Nepean Business Access - September 2021 by Access News Australia (ANA)

SEPTEMBER 2021 | EDITION 1

BUSINESS | LIFESTYLE

PERISHER

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Winter Sports World site owner and developer Peter Magnisalis.

INSIDE

MEETS PENRITH Daring to dream it’s possible

ENRITH might be the hottest place in Sydney, but it will soon become the “Perisher of the West” when Australia’s first indoor snow and ski resort opens in 2024. Currently a horse paddock in the Riverlink Tourism Precinct, the proposal has successfully

passed through Penrith City Council. In a win for tourism in Western Sydney, Council endorsed the planning proposal to build the innovative winter sporting facility which will be a benchmark for tourism in the region. See full story and images page 6.

Hollywood at PENRITH: 3

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Technology tracks Nepean River upgrade ENRITH City Council has developed a new online interactive map to showcase the ongoing revitalisation of the Nepean River, and help residents and visitors discover all the things to see and do there. Details about major projects being delivered on both sides of the Nepean River are now easier than ever to find with the map outlining their location, status and where to find more information about the projects so residents can keep up to date. The map is designed to help visitors plan a trip to the Nepean River by providing details and locations of public and accessible toilets, car parks and on-street parking spaces, along with picnic spots, playgrounds and where to grab the best view or photo. The interactive map also allows users to discover things to see and do at the Nepean River including walking tracks, where to launch a kayak from, appropriate fishing spots and popular locations to book for wedding ceremonies. Penrith Mayor Karen McKeown OAM said the new interactive map will be a valuable resource for residents and visitors.

View and use the interactive map at: www.penrith.city/nepeanriver

Residents and visitors can use the new interactive map to find out the status of projects at the Nepean River including the $24M upgrade at Regatta Park funded by Penrith City Council, and the Australian and NSW Governments through Western Sydney City Deal’s Western Parkland City Liveability Program.

“The Nepean River is a hive of construction activity at the moment and this map will help residents and visitors to understand what’s planned for the Nepean River as well as all the different

ways they can experience and enjoy our region’s greatest natural asset,” Cr McKeown said. Penrith City Council’s ongoing program of work to enhance the Nepean Riv-

er and create more opportunities for people to meet, relax, explore, play and be active in the outdoors is set to strengthen Penrith’s position as Western Sydney’s most liveable city.

Why Council is waiving sports fees OCAL sporting clubs are being offered a financial reprieve as they look to recover and rebuild from COVID-19 with Penrith City Council moving to waive sportsground hire fees for the upcoming 2021/2022 summer season. This follows Council’s decision to allow free use of the City’s sportsgrounds and

floodlights during the 2020 and 2021 winter seasons as well as the 2020/2021 summer season. The upcoming season had been allocated to run from September 18, 2021, to March 6, 2022, however, the official start date remains unknown while NSW continues working towards vaccination targets and

exploring options for reducing the state’s restrictions. Once the summer season starts, 39 clubs from 13 sporting codes are set to benefit from Council’s fee relief, which is estimated to cost around $60,000. More at www.penrith.city/spros

CONTENTS News Cover story Entrepreneurs COVID Travel Films Auto Family Business

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www.nepeanba.com.au Nepean Business Access (NBA) ACCESS NEWS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD ABN 39 600 436 799 Publisher/editor: Michael Walls M: 0407 783 413. E: michael@wsba.com.au Associate Editor: Dallas Sherringham Journalists: Jade Holman, Paul Haigh. Account Managers: Julie Jackson: 0447 291 780; Graham Maughan: 0431 557 791 Contributors: Pierre Wakim, Adam Simpson, Jacob Richardson, John Mellor. Printer: New Age Printing Design: Design2Pro, DMC Advertising Group. General enquiries: info@accessnews.com.au Phone: 02 4572 2336 Fax: 02 4572 2340 We pay respect to the Traditional Custodians and First Peoples of our region and acknowledge their continued connection to their country and culture.

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Penrith the new Australian Hollywood  MAJOR PROJECTS | DALLAS SHERRINGHAM ENRITH is set to become Australia’s Hollywood with a $150m film studio planned for an old sandstone quarry north of the city centre. Planning Minister Rob Stokes will soon release details of the project. It will be built on a section of the 2000ha Penrith Lakes and will be named Lakeside Studio. Apart from the studio, the facility will feature a golf course, freshwater beaches, a film production school and helipad. The studio is guaranteed of success because of the huge demand for quality drama driven by the by streaming services such as Stan, Binge and Netflix.

Mad Max Fury Road “Who needs Hollywood Hills when we’ve got Penrith Lakes? NSW is home to some of the best film production crews in the world, so it’s fitting they have a place to call home in Greater Sydney,” Mr Stokes told media outlets. “If approved, this 43ha precinct would include up to 10 production stages, filming tanks, construction and design facilities, as well as a film school.

Mr Stokes said it would create up to 300 construction jobs over three years and, once completed, the site would employ up to 2000 people on major movie projects. The studio would feature 10 sound stage,2600 carparking spaces, studio reception and audience holding area, guard house and perimeter There will be more than 9000 sqm of workshop space, a film production training school with dedicated studio space, lecture rooms, workshops, screening room, offices, cafeteria and campus The studio will be located just 3.4km northwest of Penrith CBD. The quarry is located next to the Sydney Olympic Regatta Centre and closed in 2015. Lakes up to 8m deep and covering 723ha were created after rainwater and runoff filled large holes in the ground left by the quarrying operations. It is also where numerous scenes were shot for the huge international 2015 movie hit Mad Max Fury Road, which won six Academy Awards. Lakeside Studio’s development will be headed by industry veteran James M. Vernon who has 35 credits as producer and executive producer, including Mel Gibson’s Hacksaw Ridge and The King’s Daughter which starred Pierce Brosnan.

The stars and director of Mad Max Fury Road.

Popular snacks made out west ETTLE Chips, Thins, Cheezels and CC’s could soon be manufactured in Orchard Hills under a proposal for a new facility which is currently on exhibition for public feedback. A $222M development proposal could see the Snack Brands Australia warehouse and distribution centre on Distribution Drive expanded to include food manufacturing on site. Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Rob Stokes said the proposal would bring jobs and investment to Western Sydney.

K Snacks by Snack Brands Australia.

“Chips may be cheap, however this proposal is anything but and represents a major opportunity for Western Sydney,” Mr Stokes said. “The pandemic has shown that many of Sydney’s construction workers live in the south-west, so it’s important that we have as many jobs close to homes as possible.” Member for Mulgoa Tanya Davies said the proposal would see some of the most iconic chip brands manufactured in Western Sydney.

“If approved, the Snack Brands Australia site will be a 24/7 operation and feature a new food manufacturing facility, an office, a wastewater treatment plant and create 497 construction jobs,” Mrs Davies said. Members of the public are invited to have their say on the project’s Environmental Impact Statement by Wednesday, October 13, 2021. For more information and to provide feedback visit https://www. planningportal.nsw.gov.au/major-projects/project/41791.

Penrith among eligible councils A SHARE of $139M is up for grabs for eight Western Sydney councils as applications have opened for round two of the Accelerated Infrastructure Funding (AIF). Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Rob Stokes said round two includes highgrowth greenfield precincts in Blacktown, The Hills, Hawkesbury, Penrith, Liverpool, Camden, Campbelltown and Wollondilly local government areas (LGAs). “We launched this funding to support

our economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and in the first round more than $145M was invested to deliver 14 projects,” Mr Stokes said. “All of these projects are now underway and will support the development of up to 40,000 new homes, 115 hectares of employment land and create up to 1,000 new construction jobs.” Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney Stuart Ayres said the

AIF would also create thousands of jobs in the construction phase, helping to meet the future needs of Western Sydney. “Western Sydney is ripe for growth and this funding will provide the necessary infrastructure to support an expected 20,000 plus new greenfield homes across these LGAs over the next five years,” Mr Ayres said. Councils will be allocated funding according to anticipated growth in each LGA,

the amount of development the funding will support and the amount of co-funding that councils can provide. All projects must commence construction within two years to qualify for funding. Project nominations are now open and councils will need to apply by October 31, 2021 to be considered. For more information visit: www. https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/acceleratedinfrastructure-fund.

More people are shopping and browsing goods and services online then ever before and with COVID-19 this is unliley to change any time soon. EXPO VIRTUAL features a parade of online stalls where potential customers can browse your business. Generate new leads in challenging times.

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Five Guys comes to Penrith HE American burger phenomenon Five Guys has officially opened its doors at Penrith, initially offering takeaway only in COVID restrictions. The initial plans for Five Guys were to open the first store in the CBD, due to COVID, Seagrass and Five Guys have embraced a new strategy. The strategy required major suburban hubs be included during the site selection process, in addition to the CBD. Mr Matthew Leavey, Head of Property for Panthers Group, said: “Panthers is over the moon to partner with Seagrass to bring the first Five Guys to Australia. After a competitive process, we decided that aligning with a strong hospitality leader like Seagrass BHG to be able to introduce

After six months of consideration and research into the vibrant region, Five Guys and Seagrass BHG concluded that Penrith is a dynamic Western hub with growth in the health, education and logistics sectors that demonstrates the future potential of the area and footfall. Tim Andrews, Retail Director Stonebridge Property Group has represented Seagrass in identifying and progressing sites, said: “Both the Panthers Group and

Jacque Parker.

Buger options at Five Guys.

an iconic international brand like Five Guys to Penrith was in the best interest of our members and community”.

Seagrass have tremendous confidence that Penrith and Panthers will be an outstanding Five Guys location”. The restaurant is adjacent to the first Krispy Kreme store in Australia, next door to the Panthers League Club and in between KFC and McDonalds, stretching along Mulgoa Road, one of the busiest roads in Western Sydney, pulling in over 40,000 vehicles a day. The location is an impressive high visibility free-standing site facing Mulgoa Rd. Several additional sites are also under consideration. Seagrass will continue to pursue premium locations in the CBD with high visibility, foot traffic, and the core corridor from Circular Quay to Darling Harbour and Broadway.

Demand for buyer’s agents soars  PROPERTY | PIA LENARDUZZI HE COVID lockdown may have crippled bujsinesses in Western Sydney, but local buyer’s agents say they have never been busier, with demand for their services increasing throughout the pandemic. Latest data from CoreLogic shows that property values rose by 1.5% for the month of August. This rise was higher than average, but the slowest monthly rise since January. “Lockdowns are having a clear impact on consumer sentiment, however to date the restrictions have resulted in falling advertised listings and, to a lesser extent, fewer home sales, with less impact on price growth momentum,” CoreLogic’s Research Director, Tim Lawless said. “It’s likely the ongoing shortage of prop-

erties available for purchase is central to the upwards pressure on housing.” Jacque Parker, Director of House Search Australia, said buyer’s agents are making it easier for prospective buyers in COVID hotspots to secure homes in a market where stock is limited. “This latest lockdown hasn’t had a huge impact on the market, given there is still strong demand,” Ms Parker said. “Not as many vendors are listing, which is the biggest change that we’ve noticed. “We are definitely giving our clients the edge, particularly those that live in local government areas (LGA) of concern, where their movement is limited. “We can get out and inspect a property on their behalf, which is saving them a lot of time and helping them secure their home off-market or at online auctions.”

According to Domain, Sydney auction clearance rates in August remained above 80%, compared to 61% this time last year. “In Western Sydney, particularly the Hills District, a free-standing house with decent land size is still important to buyers, as well good school catchment areas and proximity to transport,” Ms Parker said. “There are still opportunities for first home buyers to get into the market, but for free standing houses under the $1million mark, we’re seeing people searching further afield out of Sydney and considering other areas, including the Blue Mountains and Central Coast.” Pia Lenarduzzi is studying Media and International Studies at UNSW and holds a Certificate of Registration in Real Estate. Linkedin: Pia Lenarduzzi

DON’T LOOK EAST WHEN YOU CAN FIND IT ALL HERE Whatever business you’re in, Penrith has what you need. Discover more at penrithproud.com.au

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Forget Perisher now it’s… Snow at Penrith all year round  TOURISM | DALLAS SHERRINGHAM ENRITH might be the hottest place in Sydney, but it will soon become the “Perisher of the West” when Australia’s first indoor snow and ski resort opens in 2024. Currently a horse paddock in the Riverlink Tourism Precinct, the proposal has successfully passed through Penrith City Council. In a win for tourism in Western Sydney, Council endorsed the planning proposal to build the innovative winter sporting facility which will be a benchmark for tourism in the region. Winter Sports World site owner and developer Peter Magnisalis said he was excited to work collaboratively with the council and the NSW Planning Department on finalising plans for Australia’s first indoor snow resort and alpine winter attraction. The development proposal was supported in principle by councillors, who voted in favor of Cr John Thain’s motion of six amendments to the plan. Mr Magnisalis praised Penrith Council for supporting one of the largest tourism developments in the area’s history. “Penrith has billed itself as the `Adventure Capital’. It’s great to see that the council has embraced that adventure. It’s going to be a thrilling – and cool – ride.’’ Using real snow, the $300m development proposed: • A 300m advanced run for experienced athletes and a dedicated learn to ski run. • Olympic sized ice rink. • Competition venue for figure, ice hockey, speed skating and alpine skiing. • Ice climbing for mountaineer training. • 4.5-star 120-room hotel. • Restaurant and cafes with snow views. • Fine dining revolving restaurant. Currently a 2.35ha horse paddock located within the vibrant Riverlink Tourism Precinct on the banks of the Nepean River, the site would also include a Winter Wonderland snow play area, conference and function rooms. Mr Magnisalis said Winter Sports World would generate 900 new ongoing tourism jobs after construction and inject $80m a year into the local economy with 250,000 visitors annually. “Not only will this be a major new tourist attraction for Western Sydney right on the doorstep to a new international airport it will be the first indoor snow resort and alpine winter attraction in Australia,’’ he said.

Artist impressions of the competed development.

In the immediate and long-term, Winter Sports World would: • Help Penrith Council meets its goal to double visitation and tourism revenue by 2025 • Bolster Penrith as an attractive leisure and tourism destination • Boost confidence in Western Sydney tourism and business • Attract new ventures to the region • Raise the profile of Penrith and Western Sydney domestically and globally • Attract international elite snow and ice athletes and provide a training venue for nine Olympic sports including alpine skiing, freestyle skiing, snow board, figure skating, ice hockey, speed skating and curling with the possibility of also catering for cross country and biathlon. However, Mr Magnisalis said he wanted the development to be accessible and affordable to all. While Australia had about one million regular skiers, of which about 700,000 were in Sydney, another 4.5 million people did not ski because they could not access the snow, he said. “It’s just too hard for them to go there or too expensive so they haven’t been introduced to it.” “I want people who have never skied to come here to learn. I want school and community groups to come here.

“

I want people who have never skied to come here to learn. I want school and community groups to come here.” - Peter Magnisalis. Perfect snow, perfect skies “We will have perfect snow under perfect skies all year round, and Winter Sports World will be the coolest place to hang out on those scorching forty-degree summer days in Penrith.’’ He envisaged that Winter Sports World would become a feeder to established outdoor ski fields like Thredbo and Perisher, rather than a competitor. Mr Magnisalis began developing the idea for Winter Sports World seven years ago and undertook extensive research with architect Tone Wheeler including visiting

Big vision: Peter Magnisalis.

several snow centres around the world before finalising plans. The carbon-neutral design of the development by renowned eco-friendly architecture practice Environa Studio would set new environmental building benchmarks with features such as the most advanced technology for capturing and reuse of free heat, roof solar system for electrical energy needs, insulation systems, non-toxic cooling and roof water harvesting for snow making. It would also attract visitors to Penrith to experience Australia’s freshest emerging tourist destination just 9km from the country’s newest international airport at Badgerys Creek, which is due to open in 2026. “This is not a local thing. This is a national offering that will attract cashed-up elite sports people and leisure seekers from around the world,’’ Mr Magnisalis said. “I’ve had people tell me that this project is overly ambitious. It is ambitious, but Penrith deserves it. It’s going to change the way people view Penrith.’’ Winter Sports World would strengthen Penrith’s tourism offering, particularly along the Riverlink precinct between activity attractions at Penrith Panthers and the Nepean Belle Paddlewheeler, Mr Magnisalis said. It would also help provide the ``missing link’’ between Sydney Zoo and Raging Waters Sydney at Eastern Creek and Scenic World at Katoomba in the Blue Mountains, he said. “Located just off the motorway, Winter Sports World will give a reason for more people to stop and experience Penrith.” “It’s the happening location. It’s where the action and people are. That’s what gives us the confidence to invest $300M.’’ Construction will hopefully commence next year subject to planning approvals, with Winter Sports World expected to open in winter 2024. NEPEAN BUSINESS ACCESS SEPTEMBER 2021

About Us As one of 11 Regional Academies of Sport geographically spread across NSW, the Western Sydney Academy is focused on providing holistic development programs for local western Sydney athletes aspiring to reach the pinnacle of their chosen sport. The Academy sits within Sport Australia’s formally recognised athlete development pathway – known as the FTEM Model (Foundation/Talent/Elite/Mastery) – at the talent identification and development level. The Academy engages with State Sporting Organisations, State and Local Government, and a number of other key stakeholders to plan and deliver talent identification and development opportunities. Our holistic programs are predicated on three platforms – technical, education and personal development. As a not-for-profit organisation with a voluntary Board of Directors, the Academy relies on the support of these stakeholders to ensure the delivery of our programs is effective and aligned with each sport’s development pathway. Currently, the Academy provides scholarships to over 150 talented young athletes across a range of sports, including:

Academy Alumni Over our 17 years of providing opportunities for talented young athletes in western Sydney, we have been fortunate to have assisted a number of exceptionally successful athletes. While we don’t claim to have made these famous Alumni what they are today, we take great pride in having provided fundamental knowledge and skills which better prepared them for their journey to success. Some of our most celebrated Alumni include: Jessica Fox (Slalom Canoe/Kayak) Ian Borrows (Slalom Canoe/Kayak) Amanda Spratt (Road Cycling) Taylah Tsitsikronis (Softball) Rachel Lack (Softball)

Triple Olympian & World Champion Olympian Triple Olympian Olympian Olympian

BMX – Cycling – Golf – Lone Star – Netball Umpiring – Netball – Softball – Rowing – Triathlon – Rugby Union For more information about the Academy and our operations, go to www.wsas.com.au or call our office on Tel: 4732 4977

Program News BMX Due to the inability to complete our 2021 program the Academy has decided to extend the BMX program into 2022 for all current squad athletes – and also seek nominations for the regenerated program. Keep an eye on our website for the opening of nominations. Lone Star Our individual athlete “Lone Star” program squad members were recently inducted into the Academy --- with 11 athletes from a range of sports including athletics, fencing and canoe slalom commencing their involvement through educational and personal development opportunities.

Penrith Stadium, 143 Station Street, Penrith NSW @WesternSydneyAcademyOfSport

NEPEAN BUSINESS ACCESS SEPTEMBER 2021

Rugby Union In an exciting initiative involving western Sydney junior clubs, a rugby union program will commence as soon as health restrictions allow, with over 120 nominations for male and female squad members received for this new program. Triathlon Our Triathlon program got underway with an induction meeting in September, and our high performance coaching staff will be delivering the program’s technical and personal content in the near future.

P 02 4732 4977

@westsydacademy

E natalie@wsas.com.au

@WesternSydneyAcademyOfSport

www.wsas.com.au @westsydacademy

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Brilliant packaging concept

Couple’s idea saving the planet  INNOVATION | DALLAS SHERRINGHAM ERO Packaging is one of those great ideas that came to a young couple as their online business was booming. Anaita Sarkar and Vik Dave were shipping over 80-100 products a day - in plastic. When they would see their customers opening their packages, they started to feel incredibly horrified at the amount of waste they were creating. The real cherry on top of the plastic pie was when their two girls were in their office during school holidays and were sitting amongst a pile of plastic, playing with the bubble wrap. They knew there had to be something better. They Googled alternatives to plastic mailers and the only solution they could find was paper-based packaging. It was a great idea, but not waterproof so it wouldn’t work for their products. “During our research, we had come across companies across the world doing amazing things for sustainability, like turning pineapple leaves into leather, but there wasn’t a single eco-friendly solution to replace plastic shipping mailers,” Anaita said. “From that moment, we were on a mission to create that solution. And after testing a bazillion different materials, we found a material that was compostable, but also waterproof, super durable and acted like plastic in the shipping process, but would break down in a compostable environment.” Now, imagine the potential around the world. If a small business ships, on average, 10 orders a day, it can prevent the size of two championship-sized tennis courts worth of plastic from entering landfill or our oceans. One small business making 10 orders a day produces about 368sqm of packaging waste every year. The sheer impact of eradicating plastic from online retailers in there shipping process, is set to grow as Anaita and Vik set their sights on global expansion.

Fueled by COVID “Online retail is growing exponentially fast, partly fueled by Covid, and we think e-commerce packaging is a really key issue that is flying under the radar simply because the volume of online retail packaging is not as visible as the use of plastic in physical retail stores, restaurants and supermarket,” Anaita said. “So, that’s where we’ve decided to focus our energy: on the packaging and shipping process for small to large e-commerce businesses.” “We have learnt along the way that recycling is not enough. You see, 90% of plastics and food scraps end up in landfill and in that environment, they produce methane which is a deadly enemy of our Planet,” Vik said.

Imagine the potential…. IF a small business ships, on average, 10 orders a day, it can prevent the size of two championship-sized tennis courts worth of plastic from entering landfill or our oceans. “So, we decided to specialise in mailers that were certified home compostable, but also made from such materials that if they ended up in landfill, they would still break down with no micro plastics and no waste.” Hero Packaging was Australia’s first Australian owned and certified retail compostable company and have just celebrated their three-year anniversary. Their year on year growth is currently sitting at 212% , and another 122% growth is forecast for 2022. With 23,000 customers, their bigger clients include Cue, Veronica Maine,

Anaita Sarkar and Vik Dave.

Beginning Boutique, Apero Label, Ripcurl, ZaneRobe, Lush Cosmetics, Piping Hot, Moana Bikini and Wests Tigers.

Experts in the space Not only are the Founders of Hero Packaging composting ambassadors, they’re also simply good at business. With more than 20 years of experience in the ecommerce industry, Anaita and Vik are experts in this space and know what works and what doesn’t. Vik has worked in sales, marketing and ecommerce his entire working life. From starting in door-to-door sales through to the Head of ecommerce of one of the largest online retailers in Australia, where he increased sales by two and a half times in his five-year period there. Vik has been involved in every aspect of sales and marketing from both a faceto-face perspective and online. If there’s

something you want to know about marketing or ecommerce - ask Vik. Anaita’s path to ecommerce guru was a bit different. Growing up in a family that owned a small business, Anaita began her working career behind the reception desk and she therefore fully understands the challenges small businesses face on a daily basis. After studying a Bachelor of Commerce, specialising in Accounting, Anaita soon realised the accounting industry wasn’t for her and moved into media. Within her first year she was promoted twice and began presenting at meetings whilst a junior, which at the time was not standard practice. In 2013 Anaita began guest lecturing marketing subjects at Macquarie University and while pregnant with her second child, Anaita started her first ecommerce business Olivia & Co (now exited). Anaita is also author of the digital marketing book Sell Anything Online.

Workers who may have missed payments ANY workers living in the Western Sydney region and who sustained a workplace injury between October 2012 and October 2019 may have missed out on important payments. The State Workers Compensation manager icare has encouraged more than 35,000 workers from the Western Sydney to have their past compensation payments reassessed to ensure they have received the correct entitlements. A review of weekly payments between 2012 and 2019 has revealed NSW workers injured at work should come

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forward to see if they are owed money on their workers compensation payments. A spokesman said identified workers would have received a letter from icare outlining the reassessment process for a review within the below council areas: • City of Parramatta. • Blacktown City Council. • Cumberland City Council. • Lithgow City Council. • Blue Mountains City Council. • Penrith City Council.

A review of historic payments has indicated earnings information used to determine weekly compensation payments was in some cases not provided to the insurer at the time. A review of historic payments has indicated earnings information used to determine weekly compensation payments was in some cases not provided to the insurer at the time. For more information visit www.icare.nsw.gov.au/assessment or call 02 6714 8003. NEPEAN BUSINESS ACCESS SEPTEMBER 2021

NEPEAN BUSINESS ACCESS SEPTEMBER 2021

COVID

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What businesses are doing to survive or service. This could be the case but true innovation moves beyond new products or services. Ideo – the global design and innovation firm defines innovation simply as: “The ability to generate and execute new ideas”. And therein lies a definition and a lesson for all of us. Innovation can result in the launch of something new but new ideas that are successfully executed also classify as innovation.

 LOCKDOWN | DALE KHOURY S I write this article, I am well aware of the hardships faced by many individuals, families and businesses as Greater Sydney moves towards its ninth week of lockdown. In many parts of our great State, employees have been stood down and businesses mothballed as owners come to terms with the challenges of running a business in the face of COVID-induced uncertainty. The 2020 lockdown, in some ways proved to be the curtain raiser for this more extensive, harder lockdown. But, if there are any silver linings to look for, the fact that businesses were forced to become more agile and more focussed in the first lockdown can surely count as one. In the segment of the market that I focus on (mid-market businesses across Sydney and Greater Western Sydney) I have seen a number of businesses deploy differing strategies and tactics to see them through these economic challenges. Businesses in 2020 were focussed on employee wellbeing and safety, cash flow forecasting and negotiating with key stakeholders – landlords, suppliers and funders. We also saw a radical increase of board involvement in business decisions – both to (probably) support CEOs navigate the uncharted waters, but also a measure of stronger corporate governance. This lockdown is different. The financial pressures are exacerbated given there is no JobKeeper-like package (although smaller State and Federal packages are available to individuals and businesses) and the Delta infection rate remains stubbornly high despite very limited community interaction.

But, on the other side of the ledger there is a sense of familiarity about what lockdown means, how it feels and what we can expect from the economy when we emerge. The rapid rebounding of many parts of the Australian economy after the pandemic’s first wave has given businesses and business owners hope and to some extent, confidence that while times are tough now, the Australian economy is resilient, and things will get better. It is for this reason that many business leaders are looking over the parapet and investing in innovation. There is a renewed focus on post-pandemic business strength. This more often than not is manifesting in doing things better – or innovation. I recently gave a lecture to the MBA students at the Macquarie Graduate School of Management. This is something I have now done for a few years, and every year, the topic of innovation is raised – probably because it is such a well-known, but poorly understood concept. Many people believe innovation necessitates the launch of a new product

Putting the customer first Businesses can innovate almost any aspect of their business or operating model. Think process innovation, price innovation, brand innovation – and the list goes on. Through the challenges of the pandemic, I have been fortunate enough to both see clients innovate and help them design and implement innovations. Recently, I have spent a lot of time working with the CEO and Executive Team at the Rawson Group (the business that builds Rawson and Thrive Homes). “Building better, together” is the Rawson Group’s promise to the market and to deliver on this promise, the Rawson Group has innovated and continues to innovate across many aspects of its business. As with many large organisations that deal with multiple stakeholders across their value chains, Rawson Group identified several innovation opportunities to enhance customer excellence. By putting the customer at the centre of their business, the Group CEO and Executive Team identified a need to streamline

the customer journey, reduce manual and internal processes and provide certainty and clarity of hand-off points to different teams. Fundamentally, these innovations were aimed at reducing complexity – and with that, increasing customer NPS and reducing cost to operate. Is it working – early results are promising. Doug Phillips (Rawson’s General Manager for Sales & Marketing) says year to date sales are ahead of budget, double those of the prior year – and the organisation is winning market share too. There are many case studies like that of the Rawson Group. If I look across the projects I have delivered over the years, here are the key takeaways: • Organisational alignment greatly enhances the probability of successful innovation. But it should start at the top • There is value to be had by starting small – identify complex or convoluted processes and start from there. Bank the wins along the journey • Leverage existing, or consider investing in technology to drive efficiency and scale. Break the nexus between revenue growth and headcount growth • There are always innovation (or continuous improvement) opportunities – truly innovative companies consider innovation to be part of BAU Dale Khoury is a partner at KPMG and leads its mid-market advisory practice in Parramatta. Dale’s areas of expertise are in strategy development and implementation, operational improvement, finance optimisation and governance. E: dkhoury@kpmg.com.au

Local entertainment during LOCKDOWN Watch locally made ﬁlms. Stay up to date on infrastructure. Watch proﬁles of regional leaders. www.netwerx.tv

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ENTERTAINMENT CENTRAL West HQ’s CEO recounts how it evolved into reality  ENTERTAINMENT | JADE HOBMAN F you had the choice to invest $18M or $100M of your business capital into a bold new venture, rife with critics, what would be your pick? West HQ’s CEO Richard Errington chose the latter, and hasn’t looked back, citing the recreation hub’s Sydney Coliseum as being a much-needed entertainment boon. “We have built a theatre for the people of Western Sydney, who would have never gone to the arts, never gone to the city to see a live production, and we have given that opportunity with not one cent of government money, for such a big community,” Mr Errington said. Before the theatre idea was conceived, Mr Errington and the management at the formerly named Rooty Hill RSL, had already taken the view that the club needed to evolve into something bigger. A recent IBISWorld market research report said RSL clubs have faced significant challenges, even within the last five years– from regulators, bars, pubs, online sports betting companies, and declining alcohol consumption. “If we just remained a small suburban licenced club we were going to become irrelevant to future community needs,” Mr Errington said. “And we knew entertainment would be relevant to all ages, and all nationalities.”

Above: drone view of West HQ and below, CEO Richard Errington.

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Barangaroo So a ‘Barangaroo of Western Sydney’ dream started with a premise of what the community needed, in a meeting at the Rooty Hill RSL in 2012. The team had been inspired by the former disused container terminal, turned top eatery, and arts hub, Barangaroo on the western waterfront of Sydney’s CBD. Mr Errington said they were impressed about how quickly it transitioned into the go-to destination it has been. And so they wanted to do the same revamp for the west, adding extensive key services to their business in Rooty Hill, including brand restaurants typically found at Barangaroo–plus entertainment. So from what started out as an $18M, 1000-seat entertainment expansion idea eventually extended into a $100M, 2000seat plan, as the club realised, via talks with industry insiders, how much Western Sydney lacked a large entertainment area to that scale. “We found that west of the Anzac bridge, there was nothing that had 2000 seats, excluding Homebush,” Mr Errington said. “The ability to have things like opera, Sydney symphony, Australian Ballet, musical theatre, bands – the design and our vision expanded and grew.”

Construction of the theatre and the Barangaroo-inspired restaurants was complete by the end of 2019, with the new theatre offering a vast range of entertainment, including space for large banquets and corporate events.

Criticism Now all these activities at the club site were not going by unnoticed. The entertainment industry was enthusiastic with hope, but the plans also faced a large degree of scepticism. Mr Errington said opposition, and uncertainty arose from a range of groups: media, promoters, and other licensed clubs. “We were ridiculed by the industry … there were doubters, who said the people of Western Sydney wouldn’t pay the amount of money to go to the theatre,” Mr Errington said.

If we just remained a small suburban licenced club we were going to become irrelevant to future community needs. And we knew entertainment would be relevant to all ages, and all nationalities.” – Richard Errington. “We had to believe that there was a growing population in Western Sydney, who didn’t want to travel into the city.” “We identified that if we built this, no one in the west would compete or be able to match it, that we would have the ability to become the ultimate entertainment destination.” In 2017 a media report said the project was funded by poker machines, highlighting the social cost for problem gamblers. Mr Errington told the Sydney Morning Herald

that the club would eventually dilute revenue away from poker machines–something he says they were on track to doing before the pandemic hit. “Our aim, through building and diversifying, was taking our reliance off gambling, away from poker machines. We achieved that in the first month–but then we were disrupted with Covid,” Mr Errington said. “Because we were increasing our revenue in more entertainment space, gambling became less of a relevance to our business model.”

The pandemic When Covid hit in 2020 the West HQ venue went from being a bustling hub–with four million visitors annually, to a ghost town–and the theatre was closed for six months. Then after reopening, the business started to slowly recover, and they were managing up to a 60 percent recovery. Now that has been thwarted again with the current lockdown affecting Greater Sydney, now in its seventh week. “We have lost profitability to reinvest, because we have had to call on our reserves to keep us liquid,” Mr Errington said. “It has put our plans back two years, and affected us financially, but because we are large and diverse, we are able to weather the storm.” Despite the misgivings, there are still plans and hopes for future expansion at West HQ, with an idea for a large-scale indoor family entertainment, and plans for a 300-room Pullman Hotel, in preparation for the airport opening at Badgerys Creek.

Artist impressions of the facility in use. NEPEAN BUSINESS ACCESS SEPTEMBER 2021

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Regional Australia offers many popular travel options.

In love with our own backyard  DALLAS SHERRINGHAM NE positive aspect of the COVID-19 pandemic has been the seismic shift in Australians rediscovering their own country. A national survey has found NSW is a top 10 dream destination for an outdoor adventure and revealed locals want to spend time exploring their own backyard. When overseas holidays disappeared literally overnight and cruise ships stopped running, Aussies took to the road in record numbers. Caravan and motorhome manufacturers struggled to meet demand and good second hand caravans were at a premium. Now a Great Outdoors National Survey by Great Northern brewing has revealed 80% of NSW travellers have committed to keep up their camping and caravanning adventures even after international borders reopen. More than half said they would like to spend more time outdoors this year. When asked where they would travel if they could choose anywhere in Australia, NSW respondents nominated holidaying at home with Northern NSW their top spot followed by Southern NSW and the NSW Central Coast.

Great Northern Great Outdoor National Survey top 10 destinations were: 1. Cairns/Far North Qld. 2. Whitsunday region. 3. Sunshine Coast/Noosa region. 4. Uluru/Alice Spring, southern Northern Territory. 5. Kakadu Northern Territory. 6. Gold Coast region. 7. South Australia. 8. Central Victoria and High Country. 9. Northern NSW. 10. Outback Queensland. Ian Giles of Great Northern Brewing Co said the survey results showed the tough circumstances had inspired Australians to get out and really immerse themselves in the natural beauty Australia had to offer. “NSW has some great spots to explore – and the local pubs serve great beer,” Mr Giles said. “The Great Northern survey shows Australians have a renewed interest in their own backyard and we hope this will eventually translate to a financial lifeline for towns across NSW. “We know businesses, pubs and clubs across the state have done it tough so Great Northern Brewing Co has been working to drive tourists back to Australia’s tourism

hotspots since international borders closed. “To get people motivated, we are giving away $26mn worth of BCF vouchers to help fund their passions to get out into the great outdoors. “Camping or caravanning is a great boost to the place where you pitch your tent but along the way travellers stop to buy fuel, pick up groceries, sightsee, enjoy lunch – it’s all the places along the journey, not just the destination, that benefits.”

The national survey also revealed NSW respondents were not only keen to get out and about but wanted to squeeze more activity in with a third of locals wanting to go camping and fishing more often. “Almost 43% of NSW respondents spent between up to $2000 on outdoor equipment, with 22% of that expenditure on camping and fishing gear,” Mr Giles said. “Every person we get out and about, whether it’s a local or a visitor, we hope will pour dollars into the local economy.”

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Time is now to prepare for demand OR the ailing visitor economy to claw back lost ground this Summer, businesses, destinations and governments need to plan now, says NSW Tourism Industry Council. “Spring is in the air and with a significant increase in vaccination rates across NSW, due to hit the seven-million-mark, this signals to the visitor economy it’s time to plan and get ready to reopen, just before the traditional holiday season,” said NSW Tourism Industry Council Executive Manager Greg Binskin. “The latest consumer sentiment report shows people are busy researching and preparing to take a break during the summer holiday periods.” Mr Binskin said. “Now is the time for destinations to prepare and get ready to service the pentup demand created by travel restrictions and border closures. “Destination management is key to success, this will require a collaborative recovery effort with State and local governments, tourist associations, small and large business to work together so they don’t miss the opportunities that will be presented. “Consumers are looking to reconnect with family and friends while dining outdoors, experiencing our natural environment and national parks, take a swim in lakes and rivers, surf at hundreds of east coast beaches or visit the vast array of attractions dotted throughout the state. “With local government playing a major role, will businesses have the flexibility, policies and planning in place to provide outdoor dining opportunities so cafes and restaurants have the additional space to allow people to physically distance and make patrons feel comfortable? Will Councils work in partnership with event organisers

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The popular Three Sisters in the Blue Mountains.

to host major events to attract visitors back to the regions in a COVID Safe way? “Will the enabling infrastructure be ready for full operation, the supply chain of goods and services, road works complete, cycling ways ready, directional signage, accommodation refreshed, beaches safe and ready? Most of all will the visitor economy have the staff levels and customer service skills ready to handle the pent-up demand and reach consumer expectations? “Now is the time to reach out to the local communities and the pending crop of school leavers to get them trained and ready to welcome visitors with local knowledge, warmth and regional hospitality.

“The time is now to prepare so the customers’ expectations are exceeded, they will spread the word and build repeat visitation back to regional NSW again and again. Don’t get caught flat-footed and wait until it’s too late,” Mr Binskin said.

About NSW Tourism Industry Council Powered by Business NSW, the NSW Tourism Industry Council helps businesses operating in the Visitor Economy maximise their potential to ensure New South Wales remains the number one tourism destination in Australia.

Greg Binskin.

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Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings – 4 Stars A new phase for the Marvel Cinematic Universe is heralded by a fun new hero, a strong villain, an exciting film and a hell of a lot of cool action.

HAUN (Simu Liu) and Katy (Awkwafina) are valets in San Francisco, but their normal life is interrupted when Shaun is attacked on the bus by a group of assassins on the hunt for his pendant. Katy is stunned to discover that Shaun is actually Shang-Chi, the son of Xu Wenwu (Tony Leung)–a 1000-year-old power broker, who runs a nefarious organisation with the help of ten magical rings that give him both immortality and unique powers. Shang-Chi, trained to be an assassin by his father after his mother died when he was 7 years old, hasn’t seen his family in years after running away at age 14. But the assassins arrival indicates that his father is on his path, and when he finds out he is also gunning for his sister Xialing (Meng’er Zhang), Shang-Chi and Katy travel to Asia to track her down and protect

her–only to discover that Wenwu’s plans are much more dangerous and destructive than they ever thought. As the first Marvel Cinematic Universe film with an Asian-American lead, Shang Chi is a really exciting piece of cinema that is well acted, serviced by the casting and the scripting. Simu Liu, who campaigned very publicly for the role, is magnetic as Shang-Chi, and solidly defines himself as an ‘above the marquee’ title star. Awkwafina is hilarious as Katy, and her performance (along with the strong script writing in her department). Perhaps the most impressive performance on display though is in the villain department. Many of the MCU films have been criticised for middling antagonists, but Tony Leung, who is an incredibly wellknown thespian in Asia, tackles the role with

aplomb, creating a lasting legacy as the real Mandarin that is impressive and constantly engaging. The script gives these actors plenty of moments to flesh out the actual emotionality of the story, and bring real pathos to some of the action scenes. But it’s not all talk–Shang Chi also brings the action, in new and exciting ways when compared with the rest of the MCU ilk. There’s a hell of a lot of incredible kung-fu style action on display here, and it feels new and refreshing in a franchise that too often deals with CGI monsters fighting CGI heroes. It’s great to be able to see some exciting stunt work on display. The visuals also complement the action. The set decoration, the costuming, and even the CGI is fresh and vibrant, with a mix of exciting colours and patterns, as well as

some whimsical and amazing creatures. It’s a beautiful film to watch, and that sucks you into this world all the more. Faults only appear in terms of the story and the structure. For a franchise that is moving towards the exciting possibilities offered by the multiverse, there are elements of this film that seem played out–there’s a lot of Thor’s DNA here for example. Then again, there’s something nice about the comfort of seeing a story we love told again well, and with diverse new faces. Shang-Chi is a welcome big screen gem from Marvel, that will breed excitement for where the MCU goes post-Avengers. Reviews by Jacob Richardson Creative Director | Film Focus www.filmfocusau.com

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Joe Bell – 3 Stars A semi-biopic that tugs on the heartstrings, while not necessarily practicing what it preaches. OE Bell (Mark Wahlberg) is walking across America–end destination; New York. Accompanying him seems to be his son Jadin Bell (Reid Miller), as he journeys across the country spreading an anti-bullying message at town halls, schools and AA meetings. As the movie unfolds, however, we discover that Jadin took his own life. Joe’s walk of penance is murky in its reasoning, his wife Lola (Connie Britton) asking him the point of all of this and him being unable to explain what exactly he is trying to achieve. The film, therefore, is an exploration of Joe’s own reckoning with his guilt, and his redemption. Directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green, Joe Bell is short at 93 minutes and snappy–it never drags, and always holds your interest. It’s also relatively compelling. Our emotions are adeptly pulled at and tugged on in all the right ways throughout the piece, to create a genuine connection with the story and the material. Structurally, the piece intersperses two time periods rather than functioning linearly, which again adds an element of both pathos and intrigue, although outright surprise will be avoided by anyone who has seen the over-expositing trailer. The issues with Joe Bell stem from the

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story itself, and indeed the title gives it away–as much as there is a tragedy in the death of Jadin, the story is fundamentally Joe’s story. Which is counterintuitive to the extreme, given that the film itself has Wahlberg literally lament making Jadin’s story in his lifetime all about Joe, while simultaneously making his afterlife (and this film), all about Joe. Then again, the story necessitates this because the only thing uncommon about this tale is the walk across America from the title character. The fact is, suicide, bullying, and discrimination are all too common to make a feature film out of, and that lends this movie a distinct air of sadness that we need Joe to craft a story out of Jadin. Nevertheless, this is a tight story told with feeling. It features a strong performance from Wahlberg, reminding us that he can act and not just run and shoot guns. It also introduces us to Reid Miller, who is magnetic on screen. Joe Bell does everything right in portraying grief on screen–it’s just a shame that focus is pulled from the tragedy. Reviews by Jacob Richardson Creative Director | Film Focus www.filmfocusau.com

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Budget-minded Hyundai Kona Standard Range twins drop price, power and range  CALLUM HUNTER YUNDAI Motor Company Australia (HMCA) has doubled the size of its local Kona electric portfolio with the addition of two new ‘Standard Range’ variants to complement what are now known as the ‘Extended Range’ duo. With prices now starting from $54,500 plus on-road costs for the Standard Range Elite and $58,000 for the Highlander, the Kona Electric’s entry price has come down $7500, making the range, as Hyundai puts it, “more accessible than ever”. Consistent with the lower price and new nomenclature, headline figures of the Kona Electric Standard Range have been reduced compared to Extended Range variants, which were previously known as just Kona Electric. Instead of the familiar 64kWh battery, 150kW/395Nm outputs and 484km claimed range, the Standard Range variants are powered by a 39.2kWh battery and a 100kW/395Nm electric motor, resulting in a reduced range of up to 305km, according to Hyundai. As a bonus, HMCA has also reduced the pricing of Extended Range variants by $1500 for the Elite and $2000 for the Highlander to now start from $60,500 and $64,000 respectively. HMCA chief executive officer Jun Heo said this is just one of the ways the brand is “leading Australia’s charge towards a greener transport future”. “The new Kona Electric Standard Range gives customers zero-emissions electric motoring in an attractive, sporty and practical small SUV, and at more accessible price,” He said.

Leadership for eco cars “It is Hyundai’s intention to establish leadership for eco cars in Australia. We already have the most diverse range of electrified vehicles including Kona Electric, NEXO our hydrogen-powered SUV, and the soon to launch game-changing Ioniq 5.” While the Standard Range Konas may feature lesser mechanicals to their more expensive counterparts, no features have been omitted from the equipment list. For the Elite grade, this means both the Standard and Extended Range versions come with 17-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry, a 10.25-inch digital cockpit and infotainment system, eight-speaker Harman/Kardon audio system, wireless phone charging, satellite navigation, climate control, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and leather appointed upholstery, among other features.

As before, the Highlander nameplate ups the ante with a head-up display, LED head- and tail-lights, glass sunroof, ambient lighting, heated and ventilated front seats with power adjustment, a heated steering wheel and an auto-dimming rearview mirror. Standard safety tech on all Kona Electrics is accounted for by the SmartSense suite, comprising of blind-spot collision-avoidance assist, driver attention warning, forward collision-avoidance assist, lane following assist, lane-keeping assist, rear cross-traffic collision avoidance assist, rear occupant alert, safe exit warning and adaptive cruise control.

HMCA launched its facelifted Kona Electric earlier this year and nudged the price up accordingly given the extra standard gear included and the 35km range improvement. So far in 2021, the brand has sold 8858 Konas (petrol and EV) as of July 31, accounting for 11.5 per cent of the sub$40,000 compact SUV segment.

2022 Hyundai Kona Electric pricing* Standard Range Elite (a) $54,500 Standard Range Highlander (a) $58,000 Extended Range Elite (a) $60,500 Extended Range Highlander (a) $64,000 *Excludes on-road costs

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All-new Mitsubishi Outlander arrives in November, PHEVs to follow early next year  CALLUM HUNTER ITSUBISHI Motors Australia Limited (MMAL) has announced the pricing and specification highlights of its new-generation Outlander SUV ahead of its local showroom arrival in November, bearing a starting price of $34,490 plus on-road costs. Riding on a new platform, flaunting a radical new look and powered by a new engine, the MY22 Outlander will following its predecessor’s tyre tracks and be offered in both five- and seven-seat guises, each with the option of all-wheel drive. Nine variants will be on offer to begin with before the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) versions touch down early next year. The nine variants are spread across five trim levels, starting with the ES and stretching up to the flagship Exceed Tourer ($49,990), comprising two five-seaters, five AWDs and a septuplet of seven-seaters. All-wheel-drive versions carry a $2500 premium over the two-wheel drives, with all variants sharing the same 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, developing 135kW/245Nm. Irrespective of the drive type, power is sent to the road via a continuously variable transmission (CVT) with eight pre-determined ratios on hand for when drivers want to take matters into their own hands via the paddle-shifters. Fuel economy across the range varies from 7.5L/100km in the two-wheel-drive ES up to 8.1L/100km in the Exceed and Exceed Touring on the ADR cycle. Riding on 18-inch alloy wheels as standard, the ES trim level comes with fabric upholstery, a 9.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 7.0-inch TFT driver’s display, dual-zone climate control, five or six drive modes (FWD vs AWD), reversing camera, hill descent control, adaptive cruise control and an electric park brake with auto hold function. Stepping up to the better-equipped LS adds silver bumper garnishes, rear prvacy glass, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, keyless entry, wireless phone charging, powered tailgate, auto-diming rearview mirror, automatic headlamps, LED fog lamps, rain sensing wipers and heated wing mirrors.

Went several steps further Building on everything mentioned previously, the Aspire roll on 20-inch alloys and features Microsuede/synthetic leather upholstery, powered driver’s seat adjustment, heated front seats, a 12.3” digital instrument cluster, head-up display, NEPEAN BUSINESS ACCESS SEPTEMBER 2021

adaptive self-levelling headlights with and a 360-degree camera. Towards the top of the tree, the Exceed goes several steps further with leather upholstery, memory function for both front seats, a panoramic sunroof, a Bose premium sound system, tri-zone climate control, integrated rear sun shades and colour-coded exterior front, side and rear lower garnishes. The Exceed Tourer’s kit list reads much the same as the Exceed, but adds a two-tone exterior body colour, two-tone high-grade leather upholstery and massaging front seats. Describing the new Outlander as “the best-equipped vehicle the company has

ever sold in Australia”, MMAL said it was “was crafted under the design language of ‘I-Fu-Do-Do’, which means ‘authentic and majestic’ in Japanese”. “Mitsubishi’s all-new flagship boasts a newly developed platform and powertrain, bold and distinctive exterior styling and a refined and serene interior with high-end finishes and thoughtful engineering touches throughout,” a local spokesperson said. “Outlander also features more standard driver connectivity and driver assistance features and a re-engineered, upgraded version of the brand’s signature Super Allwheel Control (S-AWC) all-wheel drive system.”

In addition to the extra surety of the allwheel-drive system – on some variants – all Outlanders come with the latest suite of airbags and driver assist systems including driver attention alert, forward collision mitigation with cyclist detection and junction assist, blind spot warning with brake assist, emergency lane change alert with brake assist, trailer stability assist, lane departure warning and lane departure prevention with more features added at each trim level. A few extra safety gismos are added to the mix on the LS, including rear automatic emergency braking and rear cross-traffic alert, which are also included as standard on the higher grades. Despite being a bit long in the tooth now, the current Outlander has continued to find favour with new SUV buyers, accounting for 8.9 per cent of the sub$60,000 mid-sized segment with 8264 sales so far this year ending July 31.

2022 Mitsubishi Outlander pricing* ES 5-seater (a) $34,490 ES 5-seater AWD (a) $36,990 ES 7-seater (a) $35,490 LS 7-seater (a) $37,990 LS 7-seater AWD (a) $40,490 Aspire 7-seater (a) $41,490 Aspire 7-searer AWD (a) $43,990 Exceed 7-seater AWD (a) $47,990 Exceed Tourer 7-seater AWD (a) $49,990 *Excludes on-road pricing

WESTERN SYDNEY

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Lowest unemployment figures for 13 years BUT they disguise a country divide  JODIE PATRON HE latest ABS jobs data shows state variations, driven by the latest COVID-19 lockdowns which have again divided the economy. This month: There were 36,000 fewer people employed in NSW (the only state to have fewer people employed currently compared to pre-pandemic March 2020); in contrast, there were 16,000 more people employed in Victoria, 11,000 more employed in SA and 6,000 more employed in WA. Across the nation, there were 22,000 more males were employed, while there were 19,000 fewer females employed. Today’s data suggests that the national labour market as a whole remains fairly strong. The unemployment rate fell further, sitting at 4.6 percent, the lowest it has been for 13 years. Employment saw another increase, with 2,200 more people in a job compared to last month and the proportion of the population employed remaining close to its June high of 63 percent (dropping slightly to 62.9 percent). But, scratching the surface shows this positive headline isn’t all it seems, and isn’t uniform across the economy. While overall employment remained strong, the number of people in the labour market fell, which accounted for most of the fall in unemployment. Notwithstanding this fall, the overall national participation rate is still sitting at a relatively strong 66 percent. Hours worked were the key problem however, with NSW the problem area. The Sydney lockdown in July saw total hours worked across the Nation fall further, by 3.1 million hours. NSW hours fell by 7 percent or 40.5 million hours – offsetting the gain in hours across the rest of Australia. In NSW, over July, more than 600,000 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 or bad weather’. There were also an additional 90,000 people on leave compared to July last year. Victoria, by contrast, was a bright spot. Following the significant fall (1.8 percent or 39.6 million) in hours worked in June

as a result of the Victorian lockdown, July’s rebound saw hours worked in Victoria more than recovering from its June slide. There were more than 270,000 less people indicating 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 or bad weather’ in Victoria in July compared to June. There were also 24,000 less people on leave compared to July last year. Underemployment was again a problem, deteriorating in July, reaching 8.3 percent, reflecting the fall in hours worked and the effects of the lockdowns. Again, NSW was the problem area, with its underemployment figure rising to 9.3 percent, overshadowing the improvement

in Victoria, where underemployment fell from 10.1 percent to 8.2 percent. WA and Tasmania were the only other two states that saw an improvement in underemployment over the month. Overall, there were 646,000 people in Australia who worked fewer hours than normal in July because they had no work or not enough work – 126,000 more than in June. There were also around 190,000 more people on leave compared to July last year. In conclusion, while we saw a strengthening economy in the June labour market data, the July data shows how quickly this can reverse when lockdowns are implemented across the nation. The impacts of the more stringent lockdowns across Sydney, and the new

lockdowns across the broader NSW state, and in many of the other states and territories, will come through in next month’s data release. Yet there is still some positive context. Even with these ups and downs detailed in today’s figures, the Australian economy shows remarkable resilience in the face of challenges posed by lockdowns. Despite lockdowns in our largest state, hours worked in July 2021 remained above Australia’s pre-pandemic figure in March 2020. First published on KPMG Newsroom by Jodie Patron, Senior Economist, KPMG Australia on 19 August 2021.

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Recession avoided as GDP takes a surprise upswing, but next quarter looks bleak  DR BRENDAN RYNNE HE Australian economy continues to surprise on the upside, with GDP growth in the June quarter recording 0.7 percent – marginally higher than both KPMG estimates and market expectations. A technical recession has been avoided, although the next quarter looks bleak, and the anticipated December quarter recovery is very dependent on the speed of lockdowns ending. Household consumption (+$3.0 bn) and government spending ($1.3 bn) were the heroes of the June quarter, with these two categories alone driving more than half of the 1.7 percent uplift in domestic demand for the 3 months to June 2021.

Household consumption was boosted by strong income growth, especially for private sector employees, with people spending more and saving proportionately less than in the previous quarter. Current dollar compensation of employees in the private sector rose 1.5 percent compared to 0.7 percent for public sector workers – although over the year public sector workers saw their incomes grow by 4.5 percent compared to 2.9 percent for private sector employees. On trade, exports fell by 2.3 percent and imports increased by 1.5 percent. Net exports came in at around $5bn, a marked change on the March figures where net exports totalled $10bn. The June quarter data also allows a fuller picture of which industries performed the strongest over FY21 and which

ones struggled. The sectors recording the strongest annual growth in industry gross value added were Agriculture (32 percent), Road Transport (8 percent), Forestry and Fishing (7 percent), Metal products (7 percent), Wholesale trade (7 percent), Healthcare (6 percent) and Retail Trade (6 percent). Agriculture benefitted from about a 16 percent in rural commodity prices over the year. Changes in consumer behaviour and spending patterns due to COVID-induced lockdowns explain much of the growth around road transport, wholesale and retail trade and healthcare expenditures; while the growth in forestry and metal products can be ascribed to brought forward construction activity, associated with the HomeBuilder and Instant Asset Write-Off stimulus packages.

KPMG’s short-term economic outlook, however, is not so encouraging, with September quarter economic activity expected to decline in real terms by around -2.6 percent. The more positive news is that the December quarter should show resilience and bounce back – but this is highly dependent on the economy gradually reopening, given the increasing double vaccination rates. Were this opening up of the economy not to occur, then the outlook would be less rosy. Economic growth in the December quarter could potentially be as much as onethird lower than KPMG’s current central case forecasts if restrictions are not eased in line with expected vaccination rates. First published on KPMG Newsroom by Dr Brendan Rynne, Chief Economist, KPMG Australia on 1 September, 2021

A more pragmatic board room approach

 GORDON ARCHIBALD RGANISATOPNS across the world have made strides in remote working and collaboration during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the proliferation of digitisation is creating significant new cyber threats that require radical cultural change at boardroom level. In the Australian market, where speed is critical and regulatory and legislative requirements are increasing, cyber security teams play a critical role. Cyber security teams are responsible for building trust, resilience and forging a pragmatic security culture and helping embed secure by design thinking into every aspect of digital infrastructure and data. To do this, they must be enablers and facilitators, helping others deliver services and brands that deserve cyber trust amongst customers, employees and society at large. A new KPMG report, From enforcer to influencer: Shaping tomorrow’s security team calls on business leaders to ensure cyber security specialists are part of the C-suite decision making process, ensuring digitisation at the heart of their future growth strategies. Here are seven key recommendations:

1. Act like you belong in the C-suite Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) must speak their language, building consensus, demonstrating pragmatism and navigating politics to help leaders understand the cyber implications of their strategic choices. CISOs are becoming public figures, serving as the face of the firm to help build trust and confidence. NEPEAN BUSINESS ACCESS SEPTEMBER 2021

2. Broaden horizons CISOs’ responsibilities are broadening to include safeguarding data, dealing with disruptive events to maintain operational resilience, managing third parties, handling regulatory compliance, and helping to counter cyber enabled financial crime. This demands they forge strong working relationships with other leaders withing the organisation including the Chief Risk Officer (CRO), the Chief Data Officer (CDO) and, of course, the Chief Information Officer (CIO).

3. Weave cyber security into the organisational DNA Today’s CISOs should be sophisticated communicators, working with other business leaders to embed cyber security into the DNA of the organisation. This involves integrating security into governance and management processes, education and awareness, plus establishing the right mix of corporate and personal incentives to do the right thing.

4. Shape the future cyber security workforce CISOs will have to acquire capabilities from outside the organisation, build new partnerships and look for unconventional and diverse talent. In future, we may even see the cyber function becoming far smaller, taking on a strategic and governance role, with cyber security being truly embedded into the business.

repeatable way. It can also help embed security and improve the user experience, as well as reduce the time to respond to a major cyber incident

6. Brace for further disruption We are heading towards a hyperconnected world in which the IoT and 5G networking will massively increase efficiency and enable radically different business models. But this also opens organisations to new attack surfaces and raises privacy concerns — demanding a shift to new, data-centric security models such as zero trust.

7. Strengthen the cyber security ecosystem Organisations are now part of a complex ecosystem of suppliers and partners, tied together through shared data and shared services. Conventional contracts and liability models seem ill-suited to the rapidly evolving supply chain threat, calling for a new partnership approach that brings security to all parties and individuals. CISOs must see themselves as enablers and facilitators, helping others deliver services and brands that deserve cyber trust among customers, employees and society at large. The digital world is part of everyone’s daily life; with the pandemic heightening its importance trust in the robustness and security of systems will make their role more visible and more important.

5. Embrace automation as the rising star Automation can reduce the manual workload and ease skills shortages, bringing in greater efficiency and helping meet growing compliance requirements in a consistent and

First published on KPMG Newsroom by Gordon Archibald, National Lead, Cyber Security Services, KPMG Australia on 12 August, 2021

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Building the indigenous business sector  JOB CREATION | JADE HOBMAN NEW job-creating venture is set to make milestones for regional indigenous people and build up Australia’s independence in manufacturing and defence. Precision Metal Group (PMG) and JNC Group Australia allied together last June in giving a hand up to some of Australia’s most vulnerable living in rural communities. The two companies will combine indigenous-owned JNC’s commercial building and civil contracting experience, with the welding and fabrication expertise of PMG by creating an offshoot company, Indigee Metals. PMG CEO Jason Elias said it all came together in a meeting. “They wanted a more fabrication side to their business, and we wanted to participate in more indigenous programs,” Mr Elias said. “And with all the certifications we had, and the proven track record of indigenous participation that JNC had–it just came relatively easy.” The fresh, new Indigee Metals is a majority indigenous owned and Supply Nation Registered manufacturing company, set to be a propelling force through education and job making within the indigenous communities of NSW and beyond. Mr Elias said their aim is to work with indigenous programs and people within the regions, and cities across the nation. “It’s the collaboration of two proven companies to deliver proven track records with the indigenous participation factor in place.” JNC CEO Jeremy Blanch said the goal was to promote a strong indigenous youth presence within their workforce and ‘providing them real career opportunities through manufacturing’.

The plans are to educate and employ men and women across different communities with apprenticeships, and training, sustaining them in exciting engineering career paths for the long haul, going into the next generation. Indigee metals aims to be a solid pathway to fulfilling JNC’s vision to build a prosperous indigenous business sector, with all the trimmings, and PMG’s bold strategy to bring manufacturing jobs back to locals, indigenous and non-indigenous alike.

Plans to educate There are eight types of industries Indigee Metals will work and make impact in: 1. Defence: providing services for military and navy sectors in welding and onsite machining jobs 2. Infrastructure: fabrication and welding services of steel structures for local, state and federal governments 3. Construction: provide services for the construction market, structural and mechanical 4. Maritime: servicing onsite for machining, welding and maintenance for ships 5. Manufacturing: Nationwide, 24/7 maintenance for manufacturers 6. Mining: delivering services to a few market leaders in mining is underway 7. Rail: new certification is being sought to service the big rail industry 8. Oil and gas: fabrication and maintenance of gas piping networks, and ISO shipping containers So, with Indigee Metal’s recent social media push, and the backing of two expert industry contenders with big dreams. Watch this space. Visit: www.precisionmetalgroup.com

PMG CEO Jason Elias (left) and JNC Group CEO Jeremy Blanch at the launch of their joint company, Indigee Metals at the LandForces Conference.

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COVID vaccination and employment liable at law should the employee suffer any adverse effects. This liability would be until the employee’s death. While the Bill is making it’s way through Parliament, business owner’s should make contact with their local State MP to outline there views on this Bill.

 WORKPLACE | NICHOLAS FISHER S COVID-19 continues to significantly change workplaces and their conditions and practices, more employers are asking what they need to do regarding vaccinations and preparing to come out of lockdown. Some employers have asked if individual flexibility arrangements, commonly referred to as IFA’s, would work with their employees.

What are an employer’s rights? It is unlikely that an employer would use an IFA to require an employee to vaccinate as it is unrelated to an award or enterprise agreement. However, IFA’s are currently being used to introduce mandatory isolation periods and pay, COVID-19 impact allowances, COVID-19 safety measures such as mask wearing/sanitising/ remote working/rostered in office time, and working from home rates/benefits. Where an employer requires an employee’s vaccination data to implement workplace health and safety measures, for example to: • Protect colleagues by outlining who is rostered to share, how many days an employee can be in the workplace, personal protection measures in the workplace • Outline a testing regime e.g., every 72 hours. These types of measures need to be communicated to all employees as the workplace policy position under Work Health and Safety guidelines. IFA’s can be an invaluable tool that might improve job satisfaction and productivity and may prove to be the answer for many employers.

What is an IFA? An IFA is an agreement between an employee and employer that may change the terms of an employee’s award or enterprise agreement. An IFA may be used to change working hours, overtime and loading rates, and allowances, among other things. IFA’s can be implemented any time after employment has begun and can be terminated upon agreement by both parties.

How are IFA’s made? The creation of IFA’s is regulated under Division 5 of the Fair Work Act 2009. IFA’s. They must be genuine agreements, meaning that both parties must voluntarily agree to the IFA’s terms. An employer cannot force signing of an IFA through threats to job security or inducements. It is the Fair Work Ombudsman’s position that employers must ensure that an IFA leaves an employee in a better overall position than they were in before the IFA. IFA’s are to be made on a case-by-case basis: one agreement cannot cover a group of employees.

IFA’s and COVID Whilst IFA’s are a valid tool you need to understand the shifting sands of the public

orders relative to COVID to ensure they are the right tool for you. There has been a lot of media coverage of whether an employer can mandate vaccination in the workplace. Currently, the NSW Government has mandated a minimum of one vaccination to be able to work, under the Public Health Orders guidelines, for Construction, Authorised, Care, Quarantine, Airport and Transport Workers. Some other conditions, such as medical exemptions, also apply to these workers however at present there is no clear guidance to employers regarding refusals. At present there is new legislation proposed that caps the compen-

sation a person receives from complications after a vaccination. In other circumstances your vaccine status is protected to some degree under the Privacy Act 1988. In short, an employer, with a duty of care to all employees, may wish to collect vaccine status. The data collection must abide by all relevant privacy principles, most importantly, how the data will be used. There has also been a bill introduced into NSW Parliament, which would mandate that employers who require their staff to be vaccinated, outside of those covered under the public health order, will become

NB: Nicholas Fisher is an intern at law under the supervision of Katherine Hawes, the Principal Solicitor of Digital Age Lawyers.

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Communication and information as warfare  INFORMATION | MARIO BEKES E know advertisers and politicians try to persuade us to believe a certain viewpoint. The power of communication as a type of warfare is often undervalued. Influencing your ‘enemy’ is a key part of winning any battle. Being able to analyse misinformation has become a critical skill for armies, businesses and citizens alike. You may remember that prior to the invasion of Iraq in 2003, there was a slogan: “Winning hearts and minds in the war on terrorism” that used extensively. The slogan is not the weapon in military terms, it doesn’t cause human fatalities and body injuries. But, communication, translated into carefully chosen words, along with military might, cause a deep emotional effect on military personnel and civilians on other side of the front line. There are so many examples of how leaders, or wannabe leaders, have looked for the most effective ways to influence others through communication (words, public speaking and even subversive methods). One of the first people to document how to influence others was Greek philosopher Socrates, with his ingenious methods of delivering messages to the public. To delve into his students’ view, he would ask them questions until any contradictions were exposed. The Socratic method used typically seeks to ask a series of questions to lead people to think in a certain way. Critical thinking skills are key to effectively resisting this approach. The key objective of communication

“

Never attempt to win by force what can be won by deception.” warfare is to infiltrate the minds of large populations, not just particular groups. The endless possibilities of social media make these processes more powerful and effective. We all enjoy the benefits of connecting with people on social media but have you stopped to think how it may have altered your behaviour, mood and decision making. The work of Nicollo Machiavelli in the 1500s is still relevant when it comes to understanding how communication can be used to influence people. His book, The Prince, has been used for both good and bad for centuries. Machiavelli’s thinking can be summed up by the quotes from the book: “Everyone sees what you appear to be, few experience what you really are” and “Never attempt to win by force what can be won by deception.” Words used in communications can be weaponised with emotions which are designed to lead the listener to create distorted conclusions or perceptions on the topic published.

You should never take this kind of information lightly. It is important to understand the message and learn how to decode the meaning behind it. When making decisions based on communications, decision makers need to recognise misinformation and disinformation to understand not only who said what but why it was said and the choice of language used.

Trying to understand the truth Communications professionals usually adjust words and language to suit particular demographics and countries in order to elicit emotional responses from listeners or readers. Most communication professionals are trying to help people understand the truth. However, when misinformation and disinformation are deliberately used in business communications then the corporate world needs to correctly analyse them. The power of technology is being used

to help create algorithms to categorise and make decisions on information. This has some merit and advantages but a true analysis using human intelligence will provide you with accuracy and source reliability for decision making. Decision making in corporations and the business world, as well in private life, should be based on the reliability of the source and validity of the information. Relying on social media is definitely not a reliable approach. With so much talk about misinformation and disinformation being communicated from previously trusted sources, business need to put more resources into the valuable commodity of information and develop critical thinking strategies. 2021 has taught us that many of the solutions to our problems are best found using new ways of thinking and enhanced risk management tools. Mario Bekes is CEO at Insight Intelligence. www. insightintelligence.com.au

What’s in a name: turns out A LOT  SPORT | BOB TURNER PORT has been a huge part of my life and set a pathway for success in business, relationships, and life in general. Not everyone is a sports lover but even those not enamoured with their sports team would be affected in some way by just the sheer presence and activity of sporting teams. Global organisations like Manchester United, Dallas Cowboys, the New York Yankees have had years of success on and off the grounds to build a following that sometimes goes beyond what might seem common sensical. When Ronaldo recently signed to rejoin Manchester United on what I consider an amazing amount of money, I read those sales of his new MU jersey almost paid for the transfer fee in less than a week. That is what I call consumer sports power. Growing up in Oakland, California, my sports teams needed to aggressively market their existence given the relatively small market compared to LA, Chicago or New York. The owner of the Oakland A’s, Charlie Finlay, opened my eyes to marketing of sport and the avenues he pursued not just to win but to own his ‘Home’ City. He was one of the key marketers of the 1970’s and some of his adventures were legendary like his team playing in White Kangaroo leather shoes, moustache competition for his players and one of my favourites, a cartoon rabbit that popped up out of the ground for the umpire to refresh his supply of baseballs VS the bat boy running out – that was boring to Charlie. When his team won the World Series and cemented their market, he presented every player with a diamond studded ring and the inscription – S + S = Success.

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Lily Homes Stadium.

The S + S was short for ‘Sweat + Sacrifice’. Charlie made inroads to making the city of Oakland – COOL, and this left the Oakland Raiders to market in a similar fashion to own the passion and support of their city, making the residents proud whether they won or lost. Sport has a way of breaking down barriers and opening opportunities, which is far more difficult for music or art. Sport is yearly and consumes great quantities of media space and thus attention from the general public. Venues like the iconic Sydney Opera House are great attractions and it identifies with the city but the sporting venues with multiple activity combined with media and attendance provide a different ball game. The key for venues is to make it easy to attend and an experience to match the sporting activity. When I coached the Canberra Cannons back in the early 1980’s we were fortunate to be one of the few teams to play at a venue that was more than a tin shed. The National Indoor Sports Centre at Bruce was plush but a mouthful to sell

and promote. We needed to liven up the marketing of the venue to become an asset. We changed the name of the venue to ‘The Palace’ in all our marketing. The result was amazing and stimulated a rather sedentary Canberra public with full houses, despite the winter cold. Two years after taking this step, Tom Jones came to town for a concert at our venue. When his marketing said – ‘Tom Jones Live At The Palace’ I knew we had made it.

Jump on the band wagon Cities identify with their sport teams and corporates have proven over time they can successfully jump on the band wagon. The association is not only beneficial for the corporate partner but the combined marketing power only helps to accelerate a team’s marketing and ownership of their city. When I first arrived in Australia to play basketball for the Shoalhaven Chas Tierny Tigers, I asked who or what is Chas Tierny. They were the local car dealer and combined with the team for a double win in the market to sell more cars and sell the

Tigers at the same time. We took this type of association to another level with the Canberra Mazda Cannons and when it came to the Sydney Coca Cola Kings the benefit to both organisations was one of the best for over ten years. Coke had sponsored leagues and/or events but had never sponsored a team. The opportunity we presented was great value and most importantly, the Sydney Kings and their partner Coca Cola were both willing to drive the association. The result on numerous occasions was the media often referring to the team as the Coca Cola Kings. The Kings needed that marketing assistance as they were a relatively new team, not a core sport and its representation covered from Cronulla to Hornsby to Penrith. Blacktown City FC is now able to offer the same opportunity to a corporate with vision to back a team and Naming Rights to their home venue – Currently known as ‘Lily Homes Stadium’. Our city of Blacktown is one of the largest LGA’s in the state and to date has no sporting team they can call their own. Blacktown City FC sees an opportunity to become synonymous with the city. The goal is to earn a status so that when the population says Blacktown City they also consciously or sub-consciously mean Blacktown City FC. Our name says it all but more importantly we have the necessary ingredients of venue, competition status, history, coaching and a 68-year history of success on the field to achieve our goal. Blacktown City FC is determined to achieve that status and as the slogan says – Blacktown City – ‘Always Blacktown – Never Backdown’! Bob Turner is Executive Chairman at Blacktown City FC. Visit: www.bcfc.com.au

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ParramattA

AUGUST 2021 Edition 124

ISSUE 13 | August 2021 | www.parramattatimes.com.au

BUSINESS | LIFESTYLE

T I M E S

HEROS

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Voice of Australia’s most progressive city

Issue 5 | August 2021

Blacktown's LOCAL media voice

Women need more refuges

OLYMPIC

AL LOC NEW

LOCAL ARTIST

THIS EDITION

GOES NATIONAL

Local hero: Rosemary Kariuki.

Married 54 years, they spent their last minutes together: 5

Lockdown: we are here to help. Michelle Rowland: 15

Bianca among team of three to collaborate on BWS rebrand

THIS EDITION

Penrith’s whitewater chamopion, Jessica Fox in action.

Tribute to Western Sydney’s Tokyo Oympics top achievers

ENRITH’S whitewater champion Jessica Fox was the pick of Western Sydney’s athletic achievement achievements at the Tokyo Olympics. Jessica, who was born into Olympic royalty, added the elusive Gold Medal to her long list of

achievements in her final event, the C1 canoe slalom. Jessica’s teammate at Whitewater Club Lucien Delfour finished eighth in his first Olympic final in the men’s k1 after recording a disappointing 17th at Rio 2016. See inside.

INNER WEST LOCAL BUSINESS AWARDS SPECIAL FEATURE

Seek peace in

YOUR HEART

Penthouse living at Epping: 19

ARRAMATTA'S Local Hero of the Year, Rosemary Kariuki has urged men and women to “always seek peace in your heart” and called on governments to open more refuges for women, girls and children, escaping domestic violence. Speaking recently before a large audience at Granville Community Centre for the screening of Rosemary’s Way, a documentary film recounting how she gave hope to migrant women hurt and abused by their husbands or partners, Ms Kariuki said women in violent relationships should “walk away and just don’t come back.” Full story page 11.

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toE 2022, 2 3Postponed SEPTEMB R 2021 due to COVID restrictrions. C L U B P A R R A M AT TA Refer to website for details.

CONNECT & GROW YOU AND YOUR BUSINESS IN PARRAMATTA & WESTERN SYDNEY

Jessica lives up to her potential. Exclusive interview with Olympics star: 27

WS has unveiled new outfits for its 9000 store team members nationally after collaborating with three Australian designers. Team members will get to choose which artist’s designs to adorn their t-shirts as part of a wider revamp of BWS work wardrobes. “We want our team members to feel empowered and wear clothes that reflect their personality and style,” said BWS Managing Director Scott Davidson about the new initiative. Blacktown artist and designer Bianca Beers is an independent artist and designer specialising in digital illustration and was chosen as one of the three designers for the collaboration. More page 5.

Kate's coffee invention proves a winner: 13

How to avoid the COVID kgs: 15

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