LOCAL STORIES

Free Access to Company Information - ASIC fees to be removed

By Warren Strybosch

One of the announcements in the 2022 Budget is that ASIC fees are to be removed as part of the Commonwealth’s deregulation agenda.

From September 2023, it is anticipated that businesses will be able to access company information and pay less ASIC fees when the new business registery service goes live via the via the Australian Business Registry Services (ABRS) online digital platform.

The following fees may be removed or reduced:

• Company search fees; • Company annual review late fees; and • Lodgement fees.

With the introduction of the Director ID, it looks like the Commonwealth also wants to make certain director and company information is more accessible. It is not yet clear as to exactly what information will be made available to the general public, but it is likely it will include information on company ownership, directorships, office addresses and financial results.

The registry fee reforms are anticipated to save Australians and their businesses $64.9 million in fees over 3 years from 2023-24. The changes are part of the much broader Modernising Business Registers program to make interactions with government simpler and quicker, improve the currency and accuracy of registry information and promote transparency.

By Warren Strybosch

Find Geelong Column

by Deputy Mayor Trent Sullivan

The arts and culture industry has had a difficult time of it during the pandemic, so this is a fantastic opportunity to give the scene a well-deserved leg up.

And given street art is largely male dominated, we wanted to strengthen the representation of women artists.

As society continues to open up, we’re keen to entice both locals and visitors back to Central Geelong.

What better way to do that than enjoying an outdoor gallery while eating, shopping and watching live entertainment!

Recently, I had the pleasure of meeting artist Jasmine Mansbridge on James Street.

Jasmine talked me through the inspiration behind her brightly coloured piece while she shaped it before my eyes, as passers-by stopped in their tracks.

In addition to their commissioned art pieces, two artists are calling on the community to tap into their own creativity.

Manda Lane, who’s known for botanical-focused art, invites you to colour-in some beautiful native florals of the Greater Geelong region on Saturday 16 April.

The paper floral works will be turned into a mural on the corner of Little Malop Street and Moorabool Street.

Register here: https://geelong.link/wallflower

On Saturday 23 April from 11am3pm, the community is welcome to join abstract artist Kerrie Poliness in a walking workshop to create large-scale geometric patterns on the ground with a specially designed chalk drawing stick.

The action is happening on the concreted forecourt in Johnstone Park next to City Hall.

You can drop in at any time and stay for 10 minutes or the whole drawing.

These workshops are your opportunity to have some fun, while contributing to Geelong’s eclectic street art scene. Central Geelong’s laneways and buildings are looking more vibrant than ever before.

If you wander down Little Malop Street, Little Ryrie Street, James Street, Wright Place, Cuzens Place, Minns Lane and Ryrie Street, you’ll be sure to notice the difference.

That’s because nine women street artists have made the city their canvas and splashed it with colour.

Council commissioned them as part of the $150,000 Street Art Commission Project to complete the creative works.

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Is it Possible that your Stress is Impacting your Immune System?

By Katheryn Messenger

The last two years have certainly been a challenge for most of us. Whilst some people have enjoyed more time to themselves and cutting out the commute time for work during lockdowns, others have found themselves juggling work with home-schooling, lonely without social interaction, or afraid of the effects of the virus.

What does stress do?

The autonomic nervous system controls digestion, heart rate, and blood pressure, and stress plays a major role in how these functions work. It consists of two opposing modes of operation: the sympathetic and the parasympathetic nervous systems.

You have likely heard of the sympathetic nervous system, the “flight or fight” response, where cortisol production is increased in the adrenal glands. For a short-term situation, this is helpful as it gives you the energy required to deal with the stress and promotes resilience to stress in the future. One example of this is the stress of regular moderate exercise, which has been found to improve and protect the immune system.

But long-term stress is where the problem lies. It dysregulates both the innate and adaptive immune responses. The innate immune system is a generalised first-line of defence against disease. The adaptive immune system recognises diseases previously fought and specialises defences. Long-term circulation of cortisol increases inflammation through the body and causes tissue breakdown leading to lowered immunity. Both inflammatory and infective disease is increased with long-term life stress.

How can I reduce stress?

The parasympathetic nervous system, “rest and digest”, opposes the sympathetic nervous system, and what’s great about the autonomic nervous system is that you can have control over it. Just 10 minutes a few times a day of slow breathing exercises can increase the time your body spends in the rest and digest mode, reducing cortisol and improving your immune system. As mentioned earlier, regular exercise also helps, along with doing things you enjoy: creative activities, time with friends, time in nature, listening to music or any other activity that brings you joy.

YEP tea

YEP (yarrow, elder, and peppermint) tea has been used traditionally to both strengthen the immune system and in times of infection. Yarrow is antiinflammatory and relaxing, elder is high in vitamin C and can reduce mucous, peppermint is also relaxing and will reduce mucous. You can use either elder berries or flowers, but I prefer the berries. You can buy these at a health food shop or organic shop. • 1 teaspoon of tea infused in 1 cup of boiling water.

• Let it steep until it has cooled enough to drink.

• Remove the infuser and enjoy.

Herbal medicine and nutritional medicine offer natural options for increasing resistance to stress, relaxing the nervous system, and regulating the immune system. A naturopath can make a custom mix of herbs to best treat your unique symptoms.

This advice is general in nature and not intended to be prescriptive. For individualised prescriptive advice, please see a naturopath or other health care practitioner.

https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/acm.2008.0311

Katheryn Messenger

BHSC ( NATUROPATH )

Andrew Brown (Australian Associated Press)

By Warren Strybosch

(Australian Associated Press)

By Warren Strybosch

By Warren Strybosch

How to Negotiate Better Employee Benefits

With the COVID-19 pandemic taking hold again, many employers aren’t in a position to hand out pay rises, no matter how hard you’ve worked. If that’s the case in your role, it’s worth asking for other non-financial benefits that can improve your work and home life.

Negotiating a pay rise or salary package is nerve wracking at the best of times, let alone during a pandemic. And, while you should always ask for what you think you’re worth, the economic climate may prevent you from getting it.

Slow wage growth has been an issue in Australia for several years, even before the COVID-19 pandemic sent it tumbling to a record low of 1.4 per cent last year.

Fortunately, employers are increasingly offering non-financial benefits to help entice employees to join or stay with their business. If your company has a wage freeze in place, and you don’t expect to be granted a raise this year, it might be time to think outside the box.

How to negotiate better employee benefits

1. Identify which benefits you want most

Before approaching your employer, think about the benefits that would be most valuable to you. What would enhance your lifestyle and wellbeing? What would you be happy to accept in lieu of a pay rise (at this time)?

The perk that’s consistently rated as the most desirable in Australia is flexible working hours. Whether you need to balance family commitments, study, a side hustle or just want the chance to exercise and recuperate after work, employees value having the ability to choose the hours they work.

Seek research also has found that time in lieu, the ability to work from home, health insurance and subsidised education and training courses are among our top five most desired benefits.

If these don’t appeal, you might want to consider asking for extra annual, sick or carers leave, health and wellness programs, employee share options, a better commission structure, even a new job title. Whatever is most important to you is worth asking for.

2. Understand what you have to offer

Understanding how much value you bring your employer will help you make your case. Get granular and find examples to clearly demonstrate the value you bring. This might include things like results you’ve achieved, sales you’ve made, accounts you’ve won or projects you’ve completed. You could also consider how valuable your knowledge of the company’s systems and processes is, as well as the nature of your role within the business.

3. Research the market

Next look at job ads for your role and see what type of benefits companies are offering. Is it something your employer could match? You might also like to research your value in the wider job market, as it may give you a stronger negotiating position. Are your skills in high demand? Is there a shortage of workers to fill your role? Would it be difficult for your employer to hire a candidate with your skills and experience? This information can all offer you support to back up your request for better benefits.

4. Set up a discussion

It’s best to set up a meeting to talk about your request. Talk to your boss about the ways your work is benefitting the business, and have your list of non-financial perks ready to discuss. If you’re asking for these in lieu of a pay rise, make that clear at the time. Try to spell out the benefits your non-financial rewards would have for the business, as well as for yourself. For example, flexible work hours might mean you can start early when you’re most fresh and focused.

5. Plan for the best and worst outcomes

Whether or not your request is granted, have a back-up plan ready. Ask for a follow-up meeting to discuss your salary and benefits in three to six months’ time. And get feedback on exactly what you need to do until then to put yourself in a better position for next time.

In an uncertain economy and tightening job market, many employers are having to rethink how best to incentivise staff. If non-financial rewards would make your life better, it’s worth including them in your salary discussions.

Need advice on how to reach your financial goals? Speaking to your Financial Planner will help.

By Warren Strybosch

Maureen Dettre (Australian Associated Press)

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