only cost about an extra $50 – a small price to pay for improved speeds and performance.

5. EOFY means specials time

Your staff members are probably already using Windows 10 on their systems at home (and maybe quietly wondering why they aren’t at work!)

2. Faster start up and performance with SSD

We’ve had spinning hard-drive technology with us for many decades, but it’s now largely being replaced by solid state drives (SSDs) that store data in interconnected chips. We recommend SSDs for today’s systems, here’s why:

• They do what hard drives have always done, except they do it about 10 times faster. • They offer greater durability due to their lack of moving parts. • Data fragmentation is reduced with SSDs. • They provide better performance all round – which means you won’t have to visit the local café while you’re waiting for your computer to boot up. While SSDs might have been more expensive than traditional drives in the past,

At the end of the financial year (EOFY), you will often find lots of specials on computers as companies attempt to offload their stock. This might include deep discounts on desktops, extra features or products for a small additional cost, or bundled offers while stocks last. So with some good deals on the horizon and the potential for much better performance, now is a great time to consider buying new computers for your business. Darryl McAllister is managing director at Netcare. Visit www.netcare.net.au

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Family Business

With David Pring

Welcome No new taxes on SUPERANNUATION self-managed funds hope for stability WELCOME to KPMG Family Business feature articles, which I hope you enjoy reading. If you would like to discuss these articles or how KPMG can help with your business, please feel free to contact me on 9455 9996 or davidpring@kpmg.com.au

JULIE DOLAN

OST-election, the $750 billion self-managed superannuation industry is probably relieved that no further shake up of the industry is being planned. Over the last couple of years, the SMSF industry has tried to implement and administer the historic number of changes that came about from the Simpler Super Reforms in 2016. There is no doubt they are welcoming a period of relative stability. Labor’s proposed abolition of franking credit refunds was definitely a point of contention between both parties. The core of the debate was the differing opinions on how the tax policy around franking credits should be dealt with. Both opinions held merit. Labor believed it was an erosion of the corporate tax base whilst the Coalition argued it was a reinstatement of the correct tax position of the receiving taxpayer. Due to the tax position of many self-funded retirees and SMSF’s, the impact of this measure had significant impact. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has guaranteed “no new taxes on Superannuation”. Whilst this guarantee has been made, the Coalition has still announced a few minor changes to superannuation. Some of these changes to SMSFs include: • Changes to the ‘work test’ that will allow individuals aged 65 and 66 to make voluntary superannuation contributions. Currently only individuals over the age of 65 can make voluntary contributions if they have met the ‘work test’. This test requires ‘gainful employment’ for a minimum of 40 hours in a 30 day period before the contribution can be made; • Extending the ‘bring forward’ rules to those aged 65 and 66. As the rule currently stands, a person needs to be under the age of 65 to benefit from the ‘bring forward’ rule so as to make three years’ worth of nonconcessional contributions; • Increasing the age limit for spouse contributions from 69 to 74 years; • Reintroducing the measure of increasing the SMSF member limit from 4 to 6, despite the removal of the measure shortly before Parliament was dissolved;

• Administrative changes in relation to how the SMSF calculates exempt current pension income. This includes a eliminating a frequently debated requirement for SMSF’s to obtain an actuarial certificate when the fund is 100 percent in pension mode. • Continuing to allow SMSFs to benefit from limited recourse borrowing arrangements. As to when these proposed measures are introduced will be a matter of time, however

what is critical, is that any further changes are assessed against the overall objective of superannuation. This main objective, being “to provide income in retirement to substitute or supplement the Age Pension”. To regain trust and stability in the industry, a long-term view needs to be taken. This is further substantiated from the recent findings coming out of the Financial Services Royal Commission, Productivity Commission and APRA reports. After many years of political turmoil in Australia and the desire of Australians for

stable leadership, let’s hope that the Morrison led Coalition party will deliver this much needed requirement. It is a time to ‘reset’. If you would like further information on tax regarding SMSF’s, contact David Pring on 9455 9996 or davidpring@kpmg. com.au. Article first published by Julie Dolan, Director, KPMG Enterprise on KPMG Newsroom.

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Why were the “quiet Australians” missed in the election pre-polls? AMANDA HICKS

HE inaccuracy of polling data came as a big shock in the recent Federal election. After consistent predictions of a Labor victory, with bookmakers even paying out in advance, the Liberal party retained their majority. As late as election eve, most major polls had Labor ahead 51-49 on the two-party preferred vote. This result mirrors a number of polling “upsets” globally over the past few years, from Trump’s election in the US to Brexit. It’s clear polls are missing a cohort of conservative voters, which the Australian Liberal party has now named “the quiet Australians”. This conservative vote was also under represented in the 2015 UK General Election, the 2016 Brexit referendum and the 2016 US election. This group is getting harder to quantify using traditional polling methods. There are several reasons why the polls can paint an inaccurate picture of the elections, and in particularly over the election weekend in Australia.

Increased disengagement

In research, we get much stronger levels of accuracy and participation when people feel engaged in the issues at hand. The current level of disengagement with political issues may be driving some of this under-representation. We often hear more strongly in research from those with the loudest, most vested voices. In this case, those that wanted change may have been more visible and audible in the polls than those content with the status quo.

Fragmented audiences

Political opinion polling is a science that depends on extraordinary accuracy in terms of representative samples, at a time when inaccuracy is now too easy. There is no single way of reaching every Australian cohort in an opinion poll. This compares to several years ago, when almost everyone had a landline and would answer the phone to do a quick survey. Today, increasing numbers of Australians have internet-only landline connections, if they have a landline at all, and rely exclusively on mobile. Analysis of ACMA data predicts only 50 percent of Australian homes will still have a landline in 2021, down from 83 percent in 2011. With the 2015 UK general election, the main problem with polling inaccuracy was determined to be unrepresentative samples.

People who took part in polls did not accurately reflect the population as a whole. Analysis of the 2016 UK Brexit polling has indicated that online polls seemed to perform better than phone polls. In total, 63 percent of online polls correctly predicted a Leave victory, while 78 percent of phone polls wrongly predicted that Remain would win. Some of the discrepancy may have been due to younger voters supporting Remain, but not bothering to vote. A key difference in Australia, of course, is that with voting being mandatory, the entire electorate is represented.

Asking the right questions

In the 2016 US election, the vast majority of polls predicted that Hillary Clinton

would beat Donald Trump. One poll that did correctly pick Trump in the lead was the USC/Los Angeles Times Daybreak tracking poll. It allowed people to assign themselves a probability of voting for either candidate, rather than having to declare their preference with 100 per cent. Different types of questioning – rather than the current, standard voting intention question – may end up providing greater insight. And we are now seeing discussions about whether social media data is a valuable predictor of voting intention. So when it comes to research, there is increasing inaccuracy built in to the methodologies that takes time and money to overcome. Political opinion polling, such as that we see in our media, is a relatively unique

form of research with regards to the degree of accuracy required, and the level of public scrutiny placed on it throughout an election cycle. Commercial organisations recognise that insight and strategy is based on investing time and money in seeking viewpoints from a variety of data sources to ensure all views are accurately represented. If you would like to find out more about KPMG Acuity market research services, please contact David Pring on 9455 9996 or davidpring@kpmg.com.au. Article first published by Amanda Hicks, KPMG Australia.

Logistics: the unlikely hero of business transformation BRENDEN RICHARDS

BIG part of what I do in my day to day work is business restructuring. Now, in my line of work, there is a lot of confusion over exactly what restructuring involves. A lot of people think of it as a slash and burn exercise where we grab anything of value and sell it off to the highest bidder while the rest of the business goes down the toilet. But, in reality, what it really involves is reorganising the business – its ownership, structure or operations – to make it more profitable and better organised for its future and present needs. A company that has been restructured effectively will, in theory, be leaner, more efficient, better controlled and better focused on its business. It will have a revised strategic and financial plan, and all of that will often mean that it is worth more should anyone want to sell it.

In my experience, at the heart of this transformation, sits and unlikely hero – logistics. Remember, logistics is not an industry, it is the function of movement. That’s why it accounts for up to 80 percent of everything that happens in our economy and that’s why any kind of business transformation should start with an examination of the logistics of the business. As I am fond of saying, logistics is where real change happens. Revolutionary logistics solutions have regularly changed the social and economic landscape – think the motor vehicle, printing press, email and, most recently, the cloud. Logistics technology changes everything. Cloud-based computing has emerged as a kind of digital warehousing, accessible anywhere, reducing the need for physical infrastructure. 3D printing will eventually eliminate much of the global shipping trade for manufactured product, and the continued growth of online retail will continue to knock over traditional supply chains and those who participate in them.

The rate of change in logistics is truly startling, but the point is that those operating any kind of business and looking for an opportunity to transform that business need to adopt a logistics mindset. They need to look at their business in terms of how everything can be moved more efficiently – not just physical goods but everything. They also need to examine the various business functions from a logistics perspective instead of the perspective of whatever the discipline is traditionally called. Let me give you an example. Is a ‘waiter’ a hospitality worker, a customer service representative, or a logistics manager? The most backward of mindsets would define the waiter by the industry they work in. Someone more progressive might look at them from the point of view of their interaction with the customer and the value that adds. But the most progressive will understand that the vast majority of their job involves moving the orders from the kitchen to the table. They are logistics managers and

anything the business can do to make that movement of goods more effective, more efficient and more customer focused will have a far greater impact than the marginal improvements offered by the narrow definitions of ‘hospitality’ or ‘customer service’. Think about it. Business transformation involves making fundamental changes in how a business is conducted so it is better able to cope with shifts in the environment. In the modern world, most of those shifts are the result of changes in logistics. It makes sense that business transformation is best achieved by realigning the business to a logistics mindset.

To find out how we can help you with transport & logistics, please contact David Pring davidpring@kpmg.com.au First published in the April issue of Prime Mover. Brendan Richards, Partner, National Sector Leader Transport & Logistics, KPMG Australia. WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS ACCESS JUNE 2019

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Cumberland Business

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COMMITTED TO INNOVATION AND GROWTH Cumberland Business Chamber (CBC), member owned and operated organisation is committed to the development of innovation and business growth. Strong advocates for the Australian manufacturing industry, we are a solutions-focused group who support new ideas and business relationships. With connections across Greater Western Sydney, the Cumberland Business Chamber believes that innovation and real leadership can transform the Australian business landscape. We welcome new members! Discover how CBC can workwith your business, go to: www.cbchamber.com.au

OUR NEXT EVENT hosted at the WORKARY. LEARN HOW TO USE VIDEO CONTENT MARKETING TO BOOST YOUR BUSINESS SALES Presenter Stacy Farrell from Content Box will discuss how to create and maintain a consistent and wellmanaged brand presence using content, and how to apply this to your strategy. Stacy has over 30 years’ experience in education, design, business marketing and strategic communications, and has worked with businesses across a range of industries. She helps businesses to create a strong visual presence, along with consistent sales and powerful marketing strategies. Stacy will run through practical strategies on how to create video content and the WORKARY is where you can implement the content video marketing plan as they have the equipment to help create the video! The reason we have chosen the WORKARY as the venue for this month's After 5 event is to showcase the facility and what it offers for small business, start-ups and entrepreneurs, including the facilities to create videos. Set up within Whitlam Library (Cabramatta), the Workary offers a free digital Studio 2166 with all the latest equipment and software to make videos and postcasts. Complete with a green wall, sound booth, audio and film production equipment, this initiative provides a space for business to create engaging and good-quality videos, along with an opportunity to learn new skills such as how to use 360-degree cameras, virtual reality tools and other film and technology related know-how. It's going to be an educational FUN night as the attendees may be asked to be part of the Cumberland Business Chamber video!

The importance of video and content marketing

S the internet has taken over our lives and online advertising has become an essential marketing tool, therefore it is imperative for businesses to go a step further when promoting themselves on this platform. Gone are the days of a simple advertisement. Businesses now are expected to present themselves as experts, helping to inform and guide customers along a path towards better decisions, including their purchase choices.

utilising video, and interestingly YouTube now ranks as the second most popular search engine after Google.

Creating Videos

While it’s all very well to understand the importance of video, creating a video is a different type of challenge. You need both expertise and access to specialised equipment to produce videos and podcasts. This is why we have chosen the Workary as the venue for Cumberland Business ChamContent Marketing ber’s After 5 event. The Workary is a joint venture between This marketing method is geared towards Fairfield City Council and Fairfield City Open your specific audience by providing relevant Libraries, this facility offers services for small and valuable information. business start-ups and entrepreConsumers are no longer blindly led by advertising claims neurs, including the facilities to and sales pitches, and now precreate videos. Set up within Whitlam Lifer to research their decisions and learn about the product or brary (Cabramatta), the Workservice in question. ary offers a free “Digital Studio” A business that takes the with all the latest equipment time to provide information and software to make videos helps to solve a consumer and podcasts. problem, also establishing the Complete with a green status of that business as experts wall, sound booth, audio and Binh Rey in their field. film production equipment, this The purpose of education in marketing is initiative provides a space for business to creto build trust, along with a following. If your ate engaging and good-quality videos, along business can establish and provide reliable with an opportunity to learn new skills such as honest educational information, you are build- how to use 360-degree cameras, virtual reality tools and other film and technology related ing a reputation as an expert brand. know-how. While content marketing doesn’t guarantee that a purchase will follow, it’s more likely Learn More that your business will increase its sales, given that customers tend to make purchases from On Tuesday June, 25 2019, the Cumbrands they trust and recognise. berland Business Chamber will be hosting the June After 5 at the Workary facility. At this Video Content event you will learn how to best incorporate content and video marketing into your busiAn engaging form of content marketing, videos rank highly on Google algorithms, ness marketing plan. often the preferred type of content by many Presenter Stacy Farrell from Content Box social media platforms such as such as Linkewill discuss how to create and maintain a consistent and well-managed brand presence dIn, Facebook and Instagram to name a few. using content, and how to apply this to your A video that’s embedded on your website strategy. with a transcript attached is likely to rank Stacy has over 30 years’ experience in much higher than an article. In fact, with education, design, business marketing and today’s decreasing attention span, a video is strategic communications, and has worked more likely to capture the attention of your with businesses across a range of industries. market than anything else. She helps businesses to create a strong visual Video offers a huge return on investment, presence, along with consistent sales and helping to maintain effective competition, improving purchase conversions (up to 80%), powerful marketing strategies. To book for this event, click below: and providing a personalised way of bringing https://www.stickytickets.com.au/79671 information to the customer. Some experts believe that video is only increasing in popularity, making it even more Binh Rey, is VP of Marketing and Board Member of the important to jump on board. Cumberland Business Chamber. Visit www.cbchamEvery major social media platform is ber.com.au

Date: Tuesday, 25 June 2019 Time: 5:30am – 8:00 pm Venue: WORKARY (Whitlam Library, Level 1), 165 Railway Parade, Cabramatta. Book at: www.stickytickets.com.au/79671 www.cbchamber.com.au

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Cover Story

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Rejection in Australia’s

POLITICAL BATTLEGROUND Scott Morrison campaigning in Western Sydney.

DR ANDY MARKS

ANQUISHED Liberal opposition leader, John Hewson described his 1993 Fightback policy manifesto as “the longest suicide note in political history”. That’s the last time we heard the phrase “unlosable election”. Critics of defeated Labor leader Bill Shorten dusted the jibe off again after he defied years of positive polling and lost the May 18 contest. So resounding was the rejection of Labor’s detailed agenda, we’re unlikely to see an opposition - either side - take such a broad sweep of policy proposals to the Australian electorate again. With the exception of Queensland, the spurning of Labor’s health, education and tax reform plans was harshest across its former heartland, western Sydney. Prime Minister, Scott Morrison’s pitch was simple. “Labor can’t manage money.” It resonated. Morrison didn’t take on Labor’s health or education funding agenda. He refused to offer comparable detail. He didn’t have to. None of the opposition’s objectives were achievable, he argued, without a track record of being able to pay for them. Addressing a gathering of business leaders at BankWest stadium in the final week of the campaign, Morrison reflected on Shorten calling him a “classic space invader”. “Bill Shorten” the prime minister quipped, “wants to invade your wallet.” It was a clunky retort, and with every major poll in the nation saying he didn’t stand a chance, nobody left the stadium that morning with an inkling of the drama ahead.

“

While Clive Palmer failed to get over the line this time, his estimated $60m advertising blitz had a considerable impact on western Sydney. The United Australia Party fared well across the West, attracting over four per cent of the vote in the Labor seats of Chifley, Fowler and Werriwa.”

Traditional battleground

Forget Queensland, never mind Victoria, the coming parliamentary term and subsequent election will see the spotlight shone once more on the traditional electoral battleground, the West. For over two years, all the major pollsters told us otherwise, as did election day exit polls. They were wrong. Across western Sydney, the swing against Labor was 3.7 per cent, more than three times the national average. Former social housing executive, Melissa McIntosh took back Lindsay for the Liberals with a 7.6 per cent primary vote surge. Hawkesbury councillor, Sarah Richards snared Macquarie for the Liberals, a seat neither leader bothered to visit during the campaign, surprising pundits nationwide. Even the safest Labor seats weren’t spared, with community networking entrepreneur and Liberal candidate, Livingston Chettipally drawing around a six per cent swing away from sitting member Ed Husic. There were big shifts in sentiment too in Chris Bowen’s

– Dr Andy Marks electorate of McMahon, where he endured a -5.6 per cent swing, in the faced of Liberal challenger, Vivek Singha. The shadow treasurer pointed to religion. “People of faith” he told NewsCorp, “no longer feel that progressive politics cares about them.” Regardless of whether faith is the issue, inter-

estingly, in Bowen’s culturally diverse electorate, One Nation attracted 8.2 per cent of the vote, out-polling the Greens nearly two-to-one, confirming there is indeed a retreat from “progressive” politics in some sections of the West. While Clive Palmer failed to get over the line this time, his estimated $60m advertising blitz had a considerable impact on western Sydney. The United Australia Party fared well across the West, attracting over four per cent of the vote in the Labor seats of Chifley, Fowler and Werriwa.

Only bright spot

The only bright spot for Labor was Macarthur, where well-liked member Dr Mike Freelander ever so slightly bucked the trend against his party. We saw this at the NSW election too, where Labor attracted a 9 per cent swing in their favour across the outer South West. With down-to-earth Anthony Albanese appointed as Opposition Leader, the party will address the lag of Shorten’s chronic unpopularity, but they can hardly put up the ‘under new management’ sign they could have with a generational change figure like Queenslander, Jim Chalmers. As for the Coalition, now they’ve snatched the “miracle” victory, the next term is there’s to lose. With Morrison offering very little by way of a policy agenda, they won’t be weighed down by detail like a Labor, who will look to

Clive Palmer.

shed all manner of taxation reforms attached like barnacles to their campaign. One thing is certain. With the most marginal seat in the country and among the largest swings at the polls, western Sydney has officially reclaimed its title as Australia’s political battleground. As if it ever wasn’t. Dr Andy Marks is assistant vice-chancellor at Western Sydney University.

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Travel

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Tour of opera houses around the world Len Rutledge finds that world famous opera houses are great attractions for travellers.

O matter where we travel there is a good chance that we will see some impressive buildings. In Europe it may be palaces and castles, in Asia there are spectacular temples while in North America there are towering skyscrapers. I have travelled to see impressive bridges and railway stations and have recently added opera houses to my list. Some of these latter buildings are some of the most glorious buildings in the world. Look at these few examples taken at random from around the world. When you add the Royal Opera House, London, the Vienna State Opera, the Metropolitan Opera House, New York, the Teatro Colon, Buenos Aires, the Teatro Fenice Venice, and our own Sydney Opera House, it makes an impressive list. Each is worth a visit.

Paris

Palais Garnier in Paris

This is one of the most famous opera houses in the world, partly because it was the setting of the novel The Phantom of the Opera and the subsequent films and popular musical. It was built in the 1860s and it was the primary home of the Paris Opera and its associated Paris Opera Ballet until 1989, when the modern Opera Bastille opened. The Palais Garnier is now used mainly for ballet. The building was the most expensive in Paris during its era and some regard it as a masterpiece although this opinion is not universally shared. It is close to some of Paris’s most famous department stores so it makes a nice contrast to the shopping ‘palaces’.

Teatro alla Scala in Milan

This challenges Paris as the most famous opera house in the world. It was built in the 1780s and most of Italy’s greatest operatic artists, and many of the finest singers from around the world, have appeared here. Building expenses were covered by the sale of boxes, which were lavishly decorated by their owners, and like most of the theatres at that time, La Scala was also a casino. In 1943, La Scala was severely damaged by bombing. It was rebuilt and reopened in 1946. The theatre underwent a major renovation from 2002 to Continued on page 37 Milan

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Continued from page 36

2004. The stage was entirely rebuilt, and an enlarged backstage allowed more sets to be stored. La Scala has hosted the first productions of many famous operas, and had a special relationship with Verdi. He conducted his Requiem there in 1874 and the theatre hosted his penultimate opera, Otello and the premiere of his last opera, Falstaff.

Oslo Opera House

The spectacular Oslo Opera House is the home of The Norwegian National Opera and Ballet. Construction started in 2003 and was completed in 2007, ahead of schedule and under budget. The Opera House won the 2009 European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture. A 50 minute guided tour in English lets you walk out onto the Main Stage, or visit the costume workshop or scene painting room, while you learn about the architecture, stagecraft, opera and ballet from the guides.

Oslo

Bolshoi Theatre Moscow

This is an historic theatre in Russia, which holds ballet and opera performances. The main building of the theatre, rebuilt and renovated several times during its history since 1821, is depicted on the Russian 100-ruble banknote. A new stage was built in 2002, and this together with a restored 17th-century building, two rehearsal halls, and artists’ recreation rooms forms a single theatre complex. From 2005 to 2011 the theatre was closed for restoration which included an improvement in acoustics, and the restoration of the original Imperial decor. The Bolshoi Ballet is probably the most renowned ballet company in the world and it is by far the largest with more than 200 dancers. Tchaikovsky’s ballet Swan Lake premiered at the theatre in 1877 while other regulars on the Bolshoi repertoire include Tchaikovsky’s The Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker, Adam’s Giselle, Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet, and Khachaturian’s Spartacus.

The Royal Opera House Stockholm

YEARS

Kungliga Operan has been the Swedish national venue for opera and ballet since 1773. You can visit here as a member of the audience at one of the performances or take a guided tour. The building is located in the centre of Sweden’s capital and is connected to the Royal Palace by a bridge.

Moscow

Stockholm

The original opera house was demolished to make way for the present building which opened in 1899. It is a majestic neo-classical building with a magnificent gold foyer and elegant marble grand staircase leading to a three-tiered auditorium which seats 1,200. Interestingly, 45 minutes before most opera and ballet performances, a 15-minute

introduction to the evening’s performance is held in the Gold Foyer. www.LenRutledge.com https://www.facebook.com/ExperienceGuides/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCX5HUmGP1lR2aoscn3O8P2Q Words: Len Rutledge Images: Phensri Rutledge

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Recruitment

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Bias creeps into reference checks, is it time to ditch them?

S much as we’d like to think we’ve refined the hiring process over the years to carefully select the best candidate for the job, bias still creeps in. Candidates who come from privileged backgrounds are more able to source impressive, well-connected referrers and this perpetuates the cycle of privilege. While the referrer’s reputation and personal clout make up one aspect of the recommendation, what they say - the content - completes the picture. Research shows gender bias even invades in the content of recommendations. In this study female applicants for post-doctoral research positions in the field of geoscience were only half as likely as their male counterparts to receive excellent (as opposed to just good) endorsements from their referees. Since it’s unlikely that of the 1,200 recommendation letters analysed, female candidates were less excellent than the male candidates, it means something else is going on. A result like this may be explained by the gender role conforming adjectives that are used to describe female versus male applicants. Women are more likely to be observed and described as “nurturing” and “helpful”, whereas men are attributed with stronger, more competence-based words like “confident” and “ambitious”. This can, in turn, lead to stronger recommendations for male candidates. Worryingly, in another study similar patterns emerged in the way black versus white, and female versus male, medical students were described in performance evaluations. These were used as input to select residents.

In both cases the members of minority groups were described using less impressive words (like “competent” versus “exceptional”), a pattern that was observed even after controlling for licensing examination scores, an objective measure of competence.

Recommendations aren’t good predictors of performance

Let’s put the concerns about bias aside for a moment while we examine an even bigger question: are recommendations helpful, valid indicators of future job performance or are they based on outdated traditions that we keep enforcing? Even back in the 90s, researchers were trying to alert hiring managers to the ineffectiveness of this as a tool, noting some major problems. The first problem is leniency, referees are allowed to be chosen by the candidate and tend to be overly positive. The second is too little knowledge of the applicant, as referees are unlikely to see all aspects of a prospective employees’ work and personal character.

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Reliability is another problem. It turns out there is higher agreement between two letters written by the same referee for different candidates, than there is for two letters (written by two different referees) for the same candidate! There is evidence that people behave in different ways when they are in different situations at work, which would reasonably lead to different recommendations from various referees. However, the fact that there is more consistency between what referees say about different candidates than between what different referees say about the same candidate remains a problem.

The alternatives to the referee

There are a few initiatives that are currently being used as alternatives to standard recruitment processes. One example is gamification – where candidates play spatial awareness or other job-relevant games to demonstrate their competence. For example, Deloitte has teamed up with software developer, Arctic Shores, for a fresh take on recruitment in an attempt to move away from the more traditional methods of recruitment.

However, gamification is not without its flaws – these methods would certainly favour individuals who are more experienced with certain kinds of video games, and gamers are more likely to be male. So it’s a bit of a catch-22 for recruiters who are introducing bias through a process designed to try to eliminate bias. If companies are serious about overcoming potential bias in recruitment and selection processes, they should consider addressing gender, racial, economic and other forms of inequality. One way to do this is through broadening the recruitment pool by making sure the language they use in position descriptions and jobs ads is more inclusive. Employers can indicate flexible work options are available and make the decision to choose the minority candidates when they are equally qualified as other candidates. Another option is to increase the diversity of the selection committee to add some new perspectives to previously homogeneous committees. Diverse selectors are more likely to speak up about and consider the importance of hiring more diverse candidates. Job seekers could even try running a letter of reference through software, such as Textio, that reports gender bias in pieces of text and provides gender-neutral alternatives. But just as crucial is the need for human resources departments to start looking for more accurate mechanisms to evaluate candidates’ competencies. Melissa A. Wheeler is a Research Fellow, University of Melbourne. Victor Sojo is a Lecturer, University of Melbourne. This article was first published at www.theconversation.com.au

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Auditor reveals most frequent failures

LEADING global risk management provider that has audited thousands of organisations – from the ASX top 200 to SMEs – has revealed the most common reasons why organisations fail to meet the goals they set. SAI Global is a trusted global leader in risk management solutions through its standards, assurance and training offerings across more than 130 countries. David Smith, Principal Advisor in Business Improvement at SAI Global, carries out training and certification for organisations seeking to meet the ISO 9001 Standard for quality management systems. He says: “Organisations that use our audits and certification want to deliver the highest quality products and services possible. Our detailed audits are designed to uncover any issues in the business that would be a barrier to meeting this goal. “We have highlighted the most frequent audit failures, because we believe Australia still has a long way to go to producing the highest quality services and products. Problems associated with quality usually come from organisations failing to set realistic objectives; and not effectively marrying their processes, systems and employee talent cohesively within their organisations to meet those objectives.”

SAI Global’s top seven businesses failures, as revealed by its audits: 1. Lack of effective strategic planning. Audits by SAI Global seek proof of a business strategy, and proof that the strategy is being reviewed and followed, that the business understands its strengths and weaknesses, and its market and competition. David says audit failures here are more common among small-

David Smith.

to-medium businesses. “We find smaller businesses more commonly have less of a focus on strategy and direction. They are too busy running their business and don’t have the resources to look at the bigger picture. As such, they have less of an understanding of the competitive environment, are less able to compete, and often struggle to identify opportunities and grow.” 2. Mid-level and junior employees are in the dark about the business’s objectives. SAI Global’s audits look for evidence that senior management has cascaded measurable objectives – and the necessary resources – to relevant functions in the organisation. Surprisingly, this is among the

most common audit failures, David says. “This leads to the ‘silo’ effect, where internal teams are working independently of each other. Businesses that fail this aspect of their audit commonly struggle to meet their objectives.” 3. Important functions of the business are not monitored. Quality management audits look for evidence that the organisation is monitoring performance at each appropriate level. David says, “For instance, a company might want to improve the efficiency of its customer-facing staff but is unlikely to achieve this if they don’t implement a scheduling system they can measure. Our assessments of organisations have found that monitoring processes have not always been developed or followed. Again, this makes it a significantly more challenging for businesses to meet their goals.” 4. Short-sighted leadership. Leadership is an area in which successful small-to-medium businesses often shine. David says, “In large organisations, I have often seen a section head focus on their own area, not the organisation as a whole. This can lead to the ‘silo’ effect and hence inefficiency.” Auditors often identify this problem by assessing the linkage of processes between sections and the flow of information and work. 5. Conflicting systems, processes and objectives. SAI Global’s audits frequently identify internal systems and objectives within individual departments that clash with the organisational systems and objectives. For

instance, an organisation’s call centre may have an efficiency targets that requires its operators to limit their call times with each customer. This could mean that all of the information required from the customer to provide a quality service is not obtained and this can hinder the achievement of the quality service objectives set by the organisation. 6. Employees don’t receive support to develop competence. SAI Global audits also include auditing the qualifications and competence of employees in various roles. David says, “When we interview employees, most tell us they were put into a role with very little mentoring and support. As a result, they have difficulty in fulfilling the requirements of their role, particularly early on.” 7. Failing to identify and solve problems. Senior management often fall prey to using profit and loss statements as the only way to monitor the health of the company and make strategic decisions. “Basing decisions on financials without a focus on the quality of the organisation’s products and services happens a lot – and is not an effective means of identifying problems,” David says. In the case where organisations do identify a problem, a significant proportion of audits show that managers don’t have the capabilities available to solve them. When the ‘silo’ effect is occurring, problems are sometimes hidden in that department and this can have a negative effect on the whole organisation. Visit: www.saiglobal.com

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Online brand-building strategies LOUIE RAMOS

S with any strategy, a brandbuilding strategy is a longterm process that ties into the overall development and growth goals of your business. Brand-building is important for business development and growth. It communicates your brand, extends awareness, and can increase your customer-base. The success of any online brand-building strategy lies in its ability to adapt, morph and realign itself to rising and ebbing online trends whilst the brand itself maintains a level of consistency that consumers can recognise and identify with over time.

1. Brand identity.

Although consumers and consumer trends are in a constant state of flux, there are still a few things in life that people expect to remain unchanged. Your brand identity is the ‘personality’ of your business and your customers need to know that they can trust you. Forging a strong brand identity will make your business a recognisable ‘personality’ on a loud online platform.

2. Know your audience.

A long-term brand-building strategy not only involves establishing your business as a trustworthy brand but also means getting to know who your ideal customers are and what your target audience looks like. Generalised marketing strate-

gies aimed at everyone and no-one is a wasted exercise on the world wide web. Consumers are constantly bombarded with information and, unless you have a message that resonates with that consumer, your message and your brand will be lost in the myriad of information flowing through cyberspace.

Your brand-building strategy needs to focus on connecting with your ideal customer on issues that matter to them. Online marketing enables businesses to engage directly with their customers and it’s important for business leaders to leverage emotions in order to make these connections.

3. Be memorable, be emotional .

4. Stand for something.

Stoic, formal messages are not appealing to modern consumers whose dreams and aspirations show up daily in their inboxes as beachside resorts and anti-wrinkle cream.

Corporate social responsibility can no longer be treated as an annual tick-box exercise whereby companies pay lip service to a cause to appeal to the sensitivities of an

audience. Your brand should stand for something meaningful that reflects a mindful intention by your business to positively impact the community (both on and offline) and the environment. This will enable your business to connect with your audience on something that’s important to both of you, increasing and enhancing interactions. The online world is a fickle place, fraught with fleeting trends, shifting sentiment and the rise of small businesses and the collapse of large ones. The global platform of online consumers is an expansive

marketplace and business leaders need to have vision and play the long-game if they want to reap the benefits of such a dynamic arena. The pace of change continues to accelerate, and business leaders must strive for long-term success by developing an identifiable online brand that promotes connectivity through relationships that have been developed over time. Louie Ramos is a digital marketing expert and Director of Digital Strategy at Digital Presence. Visit www.digitalpresence.com.au

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Almost every Australian teacher has been bullied by students or their parents PAULOINA BILLET EDGAR BURNS ROCHELLE FOGELGARN

EACHERS are bullied daily by parents and students. They experience the kind of harassment that would be deemed unacceptable in most workplaces. But, in the case of teachers, such treatment is often dismissed as par for the course. Radio presenter Jon Faine recently suggested we might be overstating students’ bullying behaviour towards teachers. He said: What now is called bullying is what we used to regard as, you know, kind of giving teachers a hard time and teasing and being little horrible monsters. We conducted a survey of 560 teachers across Australia in 2018. In the month-long social media campaign, 80% of respondents recorded having been a victim of some form of student or parent bullying and harassment over the previous 9 to 12 months. A separate survey also conducted in 2018 – which has been following school principals since 2011 – found one-third of Australian principals had been bullied or harassed. They reported both physical and verbal threats and abuse. This doesn’t only happen in Australia. Studies in New Zealand, Luxembourg, the United States, Slovakia and South Africa all yield similar findings. Continued on page 43

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Female teachers were more likely than males to be harassed over the phone. from shutterstock.com

Continued from page 42

Student-to-teacher bullying and harassment has also been recorded in countries such as Taiwan, where students are taught to revere teachers, and in Finland, where the teaching profession is well regarded.

What our study found

In our study, just over 70% of participants reported having been bullied or harassed by a student in the last 12 months. Verbal aggression was the most common form of bullying. Nearly 30% of respondents recorded a student having sworn at them in the last 9 to 12 months, closely followed by yelling (28%) and disparaging verbal comments (25.5%). Around 10% of teachers had been hit or punched by a student in the last year, 12.5% had a student damage their personal property and 16.6% had a student stand over them or invade their personal space. Female teachers experienced student bullying and harassment slightly more often than males – 71% to 68.4%. Female teachers were more likely to experience students standing over them or invading their personal space (9.9% to 6.9%), as well as students harassing them through phone calls or text messages (2.3% to 1.4%). Male teachers, on the other hand, were more likely to have students organise others against them (8.3% and 6% respectively), lie about them to get them in trouble (7.6% to 6.4%), be discriminated against by students (5.5% to 2.5%) and have parents engaged to argue on a student’s behalf (11% to 9.4%). Nearly 60% of teachers reported experiencing at least one incident of bullying and harassment by parents in the last 12 months. The most common were parents verbally disparaging a teacher (15.2%), yelling (14.4%) and arguing on their child’s behalf (13.4%). Female teachers bore the brunt of parental abuse (nearly 60%, compared to 41% for male teachers). Physical attacks by parents on teachers were rare, with 8.8% reporting a parent standing over or invading their personal space and just 1.1% being hit or punched by a parent.

Long-lasting impacts

Bullying and harassment have a considerable impact on teachers. Respondents in our survey reported severe repercussions for their mental health and well-being. A number of teachers said they were suffering symptoms of anxiety, depression and PTSD, including panic attacks and uncontrollable shaking. Around 83% of respondents who we interviewed disclosed a desire to leave the profession due to teacher-targeted student and parental bullying.

A male teacher who had been in the profession for nearly 15 years told us: […] bullying from students […] contributed to me wanting to commit suicide. I felt worthless […] It has taken years of support, encouragement and medical and spiritual intervention to enable me to teach full-time again. Most teachers said they didn’t feel well supported when they made a report and that responses were often tokenistic. Many interviewees accused school management of allying themselves with students and parents rather than supporting the bullied teacher. One teacher told us: I could deal with it if there was any form of support […] Teachers have no rights anymore and all we can realistically do is tell students they have detention or call their parents. Students don’t come to detention, then what!

What can we do?

Bullying occurs in the context of a power imbalance. Teachers are understood to occupy a position of power over their students, which obscures the prevalence of teacher-targeted bullying in and out the classroom. There was a feeling among respondents that student behaviour was contextualised in terms of teachers’ ability (or inability) to manage complicated situations. One teacher told us: […] I worry about grades on report cards and how parents will react. They no longer accept it, but instead try to influence and intimidate teachers to change the grades based on what they believe their child deserves. Teachers also expressed dismay at their inability to create real and lasting change to bullying behaviour. Initial findings from our study call for more support by management and peak organisations for teachers who report even minor incidents. Respondents suggested a code of conduct be created in schools. This would include a zero-tolerance policy and clear guidelines spelling out which behaviours are considered to be bullying and harassment. They suggested students and parents face penalties for breaching the code of conduct. Teachers also called for stronger measures, such as the ability to expel students or ban parents from contacting teachers, to prevent aggressors from stepping back into classrooms or school grounds. Paulina Billett is Lecturer, Sociology, La Trobe University. Edgar Burns is Senior Lecturer, Sociology, La Trobe University. Rochelle Fogelgarn is Lecturer in Teacher Education, La Trobe University

This article was first published at www. theconverstaion.com.au

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Entertainment

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GIRL IN THE MACHINE F OLLOWING the outstanding success of Grounded, National Theatre of Parramatta will present another powerful and provocative work, Girl in the Machine, directed by Claudia Barrie, from 20th to 29th June. Wildly in love, Polly and Owen have successful careers and feel ready to take on the world, until a new form of wearable technology, equally seductive and dangerous, threatens to destroy it all. This “Black Box” drives a wedge between them. The line between the real and the virtual rapidly dissipates and as the population begins to rebel, Polly and Owen are forced to question whether their definitions of reality and freedom are the same. Girl in the Machine is directed by two-time Sydney Theatre Award Nominee Claudia

Barrie (Dry Land at KXT, Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo at the Old Fitz) and stars Logie Award Winner Brandon McClelland (Sydney Theatre Co’s The Present, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Foxtel’s Devil’s Playground) and Chantelle Jamieson (Peter Rabbit, STC’s Still Point Turning: The Catherine McGregor Story). Reminiscent of Charlie Brooker’s Black Mirror series, Girl in the Machine is a sharplywritten play about what it is to be human as technology intrudes further and further into everyday life, and is a profound exploration of connection, love and the enduring power of the human spirit. Director Claudia Barrie says “in this play we see the blurred lines between reality and fantasy spurred on by the temptation of a utopian paradise.”

“★★★★★ Theatrical bliss” – Evening News Playwright: Stef Smith Director: Claudia Barrie Cast: Brandon McClelland and Chantelle Jamieson DATES & TIMES Thursday 20th June at 7.45pm (Preview Performance), Friday 21st June at 7.45pm (Preview Performance), Saturday 22nd June at 7.45pm, Tuesday 25th June at 7.45pm, Wednesday 26th June at 7.45pm, Thursday 27th June at 11am and 7.45pm, Friday 28th June at 7.45pm and Saturday 29th June at 2.15pm and 7.45pm. Tickets: Adult $49, Concession $44. Available from https://riversideparramatta.com. au/show/girl-in-the-machine/ or from the Box Office (02) 8839 3399. Discounts available for Riverside Theatres’ Members. Transaction fees: phone $4.60, web $3.60 and counter $2.60. Venue: Riverside Theatres – Corner of Church and Market Streets, Parramatta

SEE THINGS DIFFERENTLY AT RIVERSIDE Riverside’s National Theatre of Parramatta

GIRL IN THE MACHINE

Griffin Theatre Company

PRIMA FACIE

By Suzie Miller

By Stef Smith

Packemin Productions

MAMMA MIA THE MUSICAL

“This is not life. This is law.”

A gripping play in the manner of Black Mirror (Netflix), Humans (BBC) and Westworld (HBO), where one can be seduced by the realities of virtual worlds.

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W H AT THEY SA ID...

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“

“Tourism from China has grown steadily over the past four or five years and now we are finding groups from India and Southeast Asia picking up.” – Sara Ang, director, sales and marketing, Featherdale Wildlife Park, at Doonside. “We want to cluster education, research, development and commercialisation all in one place and push the boundaries of how we build cities – nothing has ever been done like this before.” – Duncan Challen, business development manager, Celestino, on the plans for the Sydney Science Park, at Luddenham.

We are leading the way when it comes to future thinking. No other local government in Australia is doing this. This research partnership will hopefully be the first of many steps towards an innovative rapid transit corridor between the new airport and our CBD.”

“Campbelltown is on the verge of stepping into its next chapter as a thriving city, with a strong sense of community, resilience and sustainability at its cores.” – George Brticevic, when speaking on the future of the city.

- Liverpool Mayor Wendy Waller on the idea of trackless trams in the city. “When the Western Sydney International opens it will be the focus of air travel for Western Sydney residents [and] could become the key interchange in NSW between air and high-speed rail trains.” – Phillip Davies, partner, Deloitte, commenting on proposed Melbourne-Brisbane rail line. “This tower will be Parramatta’s leading office building in terms of design, amenity and quality workplace.” – Matthew Faddy, head of office and logistics, GPT Group, on its $300m tower, at 32 Smith Street, in the Parramatta CBD. “More than 10,000 residents old us in surveys, they wanted Canterbury-Bankstown to be greener and cleaner by 2028.” - Karl Asfour, Mayor of Canterbury-Bankstown, on

council replacing petrol and diesel vehicles with electric vehicles. “We believe this hotel will be a destination hotel where people from all over Sydney will travel to it.” – Arthur Laundy, MD, Laundy Hotels, on the opening of The Marsden, a $45 pub and brewery, in Sydney Business Park, Marsden Park. “Development in Sydney’s west is gaining momentum and the opening of a new international-quality midscale hotel will positively contribute to the economic and tourism growth of the area through job creation and services.” – Simon McGrath, COO, AccorHotels, on the expected opening of the Mercure Sydney Rouse Hill, in July 2019.

“This is not a shopping centre for 2019, this is, probably, a shopping centre well into the future.” – Brad Page, GM, Dart West Retail, at the opening of the $30m Gregory Hills Shopping Centre. “The transformation of Parramatta is going to be incredible – and I’m glad to be part of it even for a short while.” – Ric Hart, acting CEO, City of Parramatta Council, on taking up his 12-month contact. “The opening of the Bankwest Stadium will see s surge of new visitations to Parramatta that we have never seen before.” – David Borger, director, Western Sydney Business Chamber, on the opening of the $360m, 30.000-seat facility.

"This project further cements Western [Sydney University] as a world-class, collaborative and engaged university with a growing international reach and reputation for academic excellence and impact.” – Professor Deborah Sweeney, WSU Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation) commenting ona space imaging system by developed by WSU's International Centre for Neuromorphic Systems at its Werrington campus. “We are continuing to recruit and develop a highly skilled and motivated team, capable of delivering our vision of being a leading global provider of advanced composite solutions,” Mark Burgess, CEO and managing director at Quickstep Holdings. “Perception is key and perception is reality; you want every aspect of your branding to make a lasting impression. If the only thing someone is going to see is your business card, then it has to be spectacular; it has to stand out from the rest and make people want to contact you.” - Mode Media CEO, ChrisS Hekeik.

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