Central Coast Business Access: October - November 2021 by Access News Australia (ANA)

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2021

BUSINESS | LIFESTYLE

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CRITICAL CONDITION OF COAST’S DOCTOR SHORTAGE

A perplexed Emma McBride outside Wyong Hospital.

HE Central Coast doctor shortage is reaching chronic proportions with many patients unable to get an appointment and forced to seek treatment at hospital emergency departments. Federal Member for Dobell Emma McBride led the outcry for locals to make urgent submissions to the Senate Inquiry into the shortage. But the Inquiry may come too late for the Coast which is at breaking point. A major Tuggerah practice backed Ms McBride’s efforts after losing several key doctors for reasons beyond their control and being unable to find suitable replacements. More page 5.

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Sleeping giant awakes

October - November 2021 ISSUE 36 

 TOUKLEY | DALLAS SHERRINGHAM

How to get CCBA Central Coast Business Access is available at strategic locations throughout the Central Coast. To find a location near you visit our website.

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OUKLEY, long regarded as the “sleeping giant” of real estate on the Central Coast, has suddenly exploded to life as a boom property area. Corelogic Research figures show that Toukley listings increased by 50% between September and early October. It demonstrated that sellers have decide to list properties for sale as the busy summer season approaches. Toukley’s median price for a four-bedroom house is $757,000 and there are currently around 150 properties for sale in the area on Domain. Compare that to “glamour” seaside suburbs like Terrigal where the median price for a four-bedroom home is $1.2m and you get an idea how attractive Toukley is for buyers. Toukley was the retirement capital of the coast in years gone by and it still has a large proportion of seniors making up the 6000 plus population. It is known for its excellent building regime with most blocks either flat or gently sloped. Wide streets, lake views and large blocks are the order of the day. There is also a lack of medium density and high-rise buildings which is attractive to homebuyers looking for freestanding, private locations. All areas of Toukley are within easy reach of Budgewoi Lake and Tuggerah Lake to the south, with the redeveloped

This spacious well appointed home from Wiseberry Toukley is priced just above the average listing for the area.

Canton Beach public park and beach attractive to locals and visitors alike. Five minutes to the east is the stunning Soldiers Beach and the sheltered rockpools of Hargraves Beach. Toukley’s housing stock is generally solid construction with a better quality of home than other areas on the northern Central Coast. This is because cashed up retirees from the city were intent on building good quality homes when they moved to the Coast. The impressive Toukley Golf Club and the bowling and social clubs of the peninsula were also key attractions for citysiders relocating to the Central Coast. Easy access to quality shopping centres

is another factor, with both Coles and the new Aldi development, set away from the main shopping area and providing easy parking. On the southern end of the Coast, leafy and well-connected Point Clare is also undergoing a mini boom. Corelogic figures show listings have also increased by 50% in the past month. In terms of million-dollar newcomers, houses in North Avoca were deemed Greater Sydney’s strongest newcomer with a median value now at $1,466,568, up from $991,507 a year ago. Building a real estate legacy: 7

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OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2021 |

URGENT WARNING FROM REPTILE PARK

The snakes are back in town  DALLAS SHERRINGHAM F the sharks haven’t got you, the funnel webs have avoided you and the crocodiles are in hibernation, don’t relax because the snakes are back in town. The Australian Reptile Park has just issued an Urgent Warning as venomous snakes are being sighted in our region as the weather warms up The public has been warned to exercise caution and learn appropriate first aid as snake season hits. And the experts at Australian Reptile Park should know, they save hundreds of lives yearly through antivenom program With Spring arriving, our region has begun heating up and during the last few days the region has seen an early increase of snake sightings. With Aussie families in lockdown spending their weekends bushwalking for their outdoor exercise, the likelihood of coming into contact with Australia’s dangerous snakes has increased exponentially. The warm weather has created the perfect environment for snakes to begin emerging from the hibernation they undertook throughout the cooler months. As a result, The Australian Reptile Park is calling for the public to exercise extreme caution when enjoying the incoming warmer weather. Home to the world’s most venomous snakes, Australia sees approximately 3000 snake bites occur per year, of which around 300 receive antivenom and on average, one or two bites prove fatal.

A deadly brown snake and right, an equally potent tiger snake.

Just the beginning The Reptile Park is the only facility in Australia that milks venomous terrestrial snakes for their venom to help produce antivenom. Calling on public awareness, bite prevention and safety, Reptile Keeper Jake Meney said: “As it’s only just the beginning of Spring, there’s no better time than right now to brush up on your snake bite first aid.” “It’s important that all Australians know our slithery friends do not go out of their way to harm humans. Snake bites mostly occur when people are trying to catch or kill the snake, so if you don’t do either of those things you should be okay. “However, it is important to know the correct first aid technique, so if the worstcase scenario occurs you are prepared.”

First aid for snake bites includes keeping the bite victim calm and immobile, removing all jewelry and watches, applying a pressure-immobilisation bandage to the bite site, then bandaging the entire limb, not just the bite area and seeking emergency medical assistance immediately by calling an ambulance or going directly to hospital. “By applying the pressure-immobilisation bandage, venom cannot easily spread through the body, slowing down the envenomation process by giving more time for the bite victim to seek antivenom at hospital” Mr Meney said. The Reptile Park houses more 250 of the world’s most venomous snakes. The snakes are milked fortnightly by the venom keepers, as part of the Park’s venom

program for the production of antivenom. Some of Australia’s deadliest snakes milked as a part of the program include taipans, eastern brown snakes, king brown snakes, tiger snakes, death adders, and black snakes. Being bitten is a serious event. Depending on the species of venomous snake, a bite could destroy blood cells, cause blood clots, or excessive bleeding and destroy tissue. If not correctly treated with first aid immediately, a fatality can be as quick as 30 minutes, depending on the amount of venom injected by the snake, toxicity level of the venom and the type of snake.

More information at www.reptilepark.com.au

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Boaters urged to check safety

OATERS are being urged to check their vessels and safety equipment before heading out on the water this month, because many have been sitting idle during the COVID-19 lockdown. Minister for Transport and Roads Andrew Constance said the October long weekend was the official launch of the Boating Season, with Transport for NSW expecting this to be our biggest season ever. “Whether you’re fishing, kayaking, paddle boarding or water skiing this long weekend, please make sure you follow the rules to ensure a day out on the water doesn’t end in tragedy,” Mr Constance said. “We’ve seen an increase in the number of people applying for new boating licenses over the last year, so if you’re thinking of buying a second hand boat be sure to check it over properly. “Lifejackets are the most important safety equipment on any recreational vessel. In NSW you must service inflatable lifejackets once a year or in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. Remember to check them every time before you get on the water.” In areas subject to stay-at-home orders, including Greater Sydney and some regional areas, rules relating to outdoor gatherings apply for boating activities. There were 17 boating related fatalities on NSW waterways in the year to 30 June 2021. 131 lives have been lost during recreational boating incidents over the 10 years to June 2020. Tragically, 79 of those lives might have been saved had all people presumed drowned been wearing a life jacket. Marine Rescue NSW Commissioner Stacey Tannos said with around two thirds of all calls to Marine Rescue relating to

problems with engines, batteries and fuel, now is the time to get your vessel ready for the boating season. “Simple things such as changing the fuel, oil and oil filter, checking the engine, gearbox and propeller; charging the bat-

tery, testing the electronics and making sure you have the required safety equipment can mean the difference between a safe and enjoyable day on the water and a potentially life threatening situation,” Mr Tannos said.

For more information about boating safety or to view the boating safety checklist visit www. nsw.gov.au/topics/waterways-safety-and-rules/ lifejackets-and-safety-equipment/equipmentchecklist

Grant for Coast basketball LAYER, coaches and spectators at Terrigal’s Breakers Indoor Sport Stadium will soon benefit from new facilities, with the NSW Government announcing a $271,544 grant. Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast and Member for Terrigal Adam Crouch said the grant is part of Round One of the NSW Government’s Regional Sport Facility Fund. “Thanks to this funding, the de-

CENTRAL COAST

cades-old bathrooms and change rooms will be upgraded to provide modern and fit-for-purpose facilities,” Mr Crouch said. “Once completed, the new bathrooms and change rooms will cater to both male and female athletes, including those with a disability. “Sport is part of the fabric of our community and basketball is certainly one of the most popular sports on the Central Coast.”

Minister for Sport Natalie Ward said the Regional Sport Facility Fund would help to promote healthy lifestyles across regional NSW while stimulating local economies and boosting employment. The Regional Sport Facility Fund is a new funding opportunity from the NSW Government and will provide $50M over two years for new and upgraded sports facilities across Regional NSW, including the Central Coast.

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Doctor Inquiry comes too late  HEALTH CRISIS | DALLAS SHERRINGHAM HE Central Coast doctor shortage is reaching chronic proportions with many patients unable to get an appointment and forced to seek treatment at hospital emergency departments. Federal Member for Dobell Emma McBride led the outcry for locals to make urgent submissions to the Senate Inquiry into the shortage. But the Inquiry may come too late for the Coast which is at breaking point. A major Tuggerah practice backed Ms McBride’s efforts after losing several key doctors for reasons beyond their control and being unable to find suitable replacements. Ms McBride had been urging as many locals as possible to made submissions to the Inquiry which has now closed. She also provided her own detailed submission to the vital Inquiry. The Senate inquiry into the provision of general practitioner and related primary health services to outer metropolitan, rural and regional Australians has finished accepting submissions, but the problem is it is not scheduled to present its report until next year “Getting in to see a GP has never been tougher on the Central Coast,” she said. “That’s why I called for a Public Inquiry into GP shortages. It’s well past time that Coasties had better access to healthcare. Central Coast doctor Brad Cranney told the ABC it was simply too long to wait until the report came out and that action needs to be taken now. “The situation has now become a crisis level,” he told the ABC. It’s not uncommon

“

The situation has now become a crisis level.” - Dr Brad Cranney.

Have your say on the Coast doctor crisis: www.facebook.com/CoastBA for our four surgeries to turn away 200 patients a day. We’re just struggling to maintain patient appointments. There’s often been a gridlock of ambulances waiting outside hospital emergency departments because they are unable to unload their patients. I believe a lot of this stems back to a shortage of GPs,” he said. The Inquiry will look at the state of regional GPs and related services, as well as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on doctor shortages. And it will examine the Distribution Priority Areas (DPA) system, which identifies locations where people struggle to access doctors. International medical graduates who are GPs need to work in a DPA to access Medicare. An area is automatically classified as a

DPA when it is in the Northern Territory or classified under the Modified Monash Model, which measures remoteness and population size. Dr Cranney said more areas in the NSW northern region, where his four practices are based, should be classified as DPAs. Ms McBride said her growing population was being overlooked. “There’s some places like Terrey Hills that are a priority area, whereas places like Toukley and Gorokan aren’t,” she said. State Member for Wyong and Shadow Minister for the Central Coast David Harris has backed Ms McBride’s fierce advocacy on behalf of Coast patients. “This is a big issue and It has to be fixed. We need more GPs,” he said. Federal Member for Robertson Lucy

Wicks earlier said in a release that more GPs had already been introduced to the region. She said the Coast would be home to 33 new GP registrars, evenly distributed across the Coast, and starting work soon. “We know there has been a real challenge in attracting and retaining GPs to the Central Coast for a number of years now, so we have been working progressively solve this problem,” she said. Ms Wicks said the Primary Health Network continued to implement a range of initiatives which would help recruit and retain GPs including the Central Coast Sea Change program which provided GP relocation and retention incentives and funding for GPs to undertake further training in skin cancer detection and treatment.

6 | OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2021

COMMENT with EMMA MCBRIDE

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So many great local businesses  RECOVERY | EMMA MCBRIDE FTER spending four months in lockdown, businesses on the Coast are finally starting to reopen again. But it’s not exactly business as usual. Once NSW hit that 70 percent double dose vaccination rate, new rules came into effect for business owners. They’re now allowed to open their doors again, but only if their staff are fully vaccinated. Not only that, but customers will need to be fully vaccinated as well before they’re allowed through the doors. For many businesses, the roadmap out of lockdown is an exciting opportunity to start operating again. For others, it’s a very daunting prospect. Local business owners on the frontline of the ‘No Vax, No Entry’ rules need our support now, more than ever. They need people to be kind, to be patient and more importantly, they need Coasties to shop local wherever they can. That’s why I’m supporting the ‘Go Local First’ campaign. Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and they’re the heart of our community. Whether it’s your local butcher, baker, or scented candle maker – they help keep our country running. Buying and sourcing local goods is the number one thing you can do to help small businesses get back on their feet. I stopped by Ken’s Humble Pie Shop at The Entrance a number of times during lockdown, and they definitely helped me get through.

Emma at Ken’s Humble Pie Shop.

I’ve also been a regular customer at Toast & Co café, and I can’t wait to join friends for breakfast there again soon. Then there’s The Marshmallow Co. at Wyong. They have some of the best marshmallows I’ve ever tasted. These are all fantastic local businesses, and they have my full support. So does my local pharmacy and my local news agency.

What are the roadblocks? However, I know customer numbers won’t be the only challenge that local businesses face as we start to reopen. As we emerge from the COVID-19 crisis, business owners and workers will face many hurdles and I want to know how we, as a community, can help.

That’s why I’m launching a new business survey, to find out what your biggest concerns are. The only way we can reopen safely, while doing what’s best for small business and our community, is by working together. What roadblocks are you facing as we start to reopen? What’s putting the brakes on our economy now that’ve we made it through lockdown? What do you need to help get back on your feet? These are all important questions, and if we know the answers, we can work towards a solution. To participate in the survey, you can scan the QR code below. In the meantime, I’m encouraging all Coasties to shop local, especially as we approach the holidays. Christmas is the biggest gift-giving holiday of the year. Many people will be tempted to buy their gifts online from big companies, who can easily deliver the parcels to your door. But when you start thinking of presents for your loved ones or the food you want to serve on Christmas Day, try and think local. Take advantage of those Dine and Discover vouchers, as well. Coasties will get an extra two vouchers to use by December and that’s a perfect reason to get out and support a local business. There are so many fantastic businesses on the Coast, with so many options to choose from. You just need to look. Emma McBride is Federal Member for Dobell. www.emmamcbrdie.com.au

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Taking prospective buyers for a motor car tour.

Waiting for the Wyong ferry on the original long jetty.

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2021 |

The original McLachlan brothers Clyde (Bruce’s grandfather), Norm and Doug show off a decent haul.

MCLACHLAN’S BREAKING RECORDS

Real estate doubling each decade  PROFILE | DALLAS SHERRINGHAM HEN leading agent Bruce McLachlan made his first sale in Long Jetty in 1979 for $31,000, little did he realise the way Central Coast property would boom in the next four decades. “It was unthinkable back then that houses in Long Jetty would be nudging $2M some 42 years later.” He said recently. “In those days you could buy a beachfront at Blue Bay for $80,000.” Earlier this year, Mr McLachlan sold a home in Werrina Pde Blue Bay which was across the street from the beach for $2.70m. “Real estate has been consistently doubling its value every decade since Federation in 1901 and by the looks of current market trends, it will continue to do so.” Mr McLachlan made his prediction after his Long Jetty based agency McLachlan Partners set a new benchmark price for Long Jetty-Shelley Beach. A two-story property in Elseimer St sold for $1.95M, beating the ‘old’ suburb record by $270,000. It was set a week earlier in Phillip St, 10 blocks north. Long Jetty, The Entrance, Toowoon Bay, Shelley Beach and Blue Bay have an abundance of older family homes and traditional weekenders which are ideal for renovation. Many are within walking distance of the ocean and local restaurants and coffee shops.

Third generation partners The McLachlan family business originated as a holiday letting and estate agency in Gordon Rd Long Jetty back in 1924. “Brothers Clyde and Douglas McLachlan proudly boasted inspections by motorized vehicles and would meet buyers on the ferry from Wyong at Long Jetty,” Mr McLachlan said. Flash forward 100 years and Bruce McLachlan is the third-generation principal of McLachlan Partners. He won the REINSW award for Community Service and the Regional Agency

of the Year in 2015 and in 2018, a poll of residents voted him the Most Influential Person on the Coast Yes, times have changed but Long Jetty has had its problems down through the years as the tourists slowly found newer, more exciting places to go. There was a plan to turn it into a medium to high density zoning under the old Wyong Shire and it took a concerted effort by locals to get the offending Masterplan called ‘The Entrance Peninsula Planning Strategy 2009’ tossed out. Council planned high rise in Long Jetty’s shopping centre as well as The Entrance, Toowoon Bay and The Entrance North which would was like waving a red rag to a bull when locals got wind of the plan.

Mr McLachlan and other prominent locals saw Long jetty as a vibrant community which was full of stable businesses and popular locals and Coast residents as a place to visit. “Tourists went to The Entrance; locals live in Long Jetty area.” In June 2012, council representatives and local businesses including Mr McLachlan met at a local café where council acknowledged it was time to inject some funding into the area. It was the beginning of Long jetty developing into “the new Newtown”. As late as 2015 affordable bargains were available across The Entrance peninsula. A home in Alfred St, Long Jetty, at that time sold for $539,000, attracting 22 bidders.

It could fetch twice that amount today. The Covid lockdowns in Sydney have benefited Coast property prices as workers look to move out of the city and work from home. “It is great to work in an industry that puts smiles on people’s faces,” he said. An example was a recent sale at Toowoon Bay where a home owned by a family for 65 years was sold to a young family, bringing broad grins all round. When he is not studying the real estate market, Mr McLachlan enjoys a surf at his local break and in summer he is involved in a multitude of charity and community organisations including the local surf clubs.

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NEW LIFE INTO OLD ASSETS

Plans to revitalise Peat Island

Peat Island.

HE NSW Government’s proposal to breathe new life into old assets and open Peat Island to the public, while also revitalising Mooney Mooney with new housing, community facilities and job opportunities, has been released. Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast and Member for Terrigal Adam Crouch said the rezoning proposal is now open for public exhibition on Central Coast Council’s website. “For over a century Peat Island has been closed off to the public and the NSW Government is working to unlock this under-utilised publicly-owned land in this stunning Hawkesbury River setting,” Mr Crouch said. Key features of the proposal include: • Nearly 270 new homes at Mooney Mooney to deliver more housing supply, • Retention of nine unlisted historical buildings on the island, and four on the mainland, to be restored and used for new community and commercial opportunities,

• New retail and café or restaurant opportunities, • Approximately 9.65 hectares of open space, including opportunities for walking and cycling tracks, parklands and recreational facilities, • Retention of the chapel and surrounding land for community use, and • 10.4 hectares of bushland dedicated as a conservation area. “The NSW Government has been consulting widely, culminating in this rezoning proposal that strikes a balance between future land uses and achieving the best social and economic outcomes for the Mooney Mooney community.” Minister for Water, Property and Housing Melinda Pavey said the proposal will provide more than two kilometres of public access to the Hawkesbury River foreshore and Peat Island, opening it up for the first time in 100 years, as well as the opportunity for tourism uses including short-stay tourist accommodation. “This is an area of great significance to the region,

local and Aboriginal communities, and many other stakeholders, including those with links to Peat Island’s institutional past,” Mrs Pavey said. “Any future uses will recognise and protect the site’s significant Aboriginal and European heritage.” To ensure everyone has an opportunity to understand the NSW Government’s vision for Peat Island and Mooney Mooney, community information webinars will be held over coming weeks. Details will be available shortly. Mrs Pavey said in parallel to the broader community engagement on the proposal, the NSW Government would continue to work with the Peat Island/Mooney Mooney Community Reference Group on the future of the area’s community facilities and public spaces. “At the heart of this will be how the Peat Island chapel precinct at Mooney Mooney can be retained by the community and put to its best possible use,” Mrs Pavey said. The rezoning proposal will also remain open to submissions from the public until Monday, December 20, 2021.

MP backs calls for erosion control EMBER for The Entrance, David Mehan, has backed calls by residents of Hutton Road for more to be done to protect the North Entrance from coastal erosion. North Entrance beach suffered serious erosion during May/June 2020 storms which resulted in the construction of emergency protection works on the beach to protect homes located there. The emergency protection works comprise a rock wall located at the toe of the erosion scarp with geotextile fabric placed on the scarp to resist further erosion. Sand was then placed to cover the work and reinstate the dune. Recent storms have exposed the rock wall and further erosion has occurred at the south end of the wall which has seen the dune eroded another 10-15 metres. Residents believe the rock groyne constructed on The Entrance Beach in 2017 may be contributing to the erosion problem and want to see the rock wall extended. Transport for NSW in responding to a question asked by Mr Mehan in the NSW Parliament, have advised a study into the groyne is being undertaken. Mr Mehan called for the study to be made public and the squarely address the concern of North Entrance residents. He has also called for the State Government and Council to work together to improve the erosion protection works at North Entrance.

David Mehan discusses the erosion problem with a local resident.

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OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2021 |

Bring back the pelican feed HE campaign by The Entrance to “Bring Back the Daily Pelican Feed” has been joined by local MP David Mehan. The famous feed is the most iconic tourism event on the Central Coast but it was closed temporarily during the pandemic lockdown. Council was forced to cancel the public Pelican Feed time which has been a part of life at The Entrance each day at 3:30pm for longer than most people can remember. It is the last thing The Entrance needed, with the traditional tourist town suffering the loss of its equally iconic cinema, many businesses closed permanently and key events such as Chromefest cancelled. Add to that, the fact that major projects such as the redevelopment of Lakeside Plaza and other proposals have been rejected by planning groups mean the area is going into decline. However Mr Mehan believes the Pelican Feed is key to The Entrance having a successful summer. And he is now gaining notoriety as “the Pelican Whisperer” after his latest release. “The Pelicans are telling me that it’s time to open up again,” Mr Mehan said. “They say they have done their bit and fed themselves for the duration of the health restrictions.” “Now that the human population has reached 80% of those aged 16 plus being fully vaccinated, they feel confident that they can safely participate again in the feeding. “I know many pelicans used the COVID-19 layoff as an opportunity to take up reading or catch that movie they had been wanting to see “But Council closed the library and developers closed the cinema. Pelicans want to contribute to the success of The Entrance and the Pelican Feed is such a key tourist attraction for the town. Council needs to restart the Pelican Feed once again,” Mr Mehan said.

COAST HITS 93% FIRST VACCINATION REEDOM Day on the Central Coast came and went on Monday with unseasonally wintry conditions keeping many people celebrating their release from the lockdown. Shopping centres became the place to be as the 15 degree maximum temperature made beaches “no go” zones for all but the hardiest ‘Coasties’. Hairdressers reported a brisk trade and the vaccine pass entry system to premises seemed to go off without a hitch which is good news for businesses. The latest statistics for the Central Coast show 93% of residents have received their first vaccination and 72.6% of people are fully vaccinated. Federal Member for Robertson Lucy Wicks said with NSW reopening this week, this was great news for the local community. “Our fight against COVID-19 and the Delta variant is not over and while these statistics are encouraging to see, we still need to hit the 80% and 90% double vaccination rates to keep our region safe,” Ms Wicks said. “By rolling up their sleeves, Central Coast residents have done their part to help NSW on the road to recovery, and they deserve to enjoy all the freedoms that have been available from October 11. “We still have a number of exposure sites across the Central Coast and locals need to remain vigilant while out and about.”

To book a COVID-19 vaccine visit: https://www.health.gov.au/ David Mehan a pelican friend at The Entrance.

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GRANT MCBRIDE MEMORY WALK 2021

$14,000 to combat Dementia  GIVING | EMMA MCBRIDE HIS year, I held the fourth annual Grant McBride Memory Walk and Jog in loving memory of my dad, Grant. I lost my dad to Younger Onset Dementia when he was just 68 years old. I also lost my grandma, Mollie to Dementia when I was in my early twenties. Since then, I made a promise to my mum that I’d do everything I could to help make a better future for people living with dementia and those who love them. That’s why I started the Grant McBride Memory Walk and Jog in 2018. To help raise awareness and funds for Dementia Australia. This year’s Memory Walk took place on 25 September, during Dementia Action Week and it was our second year running the event online due to COVID. With most of NSW under stay-at-home orders and lockdown fatigue kicking in across the Coast, I wasn’t sure how many people would get involved. But, Coasties joined in droves, showing their big hearts and generous spirit. I was hoping to raise $5,000 to start with, but instead we almost tripled our fundraising target. By the end, we managed to raise over $14,000 for Dementia Australia. That’s an incredible effort, and I’m so grateful to everyone who got involved including my fellow Coasties, other MPs around Australia and friends and family near and far.

Emma McBride says thankyou.

Exciting to see people sharing This event is all about raising awareness for Dementia by encouraging people to get active. I spent most of the day, walking in the sunshine in my local neighborhood. But I also saw plenty of other people getting out and about too. People were walking around their backyards, their neighbourhoods and their local parks and it was exciting to see them sharing photos on social media as well. Dementia touches so many Australian

families, including my own and it was very special for all of us to come together to promote this cause, especially during the pandemic. I’m pleased to say that over the past four years, since the event first began, we’ve now managed to raise over $61,000 for Dementia Australia. That figure ticks over to $110,000 if you include the contribution of former member for Camden, Geoff Corrigan who donated $50,000 from his Melbourne Cup purse after Vow and Declare’s victory back in 2019.

These funds will go such a long way towards helping us find a cure. But the fundraising isn’t the most important thing. It’s the awareness that truly matters. The more we spread the word and talk about dementia, the more we can help reduce the stigma and help create a better future for all Australians. There are more than 470,000 Australians living with dementia and over 1.6 million Australians involved in their care. On the Central Coast, some 6,000 people are living with dementia and 20,000 people are involved with their care. Dementia is the second leading cause of death in Australia, right behind heart disease. It affects one in 10 people aged over 65, but it also impacts younger people too. Every day, another 250 people are diagnosed with dementia and tragically, another 36 die. This is a heartbreaking disease, and it touches so many lives. But when we come together–the people who live with dementia, their carers, and their families – we can do something truly extraordinary. Thank you again to everyone who took part in this year’s Grant McBride Memory Walk and Jog. Let’s work towards a better future. If you’re looking for more information about dementia or just some support, you can reach out to the Central Coast Dementia Alliance via centralcoast-dementia-alliance@hneccphn.com.au. Emma McBride is Federal Member Dobell.

Support package a game changer $500M support package to revive the events and tourism industry across NSW will be a game changer that will turbo charge a post COVID economic recovery, according to the state’s peak business organisation, Business NSW. Premier Dominic Perrottet has announced the package, which includes each adult being provided a $50 voucher to spend on accommodation anywhere in the State. “Business NSW has been telling Government since the start of the pandemic that different industries were being impacted in different ways, but the tourism, hospitality and events sector has been the hardest hit,” said Business NSW Regional Director Paula Martin. “What is particularly pleasing is this is

not a Sydney centric package but recognises that all of NSW has a part to play in the economic recovery through regional events and tourism, with support for satellite CBD’s a cornerstone of this funding,” Ms Martin said. “Central Coast business in this sector will be delighted with the Event Saver Fund which allows for immediate financial support for organisers of events that are disrupted or cancelled due to a Public Health Order this summer. This will allow confidence in investment and employment without a fear of being left footing a huge bill. “The exciting part about this support package is that it will actually encourage more business investment and drive a collaborative partnership between business

and Government in securing events and once again making NSW the number one destination in the Asia Pacific region for both business and travel. “What is crucial is the targeted approach the Government takes from here in deciding where the money is spent – this needs to be on a needs-based approach to ensure maximum return on investment. “A united approach using insight from stakeholders on the ground will be crucial to ensuring this package delivers for all of NSW. “Business NSW looks forward to working with the State Government in coming weeks on measures and support that will drive more formal return to work practices further enhancing the economic stability of our regions.” Ms Martin said.

Premier Dominic Perrottet About Business NSW Formerly the NSW Business Chamber, Business NSW is the peak policy and advocacy body which has been representing businesses in NSW since 1826.

Lucy calls for more Pfizer OAST residents are asking when more Pfizer vaccinations will be available on the Central Coast, says Federal Member for Robertson, Lucy Wicks. Ms Wicks said having over 55 GP clinics administering Pfizer by the end of the September was important, but to address the currently bottleneck we need an appropriate amount of Pfizer allocated to our region by the NSW Government. “Central Coast residents are doing their bit. Across our region, of those who have received one COVID-19 vaccine, almost one in three people (31%) have had a Pfizer vaccine and more than two in three (69%) have had Vaxzevria (formerly known as AstraZeneca).

C Lucy Wicks.

NSW is set to receive an additional 1.38 million doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine following an agreement between Australia, the UK and also with Singapore this month. Nationally, this is on top of the 4.9 million Pfizer doses being delivered in September, followed by a further nine million doses being delivered in October. The Federal Government’s vaccine roll-out is supported by the NSW Government, who operate the Gosford and Wyong Hospital sites on the Central Coast. Ms Wicks said with additional doses heading to NSW from overseas, it is time the Central Coast gets our fair share of Pfizer. “To date, the NSW Government have

received almost three million doses of Pfizer, which is enough to vaccinate around 45% of the state with a first dose. However, I am advised the Central Coast Local Health District has not received an increase in Pfizer allocations since July 2021. “We understand the challenge faced by the Central Coast Local Health District given they have not seen the benefit of increased Pfizer doses in NSW, coupled with a wait list for Pfizer of over 30,000 people. “ From the NSW Government allocation of Pfizer, the Central Coast has been receiving about half (2.1%) of the Pfizer we would expect based on our population size (4.8%), which has left a shortfall of about 30,000 doses locally.

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VIEWPOINT

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2021 |

What ever happened to the good old days of The Entrance  THE ENTRANCE | DALLAS SHERRINBGHAM HERE was a time not so long ago when a walk through downtown The Entrance in holiday time was like a walkthrough sideshow alley at the Royal Easter Show. There were crowds of happy holidaymakers everywhere and you could ride on the merry-go-round, watch a boxing bout and go prawning, boating and fishing in the pristine shimmering blue late water. Ron Moir recalled the time recently in his Good Old Central Coast Facebook Page: “The Entrance is not the same without the old merry go round and the flying horses on the corner; Christmas time with all the sideshows all the way down the main street both sides from the Lakes Hotel to the old bridge, the dodgem cars, Bells boxing tent. The atmosphere was unreal with the different music and everyone calling out to try and get you to play something. It was a real family fun place to have been.” Flash forward 50 years and times have changed. There are vacant shops – a boulevard of broken dreams and gangs of out-of-control young thugs wandering the area. The sideshows down the main street have gone, as have the Christmas holiday crowds. The once pristine channel has gone and is less than knee deep. Wyong Shire Council and Central Coast Council have both tried to put life back into the area, but most visitors turn up for a picnic or a feed of fish and chips, watch the famous pelican feed and then leave. The nightlife has disappeared. Member for The Entrance David Mehan knows there are problems and has set about trying to get the area back to something resembling “the good old days”. In fact he believes, as most of us involved in the tourist industry believe, that COVID-19 travel restrictions present a huge opportunity for our local economy – none more so than The Entrance, according to Mr Mehan . “The Entrance suffered more than most during the state-wide lock-down due to its traditional reliance on the visitor economy,” Mr Mehan said.

There are things we can do “The Christmas holidays is an opportunity to regain some of the loss we endured during the lock-down but, more importantly, it’s an opportunity to win new business for the township by showing families who visit our region that The Entrance is a great place to return to after travel restrictions are lifted.” “There are many small things we can do to make sure visitors see the best of The Entrance and are more likely to return.” Mr. Mehan made the following suggestions: • The gateway to The Entrance and Long Jetty tourist strip is the roundabout at the intersection of Central Coast Hwy and Wyong Rd. It used to be a garden but it is now a bed of weeds. Council needs to fix it. • Extra parking and conveniences are always welcome during the holidays. The Entrance has many vacant development sites and poorly maintained private carparks such as Ebbtide Mall. Council needs to ensure vacant sites are open for parking, are neat and tidy. Consideration

Above: The Entrance Beach and below old days of the Entrance and centre, Hervey Bay.

should also be given to providing portable toilets and washing facilities in these locations. • Keep the township clean. Extra staff to help visitors and keep the footpaths clean will go a long way to making sure families return. “If we get this right, we will have a successful and safe holiday and families will return to The Entrance,” Mr Mehan said. To be fair, Council is trying to do its bit with the Place Plan for the area which went on display in August. Council’s Director Connected Communities, Julie Vaughan said The Entrance Town Centre had the foundations to be a thriving and engaging destination all year round - not just during the holiday season. “To help this vital Town Centre live up to its full potential we looked to the community to provide their input as we develop the Place Plan to create a revitalised and activated area for work, play and social connection,” Ms Vaughan said. This Place Plan identifies a series of future initiatives and projects that will improve the visitor experience and transform how the community interacts with this area while providing an ongoing boost to local businesses. One of the major problems in returning The Entrance to the glory days is the many restrictions and regulations that are strangling tourism in areas like the Central Coast. I have a previously published a controversial view of this whole government led policy and it is this: State Govts and Councils have virtually no idea about tourism projects, but they insist on being the lead agent in developing new areas and reinvigorating established areas. It is a policy fraught with disasters. So, we get the same old mistakes made over and over…not enough park-

“

David Mehan.

ing, no shuttle services, no sideshow type attractions, no entertainment facilities, no attractions anyone wants to see, no night light shows, no fun and basically boring public servant style planning. My suggestion is that tourism centres like Gosford, Ettalong, Terrigal, The Entrance, Toukley and Budgewoi be zoned as Special Tourism Precincts and town planning laws be relaxed for these areas. Bring in tourism development experts to oversee the development of these areas. I recently inspected the amazing new whale sculpture and cultural centre at Hervey Bay: it is stunning. We need initiatives like this on the Coast, but instead the same old “let’s give it a coat of paint, plant some trees and lay out some lawns for picnics” and “let’s ask the public and ignore them” approach prevails. When will we ever learn?

I have a previously published a controversial view of this whole government led policy and it is this: State Govts and Councils have virtually no idea about tourism projects, but they insist on being the lead agent in developing new areas and reinvigorating established areas. It is a policy fraught with disasters.” – Dallas Sherringham

Footnote: Dallas Sherringham is Editor of Australian Travel Magazine, Access Travel sections, Mature Traveller and Australian Cruise Magazine.

12 | OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2021

EXPERTS

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Change: here’s how to manage it • • • •

Joint Venture Agreements Franchise Agreements Supplier Agreements Website Terms & Conditions, that include a Privacy Policy • Terms & Conditions of Supply • Guarantees • Licence Agreements • Employment Contracts • Subcontractor Agreement • Estate Planning. • Debt Recovery We know that you want to put your resources towards servicing your clients not resources being applied to chasing money. We put in place processes with terms and conditions around payments.

 STRATEGY | KATHERINE HAWES HROUGHOUT the life of your business, things change. You change; your assets change; your business changes; the law will definitely change. We are here to help you navigate those changes. At Digital Age Lawyers we work across a comprehensive range of businesses and industries, applying our 20+ years of commercial law experience to the issues that arise for you. We commence our working relationship with you by developing a Legal Business Strategy. Whether you are a start-up business or a business that feels the need for a review, a Legal Business Strategy Session will give you a business owner’s guide to the law. Your obligations and requirements will become clear as we develop a action plan for you to protect your assets, manage risk, achieve governance and compliance.

Legal strategy session framework A legal strategy session sets your forward work program and ties it to your cashflow. This means you do not have to outlay all the cost in one lump sum, we prioritise the work. Let’s discuss some of the items we will review.

Registrations/Licenses Permits and licenses vary from state to state and territory to territory. A good first place to start is by ensuring that you have the correct licences and registrations in place for your business. This will depend on the kind of service or product you plan to sell. For example, if you are going to start a business that deals with food consumption then you would need a food

Intellectual Property In the Legal Strategy Session, we cover off Trademarks, Patents and Copyright.

Consumer Law business license. There might be other permits required as well, so ensure that you do thorough research.

Business Structure The type of business entity you select for your business is mainly based upon three factors. These factors are the taxation, liability, and record-keeping. There are 3 main types of business entities each of which have key advantages and disadvantages. We can help you decide if you want to be a Sole Proprietor, a Partnership, or a Corporation. Once we make this decision if you are a new business we can go on and tackle the necessary ASIC requirements. If you an existing business, it may be time for you to take on a new structure

Tax Registrations There are several tax requirements in this country: GST, PAYG, Payroll Tax, Fringe Benefits Tax, Fuel Tax Credits, daland miscellaneous taxes such as WET. Do not be alarmed you will leave this session knowing what you need to do to be tax compliant.

Contracts and Agreements These documents are better in writing however a verbal contract is enforceable at law. We also attempt to avoid Standard Form Contracts as we cannot vary much of the information within them to limit your liability. There is a long list of contracts/agreements that relate to businesses irrespective of their size: • Partnership Agreements

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We will familiarise you with the most important aspects of consumer law in order that you can provide accurate information to your customers, particularly during marketing and advertising.

Digital and Social Media Law If you are an online business, you need to ensure that you have a very robust agreement with your website developer that ensures you own the assets on your site. In addition, you need to protect yourself with customers and follow all privacy and data protection principles. Add to that you need to comply with digital and social media law eg spam, third party tools, emojis, along with ASIC regulations. If you require further information please give us a call on 88583211 or go to the contact page of our website. www.digitalagelawyers.com

Winner’s

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Feature 2021

SpotGo is Business of the Year USINESS NSW is pleased to announce the winners for the Business NSW 2021 Central Coast NSW Business Awards. Local manufacturer SpotGo, took out the coveted 2021 Central Coast Business of the Year Award at a ceremony held online in front of over 150 business leaders. “Tonight’s awards took time to celebrate the success of hard-working Central Coast Businesses. A well-deserved spotlight was shone on 52 finalists who have shown how their resilience, perseverance and sheer hard work have seen them through the very difficult year we have just had.” Business NSW Regional Director Paula Martin said. “The 2021 Central Coast Business Awards recognise growth, entrepreneurship, and celebrates business success and resilience. “We received nearly 100 applications for 10 different categories. “These awards are a wonderful opportunity to showcase the ingenuity, strength and resilience of Central Coast NSW businesses.” Ms Martin said. “The last few years have been incredibly tough as businesses have been impacted bushfires, floods and now Covid. “When we launched these Awards earlier in the year, we hadn’t expected we would be dealing with the current lockdown. “But like our business members, we too pivoted and delivered a gala event with as much glitz and glamour but safe for all our community. With the support of Platinum Sponsor NBN Co and Premium Partner The University of Newcastle, Business NSW hand delivered a full celebratory experience straight to finalist and guest homes to enjoy while they watched the live stream of the event–family, staff and friends all joined in on the celebration. Winners of the 2021 Central Coast Business Awards, will then represent the region at the State Business Awards to be held in November. “Based on the calibre of this year’s finalists, I expect that our regional winners will again do very well at the State Business Awards.” Ms Martin said.

Business of the Year: Spot Go - Nancy Small, Brendan Small and Glen.

2021 Central Coast Business Awards Winners Employer of Choice Ryan & Seton Lawyers Outstanding Young Business Leader Amanda Woodbine – Australia Reptile Park Outstanding Business Leader Tim Faulkner – Australian Reptile Park Excellence in Micro Business LEP Digital Excellence in Small Business Riverside Dental Spa

Excellence in Business Australian Reptile Park Highly commended: Industree Group Excellence in Innovation SpotGo Premium Cleaning Products Highly Commended: Naughty Noodle Fun Haus Inc. Outstanding Community Organisation The Glen Centre

Outstanding Start-up Amelio Health Highly Commended: Ducks Nuts Co. Outstanding Employee Zac Bower – Australian Reptile Park About Business NSW Formerly the NSW Business Chamber, Business NSW is the peak policy and advocacy body which has been representing businesses in NSW since 1826.

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14 | OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2021

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Holistic treatments for addictions HE Glen, founded in 1994, is a Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Centre on the Central Coast. The Glen is proud to provide opportunities for drug and alcohol rehabilitation for Indigenous and non-Indigenous men from all over NSW. The Glen’s program is designed to address a client’s issues by treating them in a holistic manner. This means treating the person as a whole (spiritually, mentally and physically). It also means that we don’t just treat their addiction but look at the things that may be causing the addictive behaviours. The Glen’s program is about empowering people to take control of their lives, to live a good fun life and to become active members of their families and the community. The Glen is proud to be a finalist in the Outstanding Community Organisation category for the Business NSW Central Coast Business Awards 2021

T EPIC® Trilogy Cutting Edge Hand Protection™ ighly Commended in the 2021 NSW Business Awards in the category of Excellence in Business, Industree Group is Protecting People Everywhere. Industree Group’s EPIC® brand provides industrial working Australians with carbon zero premium gloves, safety glasses and hearing protection. EPIC® stands for Environment, Protection, Industrial and Certification. The EPIC® Trilogy premium glove series consists of three high level cut resistant gloves developed for a wide array of industry applications; Morphlex 5C, Onyx 5E, and Pantera 5F. Each glove in the Trilogy glove series is developed with the individual user in mind and crafted using the latest Cutting Edge™ innovations and advanced technologies for ultimate protection, unparalleled performance and comfort without compromise. Our proprietary trademarked technologies centre on unique value enhancements that truly differentiate EPIC®’s hand protection offering in the global market.

POLYMERIX™ range of proprietary lightweight high cut resistant fibres. TACT™ Thermally Activated Coating Technology™ which reacts to the wearer’s body temperature and adapts to provide a more customized fit for every worker. EPICFIT™ glove shaping and design technology providing unchallenged fit and comfort. EPICFLOW™ an engineered system of cooling to allow heat and sweat dispersion. The EPIC® Trilogy glove series is designed for high performance in wet and dry conditions. Abrasion, cut, and puncture resistant, with additional reinforcement at the critical wear point of the thumb saddle ensure superior hand protection. Touch Screen Activation eradicates the need to remove the glove when operating smart devices helping to eliminate hand injuries. Join the EPIC® journey today. Contact us to receive a sample of our Cutting Edge Hand Protection™ www.industree.com.au

Visit: www.theglencentre.org.au

The Glen Art Program.

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR CENTRAL COAST WINNERS Excellence in Business Australian Reptile Park

Excellence in Small Business Riverside Dental Spa

Highly Commended: Industree Group

Excellence in Micro Business LEP Digital

Employer of Choice Ryan & Seton Lawyers Outstanding Employee Zac Bower Australian Reptile Park

Outstanding Young Business Leader Amanda Woodbine Australian Reptile Park

Outstanding Business Leader Tim Faulkner Australian Reptile Park

SpotGo

Outstanding Start Up Amelio Health Highly Commended: Ducks Nuts Co.

Outstanding Community Organisation The Glen Centre Excellence in Innovation SpotGo

Highly Commended: Naughty Noodle Fun Haus

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2021 |

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People In Pain Values Based Care How Has Pain Affected Your Ability To Enjoy Life? 3HUVLVWHQW SDLQ WRXFKHV HYHU\ DVSHFW RI \RXU GDLO\ OLIH HPRWLRQDOO\ SK\VLFDOO\ LW DOWHUV \RXU DELOLW\ WR OLYH OLIH WR WKH IXOOHVW 0RVW LPSRUWDQWO\ LW LPSDFWV \RXU UHODWLRQVKLSV ZLWK WKRVH \RX ORYH 7KLV LV \RXU FKDQFH WR FKDQJH \RXU SDLQ DQG KRZ LW Dႇ HFWV \RXU OLIH The Amelio Health Pain Program HPSRZHUV \RX ZLWK NQRZOHGJH HQJDJHV \RX LQ \RXU RZQ KHDOWK DQG FRQQHFWV \RX ZLWK SHRSOH \RX FDQ WUXVW WR VXSSRUW \RX

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We applaud your SUCCESS Central Coast Business Access (CCBA) the work-life balance bi-monthly publication is once again proud to be the oﬃcial print media partner for the Business NSW Central Coast Business Awards program and producer of the annual souvenir edition. Congratulations to all winners and ﬁnalists. We look forward to working with you in the time ahead.

Read and download the digital edition here: www.coastba.com.au

16 | OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2021

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Email: info@spotgo.com.au

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THE GLEN DRUG AND ALCOHOL REHABILITATION CENTRE

Ngaimpe Aboriginal Corporation set up The Glen in 1994. Since that time, it has been an example of the Koori spirit, and indeed the human spirit. The Glen is a Central Coast Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Centre and we are proud to provide opportunities for drug and alcohol rehabilitation for Indigenous and non-Indigenous men from all over NSW. The Glen is a proud community organisation that’s always looking for opportunities to support our clients through employment, housing and education. Please check out how you can support The Glen here:

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Pain management a winner ATHY Hubble, CEO and Founder of Amelio Health is on her way to the State Awards as a business awards finalist. The digital health tech company provides a pain management team in a patient’s pocket with 24/7 support. Since launching at the end of January 2020 Amelio Health has developed partnerships with rehabilitation providers and insurers in Australia and the UK winning multiple awards in both countries.

• AusMumpreneur Awards 2020 Gold–Digital Innovation, Health & Well-Being. • Lenny Award 2020 SAP: Winner Best UI. • Digital Champion of the Year: Women In Insurance 2020 RTWPlus UK.

• AusMumpreneur Awards 2021 Silver, Bronze – Digital Innovation, Health & Well-Being. • ARPA NSW 2021 Excellence in Innovation with Recovre

With validated pain measurement tools and carefully curated content, the Amelio Pain Program uses data from the platform and wearable devices to drive behaviour change supported by a live health coach via a chatbot. Integrated learning enables healthcare professionals to support the patients through the program. In Australia, 3.2 million people suffer from chronic pain costing $139B per year. Kathy is frustrated that more than 80% of people cannot access evidence-based care, and the education of health professionals is not delivering outcomes for patients. The painful facts:

• Two out of three surgeries in chronic pain are avoidable. • Chronic pain affects 1/5th of the general population and is the leading cause of disability. • Opioids are not a long-term solution for chronic pain. Yet, remain over-prescribed for many patients. • 80% of Workers Compensation and income protection claims are for chronic pain. • Over 1000 preventable deaths per year from opioid overdose.

Kathy says: “The tremendous amount of traction we have achieved in such a short period of time, in a difficult industry, is testament to the hard work, agility, and resilience of my fantastic team.” Visit: www.ameliohealth.com.

Experience the Cake Palace HE Wyong Cake Palace has been created to provide the complete palace feel with beautiful artwork, furnishing and even vintage chandeliers. We provide custom cakes, cookies and cupcakes. All products can be ordered direct through the website or purchased from the shop daily. WCP always work to fill their

display every day with a spectacular variety of fresh mixed cupcakes. They provide customised cakes for all occasions, wedding cakes, specialised cookies, corporate cupcakes and much more. Once lockdown passes, we will be opening for high teas, room hire, cake decorating classes, kids’ parties and other similar events.

WCP is a family operated local business always working to support other central coast local businesses in every way they can. Feel free to pop in and visit WECP, located at 5 Alison Rd, Wyong. Visit the website for up-to-date information or to view our services. Visit: www.wyongcakepalace.com.au

Where innovation meets cleaning POTGO’S founder Brendan Small was born into the commercial cleaning and carpet cleaning industry. Believing that there was a gap in the market for Australian Owned and Made Premium Cleaning products that utilised the latest technology in chemicals Brendan and his wife Nancy formulated a range of cleaning products that were second to none. Brendan and Nancy are passionate about manufacturing Australian Made products to help the Australian manufacturing industry as well as formulating a range that was not harmful to the environment.

Brendan and Nancy then focused their efforts into enticing the supermarket giants to give their products a go. SpotGo’s Surface/BBQ Degreaser is now ranged nationally in both Coles and Woolworths, whilst the rest of the range is available in selected IGA’’s across the county. When Australia was hit by the pandemic and much needed PPE products were scarce, the NSW Government contacted Brendan and Nancy to ask if they could help by adapting their manufacturing facility to produce antibacterial disinfectants as well as hand sanitisers. SpotGo was able to achieve this by all

team members working around the clock to deliver. Brendan says: “For SpotGo the focus is now on building brand awareness via heavier marketing channels, we have a dedicated TV campaign soon to launch as well as renewed advertising materials and a greater push on socials. With the surface / BBQ degreaser gaining traction in both Woolworths and Coles our goal is for SpotGo to be the leading brand in every household not only in Australia but globally.” Contact: 1300 776 846. Email: info@spotgo.com.au

The SotGo team.

Digital marketing made easy ALK Agency is a full-service digital marketing agency. Talk Agency drives top line revenue and bottom-line profit for business, providing a wide range of digital services including website builds, social media management, SEO and paid advertising campaigns, email marketing, digital design and much more. Talk Agency is focused on supporting each other as much as possible. Team members come from a broad

range of backgrounds, but share common set of values that include: • Hard work. • Bias for action. • A proactive mindset. • Unlimited humility and loyalty. Visit: www.talkagency.com.au

Making sense of business numbers AZOODLE is a proud central coast business insights platform that was co-founded by entrepreneur, Andrew Paton-Smith who lives at The Entrance. Jazoodle integrates with a business’ Xero, MYOB or QuickBooks accounting system, and in under 60 seconds, creates a stunning dashboard of business health performance, and optionally, an indicative business valuation. “Financial distress and business failure for small and medium businesses is incredibly consistent in terms of numbers across most modern economies. The personal, and wider societal impact

of businesses not achieving what their creators had planned, can be huge, but in many cases, avoidable,” Says Andrew. “Jazoodle overcomes one of the reasons for financial distress, that of having access to timely financial indicators and the trends within them”. Jazoodle is free for individual companies, and easily sharable with a business’ accountant, bookkeeper, or business advisor, so that they can get the advice they need when they need it. For advisory partners, Jazoodle crunches slient’s numbers, giving partners time to spend on advice giving. Jazoodle’s plans include the release

of additional functionality this year such as consolidated financial reporting, green eco score, and ultimately, simple to use business forecasting and scenario modelling. “Our whole ethos is simplicity and speed. We know that businesses and their advisors do not have the time to grapple with complex, or time-consuming applications. We bring this into every part of our business and platform, so no matter your level of financial understanding, Jazoodle can help you make sense of your business numbers.” Find out more at www.jazoodle.com

Andrew Paton-Smith.

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2021 |

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Reducing risks of suicide RIS Foundation is proud to be a finalist in the 2021 Central Coast Business Awards. Founded in 2006, the Foundation works at a local level to reduce the risk of suicide on the Central Coast. They do that by facilitating and supporting programs and partnerships that strengthen the community, better identify and support people in distress, and mitigate

mental health problems before they escalate. There are three key pillars that are embedded in everything we do– Resilience, Hope and Connections. The Iris Foundation is about primary prevention and amidst the current public health crisis. Their key focus is to support preadolescent mental health through the Connection in School programs and workshops.

Other main initiatives include our Community and Business Women’s Network, the Because We Care Boutique and the annual awareness campaign, the Tree of Dreams. Iris Foundation relies on donations and philanthropic grants and are grateful for the generosity and support. Visit: www.irisfoundation.org.au

An Iris volunteer.

The autism learning specialists IGSAW Autism Services is an award-winning family business located at Tuggerah. Founded in 2009 by autism specialist, Joanne Brearley, with a vision to create a learning place which values inclusion and acceptance for children with disability. At Jigsaw it’s all about “what you can do, not what you can’t” by developing your child’s potential so that disability doesn’t stand in your way. Jigsaw’s highly skilled transdisciplinary

team specialises in children on the autism spectrum and with global development delay, providing: • Early childhood early intervention services. • Occupational therapy, speech and behavioural support services • Inclusive education support. Specialist support is provided in assisting with:

• Language and communication. • Play skills.

• Fine and gross motor skills, cognition and learning. • Managing complex challenging behaviours including the fussy eater, delayed toileting, meltdowns and social skills training.

As a Registered NDIS Provider you can be assured that Jigsaw meets high quality standards. Visit: www.jigsawautismservices.com or view the Jigsaw YouTube channel–Planet Jassi.

The community-first NDIS Provider STABLISHED over 25 years ago, CCLO Living is proud to be a registered NDIS Provider. CCLO supports hundreds of individuals living with disability across the Central Coast through their supported accommodation, community participation and support coordination services. CCLO is passionate about connecting abilities with life’s opportunities for clients and specialise in the development of modern, built-for-purpose residential accommodation – providing residents with a place to call home where they are supported to live independently and to actively participate within their community, however they choose. As a community based not-for-profit organisation, CCLO’s mission is to provide the highest quality care and support re-

both clients and the team; and are proud to employ a diversely skilled and growing team that supports their initiative to provide equal opportunities to women within the local community across the Central Coast to enter and/or re-enter the local care workforce. Supporting local is at the heart of what CCLO does. CCLO is invested in securing the economic future of the Central Coast by taking a local-first approach to the contractors they engage across development and trade projects, maintenance, IT, marketing and more.

sponding to the changing needs of people with a disability and our values are at the centre of everything they do.

CCLO aims to provide quality, sustainable, and flexible services that uphold human rights and create opportunities for

If you’d like to learn more about CCLO living, engaging our NDIS services, or working with CCLO visit cclo.com.au or get in touch with our friendly team on 02 4353 2411.

North: Your trusted local builder

through compassionate dental care. Riverside believes a smile doesn’t end with beautiful teeth, nor should your trip to the dentist. The teeth, the skin, the lips, the smile–finally, one place that does it all. Experience the Riverside difference for yourself!

OUNDED in 1987, North Construction & Building is a trusted regional commercial construction company with an award-winning reputation for excellence. Working across all areas of the commercial construction sector in regional NSW, North has a Specialist Projects division focusing on projects under $3M and a Major Works department managing projects up to $50M. This allows the company to deliver both major and minor works using a variety of delivery models to match client’s requirements. North is 100% employee-owned and a genuinely values-based business. Trust, excellence, respect, relational and fun drive their corporate behaviour and culture. North’s workforce is largely made up of long-term employees who know and understand what working with North means, and who share the same values and goals. The foundation of all their efforts is built on trust.

Visit: www.riversidedentalspa.com.au

Visit: www.north.com.au

F Riverside Dental Spa.

Good reasons to smile IVERSIDE Dental Spa is a comprehensive dental surgery, providing the highest quality dental care from a modern West Gosford practice. For over seven years, Riverside has proudly provided the Central Coast community everything from general dentistry to full mouth rehabilitation. The dedicated team delivers consistent, effective results

22 | OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2021

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This year’s winners

Excellence in Micro Business: LEP Digital (,Jess Hickey, Laura Prael, Peter Prael) Barbara Ketley, President Regional Advisory Council, Business NSW.

Professor Michael Bowyer, Acting Dean, University of Newcastle Outstanding Start Up: Amelio Health (Kathy Hubble).

Outstanding Community Organisation: The Glen Centre (Ethan Mulholland & Alex Lee) Paula Martin, Regional Director, Business NSW.

Outstanding Young Business Leader: Amanda Woodbine (Australian Reptile Park) Darren Hooper, Unity Bank Central Coast (sponsor).

Professor Michael Bowyer, Acting Dean, University of Newcastle, Excellence in Innovation: Spot Go (Nancy Small, Brendan Small).

Outstanding Employee: Zac Bower (Australian Reptile Park).

Jackie Svedes, Client Relationship Manager NBN Co (sponsor), Excellence in Business: Australian Reptile Park (Liz Gabriel).

COVID myths dispelled by our panel of international experts in these two powerful ZOOM round tables.

Michael Brolly, Industry Training Hub Employer of Choice: Ryan & Seton Lawyers (Tony Ryan).

Excellence in Small Business: Riverside Dental Spa (Dr Kyle Mervin,Dr Nicole Floyd) Paula Martin, Regional Director, Business NSW.

VISIT: www.netwerx.tv

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AUTO

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2021 |

Broader capabilities and AWD headline Hyundai’s iMax replacement  MATT BROGAN YUNDAI Motor Company Australia (HMCA) says it is targeting a 22 per cent share of the sub-$60,000 people mover segment with its just-launched Staria, however that figure is still well behind 56 per cent stranglehold of the Kia Carnival. The modest goal is reflective of the 14-year-old and now defunct iMax’s peak sales performance in 2014 with the brand hoping to emulate the figures with its new model while pinching sales away from SUVs. Speaking to media at the local launch of the Staria, HMCA product general manager Andrew Tuitahi said the new model was designed to improve on the iMax “in two key areas” on account of it riding on the same N3 platform as the Santa Fe large SUV. “The first was space and practicality, and we see that improved dramatically with the platform relation to the Santa Fe,” he said. “The other is drivability; bringing the ride and handling characteristics of our people-mover in line with current customer expectations. “We think the line-up gives us a unique offering in the market and a great opportunity for cross-shopping against SUVs.” The eight-seat model is priced from $48,500 (plus on-road costs) and is already available in dealerships in three different grades, each with the option of petrol or diesel power, however the latter is paired exclusively to the Hyundai Group’s HTRAC all-wheel drive system. As previously reported by GoAuto, the powerplants in question are a 200kW/331Nm 3.5-litre V6 and a 130kW/420Nm 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel, both of which are paired to a shift-by-wire eight-speed automatic transmission. Combined cycle fuel economy is listed at 10.5L/100km for the petrol and 8.2L/100km for the diesel, with CO2 emissions of 239g/km and 218g/km respectively. Braked towing capacity for either driveline is listed at 2500kg, 500kg more than the Kia Carnival and now on par with the Volkswagen Multivan. Longer, wider, and taller than the Carnival, the Staria measures 5252mm in length (+98mm), 1997mm wide (+2mm), and 1990mm tall (+15mm) with a 3273mm wheelbase, giving it 183mm more space between the axles than the segment dominating Kia. Cargo space extends from 831-1303 litres (VDA) depending on the seating configuration utilised. “The all-new Staria is a head-turning eight-seat people-mover alternative to our SUV favourites, Santa Fe and Palisade, with all the safety, comfort, and convenience

technology our customers expect in a modern passenger vehicle,” said HMCA CEO Jun Heo. The Staria is the first model to debut Hyundai’s single-curve silhouette, a design which will carry over to its upcoming Staria Load – the replacement for the mid-sized iLoad van – which is due to touchdown locally within the next four to six weeks. HMCA says the Staria’s styling is a “sleek and clean minimalist style which opens with a futuristic front treatment headlined by a wide, body-coloured radiator grille with low-set LED headlights at either side, with a horizontal LED strip above comprising a centre positioning lamp and DRLs”.

More convenience features The frontal styling of the 2022 Hyundai Staria is undoubtedly the people-mover’s strongest, and perhaps most divisive talking point. The theme continues across deep panoramic side glass, automatic sliding doors, and subtly flared arches over 18-inch alloy wheels with the broad, minimalist profile of the vehicle providing a “stable, sporty stance”. At the rear, the Staria’s top-hinged automatic tailgate is identified by a large single pane of glass atop an integrated ‘STARIA’ logo and flanked by vertical ‘parometric’ LED combination tail-lights. An integrated spoiler includes a high-mount stop-light and wiper/washer. Hyundai’s inside-out design philosophy focussed on extracting as much space from

the new Staria as possible. As such, the vehicle’s interior features over a metre of legroom across each of its three rows and enough interior space for children to stand upright. Considerable thought has also been given to entry and egress with the second row of seats sliding and tilting automatically to provide access to the third row. Currently, the Staria is available only in eight-seat format with ADR limitations prohibiting the sale of nine and eleven-seat variants. HMCA says it is “exploring other seating configuration options”, including a higher-grade seven-seat model with second-row Captain’s chairs. The dashboard includes dual 10.25-inch displays – one for the infotainment array and the other for the instrument panel. Leather upholstery is available on Highlander variants, as well as a Qi wireless smartphone charger, five USB charging points and 16 cupholders. Further convenience features include a smart key with push-button door opening/ closing and remote engine start, a blind spot view, surround view, and a rear passenger view monitor. HMCA product planning coordinator Simon Bartnik said the Staria is part of the brands plan to release 18 new models by the end of 2022 and “aims to be the safest people-mover on the market”. “The all-new Staria replaces the oldest model in our line-up and is the latest in a series of new and upgraded models Hyundai has released locally this year,” he said.

Despite the big safety aspiration, the Staria does not feature child-seat anchor points in the third row, however it does include top-tether and ISOFIX anchors in the second row. It is yet to be tested by EuroNCAP or ANCAP, but the related Santa Fe received a five-star safety rating. Nevertheless, the Staria features seven airbags – including curtain airbags across all three seating rows – blind-spot, lane keeping, and lane-following assistants, auto high-beam, autonomous emergency braking with multi-collision brake, driver attention monitoring, safe exit earning, rear cross-traffic assist and a 360-degree camera. Higher grade models add safe exit assistance and a 3D surround-view camera. The Hyundai Staria is backed by a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty. Servicing intervals are set at 12 months or 15,000km (whichever comes first) with the first five services priced at $360. HMCA says it expects Staria sales to favour the all-wheel-drive diesel variants over the two-wheel-drive petrols (55:45 per cent), with the base trim anticipated to be the bulk seller and account for around 40 per cent of sales.

2022 Hyundai Staria pricing* Staria 3.5 (a) Staria 2.2 (a) Elite 3.5 (a) Elite 2.2 (a) Highlander 3.5 (a) Highlander 2.2 (a)

$48,500 $51,500 $56,500 $59,500 $63,500 $66,500 *Excludes on-road costs

TRAVEL

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with DALLAS SHERRINGHAM

Many scenes of Mollymook.

Blessed with spectacular beaches Fit for former PM

 MOLLYMOOK | SANDIP HOR DGING the Pacific Ocean, the coastal strip winding southwards from Sydney almost down to the Victorian border is generally referred to as the South Coast of NSW and is blessed with spectacular beaches and expansive national parks. This makes it an ideal destination for a fun-filled vacation with plenty of things to do from playing in the sun, sea and surf to bushwalking, rock climbing, wildlife spotting and kayaking on the tranquil waters of a pristine lake. Or, you can just do nothing other than to relax and enjoy the top food and wine experiences the region has to offer. Bordered by the mountains, coastal plains and countless beaches, Shoalhaven area in South Coast is a popular retreat for Sydneysiders and Canberra residents being within easy driving distances from both the urban nests. The area’s pleasant climate has always been a lure. It is comfortable throughout the year with clement sea breezes to cool in summer while clean air for lengthy saunters in winter. With a population of just a few thousand, the tiny seaside hamlet of Mollymook is a star of Shoalhaven. It is located only minutes from the harbor port of Ulladulla and historic rural Milton. These three expanses match each other with their specialities and ambience. The surrounding boroughs offer lavishness of nature’s delights with spectacular scenery, woody mountains and myriad captivating waterways. Lake Conjola, an aquatic haven for fishing, kayaking, water skiing and wakeboarding is pretty close.

Former Prime Minister John Howard used to visit this serene destination regularly to relax and recharge batteries. Another key attraction of the area is the widespread presence of kangaroos. They can be seen jumping around in the neighbouring valleys and forested areas and some of them don’t mind posing for a selfie with the visitors Tourism has been badly hit in this region, earlier due to the shattering bushfires and since March this year because of the COVID19 lockdown and restrictions. They have eased a little bit now allowing travel within the state with cautions. The damaging extent of the bushfires is testified by thousands of burnt-down trees in the surrounding national parks.

Overcoming problems By the time when the bushfire recovery plans started activating, suddenly the flaming issues from the corona virus pandemic forced the tourism industry into a stage of induced coma. The situation has started improving marginally with some NSW dwellers traveling in and around the region. Local businesses are warmly welcoming whoever can make it there, as it not only reignites their economy in a humble way but also gives them hope to survive.

Fact File Great for surfing Mollymook is best known for its excellent surf beach of sweeping clean sands and clear waters with plenty of space for surfers, sunbathers and fishing enthusiasts. While engaging with the sandy patch remains its main drawcard, there are many

other things to do in Mollymook from playing golf at the sea edged greenery and whale watching during winter months from the high grounds of Ulladulla lighthouse through to enjoying luxury seafront accommodation and great food and wine at the local eateries.

Getting There: It’s easy to reach Mollymook by road, a three-hour drive from Sydney (225km) and two and half hours from Canberra (200km) Stay: Plenty of staying options throughout the region from luxury resorts and hotels to backpacker hostels and Airbnb accommodations. More info: www.visitnsw.com

TRAVEL

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with DALLAS SHERRINGHAM

A majestic global dining palette  BLUE MOUNTAINS | ELLEN HILL AUCY tales, exotic opulence and the odd celebrity demise. The Hydro Majestic Hotel in the Blue Mountains sits alongside the Hotel Ritz Paris, Raffles Singapore and Claridge’s London as legendary havens of mischief and luxury With staff from around the world welcoming waves of international tourists in a distinctly Australian location, the Hydro Majestic also represents the modern face and cuisine of Australia – as it has for more than a century. The status of the original Blue Mountains party palace as the grandest of the grand hotel in the region was restored when current owner Escarpment Group unveiled its $35M refurbishment in 2014. The spectacular Casino Lobby was stripped back to show off that stupendous dome prefabricated in Chicago and imported by original Hydro Majestic owner, department store doyenne Mark Foy. The Wintergarden Restaurant where one takes high tea (traditional or Eastern) is bedecked in understated gold and white elegance with enormous windows giving a breathtaking view over the Megalong Valley. There’s the Majestic Ballroom with its beautiful vaulted ceiling, the revamped Boiler House Café in the old pump house and the sophistication of black and chrome in the Belgravia accommodation lounge. But the best way to appreciate the full magnificence of the Hydro Majestic, the building, the history and the gob-smackingly gorgeous location on the edge of the escarpment, is to stroll along the (in)famous Cat’s Alley hallway, cocktail in hand, and watch the sunset over the Megalong Valley. The golden tendrils seep down the blood red walls, lighting up the peacock feathers and richly furbished lounges, and bring the original artworks of blood sports to life. Foy, was a visionary, an ambitious and remarkable one, creating the hotel on a mountain top against all odds. Soon the fortunate, the famous, the fabulous, even the infamous, flocked to the Hydro Majestic from around the globe. With regular festivals and events including the Roaring 20s Festival in February, Escarpment Group has returned the flounce to the old girl’s skirt so the Hydro Majestic is once again the most flamboyant showgirl of Australia’s first tourist destination. The latest event was a seven-course degustation featuring traditional dishes from global locations infused with local flavours served by staff from around the world, heralds a modern era of theatrical dining for

The iconic Hydro Majestic.

A gastronomic event Mark Foy’s “Palace in the wilderness’’ Dishes such as Creole-style braised short rib, southern grits, collard greens and corn tamarillo salsa obviously originated from distant shores. However, the ingredients were sourced from a 100-mile radius around the hotel. Rounding off the gastronomic event with lamingtons was the shared food link to Australia. It could be said that the Hydro Majestic represents the modern face and cuisine of Australia – as it has for more than a century. Escarpment Group general manager Ralf Bruegger said: “The Hydro Majestic has always embraced cultural diversity, not because its first owner Mark Foy was politically correct but because he genuinely loved people of all races, their culture, art and food – just as we do today. With the means to satisfy his every whim, the well-travelled Foy had the famous hotel dome pre-fabricated in Chicago and shipped to Australia. Dr George Baur of the Shoeneck health spa in Switzerland was hired to devise and supervise a program of diets and weird and wonderful treatments.

Turkish coffee at the Hydro Majestic was served by Turkish waiters, Chinese tea by Chinese waiters. Louie (Charlie) Goh Mong was just one of many Chinese migrants who reverted to their traditional skills post-Bathurst gold rush era around the turn of the 20th century and worked as butlers, cooks, nannies, maids and produce suppliers to inns, guesthouses, and manor houses across the Blue Mountains during that time. Charlie worked as a cook at Foy’s Sydney home and managed the mayhem at the Hydro Majestic for 35 years. Today, staff from 16 language groups work at the Hydro Majestic including English, French, Canadian, Russian, Chinese (all dialects), Portuguese, Vietnamese, Spanish, Italian, Indonesian, Thai and more. “People visit the Hydro Majestic from all over the world and we must understand and accommodate their cultural needs,’’ Mr Bruegger said. Go to www.hydromajestic.com.au or phone (02) 4782 6885 for bookings and more information about the Hydro Majestic Hotel.

Popular attracrtion: The Three Sisters.

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2021 |

NEWS

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Family Business Welcome

Welcome to KPMG Family Business feature articles. 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 pwakim@kpmg.com.au

Why diversity matters in FBs  RICHARD COOPER HEN it comes to a family business’ long-term sustainability, diversity is important, according to KPMG’s 2021 Australia Family Business Survey Transition, Diversity and Entrepreneurship. The complexity of the family business system places a great strain on the leaders of those businesses. It requires an understanding of a whole range of issues and concerns, where what’s right for the business needs to be continually balanced against what’s right for the family. This is where the benefit of diversity at the leadership level and across the business plays a key role in helping to sustain long-term success. Diversity, which seeks to be inclusive, captures the intrinsic characteristics of differing gender, generational and cultural beliefs. Diversity in family business can

offer a greater pool of talent for leadership roles and improve decision-making quality due to the different perspectives offered. Diversity, and the different perspectives it offers, is important to acknowledge and harness in the process of leadership transition. Being open to the ideas of family members that are in position to take over leadership at the early stages of the process is vital to enabling a smooth transition.

Need to seek out views and opinions Being willing to listen to the advice of others that have gone through their own process of transition is infinitely valuable as many who have appointed independent directors to their board would attest. However, realising the benefits of diversity requires more than simply having someone different to you on the board – it

means actively seeking out their views and opinions. Having an independent Board of Directors is a good thing but if all that happens is ‘passive’ agreement with “whatever they said”, then the benefit of bringing together people with different experience, backgrounds and beliefs can be lost. Through discussions with other family businesses, we uncovered a number of ways you can ensure diverse views are properly heard and encouraged. Many created forums designed to allow people to share perspectives such as family councils, family advisory boards and next generation sub-committees. Several were also taking active steps to ensure that the blockages to participation were removed by, for example, introducing flexible work arrangements for young parents and other care givers. Others were purposefully bringing in new skills and expertise, either through

What is diversitty? Diversity, which seeks to be inclusive, captures the intrinsic characteristics ofdiffering gender, generational and cultural beliefs. recruitment or education, where the family had identified those skills would be needed at some point in the future. Diversity of thought and opinion is critical to building a sustainable business. A family business would be leaving ‘money on the table’ if it chose to ignore the experience and skills of the family as a whole, not just those who may be most eligible by virtue of age or gender. First published on KPMG.com.au by Richard Cooper, Associate Director, Enterprise, KPMG Australia.

FAMILY BUSINESS

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OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2021 |

TAKING STEPS TO MANAGE TRANSITION

How to achieve control over the outcomes  AGNES VACCA LANNING for a future outside of work is something we’ll all need to do eventually, but the binary concept of moving from employed to retired is not as simple or straightforward for business owners. Complicated by a number of factors, some financial, but many, emotional and social, a business owner leaves not just a role but a way of life, and many will need to separate their identity from the business they’ve built to make room for a transition. There is much at stake through the process of transitioning leadership, including the value created from years of hard work and the future of stakeholders integral to the business’ success – your family, employees and customers. But less than 47 percent of family businesses have turned their mind to planning for a transition. Primarily, many feel that they are not ready for retirement – there is no legislated or normalised age at which an entrepreneur should step aside. However, that’s the not the only reason family businesses fall behind in planning succession. Others include: • A need to be able to feel secure in their own, and their family’s future • A sense of losing control and not being able to manage their own destiny • Dealing with unfinished business. Managing these feelings takes time, and many fail to develop the mindset necessary for the transition to occur. In order to secure the future of their business, owners need to deal with and react to change, and pivot accordingly – skills that are critical to entrepreneurship.

For business owners to best anticipate change and plan for transition, they should consider: 1. Being an active participant. Treat change and transition not as something that happens to you but something that you can own and control. Being able to remain the key decision maker in the manner and means by which your own transition occurs increases confidence in the transition process. 2. Becoming a gardener. At some point, what you’ve created has grown into something with its own life. How can you nurture new growth? 3. Becoming a great coach. Accept that all players have to retire

some time and many become better coaches than players. Experience accumulates with age, converting that experience to knowledge empowers family business leaders to become great coaches. 4. Helping explain ‘why’. Assist in instilling a purpose for the organisation and, by implication, help future generations to carry on your legacy. Successful businesses run smoothly – everyone knows what the business does and how it does it. Family businesses that last for generations also know the why and being around to help emphasise what that means can be integral to future success.

5. Being available but not visible. At some point, you need to have the presence to not be present. Any transition will inevitably have new people playing senior roles, and you’ll need to work out how to be there without being seen. Your successors will benefit in the confidence knowing you have moved on, yet are still around if needed. By deliberately thinking about your, and your business’ future now, you can take the first steps towards transition. Change might not be easy but being the change is easier than being changed. First published on KPMG.com.au by Agnes Vacca, Partner, Geographical Lead – WA, Enterprise, KPMG Australia.

Fall in employment accelerates as lockdowns continue  JODIE PATRON HE unemployment rate continues to fall, now sitting at 4.5% seasonally adjusted, the lowest since November 2008. But this headline disguises the true story, which is a fall in employment of 146,000 people. The problem is that people are exiting the labour market – 170,000 of them during August in the ABS labour force figures released today. That is, they are no longer employed or seeking work. As well as a falling participation rate, underemployment remains a real problem. This rose in August, meaning that many of those remaining in the labour force are not working as much as they would like. Another worrying issue is that the premise of JobKeeper was to keep employees connected with their workplace so that when the recovery came it would be relatively seamless, allowing a quick regeneration of business activity. The concern now must be that – given the falling workplace participation rates

we are seeing, and the length of time lockdowns are taking – whether that connection has been permanently damaged and will it hinder the recovery. The eastern states’ ongoing lockdowns are the key to both participation rate and underemployment. The July figures gave us a taste of the start of the NSW lockdown, but today’s data reflects the full extent of the problem in NSW and the new lockdowns in Victoria, ACT and Queensland. In NSW, the first two weeks in August alone saw another 173,000 reduction in employment in the state, with a similar number of people leaving the labour market. This followed the 36,000 fewer people employed in July. Queensland also saw a fall in employment of 30,000 jobs, while there was an increase in employment across Victoria (of 29,000 jobs, with the latest lockdowns yet to be fully captured in the data) and Western Australia (of 12,000 jobs). The August data shows total hours worked across Australia fell by 3.7 percent or 66 million hours, seasonally adjusted. NSW hours fell by 34.9 million – bringing

hours worked in the state to below its April 2020 low. Victoria saw a fall in its monthly hours worked of 16 million, reflecting the start of its latest lockdowns, while Queensland’s fell by 19 million hours. There were some modest increases in hours worked in South Australia and Western Australia. Across the nation, the underemployment rate has increased again by 1.0 percentage point to 9.3%, albeit still below the highs observed between April and October last year. Of this, NSW, Victoria, QLD and the ACT all saw increases of between 0.7 and 1.0 percentage points in their underemployment rates. Over August, more than 1.8 million people indicated that they worked fewer hours than usual as a result of ‘No work, not enough work available, stood down’, or for other reasons not related to leave, standard arrangements, or bad weather. 760,000 of these were in NSW, 550,000 in Victoria and 360,000 in Queensland. It is clear that lockdowns have a significant impact on the labour market. Until the economy can more fully open, employment, participation in the labour

market and underemployment figures will continue to record ups and downs across all the states and territories.

Overall summary • There were 146,000 fewer people employed across Australia. Lockdowns are a key driver of this fall, with NSW and ACT the only state/ territories to have fewer people employed currently compared to pre-pandemic March 2020. • For those still in the labour force, there was a significant reduction in hours worked, with 1.3 million people reported as underemployed, or 9.3 percent of the labour force. • Across the nation, there were 77,000 fewer males employed and 69,000 fewer females employed, indicating a more even impact this month compared to the initial lockdown figures in July. First published on KPMG Newsroom by Jodie Patron, Senior Economist, KPMG Australia on 16 September, 2021

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CROSSWORDS/GAMES Solutions page 23

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2021 |

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1. Research rooms 5. North African expanse 11. Similar type 14. Nitrogenous waste 15. Readied 16. Date or age beginning 17. Driver’s ___ 18. Blow to pieces 20. Bowler, but not golfer 21. Fox chaser? 22. Orbital extreme 23. Not so cordial 25. Tot tenders 26. They’re twirled in parades 28. Rome septet 29. Take effect, in legalspeak 30. Island of entertainment 31. So ___ 34. Emulated Lady Godiva 35. Less firm, maybe 36. Add a kick to 37. Common tip jar bill 38. Moisten, poetically 39. Pulverize 40. Repaired a shoe 41. Moves unobtrusively 42. Worldly, not spiritual 45. “Haystacks” artist 46. Collar, for cops 47. Whim 48. Small handful 51. Call girl 53. Bridges of film 54. Tiny particle 55. Ducks 56. Caveat to a buyer 57. Lacking liquid 58. Colt’s sound 59. Bank adjuncts

DOWN 1. Opulent 2. Grounds 3. Exalted happiness 4. Created a lap 5. Future ferns 6. Pergola 7. Saber handle 8. Bud in Burgundy 9. Shopkeeper 10. With skill 11. Celebrity’s concern 12. Not as timely 13. A couple of big joints 19. Languishes 21. One of a trident trio 24. Compost heap discard 25. Connective tissue 26. Ball point pen inventor 27. In a moment 28. Was optimistic 30. Sweet or hard beverage 31. Most flawed 32. Cause of some scars 33. Lipstick hues 35. Family tree entry 36. Metal deposit 38. Prop up 39. Color for the tickled 40. Files litigation 41. Hurting the most 42. Flavorsome 43. Trial associate? 44. Close pal 45. Agrippina, to Nero 47. Form of pachisi 49. Injure badly 50. Cat in boots 52. Astaire specialty 53. Bucolic cry

GAMES SOLUTIONS

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TrendS

Fairer go for SMEs VS the ATO

“

These changes align with ASBFEO’s vision of a tax system that works for the small business sector, so businesses can achieve greater productivity, return to profitability and grow employment.” - Bruce Billson.

 DALLAS SHERRINGHAM FTEN it can be a case of ‘them versus me’ when taking on the ATO in a dispute over your tax – and it can be overwhelming and downright unfair. Well, new rules are being introduced to ensure small businesses in dispute with ATO get a fairer go. The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman (ASBFEO) Bruce Billson said small businesses in dispute with the ATO would get the fairer go, under new rules proposed by the Australian Government. Mr Billson welcomed the announcement, giving the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) greater powers to pause or change debt recovery actions applying to a small business in dispute with the ATO. “Small businesses disputing an ATO debt in the AAT will get a fairer go by stopping the ATO from relentlessly pushing on with debt recovery actions against a small business, while the case is being heard,” Mr Billson says.

“I commend the government which has acted quickly to implement a key recommendation in our recently released report. “It is a tax system that works for small business which will allow them to pause ATO debt recovery actions until their case is resolved by the AAT.

Debt recovery action “Currently, small businesses are only able to pause or modify ATO debt recovery actions through the court system. This can be prohibitively expensive and time consuming for a small business. “Under the proposed changes, small businesses can save thousands of dollars in legal fees, not to mention up to two months waiting for a ruling. “In line with the recommendations in our report, the AAT will be able to pause or modify any ATO debt recovery actions, such as garnishee notices, interest charges and other penalties until the dispute is resolved by the AAT. “It means that rather than spending time and money fighting in court, small

business owners can get on with what they do best – running and growing their business. “These proposed changes follow the ATO’s decision to turn its small business independent review service into a permanent offering,” Mr Billson said. “ASBFEO’s tax concierge service and ongoing advocacy work has led to substantial tax administration improvements for SMEs, with leadership from ATO Deputy Commissioner Small Business Deborah Jenkins and government support. “Collectively, these changes align with ASBFEO’s vision of a tax system that works for the small business sector, so businesses can achieve greater productivity, return to profitability and grow employment.” The new powers for the AAT will be available following introduction of the legislation.

Small businesses engaged in a tax dispute are encouraged to contact ASBFEO for assistance on 1300 650 460 or email info@asbfeo.gov.au .

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ARTS

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2021 |

THE SHOW MUST GO ON

Tough year for theatre startup T’Ss been a tough first year for Red Tree Theatre after launching in March 2020 amidst a global pandemic, but the Central Coast venue is not looking back with a huge headline of shows set to dazzle this season. The newest creative establishment on the Central Coast, based in Tuggerah. It will open its doors after four months of lockdown and is gearing up to reopen with a bang with the Central Coast Gang Show headlining from November 6, followed by plenty more lined up for the summer months. Red Tree Theatre Manager Ruth Jordon said she was excited about the calendar of events taking to the stage this summer. “We had a huge line-up of shows planned to make our mark on the entertainment scene this year and just as Central Coast Gang Show was prepping for their annual variety show in June, we went back into lockdown,” she said. “After some time to recoup, Red Tree Theatre is now thrilled to open with the Central Coast Scouts and Guides’ spectacular phenomenon Central Coast Gang Show, bringing much-needed feel-good live performance to the stage in line with the easing of restrictions in NSW,” Ruth said. Gang Shows are a nearly 80yo tradition of the Scouting and Guide movement, starting in the United Kingdom before spreading around the world in the decades that followed. Styled on the old music hall variety shows and pantomimes of the 1930s, the shows marry music and comedy generally across two acts, ending on a mu-

Models: Rhianna Leigh (Scout), Ruth Jordon (Theatre Manager), Isabella O’Brien (Flautist). Photo by Kelly Maxwell.

sical celebration of the Scouts and Guides movements themselves. “We are delighted this stalwart community show that is celebrating its 30th year is joining us on stage as we open our doors in November,” she said. Between November and January next year Red Tree Theatre has more than 10 major performances on the calendar and the Theatre will present its first co-produced musical theatre work, All Together Now which is a joint production between Red Tree Theatre, Create+Co and Jopuka.

“All Together Now is a one weekend concert that showcases community theatre from across the world as part of Musical Theatre International’s Global Celebration. We are very proud to be able to showcase our own work as a small, regional venue – it’s going to be wonderful,” Ruth said. Other exciting entertainment at Red Tree Theatre is Lysa and The Freeborn Dames, Fame, Rock Anthology, Carols by Cabaret, JD’s World of Magic and Ruthless the Musical. “We are so proud of the offering we have put together for the theatre this sum-

CREATIVE EXCELLENCE SOUGHT

Arts projects to enhance Coast F you have a great idea for major arts project on the Central Coast, this is your chance. A new project by Central Coast Council is championing creative excellence in the region. The innovative ‘Creative Art Central’ has returned to nurture growth and support excellence in the Central Coast’s arts and cultural sector. Local artists are invited to pitch ideas to create original works for the region, with up to six commissions available to professional or emerging artists. It could be a mural, a light show, a major sculpture piece or a historical work. Central Coast Council Director Community and Recreation Services Julie Vaughan said the program was seeking applications for works that are of a professional standard and provide an opportunity for the community to participate or collaborate in the creative process. “Creative Art Central is an important action of the Central Coast Cultural Plan and supports the development of innovative and contemporary work across all art-forms.

“The program will commission a variety of new high-quality works that will lead the local industry and enhance our creative identity. “Creative Art Central has flow on effects for the local economy and a focus on public programs offers the community new opportunities to engage with art and culture on the Coast.” Council Administrator Rik Hart said a diverse mix of artists who are skilled in all mediums and from a range of backgrounds were encouraged to apply. “Creative partnerships build the footprint of creative industries on the Coast and deliver significant benefits across the arts, business and tourism sectors,” Mr Hart said. “I encourage local emerging and professional creative practitioners to apply for the program to create works and share stories that inspire the Central Coast community.”

Registrations are open and application details are outlined at info.centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/ creativeartcentral

Artistic fountain at Fountain Plaza, Erina.

mer, as there is a fantastic mix of musicals, plays, live music and classics that will ensure everyone can get back into live and local entertainment,” she said. “We of course will be adhering to all health guidelines when we open and operating under our strict COVID-safe plan which includes all performers and patrons being double vaccinated, and masks will be compulsory until the end of the year,” she added. For more information on bookings and shows visit https://eldersleefoundation.org.au/red-tree-theatre/.

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AWA R D S

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