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EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES: Warren Strybosch | 1300 88 38 30 article@findmaroondah.com.au PUBLISHER: Issuu pty Ltd POSTAL ADDRESS: 248 Wonga Road, Warranwood VIC 3134 ADVERTISING AND ACCOUNTS : advertise@findmaroondah.com.au GENERAL ENQUIRIES : 1300 88 38 30 EMAIL SPORT : sport@findmaroondah.com.au WEBSITE : www.findmaroondah.com.au
OUR NEWSPAPER The Find Maroondah was establish in 2019 for the purpose of bringing together everyone in the community in one place. Our core focus is the support all the Not-For-Profits in the region by providing NFP’s with FREE advertise and helping them raise funds for their respective organizations. A core of business owners attend the Find Network luncheons held one a month to discuss the paper and how best to make it even better fo the local commnunity. The Find Maroondah has a strong editorial focus and is financed predominately by the business community.
ALL THINGS MAROONDAH
The City of Maroondah is a loacl government area in Victoria, Australia in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne. Maroondah had a population of approximately 118,000 as at the 2019 Report which includes 9000 business and close to 46,000 households. The City of Maroondah was created through the amalgation the former Cities of Ringwood and Croydon in December 1994.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The Find Maroondah acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the lands where Maroondah now stands, the Wurundjeri 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.
DISCLAIMER Readers are advised that the Find Maroondah 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 acting on anything written herein.
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ANZAC MEANING RENEWED AMID VIRUS: PREMIER The sacrifices of earlier generations will be more significant than ever this Anzac Day, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian says, as the state’s residents prepare to commemorate from their homes amid the fight against COVID-19. With Anzac Day services and marches across Australia cancelled, and residents urged to stay home due to the pandemic, the NSW premier says the day will have a renewed meaning. “More than ever, all of us will come to contemplate and appreciate what our Anzacs did in 1915,” Ms Berejiklian told reporters in Sydney on Wednesday. “The sacrifices generations have made before us come into greater significance given what all of us are going through this year.”
Australians have been encouraged to stand at the end of their driveways, on their balconies or in their loungerooms at 6am on Saturday to commemorate those who served, those who died and those who are still serving.
“We can’t have mass gatherings … The elderly and many of our veterans are in our highest-risk category,” Mr Lee told reporters.
Mr James says the changed Anzac Day schedule would prove difficult for veterans, A national service from the Australian War Memorial in Canberra will be broadcast on especially those who are older. television at 5.30am and will be followed by a televised service in NSW at 10am on Saturday. He urged people to give any veterans they know a call and check on their welfare. Ms Berejiklian, NSW Governor Margaret Beazley, RSL NSW acting president Ray “Initally it was hard, but they have realised James, a bugler and a vocalist will take part the situation we are in now is something in the 30-minute service from Sydney’s Anzac different, it’s a one in 100 year event,” Mr memorial in Hyde Park and the Cenotaph in James said. Martin Place. NSW acting Veterans Minister Geoff Lee urged people to stay home to keep “Nothing can ever take away the importance the community and veterans safe. of Anzac Day and what it means to all of us.”
BATTLING ANXIETY IN THE AGE OF COVID-19 By Georgie Moore (Australian Associated Press)
As the world retreats indoors, people living with obsessive compulsive disorder are fighting a battle on two fronts. The bid to bring COVID-19 under control means fear and hyper cleanliness are the new norm, and it’s threatening to send some OCD sufferers backwards. “My mind always goes to the worst case scenario, which is what we are living these days,” Jennifer, from Canberra, told AAP. “So it’s almost like the rest of the world is now living with the level of anxiety that used to make me an outcast.” Stringent measures including social distancing appear to be helping Australia get the upper hand on the spread of the coronavirus. But experts say the pandemic can be a double-whammy for people who live with or have a history of obsessive thoughts and compulsions. “The ongoing reinforcement of risk of infection, and either catching it yourself or then being a conduit to spread it, that is definitely likely
to increase their levels of anxiety,” Monash “It’s like your brain is eating itself.” University psychology associate professor Marie Yap said. Fiona’s anxiety centres around her home and she repeatedly checks locks and windows to “(It) can be really quite unsettling for make sure it’s secure. those who … might have reached a point where they’re starting to stabilise.” Laura, in “The isolation particularly is going be really Melbourne, helps run a Facebook group for hard for a lot of people…. The home is not people with OCD. always a great place for someone to be.” “They’re feeling like they’re going backwards Professor Yap has urged people struggling with their treatment, with all the messaging with anxiety amid the coronavirus to remain about hyper-vigilance and safety,” she said. connected to family, friends and their support network online or over the phone as Despite pop culture depictions, obsessive much as possible. compulsive disorder isn’t just about hand washing or cleanliness. “Over the past few weeks, a lot of the focus was obviously on reducing the spread and It involves intrusive and recurring thoughts, (flattening) that curve,” she said. with sufferers performing rituals, either mental or physical, in a bid to ward off the “But I think when the dust started to settle, anxiety. “(People) think it’s about being then people started to be aware that actually ‘oh, you like neatness’,” Fiona, a student in in the midst of all this upheaval, mental health Melbourne, said. is the next crisis that’s coming up.” “That’s not always the intrusive thought that * All names have been changed a person with OCD might have. It might actually be something really terrifying like Lifeline 13 11 14 ‘I’m scared my mother is going to die if don’t do these things’. beyondblue 1300 22 4636 MAY 2020 | FIND MAROONDAH
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FIND MAROONDAH | MAY 2020
LOCAL FIND COUPONS: GET YOUR FIND CARD NOW The Find Maroondah will be delivery the Find Cards to up to 5,000 letter boxes around Maroondah over the coming months. However, if you wish to receive a Find Card then register your interest at www.findmaroondah.com.au/register To learn more, watch the video of Warren Strybosch, the Founder of the Find Maroondah, discuss the Find Cards and how you can support your local community.
Click Here This Flyer will be provided with the Find Cards
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OUTDOOR FIRES FOR HEATING IN MAROONDAH
By Warren Strybosch
Open air fire areas, such as fire pits and chimeneas, are a popular addition to our backyards in the cooler months. Maroondah has strict rules on having open air fires to ensure they are safe and don’t cause a nuisance to others. You can have an outdoor fire in the open air if: • • • •
it is for outdoor heating or cooking it is in a safe and properly built device the device is specifically designed for outdoor heating or cooking it doesn’t cause a nuisance to your neighbours.
Any other sort of outdoor fire will either require a permit or must be authorised under the provisions of any Act or Regulation or the Municipal Planning Scheme. If you believe someone is burning off illegally during the Fire Danger Period, report this to Triple Zero (000)
(Source: Maroondah Council Website <https://www. maroondah.vic.gov.au/About-Council/Our-organisation/ Local-Laws/Outdoor-fires-for-heating-in-Maroondah?utm_ source=insidechat)
MANAGEMENT LIABILITY - EMPLOYMENT PRACTICE LIABILITY COVER SECTION GENERAL INSURANCE
By Craig Anderson Many Small Business Owners are currently facing challenges they hadn’t previously imagined thanks to Covid-19. Whilst downsizing the workplace due to a sudden and dramatic drop in revenue and profit sounds like it’s easy enough and rightly justified, the formal processes always have to be followed. Management Liability – Employment Practice Liability, is designed to protect you against alleged Employment Wrongful Acts of the employer and other employees, and is especially useful during a time where employees may feel aggrieved at the termination of their employment, or bring to light alleged unfair treatment as the basis So what happens if an employee claims they for a large and costly claim. have been unfairly dismissed and there is a Management Liability Policy in place? The A typical insuring clause will read something claim is received in writing but may initially like the following: start off as a verbal intent to claim, and at that point you must inform the insurer without The Insurer will pay, on behalf of the Insured, delay. From there, assuming the i’s are dotted Loss resulting from Claims first made against and t’s crossed and proper procedure has the Insured and notified to the Insurer during been followed, the policy will respond to the the Policy Period, where such Loss is in respect claim and the insurer will appoint a specialist of or arising out of an Employment Wrongful legal team to defend you and help you avoid Act. a costly loss. If procedure has fouled up and the employee does have a case, you may still Of course I won’t be seeking to attempt an be represented by the insurer who will seek explanation of 25 or more pages of what to minimise losses and conclude the matter amounts to legalese, definitions, exclusions, favourably. However if there is a flagrant conditions and so on, and this article is not disregard for all the rules, and if the act is intended in any way to constitute legal advice, performed by an employee with the full so bear this in mind as you read on. knowledge and consent of the insured,
especially if this is a criminal act the policy won’t normally respond. The simple message here is if you employ people, regardless of how harmonious things may be in the beginning, you really don’t want to be fending off claims using your own funds to do it when there is a policy that can indemnify you from extensive losses. So have the conversation with your broker now, and make sure you have a good look at your HR arrangements with an HR advisor too. The advice you get might just save you a fortune down the track.
Craig Anderson Small Business Insurance Brokers on 0418 300 096 www.heightsafetyinsurancebroker.com.au
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Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced a three-step plan to get Australia back to “where we need to be as quickly as quickly as possible”, with hopes most restrictions will be lifted by July. Following a national cabinet meeting via teleconference with state and territory leaders on Friday, the PM outlined the plan to move Australia out of the coronavirus crisis with the easing of restrictions, but warned there will undoubtedly be outbreaks. “There will be risks, there will be challenges, there will be outbreaks, there will be more cases, there will be setbacks,” he said. “Not everything will go to plan.” Morrison said the three-step plan would also help ensure around 850,000 jobs could be restored in the months ahead. The three stages, which will be reviewed every three weeks, are part of national guidelines to ease restrictions, but ultimately the decision to implement the plan lies with each state and territory leader. The process will include the gradual reopening of restaurants, bars, sporting sporting venues, and the resumption of social activities, with the number of people allowed to gather in one place increased at each stage.
Step One Morrison said step one would be focused on “greater connection with friends and family” and include allowing gatherings of up to 10 people and five guests in people’s homes. Working from home will remain an option for people in stage one, where possible, and children will return to classrooms and playgrounds. Some small cafes and restaurants and retail stores will be allowed to reopen, as well as golf courses, swimming pools, boot camps, libraries, and community centres including outdoor gyms and skateparks.
Cafes and restaurants which open up governments would still be allowed to may only seat up to 10 people at a time determine border restrictions. and patrons would need to maintain the four square metre distancing measures. Morrison said restrictions on funerals would also be lifted, with up to 30 mourners Outdoor sport of up to 10 people would also Local and regional recreational travel will allowed to attend outdoors and 10 guests be allowed. also be allowed, however state and territory allowed to attend weddings.
Step Two Step two will allow larger size gatherings of up to 20 people inside homes, businesses, cafes, restaurants and public places, however some states and territories may allow larger numbers in some circumstances.
Gyms, beauty, cinemas, galleries, zoos and amusement parks will also be allowed to reopen, as well as caravan and camping grounds, but each will only be allowed to have up to 20 patrons at any one time.
Couples may have up to 20 guests at their wedding from this stage, while funerals may have up to 50 mourners.
Religious gatherings may have up to 20 attendees. Some interstate travel may also Australians will also be able to continue “And you’ll be please to know, barre classed be allowed by stage two depending on the working from home where possible. open once again,” Morrison joked. situation in each state and territory, the government announced.
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Step Three The Prime Minister said it was hoped Australia would be in ‘step three’ by July, but the details of this stage would continue to be developed as the country moves through the previous two stages. Under the final stage, gatherings of up to 100 people will be allowed at homes cafes, restaurants, food courts and sporting venues, with most workers expected to be back in the workplace by that time. Nightclubs, food courts, and saunas will also be allowed to start operating. It’s hoped all interstate travel will resume by stage three, while cross-Tasman travel, pacific-island travel, and international “But the virus is still there, it’s still in our community. That’s why, despite our very student travel would also be considered. good position, we’ve got to be very caution “Step three, but also step two, will get greater and wary with our next steps.” definition as we move through the success of step one,” the Prime Minister told reporters More than 730,000 tests had been done across the country with just under 6,900 confirmed on Friday. cases. “It’s our aspiration, as agreed among premiers and chief ministers, in July, we would have Murphy said with two-thirds of the nation’s moved through these three steps through the cases coming from returning travellers, the government and health authorities would not country. “ be looking to lift border restrictions any time “The pace, though, will totally be up soon. to the states and territories. They’ll be responsible for setting their own timetable “We’re going to continue to quarantine all and communicating that to their citizens and returning travellers because this virus is certainly in a much worse position in many residents.” other countries from which our citizens are Businesses such as hair and beauty services, returning.” massage and tattoo parlours would also be required to record the contact details of He also urged Australians to keep getting tested if they are unwell, saying “we don’t patrons during all three stages. want to lose the control we’ve got.” Chief Health Officer, Brendan Murphy said despite Australia being in a good position, “No matter how mild your cold or your cough, there was still need to be cautious -- noting stay home when you’re unwell, and please the Cedar Meats outbreak in Victoria and the get a COVID test,” Murphy said. Newmarch Aged Care outbreak in NSW as “No more heroics of coming to work with a recent spikes. cough and a cold and a sore throat. That’s “This is what we expect to see and what we’ll off the agenda for every Australian for the continue to see and that’s not such a concern foreseeable future. Please.” if we’re getting on top and managing these outbreaks as we have in those two cases,” Morrison said Australians should be encouraged by the progress being made. Murphy told reporters.
“We are successfully making our way through this difficult battle on two fronts and we’re certainly doing it better than many and most around the world today,” he said. “Firstly, we’ve been fighting the virus and we are winning.” “Secondly, we have put in place and are delivering the economic lifeline through JobKeeper and JobSeeker and many other programs to get us through the worst of this, to buy Australians time as we fight the virus and we chart our way back.” “Thirdly, and particularly today, we move ahead with reopening our economy. And our society, with a clear plan, and a clear framework, that shows Australians the road ahead.” Last week, Morrison praised Australians for their social distancing efforts and earmarked Friday’s meeting to relax restrictions. “Australians have earned an early mark,” he told reporters at Parliament House. While the Prime Minister’s announcement allows for restrictions to be eased, the decision to change rules ultimately lies with each state and territory leader. Leaders can also reinstate stricter rules if there is a cluster outbreak.
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BABY BOOMER PERSONAL FINANCES HIT HARD BY COVID
By Jasmine Davies While millennials are feeling the effects of the pandemic on their mental health and wellbeing, CoreData research shows baby boomers are being hit harder in the hip pocket by COVID-19. Data from CoreData’s weekly COVID-19 Pulse Check reveals that on average, millennials estimate the crisis will have a $26,018 impact on their household, while baby boomers put that number at a whopping $54,216. While fewer than one in five (18.9 percent) millennials (aged between 26 and 40) expect COVID-19 to impact their personal finances for more than a year, more than twice as many (38.5 per cent) baby boomers (those aged between 55 and 74) expect the virus to impact their personal finances for up to 18 months or longer. Obviously, the benefit of time means many baby boomers will have a larger asset base than millennials, and are less likely to be still working full time, meaning they may be more heavily reliant on income from investments to fund their lifestyle (and hence exposed to market volatility). Their age means they’ve also got less time to make up any retirement shortfall.
Despite this, it’s millennials who seem to be feeling the pressure. While less than two thirds (58.9 per cent) of baby boomers have reduced their discretionary spending, nearly three quarters (72.0 per cent) of millennials have done so to minimise the impact on their personal financial situation. Likewise, only 6.8 per cent of baby boomers have applied for financial support or a loan, less than half the proportion of millennials that have done so (16.0 per cent). And nearly half (46.2 per cent) have cancelled subscriptions for services such as gyms and online streaming, compared to less than one in five (18.6 percent) baby boomers. While fewer baby boomers may have had such memberships to cancel in the first place, the differences in expense reduction and loan seeking may be explained by the fact that older Australians are more likely to have a comprehensive safety net to fall back on. Millennials (56.2 per cent) and baby boomers (51.6 per cent) both largely identify personal savings as their safety net during times of financial hardship, however millennials are more likely to fall back on picking up extra work, such as a second job or a side hustle, or seeking financial support from family or friends. Baby boomers are more likely to have passive income streams, via rental properties, investments or other alternative sources. Indeed, nearly one third (30.7 per cent) of baby boomers disclosed having some form of income from such a source, compared to one in six (16.2 per cent) millennials.
COVID-19 taking a toll on millennials’ mental health Interestingly, while baby boomers are expecting a larger hit to their personal finances, millennials appear to be carrying a heavier mental burden. While there is a slightly higher prevalence of depression among the older generation, with one in 10 (11.1 per cent) baby boomers reporting feeling depressed recently compared to 8.2 per cent of millennials, the younger generation is typically more anxious and overwhelmed. More than a third (34.8 per cent) of millennials reported feeling anxious, compared to a quarter (25.8 per cent) of baby boomers, and twice as many millennials (18.3 per cent vs. 9.8 per cent) admitted feeling overwhelmed. It’s likely that the different life stages of the two groups is having a bearing on their ability to cope, with many millennials of working age dealing with job insecurity and potential job loss, as well as raising a family. With less time under their belt to build a significant asset base, most will be highly reliant on their job to fund their mortgage and other financial obligations, while some may be single income families with a stay-at-home parent. Furthermore, more than half (53.7 per cent) of millennials are feeling socially isolated and cut off from the rest of the world as a result of the public health restrictions introduced in response to COVID-19, compared to fewer than two in five baby boomers (38.5 per cent). Life stage may also play a role in this, with more millennials (31.0 per cent) telling us they are currently single than baby boomers (9.5 per cent), and thus perhaps more likely to be living alone and feeling the effects of being isolated from family and friends. We all know money doesn’t equal happiness, and CoreData’s Best Possible Retirement research provides evidence of that, but there’s no doubt that any threat to our financial security can be stressful and difficult to handle. It could be argued that future generations are paying a heavy price to keep older generations safe, yet it appears that price may be mental, more than financial. Only one in five Australians (22.5 per cent) believe younger Australians should be financially compensated for following social restriction measures which are primarily to protect older generations. And while millennials are more likely to believe this should happen than baby boomers (22.5 per cent vs. 14.0 per cent), the majority disagree (57.0 per cent). COVID-19 has impacted people in many different ways, but there’s one thing that unites us all: we’re all in this together.
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JOBKEEPER PAYMENTS: AN OVERVIEW
information related to your turnover whilst you are on payment. Unfortunately, the Sole traders, partners etc JobKeeper payment is not back dated. As There are special rules that enable sole traders, By Warren Strybosch soon as you meet the test, you will start to ie entities that do not have employees as such, to For many business owners the JobKeeper receive payments until it ends in September. obtain the JobKeeper Payment. The Rules refer to payment will be a welcome relief as such entities as “business participants”. businesses experience a decline in turnover If you cannot compare March to March, then due to COVID19. other ‘Alternative Tests’ are available. For A business owner who is actively engaged in instance, fi you started your business in May operating the business may be entitled to the The JobKeeper Payment is a fortnightly 2019, you can average out your turnover from JobKeeper Payment. This applies to a sole trader, payment paid to eligible employers from the May till February and compare the average a partner in a partnership, an adult beneficiary period of 30 March to 27 September 2020. The against March 2020 turnover. of a trust or a shareholder in or director of a first lot of payments will start to hit employers company. An entity is not entitled to a payment bank accounts in the coming days. When you pass the test, you need to ‘enrol’ via for more than one individual and an individual MyGov or ask your BAS Agent or Tax Agent can only create an entitlement for one entity. For an SME to be eligible for the JobKeeper to enrol you. It takes about 5 -10 minutes to payment, they must meet the following enrol a client via the ATO online portal. To qualify, the business entity must satisfy the requirements: decline in turnover test (see above), must have an ABN on 12 March 2020 (or a later time allowed 1. Have had a decline in turnover of more by the ATO) and must either have included a than 30% An individual must be employed for a business receipt in assessable income for the 2. Have eligible employees JobKeeper fortnight to be eligible. In addition, 2018-19 income year or have made a taxable 3. Employees must have been in receipt of as at 1 March 2020 the employee must: supply during the period from 1 July 2018 to 11 remuneration equal to or greater than March 2020 (inclusive). $1500 for the April period. • be aged 16 or over; • be an employee or a long-term casual JobKeeper Payment Interestingly, it will be the last point that employee of the entity (12 months of and superannuation might have caught unsuspected employers regular and systematic employment); and and sole traders out as they might not have • be an Australia resident.This is determined For those in receipt of the JobKeeper payment had the funds to pay all employees the $1500 by reference to the Social Security Act or and who initially earned less than the $1500 per per fortnight. The ATO allowed employers to by the ITAA 1936 where the person holds fortnight, there is no obligation on the employer to back pay employees for the April period but a Subclass 444 (Special Category) visa. contribute to super above what you were already the payments had to have been made on or receiving. For example, if you as an employee, before the 8th of May. The 1 March date is important, as it allows were only receiving $500 per fortnight before employees who were retrenched after that JobKeeper, the employer only has to pay super date but then subsequently re-hired (possibly on the $500 per fortnight and not the full $1500. on the basis of the announcement of the The decline in turnover test is related to the scheme) to be eligible for the JobKeeper Warren Strybosch GST turnover and projected GST turnover Payment. However, if an employee was only from March until September. For SME, the engaged after 1 March, that employee would You can call them on 1300 88 38 30 or email test is whether or not the business has had a not be eligible for the scheme – because he info@findaccountant.com.au reduction in turnover of 30% or more. or she was not an employee of the eligible www.findaccountant.com.au employer as at 1 March 2020. Note: The For most SME, they will be able to compare employee does not need to be employed for the turnover in March 2020 to that of March the whole fortnight to be eligible, just part of 2019. If there was a 30% reduction or more the fornight. in March 2020, then they meet the test. If Definition of a they do not meet the test in March, they can assess their turnover in April and continue JobKeeper fortnight to do so for the proceeding months. As soon as the SME meets the test, they can apply The first JobKeeper fortnight began on the 30 for JobKeeper payments. The good news is March and includes the 14 days from that date. that you only have to meet the test once but The last JobKeeper fornight will run from the 14th the ATO will be collecting month by month of September to the 27th of September. ACCOUNTING
Eligible Employees
Decline in Turnover
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TIPS TO HACKING HAPPINESS IN ISOLATION
PARENTING
By Lesley-Anne Banton Are you Shoulding all over the place just now? Balancing your day to day routines, work, school and domestic stuff can be a challenge at What do I mean by this? the best of times choose to focus on what’s with With us all being at home and spending in your control and abilities within your home condensed amount of time together a lot of right now, yes supervising your children’s people will be more and more challenged education is important right now, but if that is emotionally, pressed for time, energetically causing way too much emotional strain for you drained and triggered (reactive rather than and causing conflict with your child touch base with your child’s teacher, remember teachers responsive). study for many years and work for many years Although many are focusing on what’s in to be able to educate children. Accept what is their control right now and choosing how with in your abilities and make it fun, relax and they want to experience this moment ( refer let go of expectation if challenges occur. Your to last months article) this doesn’t take away child’s teacher is there for support, you do not from you the added pressures of combining need to be beating yourself up inside your this with all the other challenges you are own head with what you should or should not experiencing. What I have found is that this be doing or be able to do right now. has created an outbreak of parents shoulding all over the place and beating themselves Likewise, whist navigating this and doing what up internally with invisible and perceived you can to meet work targets, find your balance expectations of what they SHOULD be doing your happy place to be able to achieve this and putting under the magnifying glass what without the shoulding and the beating up of self. they are not. As well as empowering yourself with the choice and awareness of how you and your family want to experience the current restrictions and the great outcomes you want to achieve at the other side of this, you also need to choice to give yourself permission to stop shoulding all over the place. Give yourself PERMISSION to be human right now, to make a mistake, to not have all your ducks in a row. Give yourself permission to not be a super perfect human. Choose to experience this with upmost permission to let some things go including high expectations that you need to hold everything together AND be able to do everything right now. Make your goal good mental and emotional health during this time for you and your family, redefine your rules and expectations.
Yes there are going to be moments of conflict, moments of emotional and psychological exhausting in all this until you can find your own new routine and pattern of what works for you and for your family, give yourself permission to be human, give yourself permission to let go of stuff that isn’t in your best interest right now and the best interest of your family. Challenge your perceived rules and expectations and redefine and chose a rhythm that works for you. Give yourself permission. Start to celebrate yourself each day for all you have achieved and navigated, truly give yourself a big dose of love and gratitude for navigating each day the best way you know how right now.
Be kind to yourself with your words. The words that you say to yourself impacts you, some hurt and harm you and deplete you of motivation and happiness or they can support, empower, celebrate and motivate you both impacts all areas in all your lives, choose to be kind to you. Give yourself love through this as you would your struggling child, self-love and happiness is paramount in good mental health and wellbeing and will support you in being able to navigate through current time and in the future. Remember to fill your cup with self-care and continuing your daily rituals that fill your cup and make you feel good about being you. Please do not neglect yourself you need to fill up your cup first as you lead and navigate your family through this. Acknowledge your feelings they are real yet do not give the ‘shoulds’ and ‘should nots’ thoughts power. Choose to celebrate you each day, you can do this by means of a journal, mentally celebrating and cheerleading yourself during the day. Acknowledge yourself when you took a moment and choose to refocus on creating a happier space that works better for you or when you choose to let go of expectation. Celebrate when you restart that daily ritual that fills your cup.
Lesley-Anne Banton Leadership and Parenting Disruptor and Coach. The Parent Whisperer 0432848418 www.theparentwhisperer.com.au
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COVID-19 STIMULUS PACKAGES AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR BUSINESS OWNERS This applies to those businesses with an 4. Apprentices - $1.3 billion has been put aggregated turnover of less than $50 million aside to support small businesses and By Neha Nayyar and in the second stimulus has been opened their 120,000 apprentices and trainees. In this time of uncertainty, many of you up to not for profit organisations also. Those eligible (have less than 20 full time may have questions relating to the Federal employees and they must be registered as Governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stimulus packages and how it 2. Business loans - In conjunction with an apprentice or trainee by the 1st March might affect your business. the banks the government will open up 2020) will be able to claim a wage subsidy The packages for businesses reflect the unsecured loans of up to $250,000 for 3 of 50% of the apprentice or trainees wage governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s efforts to keep people in years for those businesses with a turnover for up to 9 months from 1 January 2020 to employment. With businesses needing of less than $50 million. The intention is to 30 September 2020. This is huge boost for to temporarily close or scale back their help them through this tough period (no those businesses that employ apprentices operations there is going to be pressure on repayments will need to be made in the and for some could be the difference of these businesses to cut costs such as wages. first 6 months). It is hoped that this initiative being able to keep them on over these These stimulus initiatives are designed to try will give the business the ability to bounce troubled times. You will need to have and prevent this. back and rebuild their business on the registered for the subsidy from early other side of the CoVID 19 pandemic. April 2020 and will be required to have an What does this mean for business owners? eligibility assessment. 3. Instant Asset Write Off -You can already 1. Cashflow - In the first stimulus we saw a instantly write off assets purchased for your We are in favour of these stimulus packages cash bonus of between $2,000 and $25,000 business up to $30,000. Until June 2020 this and think that anything to help small to those employing staff. It was going to has been increased to $150,000 and the businesses is worthwhile. If you have any be administered as a refund of 50% of the businesses that can claim this has been questions or concerns about your eligibility tax withheld on behalf of employees to a increased from the previous cap of $50 for this, then please contact us today. maximum of $25,000. It also had a minimum million turnover to $500 million turnover. of $2,000 for those businesses that are This will come at a cost of $700 million We can be reached at (03) 9424 9447 or info@ employing people but may not have dollars to the Government but hopefully sumsubstance.com.au. You can directly book withheld any tax (particularly if the staff will encourage businesses to make some in a time to chat by clicking here. working are under the tax free threshold). larger investments into their business and The new package has expanded on this purchase goods before June 30 giving the and extended it to $20,000 as a minimum economy a boost. This starts immediately! with a maximum of $100,000. The first of So, if you have a piece of equipment or two payments will be at the Q3 BAS after machinery that you want to purchase then April 28 and the second likely to hit after now is the time to do it! You can even use it the Q1 BAS in the new financial year. for a vehicle. BOOKKEEPER
MAY 2020 | FIND MAROONDAH
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FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR SMALL AND MEDIUM BUSINESS
MORTGAGE BROKERING
additional funding to get through the impact of Coronavirus, and will be available for new There are over two million small and medium loans made by participating lenders until 30 enterprises in Australia, all of which have September 2020. been affected in some way by COVID-19, be it positively or negatively. There have been There are currently 36 lenders who are several initiatives announced to help these participating in the scheme, including all four SME’s through the crisis, the major ones major banks and several large tier 2 lenders. being JobKeeper and the Coronavirus SME Guarantee Scheme. What is this scheme THE DEVIL IN THE DETAIL and is it something owners of a SME should consider? 1. Loan terms of 3 years with a six month repayment holiday - Firstly, any assistance THE SCHEME IN A NUTSHELL for SME’s during this time is welcome. We all hope the economic affects are shortThe Coronavirus SME Guarantee Scheme will term and businesses can get back to provide small and medium sized business normal operations soon. However, there with timely access to working capital to is a distinct possibility that it will take help them get through the impact of the longer than a few months for businesses Coronavirus. to operate at a level close to where they were pre-pandemic. Owners of these The Government will provide eligible lenders SME’s need to be mindful that, once the with a guarantee for loans with the following initial repayment holiday expires, they will terms: need to be able to meet loan repayments which may be quite high, given the short• SMEs, including sole traders, with a term nature of the finance. turnover of up to $50 million. 2. Loan funds can only be used for cash-flow • Maximum total size of loans of $250,000 purposes (paying staff, rent of a premises, per borrower. etc).You cannot use these funds to refinance • Loans will be up to three years, with an other existing debt or buy an asset, so initial six month repayment holiday. this will be an additional commitment the • Unsecured finance, meaning that business will need to meet. borrowers will not have to provide an 3. Participating lenders will determine asset as security for the loan. a SME’s borrowing capacity using a combination of current and historic Under the Scheme, the Government will business performance information, such guarantee 50 per cent of new loans issued by as BAS, previous business tax returns and eligible lenders to SMEs. financial statements. If the business takes longer to recover than the initial six-month The Scheme will enhance lenders’ willingness repayment holiday then their capacity and ability to provide credit, supporting to meet this new loan repayment will be many otherwise viable SMEs to access vital impacted. By Reece Droscher
4. Interest is capitalised for the initial six months. Once this repayment holiday period expires the loan amount to be repaid will be greater than the initial amount borrowed. If a business has the capacity they can make repayments during the repayment holiday period to reduce the amount of interest charged. 5. The Government Guarantee – these loans are partially guaranteed by the Federal Government to provide the participating lenders with some security that, if the borrowing SME is unable to meet the loan repayment commitment, the Bank will at least be able to retrieve some of the debt (50%) via the Guarantee. The SME is still effectively on the hook for the full amount, the Guarantee is just a safety net for the lender. 6. Application Fees – most lenders are waiving the normal application and monthly fees associated with these loans under the Scheme. Assistance for SME’s is vital to help them navigate their way through the current economic environment. If you are a soletrader or small to medium enterprise who would be eligible to participate in the Scheme, your local mortgage broker is wellplaced to run through the pros and cons of this option. At SHL Finance we are open for business and able to assist you with any business lending requirements. For more information please call,
Reece Droscher Managing Director of SHL Finance Pty Ltd 0478 021 757 reece@shlfinance.com.au
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WHY GOOD SPELLING PROMOTES YOUR BUSINESS
CREDIT: Mediamodifier Pixabay
ACCREDITED EDITOR By Susan Pierotti
Think of a car – your car – and how it sounds when it is running well. It hums, it purrs, it roars, it grunts – oops, now it’s making that funny rattling sound again. You know when something is not right when it sounds different.
judged that business as unprofessional before moving off it even more quickly. According to Charles Duncombe, director for the Just Say Please group, sales drop by half when there is a spelling mistake and conversion, yet they increase by up to 80% if the mistake is corrected. In 2019 a Londonbased digital agency surveyed over one thousand social media users: 42.5% said that spelling mistakes would influence their choice not to buy goods or services. These were people aged 18–24 who placed ‘not enough social media posts’ at only 22%!
So you take your car for a service and you’re told that it needs a new spark plug. Do you say, ‘No thanks, just the grease and oil change again’? If you don’t change the spark plug, the car eventually will stop working. Interestingly, a survey of three groups of competitors found the winner in each Your use of language is like looking after a group had the fewest grammar and spelling car. When people think of using language, mistakes on its LinkedIn pages. Coca Cola, they think of speaking.We first use language Ford and Google fared better than Pepsi, when we are babies under than a year old. General Motors and Facebook – and they Our brains are programmed to formulate also have market superiority over their grammar, make verbs agree with nouns (I competitors. One reason is that is because sit, he sits), form plurals and other highly 99% of all online efforts at selling is executed complex language tasks – all before we are in the written word. That is why spelling two years old! correctly is so important. Then after about four years of spoken language, we learn to write it down. Sometimes because of vision impairment, dyslexia, or other conditions that make writing difficult, people can be hesitant about their writing abilities. But if you’re in business, you need to upgrade them, like renewing the spark plugs. Did you know that people judge a website in under six seconds? They rapidly peruse the layout, the graphics and the general style, before moving on to the next site. Unfortunately, if there is a spelling mistake on a business site, they will have already
To give you some examples, in 2018 the eight most commonly misspelled words in the US were: accommodate, affect/effect, definitely, maintenance, recommend, separate, there/ their/they’re and your/you’re – words, by the way, that are commonly used in business marketing material. Food for thought…
you take care with details – customers like to see that. It also could give you a competitive advantage as internet searches will promote your website and not a competitor’s badly spelt one that search engine optimisation (SEO) can’t recognise. By upgrading your written skills, people will see you as a consummate professional, one who is articulate and who takes the time to put thoughts down in a clear and precise manner. However, not everybody is confident or has the time to learn the art of better business writing. Don’t despair – delegate the written work to a writing specialist! Working with a reliable proofreader or editor to partner with your business will save you time, improve your internet search rankings, increase your personal and business exposure and deliver that competitive edge to your business, ultimately increasing sales. Creative Text Solutions is a writing business for all your writing needs. My job is to make you sound great! I offer a suite of business content including web content, blogs, articles and newsletters. I would be delighted to help you with yours. Contact Susan Pierotti at Creative Text Solutions, susan@creativetext. com.au, for further information.
There are other advantages to being an accurate speller. Being able to spell well ensures that your message won’t be misinterpreted and will be given the optimal chance of being understood the first time. It also prevents lawsuits and it is a reflection of your credibility and reliability, showing that MAY 2020 | FIND MAROONDAH
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DON’T LET COVID19 LOCK YOUR GARAGE DOOR!
GARAGE DOORS By Chantal Djuric
Coronavirus has changed our world. Never in the history of humanity has the world’s population been locked away as we are now. Everything feels strange, businesses are struggling to adapt, business owners can become fearful. However, why not use this time to your advantage? It’s time to consider doing those niggly jobs you’ve been putting off, all those ones you were going to get around to doing ‘one day’.
collecting dust and could be affected by the landlord. If your lease states that you as the change in the weather. leaseholder are responsible for doing repairs and maintenance, the Act will always override Now, think of the day when business will be this – it is up to the landlord to maintain his or back to normal. Orders will be flooding in, her premises. deliveries will be flying out the door. Your garage door will be experiencing a real Your landlord is required to maintain certain workout. If you haven’t maintained your door parts of the property in the same condition during COVID19 lockdown, it could let you as when the lease was entered into. Is your down just when you need it to work all the garage door one of these ‘certain parts’? Is it time, every time. part of the outside or inside fixtures? Check the original lease agreement to see if your Booking a garage door service is easier than garage door is specifically covered. ever. In this period of working from home, there will no inconvenience to employees Of course, as a tenant, you are responsible working onsite or to the day-to-day operations for any misuse, so frequent servicing and of your business if you book a garage door checking your premises during coronavirus service for your business premises, and you lockdown will reduce the likelihood of may find that garage door technicians are preventable damage to the garage door of more available than usual. your commercial or industrial business space.
If you are a business owner who has had to vacate your commercial premises, why not use this time to check on the maintenance of the building? This may be the time to get that window repaired, that dripping tap fixed, the inside repainted. Don’t forget the main A garage door service every three months safeguard to your commercial property – may sound like overkill but it is the best way your garage door. to get the maintain the life of the garage door of your commercial or industrial facility. Now Frequent servicing – a good habit is the time to get into the habit of booking Garage doors are mechanically operated; a three-month service so your business therefore, like cars and other machinery, premises will be ready to operate efficiently they needed regular servicing. Regular can when life returns to the new normal. mean once a year. However, like cars, other vehicles, photocopy machines and so on, Check your lease agreement garage doors benefit from more frequent If you lease your business workplace, one servicing attention. other thing that you can do in this time of selfisolation and working from home is to check Did you know that it is actually more cost- your lease agreement. effective to get your garage door serviced every three months? Even though your Under section 52 of the Retail Leases Act 2003 commercial or industrial premises may (https://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/), repairs be vacant, your garage door will still be and maintenance are the responsibility of the
It’s also a good idea to take photos and check the state of the garage door before you move into new commercial or industrial spaces. These will be a safeguard when you wish to move out or if there is any dispute. For 24/7 garage door servicing, give Cruzin Garage Doors a call on 0427 894 603 or email us at sales@cruzingaragedoors.com.au.
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CAN I TRUST MY ARCHITECT? THE LAWS AND REGULATIONS ARCHITECT
By Kathy Ismail Architects provide building design or architectural services that could lead to the design of buildings or parts of buildings. Only registered architects are legally permitted to use the title ‘architect’, and the terms ‘architectural design’, ‘architectural services’ or ‘architectural design services’ in relation to their work. It is one thing to wish to be an architect, and another to officially be one. As I remember, on the day when I was finally conferred as an architect in Victoria, I valued the hard work, sweat and tears that ensured my passion had become a reality. I was now able to join the great league of amazing architects designing great buildings, big and small, and work with many talented people. There are a couple of pathways to become an architect. Typically, you’d have to complete your undergraduate and post-graduate studies, up to five years minimum. So, make sure your architect has an accredited academic qualification in architecture or a pass in the National Program of Assessment. The most common pathway to registration is completion of an accredited Australian architecture qualification, followed by the Architectural Practice Examination. Here is the usual process of an Architectural The Act contains provisions for: Practice Examination. • registration of architects • Complete a minimum of 3,300 hours • approval of companies and partnerships (approximately two years) recent practical to offer architectural services experience under the supervision of • regulation of architects’ professional an architect, with knowledge of the conduct competency-based standards. • procedures for handling complaints • Submit a logbook that records requirement against architects fulfillment in fifteen specific performance • protection of the title of ‘architect’ criteria in National Standard Competency. and the terms ‘architectural services’, • Sit for the National Examination Paper. ‘architectural design services’ and Questions could be from any of those ‘architectural design’ fifteen criteria and also the National • accreditation of architectural qualifications Construction Code. • Board determination of qualifications and • Be examined by interview, the last hurdle experience required for registration before being invited to register with the • Architects Registration Board state’s Architect Registration Board should membership, procedures, powers and you pass. duties. • Make your application to the Board on the approved form, with accompanying To view a copy of the Architects Act 1991 documentation and the required fees. and Architects Regulation 2015, visit www. legislation.vic.gov.au. Finally, when your application is accepted, you will be invited to be conferred as an Although, each state has their own registration architect. It is a personal milestone for many boards, there is a reciprocal agreement should architects to reach this point, yet the journey an architect wishes to practise in more than one state. as a professional architect has just begun!
Credit: Massavana from Pixabay
The Architecture Registration Board of Victoria’s website states: ‘Our purpose is to protect the community interest and instill confidence in the regulation, integrity and delivery of architectural services in Victoria’. There are portals for architects to help them in providing a professional quality service and for customers for information and complaints. So, when you are about to build your new home, renovate your vintage house, add on that extension or expand your commercial premises to exact specifications so your business can run smoothly, you now know that you can trust your architect and enjoy a prosperous partnership together. Contact Kir Architecture at contact@ kirarchitecture.com.au for help with planning your building projects. We are always happy to answer any inquiries.
Kathy Ismail Architect 0422 026 962 www.kirarchitecture.com
For more information on the full list of Visit the link below to check if your architect accredited architecture programs and the is registered: Architectural Practice Examination, visit • Australia Capital Territory: planning.act. aaca.org.au. gov.au/build-buy-renovate/for-industry/ other-practitioners/architect-registration Upon registration, architects are bounded by • New South Wales: architects.nsw.gov.au acts and laws that maintain the profession’s integrity. Architects have been registered in • Northern Territory: architects.nt.gov.au Victoria since the first Architects Act in 1923. • Queensland: boaq.qld.gov.au • South Australia: archboardsa.org.au The current Act is the Architects Act 1991. • Tasmania: architectsboardtas.org.au Architecture in Victoria are also bounded by • Victoria: arbv.vic.gov.au • Western Australia: architectsboard.org.au the Architects Regulation 2015. MAY 2020 | FIND MAROONDAH
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TO ACCESS OR NOT TO ACCESS (YOUR SUPER EARLY?) THAT IS THE QUESTION. FINANCIAL PLANNING
By Mari Nguyen In normal circumstances an individual would have to wait they reach a particular age, known as the ‘preservation age,’ before they can access their super, unless they meet certain conditions of release. The following table from the ATO shows the typical range of preservation ages: Date of Birth
Before 1 July 1960 1 July 1960 - 30 June 1961 1 July 1961 - 30 June 1962 1 July 1962 - 30 June 1963 1 July 1963 - 30 June 1964 From 1 July 1964
Preservation Age
55 56 57 58 59 60
Due to impacts of the Coronavirus, changes have been introduced to allow a person to withdraw up to $10,000 between now and 30 June and/or $10,000 between 1 July and 24 September 2020. An individual may be able to withdraw up to a total $20,000. To apply for early release, you must satisfy any one or more of the following requirements: • you’re unemployed • you’re eligible to receive a JobSeeker Payment, Youth Allowance for job seekers, Parenting Payment (which includes the single and partnered payments), Special Benefit or Farm Household Allowance • on or after 1 January 2020 • you were made redundant • your working hours were reduced by 20 per cent or more • if you’re a sole trader, your business was suspended or there was a reduction in your turnover of 20% or more
myGov account, you can set one up by However, Ed finds after 1 July 2020 that his hours selecting ‘create an account’. continue to be reduced by more than 20 per cent compared to the average of his hours in Australian Taxation Office (ATO) will notify the last six months of 2019. Ed decides to make you by email or SMS when applications open. a second application and self-certifies through myGov that he is eligible for early release. Here a some examples provided by https:// He is able to apply again for a release of up www.business.gov.au/Risk-management/ to $10,000 of his superannuation. Ed submits Emergency-management/Coronavirus- a second application for the full amount of information-and-support-for-business/ $10,000 this time. Early-access-to-superannuation For each application, the ATO approves Ed’s Examples of the early access to early release and notifies both him and his superannuation superannuation fund. Ed has received a total of $18,000 of his superannuation in two separate Example if you’re a sole trader- Rachel payments. He will not be taxed on this amount the sole trader and is free to spend this money on anything he chooses, or save it for future expenses. He is Rachel is a sole trader with a catering business. also free to recontribute any unused amounts At the end of July 2020, Rachel seeks to apply to his superannuation in the future (within his for an early release from her superannuation contribution caps). for the 2020-21 financial year. In order to make the withdrawal, each fund will Due to the economic effects of the coronavirus, have some procedural elements that need to Rachel’s turnover for July is $5,000 compared be complied with, in addition to the guidelines to $10,000 on average per month for the set out by the ATO. Whether you should make a second half of 2019. Rachel therefore withdrawal or how much you should withdraw, determines that her turnover has reduced depends on your individual circumstances by more than 20 per cent compared to her now and in the future. Early withdrawal may be average turnover over the last six months of suitable for some, but not for others. 2019. If you think you might qualify for early release, Rachel self-certifies that she is eligible for why not give us a call and we can talk through early release and applies to have $10,000 the pros and cons of early release in your released from her superannuation. particular case.
Example if you’re an employee Ed the bartender
Ed works in a popular bar in Melbourne. As a result of the Coronavirus, Ed has had his work hours reduced from 40 hours on average in the second half of 2019 to 20 hours per week on average in May 2020. As a result, Ed determines that his hours over the last month People accessing their superannuation will have reduced by more than 20 per cent not need to pay tax on amounts released compared to the average of his hours over the and the money they withdraw will not affect last six months of 2019. Centrelink or Veterans’ Affairs payments. Ed decides to apply for the early release of $8,000 of his superannuation in May 2020 to How to apply help pay his rent and other living expenses. Applications for early release of Ed self-certifies that he is eligible for early superannuation will be accepted through release on myGov. He could have applied for up to $10,000, but chose not to. Ed cannot seek myGov from 20 April, 2020. any further early release of superannuation You can register your interest now by logging in 2019-20 on the grounds that he has been in to your myGov account and following the affected by the adverse economic effects of Intention to access coronavirus support the Coronavirus. instructions. If you don’t already have a
Mari Nguyen Principal Financial Adviser Canopy Financial Group Pty Ltd 0415 658 611 www.canopy.com.au
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HOW CAN I BE SURE MY BABY IS GETTING ENOUGH BREASTMILK? LACTATION CONSULTANT
By Dr. Joanna Strybosch One of the most common concerns mothers have is whether their baby is getting enough breastmilk. Many mothers are unsure if they are making enough breastmilk for their baby’s needs. Because you cannot see what volume of milk a breastfed baby is consuming, it is normal to wonder just how much your baby really is getting. A baby must receive all of their calories from milk – enough calories to support healthy growth and development, to have energy to feed, to move, to learn and to thrive. A lactation consultant can help you work out what volume of breastmilk your baby is consuming. She can also calculate how much milk your baby requires, based on your baby’s weight and age and she can give recommendations on how to achieve this. She will ask lots of questions about your baby’s nappies and she will examine your baby. There are some useful guidelines that mothers can use, that indicate if a baby is well fed and hydrated: • 5 (or more!) very wet disposable nappies per 24 hours (or 6 cloth nappies). • Only clear or very pale coloured wee, that has no smell. • 3 (or more!) soft or runny poos per 24 hours. An older baby may have fewer poos. • Weight gain and growth in length and head circumference. • Baby is alert and content between feeds - not feeding endlessly and not regularly falling asleep at the breast before they have fed, not overly fussy or sleepy. • Good muscle tone – not floppy. • Good skin colour and tone – baby should “fit her skin” and her skin should bounce back when you gently pinch it. What about in a newborn baby? How do I know if my newborn is getting enough breastmilk? In a newborn, there are a few important differences to be aware of. This is what you can expect in the first 5 days after birth:
Credit: Unsplash.com
• Day 1: The first poo is meconium from their digestive tract, and it will be green-black and sticky. There is likely to be 1 wet output. • Day 2: Poo will be softer and less sticky but still dark in colour. 2 wet nappies. • Day 3: Poos change colour to green-brown as breastmilk comes in. 3 wet nappies. • Day 4: Poos may now be lighter brown or mustard yellow colour. 4 wet nappies. • Day 5: Mostly mustard coloured, soft or liquid, 3-4 poos per day. 5 wet nappies. • After day 5, if your newborn still has greenblack poos or if he has pink/orange stains in his wees, see your GP or lactation consultant.
If your baby has 10 or more poos per 24 hours, or if they are explosive or frothy, he may be getting an oversupply of breastmilk. Speak to your lactation consultant.
Dr. Joanna Strybosch Osteopath B.App.Sc(Clin.Sc)/B.Osteo.Sc/Grad Dip Paeds
Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) 9876 3011 https://www.childrensosteopathiccentre.com/
MINI ELECTRIC REVEALS PRICING AND LUNCH DATE FOR AUSTRALIA (Renew Economy) Mini has revealed Australian pricing and specifications for the first electric Mini, adding a new electric vehicle to the limited Australian market. The Mini Electric Hatch, previously billed the Mini Cooper SE, will sell in Australia from $59,900 before on-road costs, with a small number of “First Edition” vehicles available from August 2020. The release of pricing and specifications comes following confirmation to The Driven that the all-electric Mini would not face the same delays due to the Covid-19 pandemic for Australia that other models are facing. With a 32.6kWh battery providing 233km range (WLTP) on a single charge, the electric Mini will have plenty of oomph from its
135kW motor which Mini says “delivers rapid acceleration” from 0-60km/hr in 3.9 seconds and 0-100km/hr in 7.3 seconds, as well as “instant throttle response” typical of electric motors. It will be available in four colours – “white silver”, “midnight black”, “British racing green” and “chili red” – with two-tone 17 alloys in either a white/black or red/green combo, wing mirrors in yellow on all colour options, and black leather interior.
Those interested are already able to secure a model via the Mini Australia website: but get in fast, as last word was that a good 2,000 orders had already been taken.
“The arrival of the Mini Electric Hatch in Australia heralds a new chapter for the brand – a charge into the future of electromobility without compromising the marque’s core values of creativity, vibrancy and smart urbanity,” said Brett Waudby, general Connectivity inclusions include an 8.8” touch manager of Mini Australia, in a statement. screen display, using Mini’s own “Connected” interface with Apple Car Play. The stylised “It is wonderful to see such a positive response dash and console includes a heads-up display, we are getting to the car. Our dealers across while a Harman Kardon hi-fi sounds system the nation are extremely excited to add this should keep music lovers happy. model to our customer offering, which is sure to be an absolute thrill to drive.” Both front passenger seats are heated, and driver assist technology comes in the form of To read the full version of this story on front and rear park distance control, including RenewEconomy’s electric vehicle dedicated rear view camera according to Mini’s website. site, click here… MAY 2020 | FIND MAROONDAH
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WORRIED C-19 WILL KILL YOUR BUSINESS... YOU’RE NOT ALONE!
MARKETING
Enter Marketing Backed Selling!
2. THINK HARD about:
Just because the world has changed, it doesn’t a. If you are not selling as a business owner mean people have necessarily changed their = you MUST start now. Other business We’re now into the 2nd month of lockdown desires… as just discussed above. The world owners are the ones buying now, they trust in Melbourne and many businesses are soul actually radically changed in the 90’s when the you more than anyone you will hire searching to figure out what to do now and internet start to take hold and avail everyone also for the future of their businesses. of the information they were searching for - b. If you’re not active on LinkedIn, you NEED but previously needed someone to physically to be... Change for survival is NOW. Most Are you likely to survive through this time? them on paper. people in business management are on LinkedIn Do you have a plan that will make you thrive, People still want to buy from people. coming out of this pandemic stronger than Therefore… to “do better business”, you need c. If you have a sales team, LinkedIn is the you went in; being able to dominate your to have a way to attract and retain customers best place for your team to actively attract competition – when this is all over? in the most automated ways possible. customers (for most businesses). The While doing this it is essential to retain the C-virus has NOT stopped the internet. The world as we know it will never be the most personal touch possible, giving your Now more than ever, people are looking same. Whether it be that more staff work customers and potential customers the for answers to THEIR problems on all more flexibly or there is more software that experience they desire - to delight them! e-channels takes care of more of your business for you… things have changed forever. d. Don’t just jump to advertising, think through it as a ‘part’ of your outreach and You need to also remember that your marketing plan … to help save your business & start competition are also planning and building a great system for marketing restructuring their businesses. e. THINK hard about the FOUNDATIONS of backed sales! attraction (Unique Value) & what type of people (Target Market) are attracted to 1. Put together a simple personal Have buyers changed their what you offer (Solution) marketing and communications plan * The aim is to sensitively reach out to all of minds and habits also? your customers to let them know how you These are the basics that most people miss You may not have realised and don’t really can help them at this time. and wonder why they are not attracting follow sales trends that closely… but the customers. world of the buyer changed dramatically in a. Note the major thing you can see, that they the 90’s and has been evolving ever since need help solving right now.. that you can If you would like some help putting together a with the multiplication of data on the internet. solve best for them (make it about them business survival/ growth marketing plan - we and make it very clear why you and your are providing 30 minute FREE consultations; Buyers now have more information about solution) for Business Owners who have 2 or more staff their answers to buying questions than the b. Give them an offer that is ‘too good to be (besides themselves) and are looking to trade sales people at most companies. true’, which could be FREE help (most out and grow through this unique situation people need and want this right now) and stage of business life. It is not because of Corona Virus that c. Call all your top customers, and put buyer habits have changed… however this together a personal, short and punchy Connect with me on LinkedIn (Matthew K. pandemic has definitely highlighted the need email sequence for the rest of your Benn) or shoot me an email explaining your for a more buyer centric model of selling than customer list depending how many situation a little bit – so that you can get the was previously understood by most business customers you have... if not that many = most out of our chat (consult@abcselling. owners and sales people. call them all) com.au). By Matthew Benn
How to start
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RETAIL SPENDING JUMPED BEFORE LOCKDOWN (Australian Associated Press) Retail spending across Australia jumped 8.5 per cent in March as consumers stockpiled food and office supplies in anticipation of coronavirus lockdown measures. Seasonally adjusted retail spending rose to $30.11 billion and followed a rise of 0.6 per cent in February, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics data released on Wednesday. The result helped retail sales volumes lift 0.7 per cent for the March quarter to a total of $80.72 billion. The monthly number bettered an optimistic market expectation, with analysts forecasting an 8.0 per cent rise in March. The result was driven by unprecedented demand in food retailing, with spending on groceries, liquor and specialised food up between 23 per cent and 30 per cent. Spends on household goods also rose sharply, led by increases in hardware, building and garden supplies (17.4 per cent), and electrical and electronic goods (11.3 per cent). However, the impact of social distancing regulations – introduced in the late March – saw sales fall in cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services, while discretionary spending on clothing, footwear and in department stores was also weak.
Spending on clothing slid by a quarter in March, while spending at department stores fell 8.9 per cent. Online retail contributed 7.1 per cent to the total retail turnover in March, up from 5.7 per cent a year earlier. Quarterly retail spending was also boosted by the
March numbers, although high food prices moderated retail volumes, the ABS data showed. The strong numbers did not surprise the market, with the Australian dollar trading little changed at 64.33 cents per US dollar after the announcement at 1130 AEST.
BLISS BOUQUETS, A GREAT WAY TO SEND SOMEONE AN EXTRAORDINARY GIFT EDIBLE BOUQUETS By Tk Saunders With life looking very different at the moment due to the corona virus and all its new restrictions, a lot of people are struggling with the new normal, we are struggling with how to stay in touch, how to stay connected. We are not used to spending all our time at home. How do we tell those people we love and care about that we love them when we can’t visit, we cant meet up for coffee, we can’t hug, we can’t get together, share a meal, share time, or just share life in general. At Bliss Bouquets we are lucky enough to still be in business we are lucky enough to still be delivering love delivering joy, delivering a smile, all wrapped up in a beautiful bouquet. Mother’s day is just around the corner, a day to tell your mum or your wife or the mother of your children that yes you love her, yes you appreciate everything she does, all the little things that a mum just ‘does’. A day to truly spoil her. A day that we are used to getting together to celebrate our mums! Personally this is one of my favourite holidays, I love that we can say “hey mum you are the best” so with that in mind l love to make Bliss Bouquets that someone has ordered for that someone special, l love to invent something that your mum is going to receive and just say wow!
So this mother’s day we have so many beautiful bouquets, fancy a little romance? Chocolate dipped strawberries lindt balls and champagne are a great option, something a little fun? Tim tams, choc dipped strawberries, blueberries, and a cheeky marshmallow or two? Got a savoury lover? Who would have thought you could get all your favourite deli meats like salami, twiggie sticks and prosciutto, add in some lovely brie and baby bell cheese, some olives, some wasabi peas, nuts and much more all in a bouquet? A truly amazing way to say “thankyou” we may not all be able to get together but at bliss bouquets it makes our day to make your mums day awesome! We will deliver your beautiful bouquet right to her door. ( contactless delivery of course ) Stay safe, stay cool. Much love Tk and Marie Bliss Bouquets The flavour of extraordinary.
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ECONOMISTS WARN OF LONG ROAD NORMALITY By Matt Coughlan Australians stuffed their homes with groceries and DIY projects in anticipation of a coronavirus lockdown. As the nation’s politicians look at how to reopen the economy, the latest retail data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows a record jump in food sales in March. Spending in supermarkets went up 23 per cent with the strongest growth on non-perishables like flour, pasta, long-life milk and canned vegetables and soup. Liquor stores saw spending increase by more than 30 per cent for the month. Other strong spending spikes were in hardware, building and garden supplies (up 17.4 per cent), and electronic goods (up 11.3 per cent). But the squeeze on discretionary spending as jobless queues grew and people’s hours were cut was also on display as spending on cafes, restaurants and takeaway fell a record 22.9 per The economy will take a $50 billion hit in the cent. three months to June from the existing level of shutdowns, Treasury has estimated. Clothing, shoes and accessories spending dropped 22.6 per cent. BIS Oxford Economics’ Treasurer Josh Frydenberg acknowledges it chief economist Sarah Hunter says despite the will take some sectors longer than others to hopes of politicians, it will be quite some time return to normality. “It’s a bit more difficult, as before retail trade returns to normal. you say, in hospitality or in retail,” he told ABC TV. “The majority of the sector will not be able to operate as normal for many months,confidence “What we’re looking to do is to give is still well below historical averages, and confidence to the employers that they can get some households will increasingly have to back into business because obviously they grapple with weaker incomes as a result of job have to eat up what is left of their working losses,” she said on Wednesday. capital in order to reopen and restock their cafe or their restaurant. Capital Economics’ Marcel Thieliant noted the record rises for groceries would be likely “(And) give consumers the confidence they countered by a slump in spending in April. can go and shop freely or eat freely at the restaurants and at the cafes.” Employers Prime Minister Scott Morrison and state started to receive their first round of leaders are working toward a three-stage JobKeeper payments on Wednesday to help easing of coronavirus restrictions with the aim them pay and retain staff. So far, more than of having an open “COVID-safe” economy by 725,000 businesses have registered, covering the end of July. 4.7 million employees.
That’s more than a million shy of the number of workers the government had anticipated it would cover, but Mr Frydenberg isn’t budging on expanding eligibility. How much it comes in under the $130 billion price tag won’t be revealed until the delayed October budget. Labor says the underspend on JobKeeper is a reflection of how hard it’s been for businesses and workers to access it. “JobKeeper has the capacity to do a heap of good,” shadow treasurer Jim Chalmers told reporters.“But the confusion around it,the poor communication, the fumbled implementation, the exemptions and exclusions form the JobKeeper payments mean that so many more Australians will join the unemployment queue … than is necessary.” The number of jobs in Australia dropped by 7.5 per cent in the month to mid-March and more than a million people have applied for unemployment benefits.
STRONG DEMAND FOR MEAL KITS DURING CRISIS Revenue for the quarter jumped a record 46 per cent to 42.8 million euros. In Australia Marley Spoon says its pathway to profitability had 14.8 million euros in revenue in the three has accelerated after a surge in demand months to March 31, compared to a year ago. globally for its home-delivered meal kits Its active customers grew 62 per cent to amid the coronavirus lockdowns. 81,000. It also showed strong growth in the The Berlin-headquartered, ASX-listed United States, while European revenue was company said it now expects to achieve up a more subdued 11 per cent. positive earnings this quarter, earlier than its The company has forecast it will exceed its previous estimate of late-2020. guidance of 30 per cent revenue growth this The company earned 22 million euros in calendar year, but given the unprecedented revenue in the four weeks since mid-March, situation, it could not say by how much. more than double compared to the same time last year. Its shares more than quadrupled Customer acquisition costs and marketing since the coronavirus crisis began, going expenses have dropped significantly, both from 25 cents on March 16 to as high as $1.365 because of increased inbound interest and a drop in advertising rates. on April 20. By Derek Rose
At 1107 AEDT, Marley Spoon shares were down 7.3 per cent to $1.21, after having risen 11.6 per cent on Tuesday. Marley Spoon reported an operating loss of 6.4 million euros for the March quarter, almost halving the 12.2 million euros loss a year earlier.
Customers are staying home and looking for reliable and safe ways to cook for their families,” Marley Spoon chief executive Fabian Siegel said. “Having been able to operate as an essential service, the team has risen to the occasion.”
Its supply chain has proven resilient and the company has been generally able to adapt menu choices to respond to shortages or price increases.
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BUSINESS PUSHING CASE FOR COMPANY TAX CUTS Despite Dr Lowe raising the issue of the consumption tax, Mr Frydenberg played down any changes to the GST. He was instead keen to talk up $300 billion of already legislated income tax cuts, pointing to the government’s flatter tax system. Coalition reforms mean people earning between $45,000 and $200,000 will pay the same marginal tax rate of no more than 30 per cent from mid-2024. Mr Frydenberg has spoken to the BCA, the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Australian Industry Group about industrial relations reforms. But in comments certain to anger unions, he said passing the controversial “ensuring integrity” bill was the first priority in industrial relations. The proposed laws make it easier to ban unions and deregister officials. then-prime minister Malcolm Turnbull and However, Industrial Relations Minister Finance Minister Mathias Cormann conceded Christian Porter indicated canvassing union views on which measures would produce the Big business has made a renewed push for it wasn’t going to get through the Senate. most jobs and wages growth was a key part of company tax cuts as the federal government looks at a sweeping post-pandemic economic The coalition promised before the 2019 his plans. election it wouldn’t revive the plan. But Prime reform agenda. Minister Scott Morrison has said in recent How much flexibility was needed to reanimate But Labor has warned against using the crisis weeks the economic blow from the virus the tourism and hospitality sectors, for as cover to dust off things the government meant positions taken before the election example, was a live question, he said. hasn’t convinced parliament to do during the had to be rethought. “If we can have more flexibility that people past seven years. Shadow treasurer Jim Chalmers said any new can agree as a matter of consensus, (it) puts Reserve Bank governor Philip Lowe on policies had to get the best bang for buck for upward pressure on the number of jobs we create, upward pressure on wages, then that’s Tuesday backed an overhaul of income, the economy. obviously worth doing,” he told Perth radio land and consumption taxes as he warned the pandemic would cast a shadow over the “But we also think this crisis shouldn’t be 6PR. an excuse just to dust off all of the things economy for a long time. that they’ve put forward in the last seven Mr Turnbull’s advice to the Morrison Business Council of Australia chief executive years which haven’t been supported by the government was not to waste the crisis but equally not to float ideas in the media before Jennifer Westacott wants company tax cuts community,” he told CNBC. they were ready, where they could be picked back on the agenda. The government is targeting tax,infrastructure, off one by one. “It is important that we have a competitive training, industrial relations and deregulation company tax rate,” she told Sky News on for reform in the recovery phase. “We’ll look “Governments everywhere are going to have Wednesday. “We’re simply asking for a at tax reform as an area of interest because to look at it and take the opportunity to say competitive rate so that we can be a magnet we’re always looking for opportunities to cut to their public, their voters, ‘We have to do for investment.” A long-planned tax cut for taxes,” Treasurer Josh Frydenberg told Sky some extraordinary things here’,” he told the National Press Club. big businesses was shelved in June 2018 after News. By retMatt Coughlan and Katina Curtis
TERM TWO GOES ONLINE FOR SCHOOL STUDENTS Later this week, they will meet again to discuss the thorny issue of what to do with Most Australian students will complete term year 12 students who will miss out on months two online as the nation’s education ministers of face-to-face teaching. thrash out a plan for those in their final year of school. Mr Tehan says all options are on the table for final year students. Year 12 exams are Medical experts insist schools are still safe, expected to be postponed until at least but parents are being urged to keep their December and universities will likely be kids home if they can. “For the majority of asked to delay the start of the 2021 academic children it will be online learning for term year. two,” Education Minister Dan Tehan told ABC radio. But Mr Tehan effectively ruled out an extra year of school for Year 12 students. “Every Prime Minister Scott Morrison said there was state and territory education minister – and no international medical data suggesting a it’s my strong view as well – do not want to see big risk to children by sending them to school. that,” he said. Universities have already started talking to schools about how to make sure there is a The most pressing concern is for teachers “We want to make sure that we can get clear pathway for 2020 school leavers. and staff. Mr Morrison said health advice as many students through this year as we around schools was driven by occupational possibly can.” Universities already use a range of techniques health and safety. such as interviews, recommendations from Mr Tehan’s personal preference is adjusting schools, and assessing a student’s academic Australia’s education ministers met on ATAR scores across the country to account record across the whole of year 11 and 12 to Tuesday to devise a national framework for for COVID-19 or changing the university decide if they are suited to a particular course. the next six months. assessment system. By Daniel McCulloch
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Autumn Book 2020... read and win! 1 March to 31 May 2020
Join us for the 2020 Autumn Book Binge! Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy to play - just pick up a game card from any branch of Eastern Regional Libraries. Read or listen to a book of your choice from any of the nine book categories: 1. Set in Victoria 2. Recent releases 3. Other lives 4. In translation 5. Fact to fiction 6. Book to screen 7. Beastly titles 8. Other worlds 9. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander writers Fill in your game card to keep track of the books you read or listen to during the book binge. How to enter: Once youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve completed a horizontal, vertical, or diagonal lin on the game card, you can fill out the entry slips attached to the game card. To be in the monthly draw, drop your entry into your local library branch by the end of each month. Prizes: A $40 Readings book voucher is up for grab for one lucky reader each month of the competition.
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CORONAVIRUS RESTRICTION CHANGES BY STATE: 29 APRIL UPDATE By Paul Osborne (Australia Associated Press)
WHICH STATES AND TERRITORIES ARE EASING CORONAVIRUS RESTRICTIONS? NEW SOUTH WALES • NSW will ease gathering restrictions from Friday, May 1. • A maximum of two adults and their children will be permitted to visit others in their homes. • Bondi and Bronte beaches have reopened for exercise only while Tamarama beach is only open for locals. • Students will return to classrooms by mid-term following a staged return during the first fortnight. • “We know that for many people, they’ve been cooped up in their homes for a number of weeks, and with the exception of exercising, medical needs or buying what they need or going to work, many people have been isolated in their homes,” NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said.
• Weddings and funerals can have up to 10 people present. • In real estate, open houses and display villages permitted but records must be kept of everyone who enters a home. • Students will return to the classroom from May 29. • WA Premier Mark McGowan said it was a “cautious relaxation” of restrictions.
SOUTH AUSTRALIA • South Australia health officials are looking at which restrictions can be lifted after a fifth consecutive day of no new coronavirus cases. • “While you will see some states starting to adjust the restrictions, it’s worth bearing in mind that South Australia didn’t regulate to the same degree,” SA Chief Public Health Officer Professor Nicola Spurrier said.
TASMANIA •
VICTORIA • Coronavirus restrictions to be reassessed on May 11 when the state of emergency ends. • “Idon’tknowwhattransmission will look like this week or next week, but I think the state of emergency going to May 11 is a nice line-up with the national cabinet process for a real look at changing the restrictions,” Victorian Chief Health Officer Professor Brett Sutton said.
QUEENSLAND • Stay-at-home restrictions to ease from Saturday, May 2. • Family picnics and weekend drives allowed, national parks will reopen and people can shop for clothing and shoes. • Citizens must stay within 50km of their homes, and social distancing will still be enforced. • People from the same household can go out together, while those who live alone can spend time with one other person. • No change to schools until at least May 15 with students continuing to learn remotely where they can. “We recognise that Queenslanders have done a great job in trying to flatten that curve. So we also know it’s having a big impact on people’s mental health. We thought we could lift some stay-at-home restrictions,” Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says.
WESTERN AUSTRALIA • Coronavirus restrictions eased from Monday, 27 April. • Two-person limit on non-work activities, including picnics, boating, hiking, camping. Group exercise eased from two to 10 people, provided they adhere to social distancing and good hygiene.
Tasmania won’t follow the lead of other states in easing social restrictions. • Restrictions closing non-essential retail in the northwest have been pushed back to at least May 3. • Most Tasmanian students to begin term two on Tuesday remotely, but schools in the northwest area will open a week later. • “Where some states might lift restrictions early, I don’t believe we will be doing that. I don’t intend to make knee-jerk reaction and take us to a position where the restrictions come off too quickly and then leaves us exposed,” Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein said.
NORTHERN TERRITORY • Parks and reserves will reopen this weekend. • Cafes and gyms expected to reopen in June, but under strict rules. • The territory’s borders to be the last things to be lifted. • “Based on our progress so far we expect there will be some businesses that can re-open or return to more regular operations within the next months,” Territory Chief Minister Michael Gunner said.
ACT • The territory won’t lift any restrictions soon. “This is not a race or a contest between jurisdictions. We are in a great position here in the ACT, largely thanks to the great community effort in complying with the rules around physical distancing. However, we have seen around the world what can happen when restrictions are imposed too late or taken away too early,” ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr said.
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MANAGING CYBER RISK WHILE STAFF WORK FROM HOME Heightened cyber risks have emerged as a serious issue, given most businesses now have many staff working from home. Well Covered (Steadfast)
So it’s important to put in place policies and procedures to ensure data is secure no matter where staff are located. Helping staff to recognise and avoid risky behaviours is also part of a great cyber safe culture. Here we explore some of the essential steps businesses need to take to reduce the risk of cyber criminals compromising the network.
Make sure staff are updating security alerts
Educate staff about cyber safe practices Phishing is a huge challenge for all businesses. These are fake communications sent by criminals that look messages from a real business. The fraudsters attempt to get staff to click on links, which gives offenders access to the business’ IT system.
It’s essential to teach staff how to recognise “The challenge is to ensure cyber security is a phishing email, which is challenging top of mind for employees,” says Fernando given criminals are becoming increasingly Serto, head of security technology and strategy sophisticated in their approach. at Akamai Technologies. “We’ve seen phishing campaigns that use “But it can be tricky to enforce behaviour social media and other methods to try to when people work at home, especially when it lure individuals to click on a malicious link comes to ensuring employees are uploading to compromise a work device,” says Serto. So security updates,” he adds. One way to combat it’s important to create an open, honest and this is to put controls in place so staff can’t transparent communication channel between access work applications on their devices staff and the IT security team. until security updates have been installed. This enables the business to explain to teams “This will encourage users to keep up with why being phishing-aware is important and updates and patch cycles,” Serto says. This to let them know when new scams emerge. is also effective no matter if staff are using devices provided by the business or their own Ensure staff are safe when they tablets, laptops and smart phones.
use video conferencing
“It’s essential to teach staff how to recognise a phishing email, which is challenging given criminals are becoming increasingly sophisticated in their approach”
The use of video conferencing tools has skyrocketed this year, greatly assisting firms to communicate when staff are no longer office-based. But hackers can easily compromise these tools and use them to enter a firm’s network. So it’s important to implement proper protocols to reduce this risk.“There are lots of free versions of these tools. But an enterprise-grade solution will make a significant security difference,” says Mick McCluney, technical director of cyber security firm Trend Micro.
Free services run a heightened risk of malware being installed in users’ systems. Using an enterprise-grade version substantially minimises this risk.“Outsiders guessing meeting IDs and bombing meetings is becoming an issue. So take care to configure meetings so they are secure. Using passwords where possible also helps ensure only authenticated users are in the meeting,” McCluney adds.
Concerns have been raised by the FBI and others about IT security when using Zoom. Hamish Blake the comedian has crashed Zoom meetings. Cyber insurance is another line of defence against cyber attacks by external parties. But it should be seen as a last line of defence. It’s also essential for firms to have the right security protocols in place to reduce the risk of compromised systems while so many people are working from home. If the business does detect a cyber breach, use it as opportunity to educate staff and encourage them to be an active part of the organisation’s cyber security strategy. See a breach as a valuable lesson and a way of generating insights about which other controls should be in place to avoid a similar situation down the track. That’s the best way to ensure the business, its data and systems are properly protected at all times. Important note – the information provided here is general advice only and has been prepared without taking in account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Steadfast Group Ltd (ABN 98 073 659 677, AFSL 254928)
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TAKE STOCK OF HOW MUCH CONVENIENCE ARE COSTING YOU
By Money and Life (Australian Associated Press)
With weeks, and perhaps months, of selfisolation ahead, many of life’s conveniences like streaming and delivery services will become our essentials. But if you’re used to spending unlimited amounts to make life that little bit easier, now is a good time to look at what you can live without to make your budget go further.
2. Food and Beverages
Consumers splurge a whopping $238 a month Apps, games, smartphones, tablets, (or nearly $60 a week) on food delivery eReaders… how much do you spend on services, research shows, with a further $140 a technology that you don’t even use? month on takeaway and coffees. With many devices costing upwards of $1000, If you find yourself regularly turning to apps delaying that upgrade until you really need it to satisfy your hunger pangs, here are some could be a win for your pocket – and for the strategies you can try to limit the splurge. environment.
These days it’s easy to order just about anything • Keep healthy snacks with you to curb on demand. With the tap of a button, you can those cravings when they hit. Things like stream the latest music, have food and drinks fresh fruit, nuts and muesli bars can help delivered to your door and choose a new take the edge off your appetite, so you’re outfit with next-day delivery. But convenience not tempted to hit order when you get too could be costing more than you realise, with hungry. serious consequences for your future financial • Plan your meals a couple of days in security. And with the growing number of ‘set advance, so you know what you’re going and forget’ payments for subscriptions and to make and can have the ingredients on services consumers are often footing the bill hand. for things even when they’re not really using • Take an online cooking class. Learning them. a bunch of fun new recipes can make it easier to enjoy some excitement with your There are also costs to society and the home cooking instead of turning to takeenvironment that come with the convenience away to add variety to your meal times. of online shopping. All that packaging and fuel • Swapping even one home-delivered meal consumption that comes with home deliveries for a home-cooked meal each week really can really add up to big problems for landfill adds up. A saving of just $40 a week would and climate change. put over $2000 back in your pocket over the course of a year. If convenience is troubling your conscience, as well as your hip-pocket, take a closer look at these five areas where it’s easy to overdo it. Also, get these ideas on what you could do to On demand transport apps have changed the put some sensible limits on your convenience way we travel. If you live in a big city, chances spending. are you use apps like Uber fairly often. But since the fees come directly out of your account, you may not even realise just how much you’re spending on travel. The convenience of online streaming services has made them essential for many people There’s also the environmental impact to looking to enjoy entertainment at home and consider. Each private trip produces much on the go. Unfortunately, free trial periods and more carbon pollution than public transport. automated payment schedules make it easy to forget exactly what you’ve signed up for. When you weigh up the true cost, is it really worth it? To get a handle on your spending, do an audit of your subscriptions. Check your bank The answer is simple: when social distancing account and credit card statements for the last rules are relaxed you can swap private rides three-months at least to find any automatic for public transport, walking or cycling payments. wherever you can.
3. Transport
1. Entertainment
Then select the services you want to be using in line with your entertainment budget. If you don’t have a fixed amount in your budget for entertainment, try limiting it to one service per category.
4. Technology
App subscriptions are another sneaky expense that really adds up. They may seem inexpensive and often have free trial periods, so it’s really easy to forget what you actually end up paying for. Check your subscription list at least once a month and delete anything you don’t need. Your bank balance will thank you.
5. Easy payment services Buy now, pay later (BNPL) arrangements have exploded onto the scene in recent years as a popular way to finance a variety of purchases. Figures show that 30% of Aussies have at least one BNPL account, spending around $7 billion a year. Most of that is going on fashion, followed by appliances, entertainment, food and drinks. But there’s evidence that BNPL services lead to overspending. A full 60% of BNPL users surveyed by Mozo reported purchasing things they normally wouldn’t, thanks to the easy payment installments. If this sounds like you, it might be time to step away from Afterpay, Zip and other BNPL services and get back to good old-fashioned saving in order to get what you need. Find out more about the pros and cons of Buy Now, Pay Later services.
Keeping a closer eye on your spending
To get a clearer picture of where your money is going, try using a budgeting app for at There are some great public transport apps least three months. Here’s a list of some of the around that make it quick and easy to catch a latest budgeting apps to try. bus or train, so you can still rely on technology to make travel simple. MAY 2020 | FIND MAROONDAH
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WA Payroll tax stimulus measures A range of payroll tax stimulus measures are being implemented in Western Australia to assist business with cash flow issues resulting from COVID-19. In particular, certain businesses in WA will receive grants, while others will be allowed to defer payments of payroll tax for months. Also, the future uplift of payroll tax thresholds will be brought forward to assist some businesses with their future obligations.
Announced: 17-Mar-2020 Updated: 18-Mar-2020
NSW releases COVID-19 business support package The State Government of NSW has released a business support package to alleviate the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak. The State Government has mainly focused on providing assistance through the payroll tax relief, as the intention is to help businesses keep their employees on the payroll. NSW has opted to waive payroll tax for businesses with Australian taxable wages of up to $10m for the three months leading to 30 June 2020.
Announced: 17-Mar-2020 Updated: 18-Mar-2020
Victoria payroll tax refunds in COVID-19 stimulus package At the top of the Victorian economic stimulus package is a refund of payroll tax for small business. Effectively, the payroll tax threshold applies to Victorian entities with Australian taxable wages less than $3m for the 2019/20 income year. As well as the payroll tax refunds, registered businesses in the hospitality, tourism, accommodation, arts/entertainment and retail industries will receive tailored support. This is in the form of a grant, and specifically not a loan. Other measures announced include deferral of certain land tax payments, and rent relief for businesses renting government premises.
Announced: 20-Mar-2020 Updated: 23-Mar-2020
Tasmania COVID-19 stimulus package Recently,the Tasmanian state government announced stimulus measures designed to assist businesses in crucial state-based industries who could be decimated by the COVID-19 pandemic.These measures include interest-free loans, waived payroll tax liabilities and incentives to hire a new staff member. Specifically, businesses in hospitality, tourism, seafood production and export sectors are directly targeted. Also, any other small business who is directly affected due to COVID-19 will get some payroll tax support.
Announced: 20-Mar-2020 Updated: 23-Mar-2020
QLD release COVID-19 business support package The Queensland State Government has released a business support package to ease the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak. The State Government has mainly focused on providing assistance through the payroll tax relief, as the intention is to help businesses keep their employees on the payroll. QLD has decided to extend its small business 6-months tax deferral program to all businesses in the state. A $500m concessional loan facility will also be made available to affected businesses.
Announced: 16-Mar-2020 Updated: 20-Mar-2020
JobKeeper payment wage subsidy measures announced Eligible businesses will receive wage subsidies to pay staff as a result of being affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.This Government payment scheme, titled JobKeeper, will be available for sole traders, partnerships, trusts and companies. The payments will comprise of a payment of $1,500 per fortnight, for each eligible employee, for a maximum of 6 months from 30 March 2020. Businesses can register their interest in applying for the JobKeeper payment via ato.gov. au from 30 March 2020. Upon the scheme being made available for registration, eligible businesses can apply for it via an online application. Eligible businesses must identify eligible employees and provide monthly updates to the ATO. All eligible employees must receive, at a minimum, the amount of $1,500 per fortnight, before tax.
Announced: 30-Mar-2020 Updated: 31-Mar-2020
Accessing Coronavirus supplement payment for sole traders and casuals The federal government has expanded eligibility access to social security payments in response to the economic fallout from COVID-19. Any person, whether a sole trader, casual, full-time or contract worker will become immediately eligible for payments should that meet the relevant income tests. This includes an additional $550 per fortnight Coronavirus supplement payment. The Coronavirus supplement payment is paid in full regardless of income or asset levels. An individual, who is a citizen or permanent resident, just needs to qualify for a payment to receive the full $550.
Announced: 23-Mar-2020 Updated: 31-Mar-2020
Tax relief for businesses affected by COVID-19 Businesses affected by COVID-19 can now access support from the ATO on managing their tax affairs. The ATO will allow deferrals of payments for 6 months for income tax, activity statements, FBT and excise payments. Also, affected businesses will be able to apply for remission of interest and penalties. Affected businesses are being encouraged to change their GST reporting cycle from quarterly to monthly so that business can access GST refunds earlier. In addition, affected businesses that pay quarterly pay as you go (PAYG) instalments can vary their PAYG instalments to a lower rate or even zero. PAYG instalments made for prior quarters can also be claimed back from the ATO.
Announced: 19-Mar-2020 Updated: 26-Mar-2020
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Instant asset stimulus package for 2020 purchases The instant asset write-off will be available for the majority of businesses during some part of the 2019/20 income year. Between 12 March 2020 to 30 June 2020, businesses with up to $500m in turnover will get an instant asset write-off for assets first installed and ready for use under $150k. In the legislation, the update also extends to the low value pool. Where a small business pool has a closing balance of less than $150k will be able to write off the entire balance (also up from $30k). The Government stimulus package, announced to prevent a large national economic downturn, includes this boost to instant asset write-offs. However, the stimulus will not be received until lodgement of the tax return.
Announced: 11-Mar-2020 Updated: 26-Mar-2020
South Australia provides COVID-19 payroll tax and land tax relief The SA Government has announced a $1b economic response package to provide relief from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.There will be payroll tax and land tax relief as part of the package. For the payroll tax relief, the State will provide for a 6-month waiver of payroll tax for all businesses with Australian grouped wages up to $4m. Employers with Australian grouped wages above $4m will be able to defer payroll tax payments for 6 months, on demonstrating that the business cash flow has been significantly impacted by the effects of COVID-19. There will be significant land tax relief under the new measures, as businesses with outstanding quarterly bills for 2019/20 will be able to defer payments for 6 months.
Announced: 26-Mar-2020 Updated: 31-Mar-2020
ACT rebates and waivers for COVID-19 affected businesses On Friday, 20 March 2020, the ACT government announced a series of measures which will provide businesses with rebates and waivers to combat the global pandemic downturn. These measures include a waiver of payroll tax for businesses in hospitality, creative arts and entertainment industries. Also, deferrals will be available for all other small and medium-sized businesses. Small business will also receive a $750 rebate on their next power bill. Businesses will also be entitled to a credit on commercial rates of $2,622.
Announced: 22-Mar-2020 Updated: 23-Mar-2020
JobKeeper payment wage subsidy Eligible businesses will receive wage subsidies to pay staff as a result of being affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The JobKeeper payment scheme will be available for sole traders, partnerships, trusts and companies. The payments under the scheme will be $1,500 per fortnight per eligible employee, for 13 fortnights beginning 30 March 2020. Businesses need to enrol for the JobKeeper payment via the ATO, using the Business Portal and myGovID. Tax agents can complete this task for their clients. Eligible businesses must identify eligible employees and provide monthly verifications to the ATO. All eligible employees must receive, at a minimum, a gross amount of $1,500 per fortnight.
Announced: 30-Mar-2020 Updated: 30-Apr-2020
Single touch payroll for everyone Single touch payroll (STP) will be rolled out for all employers from 1 July 2019. Therefore, all employers who pay wages, withhold any amounts from contractors or make superannuation contributions will need to update their systems. The update to STP will mean that all employers in the future will be exempt from the obligations to provide payment summaries to individuals. PAYG payment summary reports will also be a thing of the past. After given royal assent, the ATO announced that an initial 12 month exemption will apply for employers with only closely held payees. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ATO has since extended the exemption deadline for a further 12 months to 1 July 2021. Reporting will also be adjusted to show ATO separate amounts such as ‘sacrificed salary and wages amounts’ for super guarantee purposes.
Announcement (02-Apr-2018) Consultation (28-Mar-2018) Introduced (28-Mar-2018) Passed (12-Feb-2019) Royal Assent (01-Mar-2019) Date of Effect (1-Jul-2019)
DPN regime extended to GST liabilities The Director’s Penalty Notice regime will be extended to include GST liabilities, with legislation now passed parliament. Also, the legislation extends the regime for LCT and WET, taxes which are paid as part of activity statement lodgements. From the quarter following royal assent (at this stage likely 1 April 2020), the Commissioner of Taxation would be allowed to declare a GST liability estimate. From there, the director has 21 days to ensure an outstanding amount is dealt with to avoid a personal liability of outstanding GST. The extension will mean that a director may become personally liable for PAYG withholding, superannuation guarantee or GST owed by the company they represent.
Announcement (20-Aug-2018) Consultation (27-Sep-2018) Introduced (04-Jul-2019) Passed (05-Feb-2020) Royal Assent (17-Feb-2020) Date of Effect (1-Apr-2020)
Commercial rent relief code of conduct to assist COVID-19 businesses The Government has announced a mandatory code of conduct for commercial tenancies to assist small and medium enterprises (SME) affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The code sets out a mandatory code of conduct that outlines a set of good faith leasing principles for commercial tenancies, including retail, office and industry properties. It applies to relationships between owners, operators, other landlords, and tenants. The code applies to tenants eligible for the JobKeeper payments and SME businesses with turnover up to $50m. The $50m turnover threshold will be applied at a franchisee level, and for retail groups, at the group level.
Announced: 08-Apr-2020 Updated: 08-May-2020
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HOME LOAN FEATURES: WHAT IS RIGHT FOR YOU?
Buying a home is probably one of life’s most important milestones, so getting the right home loan tailored to your specific needs and circumstances is essential. (Your LoanHub) When it comes to home loans, there are many factors to consider besides interest rates. Choosing the right home loan could not only provide flexibility as your financial situation changes but could also save you some money down the track.
hold offset the interest on your mortgage. For example, if you have a $500,000 home loan and $50,000 in your offset account, you will only pay interest on the remaining $450,000. This could also help you pay off your home loan sooner. Generally speaking, this feature is only available on variable rate home loans, however some lenders will allow partial Here is an explanatory guide to some of interest offset during a fixed rate period. the more common home loan features and, Early Repayments importantly, how they work. Throughout the life of your loan, you may find Redraw Facility you have some excess savings, an unexpected A redraw facility allows you to dip into any lump sum or additional income that can be extra funds you have put towards your used to pay down your home loan. home loan, providing you are ahead of your repayments. If you are looking for a variable rate home loan, there usually won’t be a limit to how While drawing on these funds will reduce much you can pay in extra repayments. Some the benefit of your additional repayments, fixed rate loans, however, have limits on how a redraw facility can be a useful source of much you can repay, either on an annual basis additional capital when your circumstances or over the life of the loan change – for example renovating your home, buying a new car or welcoming a new family Interest only loans Rather than opting for the traditional member. ‘principal and interest’ type loan, where your However, keep in mind that some lenders monthly repayments help to pay down the have a minimum redraw amount and you may balance of your loan, some lenders offer the also be charged a fee for withdrawing from option to pay interest only for a fixed period, usually a maximum of five years. your home loan.
Offset Accounts An offset account is a transaction account linked to your home loan. Offset accounts are a popular feature for many homeowners, as they provide easy access to funds while, at the same time, reducing the interest charged on your home loan. You can make withdrawals or deposits as with any other bank account, but any funds you
However it is important to note that there are risks to this approach. The repayment amount on interest only loans can tempt you to spend more than you can afford, or if the property market is falling you could be left with a property that is worth less than you paid when the time comes to sell.
Split home loans
Deciding whether to choose a variable or fixed home loan can be difficult, so split mortgages can potentially offer the best of both worlds. Split home loans allow you to portion your mortgage into a variable component and a fixed component with different rates of interest. Fixing a portion of your loan is especially beneficial when interest rates are rising, as it can protect you from the impact of future rate hikes. Having a variable component can also be useful as it allows you to make additional repayments, as well as potentially accessing benefits such as redraw or offset accounts.
There are also many other features you can access as part of your home loan, including bundling your mortgage with credit cards, insurance and bank accounts. The key is to During this period your repayments will find what works best for you and your own be lower and after the term is over, you financial circumstances. can choose to refinance, make a lump sum payment or begin paying off the principal For professional advice on all of these of the loan. Interest only loans can be useful features, speak to your mortgage broker. for property investors who can claim the interest as a tax deduction, or buyers who are planning on holding their property for just a few years before selling.
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Relief from loneliness a phone call away with Outer East chatline services
Australia’s social distancing and self-quarantine measures during COVID-19 may mean many people, especially those unable to use or without access to technology, are cut off from their normal social support networks, leaving them feeling lonely and isolated. For those living alone, especially older people, the lockdown can amplify feelings of isolation. In response, CHAOS (Community Houses Association of the Outer Eastern Suburbs) have launched the Outer East Phone Chat – a toll free chatline where people can simply call up and have a chat. The chatline (1800 984 825) is available to anyone wanting to feel connected or just to hear a friendly voice on the other end of the line. A dedicated team of passionate community house volunteers and staff will arm the phone lines to lift spirts, boost morale and keep people talking. CHAOS networker Maureen McConnell said all conversations with Outer East Phone Chat are casual and confidential, with friendly call-takers ready to talk about anything and everything. “This service is open to anyone, and it is our way of making sure people stay connected. We’re happy to talk about your pet, the weather, or just be there to lend an ear as a way of helping each other through these
challenging times,” says Maureen. If the lines us, have a bit of time out if they are caring for are busy, people are urged to leave a phone someone at home, as well as to find out what their Neighbourhood Houses and community message and their call will be returned. centres are still able to offer online, by post or As well as offering a friendly ear, call-takers teleconference,” adds Maureen. can provide referral assistance to services such as financial aid, family violence support, local The Community Houses Association of the service providers, and official government Outer Eastern Suburbs (CHAOS Inc) is a network of 30 Neighbourhood and community COVID-19 information sources. houses and centres across Melbourne’s outerOver 9,000 Maroondah residents are among eastern suburbs. To schedule a chat, simply more than 2.3 million Australians who live alone. email chatline@chaosnetwork.org.au or While living alone and being lonely are not message 0468 517 406. the same, experts say the former can be a risk factor for the latter. Psychiatry professor Neil The community is advised that this is not a Greenberg, who recently led a review looking crisis hotline. If you require urgent assistance, at the psychological impacts of quarantine, says please contact the following organisations it’s vital to maintain social connections during which offer 24-hour crisis support: isolation. • Lifeline Australia 13 11 14 People with existing mental health issues or • Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 who have experienced mental illness in the • MensLine Australia 1300 78 99 78 past are particularly vulnerable to the effects of • Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467 isolation, he says. • Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636 The chatline is open Monday to Friday from • Open Arms 1800 011 046 (Veterans & 10am to 1pm, and Monday to Thursday from Families Counselling) 5pm to 9pm. • 1800 RESPECT 1800 737 732 (confidential Residents can also schedule a regular phone information, counselling and support call, email or text chat at a time that suits them. service open 24 hours to support people impacted by sexual assault, domestic or “The Outer East chatline is free for anyone to call for a chat, schedule a regular chat with family violence and abuse).
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SALT health and wellbeing webinars: strategies for coping with life in isolation
In the weeks since the coronavirus emerged, These sessions will focus on practical ways our lives have been disrupted in unimaginable that you can help yourself, and those who you ways. love and care for. Our two major purposes are to inspire and connect,” he said. With no sport to take up our energies, focus and time, many are struggling with finding SALT, a member of Maroondah-based ways to deal with this new reality. Communities of Wellbeing, are students of the collective framework of enhancing Dave Burt, founder of not-for-profit health wellbeing derived from the science of promotion organisation SALT (Sport and Positive Psychology. Life Training), says that for many people, prolonged isolation may trigger negative “In practice, this means that we deliver feelings and emotions, especially against the messages that equip people with skills, unprecedented backdrop of uncertainty. processes and a common language to build the wellbeing of themselves and those they No longer able to work face-to-face with love and care for,” says Dave. sporting groups due to distancing rules, Dave and his team are instead offering a series Those tuning into the Lunchbox webinars will of free live ‘SALT Lunchbox’ webinars as a be able to engage in live Q&As with experts way of staying connected during this time of on topics such as emotional agility, resilient isolation. thinking, overcoming stress and anxiety, having children home 24/7, maintaining The online SALT Lunchbox sessions are held friendships, and many more. every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 1pm, with each running for approximately For people unable to tune into the live sessions, 30 minutes. recorded versions of the webinars are available to watch at their own convenience, The sessions provide guidance on the whether alone or together as a family. coping mechanisms needed to deal with the challenges of social isolation, changing “So far the feedback has been really strong, family dynamics, self-care and many more and our online community is growing and unforeseen situations that the current contributing in the way we hoped and pandemic has thrown up. expected they would,” adds Dave. “In this time of confinement, many of us are “We’ll have a range of different experts and going to be challenged in our relationships. guests joining our team for different topics. Behaviours that you might normally overlook will be magnified,” says Dave. We’re also going to interview people about their own lived experience when we think “We are excited by the opportunity to bring that the stories might inspire others,” he said. these live sessions to people because we have a unique crisis occurring that requires a Dave says the sessions are also about unique response. embracing feelings of adversity, so that we can come through the other side of this crisis Over the time of this coronavirus challenge, feeling far more united than divided, far more our aim is to bring some positivity into each energised than depleted, and far more loving day. and enlightened.
About SALT SALT are the leading providers of interactive sports-based education, culture and leadership training. Established in Maroondah in 2015, the organisation has since delivered around 1800 interactive presentations to hundreds of sporting clubs, schools and businesses across the state working in the areas of mental health, respect and equality, leadership and culture. SALT will be based out of the soon-to-be completed HE Parker Sporting Pavilion located at HE Parker Reserve, Heathmont, in an exciting partnership forged between Maroondah City Council, SALT, and other local sporting clubs. The sporting pavilion is scheduled for completion in May 2020, and sporting groups can expect to start using the facility following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions. The SALT webinar sessions are being delivered with the support of Maroondah City Council and in partnership with sponsors Bendigo Bank, Eastland and FC Business Solutions.
Tune into the live sessions ---Joint SALT LunchBox and stay connected Already have a ZOOM account? Log into your account Click “Join” Enter meeting ID: 768832900
Further information • View pass sessions (if you can’t participate live) • SALT Lunchbox Facebook page • SALT website
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