The Find Geelong is a community paper that aims to support all things Geelong. We want to provide a place where all NotFor-Profits (NFP), schools, sporting groups and other like organisations can share their news in one place. For instance, submitting up-and-coming events in the Find Geelong for Free.
We do not proclaim to be another newspaper and we will not be aiming to compete with other news outlets. You can obtain your news from other sources. We feel you get enough of this already. We will keep our news topics to a minimum and only provide what we feel is most relevant topics to you each month.
We invite local council and the current council members to participate by submitting information each month so as to keep us informed of any changes that may be of relevance to us, their local constituents.
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We will also try and showcase different organisations throughout the year so you, the reader, can learn more about what is on offer in your local area.
To help support the paper, we invite local businesses owners to sponsor the paper and in return we will provide exclusive advertising and opportunities to submit articles about their businesses. As a community we encourage you to support these businesses/columnists. Without their support, we would not be able to provide this community paper to you.
Lastly, we want to ask you, the local community, to support the fundraising initiatives that we will be developing and
rolling out over the coming years. Our aim is to help as many NFP and other like organisations to raise much needed funds to help them to keep operating. Our fundraising initiatives will never simply ask for money from you. We will also aim to provide something of worth to you before you part with your hardearned money. The first initiative is the Find Cards and Find Coupons – similar to the Entertainment Book but cheaper and more localised. Any NFP and similar organisations e.g., schools, sporting clubs, can participate.
Follow us on facebook (https://www. facebook.com/findgeelong) so you keep up to date with what we are doing.
We value your support,
The Find Geelong Team.
The City of Geelong is one of Victoria’s largest regional capital cities. Geelong had a population of approximately 230,000 as at the 2019 Report which includes 16,000 businesses. Geelong’s location is in strong growth corridor, making it an ideal location for businesses to explore options outside of the capital city.
The Find Geelong acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the lands where Geelong now stands, the Wadawuarrung people of the Kulin nation, and pays repect to their Elders - past, present and emerging - and acknowledges the important role Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people continue to play within our community.
The Find Geelong was established in 2019 and is owned by the Find Foundation, a Not-For-Profit organisation with is core focus of helping other Not-For-Profits, schools, clubs and other similar organisations in the local community - to bring everyone together in one place and to support each other. We provide the above organisations FREE advertising in the community paper to promote themselves as well as to make the community more aware of the services these organisations can offer. The Find Geelong has a strong editorial focus and is supported via local grants and financed predominantly by local business owners.
Readers are advised that the Find Geelong accepts no responsibility for financial, health or other claims published in advertising or in articles written in this newspaper. All comments are of a general nature and do not take into account your personal financial situation, health and/or wellbeing. We recommend you seek professional advice before
anything written herein.
by Mary Ann Barnes
As the calendar flips towards the end of the year, a familiar chill settles over the business world. Deadlines loom, budgets tighten, and a sense of urgency hangs thick in the air. This period, known as the fiscal year-end, can feel remarkably similar to the arrival of winter. While seemingly disparate, these two seemingly unrelated phenomena share surprising parallels that reveal a hidden rhythm within our economic cycles.
Just as animals in nature enter a state of hibernation to conserve energy during the harsh winter months, businesses at the fiscal year-end engage in a similar form of strategic “hibernation.” Resources are meticulously assessed, nonessential projects are shelved, and budgets are scrutinized to ensure smooth operation through a potentially slower period. Inventory becomes a focus, much like squirrels gathering nuts in preparation for winter. Companies take stock, evaluating performance and analyzing successes and failures – a vital self-reflection akin to the introspection that often accompanies the quietude of winter.
However, the fiscal year-end isn’t simply a time for hunkering down. Similar to the flurry of activity seen in winter holidays and gift-giving, the closing months can be a period of intense activity. Companies launch sales blitzes to clear inventory and meet quotas, mirroring the last-minute shopping sprees that mark the holiday season. It’s a “fiscal flurry” fueled by a desire to wrap up loose ends and maximize results before the new year dawns. Just as winter often ushers in resolutions for self-improvement, the fiscal year-end becomes a time for goal setting and strategic planning for the upcoming year. Both become opportunities to chart a course for a fresh start, leaving behind the baggage of the past year.
The fiscal freeze isn’t without its challenges. Just as winter can bring feelings of isolation and cabin fever, the pressure and deadlines associated with the year-end can create stress for employees. However, this analogy offers valuable insights for navigating this period. Companies can learn from nature’s resilience – leveraging technology for optimized workflows, fostering open communication to create a supportive environment, and celebrating achievements just as sunlight breaks through winter clouds.
Ultimately, the fiscal year-end isn’t just a point of closure, but a season of reflection and renewal. By embracing the “fiscal freeze” as a time for strategic planning and resource optimization, companies can emerge stronger and more prepared for the growth opportunities that lie ahead, just like flowers pushing through the winter snow, ready to bloom in the new year.
If there is one thing that we love here in Geelong more than anything else it is hosting an event.
And one of the most popular events on our annual calendar is the Tastes of Greater Geelong.
Formerly known as the Tastes of Central Geelong, this year it has expanded to include our entire region, which is a no-brainer as we can now celebrate and encompass the best in food, drink and hospitality from the northern suburbs to Central Geelong, and from either side of the river down to the beautiful Bellarine.
The Greater Geelong region is one of Australia’s most renowned food, wine, and hospitality destinations and Tastes of Greater Geelong, which will celebrate its 13th year in 2024, aims to showcase everything our region has to offer.
It doesn’t matter whether you are keen on delectable local ingredients, farm-fresh produce, wine and dine events or gourmet taste trails, Tastes of Greater Geelong will have you covered.
The program will span from Friday 21 June to Sunday 14 July and I encourage locals and visitors alike to get out this winter to support the local hospitality scene, as well as discover the incredible food and beverage offerings that can be found in our backyard.
Launching with ‘The Winter Warm-Up’ laneway event in Lt Malop Central, foodies from near and far can look forward to three weeks of food and drink focused events hosted by venues across the Greater Geelong region.
This provides a wonderful opportunity to indulge in local and international cuisine, attend demonstrations masterclasses and importantly to support local businesses.
I know I speak on behalf of my Council colleagues when I say we are thrilled to be expanding the festival this year, and I trust the community will look to get out in the cooler months of winter and do its bit to boost the local economy.
For further information on Tastes of Greater Geelong, head to geelong.link/tastes2024 where a full program will be announced in early June.
I look forward to seeing you there.
Superannuation can be used to start an account-based pension once a person retires (or meets another condition of release).
This allows income to be received as a series of regular payments (usually monthly, quarterly, half yearly, or yearly).
A minimum amount of income needs to be paid each year and additional lump sum withdrawals can generally be made at any time. The pension can also be stopped (fully commuted) and be rolled back to the accumulation phase of superannuation, or rolled over to start another income stream, or be taken as a lump sum. Restrictions apply to taking lump sum withdrawals where the pension is being paid under transition to retirement rules.
Account based pensions stop once the account balance is exhausted, the pension is commuted, or upon the death of the person unless there is an automatic continuation of the pension to a nominated reversionary beneficiary.
The maximum amount that may be used to commence a ‘retirement phase pensions’ is limited to an individual’s transfer balance cap. The general transfer balance cap is currently $1.9m however where a person commenced a retirement income stream prior to1 July 2023, their personal transfer balance cap may be less than $1.9m. Pensions paid under transition to retirement rules are not a retirement phase pension and are therefore not affected by the transfer balance cap.
The person can select how much income to receive each financial year. This allows flexibility to meet individual needs. The only rules for how much pension must be taken are:
• An income payment must be made at least once each financial year.
• A minimum level of income must be paid each year based on a percentage of the account balance at commencement of the account-based pension and again at the start of each financial year. If the income stream commences part-way through a financial year, or is commuted before the end of a financial year, the minimum payment is pro-rated for that year.
When a superannuation death benefit is paid as a death benefit income stream, how is the minimum pension calculation performed?
As we know, there are minimum pension standards that apply to retirement income streams such as account-based pensions. These minimum payments are based on the age of the client and the account balance at 1 July each year or at the commencement of the pension.
However, when a death benefit account-based pension commences, the minimum pension payments that must be received by the beneficiary (usually the surviving spouse) will depend on whether the account-based pension automatically reverted to the beneficiary or not.
The following table provides a comparison of the minimum payment requirements in the financial year the death benefit pension started based on whether the pension automatically reverted to the beneficiary or not.
Pensions being paid under transition to retirement rules are subject to a maximum income limit of 10% of the account balance.
Every withdrawal (income or lump sum or death benefit) from a pension is split into taxable and tax-free components in the same ratio that applied when the pension commenced. The tax on each component depends on the person’s age as shown in the table below:
Every withdrawal (income or lump sum or death benefit) from a pension is split into taxable and tax-free components in the same ratio that applied when the pension commenced. The tax on each component depends on the person’s age as shown in the table below:
Taxation of Lump Sums - Over age 60
If you are age 60 or over the tax on lump sum withdrawals is shown in the table below for the 2023-24 financial year.
Taxation of Lump Sums - Preservation age but under age 60
If you have reached your preservation age but are under age 60, the tax on lump sum withdrawals is shown in the table below for the 2023-24 financial year.
Taxable (element taxed)
Taxation of Lump Sums - Under your preservation age
Wealth & Find Retirement.
If you withdraw a taxable component and tax is paid on this amount, it is added to your assessable income and may impact your entitlement to other tax offsets or benefits. This may mean you pay more tax than you expect on other income in that year.
Earnings added to a retirement phase pension account (excluding transition to retirement pensions) are tax-free. No tax is payable within the superannuation fund, and this can help to boost the effective earnings rate.
Wealth is a Corporate Authorised Representative (No 468091) of Alliance Wealth Pty LtdABN 93 161 647 007 (AFSL No.449221).Part of the CentrepointAlliancegroup https://www.centrepointalliance.com.au/
This information has been provided as general advice.We have not considered your financial circumstances, needs or objectives. You should consider the appropriateness of the advice. You should obtain and consider the relevant Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and seek the assistance of an authorised financial adviser before making any decision regarding any products or strategies mentioned in this communication.
Whilst all care has been taken in the preparation of this material, it is based on our understanding of current regulatory requirements and laws at the publication date. As these laws are subject to change you should talk to an authorised adviser for the most up-to-date information. No warranty is given in respect of the information provided and accordingly neither AllianceWealth nor its related
or representatives accepts responsibility for any
by any person arising from reliance on this information.
LEADERSHIP & TEAM SPECIALIST
By Sally Higoe
You’d be excused if you were still scrambling around working out how to effectively manage your virtual and remote teams to get the most powerful result. Many leaders and managers were not skilled to manage this or prepared for the change in environment and for a lot, over the last few years as the transition still takes place, it’s been trial and error.
The great news is that if your remote team is set-up and managed in the right way, research shows that they can actually out-perform an in-house team. The key point here is that its unreasonable (and irresponsible!) to assume that you can just disperse your group of talented people and hope for the best!
Pre-COVID, remote teams were quite foreign and even considered strange but as internet connections have strengthened and software for video conferencing has improved in use and functionality, this style of working is now quite typical.
As this norm increases (even BEFORE COVID roughly 32% of workers in Australia were regularly working from home – as stated on the abs.gov.au site) more and more Companies are seeing the benefits and forming remote working teams. As this ability to work from all different locations, collaborating on projects and initiatives provides flexibility, it also requires leaders to support their people in a much different capacity to what was, the norm.
Whether your team is 100% virtual, partially virtual or overlapping in hours or days of work, it’s likely your working environment
and relationships have been affected. Communicating what was once simple, now requires more effort and thought. Luckily, understanding Extended DISC can help you to understand your teams needs and wants.
If you are familiar with Extended DISC profiles for your in-house teams, then you know how helpful it is to be able to support and encourage your people in the way they need. But what about for remote teams? Are these profiles as important seeing as the majority of tasks are performed alone?
Yes. They are critical – that is, if your goal is to create a team of self-leaders, set them up for success and to set you all up to reap the rewards.
A DISC profile clearly shows you the natural, preferred style of your individual team member (or, if you have a team
profile, you will also understand the team preference overall, how each member works with and bounces off each other and where the gaps are that must be filled).
When you understand your teams DISC profiles you’re able to tailor EVERYTHING to meet their needs – from projects and tasks to workstations, working partners and required support. The profiles give an insight in to your people’s skill sets and their natural behaviours – identifiers such as their strengths, stretches, how they perceive others, are perceived, what makes them tick, how they like to be motivated, inspired and challenged (if at all!).
The knowledge gained from a DISC profile can be the differentiating support tool that takes your team from ‘here’ to next level. Significant factors like knowing which of your team members can handle the isolation aspects and how much support and contact they need and expect from you to complete their role, will enable you to know where to focus (and how much!). Knowing what to offer your team is essential if you want a successful remote program.
Tips to effectively identify and support the DISC Profiles:
• D Styles are your assertive high achievers, visionary and natural leaders. They are likely to stay on task and get things done. D Style workers want to be heard and thrive on competition. Ensure your D Style people have the space to share their achievements and opinions.
• I Styles are your charismatic relationship focused workers. They typically have high Emotional Intelligence but may get easily distracted, even scatter brained under pressure. They do like to be around people and are the most likely to struggle with working remotely. Ensure you keep in touch with your I style people with messaging apps such as Slack (just don’t be surprised by the amount of chatter coming through these channels) and help to keep them focused and on-track.
• Remote work is most suited to your S Style workers, especially if they are working at home with friends or family. Typically, they are your reliable workers who stay on task and follow instructions. They want to be comfortable but do not like instability. Ensure you offer them enough support to cope with the change in working environments.
Your C Style workers are your analytical, precise, logical team members. Ensure you provide them with very detailed emails, so they know the tasks they need to accomplish and how to perform them. Check-in regularly with your C Style people so they can ask questions and discuss their concerns.
If you’re interested in discovering more about your teams individual or group preferences, please get in touch.
sally@team-resilience.com.au
By Dan Nicholls
read that right. The meal and entertainment benefit works under the Fringe Benefits Tax legislation, and qualifying employees can stash away up to $2,650 of their pre-tax income for eating out and entertainment. Your card covers everything from food and drinks at participating restaurants, to holiday accommodation and venue hire - all using your pre-tax dollars. Plus, you can use your card to pay for your family as well, so they benefit too. Getting your card is a walk in the park. Just fill out a simple application form, and you’re all set.
If you’re one of our country’s not-for-profit superheroes, then salary packaging is the life hack you deserve. It’s an amazing service full of clever little ways to help you save, eat out for less and even drive the car you’ve always wanted to. Sounds good? Well this article has absolutely everything you need to know about salary packaging, from the benefits to the application process and all the helpful tips and tricks in between. So, what are we waiting for?
Ok, what is it and how does it work?
Salary packaging lets people like you designate a portion of their pre-tax earnings towards different expenses, like mortgage payments, car payments, utilities, and even extra super contributions. While typically linked with corporate environments, salary packaging is open to not-forprofit employees, allowing you to boost your take-home pay and enjoy a world of additional perks, which you’ll learn about in a second. Salary packaging is facilitated through a service provider that your employer has a prearranged agreement with. There are a few other details, but all of them will be covered in your application process. So, how about we move on to the exciting stuff?
Salary packaging not-for-profit benefits
More take-home pay
Salary packaging not-for-profit members have the power to shave off their taxable
income, meaning more cash in hand every payday. By setting aside some of your pre-tax earnings for eligible expenses, you can slash your tax bill and boost your available spending money.
One of the best things about salary packaging is the tax savings. By putting pre-tax dollars towards stuff like mortgage payments or extra super contributions, you can lower your monthly tax amount so you keep more money in your pocket.
Not-for-profit organisations usually offer a ton of different salary packaging options, so employees like you can pick and choose what works best. Whether it’s putting money towards your mortgage, car expenses, or courses, salary packaging lets you customise your benefits, your way.
And if that’s not enough, you could be eligible for some bonus benefits too. Think discounted health insurance, gym memberships, and financial planning services. Your salary packaging service provider will be able to clue you in on everything available to you.
But wait, there’s more
The benefits don’t stop there! Salary packaging not-for-profit members also get their very own Meal and Entertainment Card. Basically, you get to eat out at fancy restaurants or the cafe on the corner and save money. Yes, you
If you thought that was amazing, buckle up, because there’s more. Salary packaging is also linked to novated leases. They’re smart vehicle financing arrangements that let you lease a car through your employer so that your car payments can be taken out of your pretax income. So, you’re basically paying off your car before any tax deductions hit your salary. And the vehicle perks don’t stop there -
Tax Savings - Since your car payments come straight out of your pre-tax earnings, you end up with a smaller tax bill each month. It’s like getting a tax break every time you make a payment, meaning you pay less tax and have more money in your pocket just for buying a car.
Petrol Perks - Another awesome perk of a novated lease is saving on petrol. Your car payments aren’t the only thing that’s tax-free - with a novated lease, you can use your pre-tax income to cover petrol costs, further bringing down your taxable income and leaving you with more cash at the end of the month. Plus, you can apply for your very own petrol card.
And that’s not all - say goodbye to surprise repair bills! Fully maintained novated lease packages come with maintenance and service budgets that cover everything from routine upkeep to unexpected car repairs. So, not only are you saving on your car payments, but you’re also saving on the maintenance of your car.
The salary packaging not-for-profit process is simple. Below, we’ve broken it up into four easy steps -
1. Consultation - The first thing to do is chat with your employer or salary packaging provider to explore the salary packaging options available to you. They’ll fill you in on the benefits you could be eligible for and any requirements you need to meet.
2. Next, select your benefits - Once you understand your options, it’s time to pick the perks that suit you best. Whether it’s going for a novated lease, boosting your super contributions, or chipping away at your mortgage - here, you can choose what works for you.
3. Then, the documentation - Once you’ve made your selections, you’ll need to dot the i’s and cross the t’s by filling out the necessary paperwork. It’s as simple as filling out a few forms and providing a few documents to make sure your application is complete.
4. Finally, the benefits - Once everything’s sorted, your employer will put your chosen salary packaging arrangements into action. They’ll make the necessary deductions and contributions from your pre-tax income, and you’ll get to enjoy all the benefits. Keep an eye on your pay statements to make sure everything’s running smoothly.
Eligible Expenses - Not all expenses qualify for salary packaging. So make sure you understand what can be included in your salary packaging arrangements and any limitations or restrictions there may be.
Reviews and Adjustments - Salary packaging arrangements can be reviewed and adjusted whenever you need them to be. If your financial situation changes or you want to explore different benefit options, it’s as easy as discussing the changes with your employer and updating your preferences.
Salary packaging is like a golden ticket for not-for-profit heroes. It’s a chance to boost your take-home pay and get some extra perks to boost your financial health. From tax earnings to chipping away at your mortgage, there’s a world of options to help you get more out of your salary.
So, why wait? Dive into your salary packaging options today and unlock the full potential of your earnings.
CBB The Salary Packaging People have been teaming up with not-for-profit organisations for over 30 years, helping their hardworking staff members (that’s you) get as many perks as possible. We have all the knowledge and expertise needed to make the whole process super simple for you, so get in touch with us, and we’ll make sure you get all the perks salary packaging has to offer.
By Deb Fribbins
We spend our life negotiating in so many different ways. In business, with our families and friends, and in our pursuit for happiness in the various organisations or groups with which we belong. No matter the type of negotiation that you’re working through, the results that you’re looking for at all times, will be more beneficial if there is a win for both sides.
There are five stages of negotiation to achieve the results that you want. The conversation you have may be crucial to your business or the person you are dealing with. Your business negotiations should be planned out thoroughly before you start the meeting. There are many factors to take into consideration The financial cost is often the only factor we consider. This can lead to failure if you do not consider physical, emotional and environmental considerations.
In all negotiations there are three possible outcomes:
A. There is no win for you and the negotiations fail completely with no favourable outcome.
B. You win on this occasion, but you don’t get the opportunity to go back for a second negotiation in the future. You burn your bridges for ongoing opportunities.
C. Both you and the party with whom you are negotiating come to a compromise that is beneficial to both parties. This leads to long term relationships.
There are 5 keys to a successful negotiation:-
• Building long term relationships
• Listen carefully to all that is said
• Communicate clearly
• Have a Win/ Win Mindset
• Be fully prepared before you go into the negotiation
The key is in the preparation. How do you prepare?
1. DEFINE what are our desired outcomes.
a. What are the minimum requirements that you’re prepared to accept as a win?
b. What is the end result, that is most beneficial to you and your business.?
c. What impact will the negotiations have on other areas in your business?
d. What impact could this have on your stakeholder relationship?
2. DETERMINE the parameters under which you are working.
a. Know your marketplace
b. Know the value of the negotiation that you were trying to achieve,
c. What are the market forces?
d. Know the costs physically, mentally, and financially to the person or company you are negotiating with.
e. Know the party with whom you will be negotiating. What are their limitations?
f. Be sure you are speaking to the right person?
g. What are other benefits you may negotiate that do not cost either party, such as: exclusivity, or pre-launch window of opportunity, or Gift With Purchase (GWP), or delivery, or service as applicable to your business.
3. DEVISE a plan for the deal which will ensure success:
a. What are the minimum negotiating points that give you a complete win?
b. What are you prepared to relinquish to achieve a workable result?
c. What are the implications to your business
d. What impact will these have on your ongoing business relationship?
4. DELIVER on those plans as you devised them:
a. Thorough planning will enable you to know the outcomes that are most beneficial to secure a deal.
b. Maintain focus on your goals
c. Ensure any concessions will still achieve
the desired results
d. If the deal is not going ahead as you need, suggest a new time to renegotiate.
e. Walk away, regroup and re-consider your needs
5. DISSECT the planning stages with a mentor or co-worker before you go into the meeting.
a. Listen to their suggestions and possible adaptions you made to get the deal over the line.
b. Were you fully prepared before you started the conversation.
c. What concessions did they make?
d. What impact will these negotiation have on your long term business ?
Going through these 5 steps will enable you to be fully prepared for a favourable outcome. Maintaining good customer relations is just as crucial to the result as the negotiating the right price. If you push to hard you may harm future customer relations and the longevity of supply.
A win at all costs is not a win
If you would like support to address this in your business, book a time for a complimentary strategy call with Deb Fribbins. https://calendly.com/debfribbins/strategy-call
Colours are more than just the latest trend. We are strongly affected by the colours around us. They reflect our values and what atmosphere we wish to evoke in our homes.
Not surprisingly, after the shock of lockdowns and a worldwide pandemic (who saw that coming?), the colour trend for 2024 is for soothing tones, ones that generate calm and comfort, or for colours that engender optimism and hope.
If you are thinking of renovating your home or giving your interior a refresh, here is what the painting experts are predicting as the up-to-date colours for 2024.
Green equals calm, natural, growth and gentleness. It’s a great colour for a study, quiet nook, a formal dining area – in fact, just about any area of the home. Greens can be bright, light colours that go well with pastels, or darker for a more formal environment.
‘Specifically, there’s been rising interest in greens. The green colour family is so diverse, from calming rich sages like Evergreen Fog to earthier tones and more dramatic emeralds,’ says Forbes Home.
Evergreen Fog is Sherwin William’s colour of the year for 2024. A calming, mid-tone green paint colour with a touch of blue, it
is a neutral shade bordering on grey. Evergreen Fog blends with just about every colour on the spectrum and can be combined in exciting ways with metallics such as champagne gold, brass and matte black accessories to create a chic and welcoming space.
Another shade of green that is popular is one with sage tones called October Mist. This was chosen by its manufacturer as the Benjamin Moore Colour of the Year. Benjamin Moore’s press release states that ‘this gently shaded sage quietly anchors a space, while encouraging individual expression through colour’.
Sage tones create a more intimate feel. It is a great shade to use as a backdrop and – fortunately for those who don’t want to paint the interior of their homes too often – it won’t go out of fashion. It highlights furniture and other accessories in earthy or red colours.
Punctuate in purple
The Pantone Color Institute™ provides customised colour standards and forecasts colour trends forecasting, including the ‘Pantone Color of the Year’. For the first time ever, Pantone nominated one of its newest colours as the colour of the year for 2024. Very Peri is a colour ‘whose courageous presence encourages personal inventiveness and creativity’, according to Pantone. The shade falls under the blue colour family but with violet-red undertones, making it appear as a soft purple, mauve or lilac, depending on how you view it.
A soft calming shade, this would be great as a feature wall in a bedroom or as a secondary shade highlighting off-whites, stone and pale earthy tones.
Dulux has also chosen a blue shade as their Colour of the Year 2024. A cool blue paint colour called Bright Skies is described by Dulux as ‘an airy, light blue’. The colour was chosen as it ‘perfectly captures the optimism and desire for a fresh start that is the mood of the moment’. It blends well with wooden furniture and stoneware and its subtle tonings brighten considerably when sunlight falls across it.
Helen van Gent, head of Dulux’s parent company says, ‘This year, vibrant colours and light tones are re-emerging – a reflection, perhaps, of our need for positivity and a fresh approach.’
We couldn’t agree more.
For more painting advice on painting in winter, contact Dahllof Painting Services at sjd67@bigpond.net.au. We will be happy to answer all your inquiries.
Painting & Decorating kerna1967@gmail.com 0407 365 372 www.stevedahllofpaintingservices.com.au
In this current fast-paced digital landscape, technology is ever-changing but the consistent factor that has stayed evident is that there will always be a need for visual representation whether that be marketing material, products, or video content.
In the last 10 years, we have seen a shift from a stock standard / formulated corporate video to detailed narratives with intricate storylines and a demand for creating highend, high-budget video content for social media platforms.
So what does this mean for a small business or not-for-profit? In order to answer that, we need to first know the “why videos are important”.
Video content has become a fundamental part of how we as businesses are seen by the outside world. In an instant, your business can be seen by thousands of people with a click of a button, a swipe or pop up.
In a recent survey done by wyzowl - People watch an average of 19 hours of online video
content per week. 96% have watched an explainer video to learn about a product or service and 88% have bought that product or service after watching a video.
This is why making videos that are clear and concise are essential to capture your audience. Not only does it send a message about your brand but also shows that you take pride in what you do, how you do it and most of all you love what you do.
Video is a great way to get your message across in a short amount of time and can also be crafted and targeted to your needs. Once you understand why your business needs a video then the next step is to understand the stages of video production.
There are 3 main stages:
1. Pre-Production: the concept, key messages and scripting
2. Production: filming components
3. Post-Production: editing, drafts, completion
Having a basic understanding of the process helps when you are working out timelines for campaigns and also knowing
that it takes a little bit of time to create a good video makes all the difference.
Embracing a new approach to traditional marketing and allocating the budget for making video content will help ensure that you keep up-to-date with current trends but also secures longevity of your business or not-for-profit.
Keep this in mind - customers are more likely to share video content with their friends and family than other types of content.
If you need help making a video or would like to know more please get in touch.
By Justin Middleton
Whether you are a Not-for-profit, a small business, a government department or an individual, the first line of defence is having good endpoint protection software installed on your computer. Let’s continue where we left off last month, focusing on cybersecurity and how you can protect yourself.
You may ask, “but my computer or Mac comes with protection, why do I need more?”. The simple answer is that the attack methods have increased in complexity and the basic protection is not sufficient, even for IT professionals, to mitigate the vulnerabilities.
Many individuals and businesses don’t know they’ve been compromised until their data is being ransomed or their money has been transferred out of their bank account.
An endpoint is a device that connects with a computer network and exchanges information, this can include your laptop, mobile phone and other devices you use daily. Each of these devices are potential points of vulnerability for you and should be adequately protected.
How do I protect my devices?
In the past security was set and forget, as easy as having anti-virus installed on your computer. Today, the approach is much more proactive – no longer weekly scans checkups but instantaneous scanning of files, checking that applications are only accessing the files and resources required.
Protection from leaders in endpoint protection vendors, including Sophos, Microsoft, Bitdefender, CrowdStrike and SentinelOne encompasses solutions that :
1. Protect your email
• Checking links (URLs)
• Scanning files
• Flagging social engineering attempts
2. Scan files on your device
3. Firewall inbound and outbound malicious connections
4. Test potentially unsafe applications in a sandboxed environment
5. Use machine learning (AI) to detect similar patterns to existing and emerging malware
6. Revert ransomware attacks
7. Filter web content
8. Provide user training (e.g., on recognizing phishing)
Help! What if I’m not sure?
Cybersecurity and endpoint protection can be a complex area. Software can be installed, but how do you know if it is working properly? Are emails you should be getting not coming through? Do you have a server that may potentially be vulnerable?
If you have a complex environment or are unsure of what protection you need, consult your local IT specialist.
Erebus IT supports the Geelong and Melbourne regions and will do a free evaluation before providing you with a list of recommendations to improve your business’ cybersecurity posture.
Resources:
https://www.cyber.gov.au
https://www.gartner.com/reviews/ market/endpoint-protection-platforms
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/ security/blog/2023/03/02/microsoftis-named-a-leader-in-the-2022gartner-magic-quadrant-for-endpointprotection-platforms/
The Federal Treasurer, Dr Jim Chalmers, handed down the 2024–25 Federal Budget at 7:30 pm (AEST) on 14 May 2024.
Described as a “responsible Budget that helps people under pressure today”, the Treasurer has forecast a second consecutive surplus of $9.3 billion. The main priorities of the government, as reflected in the Budget, are helping with the cost of living, building more housing, investing in skills and education,strengthening Medicare and responsible economic management to help fight inflation.
The key tax measures announced in the Budget include extending the $20,000 instant asset write-off for eligible businesses by 12 months until 30 June 2025, introducing tax incentives for hydrogen production and critical minerals production, strengthening foreign resident CGT rules and penalising multinationals that seek to avoid paying Australian royalty withholding tax.
The Budget also includes various amendments to previously announced measures, as well as a number of income
tax measures that have already been enacted prior to the Budget announcement, including:
- The revised stage 3 personal income tax cuts (enacted by the Treasury Laws Amendment (Cost of Living Tax Cuts) Act 2024 (Act No 3 of 2024).
- Medicare levy and surcharge threshold changes (enacted by the Treasury Laws Amendment (Cost of Living—Medicare Levy) Act 2024 (Act No 4 of 2024).
- A specific exemption for Australian plantation forestry entities from the new earnings-based rules introduced as part of thin capitalisation reforms (enacted by the Treasury Laws Amendment (Making Multinationals Pay Their Fair Share—Integrity and Transparency) Act 2024 (Act No 23 of 2024)).
These enacted measures have not been discussed in detail in this report.
The government anticipates that the tax measures put forward will collectively improve the Budget position by $3.1 billion over a 5-year period to 2027–28.
The full [Budget papers] (https://budget. gov.au/) and the Treasury ministers’ [media releases] (https://ministers. treasury.gov.au/) are available on-line.
The tax, superannuation and social security highlights are set out below.
- The instant asset write-off threshold of $20,000 for small businesses applying the simplified depreciation rules will be extended for 12 months until 30 June 2025.
- The foreign resident CGT regime will be strengthened for CGT events commencing on or after 1 July 2025.
- A critical minerals production tax incentive will be available from 2027–28 to 2040–41 to support downstream refining and processing of critical minerals.
- A hydrogen production tax incentive will be available from 2027–28 to 2040–41 to producers of renewable hydrogen.
- The minimum length requirements for content and the above-theline cap of 20% for total qualifying production expenditure for the producer tax offset will be removed.
- A new penalty will be introduced from 1 July 2026 for taxpayers who are part of a group with more than $1 billion
- in annual global turnover that are found to have mischaracterised or undervalued royalty payments.
- The Labor government’s 2022–23 Budget measure to deny deductions for payments relating to intangibles held in low- or no-tax jurisdictions is being discontinued.
- The start date of a 2023–24 Budget measure to expand the scope of the Pt IVA general anti-avoidance rule will be deferred to income years commencing on or after assent of enabling legislation.
- Income tax exemptions for World Rugby and/or related entities for income derived in relation to the Rugby World Cup 2027 (men’s) and Rugby World Cup 2029 (women’s).
- Deductible gift recipients list to be updated.
- Social security deeming rates will be frozen at their current levels for a further 12 months until 30 June 2025.
- Carer payment recipients will have greater flexibility with their participation requirements.
- Eligibility for the higher rate of Jobseeker payment will be extended to single recipients with a partial capacity to work of zero to 14 hours per week.
- The maximum rates of the Commonwealth Rent Assistance will increase by 10% from 20September 2024.
- Funding will be provided to implement a social security means test treatment for military invalidity payments affected by the Full Federal Court’s decision of FC of T v Douglas 2020 ATC ¶20-773; [2020] FCAFC 220.
- Funding will be provided to enable Australia to enter into a bilateral social security agreement with Uruguay.
- Foreign investors will be allowed to purchase established build-torent properties with a lower foreign investment fee.
- Superannuation will be paid on government-funded paid parental leave (PPL) for parents of babies born or adopted on or after 1 July 2025.
- The Fair Entitlements Guarantee Recovery Program will be recalibrated to pursue unpaid superannuation entitlements owed by employers in liquidation or bankruptcy from 1 July 2024.
Get is touch to discuss how the Budget announcements impact you.
info@anjieaccountingsolutions.com.au
In today’s fast-paced digital world, staying ahead of the competition is crucial for any business. One innovative tool that can give you the edge you need is an AI chatbot on your website. Here are three compelling reasons why you should consider adding this technology to your digital arsenal.
1. Increase Productivity: Businesses that utilize an AI chatbot experience a significant increase in productivity. According to recent studies, companies with an AI chatbot are able to spend 14% more time solving complex, money-making problems. This means that by incorporating this technology into your website, you can free up more of your staff’s time to focus on critical tasks, ultimately leading to increased efficiency and profitability.
2. Reduce Inquiries, Increase Efficiency: An AI chatbot can significantly reduce the number of meaningless inquiries your business receives by up to 70%. This reduction in trivial queries allows you and your team to spend more time on high-value tasks, ultimately leading to improved productivity and customer satisfaction.
3. Generate High-Quality Leads: Implementing an AI chatbot can also lead to an immediate increase in high-quality leads for your business. Studies show that 55% of companies using chatbots for marketing purposes experience a boost in the number of high-quality leads. Additionally, businesses with AI chatbots are perceived as more legitimate and established, which can further enhance your brand’s credibility and attract potential customers.
In conclusion, incorporating an AI chatbot into your website can provide numerous benefits for your business, including increased productivity, efficiency, and lead generation. By leveraging this innovative technology, you can stay ahead of the competition and take your business to new heights of success.
By Kathryn Messenger
Whilst anxiety is part of life, and in some cases it’s even helpful (like when you know your 2-year-old could run onto the road at any moment!). There are many times it can stop you in your tracks and prevent you from normal functioning.
Anxiety disorders form the most common mental health disorders in Australia, effecting 14% of us each year, and 25% of us at some stage of life. These disorders range from generalised anxiety which is an everyday uncontrollable worry, to social anxiety, panic disorders, phobias, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
For some people their anxiety is obvious: they may feel fear, panic, or dread, whilst others sometimes notice digestive symptoms, dizziness, shortness of breath, or trouble concentrating, with less obvious mental symptoms.
The problem with anxiety treatment is that it is often with drugs that have unwanted side effects. Whist they can be helpful for some people, for others the risk outweighs the benefits.
Herbal medicines are very effective in treating anxiety, both when you notice it mentally, but also when you only have physical symptoms. What I love about treating with natural products like
herbs is that they actually help to heal your body rather than just masking the symptoms which is often the case with pharmaceutical medications.
The first group of herbs for treating anxiety are nervous system tonics. These herbs improve the tone and function of the nervous system. Some herbs in this class energise the nervous system which is more helpful in depression, and others that relax the nervous system, which is what is often used in anxiety disorders.
The next class of herbal medicines that are helpful in anxiety are adaptogens. These herbs increase the body’s resistance to physical, environmental, or emotional stress, they help you to adapt afterwards. These are really useful when anxiety began after a time of trauma, stress, or even sickness to return the body back to normal functioning. They are like the ‘energiser bunny’ of herbs, they can help you to keep going at times when the ‘battery’ would have already run out.
If your sleep has been affected, then sedative herbs can be really helpful. These are very different to sedative medications in that they will calm and relax the mind to help with sleep without the side effects of sedative medication such as morning drowsiness. Usually, these herbs are just taken before bed, so that your mind an body can relax into sleep.
There are other herbs that can be used if digestion or concentration is affected, or if anger is a prominent emotion. As a
naturopath I will prescribe differently for each person, depending on what the best herbs for them are.
Another modality that is really useful in anxiety is homeopathy. Homeopathy can be really effective either alongside herbal medicines or on its own. Homeopathics are prescribed on an individual, depending on their symptoms. The type of anxiety is more important here, as the prescription will be different for anticipatory anxiety (worried about an event or public performance), restless anxiety, anxiety bought on by grief, feeling constantly ‘wired’, or specific phobias.
Nutrition also plays a really important role in mental health. Glucose spikes can have a big impact on mood causing both highs and lows, and a lack of nutrients can leave you craving the foods that you know you shouldn’t be eating. In terms of supplements, magnesium is calming to the nervous system and a great starting point for natural anxiety treatment. Choose a magnesium citrate or magnesium glycinate for the best effects.
The B group of vitamins can be helpful for a low mood or lack of energy, and are great to take in the morning if your energy is low. Ideally choose a high quality multi – B vitamin, but be sure you’re not talking other vitamins that also contain B vitamins, as it can be easy to overdose if you are getting them from more than one source.
Breathing exercises can be an amazing tool to bring your body from the ‘fight or flight’ mode back into ‘rest and digest’ mode. There are so many available but for best results, choose an exercise where the time taken to exhale is longer than the time to inhale as this is what makes the biggest difference. Sometimes breath holds can also be helpful, but you want one that feels comfortable and calming to you.
If you’re looking for individualised anxiety treatment, a naturopathic appointment can make sure you are getting the best products for your unique symptoms.
Facilities upgrades at Barwon Heads Tennis Club are giving local players improved conditions for competitive and social play.
The $275,000 project has been fully funded by the Victorian Government through its 2021-22 Strategic Projects initiative and is being delivered by the City of Greater Geelong.
Work so far has seen the re-surfacing of two courts with synthetic grass, while
installation of LED sports lighting on the club’s two unlit courts is in progress.
Remaining funds will be put towards minor clubhouse renovations.
Mayor Trent Sullivan joined state Member for Bellarine Alison Marchant, Barwon Heads Tennis Club committee members Gary Willson, David Reid, Emma Webb, and Jason Schoenmaekers, and councillors Jim Mason and Elise Wilkinson to view the progress of the works.
Alison Marchant:
“The Barwon Heads Tennis Club upgrade will go a long way to support the growing number of people in Barwon Heads and surrounds who are interested in getting involved in community sport.
We’re investing in great projects like this as they encourage more people to get fit, active, and involved in local sport, create more local jobs and boost home grown sporting communities.”
Mayor Trent Sullivan:
“The two re-surfaced courts offer an alternative to the venue’s existing hard courts.
The synthetic grass is great for allround play and easier on joints than hard courts, and the completion of the lighting upgrade will mean all six of the club’s courts can be used at night.
We appreciate the Victorian Government’s funding to enable us to deliver a project that will have a positive impact on the health and wellbeing of the Barwon Heads community.”
It’s expected the full project will be completed in September.
A notice of motion to rescind a 24-hour cat confinement order passed at the April council meeting has been successful at last night’s meeting.
Following a councillor vote, the City of Greater Geelong will maintain the existing cat curfew order enacted on 1 July 2009 requiring cat owners to keep their cats securely confined to their property between sunset and sunrise.
The proposed confinement order, which was due to come into effect on 1 November 2024, would have required owners to confine pet cats to their properties at all times, either inside the home, in a safe outdoor area or in a secure enclosure. Cats that leave the premises were to be restrained or in a cat carrier.
Councillor Melissa Cadwell moved to rescind the cat confinement order due to the financial burden on cat owners
and the lack of detail on how the policy would affect cat owners living in rental accommodation.
Councillor Melissa Cadwell
“The financial cost burden the policy would have imposed upon residents on low fixed incomes may have required them to give up their cat, which in many cases may be their only companion.
That’s not something I could support, particularly in a cost-of-living crisis.
There was a lack of detail in regard to how this would work for registered cat owners living in rental accommodation, given that there would have been a substantial investment on the part of the tenant to comply with the policy and still allow for their cat to have time outside.”
Under the Victorian Domestic Animals Act 1994, Council officers can issue an infringement of $96-$385 to a cat owner whose cat is found roaming outside their premises during curfew hours. Repeat offenders face tougher penalties.
The notice of rescission was supported six votes to five, with councillors Harwood, Murrihy, Kontelj, Aitken, Hathway and Cadwell voting in favour of rescinding the order, and councillors Sullivan, Mason, Wilkinson, Nelson and Moloney voting against rescinding.
The City will take no further action on the proposed 24-hour confinement order.
The City of Greater Geelong has been successful in obtaining funding for three road safety projects under the annual Transport Accident Commission’s (TAC) Local Government Grant Program.
We’re one of 40 Victorian councils to receive grants for projects that focus on reducing crashes involving pedestrians and cyclists, who are most vulnerable to trauma on our roads.
Later this year, a raised wombat crossing will be unveiled on Batten Road in Armstrong Creek, between Central Road and Vaughan Drive near the Oberon High School entrance, to assist students and other community members crossing the road. The TAC is providing $52,000 towards the project and the City will match this contribution.
A joint project between the City and the Surf Coast Shire will see an options analysis conducted to investigate future safe cycling options between Geelong and Torquay. Both councils have each received a $30,000 grant.
Our grant will be used to develop several options for a safe cycle route from Geelong to Torquay, including concept plans and high level costings for each option.
Greater Geelong has also received $30,000 for a Vision Zero Plan, which plays a part in our road safety strategy Vision Zero Geelong.
Mayor Trent Sullivan
“The City is excited to deliver these important projects for our region.
Council thanks the TAC for recognising that these road safety projects will help to protect our most vulnerable road users and contribute to our Vision Zero goals.
We’re looking forward to collaborating with the neighbouring Surf Coast Shire to plan for a future safe cycling link between the two municipalities.”
City Transport portfolio chair, Councillor Ron Nelson
“I welcome the funding from the TAC.
We’re thrilled to be able to make a start on three road safety initiatives that will help to reduce road trauma and promote active transport around our beautiful region.
This is a chance to explore and implement solutions to issues that are specific to our region.”
Transport Accident Commission CEO Tracey Slatter
“Protecting vulnerable road users is a key part of improving road safety in Victoria and this grant program supports local governments to find solutions to specific road safety concerns in their region.”
The City will develop an LGBTIQA+ Action Plan, reflecting Council’s commitment to create a more inclusive region by providing a framework and actions that respond to the priorities and experiences of our LGBTIQA+ community.
Council has thanked Rainbow Local Government for its request for the City to develop a standalone LGBTIQA+ Action Plan.
At the advice of the LGBTIQA+ Commissioner’s Office, the City has been progressing work to meet the Rainbow Ready Roadmap indicators for LGBTQIA+ inclusion.
A summary of our ‘Stage 2 – Assess’ report is available to the public, covering the current state of this inclusion work, our progress against the 15 indicators and identifying areas for improvement: geelong.link/Rainbow-Ready-Roadmap
We have been recognised as a leader in LGBTIQA+ inclusion for many years, primarily due to Youth Development work in this space, including the Gender and Sexuality Program (GASP) that began in 1996.
In recent years, we’ve progressed this work beyond the youth space with significant achievements such as:
• Establishment of the LGBTQIA+ Advisory Committee in February 2023;
• Completion of the Rainbow Crossing in December 2023;
• Leadership of Geelong’s annual high-profile partnership event for IDAHOBIT 2019;
• Regular youth events including Wear It Purple;
• Flying the rainbow flag and/ or transgender flag on days of significance;
• Attracting to Geelong and sponsoring the National LGBTIQA + conference ‘Better Together’ at GMHBA Stadium in June 2024;
• Inclusive practices across Family Services; and
• LGBTIQA+ inclusive workplace practices, including e-learning modules for staff, events promoting days of significance and establishment of the Employee Pride Network.
Mayor Trent Sullivan
“Making Greater Geelong more LGBTIQA+ inclusive is important for both the Council and City.
We know that LGBTIQA+ people in regional Victoria experience higher rates of family violence and are more likely to be diagnosed with anxiety or depression due to oppressive societal stigma and discrimination.
While the City has been recognised for its work in the LGBTIQA+ space in the past, there is still a lot of work to do.
We are committed to making our region even safer and more welcoming for the LGBTIQA+ community.”
Councillor Sarah Hathway
“Collaboration with the community is key to making progress on inclusivity.
Council looks forward to seeing the community involved in developing our first LGBTIQA+ Action Plan for our region.
It’s also worth having a read of the update on the current state of inclusion work at the City.”
A team of passionate young leaders has been selected to represent Geelong at the Victorian Youth Parliament and is currently drafting a Bill on a state-based issue important to young people.
The Geelong team’s Bill to be debated in Parliament House is ‘Improved Access and Suitable Care to Mental Health Bill 2024’.
The team has a wealth of leadership and advocacy experience, having served as members of the Youth Council, Geelong Youth Advisory Board, and Youth on Board - programs facilitated by the City of Greater Geelong’s Youth Development Unit, which also coordinates the Geelong Youth Parliament team.
The Victorian Youth Parliament is a program run by YMCA Youth Services that is championing the voices of young people aged 16-25, providing them with a unique platform to influence state legislation.
The program features regular meetings, mentor support, stakeholder discussions, a weekend skills development camp, and culminates in a highlight event: a sitting week held in the chambers of Parliament House in Melbourne in early July.
During sitting week,Youth Parliamentarians introduce, debate, and vote on their Bills. The Bills that pass are formally presented to the Minister for Youth, who then disseminates them to relevant state Members of Parliament for consideration.
Through the Victorian Youth Parliament, young people have successfully influenced legislation on critical issues such as mental health, education, and the environment.
“This program is a wonderful opportunity for our region’s young people, especially those who are interested in areas such as politics, activism, social justice and law.
The ambition and accomplishments of the Geelong Youth Parliament team is inspiring, and I congratulate them on their dedication to make a positive impact at a parliamentary level.
It’s more than just a program; it’s a catalyst for change and gives our region’s young people the tools, confidence, and platform to turn their ideas into legislation.”
“The Geelong team’s Bill is an important topic and we are excited to hear them debate it in Parliament House.
We are lucky to have so many regional teams such as City of Greater Geelong come onto our program and advocate for their communities.
Watching the growth of the teams, in particular, the City of Greater Geelong team, during the Bill drafting process has been such a delight.
So much change has come from Youth Parliament, for example, 24-hour public transport, mandatory wearing of bicycle helmets and safe injecting centres, all came from the young people in our state and I think that is something we can all be proud of.”
Youth Parliament team member Daniel
“The program gives me and the other young people in my team a chance to work together on an issue which we all care about as well as learning important skills and being able to develop networks to take to the parliament.
We hope we can play a part in helping people in Geelong and all across Victoria lead better lives and inspire other local young people to get involved.”
The City of Greater Geelong is inviting local groups and organisations interested in running events during Children’s Week to apply for a Children’s Week Grant.
Children’s Week is an annual national celebration that will take place this year between 19 and 27 October.
To help encourage a wide range of activities and events for children to enjoy, the City is offering grants of up to $750, with a total grant pool of $15,000.
Not-for-profit groups such as toy libraries, playgroups and neighbourhood houses are eligible to apply, as are registered charities. Schools and early years services can also apply, subject to conditions.
Examples of potential events include dance and music-based activities, outdoor play, environment and naturebased activities, nutrition-based activities such as cooking classes, and events that help increase safety, such as water or road safety sessions.
Grants can help with the cost of delivering an event, such as venue hire, audio and visual equipment, entertainer fees, materials and catering.
To apply and for full grant guidelines, click here.
Applications are now open and close on 24 June, with successful applicants to be notified on 12 August.
A VCE Drama playlist 2024 performance, World Problems presented by Melbourne Theatre Company, will be performed at the Potato Shed 1pm and 7pm Wednesday 5 June
Written by
Emma Mary Halland directed by
Cassandra Fumi,World Problems is a gripping and cathartic examination of memory – where do you end and everything else begins?
For further information or support completing an application, the City’s grants team is available to help via communitygrants@geelongcity.vic.gov.au or 5272 5560.
Mayor Trent Sullivan:
“We encourage the community to get creative and help contribute to a fun and successful Children’s Week.
We’re looking to support activities that maximise the involvement of children and families, that are well planned, and inclusive to everyone.
This is an important way for the Council to support and celebrate local children, and we look forward to seeing some terrific applications.”
Councillor Sarah Hathway, chair of the Council’s Inclusion and Care portfolio:
“Children’s Week is a special event on the calendar.
It’s always a wonderful week and we hope to see as many groups getting involved as possible.
Grant applications for events that are free and open to the general public will be prioritised, as will events that create an opportunity for an ongoing connection with families.”
A woman summons up her childhood with an intensity so visceral it seems to be playing out in front of us. But as her memories draw closer to the present, the space between the personal and the speculative grows ever more blurry.
World Problems is both comical and terrifying - a solo time capsule catapulting across the ages, it seamlessly merges the most private and intimate reflections with a world-spanning perspective.
“World Problems isn’t only a show for humans.This is a show for every living thing on this planet.”- My Melbourne Arts
Book now at www.potatoshed.com.au, call 5251 1998 or visit the Box Office 10am-4pm Monday-to-Friday.
The City of Greater Geelong is thrilled to announce the full lineup for next month’s ReSound Music Festival in Geelong and The Bellarine.
As part of our Live & Local program, the free events present music and talent at a range of venues and support homegrown musicians and small businesses.
ReSound Festival kicks off in Ocean Grove on Saturday 1 June, with live music between 2-6pm at venues including Blackman’s Brewery, Bookgrove, Driftwood Café, KALA and The Piping Hot Chicken Shop, featuring:
DAISY KILBOURNE // ELLA SWEENEY // GABBY STEEL // HASSALL // JASPER JOLLEY (Bones and Jones) // JEM PRYSE // LEAH SENIOR // MINK MILA // POLLYMAN // RACH BRENNAN // SARAH CARROLL // SWEETHEARTS // TILDA JARVIS // WINKSY
On Saturday 22 June (2-6pm), music fans can head to central Geelong to see performances at Medusa, Murran - First Nations Hub, Lou’s Pizza and Wine, Pistol Pete’s Food n Blues, Popcultcha Records & Books and The Hot Chicken Project:
BEC GORING // ELLA SWEENEY // EMILIA FOL // DAISY KILBOURNE // HASSALL // JASMIN ADRIA // KEE’AHN // LOUD N DEADLY // LUCY LORENNE // NATHAN SEECKTS // PARSNIP // RACH BRENNAN // RIHANNA FIBBINS // SID O’NEIL // SUMMER de VRIES // THE ROMANTIC BASTARDS // WILD GLORIOSA
For the full schedule for both days and details on the artists performing, visit geelong.link/ReSound
Access to venues will be subject to capacity for each performance.
“Audiences are in for a treat this June.
Music is so ingrained in the culture and history of our region and we’re lucky to have such an eclectic blend of musicians wanting to showcase their talents here this June.
ReSound is designed to shift your gaze and your ears to seek out the next wave of talented artists to join the ranks.
Music fans from our region and beyond will have the opportunity to experience a diverse lineup, performing at unexpected and cosy small businesses.”
Councillor Melissa Cadwell
“Council is proud to present a free and inclusive festival that supports the live music and hospitality industries.
Live music is a fundamental part of the Geelong region’s arts and culture scene.
By being free, ReSound Festival will be accessible to a larger portion of the community and expose more people to these fantastic artists.
Gear up for some fun and uplifting experiences in Ocean Grove and central Geelong this June!”
Kelli Blackmore from Winksy
“Growing up in Geelong/Djilang, there was such a strong sense of community within the music scene - it felt like a hug.
Being part of the inaugural Resound Festival is an absolute honour!
I’ve dreamed of playing The Piping Hot Chicken Shop in Ocean Grove since I was a teenager.
Such an epic local venue that has had incredible acts over the years. I can’t wait!”
Geelong’s favourite food festival is back –with a delicious, new twist!
Rebranded as ‘Tastes of Greater Geelong’, the City of Greater Geelong’s annual food celebration will this year encompass the best in food, drink, and hospitality from across our whole region.
The Greater Geelong region is one of Australia’s most renowned food, wine, and hospitality destinations and ‘Tastes of Greater Geelong’, now in its 13th year, aims to showcase everything our region has to offer, from delectable local ingredients, farm-fresh produce, wine and dine events to gourmet taste trails.
The program, spanning Friday 21 June to Sunday 14 July, will highlight the plethora of gourmet delights within the region and invite locals and visitors alike to get out this winter, support the local hospitality scene and discover the delectable offerings that can be found in our own backyard.
The 2024 Tastes program kicks off with a weekend of food, drink, and hospitality celebration in Central Geelong, starting with ‘The Winter Warm-Up’ laneway event on Friday 21 June in Lt Malop Central.
Coinciding with the winter solstice, the evening will feature marshmallow roasting, delicious sweet treats, and warming mulled wine, while a free snow show and dazzling light projections will fill the air to bring a taste of European whimsical winters to the heart of the city. This inclusive, family-friendly event will be a highlight for all foodies both young and old.
Saturday 22 June will see the best of Central Geelong on display, with Taste Trails guiding guests to discover hidden hospitality gems while sampling delicacies from local vendors.
Foodies can then look forward to three weeks of food and drink focused events
hosted by venues across the Greater Geelong region.
For more information, head to geelong. link/tastes2024 with a full program to be announced in early June.
Mayor Trent Sullivan
“The annual festival is a highlight for the local community and visitors alike.
Tastes of Greater Geelong is an opportunity to indulge in local and international cuisine, attend demonstrations and masterclasses and support local businesses.
Council is thrilled to expand the festival, encourage the community to get out and try new things in the cooler months, and boost the local economy.”
The Sharp Group Co-owner and Director Lyndsay Sharp
“Tastes of Greater Geelong is a great opportunity for people to explore and celebrate the incredible array of gastronomic experiences our region has on its doorstep.
We really are blessed with a bounty of amazing food, wineries, breweries, distilleries and artisan producers.”
The Arborist’s Executive Chef Anthony Hammel
“I am super excited to be a part of Tastes of Greater Geelong to help tell the stories of local growers and producers and to showcase what a great food scene we have here in Greater Geelong, from great venues, pubs and cheap eats to rival any major city.”
Head pastry chef and owner of That Place Patisserie Ashlea Allen
“It is so important in our current climate to support small and local businesses.
I am so excited that Tastes of Greater Geelong allows people to do this, by exploring hospitality venues in our region.”
The Labor government announced changes to personal tax rates that will provide a tax cut for every Australian taxpayer commencing from 1 July 2024.
Changing the original course of action, as announced by the previous Coalition government, the new tax changes aim to focus on the low and middle income earners and provide cost-of-living relief.
The Medicare levy low-income thresholds for 2023-24 have also been increased, reducing or eliminating the amount of Medicare levy paid by Australians on lower incomes.
The bills amending income tax rate thresholds, tax rates for individuals and Medicare levy low-income thresholds, have now received Parliamentary approval to become law.
Announcement(25-Jan-2024)
Consultation(6-Feb-2024)
Introduced(6-Feb-2024)
Passed(27-Feb-2024)
Royal Assent(5-Mar-2024)
Date of effect(1-Jul-2024)
In an initiative to promote women’s economic equality, the Labor government has announced plans to pay superannuation on paid parental leave (PPL) for government-funded payments from 1 July 2025.
If enacted, this measure will provide parents who access the PPL government scheme with super contributions paid into their nominated super account equivalent to 12% of their leave pay.
An expansion to Australia’s PPL is also currently before the Senate, which will give families an additional 6 weeks of PPL, increasing to 22 weeks from July 2024, 24 weeks from July 2025, and 26 weeks from July 2026.
This measure is currently in the announcement stage and requires parliamentary approval to become law.
Announced: 7-Mar-2024
Updated: 14-Mar-2024
The Commissioner of Taxation now has the power to allow companies to reduce their FBT compliance costs by utilising other corporate tax records.
This measure reduces the complexity of FBT compliance obligations as employers can rely on other substantiation documents to finalise FBT returns.
Employers may still choose to use approved forms such as employee declarations and the prescribed forms detailing the fringe benefits provided to employees and associates if they wish. In some instances, it may benefit an employer to continue using standard FBT measures.
The effective start date for the change will be 1 April 2024 (commencement date of the 2025 FBT year).
Announcement(9-Sep-2022)
Consultation(9-Sep-2022)
Introduced(23-Nov-2022)
Passed(21-Jun-2023)
Royal Assent(23-Jun-2023) Date of effect(1-Apr-2024)
Announced as part of the 2021-22 Federal budget, were the reforms to the reporting requirements for not-forprofit (NFP) oraganisations that would self-assess as income tax exempt.
From 2023-24 income year onwards, if an NFP has an active ABN number, it is required to lodge a NFP selfreview returm to access the income tax exemption.
The NFP self-review return may be lodged anytime between 1 July and 31 October 2024.
Charities registered with the ACNC are exempt from these new reporting requirements.
Announced: 12-Nov-2023
Updated: 8-Apr-2024
Individuals who receive an eligible lump sum payment in arrears after 1 July 2024 will not have to pay Medicare levy on that amount.
These payments are usually made to an individual for reasons such as compensation for previously underpaid wages.
If your client would be eligible for other offsets or rebates relating to arrears payments, and they otherwise would have a reduced Medicare levy, this exemption will be available for them.
The Treasury has released exposure draft legislation proposing amendments to the Medicare Levy Act 1986, which will commence in the quarter following the date the bill receives royal assent.
Announcement(9-May-2023)
Consultation(5-Apr-2024)
Introduced Passed
Royal Assent Date of effect
The Bill proposing to increase the instant asset write off threshold in Div 328 of ITAA 1997 has been passed by the Senate with amendments raising the threshold to $30,000 from the previously proposed $20,000.
Originally announced in the 2023 Federal Budget, the increased threshold applies from 1 July 2023, amendments made by the Senate also propose to increase the aggregated annual turnover eligibility from $10 million to $50 million, therefore also including medium sized businesses.
This proposed measure applies to the cost of eligible depreciating assets, second element costs and general small business pools. Eligible assets must be first used or installed ready for use between 1 July 2023 and 30 June 2024, and the write-off applies on a per asset basis.
Announcement(9-May-2023)
Consultation(13-Sep-2023)
Introduced(13-Sep-2023)
Passed
Royal Assent
Date of effect
The build-to-rent (BTR) developments that commenced after 7:30 pm AEST on 9 May 2023, now benefit from an increased capital works deduction rate of 4% up from 2.5%. Announced in the 2023 Federal budget, this measure aims to improve incentives for investors to invest in BTR developments.
Also announced was a reduction in withholding tax rate from 30% to 15%, for foreign investors involved with managed investment trusts that invest in BTR accommodation. The Treasury has released exposure draft legislation proposing amendments to the ITAA 1997, TAA 1953 and ITAA 1936 to make the announced measures law.
Announcement(28-Apr-2023)
Consultation(9-Apr-2024)
Introduced Passed
Royal Assent Date of effect
A recent case has highlighted that early payment of superannuation leading to excess concessional contributions may not be considered a special circumstance allowing reallocation under s 291-465 (2) of the ITAA 1997.
With the concessional contributions threshold about to increase, Oldenburger v Commissioner of Taxation reminds employers to revisit their superannuation contribution strategies to avoid tax impositions.
In this case, the applicant applied for a special consideration after receiving a tax bill for exceeding the concessional contributions threshold, which was denied by the Commissioner and later the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT).
From 1 July 2024, the concessional contributions cap is set to increase from $27,500 to $30,000.
Announced: 4-May-2023
Updated: 7-May-2024
Geelong now has an event that is rapidly becoming a cornerstone of artistic expression and community engagement—the Geelong Art Show. Following the resounding success of its inaugural edition in 2023, anticipation is mounting for the 2024 event which is promising to be more enriching experience for both artists and art enthusiasts alike.
Under the stewardship of Geelong Art Show Inc., the event has evolved into an annual celebration that proudly spotlights the diverse talents of local artists while fostering a sense of camaraderie within the creative community. Drawing inspiration from feedback provided by participating artists, the organizers have meticulously curated an experience that promises to captivate the senses and ignite the imagination.
At its core, the Geelong Art Show serves as a dynamic platform for artists throughout Victoria to showcase their masterpieces. The event welcomes submissions across a broad spectrum of mediums, including Oils | Acrylics | Watercolors | Charcoal, Ink, Pastels, and Graphite, and the newly introduced category of Mixed Media. This expansion not only reflects the evolving landscape of artistic expression but also ensures that there is something to enchant every palate.
Beyond its role as a showcase for artistic brilliance, the Geelong Art Show is deeply committed to giving back to the community. Each year, any surplus funds generated by the event are channelled to support Australian charities. For the 2024, the chosen beneficiary is Very Special Kids, an organization dedicated to providing essential support to families with children facing life-threatening conditions—a testament to the show’s enduring commitment to making a tangible difference in the lives of others.
Art enthusiasts and connoisseurs alike are invited to immerse themselves in the Geelong Art Show, which will again be held at Sacred Heart College from August 16th to August 18th. With a myriad of captivating exhibits, attendees can anticipate an unforgettable weekend celebrating the boundless creativity that defines the Geelong art scene.
As preparations for the 2024 event gather momentum, artists from across Victoria are encouraged to submit their work for consideration. With expanded display spaces and a renewed focus on fostering meaningful connections between artists and patrons, the Geelong Art Show offers an unparalleled opportunity to showcase your talent and engage with a discerning audience of art lovers.
Applications for the Geelong Art Show 2024 are now open, with submissions closing on July 19th. Whether you choose to apply online or by mail, don’t miss your chance to be part of this extraordinary celebration of art and creativity in Geelong.
- Join the Push-up Challenge this June 5-28!
It’s free to sign up, and we welcome whatever exercise you can do. Think sit-ups, squats, knee push-ups, star jumps, modified exercisesit all goes! Anyone can join in and push for better mental health.
Funds raised through The Push-Up Challenge will ensure Lifeline’s local critical crisis support and suicide prevention service are accessible to anyone who needs them - anytime, anywhere and in the way those who need support feel most comfortable approaching.
Lifeline currently receives over 3,000 calls for help from Australians in crisis every single day. That’s one call every 30 seconds.
Support Lifeline Geelong in 2024 by clicking the link below or selecting other and then Lifeline Geelong as your beneficiary when registering.
How does the Push-up Challenge work?
You can solo or grab some mates and challenge yourself to 3,249 push-ups from 5 to 28 June. You can also aim for half or the full push-up target. 3,144 push-upsrepresents the number of people who died by suicide in Australia in 2021
I
can’t do push-ups. What else can I do?
We welcome any exercise that you can do, and it’s not just pushups. You can do Sit-ups, pull-ups, star jumps, squats or any modified exercise. This challenge is all about moving and bettering your mental health!
Give me all the details!
• Runs from 5 to 28 June, 2024
• 3,249 push-ups in total, representing the number of people who died by suicide in Australia in 2022. You can also do a half challenge!
• You can track your own and your team’s progress online.
• Get fit and learn about mental health.
• Fundraise for mental health (optional, but a great chance to support critical mental health services across Australia)
Support Lifeline Geelong and register to push today.
Do You Believe? Experience THE POLAR
Train Ride during winter for the first time in Australia at The Bellarine Railway!
Queenscliff VIC: Get ready to embark on a magical journey as THE POLAR EXPRESS Train Ride returns to the historic town of Queenscliff. The Bellarine Railway is delighted to bring this unique event back to the Greater Geelong area for just 8 days during the upcoming school holidays. People of all ages can now experience the enchanting world of Chris Van Allsburg’s cherished children’s book during the winter season.
THE POLAR EXPRESS passengers will be presented with their Golden Ticket upon their arrival at Queenscliff. Just be sure to hold onto this souvenir ticket in case it slips out the carriage window. Upon stepping onto the platform, the Conductor will greet everyone and start THE POLAR EXPRESS journey.
Families will be captivated by an immersive theatrical experience that brings iconic characters to life. From the Conductor’s memorable question to the lively ‘Hot Chocolate’ dance, a mysterious encounter with the Hobo, caroling onboard the train, and a magical visit from Santa, each moment captures the essence of the movie.
Midway through the journey, passengers will be offered a chocolatey drink and homemade treats, served by THE POLAR EXPRESS ‘chefs’. As the journey continues, families will be invited to join in singing popular Christmas carols. At the journey’s end, keep an eye out for the Elves, who will lead the way to the North Pole to meet Santa Claus. Every passenger will receive a special memento of the journey from the Jolly man himself – The gift of the spirit of Christmas!
Book Early: Families are encouraged to secure their all-inclusive tickets early, to avoid disappointment.
Find out what to expect: Visit our FAQ page for event information and other useful to help plan for the show.
Dress Code: Families are encouraged to embrace the POLAR EXPRESS theme and arrive in coordinating PJ’s!
THE POLAR EXPRESSTM Colour Sheets: When patrons book tickets, they will receive official colouring sheets for children. They can pick their favourite scenes from the movie and use crayons, pencils, or paint to make them colourful. They can even bring one to the event and add it to the display wall for everyone to enjoy!
Photos: Don’t forget to bring your cameras or smartphones to capture all the special moments from THE POLAR EXPRESS steam locomotive to interactions with the movie’s characters, there will be plenty to remember!
Event dates: 29 & 30 June 2024 1,2,4,5,6 & 7 July 2024
Show times: 10:00am,11:30am,1:30pm & 3:00pm
Show admission: $55.00 All ages from 1 year For details and bookings please visit: www.bellarinerailway.com.au/the-polar-express-queenscliff
6 - 7 APRIL & 5 - 6 OCTOBER
TICKET RELEASE DATES April event now on sale October event: Early May
Pop’ on down to Queenscliff and spend some time with Thomas, Henry, Douglas, those Troublesome Trucks and even Sir Topham Hatt! PLUS
Remember your camera as there will be photo opportunities galore!
Unlimited Troublesome Truck Rides with Thomas Meet and greet with Sir Topham Hatt
A 45-minute train trip along Swan Bay
Visit Henry’s Drivers Cab and blow his whistle Dr Hubble’s roving bubble show
Find Percy’s Yard Fire Engine Rides Art Activities
Children’s Event Pack
Subscribe
I read an account recently of how a baby giraffe is born. Amazing! It goes something like this:
The front hooves and head emerge first, then the entire calf appears and tumbles three metres to the ground, falling on its back. Within seconds the baby rolls over and stands, struggling to move those gangly untried legs. Then something amazing happens. The mother giraffe stands over her newborn calf and kicks it, sending it sprawling. If it doesn’t get up she kicks it again. Then once the calf is standing up, sometimes the mother deliberately knocks it over again – all to teach the baby giraffe how to stand strong enough and able to run with the herd for survival.
What is the correlation for us?
I must clarify I’m not advocating any sort of kicking or knocking over of our children – far from it.
But it’s during hard and difficult times that we grow. We don’t like it but we learn from these times and character is developed. The mark of a successful person is their ability to see problems as opportunities instead of obstacles – to face issues with a positive mind set, calmly and with resolve – facing up to the difficulty and working through it for the good of everyone.
Sometimes help from outside is needed, so please seek support where necessary.
I was chatting with a student this week who was in tears, having faced up to the silly thing they had done. I congratulated them on owning up fully to their actions. I encouraged them to learn from their mistake and to follow the process that was ahead with a positive mindset. The student left my office with a resolve to face what was ahead as best they could. A good example of pushing through in the hard times
All the best everyone, Kindest regards, Rob. LPS Chaplain
Robert.Hunter@education.vic.gov.au
is housed in a historic timber building originally built as a Dance Hall in 1934. It was known then as The Lobster Pot, and has retained the name through out its 90 year history.
The centre is run by a small and active volunteer group – The Friends of the Lobster Pot - and is opened Sunday afternoons from 1 to 4pm. During Summer and school holidays, opening time increase, depending on volunteer availability.
The displays within the centre range from local history, with 1000’s of photos in our collection, Shipwreck items, local marine, flora and fauna displays as well as covering the local Geography.
A display of local Wadawarrung artefacts tell the story of the original Indigenous people of the area.
The hands-on Marine Lab equipped with microscopes will allow you to visually dive into the fascinating world of marine rockpool life. Many other activities for children to join in and have fun will also help them discover the amazing coastal environment of Barwon Heads.
17 – 30 June th th
30-minute bicycle maintenance classes.
Wednesdays from 5:15pm (5:30pm start)
Learn the key elements of bicycle maintenance, to help you understand your bicycle better, keep it in tip top condition, and deal with some basic issues you might run into on the road.
1st Wednesday of each month: Repairing Flat Tyres
2nd Wednesday: Tuning Gears
3rd Wednesday: Tuning Brakes
4th Wednesday: Bike Set Up for Comfort
Our classes are practical and interactive - park your bike outside the store, bring a notepad and all your questions!
When deciding if your child is ready to stay home alone, it’s important to ask yourself and them some key questions, test out possible scenarios and ensure your home is as safe and secure as possible.
In Victoria, it’s against the law to leave a child alone for too long. But how long is “oo long”? An hour? The whole afternoon? And does it matter where they are? Is it safer for kids to be alone at home compared to outside?
“In Victoria, it is an offence for a person responsible for a child to leave the child unattended for any longer than is reasonable, without making appropriate arrangements for the child’s supervision and care. This includes leaving a child at home, or in a car, or anywhere else unattended. In Victoria there is no set age at which it is legal to leave a child unattended. It depends on the child and the situation.” Department of Families, Fairness and Housing
Figuring out when your child is ready to stay home by themselves is a big step – for them and for you. Every kid is different, and there’s no set age when all kids are ready for this.
Trusting your kids to be safe at home, especially between ages 9 to 12, can be nerve-wracking for parents. But there are good reasons to let them have a little alone time. It can teach them to be responsible, and hey, you might even get out for some kid-free time!
How to know if they are ready
Knowing when your kids are old enough to be left home alone depends on the individual child. Most experts say that by age 10 or 11, it’s okay to leave a child alone for short periods of time (under an hour) during the day, provided they’re not scared, and you think they’re mature and responsible enough to handle it.
However, you may want to wait another year or two before leaving them alone at night.
Ask yourself these questions to help evaluate if the time is right to leave your child home alone:
• Do you live in a peaceful rural or residential neighbourhood?
• Does the area have a low crime rate?
• Do you have an alarm system? Does your tween know how to operate it?
• Can your child understand and follow basic rules, like locking the door after coming inside and not opening it for strangers?
• Has your child shown good judgment in past situations?
• Do you have friends, family members, or neighbours who can get to your house quickly in case of an emergency?
• Has your tween shown signs of responsibility in the past?
• Is your preteen comfortable with the idea of staying home alone or are they likely to be scared?
How does your child feel about staying at home alone?
What will your child do if strangers come to the door? (Neighbourhood Watch advises to teach your kids to yell “Mum –there is someone at the door” if there is a ring or a knock and they are not expecting anyone).
• What will your child do if the phone rings?
• What activities are allowed if your child is home alone?
• What activities are not allowed? How should your child contact you?
• Who should your child turn to for help and how (if your child can’t contact you)?
• What is an emergency? What should your child do?
Before you leave your child at home by themselves, make sure you Make a list of emergency phone numbers that includes:
• Your mobile phone
• Family members who live nearby
• Trusted neighbours
• Triple Zero
• Check smoke alarms are working and change the battery if needed.
• Lock all windows and sliding doors, including on the second storey.
• Check the door locks are working and are easy to use.
• Leave keys in deadbolts in case of an emergency.
• Activate parental controls on televisions, streaming services, the internet and your child’s smartphone.
• Give them a spare key to the house.
• Make sure the hot water temperature is set at around 60 degrees.
• Test the electrical safety switch is working.
• Lock away any medications or dangerous objects.
• Show them how to use the security alarm, camera doorbell and any security cameras.
• Test scenarios with your child
What should your kids do if there is someone at the door?
You probably tell your kids not to open the door if someone knocks or rings the bell – especially if you aren’t home.
But that is giving a potential burglar the wrong message. The crook thinks “Sweet – no one is home”.
Instead of telling your kids not to open the door when you’re not home, tell them to yell loudly: “Dad! Mum! There’s someone at the door!”.
Thieves want a low risk and high reward. They will usually knock or ring the bell first to see if there’s someone’s home. If they think there is someone around, their risk of being caught increases and they will likely take off to try somewhere else.
If you’re not keen on your kids yelling out, investing in a camera doorbell that you can interact with via your smartphone. That way you can respond to unwelcome visitors even when you’re not there.
For more information, visit the Neighbourhood Watch website for some “What if” scenarios. https://nhw.com.au/children/is-your-childready-to-be-home-alone/
Gather your family and friends and rendezvous at the Bastille Day French Festival.
You’re invited to rendezvous at the iconic Queen Victoria Market Sheds C & D on Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 July for the annual Bastille Day French Festival.
Everyone’s favourite celebration of all things French and Francophone in Melbourne is back in 2024 and we can’t wait to transport you to a classic wintery French town square and celebrate the French National Day across a range of activities.
Join in the joie de vivre with a French Winter Market packed with local FrenchAustralian businesses and mouthwatering French and Francophone cuisine, to dazzling artists and performers, to a cultural program filled with Les Lumières talks, Walking Tours and interactive masterclasses - all right in the heart of Melbourne!
We will also have our Online Program in full swing so if you can’t join us in person, don’t worry, join us online for a range of live crosses to France, in conversations, musical delights and more!
“We invite Melbournians to rendezvous at the Queen Victoria Market this winter and join us for fun French festivities” encourages Elsa Barberio-Dehornoy, President, Bastille Day French Festival, “Bringing joie de vivre and the spirit of France to Melbournians and celebrating the strong local Australian-French relationship is a very special treat for us, we are thrilled to offer food, wine, produce, art, history, performance and more – please come, rendezvous and celebrate joie de vivre.”
Packed with festivities from local FrenchAustralian businesses, mouth-watering French cuisine, dazzling artists and performers, a ticketed program filled with Les Lumières talks, walking tours and masterclasses, right in the heart of the city – and all with the delicious scent of croissants floating in the air. Free entry to the French Winter Market and entertainment. Prices may apply to some of the ticketed program. For more information, visit www.bastilledaymelbourne.com
lifelinedirect@lifeline.org.au
Bastille Day French Festival (proudly presented by Peugot)
Sheds C & D, Queen Victoria Market
Saturday 13th & Sunday 14th July, 2023
9am – 4pm
Media Enquiries, interviews and photo opportunities: Paul Kooperman
Fetching Events & Communications
lifelinedirect.org.au/geelongswv
media@fetchingevents.com.au
Mobile phone number: 0400 344 746
In 1971 a couple of locals, Len Lewis and Kevin Ash had an idea for a bowls club in Leopold. The idea took hold, a committee formed and money raised. A location was needed that would have enough space for two bowling greens and a clubhouse. Finally this was located in Kensington Road, our current location and 5 acres purchased for $8500.
In May 1975 the club was officially opened as a family friendly sporting club by Brian Dixon, the then Minister for Youth, Sport and Recreation.
You can see the results for yourself on visiting our club.
There are so many people to thank over many years for their support, encouragement and voluntary help along with the the original crew that helped established the club.
Leopold Sporties, located in Leopold, Victoria, is a club based on sports. We offer Bowls, both social and Pennant, Golf, Racquet Ball and Squash.
FC Leopold was established in 2016 by Jared Larkins and Mitchell Vials. The club is based in Leopold, Victoria and played its first competitive games in 2017. In our first season we had over 100 registered players and expect those numbers to grow in 2018 and continue to grow into the future as the club continues to develop.
The club aims to provide a positive family friendly enviroment for our members to develop their skills off the field and to also become great people off the field.The club is run solely by volunteers and we are always looking to get members involved in helping the club grow and develop.
We are aiming to become a huge part of the Leopold community and look forward to growing the sport of football (soccer) in our beautiful town.
FC Leopold is a community club that fields senior mens teams, a senior womens team and multiple miniroos and junior teams in Geelong competitions.
FC Leopold are looking for enthusiastic members of the community who would like to contribute to the clubs ethos and family friendly feel - whether that is through being a committee member, volunteer, coach or player.
Like the page to keep up to date with the clubs progress as exciting things are happening with lights and a massive COGG funded pavilion project.
• Painting & Decorating
• Member of Find Geelong
I have been painting for 38 years now and my love for painting gives me an opportunity to run my own company, Dahllof Painting Services, for 25 years now which is still up and running. I have been doing factory painting, maintenance painting and currently, I mostly contract painting. Our business is about making peoples’ houses better either for selling everything we do from the little things to the big things. Our services include and glazing of wooden windows. We specialise in high end restoration
We are happy to help any clients paint their house to improve it as we small for us. If you need a reliable painting team that will get the making sure it is up to our standards, then give us a call.
been mostly do selling or living. We take pride in include all general painting, spray painting restoration work but will do anything. we have restoration work. No job is too big or too job done in an efficient amount of time whilst
01 JUNE
HOW TO CATCH A STAR
02 JUNE
THE WORLD OF MUSICALS IN CONCERT AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER ORCHESTRA
PRESENTED BY ROKITZ ENTERTAINMENT
08 JUNE
BABBA 30TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR
PRESENTED BY INTERACTIVECINEMA
09 JUNE
AN EVENING WITH VIKA & LINDA
PRESENTED BY SINCLAIR ARTISTS
15 JUNE
TINA THE ULTIMATE TRIBUTE TO THE QUEEN OF ROCK ‘N’ ROLL PRESENTED BY SHOWTIME AUSTRALIA PTY LTD
15 JUNE
BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY STARRING THOMAS CRANE PRESENTED BY QUEEN ON THE GREEN
02 JUNE 05 JUNE
14-15 JUNE
TROPHY BOYS
STEPHEN K AMOS: *OXYMORON THE SONGS OF JUDY GARLAND PRESENTED BY TOKEN EVENTS PRESENTED BY MARY TOBIN WINDING ROAD PRODUCTIONS 14 JUNE
WILL ANDERSON - WILEGITIMATE
SOFT TREAD ENTERPRISES IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE MAYBE PILE
ROSS WILSON & THE PEACENIKS PRESENT “NOW LISTEN! WE’RE STEPPIN’ OUT - 50 YEARS OF HITS TOUR” PRESENTED BY LEICASHOW 23 JUNE
29 JUNE
BANG ON LIVE- MYF WARHURST & ZAN ROWE PRESENTED BY DOUBLE J & TOKEN EVENTS
Tastes of Greater Geelong collectively showcases the wide variety of culinary offerings that make our region one of the best food and wine destinations in Australia.
Come along on a culinary adventure and take part in Geelong’s annual food festival featuring the best in food, drink and hospitality that the Greater Geelong region proudly has to offer.
The program will showcase a wide array of gourmet delights in the region, encouraging both locals and visitors to venture out this winter, support the local hospitality industry, and discover the delectable offerings in our own backyard.
From 21 June to 14 July, foodies can look forward to a great variety of food and drink focused events hosted by venues across the Greater Geelong region.
The 2024 Tastes program launches with a weekend celebration of food, drink, and hospitality in Central Geelong, beginning with “The Winter Warm-Up” laneway event on Friday, June 21, in Lt Malop Central.
Coinciding with the winter solstice, the evening will feature marshmallow roasting, delicious sweet treats, and warming mulled wine. A free snow show and dazzling light projections will enhance the atmosphere, bringing the charm of European winter wonderlands to the heart of the city. This inclusive, family-friendly event promises to be a highlight for food enthusiasts of all ages.
Saturday 22 June will see the best of Central Geelong on display, with Taste Trails guiding guests to discover hidden hospitality gems while sampling delicacies from local vendors.
A full program with unique events and special menus will be announced early June.
Exciting news for seniors and older folk in Geelong! Mamma Mia! THE CHOIR by ABBA The Museum is heading your way!
Get ready to relive the magic of ABBA’s timeless hits with THE CHOIR by ABBA The Museum as they arrive in Geelong, Victoria. This special event, tailored for seniors in the rainbow community, their families and friends, promises an afternoon filled with nostalgia and joy!
Get ready for our next instalment of DRAG BINGO with the Karmin’s resident Queen Karmin Can’t and special guest from Brisvegas, Karmin Dioxide!
Featuring 3 rounds of bingo, drag and plenty of laughs, drinks and fun.
This will be a night you won’t forget in a hurry.
Feel free to dress up if you feel the urge and be sure to book early so you don’t miss out.
BOOK NOW
When
06 June 2024, 07:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Where Manor Suite Wine Bar at Oakdene Wadawurrung Country, 255 Grubb Road, Wallington 3222
Phone: +61 499 303 202
2024 marks the 50th anniversary of ABBA’s historic win at the Eurovision Song Contest with their iconic hit “Waterloo” in 1974. To celebrate this milestone, THE CHOIR by ABBA The Museum is bringing their unforgettable performances to Geelong, offering an exclusive experience for seniors and their loved ones.
THE CHOIR by ABBA The Museum pays homage to the legendary band, ensuring their music lives on for generations to come. With their dynamic renditions of ABBA’s classics, this event is sure to warm the hearts of all who attend.
Join us for a memorable evening of music, laughter, and reminiscence as you sing along to your favourite ABBA tunes performed by this sensational pop choir. Let’s create new memories together!
Don’t miss this opportunity to relive the magic of ABBA and support The Equality Project®. Reserve your tickets now and get ready for an afternoon of fun and nostalgia at GMHBA Stadium in Geelong!
When 16 June 2024, 02:00 PM - 06:00 PM
Where Kardinia Park Stadium
Wadawurrung Country, 370 Moorabool Street, Geelong
Contact Charlotte
Email: charlotte@theequalityproject.org.au
Phone: 0457311984
Website: https://www. theequalityproject.org.au/events/ dancing-queens-geelong
Follow us: https://www.facebook.com/ TheEqualityProjectAustralia/
https://www.instagram.com/ equalityproj_au
Two afternoons packed with more than 30 performances by local and Australian musicians in 11 celebrated and unexpected venues.
ReSound Music Festival will host local and Australian musicians in bars, cafes, shops and businesses in central Geelong and Ocean Grove.
A woman summons up her childhood with an intensity so visceral it seems to be playing out in front of us. But as her memories draw closer to the present, the space between the personal and the speculative grows ever more blurry. Where do you end, and everything else begins?
An elegy for the future we’re yet to inherit, World Problems is both comical and terrifying, gripping and cathartic. A solo time capsule catapulting across the ages, it seamlessly merges the most private and intimate reflections with a world-spanning perspective.
Book online now or alternatively call to speak with our friendly staff.
When: 05 June 2024
Contact Lisa Harvey
Email: potatoshed@geelongcity.vic.gov.au
Phone: 03 5251 1998
Associated organisation: Potato Shed
Website: http://www.potatoshed.com.au
A Memoir of Motherhood, Madness and Coming Back from the Brink.
Ariane Beeston is a child protection worker and newly registered psychologist when she gives birth to her first child, and very quickly begins to experience scary breaks with reality. Out of fear and shame, she keeps her delusions and hallucinations secret, but as the months pass Ariane gets worse. Much worse. Finally admitted to a mother and baby psychiatric unit, the psychologist is forced to learn how to be the patient.
Ariane will be joined in conversation with local author, Fiona Lowe.
Book sales and author signings will be offered at this event. REGISTER HERE
Email: events@grlc.vic.gov.au
Phone: +61 3 4201 0600
Associated organisation: Geelong Regional Library Corporation
Website: https://events.grlc.vic.gov.au/ event/10462228
Funds are available up to $50,000 for planning and designs for future infrastructure projects or up to $400,000 to assist with costs of ready-to-go capital works infrastructure projects, which will provide a better level of service, increased programs or improve how spaces function.
Our priority is to support communityled projects that increase community access and participation, demonstrate collaboration between groups and result in greater use of facilities. (for-profits are not eligible).
This information session will cover eligible applicants, projects and expenses and how to apply. There will be time for questions, which will be answered by City officers.
Accessibility: Wurriki Nyal is an inclusive and accessible space. The room is fitted with hearing loops and has elevator and stair access.
Free parking is available from 5:30pm in the surrounding streets.
Please arrive by 5:30pm for a 5:45pm start. APPLY ONLINE
When: 12 June 2024, 05:30 PM - 07:30 PM
Where: Wurriki Nyal
Wadawurrung Country, 137-149 Mercer Street, Geelong VIC 3220
Email: communitygrants@geelongcity. vic.gov.au
Phone: 5272 5560
The 6th National LGBTIQA+ Conference, Better Together 2024, will be take place in Djilang, Wadawurrung Country (Geelong, Victoria).
Join us for The Rainbow Gathering for Change as we explore the current issues facing the LGBTIQA+ movement in Australia. Delegates representing Australia’s diverse LGBTIQA+ communities and organisations will come together to share ideas and experiences, learn from
each other, forge alliances and ultimately work together to build a better world for LGBTIQA+ Australians.
and organisations will come together to share ideas and experiences, learn from each other, forge alliances and ultimately work together to build a better world for LGBTIQA+ Australians.
Better Together® 2024 will once again feature exciting guest speakers from around the world. Several pre-conference events will be running to explore how
Welcome to Giggles & Glitz! A night to glam up, giggle and give!
The Art of the Minds are back at the divine Mount Duneed Estate with a charity ball that will see the return of crowd favourites along with some fun elements that are sure to make you giggle.
Who doesn’t love an excuse to frock up, get together for a boogie and get the good feels knowing it is for a great cause!
We will be raising money with a silent auction for Foundation 61 and its exciting new development, the House of Hope and also continue to increase awareness about mental health and reduce the stigma of mental illness in our community.
Get your gaggle of girls, a table of your work mates or the fambam together for a great night out, something to look forward to for the wintery nights ahead!
different parts of our community might work towards being #BetterTogether.
We want to create opportunities to establish meaningful connections so we can work together, shape the narrative and drive positive change. We don’t have all the answers, but we’re creating the space to ask the questions.
When
Daily from 14 June 2024 to 15 June 2024
Upcoming dates 14-15 June 2024, 09:00 AM - 05:00 PM
Contact Charlotte Mayall
Email: charlotte@theequalityproject.org.au
Phone: +61 457 311 984
Associated organisation: The Equality Project
Website: www.theequalityproject.org. au/events/better-together-2024
Follow us:
https://www.facebook.com/ TheEqualityProjectAustralia/ https://www.instagram.com/ equalityproj_au
Proudly sponsored by Geelong Community Foundation & the Torquay Lions Association.
When 21 June 2024, 06:30 PM - 10:30 PM
Contact Jules Haddock
Email: info@artoftheminds.org.au
Phone: 0439610394
Associated organisation: Art of the Minds
Website: http://www.artoftheminds.org. au
Follow us:
https://www.instagram.com/ artoftheminds3228/
https://www.facebook.com/ artoftheminds1/
In this session for adults we will be playing through the one page roleplaying game “Honey Heist”.
When 06 June 2024, 03:30 PM - 05:00 PM
In collaboration with the City of Greater Geelong, Music Victoria will be running three industry sessions as part of the Live Music Office’s Live and Local program.
This artist session will be an opportunity for Greater Geelong musicians to build their capacity within the music industry and will cover topics including setting up of your music practice, communicating with venues, and negotiation.
Speakers:
Ashleigh Hills, UNIFIED Luke Hindson, Torquay Hotel and Barwon Heads Hotel
When 19 June 2024, 05:30 PM - 07:30 PM
Where Customs House Wadawurrung Country, 57-59 Brougham Street Geelong
Cost This is a free event
Contact: Claire Portek
Phone: 5272 5272
Associated organisation: Music Victoria
Website: https://www.musicvictoria.com.au/event/ getting-your-act-together/
Students will learn a range of art techniques and explore differing styles through drawing, painting, collage and construction activities. Weekly projects will provide opportunities for children to learn about art history and experiment with various materials such as watercolour, acrylics, pencils, pastels, air drying clay and more.
Projects will be based on art elements and art principles and students will learn to mix colours, create interesting compositions and build observational and imaginative drawing skills. Through a series of fun and exciting activities, students will learn to express their creativity and imagination.
Classes held on Wednesday’s and Friday’s during school terms. Please visit my website for more details.
When
Every Wednesday,Friday of every week from 17 April 2024 to 07 June 2024
Contact Katrina Fisher
Email: katrinafisher145@gmail.com
Phone: +61 409 236 164
Associated organisation: Katrina Fisher Illustration
Website: https://www.katrinafisherillustration.com/kids-art-classes/
Follow us: https://www.instagram.com/katrinafisher_art/
Pako Festa is Victoria’s largest free multicultural street party celebrating Geelong’s diversity through community.
For over four decades, Pako Festa has attracted thousands of visitors, enriched the community and strengthened connections through food, performance and spectacle.
In partnership with Cultura, this exhibition will celebrate the spirit of Pako Festa through the objects and stories of Geelong’s multicultural communities.
Visitors experience traditional decorative dress, carefully crafted heritage items and archival material, interspersed with memories and reflections.
The festival has mirrored significant shifts in recent history, remaining relevant to new audiences without excluding the founders.
It is due to the cultural bridges built by Pako Festa that Geelong has emerged as one of Australia’s fastest growing regional cities, attracting people with shared values to this vibrant and dynamic community.
When
Daily from 16 February 2024 to 14 July 2024, 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Where
National Wool Museum
Wadawurrung Country, 26-32 Moorabool Street, Geelong VIC 3220
Contact
National Wool Museum
Email: nwminfo@geelongcity.vic.gov.au
Phone: 03 5272 4701
Coming this winter, the National Wool Museum is showcasing an intriguing and distinctive exhibition created by Australian artist Michele Beevors.
Anatomy Lessons will captivate guests with meticulously crafted, life-sized skeletons. Each sculpture is an accurate portrayal of a real animal and is carefully measured, drawn, and moulded from steel, wire, and foam. The frame is then intricately knitted over to create these thought-provoking pieces.
The works not only stimulate contemplation about the historical aspects of collecting but also shed light on the ongoing conservation challenges faced by all species.
When
Daily from 07 June 2024 to 27 October 2024, 10:00 AM - 05:00 PM
Contact National Wool Museum
Email: nwminfo@geelongcity.vic.gova.u
Join Archive for a Wine Tasting Garden Party celebrating Italian Wine.
We’ll be joined by some of Australia’s leading importers & distributors who will be showcasing some of the finest examples of Italian wine available in Australia!
The kitchen will be serving up some gourmet bites to accompany the wines.
And once you’ve had an opportunity to taste the wines you are welcome to grab a bottle, order some food and relax in the Archive garden.
This is a wine tasting event not to be missed.
When 23 June 2024, 12:00 PM - 03:00 PM
Where Archive Wine Bar
Wadawurrung Country, 140 High Street, Belmont, VIC, 3216
Contact Graham Sutherland
Email: shop@archivewinebar.com.au
Phone: +61 438 113 648
Associated organisation: Archive Wine Bar
Website: https://www.archivewinebar.com.au/events-shop/ viva-italia-wine-tasting-garden-party-23rd-june-2024
Follow us: https://www.instagram.com/archivewinebar/ https://www.facebook.com/archivewinebar
By Connor Schmidtke
The VFL Cats have recorded their seventh straight win, with a 17 point victory over Richmond on Saturday
Ted Clohesy pieced together an incredible four quarter performance, amassing 27 disposals and eight tackles to go with three crucial goals in a low scoring affair.
Brandon Parfitt was instrumental through the middle for Geelong with 33 disposals and 10 clearances, while George Stevens continues to build each week, collecting 32 disposals and seven clearances.
The Cats were able to keep Richmond to just 60 points for the contest, making it the seventh straight game they have held their opponent to 66 points or less.
Geelong controlled general play early in the first quarter, putting through three goals to build a handy 12 point lead at the first break.
The Cats hit the scoreboard first through a beautiful chain of handballs, which ended with James Willis in the goal square for the opening goal of the afternoon.
The game tightened up and the pressure intensified with neither team able to impact the scoreboard, before Ted Clohesy and Kaelen Bradtke broke the deadlock late with a pair of set shots, to give the Cats a 12 point lead at quarter time.
Lawson Humphries was dominant early with 10 possessions in the first quarter, while Connor O’Sullivan (8 Disposals & 2 Marks) and Dan Capiron (7 Disposals & 5 Marks) patrolled the half back line brilliantly.
Joe Pike got Geelong away to a perfect start after quarter time, booting his first goal of the day in the opening minute of the second quarter to extend the Cats lead.
Another clean handball chain ended with Ted Clohesy who snapped home his second major, before James Willis turned two defenders inside out and hit Patrick Hughes lace out, with the young Cat calmly converting the set shot.
Clohesy slotted his third goal late in the term from a forward stoppage, with Mitch Knevitt chiming in just before half time to give the Cats a 23 point lead at the main break.
Brandon Parfitt (17 disposals & 4 clearances) and George Stevens (15 disposals & 2 clearances) were the prime movers through the middle, while Mitch Hardie continued his strong form with 13 touches in the opening half.
Geelong withstood a surge in pressure from the Tigers early in the third quarter, before Phoenix Foster snatched momentum back for the Cats with an intercept mark and goal.
Hamish Sinnott curled home another to increase the Cats buffer, but Richmond mounted a strong challenge to close the gap to just 15 points at the final break.
Foster stood tall once again early in the last quarter, pulling down a contested mark and converting his second goal of the game to push the lead back to 15 points.
The Cats were able to close out the game from there in a low scoring final term, holding Richmond to just one goal in the last quarter to secure the 17 point win.
Lawson Humphries continued his strong form with 22 disposals while Mitch Knevitt, Mitch Hardie and Darcy Edmonds all finished with 21 possessions.
The VFL Cats will head to Sydney next Sunday for a clash with the Swans, with the first bounce at 11.35am.
Grant McCabe will take up the position after the annual general meeting this December
The Geelong Football Club congratulates Grant McCabe as the Club’s new President, who will take up the position after the annual general meeting this December, with current President Craig Drummond recently advising he would step down at the end of the year after 13 years on the Board.
Grant has been a director of the Club since 2019 and played an integral role in the Club’s successful bid for an AFLW licence, leading the integration of women’s football into the Club and Geelong region.
Having grown up in Geelong, where his extended family still reside, Grant attended St Mary’s Technical School and Newcomb Secondary College before completing degrees at RMIT and Melbourne University.
Grant is currently Managing Partner of global consulting firm, Boston Consulting Group, Australia and New Zealand, and brings a wealth of industry knowledge to the Club, having also been appointed by the AFL as independent chair of the AFL Industry Governance Committee for Player Development in 2017.
Current president Craig Drummond said he was thrilled for the Club to be taken forward with someone of Grant’s calibre.
“Grant has been a long-time member and supporter of the Club and has played a key role on our Board since joining five years ago.
Grant is a highly successful executive and his expertise in critical thinking and strategic decision making has already contributed significantly to our Club.
The appointment of Grant as the Club’s next president will be a significant milestone for the Geelong Football Club and comes as the Club seeks to reach 100,000 members in 2025.”
Of the appointment, Grant said he was humbled and excited by this new opportunity.
“It is an honour to take on the role of President. I have been a lifelong supporter of this Club and as a Board member, have seen up close what a truly impressive place this is.
“We are in a really strong position and everyone at this Club from our Board and executive team, to our players, staff, members, volunteers, partners, and the Geelong community, are passionate and optimistic about our future.”
Craig Drummond will remain as President for the duration of the year, allowing for an appropriate period of transition.
Senior coach Chris Scott has praised the performance of his midfield group after their influential display helped the Cats overturn an early deficit with a 30-point victory against Richmond at GMHBA Stadium on Saturday night.
Geelong’s midfielders produced a dominant second half display to propel the Cats to victory against GMHBA Stadium on Saturday night
Richmond led the contested areas of the game in the first half to lead by 16 points at half time, but the Cats used the break to make some tweaks and what followed was a dominant six goal third term which helped wrestle back the momentum and propel them to their eighth victory of the season.
“We were really challenged and there were a very little tweaks that we made but it was more about asking a bit more from those guys in the middle,” Chris Scott told media post-game.
Jack Bowes was a catalyst for the Cats in the third term with 10 disposals, three clearances and a goal. The former Gold Coast Sun finished with an equal teamhigh 29 disposals, 11 inside 50s and nine clearances in arguably his best performance for Geelong.
Tom Atkins (27 disposals, 11 tackles, 10 clearances), Tanner Bruhn (26 disposals, six clearances, a goal) and Max Holmes (29 disposals, five clearances, a goal) were also strong contributors in the middle of the ground.
Toby Conway was another who impressed in just his seventh AFL game.
The former Geelong Falcon finished with 14 disposals, 21 hitouts and four clearances, competing well against experienced ruck Toby Nankervis.
“We were really pleased with that midfield group.
“There aren’t many third-year ruckman in the competition and Nankervis is obviously a seasoned campaigner. I thought Toby more than held his own, and
“We’re looking forward to seeing Lilly continue to grow and develop her game at Geelong, and know she is going to fit in really well with our playing group.”
Pearce is the Cats’ fifth new player for 2024, following the signings of Bella Smith (via a three-way trade) and Kate Kenny (Other
Sport Rookie) and drafting of Chantal Mason and Bryde O’Rourke.
The Cats 2024 AFLW pre-season begins on Monday 3 June.
Geelong Cats have finalised their list for the 2024 AFLW Season, signing talented ruck Lilly Pearce.
it is good for our midfielders without Cam Guthrie and without Paddy Dangerfield to stand up.”
Forward of the ball Ollie Dempsey produced an eye-catching display with three goals from his 27 disposals, including a couple of brilliant snaps late in the second term the keep the Cats within striking distance.
“He had a really good game ahead of the ball. We were really pleased with him.”
Geelong’s next challenge will be against Sydney at the SCG on Sunday.
Pearce, 21, steps into the squad for Olivia Fuller, who was placed on the Cats’ inactive list recently as she pursues a career with the Australian Defence Force.
The new recruit was on Richmond’s AFLW list in 2023, following a dominant season in the QAFLW, where she averaged 35 hitouts a game and was often among the Sharks’ best as they finished the homeand-away season atop the ladder.
Geelong Cats Assistant General Manager of Football Brett Johnson said Pearce was a welcome addition to the program and would bolster the Cats’ ruck stocks.
“With Liv Fuller unavailable for this season, we were keen to add another ruck to our list, and Lilly Pearce is a great fit for us,” Johnson said.
“Lilly has been dominant in the ruck at state league level for a few years in both Queensland and Victoria, and she already has some experience in an AFLW environment from her time at Richmond.
Geelong United Basketball (GUB) is pleased to announce the signing of our inaugural WNBL Head Coach, Chris Lucas (2 year contract).
Lucas, a strong advocate for Women’s sport, has spent his entire career working exclusively in Women’s basketball leagues, and brings a wealth of experience to Geelong United. Chris has a proven track record in the WNBL, coaching Townsville to back to back WNBL championships from 2014-2016 –An achievement which would see him appointed as the Assistant Coach of the Australian Opals, which won a silver medal at the 2018 World Cup in Spain.
And now a new and exciting challenge lies ahead, as Lucas takes the reigns of a brand new franchise – “I haven’t felt this way in a long time. I’m very excited, and very appreciative to Mark Neeld (GUB CEO) and the Board for giving me this opportunity.”
In recent years, Lucas has coached WNBL teams to successive finals campaigns, something which he hopes to continue here in Geelong – “The expectations of every coach in the league is to make finals, and mine is no different. We’re hoping to put an extremely competitive group together that will hopefully put us in a position to make finals.”
Geelong United Basketball CEO, Mark Neeld is excited by the experience Lucas brings, and believes he is the perfect person to guide our team through its maiden WNBL season – “Our values at GUB are United, Inclusive, Professional, and Integrity –and as our first WNBL coach, Chris aligns with those values perfectly. We had early conversations with each other once this opportunity to join the WNBL presented itself, and we really saw his passion for the players and the WNBL product as a whole. We’re in very good hands with Chris at the helm.”
The hard work now begins, as Lucas and GUB look to put together the best team possible, with the hopes of making an immediate impact once the WNBL season gets underway – “This is the hardest part of the year, recruitment and free agency,” Lucas said. “I want to make sure we create a terrific balance in the team, covering all positions on the floor with a blend of experience and youth. Traditionally my teams play an up tempo style, and that blend of experience and youth will bring some real excitement to the group.”
Please join us in welcoming our new WNBL Geelong United Head Coach, Chris Lucas
Registrations for Cricket Victoria’s 2024 Winter Umpire Development Program are now open.
Cricket Victoria will be conducting this year’s classes/program in-person at the CitiPower Centre in St Kilda.
Cricket Victoria will be running this program over two sessions:
- Tuesday 18 June, 6:30-8:30 PM
- Sunday 23 June, 9:00 AM–3:00 PM
Registration fee: $60
Following the conclusion of the program if you wish to join the Premier Panel, you will need to take an exam based on the laws of cricket. The details for final exam will be forwarded to you by email post the conclusion of the program.
Registrations for the program close at 11:59pm on 11 June 2024.
Your chance to win a trip to Paris for the whole family!
To celebrate the upcoming release of Illumination’s Despicable Me 4, we’re giving Westfield members the chance to win a trip of a lifetime.
READ MORE
4 must-wear autumn winter fashion trends for 2024
Stylist, Stuart Walford will get your autumn winter wardrobe ready with his top picks of the latest 2024 fashion trends as well as his easy styling tips.
READ MORE
Welcome to Market Square Shopping Centre – your premier destination for a delightful autumn shopping experience, nestled in the heart of the Geelong CBD!
Enjoy stress-free shopping with ample parking facilities conveniently located via Yarra St.
For more information on the LED glow stick product recall, head to: Market Square Geelong — Promotional LED glow stick torch | Product Safety Australia
We have more skate parks per capital than any other municipality in Australia.
For most people when they retire, they will have only one form of income to help cover their future lifestyle expenses. This income is usually in the form of an account-based pension. They will likely have enough assets that restrict them from obtaining the age pension.
An account-based pension is created from superannuation monies. The money is then invested in assets; be it defensive assets like cash and fixed interest, and growth assets like property, Australian equites, and international equities.
For these clients, it is important to consider placing some money in growth assets so as to avoid the effects of inflation risk, but this comes at a cost of volatility risk which may lead to short-term capital losses.
At the same time, they will require a steady income and will be required to withdraw regular income from their pension accounts. Ideally, trying to avoid drawing down capital when the market has fallen as this will force the sell down investments, including growth assets, at a time when those investments might not be lower than one would otherwise hope.
Managing the competing requirement to draw down income but not reduce the capital balance of the assets supporting the pension is a challenge for retirees, especially when facing a bear market. One solution is a bucket strategy.
Not all financial planners use a bucket strategy for their clients, but it has some merit especially when the advisor is not actively managing the underlying assets of the clients portfolio but wants to reduce some of the risk associated with a falling market.
A bucket strategy is so called because it establishes the use of different pools of savings or ‘buckets’ to address various needs with the aim that there will be enough the buckets to provide for future pension drawdowns.
What is a bucket strategy?
A bucket strategy aims to help balance the need for ongoing income and capital growth throughout retirement by establishing and maintaining different pools of savings, each with their own purpose. The aim is to generate good capital growth while reducing the risk of having to sell investments when the market is down. There are many variations, but a typical option is to create three buckets.
How does the strategy work?
The bucket approach splits your retirement into phases, and appropriate investments must be selected to finance each phase. These varying investments are all held within a single account-based pension.
In our three-bucket example, your retirement savings would be divided into:
1. The short-term bucket
This is the liquid component of your retirement savings, from which all pension payments are drawn. It is invested in stable assets such as cash that can be accessed immediately or at short notice. This portion is not designed to grow, but rather to give you peace of mind that the next few years’ income is available and not subject to market fluctuations.
2. The medium-term bucket
The second bucket is intended to balance the need for stability with the potential for some capital growth in the medium term. Positive investment returns from this bucket are used to top up the short-term bucket. Typically 30–50% of this bucket would be invested in growth assets such as shares and property, with the remainder in more stable income-producing assets such as bonds and cash. The appropriate allocation depends on your attitude to investment risk and your goals and may fall outside the usual range.
3. The long-term bucket
The third bucket is for long-term capital growth, reducing the risk your retirement savings will run out. It is invested mainly in growth assets and will fluctuate more in the short term but should generate higher returns than the other buckets in the long run.
Positive returns from this bucket can be used to top up the short-term bucket. If the market declines, assets from this bucket are ideally not sold, but are held for the longer-term to ride out market volatility.
Bucket maintenance and repair
Once the strategy has been established, it must be maintained. Some super funds offer a bucket strategy investment option that will do this maintenance for you based on preestablished rules.
Maintenance involves adjusting the buckets periodically, usually annually or every six months, with the cash bucket being topped up from returns generated in the other buckets. This is sometimes called ‘rebalancing’.
When market declines cause a fall in value in one or both growth buckets, the rebalancing process may be postponed
entirely or restricted to moving assets only from a bucket that has experienced growth into the short-term bucket, leaving any assets that have declined in value untouched. Income can continue to be withdrawn from the remaining cash, with complete rebalancing postponed until the value of the other buckets recovers from the market decline.
Keep in mind that in the case of a serious downturn there may not be time for the medium- and long-term buckets to fully recover before the balance of the short-term bucket runs out. The bucket strategy reduces the chance you will need to sell assets that have declined in value but cannot eliminate it completely.
Sita retired at 65 and started an accountbased pension on 1 July 2018 with a balance of $620,000. She decided to withdraw income of $37,000 per year to combine with her husband’s retirement income.
Sita invested her account balance as follows:
After one year, Sita checked the balance in her investment options and rebalanced her buckets. Her target was to top up her shortterm bucket for three years’ income and to split the remaining balance equally across her other two buckets as shown below:
Note: Actual returns from AustralianSuper’s pension product have been used to provide a real-life example. For the shortterm bucket we used the cash option, the medium-term bucket reflects the stable option, and for the long-term bucket we chose high growth. Past returns are no guarantee of future returns.
Note that Sita’s total balance after one year is higher than her starting balance, despite her $37,000 of income withdrawals. In this example, Sita experienced strong investment returns during 2019.
After rebalancing she has moved some earnings from both her medium-term and long-term buckets into her short-term bucket.
The table below shows Sita’s situation after the second year. The balances of her mediumterm and long-term buckets have not grown very much because of the market crash that occurred during the COVID pandemic. Sita decides not to do any rebalancing this year because she feels secure in having at least another two years of income ready in her short-term bucket and hopes her other buckets will perform better next year.
held. The knowledge that you have a cash reserve and a strategy to cope with market fluctuations will give you increased confidence and help you avoid the trap of locking in your losses.
$600,466
Year three
After a further year, returns have recovered strongly, and Sita decides to rebalance her account using the same rules as year one – returning her short-term bucket to three years of income and splitting her remaining balance evenly in the other buckets.
In the fourth year, returns in the mediumand long-term buckets have been negative. Sita again decides to hold off rebalancing her buckets to avoid selling assets after a loss. Her situation is shown below.
In the fifth year, Sita’s returns in the medium and long-term buckets have been good and the balance in both is higher than in June 2021 when she last rebalanced. She decides to again place three years of income in the short-term bucket.
It will also benefit those retirees who simply do not want to have all their money placed into only one model portfolio (sometimes called a pre-mixed model portfolio e.g., stable option) or managed investment scheme (MIS) where the rule of the MIS is to sell down across all investments when providing for an income stream. Ideally, retirees should not have their funds placed in just one type of ‘option’ otherwise they may experience a greater loss in the asset base supporting their pension payments when the markets fall. Unfortunately, there are many retirees taking this approach and even some financial planners recommend this strategy because it is the easier approach when setting up a pension.
Despite its attractions, a bucket strategy may not suit everyone. Some issues to keep in mind are:
1. Complexity – Setting up and maintaining the strategy can be difficult. Decisions must be made about how many buckets to maintain, how much to invest in each, and the asset allocation (investment choice) that should apply to each bucket. Rules for maintenance need to be chosen and followed regularly. Personalised financial advice could help.
2. Potentially unsuitable for conservative investors – Returns from the short-term (cash) bucket will be low. For the strategy to be effective, the longer-term buckets must contain significant exposure to riskier growth assets. For conservative investors, this may be uncomfortable. More financial education or advice from a trusted professional could help overcome this, as the cash reserve in the short-term bucket does provide a buffer from negative returns.
If you’re unsure whether a bucket strategy is for you, there are alternatives to managing the risk in your retirement portfolio. You might consider a lifetime pension or annuity for part of your savings – we call this layering of income.
It is important for retirees to consider the underlying investments when setting up their retirement income streams. We do not encourage the transfer of monies from super to pension and simply placing all those funds into one investment ‘option’.
We strongly recommend you seek financial planning advice before you retire so that you can explore if layering of income is right for you and to discuss how the financial planner will invest your money.
At Find Retirement, whilst we don’t take a bucket strategy approach, we actively manage our clients’ investments and review them regularly. For instance, when Australian shares have jumped up significantly in price, we will consider selling the shares to realise the gain and with the proceeds either purchase lower value shares or place the funds into the cash account. With each decision we make the client receives our recommendations prior to implementation so that they are kept well informed of our investment decisions.
Combine our active management with that of low fees we believe our retirement offering is something all pre-retirees and retirees should consider. Feel free to give us a call to discuss your retirement needs.
www.findretirement.com.au
Who could benefit from a bucket strategy?
The bucket strategy is most suitable for people who fear a downturn in the market and want to take a more conservative approach to managing their investments. It enables a certain level of cash to be
3. It allows for complacency to set in – Once you have set up the strategy you might feel as though the underlying investments within each bucket do not need to be reviewed or monitored frequently. This can be a trap especially for those assets sitting in the non-cash buckets. To truly benefit from this strategy, one needs to actively manage the investments otherwise when the market has fallen and is low for an extended period, there may not be the opportunity to top up the cash bucket from the other buckets due to falling prices. Seeking a financial advisor that actively managers your investments is ideal even if you do not wish to implement a bucket strategy.
Financial Planning, SMSF, Super, Insurance, PreRetirement & Retirement Planning (Financial Planning) are offered via Find Wealth Pty Ltd ACN 140 585 075 t/a Find Wealth, Find Insurance and Find Retirement. Find Wealth Pty Ltd is a Corporate Authorised Representative (No 468091) of Alliance Wealth Pty Ltd ABN 93 161 647 007 (AFSL No. 449221).Part of the Centrepoint Alliance group( www.centrepointalliance.com.au/fsg/aw ) Warren Strybosch is Authorised representative (No. 468091) of Alliance Wealth Pty Ltd.
information has been provided as general advice. We have not considered your financial circumstances, needs or objectives. You should consider the appropriateness of the advice.You should obtain and consider the relevant Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and seek the assistance of an authorised financial adviser before making any decision regarding any products or strategies mentioned in this communication.
Whilst all care has been taken in the preparation of this material, it is based on our understanding of current regulatory requirements and laws at the publication date. As these laws are subject to change you should talk to an authorised adviser for the most up-todate information. No warranty is given in respect of the information provided and accordingly neither Alliance Wealth nor its related entities,employees or representatives accepts responsibility for any loss suffered by any person arising from reliance on this information.
We have made it cheaper and easier for you to get your returns completed & you can do it all from the comfort of your own home.
1. Email to returns@findaccountant.com.au requesting your PAYG return to be completed. Provide us with your full name, D.O.B and address
2. A Tax engagement letter will be emailed to you for signing via your mobile (no printing or scanning required).
3. You will be then sent a tax checklist to complete online. Takes less than 5 minutes.
4. We will then require you to upload your documents to our secure portal.
5. Once we have received all your documentation, we will complete the return.
6. We will email you the completed return with our invoices. Once you sign the return and pay the invoice we will lodge the return on your behalf.
Here are the steps involved: 1300 88 38 30
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.....Imagine a team where each individual is so strong in self that their focus is how to move together as one....
coaching that connects your team and drives results
We are a boutique Salon located in the heart of Packington Street Geelong West where we make you instantly feel comfortable. Provide you with all the knowledge you need to know about having your dreamy hair while providing a highquality service at affordable price where he to you with our services, please contact the Salon on 0410 481 511 to book any appointments, don’t forget to follow us over on Instagram.
Email your artwork to editor@findgeelong.com.au. If you wish us to create your ad, we will do this for a minimal cost.
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Email your artwork to editor@findgeelong.com.au. If you wish us to create your ad, we will do this for a minimal cost.
Go to www.findgeelong.com.au/graphic-design to upload your details and we will create this for you. Go to www.findgeelong.com.au/graphic-design to upload your details and we will create this for you.
x 96 mm - 1/4 Page Portrait
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