Western Sydney Business Access (WSBA) - September 2020 edition by Access News Australia (ANA)

WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS

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SEPTEMBER 2020 ISSUE 113

Western Sydney's most sought-after business publication W

i ns

ACCOUNTANTS IN COVID What concerns them about their clients: 2

CHARITIES RECOGNISED Hills venue delivers new take on fine dining: 6

KPMG FAMILY BUSINESS How the next generation will help families thrive: 34

CELEBRATE!

JOHN MELLOR'S GO-AUTO MG Motor Australia adds second compact SUV: 54

AS the CEO of event management company Precedent Productions, Steve Lowe, has presided over 1,020 awards ceremonies, handed out 31,500 trophies and created more than 100 awards programs. SEE PROFILE PAGE 15

Business of Family Master Classes How can you grow your family business, while balancing the needs of the business and the family?

Find out more at KPMG.com/au/businessoffamily

Share your vision, develop your plan!

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Number crunchers to emotional props  LAWRENCE MACHADO CCOUNTANTS are usually seen as number crunchers and problem solvers able to detach themselves emotionally from the businesses they work with. However, Covid 19 has revealed another side to them with many adding vital emotional support to their financial acumen to help businesses and owners navigate these uncharted waters. Chartered accountant Vishnu Naidu, who runs Your Business Group at Parramatta, said it has been very draining for both his clients and his team as their clients struggle with cash flow, paying their salaries and bills and no revenue and ability to service their clients. "The past three months have been very stressful and I haven't been able to switch off, being there for my clients at all times," Mr Naidu said. “Accountants are much more than number crunchers, which is just one small aspect of what we do. "Some of my clients have been very emotional and are forced to close their businesses for now. We can see the impact it is having on their personal lives.” Naomi Mitchell, a partner with KPMG Enterprise, said her firm is helping many clients in the mid- market sector in many ways. She said their clients have major concerns in getting the capital to keep going, having their supply lines staying open,

keeping a fine family balance and even ensuring their staff can work remotely. Ms Mitchell said the important thing they can do is to listen to their clients. “While many businesses are finding themselves in survival mode, others have started to look towards the future,” she said. “As businesses begin to adjust to this new normal, opportunities will open for them to continue to thrive in a post COVID19 world. “The tendency for family businesses to pull together in times of crisis stands them in good stead.” Mr Naidoo said federal and state governments have provided vital relief for businesses. "As a member of the Parramatta Chamber of Commerce board and committees, I help businesses in retail and Eat Street, even though they are not my clients because that's what you do for people,” Mr Naidu said. "Some of them said they haven't been able to meet their accountants. Emotionally, it’s always been about people for me, not just money and I want to encourage and support them.” “It’s been a mixed bag for our clients during Covid19 with some even doing very well while others are struggling.” His company has also seen a reduction in revenue but Mr Naidoo says helping their customers, is most important. “We live in a very lucky country where the government is here to support the people and many countries don’t receive anything near to what we are getting,” Mr Naidoo said. Ms Mitchell said there are a lot of businesses which are private, but family

Biggest concerns of their clients

Naomi Mitchell 1. Accessing capital they need to stay afloat. 2. Keeping supply lines open and making sure employees can work remotely. 3. Balancing increased family demands (I.e. balancing running a business and caring for their households). owned and there is a correlation with the health of the business and that of the families. "We find that we must not jump in and try to solve the problems,” said Ms Mitchell, who has a wealth of Australian tax consulting, advisory and compliance experience in numerous industries.

CONTENTS

COVER: Image shows a Local Business Awards event by Precedent Productions held in Western Sydney. See page 15 for proﬁle of CEO, Steve Loe.

NEWS NEWSBYTES SOCIAL PENRITH CHAMBER COVID-19 UPDATE COVER STORY HILLS BUSINESS AWARDS TRAVEL FAMILY BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY BLACKTOWN BUSINESS AWARDS RECRUITMENT CROSSWORDS MOTORING

2 4 6 7 10 15 17 25 34 36 37 52 53 54

Vishnu Naidu 1. Inability to generate revenue and service their customers. 2. Lack of cash flow. 3. Unable to pay salaries and business expenses. "We listen to the clients. People love hearing that they are not the only ones going through this. Ms Mitchell says some clients breakdown while they speak of their difficulties. "We provide them a shoulder to lean on because they are in a crisis and need help and empathy,” she said.

WSBA enables readers to appreciate and engage with the physical, community, cultural and business environments of one of Australia's fastest growing regions, Greater Western Sydney.

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SEPTEMBER 2020 Western Sydney Business Access (WSBA) ACCESS NEWS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD ABN 39 600 436 799 Publisher/editor: Michael Walls M: 0407 783 413. E: michael@wsba.com.au Associate Editor: Dallas Sherringham Journalists: Red Dwyer, Elizabeth Frias, Paul Haigh. Account Managers: Julie Jackson: 0447 291 780; Graham Maughan: 0431 557 791 Contributors: David Pring, Adam Leto, Angela Haynes. Printer: New Age Printing Design: Design2Pro, DMC Advertising Group. General enquiries: info@wsba.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.

Gen-Z business revolution is coming DISCLAIMER: The publisher, authors and contributors reserve their rights in respect of the copyright of their work. No part of this work may be reproduced or copied in any form without the written consent of the publisher. No person or organisation should in any way act on the information and content of Western Sydney Business Access or www. wsba.com.au without first seeking professional advice. The publisher, contributors and agents accept no responsibility for any actions that may arise from the contents of this newspaper or website www.wsba.com.au. The opinions and views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher. Advertisements are published in accordance with WSBA terms and conditions published in the media kit downloadable at www.wsba.com.au. Advertisers agree to indemnify the publisher and his agents for any actions that may arise as a result of published advertisements or contributions. Advertisers agree to abide by the terms of trade outlined by the publisher.

TWO GEN Z entrepreneurs are headlining the rise and rise of the ‘Zillionaire’: 33

Greater Western Wester Sydney footpri footprint

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WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS ACCESS SEPTEMBER 2020

Newsbytes

www.wsba.com.au Diversity SEPP, which also includes proposed changes to secondary dwellings in rural areas and group homes, as well as the already approved changes to seniors housing in rural areas.

Work starts on Waves rebuild CONSTRUCTION has started on the Waves Aquatic Centre redevelopment at Baulkham Hills. The Waves Aquatic Centre Redevelopment Project is expected to take between 18 to 24 months to complete, with weather permitting. Apart from the Centre upgrades, Council has also committed $300,000 to revitalising the Roxborough Park Rose Garden, which is located next door to the aquatic and fitness centre. Blacktown City Mayor Tony Bleasdale OAM (right) with Solar Professionals Managing Director Daniel Kimber in the engine room of the solar rooftop installation at the Glenwood Hub community centre.

Hospital visitor hours changed Half of the rooftop solar panel installation at the Glenwood Hub community centre.

Council doubles rooftop solar generation BLACKTOWN City Council is undertaking a massive solar energy project installing more than 1,800 solar panels across 16 sites. The 1,876 panels will be installed on a range of

Council buildings including leisure and aquatic centres, libraries, childcare and community centres. 627 solar panels will be installed on the roof of the Blacktown Leisure Centre,

Stanhope. The additional 707kW solar generation will more than double Council’s current capacity of rooftop solar on its buildings and save $170,000 in energy costs per year.

Government. The changes will deliver faster payouts for contractors and subcontractors and quicker and fairer dispute resolution.

going on the market and give clear recourse in the event of a defect.

TO protect you and your loved ones, Western Sydney Local Health District (WSLHD) hospital visitor hours have changed. One visitor per patient will be allowed to visit each day between 10am12 midday and 5-7pm at Westmead, Blacktown, Mount Druitt and Auburn hospitals. Special considerations will apply for carers and birthing, and on compassionate grounds in areas such as intensive care and palliative care.

CCTV cameras for Mount Druitt Not so good habits SCIENCE tells us it takes around 66 days to form a habit. This is how long most Australians spent in lockdown. The Alcohol and Drug Foundation has launched a new campaign called Break the Habit – to raise awareness that enough time passed in lockdown for people to establish and embed new habits.

More power to tradies TRADIES across NSW will now have greater protections to ensure they are paid on time and in full following the introduction of new laws by the NSW

Protection for homeowners NEW and prospective homeowners will have unprecedented protections against purchasing defective residential apartment buildings soon, when the NSW Government’s landmark Residential Apartment Buildings Act 2020 comes into effect. Minister for Better Regulation Kevin Anderson said the new laws work to prevent buildings with serious defects

Changes to boarding house locations HILLS Mayor, Michelle Byrne is backing proposed changes to the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment’s new Housing Diversity SEPP, which will give Councils greater control of where boarding houses are permitted within their region. The Department of Planning, Industry and Environment has released its Explanation of Intended Effect for its new Housing

THE installation of CCTV cameras across the Mount Druitt town centre has been given the green light by Blacktown City Council. A comprehensive community safety audit was led by Council staff, with input from the community, police, local business and local human service agencies. The audit looked at factors around crime prevention, physical safety and injury prevention, aspirations of community members and users, urbanisation and activation, and transformational development. A masterplan is being developed by Blacktown City Council for the Mount Druitt town centre.

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WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS ACCESS SEPTEMBER 2020

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Why our region faces jobs nightmare  DALLAS SHERRINGHAM HE chronic lack of jobs in Western Sydney is the region’s biggest ‘nightmare’ problem for the future according to new University research. The Centre of Western Sydney has released the research which shows the region is booming but also highlights the massive lack of jobs in the city's west. It means the West faces a planning nightmare with more than half a million people commuting out of the region to get to work in next decade. The Centre is the think tank from the University of Western Sydney and its research said there were currently 222,000 more workers than jobs in the region. The Centre's three reports ask -‘Where are the Jobs?’ and are available for download. The reports add to the

"The rate of growth of Centre’s portfolio of inprofessional and knowlvestigations into Western edge-based workers in Sydney’s jobs deficit. Western Sydney now The three reports, preexceeds the rate of growth pared by Professor Phillip in Brisbane, Perth and O'Neill, in partnership Adelaide combined," with I.D. The Population Professor O'Neill said. Experts and National The reports describe Economics, are: Sydney's 'old industrial • Where are the Jobs? belt' made up of four local Part 1 Western government areas — Sydney’s short-lived Parramatta, Blacktown, jobs boom Canterbury-Bankstown • Where are the Jobs? and Fairfield. Part 2 The geogProfessor Phillip O'Neill. In 1971, 104,000 raphy of Western workers from these areas were employed Sydney’s jobs deficit in the manufacturing industry. • Where are the Jobs? Part 3 WestBy 2016, that number had plummetern Sydney workers in 2036 ed to just 36,000, or 7.8% of the local They found Western Sydney is experiencing rapid growth — especially in the workforce. In contrast, in the same period, the number of professionals living here.

areas have gone from having 3900 university degree holders to 198,000. The research found that rise is one of the reasons more than 300,000 people currently leave Western Sydney each day for work. "If things continue the way they've occurred during the last two decades, then our estimate is by 2036, you'll have in excess of 550,000 workers every day leaving Western Sydney to find their place of employment," Professor O'Neill said. He said hard discussions needed to take place about how to create, or move, more jobs in the west. "It's simply impossible to fill those suburbs with professional services workers, and then expect them to travel 60-70 kms a day in order to find a place of work," he said. The reports are available at: www.westernsydney.edu.au

JOBS as St Marys set to become a freight hub MASSIVE new Rail Freight Hub at St Marys will become the epicentre of freight processing in NSW and take 80,000 truck trips off Western Sydney’s congested road network. The Hub will create 230 jobs as part of a combined investment value of up to $100m to shift freight off the city’s road network and on to rail. Rail Express Magazine reported the NSW government had approved construction of the new facility in the heart of Western Sydney, allowing shipping containers to be hauled by freight trains from Port Botany to St Marys rather than

transported by thousands of truck trips on busy Sydney motorways. Pacific National’s CEO Dean Dalla Valle said St Marys Freight Hub would shift up to 301,000 shipping containers on to rail each year, removing 70,000 to 80,000 truck trips off Sydney’s congested motorways annually, helping to improve road safety and the daily commute of thousands of motorists. “By shifting more freight on to rail between Port Botany and Western Sydney, the number of truck trips on the congested M4 and M5 motorways will be reduced by 8.7m kms each year, that’s

equivalent to 23 trips to the moon,” he said. Mr Dalla Valle said St Marys Freight Hub would allow more people to live and work locally, rather than commuting around 130km each day between Western Sydney and Port Botany. “With Western Sydney’s population forecast to grow by another 1.7m people by 2036, freight will be in high demand as will the need for new skilled employment in the region,” he said. Mr Dalla Valle said under the development consent for St Marys Freight Hub, Pacific National had a year to start

construction with early works expected in coming months. “This project will play an important role in helping to boost the NSW economy as it recovers from the deep shocks of the coronavirus crisis. “With the Covid 19 global pandemic creating the most testing employment conditions since the Great Depression, the St Marys Freight Hub will create 60 construction jobs during the building phase and more than 170 full-time jobs once fully up and running,” he said. Source: Rail Express Magazine

EVENT CENTRE @PANTHERS

WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS ACCESS SEPTEMBER 2020

Philanthropy

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Anniversary celebrations take a COVID turn…..

BIVIANOS: New take on fine dining  ELIZABETH FRIAS N its recent 20th Anniversary, Bivianos Italian and Seafood Restaurant at Dural staged a family style dinner, low-key event for a few dozen VIPs. This take on fine dining is an example of getting back in business while complying to COVID-19 restrictions. By 6pm, the guests trickled in. Hills Shire Council mayor Dr Michelle Byrne, Hills Police Area Command superintendent Jason Joyce and the chairman of the board of Business NSW, Lyall Gorman and Caroline Pritchard, and All Pavement Solutions CEO, Craig Murphy, to name a few of the distinguished guests. They settled inside the elegant dining room as top brands of wines are poured and cheered on as the dinner party formally begins with Bivianos' owner, Raj Kumar, a well-known charity supporter in the Hills Shire. MC Jim Taggart welcomed Biviano’s who’s who on its guests list and introduced Sydney Opera House’s violinists Joanne Kubiak and Robert Sek, and reminded his audience to observe the restaurant’s coronavirus precautions while enjoying the sumptuous threecourse dinner prepared by Biviano’s chefs, Sam and Hanna. Current COVID-19 health restrictions call for under 100 people allowed at restaurants like Biviano’s. Mr Kumar had earlier planned a nostalgic gala black-tie dinner and ball for hundreds of guests to raise much-needed funds for local charities. These plans have been reset for 2021 so he dedicated this year’s simple celebration to the charities his business has supported over the last six years. Dr Byrne, a supporter of local charities raising awareness on homelessness, has expressed her concerns on the difficulties of holding charity events due to public gathering restrictions in venues such as Bivianos, which she described as “a favourite restaurant in the Hills that has created lots of jobs for our young people.” Dr Byrne thanked Mr Kumar and his management team for their “perseverance to carry on during the COVID-19 restrictions still servicing the Hills community as we are in it stronger together.” When the Stage 1 restrictions started in March, Mr Kumar closed the restaurant only for a day to map out ways to serve his customers in isolation, and unwittingly developed a take-away and home delivery service while maintaining the quality of Biviano’s bespoke foods and wines. “Biviano’s follows NSW government guidelines by heart even if we have a big

Business NSW Board President Lyall Gorman and Caroline Pritchard.

(From left) Craig Murphy, Biviano’s Senior Management Executive Mag Hosny, Caroline Pritchard, Biviano’s owner Raj Kumar, Dr Michelle Byrne, and Hills Police Area Command Superintendent Jason Joyce

space our guests can safely move about, and high ceiling and big windows we can open yet we strictly observe hygiene and protection for our staff, guests and providers,” Mr Kumar said. “We offer sumptuous foods on our menu, and our service is always welcoming because we want people who come out to dine with us to feel happy, safe and enjoying their Biviano’s experience and views.” If you haven’t heard what’s going on at Biviano’s these days, it’s worth a look. They have been packaging whatever is listed on their menu, including the popular High Tea For Your Soul, and serving their customers remotely with fine dining packages with inclusions such as cutleries and fineries a dining table would require if they were dining at Biviano’s. While some local restaurants closed temporarily, Biviano’s kept its fine dining service open seven days for lunch and dinner in line with government guidelines. Thus, amazingly we can say Biviano’s has been almost reborn vibrant and resilient as a result of the pandemic. Chefs Sam and Hanna created a special menu to ensure Biviano’s customers continue to enjoy the food and dining experience catering for smaller number of guests dining in according to restrictions. They also kickstarted a takeaway and home-delivery of its signature “High Tea For Your Soul” menu and dishes packaged with everything included for the

Hills Shire Council Mayor, Dr Michelle Byrne (standing), All Pavements Solutions Rouse Hill CEO Craig Murphy (seated left), Maryanne Murphy (front) and guests.

Lisa Wool-Jones from Westmead Children's Hospital and Mrs Kumar.

Biviano's owner Raj Kumar (front) and Gurdeep Singh.

home dinner table that customers would require if they were dining in person at Biviano’s. Biviano’s future plans for “new service” is to give advice to their customers through video and Live-Zoom for special food dishes suggestions and how customers can set up the table and arrange the foods at home," Mag said. “Biviano’s has become creative to make people happy." Biviano’s Italian and Seafood Restaurant, at 628 Old Northern Road, Dural NSW, is open seven days for Lunch & Dinner. To book, phone (02) 9651 2022 or visit www.bivianosdural.com This writer was a guest at Bivianos 20th Anniversary Charities Dinner.

Castle Hill Towers Master Jeweller Robert Cliff, Jim Taggart, and Craig Murphy.

Police Superintendent Jason Joyce and guest.

Violinist Joanna Kubiak performs one of her repertoires. WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS ACCESS SEPTEMBER 2020

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS Baker Group has grown into one of the largest privately owned multi-faceted bulk haulage, civil construction companies within the Sydney basin. It prides itself on its reputation and values the relationships that have been developing since its inception in 1980. Locally, they are currently engaged in the remediation work for the Nepean Business Park development. Montecatini Specialty Smallgoods, created by the well-respected Melosi family, led by pioneer, Roland Melosi, has over 70 Years of experience and continues to create smallgoods inﬂuenced by traditional Italian curing methods, using only the ﬁnest Australian meats, sea salt and spices. Find them on supermarket shelves, or better yet, drop by their Penrith factory to shop from their delicious range direct.

Box Divvy is a fresh food & grocery online box sharing system using an App for ordering, that connects farmers and food wholesalers directly with your “Food Hub” so you can buy groceries with prices that are roughly 30% less than online supermarkets. Box Divvy is a social enterprise.

Streamlined Organising offers a Virtual Admin Service that cuts out the admin chaos that you find hard to fight every day. This includes Email Management, Calendar Management, Marketing Admin, Accounts Admin, and all other general admin that keeps your business humming every hour of every day.

Soul Sports manufactures custom made sports uniforms for all sports, using their exclusive "Pure Dry" fabric for more comfort and durability. They are also currently manufacturing Face Masks, which can also be customised, so think about your business and get creative.

Superior IT Technologies has been passionately helping clients based in and around Western Sydney since 2006, specialising in providing Managed IT, Cloud Solutions and Security Solutions. They’ve been in the business for more than a decade and pride themselves on the strength of their company culture, having the right team with the right experience and ensuring their clients always have the best of breed solutions to them their competitive edge.

Upcoming Events

Meaningful Human Connections at Top Speed Let’s face it, these are probably the most challenging times our generation has collectively endured. Which is why it’s more important than ever that we find meaningful ways to connect with each other. So on the eve of “Are U OK Day”, join us for a very different Virtual Chamber Connect event, where we’ll hear from Lockie Cooke, Founder of human connection/ health and wellbeing app, i-Yarn. Then we’ll spend the next hour whipping around the Zoom Room learning more about each other’s unique business offering with

some good old fashioned Speed Networking. Who knows what kind of collaborative opportunities our little Chamber Community can cook up! Register early so that you’re able receive the "Connector List" of attendees in advance of the meeting. This way you will be able to request one speciﬁc person you'd like to be matched with for one of the one-on-one rounds. Cost is FREE. Open to both members and non-members. Register at www.penrithchamber.org.au

Please send any enquiries through to admin@penrithchamber.org.au

ABOUT The Penrith Valley Chamber of Conmmerce exists to promote and support Penrith's growing and dynamic business community. It is only through our collective eﬀorts that we are able to drive positive outcomes for the beneﬁt of all. Considering membership? Contact our Member Services Manager, Stacey Randell on (02) 4722 6969

WWW.PENRITHCHAMBER.ORG.AU WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS ACCESS SEPTEMBER 2020

Growth of Liverpool

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Liverpool reaches for the sky IVERPOOL will get its biggest skyscraper with amazing views for its hotel guests if a proposal to build 34 storey mixed use development goes ahead. The proposal by Binah Developments to build the tallest building in Sydney’s third CBD and new airport gateway has won the backing of Liverpool council. The project between 22-26 Elizabeth St, will sit alongside Bigge Park and Liverpool’s police and courthouse building, in close proximity to Westfield Liverpool and Liverpool Hospital. The 1.2-ha site features a 113-room hotel, 179 residential apartments, a ground-level food and beverage area, rooftop restaurant and 5500sq m of A-grade office space. Below the Liverpool project there will be four levels of basement car parking providing up to 345 spaces. The Rothelowman-designed tower was originally planned to stand a full storey higher but was reduced to comply with Bankstown Airport airspace regulations. Construction is expected to start in 2022, providing 100 jobs during construction and an estimated 400 jobs once complete. The development is one of $1 billion worth of major projects approved or under assessment, triggered the rezoning of 25 ha in the Liverpool CBD in 2018 to allow for mixed-use development. The Liverpool CBD has been quickly taking shape over recent years following the announcement of the new Western Sydney International Airport prompting developers to focus on the key western

Sydney centres of Liverpool, Campbelltown and new suburb Leppington. The town centre will play a key role as part of a third CBD identified by the Greater Sydney Commission, including the existing city, the planned Western Sydney Airport 20km away and Camden, Campbelltown and Penrith. The Western Sydney Airport, which is due to open there in 2026, will also create an estimated 28,000 jobs in the area. Contractor Built has moved ahead on its large-scale urban regeneration dubbed Liverpool Civic Place, a joint venture with Liverpool Council which will see the delivery of a $400 million-plus mixeduse development. Built is also currently constructing Towers 3, 4, 6 and 8 as part of Lang Walker Corporation’s Parramatta Square precinct, a $3.2 billion commercial precinct. Source: Urban Developer

Liverpool CBD.

Economic development event online CONOMIC Development Australia (EDA)’s flagship annual conference, NEDC20, will now be a completely online event, running from 18 – 20 November. The shift to digital was informed by recent COVID-19 outbreaks and lockdowns, however Liverpool Mayor Wendy Waller said moving online provided new opportunities. “While we are disappointed not to welcome delegates to Liverpool in

person as this year’s host city, we look forward to bringing delegates a taste of our vibrant and culturally diverse city through innovative means,” Mayor Waller said. “In line with the conference theme, Breaking New Ground – Building a Resilient Future, NEDC20 organisers have thought creatively about how we can deliver a quality program with global relevance. “By focussing on a digital-only event,

we can open the conference up to a broader audience and allow people to participate from the safety and comfort of their home or office.” EDA CEO Jacqueline Brinkman said NEDC20 would be the standout economic development event this year. NEDC20 will be held online from 18 – 20 November 2020. Visit www. edaconference.com.au for the full program, registration and sponsorship information.

Youth Insearch is a very proud recipient of the 2019 Excellence in Small Business Award from the Western Sydney Awards for Business Excellence. Over 33 years we have empowered 33,000 at-risk young Australians aged between 14-20 years to turn their lives around. We are looking for corporate partners or pro-bono support from organisations which share our values, vision and mission.

CONNECTING A UNITED PASSION TO GROW THE LOCAL BLACKTOWN ECONOMY

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WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS ACCESS SEPTEMBER 2020

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REPORT | AUGUST 2020

Surprise result of COVID-19

Millennials are leading the change  DALLAS SHERRINGHAM ILLENIALS are leading the life change charge of people leaving the city for a new start in regions like the Central Coast. And it’s surprisingly one of the positive aspects to come out of the COVID-19 lockdown. The experience of dealing with of COVID-19 has removed one of the most significant barriers to a substantial population shift in this country, according to the Regional Australia Institute (RAI). RAI CEO Liz Ritchie said the notion of How We Work had been turned on its head and she hoped this change would see significant population growth in regions, following on from a trend that had already been set over a decade. “From 2011 to 2016, our two biggest cities, Sydney and Melbourne lost more residents to regions than they gained – and this was well before COVID-19,” she said. “During the last few months, we’ve all had to change how we work and this has allowed staff and employers to see that location is no longer a barrier for where we choose to work,” Ms Ritchie said. The launch of the RAI’s latest report, The Big Movers, unpacks population trends around the country and confirms that regional Australia attracted more people than it lost to capital cities during the last Census. In the five years to 2016, Sydney saw a net loss of 64,756 people to regional Australia, Melbourne 21,609 and Adelaide recorded a small net loss of around 1,000 residents. Brisbane bucked the trend with a net gain of 15,597 people. Between 2011 and 2016, more

than 1.2 million people either moved to regional Australia or moved around regional Australia from one location to another. While the latest Census figures showed that regional Australia attracted 65,204 more people than it lost to our capital cities, the trend is certainly not new. For the decade 2006-2016 more than 135,000 more people moved from capital cities to regions than the other way around. Ms Ritchie said the policy questions were more about how we could further understand and amplify the drivers of this movement toward regional Australia to extend the population settlement even further and supercharge the regions.

Now is the time “Now is the time to work together with industry, government and regional communities to ensure regionalisation of the workforce,” Ms Ritchie said. “As a country, we are an extremely mobile nation and we have a propensity to change our address at twice the rate of people in most OECD countries. “If location is no longer a barrier for employment, it’s possible that the trend line over the next decade could see an even greater swing to regions – and this is the RAI’s ambition,” Ms Ritchie said. One of the key trends uncovered in the research was that most people who left a city for a move to the region, stayed in their respective state. Regional NSW drew the most people from capitals with

a total of 159,328 moving between 2011 and 2016. “Understanding the way the population moves around regional Australia is an important first step in identifying the reasons people are attracted to some places instead of others. This understanding can help to shape a population policy for regional communities,” Ms Ritchie said. The Big Movers also looks at the movement of millennials (20-35 year olds). It found that while 178,961 millennials moved to capital cities from regional Australia, more than 200,000 moved between regions. “Sydney also saw a net outflow of millennials. Some 37,000 millennials moved from Sydney to regions, with 32,500 moving the other way,” Ms Ritchie said.

Big boost to legal support services OMESTIC violence victim-survivors, Aboriginal Australians and people who’ve lost their jobs and homes as a result of COVID-19 will be among those to benefit from a Commonwealth funding boost of more than $15.6M for NSW’s legal assistance sector. Attorney General and Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence Mark Speakman said $13.26M of the funding would support frontline legal services helping disadvantaged people manage the ‘new normal’ of the coronavirus pandemic. “In the face of an unprecedented health crisis, our State’s frontline services have gone above and beyond the call of duty. This includes our tireless healthcare care workers, our police and emergency services and those who provide free legal assistance,” Mr Speakman said. “As people face job losses, tenancy issues, financial insecurity and, horrifical-

ly, the increasing risk of violence behind closed doors, there are more people than ever contacting Legal Aid, Community Legal Centres and the Aboriginal Legal Service in search of legal support. “This investment will help meet this increase in need and ensure vulnerable members of our community know their rights and get the advice they need to help overcome hardships.” The NSW Government will direct more than 40 per cent of the Commonwealth investment towards frontline services helping people experiencing domestic and family violence. “We have heard horrific stories from victims and advocates about domestic violence perpetrated while victims have been isolated alongside their abusers due to COVID-19,” Mr Speakman said. “In the last 10 weeks alone, seven people have been tragically killed in

domestic and family violence incidents across NSW. “We all have a part to play in tackling this epidemic. This funding will help victim-survivors get the advice they need to ensure perpetrators are held to account, support them in escaping violent households and ultimately help us save lives.” The funding package will also enable the legal assistance sector to increase its ICT capabilities to deliver more services remotely and to reach more people across NSW. A total of $2.35M has been allocated to help legal assistance services transition to greater virtual service delivery. The COVID-19 Project Agreement is part of the Commonwealth Government’s $63.3M commitment to support legal assistance services respond to the coronavirus pandemic. Today’s funding allocation to the NSW legal assistance sector supports

frontline services and ICT capabilities as follows: Legal Aid NSW – $5.24M to boost staff and respond to increases in demand for its civil and family law, domestic and family violence and child protection services, and more than $1.26M to support ICT enhancements. Community Legal Centres (CLCs) – $4.34M to increase frontline service delivery capacity across the CLC sector, and more than $1.09M to support ICT enhancements in the CLC sector. Aboriginal Legal Service (ALS) – $3.68M to bolster the capacity of the ALS to deliver services including family and criminal law and child protection to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in NSW. ALS will also receive ICT funding directly from the Commonwealth Government.

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How suburbs will evolve post-COVID-19  DALLAS SHERINGHAM IFE in the suburbs of Western Sydney has changed forever due to the Covid 19 pandemic, but property expert Andrew Hoyne believes we can make it a change for the better with the right planning and application in the coming years. Mr Hoyne is the founding principal of Hoyne and has worked in the property sector for the last 25 years, helping major Australian and international developers and councils create recognisable landmarks across Australia. Mr Hoyne recently wrote a fascinating feature on suburban renewal in the Urban Developer national newsletter in which he said the suburbs would be attractive again for people seeking a safe and healthy space to live. He wrote: “As Australia’s population has grown, new house and land developments have expanded the suburbs. Sadly, there’s been little to applaud. Numerous failures, structurally and socially, have attracted criticism and damaged suburbia’s image. Post-Covid 19, attention will swing back to these vital components of our cities. The suburbs need and deserve our attention. Post-pandemic, for reasons of space, perceived safety and wellbeing, we will see greater interest in the suburbs. Never have our homes been such places of refuge and, because of this, people will be willing to invest more money, time and effort into making them as safe and comfortable as possible. This, combined with the fact that new generations are looking for amenity-rich, walkable neighborhoods, not to mention the idea that telecommuting may untether many workers from the CBDs, means residential developers can now create socially and economically successful suburbs where people actually choose to be. In Sydney, 30% of households live in apartments. No longer the domain of singles and couples, the family flat is becoming more ubiquitous. One reason is that people, especially millennials, want to ditch the car but still access cultural, recreational, educational and retail amenities with ease.

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Never have our homes been such places of refuge and, because of this, people will be willing to invest more money, time and effort into making them as safe and comfortable as possible.”

Andrew Hoyne

The inner-city shouldn’t be our only choice if we want to enjoy these things. By reframing and repositioning our suburbs we can make them more enticing and liveable, exploiting the many advantages they offer residents from all walks of life.

People last paradigm Unfortunately, in Australia we have a “people last paradigm”. Sites are acquired, masterplans designed and planning permits lodged all before the end-user is identified. We need a people-first mindset. A vague description of “young families” won’t cut it. Suburban transformation demands more amenity, urbanity and fine grain. The fringes can attract a growing urban market by providing vibrant, convenient, sophisticated living synonymous with the inner city. Basic expectations must be met: the local coffee shop that doubles as the office, workplaces you can cycle to, somewhere for lunchtime workouts and the holy grail—restaurants and bars that open late. Such places create that longed-for blurring of boundaries between work and leisure. Time can be better utilised and a new sense of connection forged with

one’s neighborhood and broader local community. These human experiences enrich our lives and should thrive in our suburbs. Of course, new homes are useless without convenient employment and transport options. These things must be considered upfront. The growing popularity of nature-based play means playgrounds are becoming a key feature in master planned developments. Say goodbye to the token swing and see-saw. Assets like these are major community anchors that, with the right level of design and investment, can be leveraged as marketable differentiators. At the community of Woodlea in Victoria, by Mirvac and VIP, the developers installed an incredible adventure park on site before the first residents arrived, along with a café run by a well-known inner-city crew. They also created “Flavorfest”, an annual barbecue festival that is now a district favorite. Additionally, Bacchus Marsh Grammar school established a campus on-site. Launched in March 2015, Woodlea now has 5000 residents and has been one of Victoria’s fastest selling and most successful new communities.

– Andrew Hoyne. As the world rapidly changes, ideas like agrihoods which until recently seemed too left of field for many, are appealing to a more mainstream audience. Projects like Serenbe near Atlanta, Georgia, focus on sustainability, community and farm-to-table produce, a model that enhances project marketability and returns by creating compelling destinations for people to dine, buy products directly from local growers, or even grow their own produce in community gardens. The suburbs should also support and encourage a demographic melting pot. There are more people alive today over 65 than under five. Master planned communities can no longer be targeted solely at young families with kids. It’s a simplistic view which doesn’t stack up. Successful places become magnetic destinations. A place where people are proud to live is a place that attracts talent and investment, that performs better economically and socially and is a place where residential and commercial property developments outperform. When it comes to our suburbs, Australia should be leading the world.”

High-risk communities protected LEGION of gatekeepers will help protect communities across NSW, with over 10,000 volunteers in high-risk populations and industries being trained in suicide prevention. Minister for Mental Health Bronnie Taylor said the NSW Government was pleased to deliver the first initiative of the Towards Zero Suicides Premier’s Priority with a $2.8M investment in community Gatekeeper training over three years. “Gatekeepers learn how to recognise the signs that someone is at risk of suicide

and are trained to help their workmates, friends and family to stay safe and seek help,” Mrs Taylor said. “Every precious life lost to suicide has a devastating ripple effect across families and the whole community.” “We know that over 40 per cent of people who die by suicide have not reached out for professional support, so having Gatekeepers throughout the community trained to help and support people in a crisis is critical in saving lives.”

“More than half of all gatekeepers will be in regional areas,” Mrs Taylor said. “Other communities that will be supported with trained volunteers include construction workers, First Responders, indigenous communities, family lawyers, men between 18 and 35 years, veterinarians and LGBTIQ communities.” Gatekeeper training will be provided by 13 organisations with expertise in engaging at-risk communities in specific regions. Towards Zero Suicides is a NSW Premier’s Priority, investing $87M over

three years in new suicide prevention initiatives. If you, or someone you know, is thinking about suicide or experiencing a personal crisis or distress, please seek help immediately by calling 000 or one of the following services: Lifeline (13 11 14), Suicide Call Back Service (1300 659 467), NSW Mental Health Line (1800 011 511). More information about can be found at: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/gatekeeper

Rent relief for eligible businesses and NFP LIGABLE businesses and not-for-profits that lease or license Crown land and endured financial losses during COVID-19 will be able to apply for rent relief from the NSW Government. Minister for Water, Property and Housing Melinda Pavey said impacted lease and licence holders would be offered rent waivers. “Crown land lease and licence holders are many and varied – from farmers,

caravan parks, not-for-profit community groups, and small businesses from marinas to cafes – but all have had to endure months of uncertainty,” Mrs Pavey said. “Many businesses have done it incredibly tough during COVID-19 and the NSW Government wants to do what it can to help them recover.” Rent relief is available for commercial leaseholders or licence holders with a turnover less than $50M that operate a

WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS ACCESS SEPTEMBER 2020

registered business on Crown land and have suffered at least a 30 per cent fall in turnover, or a 15 per cent fall for not-forprofits. Eligibility will be determined on fluctuations in their turnover during COVID-19 compared to the same periods last year. The rent relief period will be from 1 April 2020 to 30 September 2020 and rent relief will be proportional to turnover loss.

The rent relief is in line with the National Cabinet Mandatory Code of Conduct for SME Commercial Leasing Principles during COVID-19, announced in April 2020. Crown Lands customers can visit the website to fill out an online form to have their eligibility assessed: industry.nsw.gov.au/lands/your-account/covid-19-rentalassistan

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We will build an even better future  CR BOB DWYER VER the past decade, the City of Parramatta has undergone a significant transformation. As a long-standing Councillor and resident of Parramatta, I have taken great pride in seeing the City I call home grow and evolve to become the rich and vibrant place it is today.

Drone view of Parrmattaam CBD.

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The CBD Planning Proposal seeks to expand the City’s CBD boundaries and change land use controls to help us secure the Parramatta CBD as a thriving commercial centre that attracts world-class businesses and offers incredible lifestyle opportunities for residents.” – Bob Dwyer.

In the past 12 months alone, key milestones have been reached on a number of City-shaping projects, including Parramatta Square, the new Aquatic and Leisure Centre, the Powerhouse Museum, and the redevelopment of Parramatta Quay. These, along with critical new infrastructure, such as Parramatta Light Rail, Sydney Metro West and the Western Sydney Airport, will undoubtedly bring huge opportunities and economic benefits to our City. As we transition through this period of incredible change, the City of Parramatta Council is committed to continuing to support our diverse and growing community, and delivering our projects responsibly and effectively – particularly as we navigate the challenges presented by the COVID-19 crisis. In our recently adopted Operational Plan and Budget for 2020/21, we have outlined the services, activities, programs and projects that Council will implement over the next 12 months. This includes a $227.1M capital expenditure budget to deliver major

Bob Dwyer.

strategic projects for the community, such as the Epping Aquatic Centre redevelopment (part of the Dence Park Masterplan), stage one of the Phillip Street ‘Smart Street’ transformation, the Parramatta Road Urban Amenity Improvement Program, and the City River Works Program to revitalise the Parramatta River. The budget also identifies several immediate and long-term saving measures to address a shortfall in revenue caused by COVID-19, ensuring Council remains financially viable and can continue to provide vital infrastructure and services for the community.

City of Parramatta prepares for future growth As we take the exciting next steps in cementing our position as Sydney’s Central River City, Council is constantly exploring ways in which we can prepare for our City’s future. Plans and strategies such as Council’s CBD Planning Proposal, which was recently endorsed by the NSW Government for public exhibition, and our Local

Housing and Community Infrastructure strategies, provide Council with a clear path for how we will continue to serve the community ‒ particularly as our local population is expected to double over the next 20 years. The CBD Planning Proposal seeks to expand the City’s CBD boundaries and change land use controls to help us secure the Parramatta CBD as a thriving commercial centre that attracts world-class businesses and offers incredible lifestyle opportunities for residents. It will allow for 50,000 new jobs and 14,000 additional dwellings in the Parramatta CBD. The CBD Planning Proposal will go on public exhibition in the coming weeks, and I look forward to hearing the community’s feedback on these City-changing plans. For more information on our future-proofing plans and strategies, visit www.cityofparramatta.nsw.gov.au.

Participate Parramatta In July, we launched our new community engagement website ‘Participate Parramatta’. Participate Parramatta is a new website where community members can find information and provide feedback on Council’s latest projects and initiatives. The community will be able to share their thoughts and ideas on Participate Parramatta through feedback forums, interactive maps, polls, and surveys. I invite everyone to visit Participate Parramatta at participate.cityofparramatta.nsw.gov.au and have their say on what’s happening in their neighbourhoods. With these strong foundations, we will build an even better future. Cr Bob Dwyer is Lord Mayor of City of Parramatta.

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Big step forward for health precinct HE Westmead Health Precinct has taken a major step forward with the launch of the massive new project delivering more than 1000 jobs and 28,000sqm of health, research, education and commercial space. Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney Stuart Ayres said the $350M development, a joint venture between Western Sydney University and Charter Hall to be known as Innovation Quarter or iQ, would house some of the university’s leading research institutes and Australia’s national science agency CSIRO. “Commencement of ground works for this new complex will help strengthen Westmead Health and Innovation District as a leading global centre for health care, medical research and commercialisation, education and training,” Mr Ayres said. “It’s another sign of confidence in the NSW economy and demonstrates more progress out west in the Central City, supporting the NSW Government’s focus on technology and innovation as key drivers of growth.” Western Sydney University will base its MARCS Institute for Brain, Behavior and Development, NICM Health Research Institute and Translational Health Research Institute (THRI) at the complex when it opens in 2021. The CSIRO will bring world-leading research staff from its e-Health and Nutrition and Health programs. Western Sydney University vice-president, Peter Pickering, said the Innovation Quarter at Westmead was part of the University’s ‘Western Growth’ strategy – an ambitious program that is reshaping

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Artist impression of the project.

the university’s campus network and co-creating cities and transformative educational infrastructure across Western Sydney, in partnership with industry and government. Mr Pickering said it would build upon the University’s existing footprint in Westmead to integrate first-class health and medical research into policy and practice.

Researched enabled “The University’s presence within the Innovation Quarter will enable researchers, industry partners and clinicians to come together and address the nation’s most pressing health challenges,” he said. Charter Hall Group CEO and Managing Director David Harrison said there had never been a more important time to focus on health research and innovation. “Our project collaboration with Western Sydney University will deliver a state-of-the-art innovation centre to

support the work of both the Western Sydney University and CSIRO’s medical research facilities.” “iQ will create a truly visionary precinct that brings together the most forward-thinking research, health education and commercial sectors in the Southern Hemisphere. “The project will provide an environment or some of the brightest minds in the country to innovate, create opportunities for collaboration and solve global challenges in the heart of Westmead,” Mr Harrison said. CSIRO executive director Dr Dave Williams said the move to Westmead would improve collaboration opportunities to create innovative health and wellbeing solutions for the nation. “CSIRO has a long history of partnering with health, education and research organisations to help solve Australia’s greatest challenges in health,” Dr Williams said.

Our project collaboration with Western Sydney University will deliver a state-of-the-art innovation centre to support the work of both the Western Sydney University and CSIRO’s medical research facilities.” – David Harrison. The Westmead Health Precinct is one of the largest health, education, research and training precincts in Australia, featuring four major hospitals, four world-leading medical research institutes, two university campuses and the largest research-intensive pathology service in NSW. The Parramatta light rail will run through the project, meaning staff and students. Plus local workers, can travel all the way from Homebush when the transport link is finished.

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State Govt’s vital legislation Unlocking the billions from lockdown ILLIONS of dollars locked up in local infrastructure funds of councils will be a key factor in Western Sydney’s recovery from the Covid 19 crisis. The State Government will urgently legislate to unlock the funds to support jobs and stimulate the economy after biggest jolt to the economy of the west since World War Two. The proposal will force councils to pool their infrastructure funds drawn from developer contributions: money collected from each development as its share towards providing local parks, sporting fields, footpaths and local roads that make residential developments livable and attractive to communities. NSW councils have agreed to work with the State Government to help fasttrack community infrastructure projects, but will seek new powers to provide balance before allowing Ministers to interfere by choosing which projects proceed. Planning and Public Spaces Minister Rob Stokes said new legislative changes would provide councils with more flexibility to invest funds in vital community infrastructure during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mr Stokes said he would also require some councils with significant funds to prepare a works plan detailing how they will invest money in their accounts during the next 18 months, with the aim of increasing local job opportunities. “By providing more flexibility with infrastructure contribution funds, councils will be able to quickly invest in vital local infrastructure including public spaces, roads, footpaths and drainage,” Mr Stokes said. “The time for councils to invest in their local communities is now; releasing just one-third of council-held funds could generate an additional $1B of infrastructure spending to support the State’s economic recovery.” The changes will permit councils to pool funds across contribution plans,

allowing them to bring forward planned projects where all the funds may not yet have been received.

Funds out the door “We know local government wants to get these funds out the door and in addition to these changes we have a range of options to help councils invest the funds, including low cost loans, grant funding, and other support for strategic planning and capital works,” Mr Stokes said.

councils spending, preventing them stimulating local economies and investing in infrastructure for the public good,” Cr Scott said. “This over-reach could have implications for how councils deliver their program of community projects and future financial planning.” “The State Government must not dictate how a council uses the funds already earmarked for a particular community purpose or project,” Cr Scott said.

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The State Government must not dictate how a council uses the funds already earmarked for a particular community purpose or project.” Linda Scott.

Rob Stokes.

Linda Scott.

Also announced were seven projects in Blacktown and The Hills that will be supported by the Government’s $70M Accelerated Infrastructure Fund. “This is funding for local roads, public space, stormwater infrastructure and community facilities which will unlock plans for the development of thousands of new homes and employment land in the North West, and immediately bring down contributions charges,” Mr Stokes said. Local Government NSW (LGNSW) President Linda Scott said councils strongly supported the need to work quickly and flexibly to deliver community infrastructure as economic stimulus during the COVID-19 recovery. “However, our main concern is the risk of intervention by the Planning Minister into the operation of councils will lead to uncertainly which will prevent

Cr Scott said LGNSW had worked closely with the State Government to help ensure councils were in a position to help drive a locally-led recovery from the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, bushfires and drought. “Councils stand ready to help kickstart the economic and social recovery in local communities,” she said.

Need for confidence “To provide councils with the confidence to spend in this uncertain environment, the NSW Government needs to provide a commitment to work collaboratively with us, assuring councils they will not intervene in how we manage and deliver the local services and infrastructure their communities need. “Councils are the level of government closest to their communities and best

placed to understand and implement community wishes; that is the whole basis of local democracy. “Ministerial intervention risks undermining this process, denying the community the chance to have their say and reducing the confidence of councils to invest. “Councils have an ongoing task of identifying and delivering local infrastructure needed to support their growing communities. “But the reality is that every day their hard-working professional staff who are acquiring land, and designing and delivering local parks, sporting fields and other facilities, face complexity, funding shortfalls and land acquisition delays. “I am confident the Planning Minister, having consistently promised local government he will work with, encourage and support councils, will ensure Local Government NSW is provided with concurrence powers to achieve our goal of supporting our communities through the COVID-19 pandemic.” Linda Scott is a Labor Party Councilor on the City of Sydney Council, first elected in 2012. Between September 2018 and September 2019, she served as Deputy Lord Mayor. Since December 2017 she has been President of Local Government NSW.

Residents can name airport city  DALLS SHERRINGHAM ESTERN Sydney residents have the chance to suggest a name for a new section of the massive Aerotropolis complex as the State Government announces fast tracking of the project. The State Government is billing the naming competition as “the naming of Sydney’s third city” but it is actually just part of the biggest urban project in the State’s history. The area to be named is more than 100 ha of land that will become home to research, science and education facilities as part of the first stage of the Aerotropolis Core precinct. It is located north of Bringelly and needs a new name to reflect its new future. Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the naming process to be carried out would find a unique name which would forever define Australia’s first 22nd Century City on the doorstep of the Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport. “Until now we have been referring to the area as the ‘Aerotropolis Core’, but with the city quickly moving from a vision

to a reality now is the time for it to be given a real place name,” Ms Berejiklian said. “The area to be named is the parcel of land which will be the CBD of the Aerotropolis and we want its name to be as iconic as the existing major city centres of ‘Sydney’ and ‘Parramatta’. “Whatever it is ultimately called after the naming process, this part of Greater Sydney’s third city will be a key driver of economic growth, jobs and opportunities across NSW and the nation for generations to come.” Minister for Western Sydney Stuart Ayres said as part of the naming process the community would be consulted and asked to nominate potential names for the new city. “We want the community to help us come up with a list of names that reflect the area’s heritage, recognise people who have contributed to NSW or honor significant figures with ties to Western Sydney,” Mr Ayres said. “A naming committee comprising the Premier, myself, DPC Secretary Tim Reardon and Western Parkland City Authority Chair Jennifer Westacott will consider the options and make a final decision.”

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The area to be named is the parcel of land which will be the CBD of the Aerotropolis and we want its name to be as iconic as the existing major city centres of Sydney and ‘Parramatta.” – Stuart Ayres. Meanwhile, Aerotropolis has been named in the Fifth Tranche of projects as a key part of the NSW Government’s COVID-19 Recovery Plan. The latest tranche of projects includes a new school in Sydney’s South West, a

multi-trades and digital technology hub at TAFE Meadowbank and a new road project linking WestConnex to Sydney’s Kingsford Smith Airport. It includes the creation of the new Aerotropolis State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP), which will unlock rezonings for five new employment and environmental precincts around the new Western Sydney Airport including the Aerotropolis Core, Badgerys Creek, Northern Gateway and Agribusiness and Wianamatta-South Creek. “The Aerotropolis SEPP is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to lay the foundations for a brand-new State-shaping precinct, with the Aerotropolis set to support more than 200,000 jobs over 20 years in industries of the future,” Planning Minister Rob Stokes said. This will be the second last tranche of fast-tracked projects under the current program, with details on a new recovery focused acceleration program to be released in the coming weeks. Decisions will be made on tranche five projects by mid-September. For more information visit http://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/ fast-tracked-assessments.

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The awards that keep on giving  MICHAEL WALLS VER a career spanning almost 40 years, events maestro Steve Loe has clocked up some impressive stats. As CEO of event management company Precedent Productions he has presided over 1,020 awards ceremonies, handed out 31,500 trophies and created in excess of 100 awards programs for different industries. He is probably best known as the guiding force behind the Local Business Awards program, held over 30 areas in Australia – including Western Sydney. While Steve has few peers in the business awards programs space, it’s his passion and simple recipe for success that makes his legacy so impressive. As Western Sydney prepares for another year of the Local Business Awards, WSBA publisher Michael Walls spent time with Steve to explore the evolution and highlights of the Local Business Awards Program. CCBA: Steve, can you give our readers some background on the Precedent Local Business Awards, how and why they started? SL: Growing up in a small corner store from the age of 1 to 25, I saw firsthand how incredibly hard my parents worked without receiving any recognition for the business they had built or for their contribution to our community. For my family and I, the business was not just an income; our whole life revolved around it. After 28 years of trading, the family business was sold and a great legacy ended without any fanfare or acknowledgement. This is when the idea of a recognition program was born. And so, in the 1980s, I started the Small Business Awards in the Inner West of Sydney as a voluntary community program. In the years to follow, it grew to be a cocktail party, free of charge, where we would celebrate that year’s winners. Not long after, the first presentation evening our patrons paid to attend was held at a restaurant made to fit only about 100 people. We managed to squeeze 180 guests into the room that night – this was the moment I realised we had an ever-growing community of small business owners, all of whom wanting to be involved year after year. Soon, the program had grown to the extent to which a dedicated management team was required. This is when Precedent Productions was launched. It was clear the time had come to give small businesses the recognition they deserved on a better and bigger scale. From the Inner West, the awards has grown to now represent 26 areas in total around New South Wales, as well as our National program, the Australian Small Business Champions Awards. This year marks the 36th Birthday since the beginning of the original program and the best is yet to come. CCBA: The awards have been successful for a long time, even as the world embraced technology. Why do you think that is?

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THE LOCAL BUSINESS AWARDS To enter a Local Business Awards program in your area please go to www.thebusinessawards.com.au

It’s special moments like these where I would take pause and admire our growth and commitment to making our businesses feel as special as possible with an unforgettable night.” – Steve Loe. Precedent Productions CEO, Steve Loe at a recent Local Business Awards gala event.

SL: We are proud to say the process of the awards has continued to develop and evolve along with each technology boom over the past 36 years. Our customers are the businesses who are part of the program; the public who vote for the businesses; the sponsors; who provide financial support and our media partners who promote the program and we recognise all of them must continue to benefit from our program as the world changes. All registered businesses have their own personal business profile page where from the comfort of their home or work can provide their business details, questionnaire answers and team photos. Online voting has been embraced by all, as well as the ability to purchase tickets for the events online. We have also evolved with Facebook and Instagram, ensuring we have a welcome presence online as well as making sure our customers can promote the awards easily on their own social media pages. And this year, we have introduced a personalised QR Code poster for each business in the awards. These initiatives are slowly replacing the paper nomination forms that once appeared in the local newspapers and were distributed to local businesses. At Precedent we are always looking for ways to reduce our environmental impact whilst still maintaining the easy processes our customers are used to. CCBA: Can you tell us about your most memorable gala event? SL: I am lucky to have so many memorable moments from my 36-year career. One that stands out was in 1994, having the opportunity to launch the singing group ‘Human Nature’ before they were a household name. The group performed at all our event nights that year and were an absolute hit. Around the same time was when we would transform The Sydney Fish Market auction room floors into a grand ballroom for a seafood industry night. From there, we’ve grown to host Champions evenings at the State Theatre and the Quodos Arena to name a few with over 2,000 guests in attendance each year and state of the art entertainment. It’s special moments like these where I would take pause and admire our growth and commitment to making our businesses feel as special as possible with an unforgettable night. CCBA: Creating events amidst COVID-19 is certainly incredibly challenging. How has your team managed? SL: We were a week out from hosting our famous annual Champions event at

WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS ACCESS SEPTEMBER 2020

The Star in Sydney when the country was forced into lockdown, as well as having many plans in place for our 26 Local Business Awards nights. Whilst it has been an unbelievably challenging and confusing time for all, our main priority has been checking in on our small business owners to make sure they know we aren’t only an awards program, but a support network

Local Business Awards CEO Steve Loe congratulates winner Melissa Rothero.

here to help. Our team has worked tirelessly to re-organise each awards night so that our businesses can still have a night to feel special, which we feel is of utmost importance this year. Our awards evenings will commence from September 16th with 2-3 events happening around New South Wales each week, and whilst we’re still working around number restrictions and cramming a year’s work into five months, we are still managing to touch base with every business who is a Finalist and it brings us much joy to ensure them that our 2020 program is still going ahead. CCBA: How has the market responded this year with COVID-19? SL: Despite everything 2020 has brought us, we were delighted to be overwhelmed with such a positive response from our voters this year. It is clear the business client bases recognised they needed to show their support in any way they could, and as a result we were receiving 10,000 – 12,000 nominations per week at the height of the pandemic. Now,

with a record number of Finalists in each area, our tickets to the events are highly sought after with a waiting list for seats in each area. We are so touched by the way in which our small business community has rallied together through this time, and the only reason this year has been made possible for us is because of them and their unrivalled endurance. CCBA: Why do you do what you do? SL: My greatest joy in life has always been to give without expecting anything in return. What I do get back in a happy smile or an excited person or group on stage receiving their acknowledgement is truly the reason for all my satisfaction. My business, Precedent Productions is the source of my energy. It’s the reason I get up every morning and it’s my life. I find endless joy in including everyone in celebration, conceiving and creating atmospheres that transcend time and space and connecting people in warm recognition of each other and their milestones. CCBA: What’s planned for the Local Business Awards for the future? What’s the 10 year vision? Any major changes planned? SL: I have every confidence our program will continue to evolve, grow and provide the same benefits for each local community as they always have. Technology will always change and therefore so will the way we work, but the personal touch of Precedent Productions and our inbuilt understanding of small business and what it takes to survive I believe makes us irreplaceable. We aim to see more of our programs starting and growing within all corners of our nation, as well as continuing to appeal to our younger generations of entrepreneurs as an important and valuable community to be a part of. And, perhaps my personal 10 year vision is to be happily retired, but still a guest at our awards nights ready and eager to present trophies to the winners. CCBA: You’ve seen thousands of successful businesses, what are the top three qualities you think a successful business owner needs? SL: One; understand your customers and provide the best products and services for them. Two; your team is everything, they make the business, so look after them. Three; set your goals and focus on them and you will achieve. To enter the Local Business Awards or for more information visit: www.thebusinessawards. com.au. WSBA is the official media partner for the awards covering Parramatta, Sydney Hills and Blacktown. WSBA produces special features to celebrate winners and finalists.

WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS ACCESS SEPTEMBER 2020

BUSIN L E CA

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Travel ACCESS

September 2020 Digital edition: www.issuu.com/accessnews

Edited by DALLAS SHERRINGHAM

We’re in the Business of Travel

Looking for characters at Coober Peady  WORDS AND IMAGES BY DALLAS SHERRINGHAM oober Pedy is one of those places that has a mystical attraction for many Australians. Mention the very name and your mind drifts into a dream of a frontier “knock ‘em down and drag ‘em out” kind of place straight out of the Wild West. I had visions of a rollicking saloon with desert beaten bearded faces sand blasted by years of neglect bragging about their latest find of the legendary Black Opals. Literature and web sites promised the ‘Real Outback”, with characters galore and a way of life far removed from city life. I soon found I was one of literally thousands of people wandering the streets looking for a genuine miner. However it proved a big disappointment in this regard. People in Coober Pedy tend to keep very much to themselves. They live underground mostly and you rarely see anyone as you drive around the many kilometres of mullock heaps and abandoned mining junk. No-one in Coober Pedy ever throws anything away; they just park it out the front. The desert air ensures that it stays in good shape. I finally decided I would meet some locals at the IGA supermarket. The girl stocking the aisles gave me a tip that you could tell who was doing well chasing opals by the size of their shopping trolley haul. Finally a genuine character appeared outside the supermarket pushing a trolley load of goodies. He had a Kenny Rodgers mountain man beard, a battered hat and a limited supply of teeth. I pulled out my camera to get a shot, along with half a dozen fellow tourists. He smiled and said in a very British voice: “I’m terribly sorry, but I’m just a visitor.” So my character quest failed. There may be much more to be discovered in Coober Pedy, but they have decided to keep it a secret from us all. Having said all that, Coober Pedy has a lot to offer and you certainly need at least two days there. The underground shopping centre, bar and opal mining display are superb.

“

I finally decided I would meet some locals at the IGA supermarket. The girl stocking the aisles gave me a tip that you could tell who was doing well chasing opals by the size of their shopping trolley haul.” The opals, which have lain dormant just underground for up to 70 million years, look amazing when you see them mounted in gold and presented as quality jewelry. This tends to send lady visitors to Coober Pedy into a buying frenzy, while worried husbands and partners pace up and down with furrowed brows, clutching their wallets. I soon realised that you have to put your hand in your pocket for at least a small amount in order to escape unscathed for the remainder of your trip. Along with most visitors, I stayed at the Opal Inn resort complex which has a hotel, a quality motel and a campground. Ah, the Opal Inn bar! This is the place where I will finally track down a few characters. I walked inside ready for a rowdy session with the locals and my shoulders slumped. The bar was as modern as any you would see in the city and the only people around were seniors dressed in baseball caps and those ridiculous “mock Akubra’s” and Crocodile Dundee hats made out of fake leather and plastic crocodile teeth.

A photographer's dream. WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS ACCESS SEPTEMBER 2020

Unique Coober Pedy.

Welcome to the Opal capital.

The adjacent restaurant was offering a special on Indian satay chicken which was considered to be the best meal in Coober Pedy. And it was superb. Coober Pedy is a photographer’s delight and the views of the more than 100 km of mullock heaps and orange

A miner's life is tough.

red roads are unique anywhere in the world. However may I suggest you go there to discover the exciting world of opals, not to find an Aussie version of the old Wild West. And make sure your credit card is well charged.

Life is good underground.

Travel History in a town like ALICE ACCESS

Sapphire Coast

 WORDS AND PHOTOS BY DALLAS SHERRINGHJAM HE Alice Springs I know has changed so much over the years, growing from a dusty town beside the Todd River to a vibrant modern city. The Alice I first saw as young man was an oasis in a harsh desert land. I remember going to see bush poet and balladeer Ted Egan perform in the beer garden behind an old pub. Ted, a typical Aussie who played a beer carton while he sang, ended up running the whole territory. The main past-time in town was drinking schooners at the local. Once a year they raced “boats” on the dry bed of the Todd and it gained nationwide coverage. I saw the old Ghan wobble and leap up the rough narrow gauge track from Adelaide to the downtown station. The airport was right on the edge of town and you could walk to town from the main terminal. Just growing a lawn in the old Alice drew great admiration from your fellow residents. Today, most of the old pubs and buildings have gone. The Alice has modern shopping centres, a modern casino and luxury homes set beside a championship golf course. There are still green lawns and lovely gardens to behold. On a recent visit I went in search of the old Alice Springs and came away very surprised at the treasures to still be found. Now, Alice Springs was originally the name of the Telegraph Station set beside a permanent waterhole north of the

The Old Ghan Railway Museum.

The Telegraph Station at the original springs.

current town. The old station has been preserved and is in its original condition. It was quite an operation with solid stone homes, stables and telegraph room. The new town that grew up around the end of the Ghan railway in the 1920s

The stunning DH Drover at the air museum.

was known officially as Stuart, but after much confusion the town was officially named Alice Springs in 1933. If you travel 10km south of town you will find the Old Ghan Railway Museum which has a superb collection of original

diesel locos and carriages from the original railway set on original tracks. The main building at the museum is based on the original plans for the Stuart Continued on page 27

WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS ACCESS SEPTEMBER 2020

Travel ACCESS

The 1939 hangar now houses historic planes.

Continued from page 26

station in downtown Alice Springs. The claret and silver diesel locos that hauled the Ghan across the desert have a beauty all their own. If the railway made the Alice, the coming of aircraft really changed everything.

The original airport Out in the south western suburbs I came across the original airport, still intact which a great display of vintage aircraft and memorabilia. It is now officially called the Central Australian Aviation Museum...and what a great museum it is. The people running the museum were very enthusiastic and eager to tell me all about their impressive display. The first plane landed in the Alice in 1921, but it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t u until E J Connellan established an air service in 1939 that aircraft became a permanent part of life in the Red Centre. He established the first airport at

Sapphire Coast

Royal Flying Doctor Museum.

the museum site and many of the old buildings have survived. In WWII it was a major base servicing the flow of aircraft to the northern battlefields. Connellan operated and serviced aircraft for the Royal Fling Doctor service and the display reflects the wide diversity of aircraft operating out of the airport, There is a de Havilland Drover sitting on a pedestal outside the museum which makes a great photograph. It was the workhorse of the Flying Doctor after WWII. There is a partially restored de Havilland Dove, a twin engine Beechcraft, an Auster, DC3 and part of a Tiger Moth. The remains of the ill fated Kookaburra which crashed whole searching for Kingsford Smith in 1929 are on display. The wreck was found lying in the Tanami Desert by aviator and businessman Dick Smith in 1978. Connellan actually pioneered flying tourists to Uluru (then Ayers Rock) before a proper road was built in the 1960s. The planes would land right beside the rock.

WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS ACCESS SEPTEMBER 2020

RFD Museum is in the original radio building.

My next stop was at the Royal Flying Doctor Museum set in the heart of old Alice. This complex was built in 1939 to house the operations of this outstanding service. An amazing hologram of the original RFD founder John Flynn tells the story of the growth of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest aero

medical organisation from rudimentary beginnings. So, if you are a history buff and you have a spare day or two on your hands while visiting the Alice, make sure you check out these four fascinating places. Feature supplied by www.wtfmedia.com.au

Travel ACCESS

Sapphire Coast

The Entrance.

Experience some Central Coast magic  SANDIP HOR INCE the end of March this year, I have contained myself in and around my home in South Strathfield – in the Inner West suburb of Sydney, because of the restrictions due to the worldwide coronavirus pandemic. It is not difficult to imagine how frustrating this has been for a person like me with an utterly itchy foot who has travelled to more than 100 countries in

six continents and for years had at least one travel – either overseas or interstate scheduled every month. So when overdosed with virtual travel, webinars and watch parties, NSW Government’s decision to ease travel within the state came as a welcome relief. Almost straightaway I hit the road not only to see and appreciate how beautiful and charming my own back yard is, but also to boost the crumbling rural tourism economy in my own humble way. I chose the Central Coast region

being close to home - within an hour and a half drive northwards from Sydney. For a few days I explored parts of the picturesque country around Gosford – a modern urban hideout on the Brisbane Water and within close proximity of magnificent national parks, glittering waterways, stunning beaches, lively waterside townships and quite villages. Pacific Motorway (M1) connects Sydney with the Central Coast and the entry point is the famous Hawkesbury River Bridge. The moment I crossed the

waterway I sensed a kind of freedom in the lap of unspoilt nature. This trip was basically shaking hands with nature while sunbathing at an open parklands under the blue sky, rambling along sandy paths of Ettalong Beach and Forresters Beach, bushwalking through the forests of Brisbane Water National Park and watching radiant colors of the sky when sun vanishing into the horizon. Surely this had a soothing effect on my Continued on page 29

Beautiful Avoca.

WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS ACCESS SEPTEMBER 2020

Travel ACCESS

Hawkesbury

Pelicans on Parade

Continued from page 28

weary mind and soul stressed from the trauma of the current pandemic situation. Another key feature of the trip was viewing spectacular avian species on the water from ducks, geese, swans, darters, cranes, egrets, herons, gulls and storks to giant pelicans who are the famous residents of The Entrance – a resort township set where the sparkling Pacific Ocean

meets the calm waters of Tuggerah Lake. Watching the nation’s largest water birds being fed ceremoniously around 3.30 pm every day is the biggest attraction of this scenic sanctuary. While travelling I was pretty impressed to see the locals and outsiders maintaining social distances and adopting other health safety measures as directed by the government. Similar was the situation at local shops, cafes and restaurants.

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Hope this attitude will help to end the pandemic sooner than later and open doors for more tourism within the state and beyond in coming months.

Fact File Getting There: It’s easy to reach destination by road, driving north from Sydney along Pacific Motorway (M1) and Central Coast Highway (A49) or south from Newcastle. Gosford is 76km

from Sydney and 90km from Newcastle. An alternative is to travel by intercity trains on the Sydney- Newcastle line. Stay: Plenty of staying options throughout the region from luxury resorts and hotels to backpacker hostels and Airbnb accommodations. I stayed at Seabreeze Retreat – an Airbnb nest at Point Clare, not far from Gosford. More info: www.visitnsw.com

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Business Planning

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Will it be Good, Bad or Ugly? Temporary insolvency protections extended  ANGELA HAYNES HE Federal Government has announced an extension of its temporary insolvency and bankruptcy protections until 31 December 2020. The protections are intended to provide regulatory relief for COVID-19-affected businesses by lessening the threat of actions that could push businesses into insolvency and external administration. The announcement gives much-needed clarity and certainty for the remainder of 2020. It raises important issues though for directors, companies in distress and creditors, as well as the possibility of further measures and reform to Australia’s restructuring laws. Not all are in agreement on the matter. Will the extensions have a good, bad or ugly effect on business?

“

Be realistic about your financial situation and the way in which you do business. COVID-19 has forced many industries to be flexible and adapt to the changing demands and restrictions.” – Angela Haynes.

The measures that are extended until December 31 2020 are: 1. Increase in the threshold at which creditors can issue a statutory demand on a company (from $2,000 to $20,000) and the time companies have to respond to statutory demands they receive (from 21 days to 6 months); 2. A temporary increase in the threshold for a creditor to initiate bankruptcy proceedings (from $5,000 to $20,000), an increase in the time for debtors to respond to a bankruptcy notice (from 21 days to 6 months), and extending the period of protection a debtor receives after making a declaration of intention to present a debtor’s petition (from 21 days to 6 months); 3. Temporary relief for directors from any personal liability for trading while insolvent. The Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) suggest that the relief, which will now last until the end of the year, gives corporations greater comfort in managing the impacts of COVID-19, without the pressure to move to formal insolvency or wind-up immediately. They highlight that it is important for directors to remember that this is in no way a ‘free pass’; they must continue to assess the ongoing financial liability of their organisations, as well as the impact of incurring further debts. However, fundamentally, the legislation will allow many viable organisations to come out the other side of this unprecedented disruption. The Australian Institute of Credit Management (AICM) is of the view that the measures increase the risk of preference claim demands and is advocating for a corresponding moratorium to protect payments received from customers who may be insolvent during this period, from future preference claims by liquidators. According to the AICM, a way forward may be a moratorium for preference payments that would enable credit providers to effectively support customers with payment arrangements without fear of having to return payments and shorten the duration of the impacts as businesses could be exposed to this risk until January

WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS ACCESS SEPTEMBER 2020

1, 2024 and beyond. In their latest thinking, Scott Butler and David Dickens of Hall and Wilcox Lawyers suggest that the extension allows ‘zombie companies’ that were not viable despite COVID-19, and have no prospect of surviving once the measures are removed, to remain in business and to potentially incur further debts which they will never be able to pay. In terms of the date, the lead up to Christmas and Boxing Day sales is a critical period for many retailers with business continuity decisions made based on their performance over this period. The expiry date of the extension (December 31, 2020) means that retailers and other companies will need to effectively make decisions about their future in December. What can businesses do to prepare for the end of the insolvent trading moratorium? In a COVID-19 Blog, James Ferguson of Coleman Greig Lawyers suggest businesses should use the current temporary reforms to assess their situation and make a plan so that they can survive and thrive: 1. Talk to your accountant. Business owners with cash flow problems often wait until it’s too late (for example: when they are served with a statutory demand or wind up application) before

they reach out for help and, in some instances, this can make the situation much harder to navigate. 2. Be realistic about your financial situation and the way in which you do business. COVID-19 has forced many industries to be flexible and adapt to the changing demands and restrictions. If there are aspects of your business that are no longer sustainable, then now could be a perfect opportunity to consider whether to continue those aspects in the short or long term and to restructure their business accordingly. 3. If a business is surviving only because of the Government’s relief packages, then make a plan with now for how to get on top of debts over the coming months. It is important that a business get on top of their finances early and make a plan that will be sustainable for their business. For example, one approach may be to be transparent with creditors and see whether a payment arrangement can be reached for any outstanding debts that will balance obligations with the ongoing trading relationship. At KPMG Greater Western Sydney we are all too aware of the predicted spike of bankruptcy and insolvency applications once the insolvency laws return to normal. Businesses should use the current temporary reforms to assess their situation and make a plan now. If you would like assistance in understanding the temporary reforms and developing a plan for your business, or you have a query relating to any of the information in this article, then please don’t hesitate to get in contact with Angela Haynes of KPMG’s Restructuring Services Team at ahaynes1@kpmg.com.au or 0419 444 010.

Branding

www.wsba.com.au

Five mobile app tactics that will add value to your brand

“

The app provides a way to increase distant customer engagement and make it count." - Harald van Heerde, Professor of Marketing, UNSW Business School. EW research explores the value of retail apps, which customers benefit the most, and the critical app features that will improve consumer engagement – regardless of your brand or budget Consumers’ needs are evolving and brands must evolve to keep up with changing demands. Many brands are doing this via mobile apps. For example, IKEA’s app features augmented reality (AR), which enables customers to see the full details of how a piece of furniture would fit into their living room. IKEA Place lets you virtually ‘place’ furnishings in your space by merely scanning the floor of a room, browsing the list of products available in the app, and then selecting the product you’d like to place. Of course, not every brand will have the budget to create an app with AR. Still, there are a few critical successful features that successful apps have in common. But first, it is essential to understand what value an app can (and cannot) bring your brand.

Engaging the unengaged customer with your brand Mobile apps are fast becoming the go-to tactic for retailers because they offer the promise of highly convenient digital engagement, according to Harald van Heerde, Professor of Marketing at UNSW Business School, who specialises in econometric models to improve marketing decision-making. Dr van Heerde was recently awarded the best paper award by the International Journal of Research in Marketing – alongside his two co-authors economist Scott Neslin and quantitative researcher Isaac Dinner – for their paper Engaging the unengaged customer: The value of a retailer mobile app. In their paper, the authors hypothesise that companies can engage with two types of customers via a mobile retail app — “offline-only” customers currently purchasing exclusively from the retailer’s physical store, and “distant” customers. The latter reside far from the physical store. “In the old days, customers would visit the store often, but given that everyone lives their lives through their mobile phone screens (regrettably), this is where retailers can engage with customers,” says Dr van Heerde. Indeed, their paper finds that apps can be a great tool to keep customers in the loop and keep them engaged.

The IKEA Place app uses augmented reality to let customers preview how furniture looks on their smartphones before they buy. Image: Shutterstock

The researchers examine the customers of a store that has both a physical store and an online store. They split the group of customers into those who exclusively shop in the physical store, or the ‘offline-only’ segment, and those who go online for at least part of their shopping experience (online customers). They also distinguished between customers who live near the store or within the same metropolitan area, and distant customers outside of the metro area. They find that having an app is especially useful in engaging customers who live outside of the city where the store is located but only shop in that physical store. Specifically, their usage of the app (which is a form of customer engagement) leads to a 9.5 per cent increase in spending, says Dr van Heerde. “Our explanation is that for these customers, there is otherwise very little daily engagement (they live too far from the store to go there often and they don’t go online) and that the app offers a good way to engage them,” he explains. So, the customers most likely to benefit from having an app would be “those who value convenience, are short on time and cannot check out the physical store,” concludes Dr van Heerde.

What value could an app bring to your brand?

The researchers also find that if the retailer could increase access or usage of the app by 50 per cent there would be a further 5 per cent increase in revenues for distant/offline-only customers. “Clearly the app provides a way to increase distant customer engagement and make it count” write the researchers. “Basically, this is when a user taps on the app on their phone to open it. In the focal app, each day there was a new featured ‘product of the day’ (a fashion item), and this would draw app users to use it every day to see what the product of the day is,” continues Dr van Heerde. He explains that other ways to draw users to your app might be through push notifications for promotions or news (although he says this can also become annoying), or by having some games or other activities that make users come back to the app. Dr van Heerde says the most surprising finding of the paper is that even such a modest app – that focused on a “product of the day” – was able to generate such strong engagement. So what’s next? Dr van Heerde says he is also working on new research with gamified apps “where customers keep on coming back because they want to get to a higher level in the game”. “I think this is a great idea that will take off. I would also love to see a supermarket app that shows you where you can find a product in the store,” he adds.

The UberEats brand is well recognised for its clean and intuitive user interface and the way it successfully adapts to people's changing eating habits. Image: Shutterstock

5 critical app features that engage users with the brand Following on from the paper and based on observations in this area, Dr van Heerde concludes that the following are features of a successful mobile retailer app. 1. Value: First, the app must add value to the user. This can be done through discounts, relevant news, special events, rewards, social exchanges, games, or even IKEA's use of AR, for example. 2. Execution: The app must also have slick performance. This means it must be modern looking, with no bugs or glitches, and be easy to navigate. 3. Depth: An app must have depth, not just one little feature but multiple menus (e.g., assortment, notifications, rewards, loyalty program). 4. Personalisation: Being able to customise features is vital. This means offerings tailored to the specific customers based on their past purchase behaviour, preferences and profile. 5. Problem-solving: Finally, the app must solve a unique problem for the user. For example, Uber addresses the question of the location of the rider and the driver, while Uber Eats solves the age-old problem of finding a meal. Banking apps solve the problem of having to do some banking on the go, while some supermarket apps solve the problem of having to carry reward cards. In China, many people use their social media, retailer apps and banking apps for all their transactions, and they don’t carry any cards or cash. To summarise, any retailer app that can solve an important unmet customer need is likely to succeed. This article was first published at www.businessthink.unsw.edu.au – the online journal of UNSW Business School. Harald van Heerde is a SHARP Research Professor of Marketing at UNSW Business School. Van Heerde is ranked 7th amongst marketing scholars worldwide based on the volume of his publications in the leading marketing journals such as the Journal of Marketing, the Journal of Marketing Research and Marketing Science.

WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS ACCESS SEPTEMBER 2020

Success

www.wsba.com.au

The Gen-Z business revolution is coming

“

The reason why I’ve experienced some success so early in my career is because members of Gen-Z understand things about social media that older generations, even millennials, don’t.” - Fotios Tsiouklas.  DALLAS SHERRINGHAM EN Z entrepreneurs are changing the world and two young Australian businessmen are headlining the rise and rise of the ‘Zillionaire’. In fact the two ‘Z magnates’ are on track to make a billion any time soon as their business booms. Fotios Tsiouklas (19) and Alan Gokoglu (18) are using their time in self-isolation to continue their entrepreneurial hot-streak in the world of business. Despite being teenagers, Mr Tsiouklas and Mr Gokoglu are two young entrepreneurs taking the tech world by storm. The pair are perfect examples of the new Zillionaires — members of Generation Z making their mark in the business world. They started their first business at age 12 and now amazingly employ their fathers after they lost their jobs in IT. Mr Tsiouklas and Mr Gokoglu run several businesses in fields ranging from app development to social media. One of the apps that Mr Tsiouklas developed reached the Top 10 of the Apple App Store and received 250,000 active users within just 48 hours. He was just 18 at the time. “Our app Clout exploded in a short space of time and gave us the confidence to create pretty much anything we wanted. We’ve gone on to create about 100 applications that have brought in revenue in the hundreds of thousands of dollars,” Mr Tsiouklas said.

Next Steve Jobs His friends call him ‘the next Steve Jobs’, but until recently, Mr Tsiouklas was only just finishing his final year of high school. The pair have extensive business experience already and are on track to replicate their success with even more businesses in the pipeline for 2020. “We currently have two main businesses that will be launched during the next few months,” Mr Tsiouklas said. “One is a social media agency for Tik Tok users that will be the first of its kind in the world. A few months ago, we predicted that Tik Tok would become the sensation that it has, so we bought the domain name TikToks.com. “We’ve since received massive offers

Fotios Tsiouklas (19) and Alan Gokoglu (18).

to purchase the domain name but we think we could make more money on our own,” Mr Tsiouklas said. “The other business is an app development business that will change the way businesses and influencers operate. At the moment, businesses are paying tens if not hundreds of thousands of dollars to have an app developed. “Our goal is to give businesses a quality app that they can develop in a few hours at just $99 a month. The business will be called Apps4Brands and it will be huge. “We intend to put the power back into the hands of businesses by giving them the ability to create an app for next to nothing.” Generation Z includes people born from 1995 to 2010. They are the generation after millennials. According to Mr Tsiouklas, the oldest members of Gen-Z are only just starting to make their mark in the workplace..

WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS ACCESS SEPTEMBER 2020

“Before now, every member of my generation was still at school. We’re only just starting to see what Gen-Z is going to do with their careers,” Mr Tsiouklas added.

Social Media Frame “Gen-Z is a generation that really understands social media fame. To be honest, I think we understand the internet better than any generation right now. When Gen-Z comes into maturity, we’re going to fundamentally change the way business is done around the world.” Most of Mr Tsiouklas and Mr Gokoglu's businesses relate to app development, social media or online marketing. According to Mr Tsiouklas, members of Gen-Z have a lot to offer the business world. “The reason why I’ve experienced some success so early in my career is because members of Gen-Z understand

things about social media that older generations, even millennials, don’t.” “We were the first generation to grow up with the internet and smartphones in our pocket at all times. We’ve grown up in the time of the Instagram influencer, Snapchat and Tik Tok. “We understand these massive industries better than anyone. When we enter a workplace, we’re in the position to completely change how they operate.” “Get ready for the Gen-Z business revolution, because it’s definitely coming.” Mr Tsiouklas and Mr Gokoglu also established Kickspan, a highly successful digital agency which turns over millions of dollars. They also own night clubs and develop and deliver venue based themed initiatives. They are currently worth more than $5m and their revenue and asset base is growing by the day. Stand by for further news. Details: www.afbusiness.com.au

WESTERN SYDNEY

Family Business Welcome

With David Pring

Welcome to KPMG Family Business feature articles. If you would like to discuss these articles or how KPMG can help with your business please feel free to contact me on 9455 9996 or davidpring@kpmg.com.au

Calling on the next generation How the next generation will help families thrive in the New Reality worldwide plan to retire before their 50th birthday. The 2018 Millennial Impact Report also found that this group tends to favour social issues over institutions, is frequently influenced by the actions of their peers, and cares about how their actions can make positive changes in their world. All of these traits can affect the way Millennials run a family business.

 TOM MCGINNES N the fall of 2019, the Successful Transgenerational Entrepreneurship Practices (STEP) Project Global Consortium released the 2019 Global Family Business Survey, to which KPMG Private Enterprise contributed its insights. The report probed how family businesses throughout the world are dealing with succession and governance challenges in light of changing social demographics. We didn’t realize the degree to which those challenges would be amplified in the coming months as the head-on impact of COVID-19 led many family business owners to seek new ways to sustain the legacy of their companies. For many, succession and governance issues and the need to draw on innovative, multi-generational ideas for the future came to the forefront. Regardless of the family business situation at any particular point in time, one principle holds true: there will (and should) always be questions about what comes next, including who will take over when it’s time to retire. Many family business CEOs want the next generation to continue building on the foundations they laid. But how might those foundations need to change for the new reality ahead? And how can you be sure the next generation is ready to take the business in that direction? The results of the 2019 Global Family Business Survey offer valuable ideas and insights about planning for this transition in your business. Additional in-depth interviews with family business leaders across the globe provided us with firsthand and profound perspectives on many succession issues. I encourage you to learn about their personal views and succession experiences when these family stories are published in a series of articles on the KPMG website beginning in October.

Why succession planning is needed now One finding was that 15 percent of all North American family businesses are led by CEOs from the “Silent Generation” born between 1925 and 1945, and more than double the global average.

Millennials can lead the new reality revolution

Given that the youngest CEOs in this cohort are in their mid-70s, succession planning should be an urgent priority for these family businesses, particularly given the uncharted and challenging territory that lies ahead in the New Reality. The survey also revealed that 70 percent of current family business leaders admit that they do not have a succession plan, even though 45 percent say there is a high likelihood that the family business will stay in the hands of the family in the future. This sentiment is particularly strong among Silent Generation and Baby Boomer CEOs. The good news is that the results of the survey show that Millennials are ready to step up and take over family businesses. Many are already doing so with great success around the world. We see rapid changes in operating models and business innovations emerging from family businesses that tackled COVID-19 head-on.

The good news? Millennials are ready to deliver Far from being lazy and entitled, as popular stereotypes sometimes assume,

a 2016 workplace study conducted by the World Economic Forum suggests that Millennials are the most likely group to be workaholics. Compared to older generations, they’re also less likely to use all of their vacation time. It shouldn’t be surprising then, that family businesses led by Generation X or Millennial CEOs show higher levels of performance in the STEP Project Global Consortium survey than family businesses led by the Silent Generation and Baby Boomers, with CEOs from those older cohorts experiencing a fall-off in performance over time.

Different styles, different outcomes It should also not be a surprise that the STEP Project Global Consortium survey found notable differences in generational outlook between Silent Generation/Baby Boomer CEOs and their Generation X/Millennial CEO successors. While 60 percent of CEOs in Europe and Central Asia and 40 percent in North America plan to retire after age 70, most Millennial family business leaders

Silent Generation and Baby Boomer CEOs should feel reassured by the results of the survey when it comes to concerns regarding the next generation’s readiness and ability to lead the family enterprise. Millennial family business leaders may have different priorities and leadership styles than earlier generations, but they are a highly educated cohort of potential CEOs who are eager to make their mark. Indeed, a 2018 study shows that 29 percent of Millennials are already in management or executive positions in family businesses, with 23 percent holding positions on the board. Millennials around the world are leading family firms to new heights, with family firms led by younger CEOs performing better than those that have not yet transitioned to new leadership. Taking all of these considerations into account, family business CEOs should not delay planning. This is especially true for Silent Generation and Baby Boomer CEOs, who must consider the importance of work-life balance for younger generations and, in particular, the desire of Millennials to retire decades earlier than their predecessors. By putting a formal, timely and professional succession process in place that reflects changing demographics and evolving leadership styles, family business CEOs can help ensure the future of their family business. The good news for family business leaders looking to hand off their business to the next generation? They’re ready. First published by Tom McGinness: Partner, Global Leader, KPMG Private Enterprise Family Business Centre of Excellence, KPMG International on kpmg.com on 1 September, 2020

WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS ACCESS SEPTEMBER 2020

Family Business

www.wsba.com.au

ATO Compliance: Next 5,000 program for private groups The ATO’s Private Wealth Group recently provided KPMG with an update regarding its Next 5,000 program. What is the 'Next 5,000' review program?  BELINDA CHEESWWRIGHT HE Next 5,000 is an expansion of the Top 500 private groups tax performance program and is intended to provide assurance to the community that these groups are paying the right amount of tax. The ATO’s approach under the Next 5,000 will broadly mirror the Top 1,000 tax performance program approach that was applied to public and multi-national companies in the sense that the Next 5,000 program will involve streamlined assurance reviews. These reviews will be undertaken over an estimated 5 month period, with tailoring of the program to the private wealth market and the current COVID-19 environment. The Next 5,000 program will commence over the coming months, with the ATO currently seeking feedback from groups on the exact timing, with particular regard to the impact of COVID-19 on the capacity of Next 5,000 taxpayers to be involved in the program. The ATO has indicated that Next 5,000 taxpayer groups will comprise an individual who together with their associates and connected entities control net wealth of more than $50 million. Taxpayers that have already been captured under the Top 500 private group program will be excluded from the Next 5,000.

The ATO’s 'justified trust' methodology In performing their review, the ATO will seek to apply their 'justified trust' methodology to obtain assurance that the group has paid the right amount of tax based on the following four pillars:

1. Effective tax governance The approach to reviewing a group’s tax governance framework will include a tailored approach focusing on tax compliance processes, roles and responsibilities and post implementation review. The ATO acknowledged that it does not necessarily expect to see the same level of formal tax governance documentation as those taxpayers under the Top 1,000 or Top 500 private group programs. However, as part of these reviews, the ATO will be looking for documentation to demonstrate that there is effective oversight of tax processes, identification of tax risks, professional tax advice is sought where appropriate, and tax compliance is timely and accurate. 2. Tax risks flagged The ATO will seek to understand whether any current Practical Compliance Guidelines (PCGs) or Taxpayer Alerts may apply to the group and any risks identified as a result of this. As an example, this may include reliance on PCG’s in relation to Division 7A arrangements within the group. 3. New and significant transactions The ATO will seek to understand the current business activities, particularly significant or new transactions, and the tax outcomes of these. This will also include an assessment of ongoing transactions and specific industry issues which may impact on a particular taxpayer group. 4. Accounting and tax differences The ATO will seek to identify certain differences between accounting and tax, which will include a review of tax reconciliations and trust distributions. Other points to note: • The review period will generally cover the two most recent income years.

• GST will be integrated into some streamlined assurance reviews to understand GST consequences on significant transactions, events or issues and also identify any priority GST issues. • There will be limited reviews of SMSFs. A review of a SMSF will usually only occur where a SMSF forms a material part of the group.

Next steps

Practical steps to ensure your readiness for review may include: • Formally documenting your tax risk management and governance framework and/or tax processes with regard to the size and complexity of your group. • Proactively assessing any tax risks flagged to the market and documenting how these risks have been managed where they apply to your group. • Ensuring that all contemporaneous documentation and advice has been retained and collated that supports the tax treatment of your significant or new transactions. • All material book to tax adjustments are easily explainable and supported by applicable documentation (for example differences in depreciation deductions). Where specific tax risks are identified, advice should be sought on how best to manage this risk, including collating supporting documentation or potentially engaging with the ATO. If you would like to discuss the Next 5,000 program and how KPMG can assist your group in preparing for this program, please feel free to contact us.

Groups who believe they may fall into the Next 5,000 program should consider how they would address the four pillars outlined above. In our experience, the best outcomes are achieved when taxpayers are adequately prepared for their reviews.

First published by Belinda Cheesewright, Partner, Tax Transactions and Accounting, Enterprise, KPMG Australia on KPMG.com.au on 13 August 2020

Timeframe of a review The ATO has advised that all groups subject to the Next 5,000 program will be provided with three months advanced notice before commencement of the review, with the first round of request for information generally required within 28 days after commencement. However, the ATO is providing a COVID-19 transition option where groups can elect to waive the three month advanced notice in exchange for being provided with an extended period to respond to the first round of request for information. This COVID-19 transition option is a welcome announcement and will provide groups with up to two and a half months to respond to the first request for information.

Dr Brendan Rynne, KPMG Chief Economist, Comments on the ABS June quarter national accounts HE latest GDP results shows the national economy screeched to a halt in the June quarter of 2020, declining 7 percent from the previous quarter, to be down 0.2 percent year on year. During this quarter many Australians saw their jobs evaporate or their hours worked fall, resulting in lower income and increased uncertainty. You can see this detailed in the national accounts: hours worked fell by about 10 percent, wages income for employees fell 2.5 percent, and real net disposable income per capita fell 8 percent. Importantly, this income hit and uncertainty also drove household consumption down by over 12 percent during the quarter, led by a 17.6 percent fall in services spending; this corre-

Dr Brendan Rynne.

spondingly saw the household savings ratio increase sharply to about 20 percent, a number not seen since the early 1970s. Other double digit falls over the quarter were recorded in imports (-12.9 percent) and investment (-10.0 percent), while exports fell by 6.9 percent.

WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS ACCESS SEPTEMBER 2020

The fact that imports fell significantly more than exports means that the trade balance made a positive contribution to GDP growth. Although exports fell in aggregate, exports of iron ore held up, growing by 5 percent – without this, the headline GDP figure would have been worse. The national accounts also showed the strong influence of JobKeeper on the economy during this period. The government’s COVID-19 wage subsidy program, combined with its business support package (Boosting Cash Flow for Employers), has seen gross surplus of corporations and payments to business owners increase by 11 percent and 22 percent respectively over the quarter.

However, consistent with the ‘there is no such thing as a free lunch’ philosophy (or more mundanely referred to as ‘double-entry accounting’), government taxes and subsidies fell by $56bn over the same time period, reflecting the $70bn in government support payments made during this time. Overall, while these results are worse than we had anticipated, there are a few encouraging signs hidden amongst the gloom that suggest to us the basis of the recovery is still positive. Those who were employed during the June quarter were working extremely hard (gross value added per hour worked market sector was up 5.9 percent q-q), and the output they generated was highly valued (GDP per hour worked was up 3.1 percent q-q).

So we can say the core of the value-adding component of the Australian economy remains intact, but the niceties of our society – leisure, arts, sports, shopping – have taken a battering. But they will come back, just a little slower than we had hoped for. Had the core of the economy cracked more – although it is still cracking, given the Victorian lockdown – then the social niceties would take even longer to recover because people’s concerns would have focused on having and keeping a job, putting food on the table and having a roof over their family’s head rather than anything else. First published by Dr Brendan Rynne, Partner and Chief Economist, KPMG Australia on KPMG Newsroom on 3 September 2020.

Technology Success

www.wsba.com.au

Is it time to consider losing YOUR PHYSICAL OFFICE?  DARRYL MCALLISTER HERE are a number of challenges facing Australian businesses due to the pandemic when it comes to returning to a physical office space. There’s the consideration of how to keep employees safe by implementing distancing, mask policies, and cleaning rules. There’s also just trying to keep costs low while recovering from any revenue losses due to the pandemic. Those challenges, along with the realization that it is possible to run businesses remotely using the right technology solutions, have many business owners contemplating going completely virtual and losing their physical office altogether. It’s estimated that post-pandemic, nearly 50% of the workforce will be working remotely from home. So, for a business that doesn’t need to have a physical location for retail or manufacturing, paying for rent and utilities for an office space makes a lot less sense than it may have in the past.

Technology Vital to Powering a Virtual Office Before the pandemic started, the average commercial office space in NSW rented for between $485 to $1,025per metre per year. So, for a 50m2 office space (not including furniture, utilities, etc.) a company would be paying between $2,021 to $4,271 per month. That’s a significant saving if you put the right technology in place to run your office virtually and have all employees working from home. Here are the vital pieces of cloud infrastructure you need to put in place to make the transition successfully:

#1 Cloud-Based Phone System If you haven’t already, you need to replace your legacy phone system with a VoIP system. We recommend 3CX for a full-featured, cost-effective solution. A cloud-based phone system is often the reason that many people may liaise with a business for years and never realize they don’t have a physical office. VoIP systems give your business a level of professionalism by having enterprise-class features like dial-by-name directory and auto attendant. VoIP phones can be answered anywhere - for instance, via a mobile phone app - so all employees will have access to your phone system just as they did at the office. They’ll also be able to seamlessly transfer calls, use voicemail, and call out to any landline, mobile, or VoIP number.

#2 Microsoft Teams for Video & Team Collaboration One of the most important things you need to have in place is a way for

employees to continue to interact and connect as easily as they did when located in the same building. Microsoft Teams is like an office in the cloud. It’s a connection point, where people can access others in their organization, interface with their specific departments, and connect with clients. Features of Teams include: • Video or audio meetings • Channelled communications (which can be set up by department) • File sharing and collaboration • Alerts and @mentions (a virtual tap on the shoulder) • Status messages (let everyone know when you’re at lunch) • Launching point for a team’s workflow (files, apps, websites, etc.) Another important capability includes the data security features in Teams.

#3 Streamlined Productivity Platform It’s important to streamline your use of the cloud as much as possible when running your office virtually. You don’t want to end up with a bunch of apps from different vendors that don’t integrate or share data easily.

Microsoft 365 is a perfect productivity platform for virtual offices because it offers all the main tools an office needs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook), plus includes an entire stable of collaboration efficient tools, such as: • SharePoint • Teams • OneDrive (personal storage) • Planner (simple project management) • Stream (internal video publishing, like YouTube) • To-Do (shared task list) • And more

#4 Centralized Cloud File Storage When you have employees working from different locations, you don’t want to lose control over all your work files by having them stored locally on different machines. It’s important to have a centralized cloud storage platform that will accomplish two main objectives. • Keep all your files together in one place so you can secure them • Make it easy for your team to access the files they need OneDrive file storage is another reason Microsoft 365 is such a value-add-

ed platform. OneDrive is included and each user has their own 1TB of space for storing company files in the cloud.

#5 Security-First Managed IT Support The provision of IT services from an external provider that places security first can ensure that employee devices are secure and well maintained even if they’re being used in different physical locations. Technology and business are now intertwined and for your business to run well, your technology needs to be running securely and efficiently. Via our NetCare Technology Success process, our world-class service delivery team are there whenever an employee needs help and to ensure your technology continues to power your virtual business effectively and stays protected from any security intrusions. If you’ve been contemplating moving to a fully remote office, Netcare can help you put the foundation in place for a successful transition. Darryl McAllister is CEO atNetcare. Contact us today to schedule a consultation. Call (02) 9114 9920 or reach out online. www.netcare.net.au

We’ve got Western Sydney covered Western Sydney Business Access – the region’s only independent media covering business, progress, development and lifestyle. PDF editions viewable online www.wsba.com.au • Video archives | Updated daily

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2020 BLACKTOWN

Local Business Awards Special feature 3 - check out these local businesses

www.thebusinessawards.com.au | www.accessnews.com.au WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS ACCESS SEPTEMBER 2020

2020 Blacktown Local Business awards

02 9679 8992 20 Garling Road, Kings Park info@aussieforklifts.com.au www.aussieforklifts.com.au

SPECIALISING IN THE SERVICE, REPAIR, SALE

Message from Mayor Tony Bleasdale, OAM Blacktown City Council is proud to sponsor the 2020 Local Business Awards. Blacktown is one of the fastest growing cities in Australia, with our current population of 395,000 forecast to be well over half a million residents within 15 years. The growing size of our community provides more opportunities for our local businesses to enlarge their customer base. In turn, your energy and activity can help us grow our local economy. Our economy is over $18 billion and based on the trading activity of nearly 25,000 businesses in our City. for our Council to support local businesses who are weathering the current storm and uncertainty of this pandemic. As a result, the Blacktown City Local Business Awards is an opportunity for our community to acknowledge the great work our local businesses are doing in providing jobs, goods and services to support our City’s people. I look forward to acknowledging these great efforts when presenting the winners of the business categories later in the year.

Blacktown City blacktown.nsw.gov.au

BLACKTOWN SNAPSHOT 25,000 Registered businesses supporting

143,000 Local jobs

395,000 Population $ 18.8 billion Economy S 4.6% Average economic growth rate (pre pandemic)

Riverstone/Schofields Business finder Council is supporting our local businesses in several ways during these current difficult times.

- Live local………….Buy local One new initiative is the Riverstone/Schofields Business finder. For this directory, we’re listing local businesses trading in the Riverstone and Schofields districts on a map of the local area. People who are newly arrived in Blacktown City and setting up home in the district, and visitors to the area can use this map to find a range of local businesses on their doorstep. Just click on this link blacktown.spotlocal.com.au and it’ll take you straight through to the site. It’s a better tool than Google Maps because it tells you more about our businesses. Let us know how you get on with using the site. Contact us on economicdevelopment@blacktown.nsw.gov.au . We look forward to hearing from you…………… Happy (local) shopping!!

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2020 Blacktown Local Business awards

BLACKTOWN Hours: Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday

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Address: Shop 62 a, Seven Hills Plaza 224 Prospect Hwy, Seven Hills NSW 2147

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2020 Blacktown Local Business awards Lenity Care had been founded in 2018 with a vision to provide innovative quality support to improve lifestyle, wellbeing, learning and social engagement opportunities for people with disability, their families and carers. Lenity Care pioneered in providing client-centred service, strengths-based support for multicultural clients through multicultural team with diverse qualifications, skills and roles.

Lenity Care successfully build a name and trade mark of excellence, integrity, transparency, cooperation and business success with strong business growth and successfully gained the confidence of our participants and their families across Western and Southern Sydney. Our commitment is to empower people with disability to live the life they choose, to strive to deliver great client solutions that will enable opportunities of choice, inclusion and achievement in the home, in the community, through education and training, and in employment.

106/30 Campbell St. Blacktown NSW 2148 (02) 9622 2291 Heartland Motors has been servicing the local community for over 50 years. At Heartland Kia Blacktown We have a large range of new and quality used cars for sale, our team can also provide you with genuine servicing, finance, insurance and a massive range of parts & accessories. We are committed to delivering Quality, Safety and Innovation in everything we do; while at the same time finding ways to improve.

Call 8822 8344

Blacktown

heartlandkiablacktown.com.au

120 Sunnyholt Road

WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS ACCESS SEPTEMBER 2020

2020 Blacktown Local Business awards

PANNU LAWYERS

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Here at Pannu Lawyers ® we have a compassionate approach towards our clients who are often dealing with some of XLI QSWX HMǽGYPX situations life can serve up.

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2020 Blacktown Local Business awards

ROMPUS "Rompus Swimwear is a family owned premium swimwear brand based in Sydney.The Cheeky Brazilian Bikini label designs a gorgeous range of high quality swimwear for beach loving women. The eco-conscious brand is focused on delivering sustainable designs and figure flattering fit to women around the globe. The Cheeky label is made up of eco-friendly fabrics that are made from recycled materials such as used plastic bottles, discarded fishing nets and plastic straws to create high quality swimsuits. These swimsuits are twice as resistant to chlorine and tanning creams and oils than competitors’ fabrics, they are soft and breathable yet provide the right amount of compression and comfort taking into account the needs of modern women who love fashion and love to be carefree. . Since 2017, this trendy Australian owned swimwear brand has been run by two creative individuals who have lived in the Sydney West for the past 13 years. They wanted to makes swimwear that gives the feeling of summer and long, lazy days at the beach Browse their newest collection of swimwear designed for Summer. Whether you are a beach girl who likes bralettes, or a fitness babe who wants to show off that bikini body in a cheeky cut swimwear, you'll find their trendy swimwear collection will have everything you need for the beach or pool".

Phone: +614 5118 2743 | email : sales@rompus.com.au

Established in 2014, Powerhouse is a family run business and workshop, with a background in racing. Over the years we have built our reputation in the automotive world having gained partnerships to become local distributers for X-Force Performance Exhausts and Harrop Performance. We also manager multiple racing cars including the world’s fastest MightBoy drag car. We specialise in all aspects of Auto Electrical repairs, Mechanical Repairs and Performance/Fabrications. These specialties include but are not limited to the following: • • • • • • • • • • • •

All auto electrical repairs Mechanical repairs Air conditioning repairs and maintenance Diagnostics and scanning Fleet car servicing and maintenance Heavy vehicle repairs Performance upgrades Dyno tuning Engine conversions Engine builds Aftermarket ECU Custom vehicle wiring

https://www.facebook.com/powerhousetuneandrace/ 42

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2020 Blacktown Local Business awards

WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS ACCESS SEPTEMBER 2020

2020 Blacktown Local Business awards

FREE SEO Review For Your Business In A Video Are you confused about SEO? Have you tried it before but didn't get the benefits? Do you need help in finding how SEO can help your business?

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2020 Blacktown Local Business awards Congratulations to our ďŹ nalists in the 2020 Blacktown City Local Business Awards! Their nomination is a testament to their hard work and dedication in providing superior customer service. Support local and get all your essentials from our wonderful retailers at Seven Hills Plaza.

Phone: (02) 9621 3144 sevenhillsplaza.com.au

WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS ACCESS SEPTEMBER 2020

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2020 Blacktown Local Business awards

NUTRICRAFT IS YOUR AUSTRALIAN BRAND PREMIUM HEALTHY AND NON-TOXIC COOKWARE

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Ç&#x2021;/RRN \RXU EHVW E\ WDSHULQJ WKH UHVWÇ&#x2C6; At Tapered The Barbershop we are keeping the legend of the barbershop alive by providing a one-stop shop for all your male grooming needs. From sophisticated haircuts, fresh fades, beard styling, to traditional cut throat shaves and all facial grooming, Tapered the Barbershop caters to all hair types and styles. We stock an exclusive range of products including pomades, waxes and beard oils from industry superior brands like Uppercut and Layrite so you can have that barbershop finish when you want. Our services are priced from $18 so whether you are after a quick trim or want to indulge in the Gentleman's Deluxe package, at Tapered the Barbershop we make sure that you "look your best by tapering the rest".

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2020 Blacktown Local Business awards

DIRECT2U (D2U) is the place where you can conveniently source suppliers that provide their products and services directly to you at your home or business either by delivery or remotely. D2U is Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s home delivery marketplace. D2U lists only businesses come to you with their products and services.

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Real Value Business Solutions ABN: 15 579 340 108 Registered Tax Practitioners, Registered SMSF Auditors & Public Accountants.

We thank our valued clients for nominating us for this years Blacktown Local Business Awards 2020

SUPERIOR EDGE SHARPENING SERVICE Steve is a certified Grand Master Sharpener and offers a quality sharpening service. Sharpening professional hairdressing and dog grooming scissors, clipper blades, dressmaking scissors and chef knives. Clipper handsets servicing also available. Customer satisfaction guaranteed.

Send your blades to: Superior Edge Sharpening 26 Morrell Cres Quakers Hill NSW 2763 or Call Steve on 0414 588 030 For more information visit: www.superioredge.com.au WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS ACCESS SEPTEMBER 2020

Our Services: t 5BY 1SFQBSBUJPO JOEJWJEVBM TPMF USBEFS QBSUOFSTIJQ DPNQBOZ USVTU '#5 BOE #"4 t 5BY QMBOOJOH BOE UBY TUSVDUVSJOH t "50 EJTQVUF SFTPMVUJPO t #VTJOFTT 1MBOT BOE #VEHFUT t #VTJOFTT "EWJTPSZ )FMQ JO CVTJOFTT TUSVDUVSJOH CVTJOFTT IFBMUI DIFDL VQ BOE TFU VQ PG DPNQBOJFT JO "4*$ t 4.4' "VEJU t "DDPVOUJOH BOE #PPLLFFQJOH 2. AMBER CLOSE PARKLEA NSW 2768

.PCJMF 0433087321 &NBJM read real_value@msn.com 8FCTJUF realvaluebusinesssolutions.com

2020 Blacktown Local Business awards

WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS ACCESS SEPTEMBER 2020

Recruitment

www.wsba.com.au

The Importance of Effective Leadership SUCCESS THROUGH PEOPLE SERIES  GREG MITCHCELL n this series of articles, Greg Mitchell (Principal of HR Success) highlights their exclusive 8 Elements to Success through People© Model, designed to create and sustain engaging, productive workplaces that drive business success. Today, we take a look at one of the two “Do not pass go, do not collect $200” elements of the model – Effective Leadership (the other “Do not pass go….” element is Clear Vision and Strategy, which we covered in an earlier edition of WSBA). The simple fact is that the best, most sustainable businesses have great leadership. Leaders need to be effective from both task and people perspectives: they need to be achievement-focused, technically-capable, able to align the activity of others to strategy, self-aware, authentic and relatable, consultative and consistent. While each individual leader needs to be effective, they also need to be collectively effective, particularly as the business grows. They need to be “on the same page” in terms of vision and values for example, and they need to work effectively together to determine and achieve the right strategy for success. To get some idea as to how your business is presently positioned in relation to Effective Leadership, rate each of the following items on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being “not at all”, and 5 being “to a great extent”.

To what extent.... • Do you/your managers have the necessary skills and experience to effectively lead the team? • Do those individuals leading others in your business act as a cohesive group? • Do individual managers make decisions based on the overall benefit to the business (as distinct from their own areas of responsibility)? • Do you/individual managers demonstrate the desired behaviours and values of the business? • Do you/your managers have an appropriate balance between "getting stuff done" and effectively managing and developing others? Total your responses to calculate your score out of a potential maximum of 25. The lower your score the more opportunities there are to improve your business!

Consider these Tips: • Provide opportunities for leaders to get individual feedback and coaching on their management/ leadership styles and plan for improvement (diagnostics such as Everything DiSC® and Human-Synergistics LSI can be valuable). • Consider/evaluate the collective effectiveness of the management team and identify development

“

If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, become more, you are a leader" - John Quincy Adams. or other opportunities to improve. • Place leadership on the agenda as an item for discussion at the next management meeting. Gather views regarding current individual and collective effectiveness, discuss what "good" leadership look like within your business, and what can/should be done differently? • Develop a simple matrix of core capabilities (knowledge, skills and personal attributes) required of managers, assess current incumbents and provide support to fill identified gaps.

Note: If you’re “flying solo” as a leader in your business, reflect on the effectiveness of your own leadership style by considering the attributes of the most and least effective leaders you’ve come across. Then ask yourself; what type of leader do you want to be? If you’re not quite there yet, what actions can you take today/next week/ next month to get there? Curious as to how your business or team is performing in terms of the other 7 elements of the model? Check out our free, confidential diagnostic today – www.hrsuccess.com.au/diagnostic.

NEED HR HELP FOR YOUR BUSINESS? • Are staff issues constantly distracting you from growing your business? • Does your team seem to lack direction, motivation and drive? • Do you find it difficult to recruit and retain quality staff? • Are compliance and staff performance worries keeping you awake at night? • Is running your business just not as enjoyable as it used to be? HR Success has been providing professional, practical HR support for start-ups, SMEs and larger organisations in Western Sydney for in excess of 13 years, and we do so with NO RETAINERS OR LOCK-IN CONTRACTS! Our services include: • Recruitment Support • Leadership, Culture & Engagement • HR Risk Management • Short N Sharp Training Need help to sort out the “people stuff” in your business? Check out our websites or give Greg or Margot a call. www.hrsuccess.com.au | www.shortnsharptraining.com.au ph. 1300 783 211 | support@hrsuccess.com.au WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS ACCESS SEPTEMBER 2020

L BUSINE A C

2020 2 020

2020 Parramatta Local Business Awards

ARDS

The support of the Local Business Awards sponsors helps bring a special program for local business people to life - We thank them for this. MAJOR SPONSORS

SUPPORT SPONSORS

MEDIA PARTNER

PRESENTED BY

www.thebusinessawards.com.au 52

WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS ACCESS SEPTEMBER 2020

Crosswords/Games

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CROSSWORD ACROSS 1. Harbour work boats 7. Birthday greeting 10. Gallopers' tracks 11. Astronaut, ... Shepard 12. Actor, ... Ifans 13. Sweat droplet 15. Strike with head 17. Capture (criminal) 18. Took cover 20. River, ... Grande 21. Hearing organ 23. Alien craft (1,1,1) 24. Lamb's bleat 26. Auction offers 27. Wipe the dishes (3,2) 29. Fitness clubs 31. Stretched firm 32. Char 33. Unemployment pay 35. Hunker down (3,2) 37. Every single 39. Form a curve 41. French no 42. Male or female 43. Muppets creator, ... Henson 44. Practical joke 45. Sphere 47. Liver paste food 50. Tumble 52. Chamber 53. Exude 54. Sight-tester 55. Wrongdoings 56. Sleigh

DOWN 1. Coach (team) 2. Snatched 3. Logically thought-out 4. Indecent 5. Appal 6. Dirty child 7. Sure-fire thing 8. Smoker's receptacle 9. 70s dance music 14. Voice publicly 16. Computer port type (1,1,1) 18. Inflicting pain 19. Extinguishing 22. Daisy-like flower 25. Go along (with) 26. Awful 27. Worthless 28. Writing tool 30. Fah, ..., lah 34. Send-up 36. Small pointy beards 38. Salamander 40. Bed 42. Therapeutic water tub 43. Sudden movements 46. Haemorrhage 48. Sound boosters 49. Greek Cupid 50. Golfer's warning 51. Profit or ...

BROKEN HEARTED Mend these broken hearts to form the names of ten couples who carved their names on a tree, only to find it chopped down and split in half. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s only one way to get all ten couples together correctly.

SOLUTION Grant & Penny, James & Chris, Bryan & Chloe, Perry & Alice, Eddie & Linda, Jason & Vicky, Billy & Janet, Scott & Libby, Bruce & Anita, Wally & Cathy. WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS ACCESS SEPTEMBER 2020

Games Solutions

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Auto

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with John Mellor

The 2020 MG ZST.

MG Motor Australia adds second compact SUV to local portfolio ABOVE current ZS  CALLUM HUNTER g MOTOR Australia has debuted a second compact SUV, designed to sit above the established ZS in a new two-pronged strategy designed to capitalise on Australia’s insatiable appetite for SUVs. Dubbed the ZST, MG is adamant the new model is more than just a ZS with new styling and an extra letter on its name, with MG Motor Australia and New Zealand CEO Peter Ciao stating “it was designed to raise the bar and stand out in the crowded small SUV segment”. Priced from $28,490 plus on-road costs, the ZST will be offered here in two guises – Excite and Essence ($31,490) – leaving the established ZS line-up to soldier on as the more budget-oriented offering within the class. Visually, the two models do not look to share any major panels or features other than their rough size and sweeping C-pillars/ hip lines. Overall, the ZST looks more aggressive thanks to its gloss black grille, black mirror caps, more squinted headlights and sportier, triple-intake front bumper. Things are more similar at the rear however with the ZST’s rear fascia and tailgate looking more like an evolution of the ZS’s rear end with a few nips and tucks around the place and a more aggressively sculpted rear bumper – the flush dual exhausts are the big giveaway. Such is MG’s ambition to differentiate the ZST from the ZS, the two models not only brandish different styling, but different engines as well. Under the bonnet of the ZST is a new turbocharged 1.3-litre three-cylinder

petrol engine good for 115kW of power and 230Nm of torque. Claimed fuel economy is 7.1 litres per 100km on the combined cycle and the top speed is 185km/h. Drive is sent exclusively to the front wheels, as is the way with all current MGs, while gear shifting duties are taken care of a by a six-speed Aisin automatic transmission. Inside the cabin, occupants are greeted by the usual MG level of perceived sportiness with a leather-wrapped, flat-bottomed multifunction steering wheel, sporty looking seats wrapped in synthetic leather upholstery, faux carbon-fibre trim on the dash, centre console and doors, 10.1-inch infotainment touchscreen and Mercedes-Benz-style air vents. With the back seats in place, MG quotes a rear cargo space of 359 litres, a figure that expands 1187L with the seats folded flat.

Standard equipment on the Excite model includes Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, six-speaker sound system, a surround-view camera, rain sensing wipers, satellite navigation and keyless entry with push button start. Lighting front and rear is taken care of by LED lamps with the whole package riding on 17-inch alloy wheels. Stepping up to the Essence adds panoramic stargazer sunroof, digital instrument cluster, red embossed ‘MG’ logo on front headrests and heated front seats with six-way power adjustment for the driver. Safety measures on both variants is catered for by the MG Pilot suite which debuted earlier this year on the bigger HS mid-sizer. In the case of the ZST, the system is comprised of forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, traffic jam assist, intel-

ligent cruise assist, blind spot detection, rear cross traffic alert, intelligent headlamp control, speed assistance system and adaptive cruise control. To the end of July, MG Motor Australia sold 2031 examples of the ZS, accounting for 3.9 per cent of the sub$40,000 compact SUV market. Along with the reveal of the ZST, the brand has also announced a price reduction of the current ZS range, which now kicks off from $21,990 driveaway for the 1.5L Excite.

2020 MG ZST pricing* Excite (a) Essence (a)

$28,480 $31,490

*Excludes on-road costs

WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS ACCESS SEPTEMBER 2020

News

www.wsba.com.au

MOVING HOME OR OFFICE?

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