B2B magazine August 2013 issue 85

TOP START-UP FOR 2013 Canberra Handmade wins Telstra ACT Business award

STANDING UP FOR CANBERRA BUSINESS Gai Brodtmann puts her credentials on the table

COMMUNITY CPS NOW A BANK Beyond Bank: the other way to bank AUGUST 2013

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PROPOSED CHANGES TO CAR FBT

FIVE TIPS FOR BEATING STRESS

TAKE ACTION ON REGULATION

RSM Bird Cameron explains

Synergy outlines report findings

AICD puts forward election wishes

A NEW ERA BEGINS A new CEO for the Chamber of Commerce

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CONTENTS B2B EDITORIAL

Tony v Kevin: September 7 It’s on officially. The next federal election will take place on Saturday September 7. In a world where TIM people are killing each other because BENSON of a lack of democracy, I am amazed Editor at how many Australians take for granted our triennial ‘Festival of Democracy’. How many of us take for granted that Prime Minister’s change in this country, not through assassination or military coups, but through debate and a vote. Governments change by a free vote – not violence in the streets. This is the wonderful gift that we all have in this country that makes it one of the best places in the world to live and do business. This is why people will, lie, steal, beg, borrow and cheat – and die to try and get here. Yet it amazes me when people whine about having to vote and whinge about their right not-tovote. One of the serious issues I believe we will need to consider is lowering the voting age to 16. Otherwise as our population rapidly ages politicians and policies will be disproportionately skewed towards the ‘grey vote’. But of course politicians and apparatchiks have been trying to pigeon-hole segments of the population for years i.e. the women’s vote, the youth vote, the grey vote – heavens, even the business vote. But of course you find a good mix of ideological and social convictions throughout all segments of the community. These days there are many people in business for themselves where previously they would have been an employee or manager. Where do you try and place these people on the ideological spectrum.

Most are self-employed and must work to make a living.

Worker and management have merged. This is where I believe there is lack of understanding from both of the major parties. Still the Coalition is seen as being the party of big business and Labor as the party of big unions. What about the millions of Australians that have taken on both roles? There is room for ‘a new way’ – let’s see if any of Send all comments to the major parties can find it? editorial@b2bincanberra.com.au

Photo by Andrew Finch

23 COVER YOUR STORY LAWYERS FOR LIFE

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CONTENTS FEATURES 11 Gai Brodtmann – Standing up for Canberra Business 12 Handmade Canberra is top start-up for 2013 14 Cloud removes hassles of IT integration –

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RSM Bird Cameron disucsses 16 The RIGHT kind of downtime! Leave it to OPC IT 18 ACT credit union becomes customer owned ‘Beyond Bank’ 20 CBEC – Canberra’s premier business events centre

COVER STORY 23 DDCS; your lawyer for life 28 ADVICE FROM THE EXPERTS 29 ACCOUNTING Proposed changes to car fringe benefits tax

By RSM Bird Cameron

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BUSINESS LAW What price would you pay for security?

By Elringtons Lawyers 30 BUSINESS RELOCATION Organisations on the move

By Allied Pickford's Business Relocations CORPORATE GOVERNANCE Take action on regulation

By Australian Institute of Company Directors

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31 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY Unauthorised use of your brand what are your options?

By Arete Group ESTATE PLANNING Been Left out of a Will? What does “Adequate Provision” mean?

By Certus Law

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32 FAMILY LAW Divorce and your business

By DDCS

HEALTH Game, set and match – healthy identity

By Healthy Identity 34 RECRUITMENT A “candidate rich” market…for better or worse?

By PCA People RISK MANAGEMENT Considering the downstream risks

By Paladin Risk Management Services 35 SERVICED OFFICES Five tips for beating stress

By Synergy Business Centres WEBSITES Responsive or mobile friendly websites

By Synapse Worldwide A2B: ASSOCIATIONS TO BUSINESS 36 MINISTERS MESSAGE: Giving local firms a leg up on tenders 38 CANBEERA BUSINESS COUNCIL: A plan for Canberra 40 ACT EXPORTERS: ACT 2012 Export Award Winner is building global success!

42 ACT & REGION CHAMBER OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY: A new era begins BUSINESS NETWORKING 06 B2B @ Canada Day Fun Run 07 B2B @ B2B July Issue 84 Launch 08 B2B @ Business After Business 09 B2B @ WOW Working Wonders FGD Event 10 B2B @ Telstra ACT Business Awards 44 PROPERTY 45 BRINDABELLA BUSINESS BROKERS Do you know if you can borrow the finance to buy a business?

PUBLISHER I EDITOR

Tim Benson editorial@b2bincanberra.com.au 0402 900 402 02 6161 2751

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A D V E R T I S I N G F E AT U R E

Gai Brodtmann

STANDING UP FOR CANBERRA BUSINESS

I

n 2000, while the rest of the country was celebrating the new millennium and preparing for the Sydney Olympics, I made one of the biggest decisions of my life, to leave my career in the public service and set up my own consultancy business – just six months shy of long service leave.

And despite the challenges, risks and sleepless nights – I loved every minute of my decade in micro-business.

I see it as my job to raise awareness about what you do and help foster the right environment for you to succeed.

Now, as the Member for Canberra, I continue my love affair with small and micro-business by listening to you, speaking about you, showcasing you and advocating for you.

Since my election in 2010, I’ve sung your praises and put many of you down in history through speeches in Parliament. And I still get excited when I hear about Canberra’s many business success stories and attend awards events.

I’ve established the Small Business Caucus Group, so my Labor colleagues and I can discuss issues and policy affecting the businesses in our communities.

I’ve set up the first bipartisan Parliamentary Friends of Small and MicroBusiness Group, so my parliamentary colleagues and I can hear direct from the business community about their challenges and achievements.

I’ve got you a seat at the table with Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries, so you can tell the decision makers to their face where government can make improvements, particularly in tendering, payments and access to contracts.

I know the Canberra business community operates in a unique environment. Often, government is your key customer or client, so the decisions and processes of government have a significant impact on your business, either directly or indirectly. Uncertainty in government can trigger uncertainty in your business and the broader Canberra economy. And inadvertently favouring the big end of town through procurement practices can cut out the flexibility and innovation offered by small and micro-business. I know that from my own experience and from listening to you. And I’m keen that my colleagues – of all political persuasions and at all levels – know that too.

Because unfortunately some of them still see Canberra as a “government theme park”. They don’t understand that about half of our workforce is now in the private sector and we are home to a diverse range of service, health, creative, retail, defence, technology and manufacturing industries – many of whom export to the world.

I see it as my job to raise awareness about what you do and help foster the right environment for you to succeed. I want to see Canberra business grow and thrive. I am standing up for Canberra business. Stand with me.

Authorised by Gai Brodtmann MP, 205 Anketell St, Tuggeranong, ACT, 2900.

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F E AT U R E

Handmade Canberra is top start-up for 2013

H

andmade Canberra was recently crowned Canberra’s best start-up at the 2013 Telstra ACT Business Awards.

Julie Nichols founded Handmade Canberra in 2008. After realising the massive untapped potential for a specialised Canberra-focused event, the Handmade Market was born.

“With our first 35 designers the Handmade Markets quickly became a local Canberra and regional phenomenon attracting handmade enthusiasts from around the country who wanted to connect,” Julie said.

There is now an astonishing collection of over 150 talented designers at each event and the yearly attendances of approximately 85,000 visitors, with 14,450 being from interstate.

In 2010 Rachel Evagalou joined forces with Julie Nichols to open the gorgeous Shop Handmade.

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“This beautiful retail space was devised as a natural extension of the highly successful quarterly Handmade Market, as the demand from designers and visitors for a permanent shopping destination for the, high-quality Australian-made, products seen at the Market was too loud to ignore,” Rachel said.

Canberra now had a permanent shop front offering Australian-made designer goods and souvenirs.

The Handmade Market and Shop Handmade were the first, and only, ACT retail spaces offering only handmade and Australian-made goods. At least 60% of the products at both are sourced from designers who live in, work in, and are inspired by, the ACT and surrounding regions.

The Canberra Handmade Market is the National Convention Centre’s biggest client with 150 stall-holders and attendance levels at 20,000 per market.

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“Due to demand from both customers and designer makers, Shop Handmade doubled in size between our opening in April 2010 and January 2012,” Julie said.

Handmade Canberra have also been recognised with other awards including: Finalists in the 2012 Telstra ACT Business Awards; Winner of the Canberra Business Point awards 2012 and a commendation in the Canberra Tourism awards 2012.

Last financial year Handmade Canberra had 220,000 customers, generated over 2 million in sales for their designers (172 in the Shop currently and 150 at each market event).

Congratulations to Handmade Canberra on their win at the 2013 Telstra ACT Business Awards. It is just recognition for a terrific and innovative Canberra business.

City Walk Blvd, Canberra City | T 02 6156 3274 info@handmademarket.com.au www.handmademarket.com.au

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F E AT U R E

Cloud removes hassles of IT integration 14

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F E AT U R E

Technology has transformed business and industry more in the last 20 years than the previous 200.

In existence for around 25 years, the internet has been responsible for the greatest amount of disruption - and opportunity seen since the industrial revolution.

W

hen the way we communicate, interact, organise, and shop changes fundamentally, the way we do business or run our business must adapt as well.

More and more businesses today are choosing to partner with external solutions to address business problems. There’s a real demand for more collaborative tools and services and the rise of cloud based offerings demonstrate that working in the cloud is the ideal way to drive up efficiency and productivity.

“Some of our clients that have switched to cloud based accounting systems are seeing measurable increases in productivity.” says RSM Bird Cameron’s Canberra director of business solutions, Andrew Sykes. “This works two ways, because as their advisors, our access to a cloud solution means no extra data entry or trying to wrangle files from different accounting packages. We’re spending less time with accounting data and more time providing strategic advice. So our clients receive a greater amount of service for their fees.”

There are a number of cloud based accounting services available, RSM Bird Cameron chose Xero as it is a visual dashboard for business with powerful financial decision making tools.

“Xero works everywhere, our clients can send an invoice from their smartphone while on site, log in from any computer anywhere and see an up-to-the minute financial position. They can also let their staff claim expenses where and when they incur them. Say, for example a salesperson buys a client a coffee, they can take a snapshot of the receipt with their phone and the expense is automatically entered, categorised and flagged for approval,” says Andrew.

A recent Forrester survey shows that more than 56% of software decision-makers are using or would use software-as-a-service (SaaS) offerings to replace or complement their existing collaboration technology.1 Cloud based software provides businesses with a totally new experience of integration. Gone are the days of exporting and importing files or connecting to local databases to transfer data between applications.

This new way of procuring and plugging together software means that integration is done vendor-to-vendor, eliminating integration headaches for the customer. This opens up huge opportunities for efficiencies in how businesses work and how they manage their accounts.

“At RSM Bird Cameron, we pride ourselves on providing professional and cost effective accounting services to our clients. We are therefore proud to partner with Xero, and are excited about the

savings and benefits of Xero for your business.”

One of the benefits here is that simply by ‘doing’, accounting details are being automatically entered. For example, a field service technician is using a mobile job management application that has been connected to Xero. Without any knowledge of Xero or accounting, the technician’s actions on the job have created sales invoices in Xero for the accounts staff to review and email out that same day.

This results not only in faster, more efficient processes, but more accurate ones too. There is one single source of data, no paper forms to be keyed in with the possibility of mistake or loss.

A business today can utilise a wide range of cloud based software applications that work with Xero, delivering all the business software functions you might expect: point of sale, CRM, job management, inventory and advanced tools such as advanced reporting, benchmarking etc.

It is not purely a numbers game however – a key focus is the quality of the applications that connect to Xero. Since cloud based software applications connect direct, Xero supports their customers jointly, and work together to ensure the integrations between software partners and Xero are the best possible.

The beauty of Xero is you can invite a number of trusted people such as your accountants, to collaborate online. No more cumbersome transfer of data that can be corrupted or is out-of-date.

Why people love Xero: • • • • • • • • •

Automated daily bank feeds Fast, simple and customised invoicing Available anytime, anywhere you’re online Real-time collaboration with your advisors Safe and secure Dashboard gives a clear financial overview Awesome support at no additional cost No installation or IT maintenance required Pay as you go and no up-front costs

RSM Bird Cameron will be running a series of introductory sessions highlighting the key benefits and aspects of this software from between Tuesday 10 and Thursday 12 September.

For more information, please contact ana.lulic@rsmi.com.au or 02 6217 0328.

1

The Forrester WaveTM: Cloud Strategies Of Online Collaboration Software Vendors, Q3 2012 by TJ Keitt, August 16, 2012

About Xero Xero is beautiful, easy to use online accounting software for small businesses and their advisors. The company has over 157,000 paying customers in more than 100 countries around the world. The company is listed on the NZX and ASX. See www.xero.com

Bird Cameron

Chartered Accountants

F E AT U R E Photo by Andrew Sikorski

Ian Cameron (Chief Executive Officer, Hellenic Club ) & Brett Norton (Managing Director, OPC)

THE RIGHT KIND OF DOWNTIME!

T

he Hellenic Club in Woden has found more time to play, and more ways for you to play! A $500,000 renovation of their Sports Bar has made this venue the talk of the town.

With OPC’s strategic IT planning and a fully outsourced IT Managed Service taking care of their IT, the Club has has enjoyed more time to complete their most recent project – a state of the art, high-tech Sports Bar and TAB that has been architecturally designed with a local hero theme, multiple high definition projectors, custom acoustic sound ceilings and 27 screens – a truly great place to kick back and relax.

From Day One OPC has assisted the Club by highlighting key IT areas on which to focus, the requirements for day to day support and the areas needing improvement from a strategic long-term perspective to ensure the Club maintains and improves on its capacity to best utilise its ICT resources.

As the Club’s Chief Executive Officer Ian Cameron says, “We are very pleased with both the response to IT issues, as well as the behind the scenes work and forward planning that OPC provides. We have confidence in our systems, which are such a large and important part of our business around the clock.”

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OPC has developed a multi stage strategic plan that will bring redundancy and high availability to the Club’s critical business systems. The stages include the introduction of a new clustered server and storage area network to provide resource load balancing for improved speed and responsiveness, and the implementation of leading technologies to enhance disaster recovery with real-time replication across multiple sites. The introduction of these technologies in conjunction with the virtualisation technologies already introduced by OPC will ensure the long term stability and reliability of the Club’s critical business systems for many years to come.

The Hellenic now has a very stable, efficient and secure IT environment. Delivered using industry proven ITIL methodologies, all of these enhancement projects have realised cost savings for the Club and, when teamed with our IT Managed Services Solution, have allowed for comprehensive budgetary planning.

“OPC knows that no two organisations are the same. IT is a tool of business - it needs a strategic plan and proactive support,” said Brett Norton, Managing Director of OPC.

Strategic IT planning is just part of the commitment that OPC makes to our clients.

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F E AT U R E Robert Keogh, Chief Executive Officer, Beyond Bank

ACT credit union becomes customer owned ‘Beyond Bank’

O

ne of the nation’s top three credit unions, Community CPS Australia has become a 100 per cent customer owned bank under a bold new naming strategy designed to offer consumers a real alternative in the financial services sector.

From 1 August, the Community CPS Australia Group and its five allied brands will trade as Beyond Bank Australia, a values-based, 100 per cent customer-owned bank operating in SA, WA, ACT, Wagga Wagga and the Hunter Valley – with 50 branches, 650 staff and 200,000 members.

Chief Executive Officer Robert Keogh said, “Our customers in the Australian Capital Territory can now access a banking offering which combined the best of both worlds – the same level of safety and security for their savings combined with an unrivalled operating philosophy that puts customers and their communities first.”

“Becoming a mutual bank retains the best of both worlds – all the benefits of mutuality that our members know in terms of high levels of service, competitive products and a commitment to reinvesting our profits to benefit customers and the community, under the auspices of a bank.”

“It shows Australians there is another way to bank, a way that puts people before profits and believes in prosperity for all. Our model is based on providing better banking solutions, meaningful community initiatives and personalised professional business services.”

Beyond Bank Australia has also formalised its community support by setting up a Community Development Division to expand an established program of investment activities that strengthen the fabric of communities in which Beyond Bank Australia operates.

“We have a strong track record of investing in the Canberra community, donating more than $230,000 through our grants and sponsorship program over the last three years,” Mr Keogh said.

This includes $20,000 for Boundless Canberra – the first playground in the ACT that caters for children of all abilities to play together - and $15,000 for Volunteering ACT. As Community CPS Australia we distributed more than $8 million to charities, not-for-profit organisations and community groups around Australia since 2007. Beyond Bank Australia’s plan for the future is to increase its annual contributions by more than 150 per cent as a demonstration of their commitment to strengthening the communities in which they operate.

“As Beyond Bank Australia I am very pleased to say this true commitment to the community will become even stronger as we seek to develop more partnerships at a national, regional and local level,” Mr Keogh said.

Further information: visit beyondbank.com.au

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F E AT U R E

Robert Jeston, Manager, CBEC

Canberra’s premier business events centre

T

he Canberra Business Event Centre (CBEC) has been at Regatta Point since the year 2000 - so it comes as a shock to CBEC manager, Robert Jeston, when people tell him they didn’t know it existed.

When we ask Robert why people should have their events with him at CBEC he said that there are many good function venues in Canberra but what makes CBEC stand out is the personal service they give to their customers.

In the last 12 years CBEC has run more than 2,500 events, catering for more than 60,000 people.

CBEC has a modern boardroom with seating for up to 20 people. It has a 68-inch presentation screen – and panoramic views across Lake Burley Griffin.

“The boardroom is the ideal setting for any small meeting or corporate dinner,” Robert said enthusiastically.

The Eye room can offer you everything from planning days with classroom style set up to theatre style set up for 70 – 95 people and a U-shaped set up for up to 30 people.

“The best thing about The Eye room is 20

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that we can offer people a fantastic room for business, and Christmas, cocktail parties - and of course weddings. With the views overlooking the lake, I don’t believe there is a better place to hold an event in Canberra,” Robert said.

CBEC also has a amazing audio-visual set up, including six drop down screen and six HDMI light pros.

“It rely is one of the best set ups in Canberra,” exclaimed Robert.

“What could have more impact to promote your business or impress your staff than to have your training or wedding day at Canberra’s premier event centre,” Robert said proudly.

When we ask Robert why people should have their events with him at CBEC he said that there are many good function venues in Canberra but what makes CBEC stand out is the personal service they give to their customers.

“We support our customers from the time of their enquiry right through to the end of their event. We help them with their audiovisual needs and make sure they have only the best food and beverage services.

Well known Canberra caterers, Hudson, do all the catering at CBEC. “Hudson’s are fantastic caterers. They

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provide excellent food and beverages accompanied by exceptional service,” Robert explained.

The modern and professional audio-visual set up at CBEC has been established and maintained by Millennium Audio Visual since 2000.

Robert and Katie have over 35 years of being in the events industry and know how to look after your events.

Robert has worked in a number of well know hotels in England as well as West Germany and was manager of the Members and Guests at Parliament House before coming to CBEC. Katie Also worked at Parliament House and the Hyatt Hotel before coming to CBEC. “We both love working at CBEC and hope we can let the ‘secret of Canberra’s premier business and event centre’ out of the bag,” Robert said.

P 02 6207 7394 M 0409 660 335 Regatta Point Commonwealth Park, Acton E bookings@cbec.com.au www.cbec.com.au

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COVER STORY

GETTINGALAWYERFORLIFE Photos by Andrew Finch

Imagine if you had access to a trusted advisor: someone who knew everything about your personal situation; who could advise you on significant crossroads in your life, from entering into a marriage to starting a new business venture, and then advocate on your behalf.

L

eading Canberra family law firm, Dobinson Davey Clifford Simpson (DDCS), has responded to the growing need for life-long legal services by moving beyond the traditional role of lawyers to provide advice and services in a range of legal areas.

The move was a natural progression according to DDCS Directors: Julie Dobinson, Phil Davey, Lois Clifford and Di

Simpson, who founded the firm in 2007.

“Essentially we are returning to the concept of what legal professionals were in the past – trusted advisors throughout major turning points in life,” says Lois. “By gaining a thorough understanding of our clients, they feel comfortable to turn to us for on-going advice.”

Phil Davey, Julie Dobinson, Lois Clifford and Di Simpson of Dobison Davey Clifford Simpson

COVER STORY

“Our big point of difference has always been that we genuinely understand and care about our client’s situations,” agrees Di. “You can’t fake that. So when other things happen in their lives, we are the solicitors they turn to when they need help.”

“Over time we recognised the growing need amongst our clients for advice, information and expertise in areas beyond Family Law, and so we developed these areas of our practice,” adds Phil.

“We help our clients continuously assess and re-assess their needs and wants, in light of what is possible and the likely costs, and then advocate on their behalf to advance that goal” Clients now turn to DDCS for specialised advice and negotiations skills in all areas that affect their personal, business and financial relationships including Family Law; Wills and Estate Planning; Estate litigation; Mediation and Alternate Dispute Resolution; Business Law; Business Succession; Taxation; Trusts; and Superannuation. They even offer specialised advice in the relatively new area of Assisted Reproduction.

Whilst other law firms offer these services separately or combined, the DDCS point of difference is their unique understanding of the nuances and complexities of relationships – whether personal, financial or business related. This understanding allows them to get to the bottom of the family and business dynamics at play, whether working with a family law client, a business owner creating a business succession plan or developing an estate plan for an individual or a couple.

“We listen carefully to our clients and take into account things such as power imbalances, personality types, the nature of the issues and many other factors before helping them identify what type of resolution process best suits them,” explains Phil. “We have many tools in our 24

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toolbox, and offer our clients a broad range of holistic processes. We do not believe it is in the best interest to steer them to one preferred resolution process, as there are many options.”

“We definitely don’t see ourselves as traditional lawyers, who are often needlessly adversarial,” agrees Lois. “Instead we help our clients continuously assess and re-assess their needs and wants, in light of what is possible and the likely costs, and then advocate on their behalf to advance that goal.”

“Only by truly understanding our client’s needs and issues can we provide them with the advice and assistance they need in order to make wise decisions,” Julie adds. She goes on to provide an example of how DDCS was able to advise a client on a range of possibilities that were not outlined to him by his previous lawyers.

“We were contacted by a client who had been represented by another lawyer, since his sister had died five years prior, leaving him as the executor of her will,” explains Julie.

“The estate was approximately $10M, but the will failed to deal with the most significant assets which were held in a family trust.

Consequently his deceased sister’s benefactors, including her two children and nieces and nephews, had commenced court proceedings against our client. It became apparent during our initial meeting that our client had little or no idea of the issues at hand; no understanding of the Court proceedings that had been commenced against him; and no real understanding of the deficiencies in the will. Most importantly, no one had ever asked him what he wanted and when we asked, he replied, ‘No one has ever asked me that!’ and put his head in his hands and cried. We have since been able to advise him on a range of resolution processes, without the need for a court.”

When you combine this unique understanding of relationships with specialised technical competencies, tenacious negotiating skills, extensive experience and a genuine commitment to your best interests, you have a powerful advocate on your side.

“Parents see us to assist in advising them in areas such as an adult

COVER STORY

“Parents see us to assist in advising them in areas such as an adult child on the brink of taking a relationship to a more serious level: planning estate management around the complex challenges of blended families or managing meeting the expectations of older children against the obligations of caring for a new partner and younger children. Our clients also engage us to help them understand risk and planning options when they are on the cusp of moving into a new relationship,” Di explains.

DDCS also advises family companies on business structures, succession planning and governance issues. This could include: preparing family constitutions which govern procedures for voting, meetings, exposure to risk, requirements for personal insurance, and limitations on borrowings on behalf of the relevant family group.

DDCS can also scrutinize trust deeds, company constitutions, buy or sell agreements and life insurance cover, to ensure they reflect how the family wish to structure their business interests and to minimise business risks going forward.

“Our skills are invaluable in such contexts because we have a good understanding of wider family relationships and work effectively as the trusted advisor to assist the group members achieve their desired planning goals,” Julie says.

There may also be personal risks for directors of businesses when a company gets legal advice from a corporate lawyer.

“We provide individual directors with legal advice as to how company advice will impact their personal circumstances,” Phil explains. “This includes looking at areas such as company and trust structures, superannuation and tax.”

Underpinning everything that DDCS does is the understanding that they are dealing with people experiencing significant change or difficult decisions in their lives.

“When you are dealing with people’s intimate moments and choices in life, it is about earning their trust to be involved in

assisting them to make these decisions,” Di emphasises.

“People that come to us, know they will be listened to and be accorded dignity, privacy and quality of service,” agrees Phil. “You can’t commoditise trust, it has to be earned.”

The new DDCS brand and positioning statement, “Your life, your lawyers” reflects its range of lifelong services and commitment to clients.

“With our new name “DDCS Lawyers - Private Client Advisory”, we are stating that we are not just transactional lawyers. We are interested in talking to people about how they structure their arrangements and the risks that are involved,” Julie explains.

Located in the stylish precinct of New Acton, DDCS has grown to a practice of 12 lawyers and 12 support staff it opened its doors in 2007. Led by the four Directors, who all grew up in country towns, the culture at DDCS has been established out of their shared passion, values and ethical approach to family law. It’s this culture that ensures the team is constantly undergoing rigorous skills assessments and further training to achieve the highest-level in negotiation and dispute resolution skills.

And despite being one of the largest family law firms in Canberra, attracting clients throughout Australia and overseas and being peer assessed as the leading family law firm in the ACT, the DDCS philosophy remains the same: that of building life-long relationships with clients founded on understanding and trust.

“The connections that we forge through a process of intimate sharing and trust, forms a solid foundation for continuing care,” explains Di. “Understanding our role and the privilege associated with it informs our approach to client service. In other words, it’s not about us, it’s about you.”

“We have a fabulous team of professionals and support staff and are ready to continue providing our legal services to those that need them – and to be trusted advisors and lawyers for life,” Julie adds proudly.

COVER STORY

DDCSLAWYERS PRIVATECLIENTADVISORY DIRECTORS Julie Dobinson is the Managing Partner at DDCS. Julie studied law at Macquarie University long distance from Armidale after raising three children. She was admitted to practice in 1991, moved to Canberra on graduation and worked for large establishment law firms in family law. Julie opened her own practice in October 2000.

Julie is an Accredited Family Law Specialist and Mediator and also has a Masters in Law majoring in Dispute Resolution. She is also currently the president of the Canberra Region Family Law Professionals Association.

In October 2013 Julie becomes the President of Law Australasia, a national association of independent law firms developed to focus on law firm management and the collaborative ongoing development of practice areas including family law and wills and estates.

“Our clients are not ‘legal transactions’, they are real people facing important life moments in their lives, such as beginning and ending relationships, providing for their loved ones through estate planning and wills and, where they have family business we can help them navigate through family succession,” Julie explains.

Phil Davey began his legal career as a clerk in 1976 and was admitted to practice in 1981. He worked in Sydney in the areas of commercial litigation and banking and finance, initially for Westgarth Baldick and then in his own practice until 1997. He then consulted for number of business enterprises, including a film production company, a joint venture with Brambles Industries and a building and development company.

In 2000, Phil moved to Canberra and joined Julie in her family law practice. In 2007 he and Julie joined Lois and Di to establish DDCS. Phil is a member of the ACT law Society where he serves on the Practice Management Committee and presents regular seminars on Trust Accounts. He is a member of the Family Law Section of the Law Council of Australia and a member of the Law Council of Australia Collaborative Law Committee. He is Deputy Chair of the Australian Institute of Family Law Arbitrators and Mediators (AIFLAM). He holds a Master of Laws, majoring in Dispute Resolution. He is an Accredited Family Law Specialist and a Nationally Accredited Mediator.

Phil continues to practice in Family Law specialising in complex property and financial matters. He also heads up the Estate and Business Succession Planning section of DDCS. “Having the commercial law background I can apply this to complex financial matters,” Phil adds.

Lois Clifford has practised in Family Law for over 30 years after having graduated from the ANU with degrees in Arts and Law. In 1994 she was one of the first practitioners to attain accreditation as a Family Law Specialist. Lois commenced her legal career in the Riverina, and while specialising in family law, also practiced in other areas including commercial and equity litigation, estate litigation, and victim’s compensation claims.

After practicing for 16 years in the Riverina, Lois moved to Canberra and worked initially as an Associate in the family law division of a national firm and then as a partner in a family law firm before joining with her fellow directors to found Dobinson Davey Clifford Simpson. She is a member of the Family Law Section of the Law Council, has served on the Law Society Family Law Committee and Complaints committee and is a panel solicitor of the ACT Law Society advising and appearing in professional disciplinary matters.

Lois has also been a long term volunteer solicitor with the ACT Women’s Legal Centre.

“I have a strong interest in complex property matters which involve detailed financial analysis and advice. I particularly enjoy working with accountants and financial planners to achieve the best outcomes for my clients. Many of my client’s matters involve multiple corporate structures, trusts, and self managed superannuation funds. I am tenacious in the pursuit of my client’s interests.”

Di Simpson is an Accredited Family Law Specialist with the NSW Law Society. Di has practised exclusively in family law since 1992, after graduating in Law and Arts from the University of Melbourne. She practised in country Victoria then in Melbourne with a specialist family law firm, then moved to Canberra in 1998 with a national law firm. It was in that practice that Di met Lois and they have worked together since. Di has been practising in family law for 20 years.

Di has undertaken training as an Independent Children’s Lawyer, in Collaborative Practice and specialist negotiation skills training with Professor John Wade; serves on the Family Law Committee of the ACT Law Society; is on the Board of the National Foundation for Australian Women (a feminist organisation founded to recognise the achievements of Australian women), is a member of the Family Law Section of the Law Council, a member of the Women Lawyers’ Association of the ACT and is a long standing volunteer at and supporter of the ACT Women’s Legal Centre.

“I feel blessed and privileged to work in a field where people share with me their personal and often surprising stories,” says Di. “Building understanding and trust and actually doing something to help is so extremely satisfying; and I find the challenges of complex children’s cases particularly rewarding.”

Tel: (02) 6212 7600 mail@ddcsfamilylawyers.com.au www.ddcsfamilylawyers.com.au 18 Kendall Lane, New Acton

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ADVICE 29 29 30 30 31 31 32 32 34 34 35

ACCOUNTING

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WEBSITES

Proposed changes to car fringe benefits tax

by Rhys Kyburz, RSM Bird Cameron

BUSINESS LAW What price would you pay for security?

by Craig Painter, Elringtons Lawyers

BUSINESS RELOCATIONS Organisations on the move

By Gary Green, Allied Pickfords Business Relocations

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE Take action on regulation

By Phil Butler, Australian Institute of Company Directors

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY Unauthorised use of your brand - what are your options?

By Shaun Creighton, Arete Group

ESTATE PLANNING Been Left out of a Will? What does “Adequate Provision” mean?

By Stephen Bourke, Certus Law

FAMILY LAW Divorce and your business

By Di Simpson, Dobinson Davey Clifford Simpson

HEALTH Game, set and match - healthy identity

By Robbie Manzano, Healthy Identity

RECRUITMENT A “candidate rich” market…for better or worse?

By Allison Guy-Ritchie, PCA People

RISK MANAGEMENT Considering the downstream risks

By Rod Farrar, Paladin Risk Management Services

SERVICED OFFICES Five tips for beating stress

By Robert Okulus, Synergy Business Centres

Responsive or mobile friendly websites

By Sam Gupta, Synapse Worldwide

ACCOUNTING

Proposed changes to car fringe benefits tax

By Rhys Kyburz

On 16 July the Federal Government announced major changes to the Fringe Benefits Tax (“FBT”) legislation in relation to car fringe benefits.

The change is estimated to save the Government approximately $1.8 billion in the forward estimates.

According to Treasurer Chris Bowen, the Government intends to remove the statutory formula method for both salary sacrificed and employer provided cars.

The proposed change to the FBT legislation will apply to all contracts entered into from 16 July 2013, with effect from 1 April 2014.

Who will be affected by the change?

It is our understanding that the following contracts will be affected by the change to FBT legislation: • Existing contracts materially varied after 16 July 2013; • All new contracts entered into from 16 July 2013.

Existing contracts (that are not varied) will continue to have access to the existing statutory rate (or transitional statutory rate) throughout the contract (generally the FBT is based on 20% of the car’s base value).

All contracts affected by the change will be required to calculate FBT based on private use percentage multiplied by the operating cost.

What do you need to do?

The proposed change to the calculation of FBT on car fringe benefits could have a substantial impact on both FBT and other salary packaging costs, not to mention the calculation of employee’s overall salary package.

We recommend employers take the following steps in anticipation of the proposed changes: • Review existing contracts which may be due for renewal.

• Where contracts due for renewal, or new contracts are entered into, the employer’s Human Resources or Payroll division re-calculate the value of car fringe benefits provided under salary packaging or salary sacrifice arrangements. This will help to determine the potential additional FBT exposure to both the employer and employee.

• Introduce a policy with immediate effect that requires all employees with employer provided cars, or a car provided under a novated lease arrangement, to keep a valid log book for a period of 12 weeks (where a valid log book is not already held).

As mentioned, the announcement relates to proposed legislation and as yet is not law.

If you believe you may be affected by the proposed changes and require assistance with reviewing your existing or new salary packaging or salary sacrifice arrangements, please do not hesitate to contact an rhys.kyburz@rsmi.com.au or 02 6217 0311.

BUSINESS LAW

By Craig Painter

What price would you pay for security?

In previous editions of B2B, elringtons have written about the relatively new Personal Property Security Act (“PPSA”), and its farreaching effects on businesses and commercial interests.

Since the PPSA’s inception in January 2012, the legal community has been waiting for a court decision to assist in interpreting its operation, especially transitional provisions and migrated security interests. The NSW Supreme Court handed down a PPSA decision in June 2013.

The Maiden Civil case – the Facts Before the PPSA commenced operation, Queensland Excavation Service Pty Limited (“QES”) purchased 3 Caterpillar civil construction vehicles (“Caterpillars”) under finance. QES then gave possession of the Caterpillars to Maiden Civil (P&E) Pty Ltd (“Maiden”), and by agreement Maiden reimbursed QES for the deposits it had paid. Periodically from then on, Maiden paid QES the finance repayments plus 10 per cent.

Neither QES nor its financiers registered their interests in the Caterpillars on the Northern Territory register of motor vehicles, and after January 2012 they also did not register on the PPSA register (“the PPSR”). In March 2012 Maiden sought finance from Fast Financial Solutions (“Fast”) and the Caterpillars were included in the assets provided as security for this loan. Fast registered its security on the PPSR. In July 2012, Maiden defaulted. Fast appointed a receiver and Maiden went into administration. The courts now had to decide – who gets the Caterpillars?

The Competing Claims QES argued that it was the true owner of the Caterpillars and that the PPSA gave it a protected “transitional interest”. That is, QES argued priority over the later Fast registration because the QES interest already existed at the time the new PPSA came in.

The receivers (acting in the interests of Fast) claimed that the Caterpillars belonged to Maiden and were only financed by QES. Fast claimed as a secured creditor under the administration because it had a perfected security interest on the PPSR. Determination The Court found that the competing security interests must be resolved according to the system of priorities in the PPSA, regardless of whether QES is the “true owner”. Brenton J ruled that although QES and Fast both had security interests in the Caterpillars (and QES actually owned two of them that had not been paid out), Fast had priority because Fast had correctly used the PPSR to perfect its interest whereas QES had not. QES had not registered its interest on the NT register that existed before the PPSA so it was not a perfected “transitional interest”.

The lesson is clear – ownership itself is no longer the winning card. If you supply goods (by sale or lease) for which you are not paid and you want security over those goods, you must get advice about the PPSA.

Bird Cameron

Chartered Accountants

For more information on the issues discussed here, please contact Rhys Kyburz on rhys.kyburz@rsmi.com.au or 02 6217 0311.

Craig Painter Contact Elringtons T: (02) 6206 1300, Level 7, 221 London Circuit, Canberra City visit: elringtons.com.au

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BUSINESS RELOCATIONS

by Gary Green

Organisations on the move

We’ll get your business and your people set up, in place and ready for work on time.

Total Solutions For You We have expertise in professional relocation management and commercial relocation services. We understand the wider issues, the need for careful planning, detailed project management and clear communication with your staff.

Our experienced team takes total responsibility for your relocation, leaving you to concentrate on the day today running of your business.

Whatever the scale of your business relocation and challenges we have the expertise and resources to make your relocation successful.

Everything You Need We are able to do it all for you, whether a small office or a major corporate relocation.

Allied Pickfords have the people, systems and specialist equipment on hand to have the best practicable office relocation.

The Allied Pickfords Project Management Team has the experience to oversee and direct each stage of your move. From dismantling workstations, through to safe handling and transport of computer equipment, using our specialised equipment.

Our Project Management Team leaves nothing to chance we work with you every step of the way to make for a successful relocation.

Getting Back To Work Our aim is to minimise your downtime and should you wish to take advantage of our nightshift or weekend services, it’s often possible with proper planning and implementation, to finish work one day in your existing location and start back the following day in your new location.

No fuss, no panic just a fast efficient and totally reliable service.

Not An Office Not all businesses operate within the office environment and Allied Pickfords has the experience and knowledge to assist in these relocations. Our people understand the practicalities of moving machinery, specialised equipment, materials and stock. We have experience in relocating, Libraries, Laboratories, Hospitals, Factories and Warehouses, Hotels, Universities and Schools.

Services We have a full suite of services designed to make your relocation quicker and easier. Packing, Asset Relocations, Internal Relocation Services, Handyman Services, Storage, Security Destruction, Paper Recycling, Refurbishment Programme, FF & E and Computer Disconnect and Reconnect. We can also assist with the relocation of staff locally, interstate and overseas.

Organisations on the move are moving with Allied Pickfords Business Relocations.

Gary Green can be contacted at Allied Pickfords Business Relocations on 0423806702. visit: www.alliedpickfords.com.au

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B2b M AGA ZINE

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

by Phil Butler

Take action on regulation

The Australian Institute of Company Directors has issued a new policy priorities paper calling on the next government of Australia to take action on key issues for directors, including a new approach to regulation and better consultation with business.

As a starting point for implementing the recommendations for regulatory reform, the Australian Institute of Company Directors has suggested that a Regulation Summit could be held in the first 100 days of the next term of government...

The paper, Governing for a More Prosperous Australia: Key Issues for Directors in the 2013 Election, calls on the Federal Government to show leadership in implementing a reform agenda that will have long term benefits for Australian businesses, Australian jobs and the economy as a whole.

It also asks the new Government to focus on the importance of proper consultation with business on policy proposals and legislation to ensure that unintended consequences and practical problems can be identified and dealt with.

These views are supported by our paper Towards Better Regulation, which was also issued this week. The paper is a follow up from a discussion document released last year and is informed by consultation with business.

The paper focuses on getting the regulatory process right, and it is important to recognise that it is not just about having less regulation we need better and more efficient regulation.

The whole system of creating and removing regulation needs to be reformed, not just the individual regulations themselves.

We are calling on the Federal Government to show leadership in implementing a reform agenda that will have long term benefits for Australian businesses, Australian jobs and the economy as a whole. While the reforms should be initiated and supported by the Commonwealth Government, there needs to be a consistent national response to the reforms.

As a starting point for implementing the recommendations for regulatory reform, the Australian Institute of Company Directors has suggested that a Regulation Summit could be held in the first 100 days of the next term of government, bringing together business, senior ministers, key advisers and regulators, to develop an action agenda for reforming the process of regulation creation and ‘destocking’ the existing accumulation of red tape.

Phil Butler is Manager - NFP, Public Sector & ACT at the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Level 3 54 Marcus Clarke Street Canberra T: 02 6132 3200 | www.companydirectors.com.au

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

By Shaun Creighton

Unauthorised use of your brand - what are your options?

Businesses often see their branding misappropriated. However, the range of intellectual property and allied rights which can attach to branding means care must be taken in developing a suitable strategy before taking action.

Branding registered as a trade mark If the branding in question has been registered as a trade mark, then the simplest course is to consider trade mark infringement proceedings. Typically, infringement involves unauthorised use of a “substantially identical” or “deceptively similar” sign for: • the same goods/services for which the mark is registered, • goods/services “of the same description” as the goods/services for which the mark is registered, • or services “closely related to the goods” for which the mark is registered (and vice versa).

However, because of the nuances of these tests, the possibility of non-infringing uses and/or defences and the risk of breaching the “unjustified threats” provisions of the Trade Marks Act 1995, it is advisable to seek advice from a trade mark law specialist before threatening or undertaking legal action for trade mark infringement.

Branding not registered as a trade mark If the branding in question has not been registered as a trade mark, then other sources of rights may still exist, including possible rights under: • the common law relating to ‘passing off’, • the Consumer and Competition Act 2010 (CCA); and • copyright.

Passing off most frequently occurs when a trader ‘puts off’ or ‘passes off’ that trader’s goods/services as those of another. The key ingredients of passing off are: • reputation/goodwill accruing to the injured trader; • a misrepresentation made by the wrongdoing trader; and • damage to the goodwill of the injured trader .

The CCA, including the Australian Consumer Law (ACL), contains provisions which might apply depending on the nature of the particular branding misappropriation, including prohibitions in trade or commerce against: • misleading or deceptive conduct or conduct likely to mislead or deceive; and • making false or misleading representations about goods/services (including as to sponsorship, approval or affiliation).

Finally, copyright may be relevant where a logo is involved: although it is unlikely that copyright will subsist in a simple word or phrase (as a literary work), where the branding in question contains or comprises graphical elements, there may copyright in that as an artistic work.

Unregistered rights in branding can be difficult to identify and assert and professional advice on this should be taken accordingly.

ARETE Group can assist in registering your brand as a trade mark and can provide advice in relation to any unauthorised use of your brand.

P: GPO Box 579, Canberra ACT 2601 E: shaun.creighton@aretegroup.com.au shaun.creighton@aretegroup.com.au T: 02 6162 1639 | M: 0430 22 78 62 W: www.aretegroup.com.au

ESTATE PLANNING

by Stephen Bourke

Beenleft out of a will?

What does “adequate provision” mean?

A case last month (Brennan v Mansfield & Ors [2013] SASC 83) was one of the first cases of a will for a person in a same sex relationship. But what makes the decision more interesting is the discussion about what amounts to “adequate provision”.

Where a will maker does not make “adequate provision” in a will for their partner, the court can intervene and make an award out of the estate of the deceased. This applies to both same sex and different sex relationships. But what is “adequate provision?”

In this case, the surviving partner was aged 54 years and the deceased was aged 90 at the time of his death. The deceased was a wealthy man.

At the time of his death he had a net estate of about $3.5 million which was made up primarily of the home in which the couple lived and a 2/3 interest in a weekend home. The other 1/3 of the weekend home was owned by the surviving partner.

The deceased made a number of bequests. There was a bequest of $100,000 to his surviving partner as well as a gift of his 2/3 interest in the weekend home. The residue of the estate (about $2.5 million) was gifted to the deceased’s old school.

The surviving partner was, in the words of the court, left in a position of “some affluence.” Aside from the gifts made under the will, the surviving partner also had a share portfolio, a BMW and a life time defined benefit pension worth 2/3 of his salary when he retired.

Nevertheless, the court was satisfied that the provision made under the will was not sufficient. The court held that the surviving partner should be able “to live in a fashion which bore at least some resemblance to the lifestyle he had enjoyed.”

Accordingly the court increased the amount from $100,000 to $1 million.

This decision gives important guidance about what is “adequate provision.” In a blended or 2nd marriage family, there may be a gift of a right of residence in the home to the surviving spouse and the balance of the estate going to the children of the first marriage. What if that does not leave the spouse with enough income to maintain the home?

The Brennan case shows that it is important to turn your mind to considerations of what is “adequate”. It is highly subjective. It is different to “need”. It requires taking account of all the circumstances, even if you are not fortunate enough to be in the position of having a $3 million estate to deal with!

It is a timely reminder to those who are planning their estates to think very carefully if they plan to leave an amount which is less than what the beneficiaries might otherwise expect to receive. It is also a reminder to those who may have been left out of a will to think again before make a claim. You may not have a “need” but has “adequate provision” been made for you?

Certus Law specialises in superannuation, trusts and estate planning.

Visit Certus Law at Level 5, 28 University Avenue, T: 6268 9090, www.certuslaw.com.au

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FAMILY LAW

By Di Simpson

HEALTH

Divorce and your business

Have a look around your workplace, at those people you depend upon each day to make a meaningful contribution to your business.

How many of them are in relationships, married or de facto? Look a little more closely – how many of them are happy in those relationships?

Don’t know? Not your business?

Perhaps you should – between 30 and 40% of marriages fail; the odds for second marriages are even worse; and de facto unions fail at an even higher rate again.

Look at your key people again, with those stats in mind.

In managing your business, you look out for risk, and take sensible steps to minimize it. What might be the impact of the end of a relationship, upon key staff, in your business? And now imagine if it was one of your partners…

In the uncoupling process, the end of the relationship is seldom mutual. One person may be astounded. They attempt to soldier on, but eventually “normal” is not possible. Anger and grief are hard to manage in a work place.

Work performance may be impacted, productivity declines.

Absenteeism increases. The burden falls on other staff and over time, resentment builds. This may go on for years.

And if the key person is your business partner, relations with staff may be strained; personnel may be worried about the security of their employment; day to day operations are a challenge, all potentially impacting the value of your business.

So, still none of your business?

As part of the psychological contract at your workplace, employer and employee each knows what is expected of the other – and it should include an expectation of active empathy.

The investment you make in your people and the steps you take to keep them engaged with you should be reflected in planning to guard against fallout from relationship change. Given the statistics it is sound risk management.

Large firms and departments have structured Employee Assistance Programs which include access to funded counseling supports and sometimes subsidised access to legal and financial advice.

Not all work places have such resources. But you can readily build a network of referral relationships to include counselling and mediation services, financial counselling and planning and expert family law advice.

Ensure your staff are well advised and supported, minimizing their distress and distraction when they are dealing with relationship change.

Your key personnel will reward you with continuing loyalty.

We know relationships. DDCS can advise you on how best to effectively support and assist your key personnel dealing with relationship change.

A U G U S T 2 0 13

The day has finally come. The All Lawn Tennis Club has a local Wimbledon champion since the great Fred Perry lifted the crown in 1934. Andy Murray has given the British crowd what they wanted and since then has inspired many juniors to get on the court and take up the game of tennis.

Australians love watching sport. We don't miss a beat when there's an important sporting moment on television. Many of us watched or at least heard about Aston Agar on debut in this year's cricket Ashes tournament against England. We all witnessed the drop ball off the kick-off during the Lions - Wallabies decider. What about the London Olympics... Did anyone else rack-up 'gold winning hours' on the couch watching Australia win in gold in sailing. I surely did.

What does this have to do with health? Think about the feeling you get when you watch sport, we feel like we're part of the game. Some of us imitate our favorite players and sporting heroes. Unfortunately, many of us 'working-folk' struggle to commit to a regular exercise.

Physical Activity Australia have set 4 steps to follow for health benefit.

Step 1. Think of movement as opportunity, not an inconvenience.

Step 2. Be active every day in as many ways as you can.

Step 3. Put together at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on most, preferably all, days.

Step 4. If you can, also enjoy some regular, vigorous activity for extra health and fitness.

These guidelines have moved from just doing exercise to enjoying exercise - which I fully support. For that reason I encourage you to use that motivation when watching sport to take up a sport and enjoy regular exercise.

With all that in mind, today is your lucky day. As a health coach I have grown up loving sport, especially the game of tennis. My passion as a young tennis star hasn't transpired to Andy Murray's dream (now reality), however it has lead me to study coaching science at the University of Canberra and become a Tennis Australia coach. Alongside being a lifestyle coach for Healthy Identity, I am the head coach of Prestige Tennis Academy Canberra (PTAC) located at Barton Tennis Club. Due to my health background PTAC is the hub for the newly promoted fitness Tennis Australia program - Cardio Tennis.

Cardio Tennis is a perfect introduction into tennis and can be considered an enjoyable vigorous activity you can attend on a regular basis. I encourage you come down to Barton Tennis Club and enjoy a free Cardio Tennis trial or participate in any other tennis program PTAC delivers. For more information or to book a tennis or health program, visit healthyidentity.com.au, send a email to robbie.manzano@healthyidentity.com.au or call Robbie on 0423366014.

Robbie Manzano is founder and managing director of Healthy Identity. Robbie has degrees in Human Nutrition and Coaching Science from the University of Canberra and has completed a Graduate Certificate Public Health from Curtin University. robbie.manzano@healthyidentity.com.au 0423 366 014

18 Kendall Lane, New Acton Canberra City ACT 2601 T: (02) 6212 7600 E: mail@ddcsfamilylawyers.com.au www.ddcsfamilylawyers.com.au

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By Robbie Manzano

Game, set and match healthy identity

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RECRUITMENT

RISK MANAGEMENT

A “candidate rich” market…for better or worse?

By Allison Guy-Ritchie

A candidate rich market can complicate the recruitment process and quantity does not align with quality!

Be it internal or external, it’s both time-consuming and costly to recruit. To manage this in a candidate rich market increases the difficulty - not only to secure that perfect candidate, but managing the process to get there!

Our consulting and support costs you nothing until we find the right candidate!

What to bear in mind in such a market: • Candidates may seek assistance for professional resume development to achieve a competitive edge. They can look great on paper only to find it’s been written for them – in every sense!

• Being constantly knocked back, candidates may under-value their ability due to lowered self-esteem and may also apply for roles significantly below their level of capability. The perception can be “great value for money”, but what is the risk?

• Candidates may interview with an increased level of pressure, many having been out of work for months. This in itself can skew the interview and you’re left wondering “was it nerves or wasn’t it”?

• Good people are valuable! If they look exceptional, why are they on the market? Take time to find out.

Differentiate the genuine candidate: • Beware of resumes in a third person style and look for specific detail, not subjective statements.

• Produce specific interview questions that are behavioural based, but more importantly aligned to the candidate’s resume claims.

• Candidates should be realistic in expectations i.e. there should be flexibility, but they will still be confidently aware of the value they can bring, while being able to substantiate why they will consider a lower level. How much will it cost to employ an over-qualified candidate only to find it was “until something better came along”!

• Robust reference checking is even more important; more than ever before. Probe the referee and know why this candidate is on the market.

Is recruitment your forte - how much time and energy can you afford to work through the volume; what is the risk of missing that perfect person because you’re unable to do the process justice; could that one candidate you don’t see be the one you need?

Our consulting and support costs you nothing until we find the right candidate! PCA People “let’s make things happen.”

For more information contact Sandy Gibbs on 02 6257 1010 or sandy.gibbs@pcapeople.com

by Rod Farrar

Considering the downstream risks

A downstream risk is defined as a risk that eventuates when new treatments or controls are introduced. When developing risk treatments for an identified risk, it is important to take the time to consider what these downstream risks might be and the damage they can cause. Of course, there will be flow on risks no matter what treatments we put in place, however, it is when these treatments have the potential to lead to events that have more significant impacts to the business that we need to stop and assess the wisdom of their implementation.

Treating risks is important – but just make sure that the cure is not worse than the original disease.

A perfect case in point is the recent Legionnaires outbreak at the Wesley Hospital in Brisbane.

It is unclear as to why, but the temperature in the Wesley Hospital’s hot water systems had been turned down to 45 degrees Celcius. It may have been that the hospital had assessed that there was a risk of a patient being scalded or there may have had an incident where it happened; or, it may have been an efficiency measure to reduce operating costs. Whatever the reason, a decision was taken to reduce the temperature of the hot water. This can be achieved in two ways. The first is to install tempering valves on all hot water systems. These valves maintain the temperature in the hot water system itself, but reduce the temperature as it flows through the valve. They cost money to install and do not reduce running costs. The second is to simply reduce the temperature of the water in the hot water system. Whilst this is the easiest and cheapest solution to reduce the risk of scalding, some simple research on the internet would have identified that Queensland Health had produced a fact sheet that states: “Hot water tanks are required by Queensland law to store water at 60°C or more to reduce the risk of Legionella multiplication. The practice of turning down or turning off hot water systems to reduce power consumption may increase the risk of Legionella multiplication”. (Source: Queensland Health - Legionnaires disease— reducing risk in the home).

Mandatory testing of hot water systems is not required in Queensland and, as a result, Wesley Hospital did not identify the outbreak until after one patient had died and another was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit.

Treating risks is important – but just make sure that the cure is not worse than the original disease.

.

Level 3, Canberra House, 40 Marcus Clarke Street, Canberra City T: (02) 6257 1010 | www.pcapeople.com

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PO Box 359, MITCHELL ACT 2911 Australia T 0400 666 142 | F 02 8208 7398 E rod@paladinrisk.com.au W: www.paladinrisk.com.au

SERVICED OFFICES

By Robert Okulus

Five tips for beating stress

Canberra is a pretty stress free city – but workplaces can sometimes contribute our stress levels and our productivity.

Stress in the workplace is a growing concern for both employees and business owners. Synergy research has identified the key causes of stress and how to deal with them.

If we can manage stress better, we can all become far more productive.

Stress in the workplace is a growing concern for both employees and business owners. Synergy research has identified the key causes of stress and how to deal with them.

Here are my tips for staying stress free: 1. Identify the causes of stress. The majority of the workers questioned confirmed that the primary source of this stress is the workplace, rather than domestic pressures, with the Global Financial Crisis the main catalyst.

2. You can’t avoid the ‘GFC’ but you can change the way you work.

Being Synergy, we’ve got plenty of experience in relieving workplace pressure: we call it flexible working, and unsurprisingly six in ten of those we spoke to (63%) identified this as a desirable way to cut stress.

3. Take some exercise. “Going for a short walk, doing stretching or breathing exercises, or just getting away from your desk would have a greater impact,” says Neil Shah, the director of the Stress Management Society. Exercise also produces endorphins, the body's natural opiates, which boost mood.

4. In the age of permanent connectivity, we need to learn to switch ourselves off. So turn off your mobile. Smartphones and Blackberrys mean we can be emailing or taking calls wherever we are, whether that’s in the bath or on a beach.

5. Take time out. It may seem obvious, but surprisingly few of us actually make time to relax. Do you use up your holiday allowance?

And when you do get away from the office, do you spend too much time chasing your tail – doing DIY, admin, running around organising your family? How much time do you actually spend switching off?

I hope that these five tips to beating stress can improve your business and quality of life. If you would like a complete copy of the survey please contact me at the address below.

Robert Okulus, Area Director robert.okulus@syn.net.au T 1300 476 946 Level 6, 39 London Circuit, Canberra Units 1 to 4, 8 Jardine Street Kingston ACT 2604

WEBSITES

by Sam Gupta

Responsive or mobile friendly websites

How many times have you searched for something online? How did you feel when you found what you were looking for, but couldn’t read the details as the site appeared too small to read from?

There are three key benefits of having a responsive website.

First and foremost, you save time and money in the mobile site development and ongoing management of it.

According to the statistics, around 94% of smartphone users have searched for a product or service on their phones and nearly 60% access internet via their smartphones every day; more interestingly, around 85% users do so ‘on the go’. So, you can’t ignore this trend.

Full, traditional websites generally look good on the bigger screens but fail to pass-on the same effectiveness on the smaller screens.

Although, you could have same customers accessing your website, their behaviour will be different on the mobile screens. To better promote your business on mobile, you need suitable website.

The term that really picked up last year was ‘Responsive’ web design; which basically refers to mobile friendly websites. Responsive websites are designed in such a way that they change their appearance and layouts based on the device it’s on. On desktop it shows the full/ traditional website, on tablet it changes the layout to suit a tablet screen size and on mobile devices it again changes the layout to optimize for the mobile screens size. The goal is to provide the best possible user experience regardless of the device.

There are three key benefits of having a responsive website. First and foremost, you save time and money in the mobile site development and ongoing management of it. The same website serves all devices.

Secondly, it improves the user experience and engagement of mobile devices. Thirdly, there is no need to track performance of two separate websites (desktop and mobile). Big Data tools such as Google Analytics are capable of reporting on your responsive website.

So, next time you are analysing your website statistics, pay some attention to the statistics on mobile traffic. Responsive websites are not that expensive to make and the ROI generally makes it worthwhile.

I would love to discuss your business’s online strategy. Give me a call on 1300 785 230 or drop me an email on admin@synapseworldwide. com. We offer free one hour consultation on how you can make your online strategy work for your business.

Sam Gupta is the managing director of Synapse Worldwide. Sam would love to hear your thoughts on this advice column.

Please contact him on 1300 785 230 or admin@synapseworldwide.com

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MINISTER’S MESSAGE

Giving local firms a leg up on tenders ANDREW BARR

ACT DEPUTY CHIEF MINISTER TREASURER MINISTER FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

T

o make it easier to do business in the Territory the ACT Government is now giving local firms a leg up when tendering for government contracts.

Last month a new criterion was introduced for the evaluation of all goods and services tenders for ACT Government work, which supports small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from the capital region.

The criterion puts a positive weighting on whether the tenderer is a local SME and/or their involvement with local businesses.

In short, the weighting will give local SMEs a small but important boost to their chances of winning ACT Government tenders. The criterion is just one of the measures contained in the ACT Government’s Business Development Strategy, which is helping the local private sector to diversify, grow and create jobs.

In short, the weighting will give local SMEs a small but important boost to their chances of winning ACT Government tenders.

More than 25,000 businesses operate in the ACT – and the majority are SMEs. As such, supporting them is vital to the ACT economy.

ACT Government contracts can be a significant source of work for our private sector, but we acknowledge SMEs can find it challenging to tender for and win government business, which is why this change is being introduced.

It will also provide an incentive for suppliers to the ACT Government to engage with regional SMEs. The criterion has been designed to so that it doesn’t add to the cost of tendering, doesn’t detract from value for money and safety considerations, nor impinges on free trade requirements.

The criterion is just one of the measures contained in the ACT Government’s Business Development Strategy, which is helping the local private sector to diversify, grow and create jobs.

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Details of the new criterion are as follows: Tenders over $200,000 For Request For Tender (RFT) for procurements over $200,000, tenderers will be required to indicate if they are a local SME and, if they are not a local SME, whether they will be subcontracting to a local SME. Businesses with up to 200 full-time equivalent employees based within the South East Region Organisation of Councils (SEROC) are defined as local.

If the tenderer is an SME a default 5 per cent weighting will be applied. The weighting may be increased to 10 per cent on a case-by-case assessment.

If the tenderer is not an SME but will be subcontracting to a SEROC SME, a weighting from 1 to 5 per cent will be applied based on the proportion of the total value of the contract to be undertaken by the subcontractor.

For example, if 50 per cent of the value of the contract will be undertaken by a SEROC subcontractor a weighting of 2.5 per cent will be applied, or if 80 per cent of the value of the contract will be undertaken by a SEROC subcontractor a weighting of 4 per cent will be applied.

If a head contractor is not an SME but has indicated they will subcontract to a SEROC SME, confirmation of an arrangement with nominated subcontractors will be required as part of the tender, including an indication of the value of the work that will flow to the subcontractor.

Tenders under $200,000 For Requests for Quotation (RFQ) for procurements under $200,000 that will be undertaken directly by ACT Government Directorates, respondents will be evaluated on three standard criteria: capability, capacity and affordability.

Once these criteria have been considered, the respondent’s SME status or SME involvement will be scored based on the same principles as outlined in the RFT process.

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A S S O C I AT I O N S T O B U S I N E S S

CHRIS FA U L K S

CEO CANBERRA BUSINESS COUNCIL

A plan for Canberra AFFILIATED WITH

L

ast month in this article I bemoaned the fact that the 2013 Federal Budget had no offsetting investment in industry development or infrastructure for Canberra to minimise the disproportionally negative impact of significant cutbacks the Australian Public Service (APS) and nothing to assist Canberra to optimise the opportunities to diversify its economy in the longer term. I suggested that there needed to be a strategic and well-considered plan to encourage industry development, infrastructure, jobs and growth in Canberra and the surrounding region; to assist small business to survive and to support staff transitioning out of the APS.

At the centre of The Plan is a vision for investment in an integrated infrastructure strategy to boost industry development and the capital region economy in the medium term Rather than just talk about it, Canberra Business Council has consulted with over 150 industry representatives and our members, and has developed “A Plan for Canberra”.

The Plan is not just about asking for financial assistance from a new Federal Govenrment; it is about a tripartite response to the likely impact of downsizing of the APS in the ACT. It outlines a series of strategies to be undertaken by the business community, the ACT Government and 38

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a new Federal Government to assist Canberra & the Region to adjust positively and confidently to Federal Government downsizing in a way that minimises short term problems and maximises longer term opportunities. The objective is to build a stronger, more productive and diverse ACT economy with less reliance on the public sector.

The focus of The Plan is on jobs creation and growing new industries by building on our strengths - a dynamic services sector, a growing knowledge economy based on a hub of world-class education and research institutions, innovation, exports and a strong, vibrant small business sector. ICT, business tourism, the export of education, health and biotechnology are just some of the areas where private sector industry and employment could be developed.

“A Plan for Canberra” seeks support for the following initiatives: 1. Construction of a new Australia Forum Convention Centre. This project has the unqualified support of over 50 industry bodies (representing over half of the employment base in the ACT) as the top priority for Canberra. All of these key stakeholders agree that Canberra, the nation’s capital currently lacks an appropriate venue for major national and international meetings. With the right infrastructure – a new convention centre and direct international flights - Canberra has an opportunity to

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leverage off its competitive advantages to exploit the growth in the lucrative business tourism market to diversify its economy and revenue base. Beyond direct tourism expenditure (estimated at additional tourism expenditure of up to $762m in GSP and 1,066 additional jobs), business tourism stimulates economic development. Business meetings are at the forefront of the knowledge economy and governments and communities are increasingly recognising the benefits of hosting business events as both an industry development mechanism and an opportunity to position a city. Job creation, broad economic contribution and increased city profile would all be legacy benefits of hosting more business events in Canberra.

2. Support for Direct International Flights initially from Singapore & NZ 3. Regional Transport Infrastructure including upgrades to roads linking Queanbeyan to Canberra – Pialligo and Canberra Avenues - and upgrades to major regional transport corridors – the Barton, Kings and Monaro Highways 4. Improving access for SMEs to Australian Government tenders. Small business is critical to economic growth and the

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creation of more jobs in Canberra. Of the 26,000 businesses in Canberra – 96% employ less than 20 people. It is critical that small firms, including Canberra and regional businesses, have an opportunity to competitively tender for Federal Government work rather than have big government dealing only with big business through big contracts.

5. Measures to improve federal political engagement with and understanding of the Canberra & Region private sector economy. These include re-establishing The Capital Region Ministerial Business Roundtable; lifting responsibility for the National to PM&C; holding regular meetings between federal departmental secretaries, the head of the ACT bureaucracy, a tertiary education representative and ACT business and an induction / familiarisation program for newly-elected Federal Parliamentarians.

6. High Speed Rail – putting the first stage of the HSR network – Sydney to Canberra – to the market immediately 7. Continuing investment in the National Institutions in Canberra

9. A commitment to retain Federal Government Agencies in Canberra’s town centres, particularly Tuggeranong 10.Programs for separating APS staff to start their own business 11. Review of citizenship requirements for employment in the APS At the centre of The Plan is a vision for investment in an integrated infrastructure strategy to boost industry development and the capital region economy in the medium term – in business and leisure tourism; the commercialization of innovative ideas and technology; the export of education and small business.

Next steps We have started to promote The Plan at the Federal and ACT Government levels and will continue an advocacy strategy over coming months.

Ideally, in the lead up to the federal election later this year, both sides of politics will announce a package of measures to support the Canberra economy and minimize the impact of any APS cutbacks.

8. A commitment to keep major research institutions in Canberra – CSIRO, ANU, NICTA B 2 b M A G A Z I N E A U G U S T 2 0 13

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A new era begins ANDREW BLYTH

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

T

his is my first column for B2B since commencing in the role of Chief Executive, ACT & Region Chamber of Commerce & Industry. The passing of Dr Chris Peters earlier this year was felt throughout the Canberra community and I wish to acknowledge the professional manner of Chamber staff during this difficult time ensuring our member’s needs were met. It is an honour to work alongside such good people.

Canberra is home to some 26,000 small businesses and it’s time for the rest of the country to sit up and take notice. We are excited about Canberra’s future, but importantly, it must be a future that recognises small business is at the heart of our way of life.

Corporate Sponsors ActewAGL TransACT The Canberra Times The Good Guys Tuggeranong Synapse Chamber Networks Women in Business Young Business Network Business after Business Foundation Member Australian Chamber of Commerce & Industry SAVE THE DATE Chamber Golf Day DATE Thursday 17 October TIME 11.30am Registration VENUE Federal Gold Club, Red Hill

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The Chamber is placing small business interest’s front and centre of the political debate. The grass roots campaign, Small Business, Too Big to Ignore is based upon “The Big 4 You Can’t Ignore”. This campaign focuses on everyday business issues, including, regulation that is suffocating local small businesses, our tax and finance systems that make it impossible for the average small businessperson to comply with and understand. The campaign also aims to cut the cost for small business to hire, keep and dismiss staff; and argues for infrastructure that helps businesses deliver goods and services in an efficient way. In short, local small businesses are overtaxed, overregulated and overlooked by government with Canberra home to the lowest business survival rate in the nation. Outrageous.

Small businesses consist of everyday people running newsagents, butchers, florists, gift shops, fruit and veg stores, hairdressing salons, consultancies, cafés, restaurants, service stations, and home appliance stores. These businesses are run by people who are up before most of us wake in the morning; and are still working long after we have gone to bed. While employees seek a work-life balance we should spare a thought for those small business operators loaded up night after night with government red tape and compliance burdens.

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It is also worth remembering that small business operators may have families and they, too, seek a work-life balance. They truly are the silent majority and they deserve our full support.

As the Chamber celebrates its 77th year, we continue to actively stand up for our local small business sector. We do so because of a tendency for the private sector to be overlooked when more can be done in driving private sector development in Canberra.

One of our priorities is to push for an economy less reliant on public sector employment and one more focused on driving entrepreneurial opportunities and success for local businesses, big and small. A second priority is small business investment resulting from Canberra’s world-class tertiary institutions. We are known across the nation as the ‘Knowledge Capital’, and that reputation brings significant business opportunities, particularly in the field of innovation. While Western Australia has its mines; Canberra has minds, and we should be capitalising on them. In support, the Chamber will be hosting an innovation conference next year to showcase our local expertise and to attract potential investors to our city.

From my experience of living in Austin, a university-city home to large government institutions, I was very impressed with the way business worked with the government sector, and I believe we can learn from that. For example, the ACT Government should consider adopting more aggressive efforts to attract large corporations through special taxation measures and performance based incentives; and to consider increasing the amount of business and industry development funding ($10m) to match the amount currently spent on tourism and events ($40m).

Canberra is home to some 26,000 small businesses and it’s time for the rest of the country to sit up and take notice. We are excited about Canberra’s future, but importantly, it must be a future that recognises small business is at the heart of our way of life.

For further information regarding the Chamber and our services please contact (02) 6283 5200 or visit www.actchamber.com.au.

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ACT 2012 Export Award Winner is building global success!

ELLEN POPE

EXPORTERS NETWORK MANAGER

S

eeing Machines Limited, the ACT’s company that took out the ACT Chief Ministers Export Awards Small to Medium Services category last year, has gone from strength to strength since winning the award. Seeing Machines Limited was a technology company birthed in Canberra and spun out of ANU.

Winning an Export Award gives you recognition; it provides a chance to profile your company in front of a wider audience and gives you free PR. Getting an export award is not just about winning – it’s also about having your peers recognise your company’s excellence. And as you can see from the story of Seeing Machines Limited, success breeds success.

For more information on the ACT Exporters’ Network visit actexportersnetwork.com.au or call 02 6247 4199 The ACT Exporters’ Network is proudly sponsored by the ACT Government, Canberra Business Council, the Centre for Customs & Excise Studies and AusIndustry.

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Seeing Machines is an award winning technology company with a focus on vision based human machine interfaces. The technology platform is based on world-leading computer vision processing technologies that allow machines to see and track human faces and certain facial features. These technologies lead to the development of devices that improve road safety & save lives, help manage eye disease and prevent loss of eyesight.

Earlier this year Seeing Machines signed a strategic agreement with Caterpillar Global Mining LLC., the world’s leading manufacturer of mining equipment, for in-cab Fatigue Monitoring Systems for use in mining machines. The agreement covers a supply and support agreement of the Fatigue Monitoring Systems through the global Cat® Dealer network and progresses to further phases that include joint product development and technology licensing agreements.

Obviously fatigue and safety associated with large mine trucks is a big issue for mining sites around the world.

“The safety of our mining customers’ employees is a paramount issue to us,” said David Edwards, Safety Solutions Manager for Caterpillar Global Mining. “Seeing Machines delivers both safety and productivity benefits to the mining industry. Going

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forward we see even closer integration between what in-cab fatigue monitoring can deliver in both intervention alerts and analytics to improve safety and performance.”

Why should you consider entering the export awards?

Winning an Export Award gives you recognition; it provides a chance to profile your company in front of a wider audience and gives you free PR. Getting an export award is not just about winning – it’s also about having your peers recognise your company’s excellence.

And as you can see from the story of Seeing Machines Limited, success breeds success.

ACT CHIEF MINISTERS AWARDS 2013 – 100 YEARS, 100 COUNTRIES, 100 EXPORTERS Reminder Entries are closing for the ACT Chief Ministers Export Awards.

Key dates for the ACT Chief Minister’s Awards 15 August 2013

Applications Close

ACT Chief Minister’s Awards Gala Ceremony The ACT Chief Ministers Export Awards are proudly supported by: • EFIC • Austrade • Canberra Business Council • ACT Exporters’ Network • DFK Everalls • Ernst and Young • Australian Military Sales Office, Department of Defence|Defence Materiel Organisation • Academy of Interactive Entertainment (AIE) 26th September

If you are involved with exporting and international business, then please consider the advantages that being involved with the ACT Exporters’ Network provides. To find out more information about membership of the ACT Exporters’ Network and to take advantage of the benefits please contact ACT Exporters’ Network Manager, Ellen Pope on 02 6247 4199, or Email: ellen.pope@canberrabusinesscouncil.com.au

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P RO P ERT Y YOUR MONTHLY LOOK AT PROPERTIES AND PROPERTY RELATED INDUSTRIES IN THE ACT

DO YOU KNOW IF YOU CAN BORROW THE FINANCE TO BUY A BUSINESS? Jason from Brindabella Business Brokers discusses

B2B PROPERTY

DO YOU KNOW IF YOU CAN BORROW THE FINANCE TO BUY A BUSINESS?

Y

ou have been looking for 6 to 12 months now and you have found the business you want to take the next step and make an offer on. However, before you can make an offer you need to ensure you can borrow the funds to acquire the business. This is when time cannot move quick enough for you, as in your mind you are ready to make the offer, but without finance you are no closer than when you first started looking to buy a business.

Obtaining the finance can be a stressful part to the process of buying a business so if you want to make it easier on you and your bank, start the conversation now rather than when the opportunity appears.

It is important business buyers are aware that when an offer is made on a business it is never subject to finance. The main reason

Jason Klose, Managing Director t: 0414 890 286 jason@bbbrokers.com.au www.bbbrokers.com.au for this is obtaining business finance is much more difficult than residential finance and can take some time to be approved. As a business broker, I have seen some buyers take up to 2 months to obtain business finance. They never got to make an offer on the business as it was sold before they could even get finance approved.

So why does it take so long for business finance? Part of the reason, in simple terms, is a two step process. Step 1 is looking at you as a business buyer and understanding what you own, your current debt situation, your commitments going forward and income streams. Step 2 is looking at the business you are going to buy.

If you are serious about buying a business and while you are looking, why not begin at Step 1? Items like residential valuations, applications completed, meeting with your bank, obtaining and supplying supporting documentation all take some time to be prepared and reviewed. Obtaining the finance can be a stressful part to the process of buying a business so if you want to make it easier on you and your bank, start the conversation now rather than when the opportunity appears.

COCKTAIL BAR, LIVE DJ’S AND NATIONAL AWARDS

NORTHSIDE MECHANIC WORKSHOP

When it comes to live DJ performances, known for its high skilled staff and quality cocktails all in a safe and relaxed environment - this bar would have to be number one in Canberra. Supporting this, this bar won two national awards for 2011 and 2012.

Very strong mechanic business that has been in Canberra for over 30 years.

This business is always booked out in advance and 90% of work undertaken is on two main prestige vehicle brands as this is what the business is well known for in Canberra and interstate.

Turnover 2012 $789,000 | 2013 looks very similar GP 74% | Price $320,000 + SAV

LARGE ASIAN SUPERMARKET NORTHSIDE This Chinese Supermarket was established in December 2010 and revenues are consistently increasing along with a loyal following of regular customers.

This Chinese Supermarket would have to be one of the biggest in Canberra and located in a high traffic and convenient position. Trades 7 days a week and over 5,000 product lines.

Turnover 2013 $1.1m | Owners return over $350k Price $260,000 + SAV

BRINDABELLA BUSINESS BROKERS BUYERS LIST For the 2013 financial year we have sold over $1m in businesses that the open market was not made aware of. These were sold to buyers on our buyers list who received the details and were able negotiate the purchase without the open market being aware. If you are interested you can join our buyers list by: 1) Going to www.bbbrokers.com.au 2) Click on the Subscribe tab 3) Complete your details and click Submit

Price $290,000 + SAV

Contact Jason Klose on 0414 890 286 for more information or visit www.bbbrokers.com.au

SPECIALISING IN LUXURY ACCOMMODATION IN CANBERRA Short Term or Long Term CityStyle Executive Apartments provides luxury Canberra accommodation for discerning business and government clients.

We have many years of experience in supplying accommodation for individuals and organisations, and are the preferred supplier for several corporate and government organisations in Canberra.

We are also an authorised government supplier of accommodation through the AOT Government Portal.

Apartment facilities

Providing service excellence

Feel at home in the nation’s capital

Our executive apartments are elegantly modern 1 or 2 bedroom abodes with a residential feel.

Providing service excellence and luxury accommodation in various locations around the city centre.

Enjoy the comforts you are used to at home and be totally relaxed in your spacious apartment.

For more details visit our website citystyle.net.au or call us direct for your accommodation needs.

(02) 6247 4646

Email: enquiries@citystyle.net.au

42 Mort St Braddon ACT Canberra

Freestanding

Gables

Patio Decks

Garden Rooms

NEED MORE LIVING SPACE? WHY NOT CALL NOW? FOR A FREE DESIGN AND QUOTE

Specialists in the Designing and Building of all types of Sunrooms and Patios

Call us Now

6296 5214

Email enquiries to: admin@apollopatioscanberra.com.au

Family Run Business Free Quotes 15 Year Warranty Plans and PLA/Council Approval Competitive Pricing Unsurpassed Quality All Projects are structurally Engineered Nationwide Friendly Service

OR VISIT US ONLINE

www.apollopatioscanberra.com.au Builders Licence ACT 2009553 NSW 249576C ABN 27 151 944 183 *Conditions apply

B2B Mal_PM_Half Pagev3_Layout 1 7/05/13 2:19 PM Page 1

Give your property investments…

the Maloney’s touch!

We tailor-make property managements to suit your property investments 5. Our property inspection reports are thoroughly completed and supported by photographic evidence of the inspection’s assessment.

These reports and photos are available to you on our website.

6. Flexible property income options allow you to decide when and how your rental income will be paid to you.

7. Direct debit arrangements take care of your tenants' payments and minimise rental arrears.

8. Our dedicated management team ensure that each property and tenant receives maximum attention which gives you the freedom of continuous leasing.

9. Tenants can apply quickly for your property on-line with easy, no-fuss applications.

10.Our complete property management coverage and advice means that you can invest with confidence in the Canberra market.

If you would like all the benefits of a tailor-made, property management consultation and assessment, call Sue Maloney today.

realpeople… realresults!

“The Griffin” Giles St, Kingston Phone 6232 0100 www.maloneys.com.au Canberra’s Property Shop Pty Ltd. T/A Maloney’s Lic Agent

BerrySmith MalPM B2B May2013

1. We are a company that is big enough to be systemised, organised, structured and well resourced, however, small enough to care about all their clients.

2. Our website has a major focus on property management* and is a very powerful and time saving tool for both you, and your tenants.

3. Exclusive on-line portal provides investors with convenient 24/7 access to all your properties details. This service gives you the technological edge, and the peace of mind that everything, including ledgers are in order.

4. We contract only professional photographers to deliver better representations of your property that are showcased on a range of marketing media to maximise your returns.

19 August MONDAY

2013

www.rspcacupcakeday.com.au

JOIN THE RSPCA AND BAKE CUPCAKES TO HELP FUND THE FIGHT AGAINST ANIMAL CRUELTY!