B2B in Canberra December 2010 (Issue 55)

CANBERRA’S BUSINESS & GOVERNMENT MAGAZINE

Beames & Associates & CountPlus >

WHAT’S YOUR LOGO WORTH?

DOING BUSINESS IN INDONESIA

The pros and cons of outsourcing to a logo website

Are you cashing in on Australia’s competitive advantage?

b2bincanberra.com.au

DECEMBER 2010

55

RIDING ON THE CREST OF A WAVE

NEW PARTNERSHIP FOR BUSINESSPOINT

Q&A SARAH AVERY CRIMINAL LAWYER

BE AN ANGEL & DONATE TO ANGLICARE

Find out who will be delivering this $1,000,000 program

How do you defend people who are guilty?

Donate to the Anglicare Christmas Appeal 1800 18 77 68

$4.95 inc. GST ISSN 1833-8232

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thank you for your support in 2010 The Yellow Edge Directors and Staff would like to wish our clients a very Merry Christmas and thank you for your continued support

hear

throughout 2010. We look forward to working with you again in 2011.

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Delivering leading edge business solutions that help build high performing organisations.

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“Growing my business takes effort and passion. So I take RSM Bird Cameron’s advice.”

David Byatt Owner and operator Monaro Screens Pty Ltd.

Growing a business in a competitive environment is demanding. So you should demand an adviser who can evaluate your situation and develop an innovative solution or even a number of solutions. Monaro Screens has relied on RSM Bird Cameron to be this adviser, taking the business from start up to mature business while maintaining profitability. David is pictured above in his new factory. When he purchased it, RSM Bird Cameron was there to advise.

RSM Bird Cameron Ph: (02) 6247 5988 103-105 Northbourne Avenue Canberra, ACT

Exceptional service, Exceptional results

www.rsmi.com.au

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Tim Benson Liz Lang editorial@b2bincanberra.com.au 02 6161 2751

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B 2 B I N CA N B E R R A B U S I N E S S AN D G OV E R N M E N T M AG AZ I N E D ECEM B ER 2010 I S S U E 55

EVERY MONTH

FEATURES

06 UPFRONT

15 BUSINESS PLANNING SERIES

Read about local business success Is 2011 the time for home improvements?

New partnership for BusinessPoint Xyrakis family celebrates 47 years at Ainslie Shops

10 OPINION

Hear from people in the know What is a divorce?

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IT in the clouds

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22 ADVICE Advice from business experts

ISSN 1833-8232 LEGAL NOTICE Man Bites Dog Public Relations (‘MBD’) owns the copyright in this publication. Except for any fair dealing as permitted by the Copyright Act 1968 (Cwth), no part of this publication may be reproduced without the prior written permission of MBD. MBD has been careful in preparing this publication, however: it is not able to, and does not warrant that the publication is free from errors and omissions; and it is not able to verify, and has not verified the accuracy of the information and opinions contained or expressed in, or which may be conveyed to readers by any advertisement or other publication content. MBD advises that it accepts all contributed material and advertisements contained in this publication in good faith, and relies on various warranties and permissions provided to it by the persons who contribute material and/or place advertisements. Those warranties and permissions include that neither the material and/ or advertisements are misleading, deceptive or defamatory, and that their use, adaptation or publication does not infringe the rights of any third party, or any relevant laws. Further, MBD notifies readers that it does not, nor should it be understood to endorse, adopt, approve or otherwise associate MBD with any representations made in contributions and/or advertisements contained in the publication. MBD makes no representation or warranty as to the qualifications of any contributor or advertiser or persons associated with them, and advises readers that they must rely solely on their own enquiries in relation to such qualifications, and be satisfied from those enquiries that persons with whom they deal as a result of reading any material or advertisement have the necessary licences and professional qualifications relating to the goods and services offered. To the maximum extent permitted by law, MBD excludes all liabilities in contract, tort (including negligence) and/or statute for loss, damage, costs and expenses of any kind to any person arising directly or indirectly from any material or advertisement contained in this publication, whether arising from an error, omission, misrepresentation or any other cause.

Accounting Accounting services Business coaching Commercial law Corporate governance Estate planning Graphic design Information security Management consulting Performance architects

Part Four: Andrew Sykes explains how to gain a comparative advantage

16 PROFILES Criminal lawyer, Sarah Avery fields some questions Brett Lennard, ACT Tennis Coach of the Year

20 COVER STORY Riding the Crest of the Wave: Beames & Associates and the Count Plus Group will float on the ASX making it one of the largest accounting businesses in Australia

2BUSINESS 28 U2B: Universities to Business The University of Canberra 29 G2B: Government to Business ACT Government 30 A2B: Associations to Business Canberra Business Council Chamber of Women in Business ACT Exporters’ Network ACT & Region Chamber of Commerce & Industry CollaBIT

36 BUSINESS NETWORKING

Lots of photos to check out including Yellow Edge Christmas Party, AIIA Christmas function, and Rhys and Monica’s wedding.

Congratulations!!

CO V E R PH O TOG RAP HY BY BEN MARD EN

Make your next conference a winner... ...with the Club awarded as Best Functions provider for 2010.

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Visit www.cscc.com.au or call 6283 7200 now!

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For the information of members and their guests

Getting the most out of life on campus requires a decent roof over your head.

But with a study indicating as many as 4000 students looking for accommodation, a leading NSW University found it simply didn’t have enough beds. At the same time, it preferred to invest its own money in core strengths like research and teaching facilities. With advice from our Deals team, the University was able to successfully outsource the development of on-campus accommodation. Instead of following the usual route of finding funding in the public sector, we assisted in helping them secure private sector investment. The result was a sense of growth on campus, with the bustle of building activities and a greater emphasis on teaching and resources.

While for the students, there is now more than enough room to embrace University life and experience growth on a personal level.

How can we make room for growth?

What would you like to grow?

Share your story at whatwouldyouliketogrow.com.au

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17/11/10 3:02 PM

UPFRONT

W Is 2011 the time for home improvements?

Contact Kelton Constructions for an obligation free appointment and appraisal on your home improvement. Phone: 02 6299 3622, email@keltonconstructions.com.au, www.keltonconstructions.com.au

ith the holiday season nearly here, it’s time to relax and think about whether 2011 will be the year when you remodel or extend your family home. Is it time to create that parent retreat you’ve always wanted? Do you want to improve your family ‘living’ space? Or do you need help to realise the potential of your home?

Whatever your major home remodeling or extension need, Kelton Constructions will work with you on your project to deliver exactly what it is to meet your house and lifestyle needs.

Kelton Constructions is a family-owned and operated company that has specialised in quality extensions and home remodeling for more than 20 years. They pride themselves on their quality of their work and are prepared to make guarantees other builders do not, such as a fixed-price contract, a cash-back guaranteed completion date and a five-year warranty on materials and workmanship.

“Our values of honesty, respect, and trust are reflected in all dealings with our clients, employees, tradespeople and suppliers. This is why we are prepared to guarantee our work and give as much peace of mind to clients as possible,” proprietor Anthony Sutton said.

“Our clients love the end result, consistently commend us for our

professionalism, and importantly they appreciate our genuine and exceptional service,” he said.

Offering a complete construction service incorporating design, approval, construction and management, Kelton Constructions will see your home remodel or extension right through from concept to occupancy. Kelton Constructions concentrates on larger projects such as creating parents retreats, improved family areas, home expansions, and whole home remodelling.

“The building trade is very well known for unforeseen costs, including unsuspected variations, creeping into the cost of a project and substantially increasing the cost to clients,” Anthony said.

“We aim to take the stress out of what can be a difficult time for clients. A fixed price means exactly that, the price will not change unless the client makes changes.”

“We put all the costs upfront and are therefore usually initially more expensive than other building companies. If someone wants quick and cheap work, then we are probably not for them,” Anthony said. “But if you do want a building company that will give you exactly what you want, a fixed price contract, and a cash-back guarantee if your project is not completed on time, then come and speak with us,” he said.

New partnership for BusinessPoint

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hief Minister and Minister for Business and Economic Development, Jon Stanhope, recently announced a new partnership for the delivery of Canberra BusinessPoint, the ACT Government’s centrepiece business advisory and mentoring support program.

The Canberra BusinessPoint program will now be delivered jointly by the Canberra Business Council and the Lighthouse Business Innovation Centre.

“Businesses have been able to access services from the Canberra BusinessPoint program since it began over two years ago and I am pleased its services will now lead the way through its delivery by two leading organisations in Canberra’s business sector,” Mr Stanhope said.

“Face to face mentoring and support will be a feature of the new service along with the introduction of a two-phase delivery structure to efficiently provide advice to businesses and better prepare them for a successful future.

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The Canberra Business Council will deliver the first phase, providing support and advisory services to early stage firms, new entrepreneurs and people considering the opportunities of running a business. This phase of the service will provide start up business seminars and workshops, face to face support and advice, and networking and training events.

“The ACT Government and the Canberra Business Council have successfully worked in partnership on projects such as, the ACT Exporters’ Network and ScreenACT, I look forward to working once again with the organisation on this innovative project” Mr Stanhope said.

The Lighthouse Business Innovation Centre will deliver the second phase by providing services and advice to high growth potential firms, particularly to those companies seeking to grow through innovation strategies and equity and risk capital financing.

“Lighthouse has been an outstanding success and built a very strong reputation

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in the business community since it began operating in 2008. I look forward to their participation in the Canberra BusinessPoint program and the expertise, approach and new services that they will bring to the table,” Mr Stanhope said The Canberra BusinessPoint program is already open for business and there are specialist advisors in place ready to help any inquiry. A formal launch of the program will be conducted early in the New Year when the full suite of products and services are available.

Lighthouse, Canberra Business Council and the ACT Government are also working to establish a new single web entry point, on-line diagnostics, new e-leaning products and a new client management system that will be designed to quickly direct companies to the advice and services they need.

Further information on the Canberra BusinessPoint program can be found at www. canberrabusinesspoint.com.au or by calling 1300 648 64

When they get together, they’re a bunch of know-it-alls.

Between them, Infront’s team of highly-trained engineers know everything there is to know about business IT. They’ll use this collective knowledge to custom-build a solution that’s a perfect fit for your business, so you won’t get stuck with a system that’s wrong for the job. And that’s the way IT should be.

To find out more about BusinessONE – Infront’s specialised IT service for small to medium business – call (02) 6239 8400.

The Xyrakis family is honoured with a large heritage sign as part of the Ainslie Shops upgrade. L-R: Keith, Dimitri, Ncholas and Irene Mihailakis, and Alice Xyrakis, Alicia and Manuel Xyrakis and Yvonne Dourdoulakis

UPFRONT

Xyrakis family celebrates 47 years at Ainslie Shops Words and Photos: Tim Benson

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ow the $1.6 million ACT Government upgrade of the Ainslie Shops has been completed and launched, the grandchildren of Alice Xyrakis, owner Ainslie IGA, are making plans for the next 47 years or more.

Alice Xyrakis, matriarch of the Xyrakis family, has seen a lot of changes in Ainslie over the last 47 years.

“When we first started at Ainslie, my husband Nick and I and our three children, Manuel, Irene and Yvonne, lived above the shops from 1963–65,” Alice recalled with fondness. “It was a joy to have my children around me and the shop and I was sad when they had to leave and go to school.”

Alice’s daughter Irene said, “It was good for us because we knew all of the shop owners and used to play elastics out the front of the shops.”

Alice says that, as in any new business, they worked hard to establish themselves.

“We opened the shop at 7am and closed at 10pm, 15 hours a day, seven days a week.

I also worked every Sunday when Nick took some of the children to the soccer in towns around Canberra, including Goulburn, Yass and Cooma,” Alice said.

Alice, a qualified teacher in Greece, moved to Australia in 1954 to marry Nick. As well as running a small business, Alice taught twice a week at the local Greek school for two years in Albury and then two years in Canberra.

Alice studied and speaks five languages (Greek, French, Italian, Spanish and English).

“I said to my husband Nick that if the shop was bought in my name, then for the first two years, you will have to listen to me and do what I say,” Alice said matter-of-factly.

According to Alice there has been a lot of change at the Ainslie Shops over the last 47 years.

“With this recent upgrade the roads and parking have been improved, the park and

amenities are terrific and the artworks are beautiful. Over the years the shops have also undergone many renovations,” Alice said.

One thing that remains constant at the Ainslie IGA Supermarket is the level of service and professionalism and the fact that the managers know most of the regular customers on a first-name basis.

“One regular customer turned up one afternoon and realised he didn’t need to be here but was so used to dropping in on the way home from work that he arrived here by auto-pilot,” Alice’s son Manuel, General Manager at Ainslie IGA, said.

Nearly 50 years since moving to Ainslie, three generations of the Xyrakis family now work in the Ainslie IGA Supermarket — including four grandchildren, Alicia, Nakiya, Keith and Dimitri.

Other family members who have been part of the success of the Ainslie IGA include Irene’s husband Chris who has contributed to and has been working in the business for more than 30 years. Alice’s daughter Yvonne, husband Nick and three children all worked in the business until recently when they bought their own supermarket at Yarralumla.

Alice’s daughter Irene said, “I was over the moon to have Alicia recently come to work in the office with me. It is great to have a family member working with me.”

One of the great things about a family business is that there is an opportunity for younger generations to work their way up and put their ideas forward.

“It is time for us to step back and listen to the younger family members and start to implement their vision for the future,” Manuel said.

Alice’s grandchildren are full of ideas and enthusiasm for the future.

Alicia believes there has been an explosion of interest in food and cooking because of all the reality television cooking programs.

“The future for us is to keep and expand on ‘old-fashioned-values’ such as being able to make phone orders and receive home delivery, or pick up a home cooked or ready to cook meal — or able to speak directly to the butcher about what exactly you want and how it should be cooked,” Alicia outlined.

Alice Xyrakis’ family business seems to be in good hands for the future.

“I’m really proud of the family legacy and want to carry on and improve the business.

It’s been going for nearly 50 years – there’s no reason why it can’t keep going for another 50,” Irene’s son Keith said.

In 2013, the Xyrakis family will be celebrating their half centenary at Ainslie at the same time that Canberra celebrates its centenary.

Should Ainslie IGA Supermarket go alcohol and tobacco free?

The family is currently debating whether to move the alcohol and tobacco departments into the soon to be relocated pharmacy space at the Ainslie Shops. This would make the Ainslie IGA Supermarket alcohol and tobacco free. It would also give them more space to increase the delicatessen, fruit and vegetable and meat departments. There is hot internal debate on this topic – local residents and customer will have the chance to voice their opinion through a survey in the near future.

Brothers Dimitri and Keith Mihailakis with cousin Alicia Xyrakis

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OPINION

What is a divorce?

Many people confuse property settlement with divorce but they are different.

By Denis Farrar, Director, Farrar, Gesini & Dunn Family Lawyers

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any people come to see me about resolving the financial dispute following their separation, and we talk about the history of the relationship, their assets and liabilities, and what would be a fair division. A lot of people think of this as the ‘divorce’, but in fact it is not.

Under the Family Law Act the parties to a marriage cannot apply for a divorce until they have lived separately and apart for 12 months.

At that time (and not one day sooner) they can lodge an application for divorce, on the one and only ground in the Family Law Act, namely that the marriage has irretrievably broken down.

Where people have lived in separate places for 12 months or more the applicant need do no more than set out the date of separation, and tick the box that says that it has been their view, for the whole period, that the marriage had irretrievably broken down and there was no reasonable likelihood of cohabitation resuming.

For most people the process is fairly straightforward. The application is filed and given a date for hearing normally six to eight weeks away, and in the meantime the other party must receive a copy of the application.

That can be done by post or personal service by any person other than the applicant.

On the hearing date the court will pronounce a divorce order which becomes final one month later. It is only at that stage that either party can remarry. They will need to produce a copy of their divorce order to the minister/celebrant.

The process takes about three months from filing until final divorce order. Those who might be contemplating filing for divorce 10

should not send out invitations to their next wedding without having completed the final rites of their last marriage.

Sometimes parties apply for a divorce having lived separately and apart under the one roof for all or part of the twelvemonth period. In those circumstances the law requires that there must be proof that they have lived separately, even though they have lived at the same address. This is called ‘corroboration’. The need for corroboration can be satisfied by an affidavit by a witness supporting the fact that from their personal

Those who might be contemplating filing for divorce should not send out invitations to their next wedding without having completed the final rites of their last marriage. knowledge and observation the parties have been separated. If there is a joint application for divorce the parties can corroborate each other.

Sometimes a person wants a divorce but does not know where the other party is. This sometimes happens when the parties have been separated for a long time. Not being able to serve the other party with the divorce application does not prevent the application going ahead. However it means that there must be an application to ‘Dispense with

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Service’, showing that all reasonable attempts to locate the other party have failed. The court will normally make an order dispensing with the need to serve the other party, on condition that steps be taken to advertise the application, and possibly to serve copies on family or friends or other people who may know the respondent’s whereabouts. You will see such notices in the Public Notices section from time to time notifying a respondent that their spouse has applied for a divorce. This notice has been lodged because a court has dispensed with the requirement to serve the divorce application on condition that the notice be placed in a newspaper with general circulation.

The majority of people file their own applications for divorce but a large number still use lawyers to do that for them. Recently the Government has increased the filing fees and so getting a divorce is not a cheap process unless you hold a concession card.

Many people confuse ‘property settlement’ with divorce. People can settle their financial affairs, by agreement or if necessary by court hearing, as well as any issues they have about their children, before or after a divorce. However if they get divorced without having resolved financial matters they must file an appropriate application in the court within 12 months of the divorce order. Failure to do this could mean that the law will not permit them to make a claim for property settlement or maintenance.

17-21 University Avenue, Canberra T:(02) 6257 6477 fgd@fgd.com.au www.fgd.com.au

OPINION

IT in the clouds Portal and collaboration platforms are great ways to save your business money

By John Mostovoy, Principal, INVIDIA Corporation

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very few years the IT industry comes up with a bunch of new words and acronyms that keeps IT complicated and hard to keep up with for non-IT people.

Terms like ‘managed services’, ‘hosted services’ and now ‘cloud services’ are just one example where the names keep on changing.

At the end of the day they pretty much mean the same thing to the average business person. It’s about saving money for your business by not having to buy your own software, hardware and IT support staff.

Microsoft has gone a long way in the last few years to make this a reality. First they created an online version of their leading Exchange software. Exchange is the server that provides businesses with email, contacts, calendar, tasks and notes, all in the one mailbox.

Unlike a normal email account that only keeps your emails in one place, Exchange keeps all your important information in one place and always available across many internet connected devices.

So regardless of if you use Microsoft Outlook on your computer, Outlook Web Access through any web browser or your mobile device, such as a Windows PDA phone, Apple iPhone or an iPad, you always see all your latest information without having to manually synchronise through your computer. You update your information once through any of the above and it’s updated across all your devices instantly.

When Exchange is used in a group environment it becomes even more useful.

People start to see each other’s availability through their calendars and can book meetings and even give each other access 12

to shared address books for easy emailing or calling to any company contact record.

Next came the online version of Microsoft SharePoint, one of the most powerful portal and collaboration platforms on the market.

SharePoint is normally used to run a business intranet site, and can include areas to share information through blogs and wikis, group tasks and calendars, and manage files of any type, including checking in and out, and making revisions to documents when used with Microsoft Office on your computer.

The final piece to the online puzzle was

It’s about saving money for your business by not having to buy your own software, hardware and IT support staff Microsoft Office Communications Server (OCS). This business version of your typical instant messaging program such as MSN Messenger, integrates seamlessly with the online versions of Exchange and SharePoint and gives you standard features such as chat, voice calls, video calls and sharing your desktop with others so you can show a presentation, document or picture without sending them a copy.

OCS also introduces a great presence feature into all Microsoft applications, including Outlook and Word. This shows you the status of other people in your OCS contacts list and if they are available to chat or video call with you.

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So by now you might be asking yourself, what’s so new about all of this? While most of the features may not be that new, the cost model is very new.

Instead of spending thousands of dollars on computer servers for your office, thousands more on the software needed to have all of these features, and top it off with the significant annual cost of IT personnel to setup and manage all of it, you can now have Microsoft Exchange, SharePoint and OCS as simple monthly subscription service from as little as $30 per month for each of your staff.

Best of all, you’ll have less headaches and spend much less time worrying about your IT! John Mostovoy is a principal at INVIDIA Corporation, a local Microsoft partner that specialises in providing affordable monthly subscription based services for Microsoft Exchange, SharePoint, OCS and CRM. For more information John can be contacted directly at john.mostovoy@invidia.com.au

we listen.

The team at Pixel to Paper is a pleasure to work with. As designers they found that fine line between creating what we wanted designed and suggesting creative touches that in the end, enhanced the design & work tremendously.

These suggested enhancements elicited positive comment when the product was unveiled to the market - And THAT is what you want in a design.

Brendan Sloane, Producer, Canary Yellow Productions thedinnerparty.com.au

MAXimusSolutions Australia is part of the Global MAXIMUS Group providing tailored Government Outsourcing Solutions and partnerships in Health and Human Services including:

MAXimusSolutions Australia provides quality consulting solutions to the public and private sector across a broad spectrum, including; finance and accounting, project and program management, complex procurement, governance and risk management, strategic human resources, investigation and mediation services, contracting and recruitment services and diversity management.

If you’re ready to consider a fresh approach to creative design

MAXimusSolutions has an allied Health Practice and a Registered Training Organisation able to deliver vocational and corporate management training.

MAXimusSolutions Australia can customise a business solution to meet your organisation’s requirements.

+ web services - all you have to do is connect the dots.

pixel to paper creative 02 6285 55 02 hello@pixeltopaper.com.au

pixeltopaper.com.au

we listen.

The team at Pixel to Paper is a pleasure to work with. As designers they found that fine line between creating what we wanted designed and suggesting creative touches that in the end, enhanced the design & work tremendously.

These suggested enhancements elicited positive comment when the product was unveiled to the market - And THAT is what you want in a design.

Brendan Sloane, Producer, Canary Yellow Productions thedinnerparty.com.au

If you’re ready to consider a fresh approach to creative design + web services - all you have to do is connect the dots.

pixel to paper creative 02 6285 55 02 hello@pixeltopaper.com.au

pixeltopaper.com.au

F E AT U R E

BUSINESS PLANNING SERIES Part Four: Comparative advantage How do you stay ahead of your competitors? Andrew Sykes explains how business planning is key to staying ahead of the pack.

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key reason for business planning is to improve the profitability of your business. One of the best ways to do this is by being better than your competitors.

Identifying and then maximising comparative advantage is key to being able to beat the competition.

As a business owner you should analyse your business and its primary competitors to identify their respective Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT Analysis).

This will help you: 1. Identify target markets and develop marketing plans 2. Develop a customer service strategy 3. Develop a sales planning and product service strategy.

As part of this process, you will look at your business and the competition to understand how you rate your effectiveness in four key areas: 1. Value for money — what service or product do you offer in comparison to your closest competitor? Do you get feedback that you lose jobs because you are more expensive? Often value for money is not just about the price you charge, it’s about the service that comes

with the price. What is your competition doing for the price in comparison to you?

2. Customer delight — happy customers often pay a higher price. How much emphasis do you put on the customer experience compared to your competitors?

3. Capacity — are you able to undertake work at short notice? Do your competitors beat you on delivery times or availability of stock?

4. Execution — how do you rate on meeting your service guarantees and standards? How does this compare to your competitors?

These questions can be easy to answer for your business but harder for the competition.

Ask yourself the following questions about your competitors to unlock answers in the following areas: 1. What is their primary competitive advantage? According to Michael Porter— the generally acknowledged leader in this area — competitive advantage only derives from two factors: being the lowest cost provider or having a clear sustainable differentiation from the competition.

2. Do your competitors have unique areas of specialty or expertise?

3. Who is their target market?

4. What are their promotional strategies?

5. What do their customers really like about them?

6. How do they communicate to their customers, i.e. what marketing methods are used?

7. Do they have specific strengths in personnel, delivery, customer service, technology, promotional materials, or product delivery that will be difficult challenges to overcome?

8. What new products are they developing?

Knowing your competition can provide you with comparative advantage. This advantage helps your business to grow and stay ahead – by being better than your competitors you should be stronger and more profitable over the long term.

Andrew Sykes is a partner at RSM Bird Cameron For information on business improvements contact our experienced team, 103–105 Northbourne Ave, Canberra.

T: 02 6247 5988, www.rsmi.com.au

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PROFILE

Q&A SARAH Avery.

Lawyer, Ben Aulich & Associates

Why do you practise in criminal law?

I really enjoy it. I like to help in a crisis. I appreciate the trust my clients place in me. I use my skills to really help people.

How long have you been with Ben Aulich & Associates? Have you done any other type of law?

I’ve been with Ben Aulich & Associates for over 2 years. When I was first admitted, I worked at a commercial law firm. I made the change to criminal law because it was what I really wanted to do and I haven’t looked back.

Why Canberra?

I love Canberra. I’ve been here for 10 years now. I came to study Law at the ANU in 2001 and Canberra has given me great opportunities, including working in criminal law for Ben Aulich & Associates.

How do you defend people you know are guilty?

I don’t judge my clients, I make judgements about the case against them and advise them accordingly.

My job is to defend and properly represent my client. It is for the Magistrate, Judge or jury 16

Photography: Andrew Sikorski

to decide the guilt or innocence of my client.

How do you tell someone they might go to gaol?

I think my clients want me to tell them the truth. If I think someone will go to gaol, I tell them straight – that’s my job. I even tell them to lift their game if I have to to assist them to get a better result. I think laterally, and I get good results.

What is the Alexander Maconochie Centre like?

It’s fine to visit as a lawyer. I wouldn’t like to be there.

Have you been to any other gaols? What are they like?

Yes, I have been to gaols all over the country. When you first visit a gaol, it can be daunting, but you quickly get used to it. My first gaol visit as a lawyer was to meet a client accused of murder. It felt a bit unreal, but it’s par for the course now.

How do you represent people accused of really terrible crimes?

Sometimes the most compassionate thing you can do is make sure the unlucky, the

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hopeless and helpless (and even the despised) get a fair go. They’re often easy targets, and I’ve always been one to look out for those types.

At the start of really serious matters, I feel the same emotions anyone would. But my brain quickly switches into lawyer mode, and I do everything I ethically and professionally can for my client.

Are you ever scared of your clients?

No. My clients trust me. They appreciate the professional relationship we have.

What is the best thing about being a criminal lawyer?

There are 2 things I like best: 1. The satisfaction of helping people when they need it most. I enjoy working hard on really difficult matters.

2. I am really proud to do what I do, and to work for such a good firm as Ben Aulich & Associates.

Ben Aulich & Associates, Level 2, 1 Farrell Place, Canberra City, T: 02 6279 4222, www.benaulich. com.au

SETTLE FAMILY DISPUTES OUT OF COURT It’s hard enough when a relationship ends. So the last thing you need is soaring legal costs, protracted, public court proceedings, and your personal affairs being determined by a judge.

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PROFILE

BRETT Lennard.

ACT Tennis Coach of the Year As head of coaching operations and director of Rising Star Tennis Academy (RSTA) Brett recently took out the prestigious Coach of the Year award at the 2010 Tennis ACT Annual Awards. Words: Liz Lang

A

t the time of writing, Brett is also waiting to see whether he will be awarded the top honour as Tennis Australia’s national Coach of the Year for 2010.

Brett attributes some of his success locally due to the fact he and RSTA business partner, Frank Calabria, spend a lot of time promoting tennis at the community level.

“I like to think that my success and RSTA’s success is because we are really proactive outside of our business – we’re involved with local schools, we donate our time to promote tennis within the community, and through Tennis Australia, I’m part of a local advisory group which assists coaches to improve their tennis knowledge-base.”

“There are a lot of coaches out there running tennis coaching businesses – and there’s no doubt that they work hard. But at RSTA, we have a slightly grander philosophy in that we believe if we promote tennis as a whole not only is there fantastic health benefits for the community but indirectly our business will also grow.”

Brett firmly believes that at the end of the day that “tennis is a game to be enjoyed. It’s not just about coaching.” He also stresses that unlike many other sports, tennis is one of the few games which people can play for life.

“You can start tennis as a four or five year old and still be playing into your later adult years. I was recently talking with one of our clients at Forrest Tennis Club who is 94 – he is still hitting balls and loving the game.”

Rising Star Tennis Academy is based at three locations in Canberra: Old Parliament House Gardens, Forrest, and North Woden.

According to Brett, the RSTA Old Parliament House Tennis Centre which is set in picturesque formal rose gardens is still one of ‘Canberra’s best kept secrets’. He says unlike most of the tennis centres in Canberra where you can drive by and see tennis being played, at Old Parliament House the tennis centre is set in the gardens and not visible from the street, but its location and surrounds are second to none in Canberra. Old Parliament House Tennis Centre has five synthetic grass courts and an active organised competition and social competition base.

Brett developed his passion for tennis as a youngster when he ‘tagged along’ with his mum and dad who were active members of a tennis club in Victoria. After showing promise as a junior in Australia, he spent three years in the United States playing high-level

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Photography: Andrew Sikorski

competition tennis at high school and junior college level. In 1998, Brett came to Canberra and began his career as a full-time tennis coach and opened Rising Star Tennis Academy for business in 2004.

In the New Year, Tennis ACT and RSTA will be offering new competition formats such as Turbo Tennis which cater for the timepoor professional.

“Unlike the traditional tennis pennant competition which takes a half day to play, we’ll be offering a competition format where people can get their tennis fix before or after work – and the competition will finish on time. This way, busy people will be able to slot tennis into their schedules,” Brett said.

RSTA will also continue its popular Executive Challenge competition format which is played Wednesday and Thursday mornings before work. Brett says “you don’t have to be an executive to participate in the competition. As long as you can serve, rally and score, then there is a place for you within Executive Challenge. It’s just a matter of coming in, having a hit and we’ll grade people to a standard that they will comfortably enjoy.”

Owning a small business presents many challenges. Brett suggests that a good dose of resilience plus well-developed organisational skills are key to running a successful business.

“In 2007, I realised that I needed to get myself better organised and streamline my business processes so that work didn’t take over my life. I undertook a degree in Business Management through Tennis Australia and Deakin University. As a result of these studies, I gained a Master Club Professional qualification” Brett laughs when he talks about the challenges of running a tennis business in Canberra.

“It’s certainly a challenge to keep people interested in playing tennis when it is minus one and the balls aren’t bouncing because the court is frozen, or at the other extreme, it is boiling hot and hard to be out in the heat. But, I love living in Canberra because of its diverse and interesting community. As for the weather, it keeps us on our toes and constantly thinking about how we encourage people to get out and play one of the best games in the world — tennis.”

Rising Star Tennis Academy, T: 6277 1113, www.risingstartennis.com.au

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companydirectors.com.au/foundationsofdirectorship

Foundations of Directorship

Governance for New Directors How to add value and guide your organisation towards success Governance for New Directors provides insights into leadership, governance and the boardroom environment.

As a new director, senior executive or manager, you will benefit from the practical introduction this course provides on the roles and functions of the board and directors, knowledge of regulatory frameworks and the compliance obligations of directors.

Course details Date: Thursday 24 February 2011 Venue: Federal Golf Club, Red Hill

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For more information or to enrol contact Leeana Gardiner t: 1300 764 633 or visit companydirectors.com.au/foundationsofdirectorship

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COVER STORY

RIDING ON THE CREST OF A WAVE B2B asks the Beames directors, who are also keen surfers, why they have chosen to float their company.

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O

n 21 December, Beames & Associates and its fellow members of the CountPlus group of accounting firms will float on the Australian Stock Exchange, making it one of the largest accounting businesses in Australia.

According to Beames & Associates founder Peter Beames “this will bring many benefits to both our clients and our staff. Whilst our equity structure will change, we will continue to run the business locally and continue to operate as we always have. We will still be the ones calling the shots, making decisions on all aspects of the business, from billings and staff recruitment to social functions and training. To the outside world, nothing has changed and our clients should not notice any difference except for the benefits of the new ideas we get to share with our fellow CountPlus members.”

Fellow director, Ross Beames is just as excited as Peter about the upcoming restructure. “Our staff will all receive loyalty shares as part of the float,” he says “which means they will get a feeling of ownership, knowing that their work performance will influence the value of their shares and their dividends.”

With such strong motivation, the directors expect that their existing reputation for providing excellent and proactive service will be enhanced even further.

CountPlus is the brainchild of Count Financial Limited founder Barry Lambert. Having successfully taken the Count dealer group (which is made up of independent accounting based financial planning practices) from a fledging body to a successful listed company, Barry is now undertaking a similar process with CountPlus.

COVER STORY

“With the CountPlus platform supporting us we can now provide an even greater standard of service to clients and exciting career paths for a larger group of talented staff,” Peter says.

“The vast majority of the CountPlus firms have been successful members of Count Financial Limited for many years” Peter Beames explains, “they already have a similar and common culture of incorporating financial planning services into their business.

Most of the firms have known of each other for up to a decade.”

James Watt, who was promoted to a director in July 2009, sees enormous benefits in becoming a shareholder in a much larger accounting practice than Beames & Associates was when he joined as a graduate in 2004.

“We meet with the other CountPlus firms three to four times a year and have formal sessions where we share our good ideas” he says. “Not only does this enhance our service offering to clients but it also develops a variety of experts in our group across the country that we can access to provide guidance and assistance on major client matters. Access to so many diverse and experienced accounting practitioners is something that is normally only available to the Big 4 international accounting firms.”

So does this mean the partners have sold their equity? “Definitely not” says Ross. “We sold 25% of our business to Count Financial Limited when we first became a member of the CountPlus Group. As part of the float we will simply be exchanging our current shares in Beames & Associates for shares in CountPlus Limited.”

As the oldest member of the Beames group is the float the end of the journey for Peter Beames? “Absolutely not, I believe it’s just the start,” he says.

“When I established the practice in 2001 I had clear ideals I wanted to be known for. This was difficult in the early days as being a small firm it was often hard to attract talented staff and provide them with career paths. It meant important matters were always my responsibility.

“When Ross joined me in practice in 2003 I finally had a partner with common values,

ideals and work practices. I don’t think either one of us could have achieved such progress individually, but our partnership is a very powerful combination. Our journey to date has focused on building our practice to a size that can provide quality training and career development for staff whilst proactively providing a vast range of quality services that are value for money for our clients.”

“With the CountPlus platform supporting us we can now provide an even greater standard of service to clients and exciting career paths for a larger group of talented staff,” Peter says.

According to Ross “As a CountPlus member we will be able to further enhance the service offering to clients and our staff will receive a standard of training and career development previously not available outside of the big 4 firms. As our staff group develops, so do we as directors and leaders who are accessible to clients for high-end advice. Staff will be motivated to work hard to increase the value of their shares, which will remove some labour intensity from directors, allowing them to be more accessible to clients.”

So where is the wave heading next? “We’ll focus on sustained growth that provides opportunities and benefits for clients, staff and shareholders, we certainly won’t grow for the sake of it,” Ross says.

Peter comments, “for us the journey is a bit like surfing – there’s always another challenge and the harder you paddle the more waves you catch. Occasionally you fall off, but you’ve got to drag yourself up and start paddling again as hard as you can. Every now and again the effort pays off and you get to ride the wave of a lifetime – perhaps that’s where we’ll be on the day of the float.”

1

2 4

3 1. James Watt 2. Peter Beames 3. David Rae 4. Ross Beames Photography: Ben Marden.

Shot on location at Mossy Point, New South Wales.

Beames & Associates was established in 2001 and now has a team of 30 staff based in Deakin specialising in wealth creation strategies for small businesses. Beames & Associates has three accounting directors in Peter Beames, Ross Beames and James Watt and one financial planning director in David Rae. If you’re looking for the ‘X’ factor and want to take your business to the next level call any of the directors on 6282 9500.

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ADVICE

Do what you do best and outsource the rest

by Ken Johnston

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ACCOUNTING

Using SMSF reserves

by Brett Billington

ACCOUNTING SERVICES

Did you know that outsourcing your back office administration can provide your organisation with vital management information, improving your ability to make informed and relevant decisions and add value to your organisation?

Today, many essential business processes that do not directly add value to the organisation can be outsourced. Proven benefits can flow from using an external chief financial officer (CFO) provider to manage back office administration tasks such as payroll, management reporting and company secretarial duties.

Moving these types of non-core activities to a specialist means that valuable management time is released to concentrate on core service delivery, actively improving your ability to focus on the future of your business.

Benefits associated with outsourcing include: peace of mind that the entity’s finances are being managed professionally and proactively, objective financial and management reporting that aids the smooth running of your business and supports business growth, enhanced financial control regardless of where your headquarters are located, a commitment to meeting your deadlines, more time for you to concentrate on your business goals, value for money and a proactive personalised approach, and innovative use of technology to help reduce business costs and streamline your processes Outsourcing can provide you with accurate, reliable and timely management information which supports the business planning process by identifying business drivers which drive your revenue and major costs.

As you know, taxation and statutory obligations can take up a lot of management time. Leaving this to an expert can help you manage these efficiently. Also, by outsourcing your daily accounting functions, you can streamline operations and focus on the products, transactions and services that drive your business. Payroll record-keeping and changes in payments and deductions can be complicated to handle in-house as can maintaining the secretarial function of your business. Outsourcing your back office administration can save your business time and money. Time that may be better spent focusing on the future.

Most importantly, cash flow is the lifeblood of your business and a primary indicator of your business health. The effects of cash flow are real and immediate and for this reason cash needs to be carefully managed. Outsourced CFO Services can assist with cash flow management by improving your knowledge and control, helping you to build profitability in the long term.

Contact RSM Bird Cameron for more information about the benefits of outsourced CFO Services.

SMSF’s have access to a range of strategies utilising reserves that may deliver benefits to your clients.

For the legislative references, section 115 of the SIS Act 1993 allows a trustee to maintain reserves unless the governing rules of the fund prohibit their use. Section 52(2)(g) of the SIS Act also requires any fund that operates a reserve to formulate a strategy and to run this in conjunction with the funds investment strategy.

Whilst there are a number of applications, one strategy that has received particular attention recently is the use of contribution reserves to park funds for up to 28 days.

This strategy allows a contribution to remain unallocated for up to 28 days. And, it is only when the allocation is made that the contribution counts toward the members cap for a particular financial year.

This can be useful when, for example, a self employed individual is seeking a tax deduction in the financial year (taxable gains from the sale of a significant asset) and will have no or little assessable income in the following tax year. An individual can receive a double tax deduction in one year and allocate the contribution over two financial years, potentially avoiding excess contributions tax.

More recently, there have been whisperings that the ATO has some concerns with the use of a “contribution” reserve in the context of an SMSF. While this does not categorically discount the strategy, there is some doubt in its use and highlights the need to engage directly with the ATO where this strategy is being applied.

Other strategies that can be considered include using reserves to self-insure. Individuals that may not be able to receive protection in the retail market, or would prefer to self insure can build up an equivalent reserve to provide cover for themselves via their SMSF – this could be particularly useful for income protection purposes. In these cases, a tax deduction may also be available to the SMSF to the value of an equivalent premium if the policy were available in the retail market (with appropriate actuarial justification).

One can also consider directing insurance proceeds to reserves to help fund anti detriment payments.

Reserves can play an important role in maximising your client’s circumstances, capturing and distributing contributions or by being incorporated in the family’s risk protection or estate planning objectives.

The trust deed and overall advice is the key to implementing these reserves strategies.

Ken Johnston is a certified financial planner with RSM Bird Cameron Financial Services Pty Ltd. For information on business improvements, contact our experienced team, 103-105 Northbourne Ave Canberra, T.6247 5988, www.rsmi.com.au

Hillross Wealth Management Centre Canberra – providing professional wealth management services to clients of our alliance partners.

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 0 B 2 B I N C A N B E R R A

Brett Billington is a financial adviser at Hillross Wealth Management Centre Canberra. Level 7, AMP Building, 1 Hobart Place, Canberra City, T: 02 6263 9200, info.wmcc@hillross.com.au, www.hillross.com.au

ADVICE

Cash in on catalogues

by Wayne Bolin

BUSINESS COACHING

Catalogues can dramatically increase your sales volume in a low-risk and affordable way, generating more repeat business from your existing customers and increasing retention.

Why use a catalogue to boost customer retention?

The aim of a catalogue is to showcase your ‘special offers’ with the view of encouraging buyers to visit your store or to entice customers to buy direct via mail order – in short, they’re designed to retain your customers, keep their interest in your products and keep you top of mind.

One of the most common misunderstandings between businesses and their customers is that the business owner or marketing manager thinks that their customers know about all the products and services that the business offers. In reality, they overwhelmingly don’t.

Catalogues are a great way of making your customers aware of all the products that you sell. The benefit of that is, of course, to generate more repeat business from your existing customers. Ideally, to retain customers, you want to foster in them a ‘buying habit’. The more your customers are in the habit of buying from you, the more they will continue to do so.

It doesn’t have to be expensive!

A catalogue doesn’t have to be a costly exercise in printed, high gloss, large scale product books – think of all the companies that now use e-catalogues as their primary promotional vehicle. However, if you do decide to print a small run of hardcopy catalogues, you should produce them to the highest specification you can afford.

How to have your catalogue sell more products 1. Convert it to PDF and email it to your prospects and customers.

2. Feature it online in an e-commerce format. Create your own online shopping environment and you’ll find your sales increase dramatically.

3. Give it to all customers at point of sale and point out complementary products that may interest them, based on what they have just purchased.

4. Send it to your suppliers. They already know and trust you. They might keep it in the waiting areas of their offices or pass it on to others. The more your product catalogue circulates, the more brand recognition you receive and the more you remain top of mind with your market.

As you can see, catalogues can be a great tool for boosting your average sale and increasing repeat purchases, by providing customers with more information on your range of products or services. If you’d like some more simple, yet effective ideas on how to boost your bottom line, call me on 02 6295 9800.

Wayne Bolin is the principal at Bolin Accountants and the 10X Canberra South owner.

For more information, please visit Unit 3/71 Leichhardt Street Kingston or visit www.10x.com. au/canberrasouth

What is an unfair contract term?

by Maurice Falcetta

COMMERCIAL LAW

On 1 January 2011 the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 will replace the Trade Practices Act 1974. This new act will introduce a national consumer law for Australia. Several significant amendments are already in force. Of particular interest to businesses are the changes to the law relating to unfair contract terms, the new Australian Competition and Consumer Commission powers and new court based remedies.

Unfair contract terms These provisions came into effect on 1 July 2010 and apply to terms under standard form consumer contracts. You often encounter these contracts when applying for credit cards, car hires, mobile phones, and so forth. Importantly, they also apply to the sale or grants of interests in land.

So what is an unfair term? When interpreting the legislation, you should be mindful of the purpose of the amendments — that is to protect consumers.

If you identify a term that is: a) characterised by a significant power imbalance; b) perhaps not really necessary to protect the rights of the service provider; c) would cause detriment to the other person, then chances are that you have an unfair contract term which may be void.

An example of an unfair term might be a term that permits, or has the effect of permitting, one party to unilaterally vary the characteristics of the goods or services to be supplied or the interest in land to be sold or granted. In a property context, this has obvious ramifications for developers of ‘Off-the-Plan’ unit sales contracts.

Enforcement and remedies Enforcement powers and remedies are now provided for under the national scheme. The most powerful changes include more actions which may result in criminal convictions and fines. Examples include misleading and deceptive conduct, and failure to comply with national consumer product safety procedures. The regulators may apply for disqualification orders, which may mean that a director is prohibited from managing a company and may also be fined. There are also remedies such as injunctions, adverse publicity orders, damages and compensation orders and redress to non-party consumers.

These changes are some of the most significant for businesses in recent years and the courts will provide guidance on their interpretation.

For the moment watch this space!

Maurice Falcetta is a partner at Trinity Law. Trinity Law is a boutique firm which is focused on providing business and corporate legal services and is motivated by long term business relationships. www.trinitylaw.com.au

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ADVICE

Effective succession planning

by Phil Butler

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

In my recent column in ACT Director, I wrote about the significance of succession planning for all organisations. As it is such an important issue, particularly for boards, I thought it was worthwhile to emphasise these points again here.

It is vital that organisations across all sectors and industries — whether public, private or not-for-profit — have a supply of skilled staff available. With the unemployment rate forecast to fall in line with generally stronger economic conditions in Australia, the attention of many organisations in the ACT has turned to skills shortages and the ‘war for talent’. In addition to this, a rapidly ageing workforce is leading to record numbers of employees going into retirement. Combined with the tendency of those from Generation X and Y to change jobs more frequently, there is greater urgency to enact a proper succession planning process.

Succession planning forms part of effective corporate governance.

Organisations that take it seriously go beyond traditional recruitment and retention processes and use the practice to complement the longterm objectives of the organisation.

International research has shown that the practice should be incorporated into an organisation’s strategic plans. Rather than leaving it to human resources, this encourages a holistic view of how it can benefit and protect an organisation. Organisations that have mastered succession planning continually groom potential internal successors in senior and middle management across the organisation, while their business continuity and risk-management plans also account for unforeseen events that may require a change in personnel.

According to a 2010 global report from The Boston Consulting Group and the World Federation of People Management Associations, Creating People Advantage 2010, 56 per cent of corporate executives surveyed said there was a talent gap for the successors to senior managers. It makes sense to develop potential leaders internally and retain corporate knowledge rather than relying on external recruitment.

There is evidence to suggest that any concerns regarding an organisation becoming too ‘inwardly focused’ can be overcome.

On a final note, succession planning is also about supporting business growth and protecting the organisation’s brand, value and reputation, which is why board guidance and oversight is crucial. Boards and their directors should clarify expectations and preferences with their executive team and ensure a systematic approach is in place.

The Australian Institute of Company Directors is holding a Directors Briefing on 16 February in Canberra to discuss succession planning in more detail.

Phil Butler is state manager of the Australian Institute of Company Directors’ ACT Division. For more information about AICD ‘s course programs and events, T: 02 6248 5954.

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Testamentary guardianship

by Stephen Bourke

ESTATE PLANNING

What is a testamentary guardian? A testamentary guardian is a person appointed under your will to care for any minor or disabled children if you die. It is important for parents to agree on who would be the testamentary guardian in the event that both parents died and left minor children or a disabled child.

That all sounds quite straightforward but what would happen if the parents have separated? Take the following situation — there is a parenting order in place where the mother has sole parental responsibility and the children live with her. The children spend time with the father 3 days each school holidays. What happens if the mother dies? What happens to parental responsibility and who the children live with?

In the ACT, if the parent with parental responsibility dies and appoints a testamentary guardian, that person has responsibility for the long term care of the children but not daily care and control. However s65K of the Family Law Act 1975 says that death of the mother in our example, unless the order says otherwise, does not mean that the children automatically live with their father.

If we apply this to our example, the answer would be: 1. Parental responsibility – Guardian has long term, but not day to day, responsibility. The father still has 3 days each school holiday. However, if the parenting order provided for shared parental responsibility after the death of the mother then the responsibility would be in accordance with the order.

2. Who the child lives with— no one (unless the parenting order says otherwise). Save that they still have to spend time with Dad 3 days each school holiday.

If the parenting order is silent (and they usually are), the father and the guardian would need to come to an agreement. If they cannot agree, they would need to go to the court for a new parenting order.

Often the father would apply for an order for sole parental responsibility due to the changed circumstances.

Even if the children go to live with the father full-time after the mother dies the guardian still has responsibility for long-term care of the children (such a payment of any allowance from the estate of the mother as well as decisions such as schooling etc.).

Parenting orders usually do not provide for what is to happen if the mother (in our example) dies. It is an interesting conundrum which is another reason why it is wise to obtain expert legal advice when considering your estate plan, especially if you have suffered a marriage breakdown to make sure that the potential for conflict is reduced as much as possible.

Stephen Bourke is a director of the boutique firm, Certus Law, which specialises in superannuation, trusts and estate planning. Visit Cetus Law at Level 5, 28 University Avenue, T: 6268 9090, www.certuslaw.com.au

ADVICE

What’s the value of a logo?

by Jono Willis

GRAPHIC DESIGN

A well-crafted logo establishes credibility for your business and enables you to stand out and compete. It will be the face presented to all potential new business prospects for decades to come. It makes sense to do it once and do it right.

Fortune 500 companies fully understand the value of a well-crafted logo. They pay anywhere from $1m–$2m for a logo design. The process can take months or even years.

Why use a graphic design studio for my logo?

A fair enough question considering there are countless websites offering logos for under $200. They boast 24-hour turnaround times, unlimited concepts, multiple designers — it’s hard to ignore.

Design studio A reputable graphic design studio survives by delivering quality services. A studio’s portfolio reveals the level and quality of the services they offer. Industry awards give credibility to their claims.

When a studio designer gets your logo brief he or she will thoroughly research your company — what it does, what makes it unique and its goals and competitors. This process can’t be condensed into a few short hours without compromising the final product. He or she also has access to the rest of the qualified and experienced people in the studio. The team reviews the final design to ensure you get quality and value for money.

Logo website When you use a logo website you don’t know who the designer is and what their qualifications or experience are. There is no relationship and no accountability. If something goes wrong in the printing/ manufacturing process, who will you call?

A common and well-documented problem with these websites is that you don’t know if they have used copyrighted images. Authors of the original artwork have sued businesses in some of these instances.

Imagine this happening after you’ve set up your website, letterhead and signage? The website owners have clauses that prevent them from being culpable. The no-name designer has disappeared and now it’s between you and the original author — a legal nightmare.

What if you need a sub-brand logo created for your next business venture? What was the reasoning behind the original logo? The designer would have done some research but nobody knows what — there’s no continuity. An original, professional logo takes time, research and creative exploration. A logo can be produced in a matter of hours — but a good logo could take weeks.

Everybody is on a tight budget, but it is worth considering how much a cheap alternative will cost if you’re forced to redesign later.

Jono Willis is a senior designer and writer.

For creative design solutions, contact Paper Monkey Graphic Design, 72 Townshend St Phillip, T: 6285 2400, www.papermonkey.com.au

Improve your Internet performance and reduce costs

by Boaz Fischer

INFORMATION SECURITY

I was in Sydney recently attending an Options Trading course program for two days. It’s a hobby of mine and I find it exciting and highly rewarding. Often when I talk with people about options trading, they usually think that it is all about luck. The funny thing is I would never go to a casino and gamble my money away.

On the other hand, options trading is all about systems. It’s about putting a process and mechanism to reduce the risk as much as possible.

People who have been successful at options trading have been successful in minimising risk and maximising their rewards.

It’s interesting to note the similarities between options trading and our own Internet system. Most of us presume that our technology is safe from prying eyes. Most of us presume it’s safe from outside threats.

Most people have no idea and lack visibility what’s going on their Internet.

A few weeks ago, a fellow from a nearby business came to our office premise. He was looking rather worried as his business was experiencing a wireless hack. Sadly, he has little knowledge of where it is coming from or what information is passing through his wireless systems. And unfortunately, he will spend considerable amount of time, effort and expenses trying to solve this problem.

Have you ever wondered why your Internet may be running slow?

Have you ever wondered why you have huge Internet data downloads but are unsure of where it comes from? Do you know whether your staff are using Facebook, Twitter, streaming video or other social media at work? These are just a few of the types of applications that are capable of hopping to and fro from the Internet to your organisation.

Attempts at regaining control by bolstering firewall, web filtering and other malware protection systems are exercises in futility.

None of these technologies are really capable of seeing all the traffic on the network nor are they designed to act as the most strategic security element on the network.

And this is where we can help you. CommsNet Group is providing the first 5 qualified organisations with a FREE Internet security assessment. This assessment will identify all applications traversing through your Internet connection to your network and visa versa. It will identify your top web sites; top users; top security threats. In addition, CommsNet Group will provide you with a findings report.

To register for this FREE assessment, please register your interest to MyInterest@commsnet.com.au by no later than the end of December 2010.

Boaz Fischer is the managing director of the CommsNet Group. For more information, contact T: 02 6282 5554 or visit Level 1, 67-69 Dundas Court Phillip, mail@commsnet.com. au, www.commsnet.com.au

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ADVICE

Is your organisation adequately protected against fraud?

by Andrew Fleming

MANAGEMENT CONSULTING

You might be unpleasantly surprised. Many business owners or managers in government departments say ‘Fraud could never happen here. We would spot any external fraud immediately and as for internal fraud our staff would never do anything dishonest’.

You might be surprised! And even if you are right, most employees who commit fraud are driven by two things — the financial need and the fact that they can! It is your responsibility to have controls in place to prevent internal and external fraud and ensure staff are well aware of your attitude to fraud — anyone committing fraud will be found out and prosecuted.

A good way of getting this message across to your staff is in a formal fraud control policy which should be reviewed and discussed by managers with their staff and then signed by all staff. A comprehensive fraud control plan will include the fraud control policy and a fraud risk assessment.

The fraud risk assessment documents all fraud risks which the organisation may be vulnerable to, the associated internal controls and any additional action plans which are determined through the risk assessment process. The better practice guide, Fraud Control in Australian Government Agencies published by the Australian National Audit Office defines fraud as ‘dishonestly obtaining a benefit by deception or other means’. So fraud encompasses more than just stealing monies or products —for example it also includes using company property to generate personal income or falsifying company records to obtain personal benefits.

The fraud risk assessment process is best done at a team or group level — for example, the human resources group or accounts payable team — with an initial brainstorming session to identify the various ways fraud could be perpetrated in the functional area. This means the people with detailed operational knowledge provide the input and also has the added advantage of again raising awareness of fraud and the attitude of the organisation.

Having identified the risks you can then document the existing controls in place and expose the gaps where further controls may be required. The completed fraud risk assessment should then be reviewed regularly by management to identify new risks, ensure that existing controls are operating satisfactorily, and that additional actions are implemented.

The final fraud control plan should then be endorsed by your board or audit committee and reviewed at least annually.

Andrew Fleming is an executive director at MAXimus Solutions.

MAXimusSolutions offers a range of strategic consulting and support services.

T: (02) 6295 9044 or visit Ground Floor, 27 Murray Crescent, Griffith www.maximussolutions.com.au

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Take stock and plan for next year’s challenges

by Andy Gregory

PERFORMANCE ARCHITECTS

The end of one year means the start of another. For business the big need is to focus on customers and key objectives. But the Christmas/ New Year break does help us to pause for a short time, providing an opportunity to review progress against plans and recommit to longer term goals.

The challenges of successful business are forever changing. The nature of those changes can be dramatic, often produced by factors totally external to our own business operations. (Does minority government mean your business needs to deal with federal government clients in a different way?)

So with the ACT continuing to be at or near the top for economic performance across the nation, how can Canberra business managers best take advantage of an end of year review and prepare for 2011?

Here are a few things to get you going.

1. Pull out the business plan and check progress against strategic and short terms goals Ask: Are we still on track? Have or are conditions changing and do the changes require some redirection? Are our people, systems and processes aligned? Is the culture in the business helping us face the future or do we really need to face up to some long running issues?

2. Think about what is required to retain key staff Ask: Who are the people we just can’t afford to lose? What is happening across your market, especially with competitors? What have we done or do we need to do to make sure key people know they are valued and are not looking elsewhere?

3. Do people have the skills and capabilities to achieve goals and meet objectives?

Ask: Where have been the pressure points in our performance? Are we matching people to roles effectively?

4. Efficient business processes Ask: Are we still doing things the same way we have for years?

Question and challenge whether there are better ways of doing things — especially ways that work better for the client or deliver savings? Think about who in the business is best placed to lead a process of thinking through the issues and introduce reforms.

5. Stay close to clients Ask: Do we really understand our clients’ businesses? What pressures are they under and how will that impact their decision making? Resolve to make time to further develop B2B relationships.

So take advantage of the Christmas/New Year period. Merry Christmas and a prosperous 2011.

Andy Gregory is chief executive and a founding director of Yellow Edge. He has extensive leadership experience in both the public and private sectors. andy.gregory@yellowedge.com.au.

What a perfect excuse to do something good for someone this Christmas!

Anglicare looks after people who have fallen on hard times and needs immediate help. You could be that angel who helps someone have a Happy Christmas.

Call the donation line today on 1800 18 77 68 or visit www.anglicarecg.org.au

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UNIVERSITY TO BUSINESSS

University of Canberra engaging with the Capital Region LEWIS JONES

Executive Officer, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Development)

For further information, please contact Lewis Jones at the University of Canberra on (02) 6201 5567 28

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he University of Canberra takes seriously its role as the University of the South East Region and is constantly looking for opportunities to address and progress its educational aspirations.

In August this year, the University of Canberra, in conjunction with TAFE NSW Illawarra Institute, held a forum with speakers from across the University, TAFE, community organisations and various levels of government. The aim of the forum was for both the University and TAFE to engage in a dialogue with regional leaders on the work currently being done across the region (by the two institutions), and to look at future options that may be available for delivering education outcomes.

The forum was well-attended with guests representing key institutions including mayors and general managers from local councils, CEOs of non-profit organisations, school principals and counselors, directors of government agencies, politicians and senators.

Another forum will take place early next year, the dates, location and content will be circulated via the University website. Please feel free to contact the University for a more detailed summary of the forum and its outcomes.

Capital Region Strategy Recently, the University applied for funding from the Australian Government’s Structural Adjustment Fund (SAF). In May 2009 the Australian Government announced that it will provide $400 million over four years to assist universities in preparing for the new operational requirements of the demand-driven

Jervis Bay Panorama

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funding system which will be introduced in 2012.

The fund is intended to assist those universities serving regional or outer metropolitan areas to make changes necessary to establish longer-term financial stability and to ensure that all students have access to a high quality teaching and learning experience.

If successful in applying for the funds, the University will implement a Capital Region Strategy, which aims to promote UC’s long-term viability whilst delivering much-needed tertiary education in South-East NSW. Specifically the SAF Grant will fund facilities for the delivery of education and construction of student accommodation in the region, and the addition of a UC Polytechnic institution offering sub-degree and pathways-todegree programs in areas of professional practice where there are demonstrated skill shortages.

Health grant to support rural clinical trial placements Minister for Health and Ageing Nicola Roxon has announced that the University of Canberra would receive funding for three health projects which will help overcome a severe shortage of cllinical placements for students. The largest grant of almost one million dollars will fund the establishment of a new rural clinical training stream at the University of Canberra. This wil support new rural health components in the University’s nursing, midwifery pharmacy, physiotherapy, and dietetics programs.

The funds will see new staff employed at hospitals in Cooma, Goulburn, and Queanbeyan to supervise 80 new placements, including 48 placements for nursing students.

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GOVERNMENT TO BUSINESS

Developing our local screen industry

L to R: Project Pod grant recipients, Michael Kraaz, Geraldine Martin, Marisa Martin, Phil Selby, Monica Penders (ScreenACT), Lucas Li, and Belinda Barancewicz

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he ACT screen industry has been given a huge boost with the recent launch of the ACT Screen Investment Fund.

The ACT Government is investing $1.8 million over three years into the screen industry to help build sustainable local screen businesses by supporting local production and attracting screen projects to the ACT. Investment will be made into projects that have serious market attachments, meaning a broadcaster or distributor has already co-invested in a project. The ACT Government’s investment will usually be the last money in.

ScreenACT has been working to build local capacity by introducing a range of screen initiatives that will help ensure local screen practitioners have the opportunity to access this funding.

One of these initiatives is the recently completed Project Pod – a six month long project and professional development opportunity co-funded by Screen Australia and Enterprise Connect’s Workshop Industry Intelligence and Networking program.

The purpose of Project Pod was to give local screen practitioners the opportunity to hone their narrative skills, expose them to international expertise and develop experience in pitching their projects to investors.

Monica Penders, Manager ScreenACT, said “It is really important for the local industry professionals to continue to learn and develop.

Project Pod has been a great initiative that has really consolidated the local industry through shared learning, projects and networking.”

Forty-five local screen practitioners attended a series of workshops led by international script consultant Stephen Cleary.

Ten teams were selected to be finalists by an international panel for further development.

Each team worked with a script developer and over the next four

months to further develop their stories up to a first draft script.

“It was a learning experience for them all,” Monica said. “Some of the finalists had years of experience while others were new to the business.

But they all learnt what worked and what didn’t.

And working with a script developer was a new way of working for them all.”

The industry got to experience firsthand the results of Project Pod. On 25 October the finalists presented their projects to an industry panel at the renovated National Gallery of Australia. Members of the assessment panel included representatives from Screen Australia, producers, Australian Children’s Television Foundation and South Australian Film Corporation. The ten projects were a good representation of the quality and types of projects that are being developed in the ACT – documentary, feature films, TV drama and children’s TV. After the presentations, the panel selected the projects that were to be awarded funding.

Originally four of the Project Pod projects were to be awarded further funding. Due to a last minute grant from the Australian Children’s Television Foundation, five projects were given development funding.

The winning projects were: • Marisa Martin/Geraldine Martin – The Della Morte Sisters (animated children’s TV series) • Lucas Li – D’Orks (Live action/animated children’s TV) • Belinda Barancewicz – And They’re Off (Feature Mockumentary) • Michael Kraaz – The Great Unsigned (Documentary) • Phil Selby – Seeing Things (Animated adult TV) The Presentation day ended with the launch of the ACT Chapter of Screen Producers Association of Australia (SPAA). This once again is another step in building the screen industry and putting the ACT on the Australian Film map.

ScreenACT is currently planning its next professional development program—Producer Pod. The idea behind Pod will be to grow producer capabilities in the region through workshops, mentorships and practical application of skills to projects. ScreenACT is administered by Canberra Business Council Limited with base operational funding provided by the ACT Government.

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Windlab crowned CBC Achievement Annual Award winner CHRIS FA U L K S

CEO Canberra Business Council

AFFILIATED WITH

Principal Members Actew Corporation, ActewAGL, Bank West, Bega Cheese, Bluestar Printing Group, Clayton Utz, Cre8ive, Ernst & Young, Elite, eWay, Medibank Health Solutions, Hindmarsh, Holistech, KPMG, MBA, National Australia Bank, National Museum of Australia, NEC Australia, Staging Connections, The Village Building Co, Thyssen Krupp Marine Systems Australia 30

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ecently, the Canberra Business Council Business Achievement Annual Award was presented to Windlab, a Canberra-based global wind energy company.

Windlab prospects for and develops wind energy sites in Canada, USA, South Africa and Australia. A computer cluster based in Windlab’s Barton office works day and night performing atmospheric calculations. The results of this modelling are wind maps that the company uses to locate viable wind sites all over the world. Windlab was commercialised from the Black Mountain campus at the CSIRO in Canberra in 2003. It has offices worldwide but retains a strong presence in Canberra with its technical services and research and development divisions based here.

Each year Canberra Business Council with support from ActewAGL and The Canberra Times conducts its Business Achievement Awards which seek to recognise ACT and regional businesses that demonstrate business excellence and make a positive contribution to the ACT and regional economies. Each month nominated businesses are considered by a judging panel and a monthly winner chosen. The monthly winners then compete for the Annual Award which is announced at the CBC Annual Dinner.

The 2010 monthly finalists included: • Funnelback — a search engine technology and services company offering web and enterprise search engine solutions and consultancy services While Funnelback is a Canberra-based company, it provides a fully hosted search service for client websites run from their data centres in UK, USA and Australia.

• Sentinel — ACT Chief Minister’s Exporter of the Year 2009, Sentinel is a locally-owned and operated environmental monitoring company specialising in the monitoring of water resources and climatic conditions. Sentinel has had continued strong growth, averaging 82% over the past three years. This growth rate placed Sentinel as number 28 in the BRW Fast 100 for 2009.

• Independent Property Group — Canberra’s largest real estate agency that offers professional teams in sales, marketing, property management and body corporate services. Currently

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Independent Property Group is Australia’s Residential Agency of the Year — a title held for three of the past four years —as well as Canberra’s Large Agency of the Year for the 14th time in the 15 year history of the awards.

• 2K Australia — a game-development studio located in Braddon that has contributed to titles that are highly acclaimed in Australian and international gaming industries. Founded in 1997 as Irrational Games by multi-award winning developers Jonathan Chev and Ken Levine, the studio was acquired by Take Two Interactive in 2005 and is now known as 2K Australia.

• PayMe — provides outsourced payroll services to local, national and international companies operating in Australia. PayMe has experienced rapid growth and turnover exceeding $57 million last financial year.

• Citadel Group Limited (CGL) provides strategy development, recruitment, nationally-accredited training, management consulting and integrated communication solutions. In 2009, CGL was announced by leading business magazine BRW as Australia’s third fastest growing company, with a three-year average growth rate of 247 percent.

• Bearcage Productions — a Canberra production company that attributes recent success in the national television market to teamwork and high-quality services. They have won over 50 national and international awards, broken into the national television market and positioned the company for growth.

• Australian Scientific Instruments (ASI) — owned by the Australian National University, ASI exports advanced instruments across the world from its factory in Fyshwick. ASI’s most recent customers include NASA, the Chinese Geological Survey and the University of Teubingin, Germany.

Now in its ninth year, the CBC Business Achievement Awards continue to highlight the outstanding success and innovation of businesses within the ACT and region. I encourage businesses with a commitment to growth to nominate for the 2010-11 year awards.

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Call: 6297 3121 or Visit www.crbec.com.au

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CitySwitch Green Office is free to join and works with office tenants to improve their energy efficiency.

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Some tips for winning business awards CLAIRE CONNELLY

CWB Committee Member CWB Business Woman of the Year

CHAMBER OF WOMEN IN BUSINESS

UPCOMING EVENT CHRISTMAS PARTY

Tuesday 7 December, 6-8pm Library bar, Diamant Hotel, New Acton Members $25 Non Members $35 RSVP 6282 6255

For more information: T 6282 6255 F 6282 7191 E office@cwb.org.au www.cwb.org.au 32

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s the creative director of a local graphic design business, I would like to share some tips from my experience of winning business awards.

In the short life of my business—Papercut— I have won three environmental awards, a best new business award and more recently, the Business Woman of the Year award sponsored by the Chamber of Women in Business (CWB).

Hindsight is a beautiful thing and it would have been handy for me to know some of these tips at the time of winning, so I thought I’d share what I’ve learnt on this journey.

Step 1: You have to be in it to win it!

There are many business awards around, just make sure they are relevant to your industry. All you have to do is be motivated enough to address the selection criteria and enter the award you want to win. If writing is not your area of expertise, hire a professional editor to articulate it for you. That said, nobody knows your business like you do, so you will need to give the editor the bones of your submission to start with.

Step 2: Make selection easy for the judges.

• Keep it simple: read the selection criteria carefully and be succinct in your responses.

• Keep it short: stay within the set word limits or your entry could be dismissed.

• Keep it neat: engage an editor to check formatting, grammar and spelling.

• Make it presentable: engage a graphic designer to turn your boring Word file into an attractive, compelling document.

• Make it easy: by including your (high-resolution) logo, your company profile and a contact person for further information.

Step 3: Be prepared for the win.

This is the most critical step because the initial window of opportunity is so slim. The media are demanding and you have to be prepared to think and act very fast to attain leverage from your win.

My advice is to hire a public relations professional to have a media strategy ready to execute straight away. The critical items are a great media release and a number of prepared questions you are

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comfortable answering in case of radio or TV interviews.

Step 4: Ongoing leverage.

Following the heat of the win it’s important not to lose momentum in gaining leverage from the award.

• Add the award to your email signature.

• Announce the award on your website.

• Post it on all social media i.e. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn etc.

• Write about it in your newsletter and include photos of the award.

• At networking meetings proudly announce your award to new contacts that you may meet.

• Send a direct mail campaign to your clients thanking them for their business and announcing the award.

• Apply it to your signage, brochures, letterhead and proposals.

• Frame your certificate or display your trophy prominently and proudly in your business premises.

Awards bestow instant credibility and integrity on your business. It’s like a third-party referral from someone whom your customer respects. When you win an award you need to leverage that win as much as possible. Good luck!

CWB welcomes new president – Debra Beerworth More on Debra’s career background next month.

CWB President Debra Beerworth

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

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Doing business in Indonesia First of a series of events focusing on exporting to our near neighbours

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oing business in Indonesia presents a number of perceived and actual challenges to exporters — but due to its proximity to Australia, can also offer exporters a competitive advantage.

The ACT Exporters’ Network, in conjunction with the Australia Indonesia Business Council, recently hosted a business breakfast on ‘Doing Business in Indonesia’. This breakfast, as with other Network’s functions, provided the opportunity for exporters to network, share knowledge and investigate opportunities to expand their export activities.

Speakers at the breakfast included Dr Miles Jakeman, head of the Citadel Group, Mr Greg Corra, of Inland Trading Co (Aust) and Mr Peter Dawson, who spoke on behalf of John Campbell, CEO of AustAsia Milling Company.

Each of these speakers shared stories that demonstrated their experiences in doing business in Indonesia and offered breakfast guests insights to achieving success in this region.

Dr Jakeman provided a comprehensive and enlightening analysis of issues around security, safety and health. He outlined some possible threats, such as terrorism, natural disasters, crime, health issues, protests and commercial espionage, but also pointed out that these risks exist in many markets.

The key message from Dr Jakeman’s presentation was that there are potential risks in all markets which exporters should not dismiss lightly — it is just a matter of being aware of potential risks and taking appropriate measures to minimise the risks.

Some strategies suggested by Dr Jakeman included registering with the Australian Embassy, being informed about any current political tensions and taking advantage of new technology that includes a tracking system (e.g. on your phone).

BRENT J U R AT O W I T C H Wine is not a product that one would readily associate as having a market in Indonesia. However Inland Trading has a thriving business in the market targeting particular niches – such as the hotel sector.

With the experience of exporting Australian wine to 34 countries, Mr Corra highlighted the need for extensive market research and careful selection of in-market partners.

His suggestions for achieving success in Indonesia, as in any export market, included following through on promises to ensure outcomes are achieved, and taking the time to build productive relationships.

For example, while regulatory and documentation requirements in this market are complex, demanding and often expensive, they are a market reality and with the right partners in-country it is easier to deal with these complexities.

For Inland Trading Co (Aust), Indonesia is a market that holds considerable potential for growth.

While wine consumption in Indonesia continues to rise and the quality of wine being shipped into Indonesia increasing, Indonesia’s proximity to Australia represents both a competitive advantage in relation to European wine supplier and a more convenient market to visit.

The final speaker of the morning was Peter Dawson who passed on some of AustAsia Milling’s insights as a successful exporter to Indonesia, as well as insights from his own experiences in Indonesia.

Key pointes shared by Mr Dawson confirmed the importance of exporters making regular visits to Indonesia to service their market, as well as the need for patience in relationship-building, for persistence and for cultural sensitivity. He also highlighted that much of AustAsia Milling’s success in this competitive market could be attributed to providing excellent service and tailored products.

PRESIDENT, ACT EXPORTERS’ NETWORK

For more information on the ACT Exporters’ Network visit actexportersnetwork.com, or contact the Network’s manager, Pam Faulks, on 0400 090 452, pam.faulks@ canberrabusinesscouncil.com.au.

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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BizSafe – Protecting businesses against crime DR CHRISTOPHER PETERS

Chief Executive Officer

Principal Members Actew Corporation, ActewAGL, Bank West, Bega Cheese, Bluestar Printing Group, Clayton Utz, Cre8ive, Ernst & Young, Elite, eWay, Medibank Health Solutions, Hindmarsh, Holistech, KPMG, MBA, National Australia Bank, National Museum of Australia, NEC Australia, Staging Connections, The Village Building Co, Thyssen Krupp Marine Systems Australia 34

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CT Policing is joining forces with the ACT & Region Chamber of Commerce and Industry and ACT CrimeStoppers in a crime prevention program called BizSafe.

BizSafe aims to diminish the risk of crime against businesses in the ACT by providing information about the types and prevalence of crime specific to that business type and area, provide knowledge and skills to assess the risks, and implement the most appropriate strategies.

The BizSafe program was first introduced in the ACT in 2008 and was adopted from the Western Australia initiative.

The success of this initiative has seen a large number of other jurisdictions across Australia embrace the program.

ACT Policing, in conjunction with its supporting partners, has reinvigorated the content and design of the program, and for the first time incorporated an online version which will be made available via ACT Policing’s website.

The enhanced Bizsafe program follows on from the recent ‘Eyes on the Street’ programs, in which businesses, ACTP’s Crime Prevention team and other major stakeholders share information and awareness to minimise suspected criminal activity.

Superintendent Kylie Flower, from ACT Policing’s Crime Prevention team, said the online enhancement of the Bizsafe package provided more access, more readily for all key stakeholders. The package provides advice on such diverse topics as citizen’s arrest powers, preventing shoplifting and fraud.

“Information can be a powerful tool in the right hands. The Bizsafe fact sheets provide valuable information to assist businesses, which may assist to reduce their exposure to crime,” Supt Flower said.

ACT Policing is committed to engaging with Canberra’s business community to promote a rich and vibrant business sector.

Crime can have significant effects on a business.

Theft, vandalism and robbery can affect a businesses’ ability to trade. Feelings of insecurity can result in reduced custom, lead to high staff stress levels and staff turnover.

A single fraud offence can potentially cripple a business’ cash reserves.

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ACT Policing’s BizSafe pack is an important initiative in countering criminal activity that targets businesses.

BizSafe aims to diminish the risk of crime against businesses by providing the business community with information about the various crime types that may affect them and to provide the knowledge and skills to assess the risks, and then implement the most appropriate crime prevention and reduction strategies.

We encourage all businesses to use the advice contained in this pack to assess their businesses’ vulnerability to crime and to educate their staff with the skills and knowledge to safely deal with and incident should one occur.

The ACT Chamber of Commerce is delighted to be involved with ACT Policing in providing Canberra businesses with the valuable crime prevention advice contained within the BizSafe packs.

Risk management and business continuity planning are essential parts of any successful business. The advice contained within the BizSafe packs will allow businesses to have the right information on hand.

On behalf of the ACT Chamber of Commerce, we encourage all our members and business enterprises to inform themselves on the strategies and initiatives contained in the BizSafe packs.

Together with ACT Policing and Crime Stoppers, the Chamber will support businesses to proactively assess their business security and will strive to reduce the risk of crime for ACT Businesses and their employees.

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Leveraging Australian innovation

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anberra-based software maker, Intelledox Pty Ltd is partnering with US software giant Compuware Corporation to deliver a highly innovative commercial off-theshelf based application that is significantly improving process efficiencies in the government sector.

Unlike traditional IT approaches to business process automation, Changepoint Case Management makes extensive use of web technologies to significantly improve business process efficiencies in months rather than years with a lower total cost of ownership. As well as reducing the cost of providing government services, the application improves auditability and governance.

Substantial IT service delivery savings come from the ability of line-of-business managers to design their own workflows and document templates, without the need for costly IT resources. Overall business efficiencies come from process automation that automatically captures required information from existing data sources using Web services and XML and from client data entry via the Internet.

Combining the Changepoint services automation platform and Intelledox intelligent document creation, this software vendor-subject matter expert collaboration is providing a genuine alternative to corporate enterprises and government agencies that seek to boost productivity, reduce processing costs, and do more with less.

Intelledox was recently acknowledged as one of Australia’s fastest growing companies where they made it into the coveted BRW Fast 100 list. Michelle Melbourne, general manager, says that collaboration with larger ICT companies is central to their success.

“We have achieved accelerated results through partnering with specific companies who maintain trusted relationships with our target market. It is the classic ‘win-win-win’ paradigm where our innovative technology and productivity outcomes can be delivered efficiently to the customer in conjunction with a reliable global brand, such as Compuware.

Everybody wins.”

CollabIT ACT CollabIT ACT is an active cluster that works with SMEs to help them connect with larger companies in order to deliver better ICT outcomes to federal government clients. Working in partnership with

experienced multinational organisations enriches the local ICT industry ensuring a high level of innovative and competent suppliers to deliver world-class products and services to government clients.

As part of CollabIT’s ongoing activities, it is working energetically with large and multinational ICT vendors to facilitate access to its 94 local ICT SME members. These companies represent a collection of world-class technology innovators and subject matter experts.

The CollabIT ACT cluster has achieved outstanding success over the past year and a half during which time it has actively assisted nearly 100 ICT SMEs to effectively work with companies larger than themselves.

CollabIT operates an ongoing program of professional development activities for SMEs to work effectively with multinationals and to successfully deliver project outcomes to federal government clients. This includes education in risk management, human resources, management, mentoring and networking opportunities, business readiness, financial management, and the acquisition of technical skills, to name a few.

Demonstrating their commitment to collaboration amongst local ICT suppliers, engaged CollabIT ACT members are partnering to create a unique collaboration system which will facilitate greater business opportunities for the local SME market.

Aiming to create an online capability register of ICT-related businesses, the collaboration system will further enhance CollabIT’s work as an ‘honest broker’ and assist all CollabIT members — large and small—in sourcing new business partners and subject matter experts. The AIIA and CollabIT are pleased to announce that they have secured funding from the Australian Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research to make possible the building of the collaboration system.

CollabIT ACT is a joint initiative of the ACT Government and the Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA) and is delivered under contract by the AIIA.

NANETTE RICHERT

ACT Branch Manager

Membership to CollabIT is free. Please contact Nanette Richert, AIIA ACT Branch Manager, via the AIIA National Secretariat (P: 02 6281 9400) to discuss further.

For additional information regarding the CollabIT ACT program, its 2011 calendar of events and sponsorship opportunities, please go to http://www.aiia.com.au/ pages/collabitact.aspx or contact Nanette Richert.

Grnd Floor, 39 Torrens St Braddon ACT 2612 T: (02) 6281 9400

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CANBERRA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL @ DENDY CINEMA 1. Annie Dullow, Kathy Sly and Michael and Tanya Tear 2. Sharon and Dennis Blight, Kate Mahoney and Catharina Moltke 3. Tiff Brown, Peter Ranyard, Robyn MacDonald and Yvonne Korn 4.

Geoffrey Bory, Gabrielle Hyslop, David Stratton, John Frohlich and Simon Weaving 5. John Miller, Ian Bradfield and Zed Seselja 6. Lorraine and Colin Adrian, Monica Penders and Ian Gibson 7. Rebecca Mitchell, Sarah Hanley, Caitlin Bladin, Jen Morris, Katrina Panley and Matthew Mitchell

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LAUNCH OF NEW CLEAR COMPLEXIONS CLINIC & LIFELINE PARTNERSHIP @ BRUCE

1.Tania Pirotta, John Ballarini and Lisa Bolikovic 2. Leah Busacker, Maredydd Cronin, Melissa Busacker, Terry Alvaro 3. Suzie Hoitink and Rebecca Hillis 4. Suzie Hoitink and Mike Zissler 5. Brooke Thorpe, Andrew Thorpe, Jacqueline Thorpe and Steve Whelan

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SATURDAY NIGHT 13/11 @ KREMLIN BAR 1. Phoebe Lewis, Sally Bradford and Justin O’Rourke 2. Grant Woolcott, Clinton Mathis, Brendan Woolcott, Andrew Mathis and Amelia Swan 3. Tiffany Sham, Gemma Nicholls, Zoe French and Dani French 4. Sharon Peart, Diego Brasko and Dan Cypros 5. Shane and Sharon Peart 6. Sven Dalner, Joel Green and Lways Chan 7.

Marty Faux and Emma Hogwood 8. Rick Valner, Sally Bradfield and James Douglas 9. Sean, Boehn, Tim Elliot and Megan Morton 10. Tom Arbour, Jocelyn Condon and Aaron Hockaday

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AIIA CHRISTMAS DRINKS

@ NICTA, CIVIC

1.Craig Munns, Tiffanee Daley, Philip Sloper and Hala Batainah 2. Andy Castle, Brand Hoff and Graeme Harrison-Brown 3. Aija Seittenrarta, David Mathews and Loretta Johnson 4. Kim Garretty, Jon Grey, Nanette Richert and Melanie Kontze 5. Alison Abernethy, Sylvie Thiebaux and Boaz Fischer

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RHYS AND MONICA KYBURZ’S WEDDING @ KURRAJONG HOTEL, BARTON Congratulations from everyone at B2B

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YELLOW EDGE CHRISTMAS PARTY @ ALIC, BARTON 1. Andy Gregory, Harry Telfer, Richard Oliver and Penny Tynan 2. Sangeeta Pilger, Chris Tognon and Roz Morton 3. Sharyn Csanki, Chris Howe and Kate McRae 4. Andrew Simon, Lindy Bryant and Andy Gregory 5. Harry Telfer, Ben Jarvis, Fiona Smyth and Teena Blewitt 6. Jo Cochrane, Roslyn Dundas, Phil Eliason and Verity Blackman 7. Kate Schorsch, Kelly Sheehan and Nicole Stevenson 8. Brooke Anderson, Neil Primrose, Diana Primrose and Pam Davoren

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