Business Resource & Lifestyle Magazine - October 2012 - Issue #48

GWP M a g a z i n e s

Sydney

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B u s i n e ss

SYDNEY - Issue 48 | OCTOber 2012

M a g a z i n e

S i n c e

2 0 0 5

Apprenticeships a Worthy Investment Page 22

Workplace Bulling and Harassment – It’s Not On Page 26

Web Development Jargon 101 Page 32

Ian Badham, CareFlight – Airborne Rescue Teams

Leading B2B Organisations:

Western Sydney Business Connection Page 28 Business Resource & Lifestyle | Issue 48 | October 2012

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Business Resource & Lifestyle | Issue 48 | October 2012

Business Resource & Lifestyle | Issue 48 | October 2012

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Editor and Publisher: Dmitry Greku Cover Story: Adrian Payne Editing: Leonie Seysan Contributing Writers: Charlie Lynn Stephen Ryan Darryn Fellowes Angry Anderson John Watters Kris Cilia

Chatswood CBD

Ryde

Touche

Ryde Planning + Business Centre

Zenith Gourmet Foods

Warriewood Business Park

Cafe II duo

Cafe Quattro

St Leonards CBD

Parramatta CBD

Blue Duck Cafe

Parramatta Council

Macquarie Business Park

TAFE

Avenida Cafe

Di Pacci

Westpac Bank

Caterez Espresso

Cafepronto

Coffee House

Cafe Pinnacle

Cafe 31

Glasshouse

Rendevous Point Café

Cover Design and Cover Story Layout: Xabier Goñi, XDesigns

Presse Cafe

Rhodes Corporate Park

Dural Business Park

Caterez

Photography: Francesca Surace, Stilz Fotografika

Get Stuffed Catering

Cafe Rhodes

Lane Cove West Business Park

Castle Hill Trading Zone

wickedfoods.com

Hillz Kitchen

La Kantina

CBA Branch - Home Hub Hills

Norwest Business Park

CBA Branch - Castle Towers

Nexus Cafe

Westpac Bank

Servcorp

Café Gionta

Crowne Plaza Norwest

Cafe Tsakali

Lexin Kebabs

Hills Lodge

The Hills Shire Council

Brookvale Business Park

Westpac Bank

Cafe 20

Telstra Business Centre

Espresso Italia

Norwest Business Information Kiosk

Frenchs Forest Business Park

IC Frith

Forest Cafe

QCafe

Equinox Café

Caterez - R esmed

Austlink Business Park

Caterez - Woolworths HQ

Cafe Locco

Brothers Cafe

Wetherill Park

Jazzveh Woodfired Pizza Cafe

Wetherill Park Bakehouse

Century Cafe

Blacktown

Cafe Peregrine

Lander Toyota

Rave Cafe

Rosehill Business Park

Kitchen Inc.

Cafe Grand

Parkview Cafe

Rouse Hill

Morsels Cafe

CBA Branch - Town Centre

The Original Frango

Baulkham Hills

Just Catering

Art Director: Svetlana Greku Executive Officer: Daniel Moisyeyev

Printing: Pegasus Print Group Business Resource & Lifestyle Magazine® is published by GWP Media® and GWP Magazines® ABN: 82 096 352 064 www.gwpmagazine.com.au Norwest Office: Unit 8, 7 Inglewood Place Baulkham Hills NSW 2153 International Standard Serial Number ISSN 1837-199X Advertising Enquiries p | 1300 889 132 e | info@gwpmagazine.com.au To Subscribe w | www.gwpmagazine.com.au

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The opinions expressed in this journal do not necessarily reflect and are not to be regarded as the official opinion of the editor, publisher or their agents.

All information contained within this journal is provided for general information purposes only and on the understanding that none of the content herein constitutes professional advice. The editor, publisher or their agents accept no responsibility for any claim, loss or damages arising out of or in connection with any materials contained in this journal. Readers should not rely on the publications in the journal and seek appropriate professional advice in respect of their own circumstances.

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Business Resource & Lifestyle | Issue 48 | October 2012

CONTENTS

CONTENTS 22 21

Cover Story 10 Ian Badham, CareFlight – Airborne

Rescue Teams Adrian Payne

The

Apprentice

Regulars a worthy investment in our modern economy

Business Advice

22

Apprenticeships A Worthy Investment For more information (02) 9208 9991 Stephen Ryan Stephen.B.Ryan@tafensw.nsw.edu.au

24 Are You Focusing on the Handle or Regulars leadership

16 Local Government Bonanza for

Shysters, Carpetbaggers and Political Wannabees

Charlie Lynn

Local Government

18 Q & A with The Hills Shire Council

The Hills Shire Council

20 Business Leaders to Drive New City Identity

Parramata City Council

21 Corner-Side Feasts Hook City Workers

Parramata City Council

the Blade?

Darryn Fellowes

26 Workplace Bullying and Harassment –

It’s Not On! Kris Cilia

32 Web Development Jargon 101

Daniel Moisyeyev

Society & Life

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Features Scan with a QR reader to view a case study on Penrith City Council’s traineeship program.

www.workforcedevelopment.edu.au

With apprenticeships and traineeships in over 500 occupations, there’s a good chance an apprentice or trainee may be a worthwhile investment for your business.

We can provide valuable advice on how to find the right solution as well as assistance to access any funding and incentives that are available.

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Leading B2B Organisations:

Western Sydney Business Connection

30

The Need for Sound Resumes John Watters

34

Ryde Business Forum Springs into Action Sabrina Ferguson

38

Davson Art and Values Celia Berrel

42 Classifieds

People You Meet Along the Way (Part 4) Angry Anderson

Australian Sport

40 Launching From a Stronger Foundation Penrith Panthers

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editor’s letter

Cooperation with Benefits for All Dmitry Greku, M. Sc. - Editor and Publisher - GWP Magazines®

I’ve dealt with numerous businesses over the years. One thing I’ve noticed is that the most entrepreneurial business owners understand the tremendous value that can come from mutually beneficial cooperation with complementary businesses.

My personal view is that cooperation can be a great thing for any business. It can allow a business the opportunity to provide additional products or services to their clients without the need to tie up their own resources. It allows the business to diversify and to offer complete packages, or a one-stop-shop service. This business can improve their business profile, grow their client database, perhaps even share some advertising costs, and in the end, that can all add up to growth for the business. That really is a great opportunity, and rather than a massive investment, it simply requires planning and cooperation.

Of course, it’s vital to choose your partnerships wisely. Their products and services will be a reflection of your business. If you’re looking for these types of strategic alliances, you’ll want to look at quality, turnaround time, their resources and reputation, and importantly, your potential partner’s attitude towards customer service.

We’ve got some good news on that front. After several years of relationship building doing, we’ve recently taken the opportunity to join forces with a hi-end printing company – they’re one of the 3 biggest printing companies in Australia, and we believe the most efficient and successful. Their quality is excellent, their turnaround time is quick, and their buying power allows them to offer great value. They are a complete printing service, offering everything from simple business cards, through a range of advertising and marketing

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material, to billboard sized posters.

Why have we chosen to join forces with this firm? We offer top end graphic design and web development, so in return, we’re able to offer our marketing related services to their clients. It benefits us both. We don’t have to step into areas we’re unfamiliar with in order to diversify.

I’ve noticed that one common mistake businesses make, is that they attempt to diversify without having the appropriate experience or the right

stop-shop. He would also pick up new clients from the design business. And his clients would get the best of both. See the difference?

Under our new arrangement, our clients will be utilising expertise from printing professionals, marketologists, designers and programmers, all through one convenient point of contact.

And because we work so closely with printing professionals and printers work closely with graphic designers and marketers, we all understand each other. We know and understand

Under our new arrangement, our clients will be utilising expertise from printing professionals, marketologists, designers and programmers. resources. It can leave customers unsatisfied, and even cause the business to lose clients who were previously happy with the business’s narrower range of services.

It’s easy to see how this happens. Let’s use a printer as an example. The printer notices that many of his regular clients ask if he can design their brochures as well as print them. He can’t, but he hates saying no. So he hires a cheap young graphic designer and begins saying “yes” instead. But the designer isn’t very experienced.

The result isn’t great. The client’s marketing materials don’t work, but the printer gets the job. Now he might start offering “graphic design” services on a complimentary basis. This will ruin not only his clients’ marketing campaigns, but the reputation of the whole industry.

However, if that printer was able to offer high end professional graphic design services at a reasonable cost by forming an alliance with that type of business, then he could still be a one-

each other’s “industry secrets” and professional jargon.

So when you’re looking to arrange your next marketing campaign, or you need to brand or re-brand an entire business from website to company profile and flyers, all you need to do is stop by and discuss it with us. We can manage the entire project and ensure that the right professionals are involved at every stage of the game. It’s cost effective and convenient.

Have a great day and take care of yourselves and your clients. G

e | editor@gwpmagazine.com.au

Business Resource & Lifestyle | Issue 48 | October 2012

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Proudly Presented by

Ian Badham, CareFlight

Airborne Rescue Teams

CareFlight boat training, May 2012

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great australian Business People

(l-r) Flight nurse Amanda Quinn and Dr Rosena Allin-Khan form a CareFlight team delivering a patient to Royal Darwin Hospital

by Adrian Payne

Over the past twenty-six years, CareFlight’s specialist doctors who lead highly trained trauma teams have treated over twenty-five thousand Australians in danger of losing their lives. They take intensive care equipment and specialist medical skills directly to the patient.

CareFlight is more than an air-ambulance, it’s a patient-focussed system designed to create a better outcome for ill and injured patients. Very sick patients who need to be moved between hospitals, and severely injured patients who need to be treated at the accident scene, are best attended by a critical care specialist doctor and paramedic team who can deliver more than paramedical officers working alone. From this vision, CareFlight was born in 1986.

with a science degree majoring in Zoology and Geomorphology, at the time he was thinking about a career in Oceanography.

But for CareFlight’s Founding Director Ian Badham, things began before that...

During his university years he worked part time in the media world, as a journalist on the sporting pages and reporting sports events on Sydney radio stations. When he graduated he went to work for the newsagency AAP. He was soon offered a position with the Telegraph and decided to give it a year to see if it offered the kind of job satisfaction he was looking for... If not, he thought he might retreat into the world of academia.

His father was a Doctor, specialising in radiology, and his mother, although trained as a pharmacist, became Australia’s first woman landscape architect. Ian graduated from Sydney University

During this time he was a volunteer with Sydney’s Surf Lifesaving organisation doing duty as a lifesaver at Cronulla beach near where he had spent his childhood. Through that experience he

Business Resource & Lifestyle | Issue 48 | October 2012

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Proudly Presented by

Ian Badham OAM Founding Director, CareFlight

became interested in emergency services.

In 1971 the World Life Saving Organisation was reactivated after being dormant for some years.

Publisher Kevin Weldon was president at the time and asked Ian to help publish a magazine which was to talk about lifesaving throughout the world. In December that year a team from Surf Lifesaving Australia went to New Zealand to share some ideas. Ian the lifesaver and journalist was part of that delegation. One of the stories that emerged was of a small rescue helicopter service that had been started as a trial in Auckland.

Conventional wisdom at the time was that only large military-style helicopters were suitable for rescue missions. George Sobiecki was behind the NZ trial which used a small three-seater helicopter.

He had been an air-force helicopter pilot. Later, in civilian life he had been working for a helicopter charter business where one assignment was to get lobster fishers’ catch onto dry land when high seas prevented the trawlers from getting into port. He would simply lower a 35 foot line to the boats and fly the catch onto the jetty. He thought that the same principle could be applied to the rescue of surfers and swimmers on New Zealand’s West coast.

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On return from the rescue course in New Zealand Ian began to put about the idea that Sydney needed a rescue helicopter, it was scorned from all sides, they were saying that Sydney already had rescue services and rescue boats and didn’t need an expensive helicopter to do the same job. But Ian wasn’t taking ‘no’ turned his journalism skills to promoting the fact that Sydney really did need a rescue helicopter... no matter what the ‘experts’ thought!

He was challenged by Surf Lifesaving to go out and find funding if he really wanted to get this thing going. Heedless of the negative vibes that had been coming from committee rooms, he took the bait!

setting up a radio network with surf lifesaving clubs up and down the coast and getting the emergency authorities and the Civil Aviation Authority to acknowledge the operations of the service. Not to mention sourcing a suitable helicopter, getting a crew together and having them trained.

At that time there were no helicopters in Australian capital cities, only a few in the outback mustering cattle or ferrying workers out to oil rigs. Today there are police, media and emergency service helicopters in addition to dedicated rescue helicopters... all flying around every capital city in the nation.

With publicity help from the Sydney Morning Herald, 2UE and Channel 7 he began to gain some traction for the idea. 18 months later on the October long weekend in 1973 Australia’s first non-military rescue helicopter was in service. He had managed to find a sponsor. The Bank of New South Wales, now Westpac. They knocked back his request for fifty thousand dollars, saying if he could do it for half of that and get it going by the start of the surfing season... he was on!

The first rescue helicopter based in Sydney was a Bell 47, a M.A.S.H. style machine with stretchers on the skids outside the plexiglass bubble. There was a rope attached to a cargo hook underneath.

In that first summer from October to ANZAC Day the following year, over weekends, public holidays and school holidays they pulled twenty-seven people from the surf, twelve people were flown from inaccessible areas, either to safety or to hospitals for treatment. They also participated in thirty-six searches for vessels missing at sea, and other search and rescue incidents.

So he resigned from his job and set about doing all that was necessary to meet the deadline, including

During the late 70’s Ian, as a volunteer and with the continued help of the Bank of New South

great australian Business People Wales/Westpac was able to start a network of nine Surf Lifesaving helicopters around the country stretching from Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, south and west around the coast to Perth.

In the early 80’s Ian found that the first helicopter network was not fulfilling its real potential for saving lives.

CareFlight was born with a strong focus on the delivery of medical support to the scenes

In 1986 Premier of the day Barry Unsworth formally launched the service. A base had been established in the grounds of Westmead Hospital and a helicopter commissioned. Initially, there was only one full-time doctor on duty each day and several volunteer doctors on call. There were two pilots and a crewman who co-ordinated assignments and an office secretary. Their first assignment on the 14th of July 1986 took the helicopter and its medical team to Lithgow to fly two young children back to Westmead Hospital. In those early days

Celebrating at CareFlight’s 25th anniversary dinner, from left, founding director Ian Badham, former longserving pilot Dan Tyler and Ambulance paramedic Murray Traynor. Together with air crewman Graeme Fromberg, Tyler and Traynor formed the CareFlight crew who rescued seven survivors from the crippled Tasmanian yacht Niaid during the ill-fated 1998 Sydney to Hobart yacht race

still watching with interest how CareFlight was going from strength to strength. In 1987 it was on-call twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week and needed someone at the helm full time. While nobody else was putting up their hand for the job, who better to take on the role of CEO than Ian Badham.

Over the coming 18 years he guided the organisation as it grew into a leading world-class emergency service.

The focus became more concentrated on the medical teams than the transport system, realising that a helicopter may not always be the ideal mode of transport to get to the scene. The same specialist doctor-led trauma teams with their equipment could be transported in fixed wing aircraft, or a road ambulance, even a scheduled airline flight.

One of the ideas that was developed to make the team and their equipment a more compact and efficient unit was the ‘stretcher-bridge’ it was developed by CareFlight in 1988. It’s a capsule containing all the equipment that might be required in a trauma emergency. It’s mounted on the stretcher over the patient’s legs. Until the stretcher-bridge was used, equipment was bolted to the inside of the helicopter or air ambulance aircraft. Now, when the stretcher is rushed to the patient, all the equipment goes with it and everything is on hand for immediate use. This means that trauma teams can be independent of purpose-built transport.

Three quarters of CareFlight’s Sydney patients are on full life-support, using the stretcher-bridge concept, monitoring and life-support systems go from the scene to the hospital without interruption or re-connection.

These days this kind of system is used throughout

of accidents where more than an ambulance intervention was needed, or time was a key factor in the outcome for patients. The concept as Ian explained to the hospital and aviation ‘partners’ in CareFlight was to bring the hospital to the patient.

To deliver an ambitious level of specialist and intensive care, on the spot!

Sponsors were convinced... The health fund HCF was the inaugural major sponsor, later replaced for 20 years by NRMA while other start-up sponsors were Channel 9, 2WS, and Shell Aviation. Today, Shell Aviation support continues along with sponsors Allianz Global Assistance, Johnson & Johnson Medical and Mounties.

CareFlight was flying to the aid of about four patients a month – a light caseload compared to today’s annual average of almost 5,000 patients across Australia.

Ian was back in the media world earning a living with Fairfax papers in the Western Suburbs of Sydney,

the world. Ian relates an interesting report that a couple of years ago the American Air Force announced they had come up with a new mobile stretcher-mounted monitoring system. CareFlight’s ‘stretcher-bridge’ had already been in service for twenty-two years.

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Proudly Presented by

In 2006, the NSW government changed the way that aerial retrieval services were supplied for the NSW Ambulance Service. A contract for helicopter transport was awarded to a Canadian company which for the past six years has been based at Bankstown, Albion Park and Orange.

Beyond that, CareFlight has continued to operate its own trauma helicopter out of Westmead.

Additional CareFlight doctors are contracted to be based at Bankstown and Orange to taken to the scene by NSW Air Ambulance aircraft and helicopters when specialist trauma and retrieval treatment is needed.

Currently there is a review being conducted by the NSW Government into the provision of airborne medical services which in the future may be more inclusive of the integrated aviation-medical package that CareFlight can provide.

During the six years in which air ambulance activity

CareFlight supporters, 2012

in NSW has been in other hands, at least on the aviation side, the Northern Territory government contracted CareFlight to supply its complete aero-medical services to the Top End. There are three bases, one in Darwin, another at Katherine and a third at Gove which form the Top End Medical Retrieval Service which is operated by CareFlight on behalf of the Northern Territory government.. Not only does CareFlight provide helicopter services but five fixed wing aircraft are also used for more distant emergencies on outback stations and at far-flung communities where there are airstrips. They co-operate with the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) which operates out of Alice Springs. The RFDS generally responds to calls in the southern part of the Territory, South Australia and Western Australia while CareFlight concentrates its services across the Top End. Also at the Darwin base is one of two CareFlight jet aircraft which are deployed for interstate flights or to retrieve Australian citizens who have become ill or injured while overseas. Up to 400 patients a year are being repatriated by CareFlight International.

While CareFlight’s domestic retrievals are free to the patient by the charity, the international service operates on a fee-for-service basis, usually covered by travel insurance policies

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or governments. The funds raised from these medi-jet flights are used to support the provision of CareFlight aeromedical and trauma training services around Australia.

CareFlight has another role. It holds accreditation from the three medical colleagues to provide medical training for registrar doctors in anaesthesia, intensive care, and emergency medicine. These doctors in their final period of their five-year training to become specialists can apply to work with CareFlight for six months which will count as part of their training. Ian says: “In this way we are a teaching hospital ... with no bricks or mortar.”

Every year, CareFlight recruits about forty registrar doctors. These are in addition to the core group of specialist doctors who have stayed on with CareFlight after their own training.

Sponsors have been found of by CareFlight to fund trauma training courses initially across NSW but now being extended to all states. These are for the people most likely to be on the scene of a trauma incident before anyone else. Members of volunteer emergency services such as the Rural Fire Service the State Emergency Service and the Volunteer Rescue Service to name a few.

St John Ambulance Service paramedics receive a CareFlight patient at Darwin Airport

With Johnson & Johnson Medical coming aboard as sponsors this year injecting four hundred and fifty-thousand dollars into the programme over three years, CareFlight has been able to extend these trauma courses across remote and urban areas in the Northern Territory.

The Australian Defence Forces also recognise CareFlight’s special skills in the treatment of trauma victims, especially in difficult locations. Not only do they contract CareFlight to cover military exercises in northern Australia with both aircraft and their specialist medical teams, but they also pay CareFlight to train their ADF medical teams

great australian publisher’s Business People guest CareFlight’s team, from left, Don Kemble, John Ebbott and Ebony Robertson at the annual ‘Choppers for Charity’ day supporting CareFlight at Sussex Inlet on the NSW South Coast

aero-medical services. Here, recognised for his groundbreaking work, Ian Badham represents the Asia-Pacific region onto the AAMS board of directors. He has stepped back from the forefront of CareFlight management, leaving that to others. It is, however he continues to be actively involved on a daily basis as Founding Director in representing the organisation to the community.

CareFlight now has about 200 people on the payroll including around 60 doctors, 30 nurses, 20 pilots and aircrew, plus administrative and maintenance teams. The annual operations budget is now around sixty million dollars.

Ian’s constant focus since CareFlight was conceived has been on the patient. There is no doubt that this driving principle has increasingly held the organisation in high regard by all who become associated with it. Robert is someone

Visitors to MotorFest checking out CareFlight’s MediSim

CareFlight’s Dr Bernie Hanrahan teams with Ambulance paramedics and emergency services at a road crash in western Sydney.

The aim of the trial was to research and develop systems and practices that would improve outcomes for trauma patients, particularly those with head injuries. The Head Injury Research Trial (HIRT) has shown that the faster delivery of highly-trained medical teams direct to the injury location then the delivery of the patient directly to a major trauma centre, the better the outcome. Particularly for children, who as a result experience less permanent damage and spend less time in hospital. Fast pickup and direct delivery is better than the patient being treated in a local hospital before being transported to a specialist children’s hospital.

who are being deployed overseas.

Over the past six years the rapid-response the new trauma helicopter and associated medical teams based at Westmead Hospital have been engaged in a major trial initiated by Dr Alan Garner, CareFlight’s Medical Director.

As a result of the trial, major hospitals receiving head injury patients have also adapted their systems to streamline head injury admissions, now understanding that time is a major element in the treatment and ultimate recovery of head injury patients. Eleven point two million dollars was put up by NRMA Insurance to underwrite the first three years of the trial and now the NSW Motor Accident Authority is now providing significant ongoing funding for the service and further trauma medical research.

who knows that Ian’s patient focus is what makes it a rather special organisation.

Dear Sir, In April I suffered a massive heart attack at Lithgow Hospital. After what I have been told was magnificent work by the Lithgow team, I was transferred to Westmead hospital by CareFlight.

I am fully aware I was not expected to survive this trip, but due to the professionalism of your team I can now write this letter of gratitude. My survival can be attributed to many factors (including doctors and nurses at Lithgow and Westmead) but without CareFlight I would now be dead, to put it simply. I cannot thank you enough for saving my life.

Robert

G

The Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS) based in Washington DC is the world’s peakbody for those engaged in the management of

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Leadership

Local Government Bonanza for Shysters, Carpetbaggers and Political Wannabees The Hon. Charlie Lynn - Member of the Legislative Council

The 2012 NSW Local Government elections saw the usual band of shysters, carpetbaggers; political wannabees and activists get their grubby hands back on the levers of influence in many councils throughout the State. Hopefully they will continue to be outnumbered by the genuine community leaders motivated by the desire to make their respective patches a better place.

My first experience with local governments around Australia was inspirational. I was asked to establish a fundraising committee in every town and city around Australia in support of cancer research. The plan was for 20 army runners to run a relay-marathon around Highway 1 in three months. My role was to head off three months in advance and establish fundraising committees to greet them with a cheque when they arrived.

I was provided with a campervan, a map, and tasked to ‘make it happen’. My first port of call was Gosford where I fronted up to the Council Chambers, explained what we were on about and asked if I could see the Mayor. I was ushered into his chambers where he picked up the phone and spoke to about half-a-dozen people – the Presidents of the Chamber of Commerce, Lions and Rotary, a bank manager, a newspaper editor and a couple of businessmen. Within half-anhour he committed to establish a local fundraising committee to support the relay.

I stuck with this as a fundraising formula and made straight for the Council Chambers in every town and city I visited over the next three months.

Sometimes I was able to get to three or four in a day before driving through the night to the next municipal area. After a few months on the road with thousands of kilometres behind me and a plethora of unscheduled meetings in homes, councils, businesses and camping parks I had to check my atlas to remind myself where I had been and where I was going.

Crossing the Nullabour I had plenty of time to reflect on where I had been, who I had met and how I had been received. I had obviously met local leaders of all political persuasions – Labor,

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Business Resource & Lifestyle | Issue 48 | October 2012

Liberal, National, Independent, Callithumpians and whatever - male and female, young and old.

I had to assume this because I didn’t ask and they didn’t declare. We were focused on a cause for the greater good of everybody. Apart from a bit of a drawl in the far north and western parts of the country there were no major differences (although I should declare that I didn’t have time to visit inner-city habitats).

didn’t attend political fundraisers to buy a seat with a Minister or bid for an auction they had little hope of getting a green light for their development approval. It was a crude but very lucrative form of extortion. Some were occasionally flushed out by the media but their dodgy deals generally escaped the scrutiny of corruption watchdogs that seemed to have been neutered under Labor’s regime.

It occurred to me that if we were to reshuffle our community leaders between States, territories and regions the country would hardly notice.

The values and ideals of the greater majority are commonly Australian. Imagine trying to do such a reshuffle on a similar sized land mass in Europe, Africa, Asia or the United States. It would be a precursor to civil war!

A review of the recent Local Government election results indicates that it will be business as usual for many of these political cockroaches.

I also learned that towns and cities usually have a handful of people who make places tick.

Selfless leaders from business, community and philanthropic organisations who ‘make things happen’ for the greater good of their local communities. They serve on local school and hospital boards, wear RFS and SES uniforms and volunteer for causes such as army relaymarathons. To borrow a quote from wartime journalist, Osmar White, ‘I felt proud to be of their race and cause’!

The most effective way to test their ‘community altruism’ is to remove planning powers from local government. A green paper published by NSW Planning Minister, Brad Hazzard, could see a flurry of by-election excuses if regional planning boards are established and the responsibility for development approvals are taken away from councillors. An exodus of developers and their dodgy mates in real-estate, law and politics would be inevitable courtesy of Premier Barry O’Farrell’s desire to neutralise their influence and clean up Local Government politics in NSW. G

I have never forgotten this ‘life experience’.

Within a decade I entered State politics and have observed much of the area I didn’t have time to encounter during my army relay-marathon i.e. city-metro politics. Whilst some are run by leaders with the same ethic I had encountered previously there are many run or influenced by dodgy developers, lackey lobbyists and political wannabees. They use political parties as their ticket to relevance. Ideology is irrelevant in their quest for personal enrichment or political influence.

Every now and then one is exposed. Wollongong made for interesting reading with dodgy developers flying private helicopters, seducing the Town Planner, plotting deals around a ‘table of knowledge’ and doing whatever it took to get development applications approved.

Development in Western Sydney during Labor’s time in office came with a caveat. If proponents

For more topics and to contact Charlie Lynn, please visit www.charlielynn.com.au/blog.

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| Issue 48 | October 2012

17

LOCAL Government

Q & A with The Hills Shire Council Would you like to add value to your strategic business decision making?

The Hills Shire Council can assist you with data, facts, statistics and business introductions to help guide your thinking.

Council provides individual business consultations where you can meet with a member of the Economic Development team, discuss your business goals and plans and gain access to helpful data bases and publications.

Meet Steve Stephen Garrard, Council’s Economic Development Officer, meets with local business people to help guide them through the information available.

“Our business visit program has been developed in response to Council’s commitment to assist businesses grow and expand their operations locally,” Steve says.

“The State Government’s Metropolitan Strategy for Sydney has a target for The Sydney Hills to create 47,000 new jobs locally to provide for future population growth, and empowering local businesses to make good decisions should help this to happen.”

Steve says many of the questions asked are similar to the following.

Stephen Garrard, Council’s Economic Development Officer

of the business community in The Sydney Hills.

Council accesses the latest Census information, which answers questions like ‘who are we and how do we live’; ‘where do we work and what do we do’ and ‘how many people live here and how are we changing’.

We can show businesses how to use this information to better understand the changes and growth that will occur in the future, and help them make more informed decisions about where best to invest their resources.

For example, a business owner in the childcare industry told us that it was becoming more difficult for her to get financing. She needed to provide solid data to back her plans. With access to Council’s tools, the Economic Development team showed her how the demand for childcare facilities will develop in the future, as well as the expected growth by industry, suburbs, age group and more so she could use strong data when preparing her business case.

Q: How can I find more customers?

SG: Many people ask me if they can have a database of businesses in the area in order to better market to their target audience. What we can do is provide businesses with a database that can be sorted into relevant industries, groups and descriptions so information can be extracted according to their target market needs.

For example, a party hire business was looking to locate in a particular area, but before they committed to a location, they wanted to find out where their competitors were to avoid oversaturation. Council was able to spatially indicate where similar services were and the business owner was able to make a more informed decision.

Q: How can I better understand the region now and in the future?

SG: People often ask us how they can find out more about their customers and the make-up

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Business Resource & Lifestyle | Issue 48 | October 2012

Q: What new business activity is occurring in the area?

SG: We are often asked “What’s happening in The Hills in terms of new businesses moving here, and how can I find them?”

We are able to show business people how to make better use of local resources like the Norwest Business Portal and Council’s website to find new business and get a sense of the types of businesses that are moving to the area.

Q: How do I find out who I can contact in Council?

SG: A business visit can often act as a facilitation service to various areas of Council in order to help business owners who have specific questions about what they can and can’t do in the Shire.

Council officers are happy to assist business customers in resolving any issues they may have.

Q: How do I connect with other businesses and agencies that can support my business?

SG: Council can provide lists of key companies and/or organise face-to-face introductions. We can also link businesses – from start-ups to large corporations - to business networking groups that provide forums for businesses to network, build relationships and leverage off each other.

We had an interesting example of a business visit that began as a request for an introduction to a Council officer who could assist with a development application, but soon revealed that a major future issue for this business was succession planning. Through Council’s contacts with other agencies we were able to refer the owner to someone who could assist him in making decisions about a succession plan that led to an opportunity to access venture capital.

Like this Q&A? You’ll love ‘Playing 2 Win’ - a live Q&A with local business leaders ‘Playing 2 Win’ is an event not to be missed by anyone looking to expand their business knowledge, increase their networking opportunities or ask tough questions of three outstanding business leaders. The Hills Shire Council is proud support this fantastic evening with Dr Jim Taggart from Taggart Group Austbrokers, Stephanie Dale from DMC Advertising Group and author of Lingerie Logic and Mike Conway from The Wiggles and XVenture Challenge. With a wealth of local national and international business experience between them, ‘Playing 2 Win’ will challenge you to get the best from yourself, your staff and your business. Reserve your place today at www. powerof300.com.au. G Call Council’s Economic Development team today on 9762 1108 for a confidential business visit.

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Financial Solutions (SYD)

Business Resource & Lifestyle | Issue 48 | October 2012

19

LOCAL Government

Business Leaders to Drive New City Identity A group of high-powered business and industry leaders has been formed to help drive Parramatta: Future Generation, a new city identity that was launched at a special ceremony at Parramatta Town Hall recently.

The Parramatta Partnership Forum is made up of high-level, influential people who believe in Parramatta. Combined with the input of the city’s diverse communities, the group will promote awareness and enhance perceptions of Parramatta across the investment, worker, visitor, residential and student segments. Their first meeting is scheduled for November.

Parramatta Councillor, Lorraine Wearne, said that the new brand was developed to explain Parramatta’s story and articulate how the City will drive and sustain the economic, social, residential and educational needs of greater Sydney.

“We’re getting the development and jobs.

Parramatta Square, one of the biggest urban

redevelopments in Australia, is underway and combined with our jobs campaign, Parramatta 10,000, will deliver more employment and training opportunities for Western Sydney than ever before,” Cr Wearne said.

“We’re creating a more liveable City. Through our events program and initiatives such as Design Parramatta, a program that will redefine many of our public spaces throughout our CBD, and river foreshore, we’re delivering a City that will attract investment and visitors.”

“Parramatta: Future Generation, brings together all of these elements to present a strong identity that captures and reinforces the City’s varied and important role in the broader Sydney picture.”

In developing this new city identity, hundreds of residents, workers, visitors and people connected to the City were interviewed and asked to provide their Parramatta Story. These stories can be viewed at www.futuregeneration. me, with community members encouraged to continue to upload their stories. G

Parramatta Partnership Forum Members Interim Chairman, Christopher Brown, Board Member, ANZ Stadium Sydney Business Chamber, David Borger, Western Sydney Director Property Council Australia, Glenn Byres, Executive Director, NSW Parramatta Chamber of Commerce, Stephanie Dale, President Intercontinental Hotels Group, Bill Edwards, Australasia Regional Director of Operations Deloitte, Peter Forrester, Managing Partner, Western Sydney Lend Lease Development, Denis Hickey, Managing Director Australia Parramatta City Council, CEO, Dr Rob Lang

Councillor Lorraine Wearne with Michael Miller, Regional Director, NSW, News Limited

What They Say: Christopher Brown, Interim Chair, Parramatta Partnership Forum “As a local boy, born and raised in the area, it is an honour to act as Interim Chair of the Parramatta Partnership Forum. I look forward to working with the Lord Mayor, CEO Rob Lang and the national business leaders assembled within the Forum to advance Parramatta and cement its position at the centre of Sydney’s economy and society.”

Dr Tim Williams, Committee for Sydney “The evolution of Parramatta as Sydney’s second largest CBD is essential to maintaining Sydney’s competiveness. The Committee for Sydney has identified this as a priority if we are to boost Sydney’s productivity and maintain our global city status. I am delighted to be part of the Parramatta Partnership Forum and will take a keen interest in city branding, improving accessibility, promoting liveability, social inclusion, opportunities linked to the digital economy and employment generation.”

Tourism & Transport Forum, John Lee, Chief Executive Museum of Contemporary Art, Liz Ann Macgregor OBE, Director Coleman Greig Lawyers, Warrick McLean, General Manager General Manager Development NSW, Westfield, Craig Marshall News Limited, Michael Miller, Regional Director, NSW Australian Turf Club, Darren Pearce, Chief Executive Officer University of Western Sydney Prof. Peter Shergold AC, Chancellor Committee for Sydney, Dr Tim Williams, Chief Executive

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Business Resource & Lifestyle | Issue 48 | October 2012

Professor Peter Shergold AC, UWS Chancellor “Being a founding member of the Parramatta Partnership Forum reflects UWS’s commitment to intellectual capital, community leadership, creative capacity and quality education and is part of our ongoing investment in the most exciting growth region in Australia.”

Deloitte, Managing Partner, Peter Forrester “Deloitte has had a long standing commitment and partnership with the City of Parramatta. We are pleased to see the City take the next steps with the establishment of the Partnership Forum that will help it build and deliver its exciting vision for the future.”

LOCAL Government

Corner-Side Feasts Hook City Workers City workers will discover a new side to Parramatta this October, as Parramatta Lanes delivers exciting tastes, sights and sounds to the City’s hidden pedestrian laneways.

Parramatta Lanes, part of the Crave Sydney International Food Festival, will see Darcy, Batman, Red Cow and Erby Place lanes come to life across 18, 19, 25 and 26 October from 4-9:30pm.

The event will see gourmet street foods, pop-up performances and live music come to previously unused spaces, with well known Sydney establishment Grasshopper hosting a cocktail bar at Erby Place.

Councillor Lorraine Wearne said Parramatta’s Lanes are undergoing an exciting revitalisation, creating new spaces ripe for discovery.

“The Parramatta Lanes event is an opportunity for our city to showcase its lanes network and capture the imagination of creative industries keen to get a foothold in our emerging lanes culture,” Cr Wearne said.

“The Parramatta urban landscape provides an exciting opportunity for local food businesses. The success of our laneway cafes such as 3 Ropes, which have a focus on high quality products, has initiated a change in our dining culture.

These businesses are paving the way for a new generation of chefs and business owners.”

“Improvements to lanes, especially pedestrian lanes, will create opportunities for street vending carts and other businesses. With the inclusion of outdoor seating and other urban design features, it will help improve the ambience across our CBD.” “Council recognises that the revitalisation of these small spaces is a chance to breathe new life into previously untapped areas and increase the use and popularity of the City, both during the day and at night.”

Parramatta’s lane system is extensive, the biggest in Sydney after that of the Sydney CBD. G Each lane will have its own, unique theme Erby Place: Featuring a pop-up cocktail bar by Grasshopper this Asian inspired garden will entice with food options including hand made dumplings and authentic Malaysian delicacies.

Newly revitalised Red Cow Lane Darcy Lane: Live music and screenings from the 48 Hour Film Festival will come to this eclectic street venue with food options including wood fired pizza, savoury and sweet French crepes and gourmet snags. Three Ropes cafe will also be serving their famous coffee and cakes.

For more information on Parramatta Lanes visit w w w. d i s c o v e r p a r r a m a t t a . c o m . a u / parramattalanes Parramatta City Council p | 02 9806 5730 e | seggert@parracity.nsw.gov.au

Batman Walk: French Patisserie stalls will line this Parisienne inspired space.

Red Cow Lane: A lane of walk through installations including film projects from the Amazing Rolling Picture show, a converted rickshaw.

Business Resource & Lifestyle | Issue 48 | October 2012

21

Business Advice

Apprenticeships A Worthy Investment Stephen Ryan, Funding Manager, TAFE NSW – Western Sydney Institute (WSI)

In the Middle Ages, master craftsmen were entitled to employ children as young as ten as apprentices, imparting their skills in exchange for the apprentice’s labour and lodging.

In 2012 a more sophisticated and regulated version of this ancient apprentice system exists. The value of this on-the-job learning and workplace training is still widely recognised by employers and employees, industry and government.

Traineeships and apprenticeships provide a stable flow of skilled workers into the workforce.

They provide students with a clear pathway to succeeding in their vocation and a pathway to further study. Traineeships and apprenticeships also provide enterprises with staff specifically trained to meet the needs of their organisation and the relevant industry.

But is the investment an organisation puts in to its protégés ever recouped?

A report by the UK’s Institute for Employment Research1 quantified the costs associated with taking on apprentices in a range of industries.

It found that retail apprentices were the most cost effective due to the low supervision costs and high productivity of its apprentices. The investment put into the apprentice by retail companies was often recouped by the end of the apprenticeship.

Similarly, hospitality apprentices proved their worth quickly, providing highly skilled labour towards the end of their apprenticeships which levelled out the earlier investment of their employer.

22

the community were some of the non-monetary benefits that employers gained through apprenticeship programs.

In 2011, Western Sydney Institute provided training to close to 7,000 apprentices and trainees. Apprenticeships and traineeships are characterised by a training contract which is signed by the employer, the training organisation and the employee. The contract can vary in duration, with qualifications being awarded on the basis of competency. Traineeships tend to be shorter in duration – on average taking two years to complete, and can result in a variety of qualifications designed to suit their employment role. Apprenticeships can take up to four years to complete, but with recognition of experience and skills, many apprentices complete in a quicker timeframe. Apprentices acquire trade qualifications on completion.

School-based apprenticeships and traineeships are also growing in popularity, allowing school students to work towards a qualification and gain valuable experience. Western Sydney Institute delivers around 1500 of these per year to students at 83 Western Sydney Secondary Schools.

In my role at Western Sydney Institute I have oversight of the Institute’s apprenticeship and trainee programs and I have noted that the success and efficiency of training employees onthe-job is catching on for employers.

Around 28% of apprentice and trainee commencements in 2011 across Australia were in trade occupations. Although trade apprentices are still a significant force in the community, we have noticed an increasing trend towards ‘softer trades’ such as business services. In fact, employees with a training contract are employed in more than 500 occupations in Australia and represent most sectors of business and industry.

Within other industries, there was a longer gap between apprentice completion and the maturation of the employer’s investment.

However, employers who retained their apprentices after completion reported strong monetary returns on their outlay as well as other qualitative benefits.

We have also noticed an increase in females taking up trades in carpentry and joinery and automotive apprenticeships – a fact which demonstrates the extent to which new apprenticeships are moving with the times and are suited to the modern economy.

Lower staff turnover, a better fit between skills possessed and skills required, innovative input from apprentices, and enhanced reputation in

Western Sydney Institute’s philosophy of personalised service - adapting the way training is delivered to suit the needs of participants -

Business Resource & Lifestyle | Issue 48 | October 2012

means that we do what we can to make training fit around employers, trainees and apprentices.

In some cases, the entire apprenticeship is conducted in the workplace. In other cases and depending on the trade area the teacher can visit the workplace to train and assess units of competence to alleviate the need to leave the workplace for training. In all cases there is close communication between the teacher, student and employer to ensure successful qualification completion.

Having trainees and apprentices on site is very worthwhile to employers. In addition to gaining an employee who is an exact fit for the organisation, we find that having an employee committed to improving his or her skills motivates other employees to update their skills.

I would like to invite employers to contact me to discuss the possibilities that having an apprentice or trainee could bring to your business. Western Sydney Institute can provide assistance with accessing the funding or incentives that may be available and provide valuable advice about what can be done to help your business to meet any gaps in skills. Apprenticeship and Traineeship expos are also a valuable resource for employers. G To discuss apprenticeships and traineeships and on-the-job training for your business please call Stephen Ryan on 02 9208 9991 or email Stephen.B.Ryan@tafensw.nsw.edu.au.

1 Chris Hasluck, Terence Hogarth, Beate Baldauf and Geoff Briscoe, “The Net Benefit to Employer Investment in Apprenticeship Training”, University of Warwick, Institute for Employment Research, 2008

The

Apprentice a worthy investment in our modern economy

With apprenticeships and traineeships in over 500 occupations, there’s a good chance an apprentice or trainee may be a worthwhile investment for your business.

We can provide valuable advice on how to find the right solution as well as assistance to access any funding and incentives that are available.

Scan with a QR reader to view a case study on Penrith City Council’s traineeship program.

For more information (02) 9208 9991 Stephen.B.Ryan@tafensw.nsw.edu.au www.workforcedevelopment.edu.au Business Resource & Lifestyle | Issue 48 | October 2012

23

Business Advice

Are You Focusing on the Handle or the Blade?

Darryn Fellowes, Wealth Adviser - Skeggs Goldstien

Let me start by asking you a question?

Imagine you are a sword juggler in the circus and you have six swords that you need to keep in the air at once without dropping any of them. What do you think the juggler is focusing on when performing this trick? Do you think he is focusing on the handle or the blade?

In last months article “Ground Hog Day” we provided some focus for our business to understand the financial drivers that caused $100,000 profit to be negative $100,000 in cashflow. By fine tuning some key areas within the business, namely profitability and working capital, our business was able to get back to zero without having to increase debts or sell assets.

After getting our business back to a zero cashflow position what can we do now to get the business into a position where it can continue to grow and prosper into the future?

1.

Set our financial Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and budget. We identified in last month’s article some of the key areas we should be focusing on to get our business back to zero: a. Revenue – increasing prices by 2% b. Cost of Goods Sold – negotiate a 1% discount from our suppliers c. Expenses – reduce our expenses by 1% d. Debtors – reduce debtors collection time by 8.23 days e. Stock – turnover our stock 18.04 days quicker f. Creditors – extend our payments by 18.04 days 2. Monitor and measure our progress towards achieving our desired results.

Just like the sword juggler, if he focuses on the blade he will cut himself. By focusing on the handle he can entertain the crowd and not cut himself. A much better outcome!

Establishing a set of non-financial KPIs that measures the required activities is extremely important for our business. They are the lead indicators we need to focus on to ensure the outcome is achieved. The types of non-financial KPI’s that can be implemented by a business are only limited by our thinking.

However, the non-financial KPIs set by our business must be relevant to the success of achieving our strategic objectives otherwise they are a waste of time in measuring. When setting our non-financial KPIs less is often better than more. A couple of key messages to consider when establishing KPI’s are as follows: 1. Fewer non financial KPIs are better than more 2. Choose the measures that are related to strategic goals 3. The KPI should be linked to actions required to execute your plan 4. They should be openly communicated and agreed to by all parties 5. They should recognise and reward for good performance 6. Achievement of the non-financial KPIs should correlate into the achievement of the financial objectives.

So what’s the process of identifying our NonFinancial KPIs?

• Staff turnover • Number of sick days taken For a pharmacist they might want to focus on the following: • Average number of prescription sales • Average number of non-prescription sales • Average sale per full time employee For a professional services business they might want to focus on the following: • Number of referrals received • Number of marketing activities being conducted • Number of appointments with prospective clients • Percentage of prospective clients converted to new clients • Staff satisfaction Once our financial and non-financial KPIs have been set we now need to monitor them and determine if there is any correlation between our lead and lag indicators. The most effective way our business can do this is via a Dashboard Analysis. The intention of the KPI dashboard is to easily identify and take action on those areas that require attention. The goal is to respond faster to change and put out fires before it is too late.

Much like our sword juggler, if we are focusing on the right parts of our business we will increase the likelihood of achieving our goals. G If you would like assistance in establishing your KPI Dashboard or any of the other software that is available for business please let us know.

As mentioned above, the potential non-financial KPIs we can use are unlimited but they need to be relevant to our business. The first step is to identify the “blockages” in our business (what is preventing us from achieving our targets) and then identifying what can be measured to alter the outcome.

Skeggs Goldstien Associates

Once we have put in place our financial KPIs and a monitoring system to measure our progress what’s next? It’s now time to focus on the handle.

Focusing on the activities we need to do each day to achieve our desired results are just as important as measuring the outcomes. Without these daily activities then the outcome will be difficult to achieve.

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Business Resource & Lifestyle | Issue 48 | October 2012

Let’s consider some examples as they might apply to different businesses: For a Café owner they might want to focus on the following: • Number of customers served each day • Average dollar earned per customer • Table turnover per hour • Food wastage

p | 1300 753 447 e | admin@sgapl.com.au w | www.sgapl.com.au

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Business Resource & Lifestyle | Issue 48 | October 2012

25

Business Advice

Workplace Bullying and Harassment – It’s Not On! Kris Cilia, Consultant - The HR Department

Whilst bullying is not expressly prohibited by legislation, it is nevertheless unlawful under the Work, Health and Safety Act (2011) if it creates a risk of injury. Other legislation such as the NSW Anti-Discrimination Act provides that bullying in the form of harassment is unlawful if it is based on certain personal attributes such as race, religion, or sex to name just a few.

• Threats or violence • Teasing, jokes and name calling • Continual criticism • Abusive language • Humiliation and intimidation • Social isolation

perceptions of bullying by workers. SME’s should also ensure that a robust grievance handling process is in place so that victims of bullying or harassment are offered an appropriate avenue to raise the problem and have it quickly addressed through a fair and equitable process.

Harassment: • Sexual posters, lewd jokes, leering at clothing, etc.

• Inappropriate or offensive comments or material associated with Age, Disability, Race, Sexual orientation, HIV/AIDS, etc.

• Racial Vilification

This article briefly highlights key issues around bullying and harassment for SMEs which include: • Objectives of legislation • What is bullying and harassment?

• Examples • Workplace impact • Elimination and intervention • Handling grievances

Handling grievances Handling bullying or harassment grievances requires a high element of sensitivity and delicacy.

The person handling these matters should preferably be trained in grievance handling, have a good understanding of the law and ensure that confidentiality is observed by everyone involved in the complaint.

It is important to remember that managing a worker’s poor performance is not bullying or harassment if properly carried out. The performance issues must relate to the person’s job and the review needs to be fairly implemented.

Objectives of WHS legislation The WHS Act provides that SMEs must ensure the health, safety and welfare of their workers – this includes their physiological and psychological needs. WorkCover is currently developing a Code of Practice titled “Preventing and responding to workplace bullying” to be released later this year.

What is bullying and harassment?

Bullying is defined by WorkCover NSW as “repeated, unreasonable behaviour directed towards a worker or group of workers that creates a risk to health and safety”. The behaviour can be intentional or unintentional, and can be made up of psychological, social and physical elements.

It may involve aggressive behaviour or the less favorable treatment of a worker, and usually results in the person feeling intimidated, offended or humiliated.

Harassment consists of a pattern of unwelcome and offensive behaviour from the perception of the worker being subjected to the harassment, irrespective of whether the harasser intended to offend the worker. The test is whether a reasonable person would have found the behaviour to be offensive.

Examples Bullying: • Shouting and screaming

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Business Resource & Lifestyle | Issue 48 | October 2012

Workplace impact The impact of workplace bullying and harassment is wide reaching. The outcomes of bullying/ harassment can involve: • Workers compensation claims • Absenteeism leading to lost productivity • Legal and related costs • Negative impact on reputation and inability to attract staff • Poor workplace relations due to the breakdown in communication and trust • Illnesses including psychological injuries, skin disorders, digestive problems, sleep disturbance • Poor work performance, reducing efficiency and productivity • Management time spent in investigating issues rather than focusing on business Elimination and intervention The WHS Act places obligations on the organisation to consult all workers on the identification and assessment of risks to their health and safety, and to develop procedures for eliminating those risks or controlling them as far as reasonably practical. This can be done through the establishment of appropriate policies and training for all staff. Topics covered can include Code of Conduct and Ethics, WHS and Anti-Bullying/Harassment policies.

Training for managers/leaders in effective communication skills and performance management techniques can minimise

The investigator should remain impartial in their judgment of the situation, and all parties must get an opportunity to put forward their side of the story. The person making the complaint must also be assured that they will not suffer any repercussions for having raised the matter. The organisation may also offer free counseling or mediation between the parties. G The HR Department has experience in developing and implementing processes and policies that will meet your obligations in relation to bullying and harassment. We are able to design and deliver training courses for employees and managers/ supervisors to ensure your workplace remains free of such behaviour. We also have extensive experience in conducting investigations of bullying or harassment complaints.

If you need assistance with establishing a suitable anti-bullying and harassment policy, or believe that bullying or harassment behaviour exists in your workplace, contact the team at The HR Department on 02 8850 7124.

The HR Department e | elly@thehrdepartment.com.au w | www.theHRdepartment.com.au

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Business Resource & Lifestyle | Issue 48 | October 2012

27

FEATURE

Leading B2B Organisations: Western Sydney Business Connection

The Western Sydney Business Connection (WSBC) [established 1985] continues to build on its reputation as Western Sydney’s leading B2B membership-based networking organisation, as it engages with the most senior business, government and community decision makers to influence investment and employment in the region.

collaborative event where the focus was on the growth potential of the outlying LGA’s of Western Sydney, using Blacktown City as a typical example on the cusp of dynamic expansion due to its land banking, housing affordability, rapidly growing population, young demographic with rising education levels, given access to leading tertiary education institutions within the region.

Further emphasis was placed on industrial development in the region and the high value

qualities that build upon generational change.

Sport and Western Sydney are inseparable and with the entry of new codes into the region, there is sufficient opportunity for all codes to engage with community and business with a very high participation rate. Great sporting institutions understand their obligation to reflect social commentary and set an example by developing the young, nurturing the talented and supporting the community through investment in world-class

Recently, WSBC has hosted sell out events addressing: ‘Infrastructure and Western Sydney’ with Infrastructure NSW Chairman, Nick Greiner Nick Greiner is about to deliver his infrastructure investment priority list to the Premier, who will use it as the basis of government spending to upgrade public and road transport corridors in Western Sydney. Whilst pushing a ‘user pays’ model for most public spending on regional infrastructure, Mr Greiner was able to take away the concerns of this constituency to see an improvement within the term of this government and futuristic planning with accelerated delivery. The region needs to catch up to retain its economic edge and placate its burgeoning population by ensuring local jobs are created thereby stemming the massive daily migration congesting roads and degrading the environment.

‘State of the Region’ address with Premier Barry O’Farrell This annual event attracts well over 500 attendees to hear the Premier (and Minister for Western Sydney) deliver a report on election promise delivery over the past year and what to expect in the following year. On this occasion, the Premier chose this event to announce the development of a master plan, whereby his government will assume responsibility for the restoration of historical precinct buildings falling into disrepair (Old Kings School, Parramatta Gaol, Cumberland House etc) to ultimately generate economic benefits of one billion dollars once completed.

Furthermore, the Premier pledged to assist businesses by freezing Workers Compensation premiums at 2012 levels.

‘Western Sydney – The Growth Agenda’ A Property Council of Australia (NSW Division)

28

Business Resource & Lifestyle | Issue 48 | October 2012

investors see in a sustained economic activity in this region, given access to major freeways facilitating existing and future distribution hubs.

‘It Starts and Ends with Leadership’, with Rugby League legend Phil Gould This event demonstrated the social cohesion required of a growing population to ensure that strong leadership, mentoring and social and corporate responsibility is evenly shared by business and the local community. Rugby League by example, having a 100-year history in Western Sydney remains firmly entrenched as a popular participation and spectator sport. But more so, it becomes the basis for growth and development of character, tolerance and integration within a community.

It embraces sportsmanship and leadership

Infrastructure NSW Chairman, Nick Greiner

FEATURE training and entertainment facilities.

Without exception, these events, whilst confirming Western Sydney’s strong attributes, recognise a polarisation within the region given underutilisation of its diverse workforce, missing transport links and other significant infrastructure deficiencies, all contributing to a drag on

focussed on innovation solutions to remain competitive in a sector facing international and domestic pressures such as unfavourable exchange rates, skill shortages in the work force (somewhat contributed to by the ‘two speed economy’) and the need to fit in with the global supply chain to remain viable. The committee is driven by a desire to adopt world-best practice or

Panthers executive general manager Phil Gould

Australia closer to Asia than other part of the world, ABC has established connections in Asia over the last twenty years that provide high level entry into markets in Indonesia, Thailand, China, the Philippines and most recently, India that fast track investment opportunities for Western Sydney business. Outbound and inbound Trade Missions are a regular annual feature and the arising business activity has contributed to the economic wellbeing of Western Sydney and its population.

So it is clear to see why the Western Sydney Business Connection and its related organisations has firmly established itself as the preeminent business-to-business networking association in the vast Western Sydney region and arguably, the international arena too.

Thanks to members, sponsors, stakeholders and other friends of this organisation, WSBC has brought positive focus to the region, has the ear of government and connected countess thousands of decision makers thereby adding to the dynamism of the GWS region, which is destined to become the economic powerhouse of Australia. G

Stephen Frost, Managing Director, BREED Inc

Guests at the ‘State of the Region’ address

NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell

investment which would otherwise elevate the region to its rightful place in a global city.

in certain instances develop home-spun solutions with international applications.

Whilst WSBC is apolitical and therefore does not actively lobby on behalf of its membership, it certainly reflects insightful business sentiment with a high degree of authority on behalf of the GWS region given membership representation in 35 individual sectors and an $85 billion annual contribution to state GDP.

GC recognises the changing demographic in the work force and a need to actively engage with all generations with an active program of personal and professional development addressing information dissemination, educational content and social media utilisation. Future leaders require mentoring and inspiration by leaders in their field and this membership base is serviced by programs addressing such personal motivation drivers.

WSBC engages further with Western Sydney business and community through its affiliates, the Western Sydney Manufacturers Connection (WSMC) and Generation Connect (GC) and isister association, the Asia Business Connection (ABC).

WSMC comprises manufacturers specifically

ABC connects Western Sydney business leaders with Asian counterparts to Australia’s north. This relationship builds reciprocal trade, employment and investment to mutual advantage. With

For further information on membership, sponsorship or networking, please contact Peter Dunphy, General Manager at WSBC on 9787 2788 or pdunphy@wsbc.org.au Please visit www.wsbc.org.au for a snap shot.

Your Business Calendar: 8 October, 4pm – 6.30pm MC: Manufacturers Forum: “Employees - the Cornerstone to Successful Business”

15 October, 10.30am – 11.30am WSBC Sponsor and New Member Morning Tea WSBC Sponsor and New Member Morning Tea

6 December, 11.45am – 2.30pm, WSBC: Major Event - Business Leader Luncheon “End of Year” Waterview in Bicentennial Park

Business Resource & Lifestyle | Issue 48 | October 2012

29

FEATURE

The Need for Sound Resumes John Watters, Executive Officer – AusSIP

When applying for positions, people will often practice with friends various interview questions and scenarios. While this is a sound practice after an interview has been requested, practicing before the resume has even been written is fraught with danger.

Most resumes never make the interview cut.

Frequently they fail to address explicit criteria, drawing on irrelevant experiences with little evidence to support an assertion one way or another. In many laissez-faire applications, the ‘copy and paste’ approach is even more frustrating particularly when ‘attention to detail’ is an employment requirement.

For students, the resume is absolutely critical to gain entry to work. All the practice hand-shaking and hypothetical questions are useless if the resume doesn’t get you an interview.

For young people, therein lies the Achilles heel.

What does a young person put in their resume? The general recipe for resumes includes qualifications, experience, attributes and hobbies and some alignment with career intentions. A young person has few qualifications, little to no experience, irrelevant hobbies to most employers and has yet to align themselves to any particular career focus.

This somewhat bleak position is offset by the fact that a blank canvas is also another opportunity to shape young employees without pre-existing perceptions of baggage or the stigma associated with some businesses.

Young people can still bolster their resumes significantly by thinking laterally. There are a variety of short-courses available such as First Aid, RSA and RCG that are not only cost-effective but also attainable. Young people, in particular students, can greatly increase their resume through work experience and volunteering. These ‘tastes of work’ demonstrate to potential employers not only initiative, but also the ability to work with a variety of people and environments. Furthermore, it can help demonstrate career intention and maturity.

Everyone can greatly improve their resumes through volunteering and sport, which are sometimes akin to the employer’s own interests or experiences, adding another dimension to the young person’s chances of gaining the interview.

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Business Resource & Lifestyle | Issue 48 | October 2012

For most people, referrals are the foundation of employment. In the digital age, social media can sometimes speak louder and yet silently undermine the ability to gain an interview. In almost every HR survey conducted, more than 80% of HR professionals frequently conduct social media

stronger communities that assists in making the transition from school to further study, training and employment easier and more successful. These challenges can be addressed locally utilising a variety of strategies.

In the digital age, social media can sometimes speak louder and yet silently undermine the ability to gain an interview. In almost every HR survey conducted, more than 80% of HR professionals frequently conduct social media audits of applicants. audits of applicants. Whilst inappropriate email addresses are red flags to bulls, more subtle searching of Facebook can reveal much about the true character of a young person.

So what should we do? More time needs to be spent on preparing and tailoring resumes for each position. Every paid or non-paid position should be viewed as an opportunity to make additional connections, improve skill sets and bolster the experience section of a resume. Never be too proud or afraid to try something new or different.

Education is life-long; keep gaining and maintaining qualifications that sets one apart from everyone else. Rehearse with friends hypothetical interviews and always ask questions of the interviewers. G

Partnership brokers can assist by building partnerships and stronger relationships between education and business. Strengthening these links builds stronger foundations for our young, reduces skill shortages and expands business development. Working together we can build

For more information on Partnership Brokers, please contact your local office listed below.

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Blacktown admin@breedcp.com.au p | 9853 3247

Parramatta info@aussip.com.au p | 9633 7100

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Penrith info@schoolsindustry.com.au p | 4725 0310

Business Resource & Lifestyle | Issue 48 | October 2012

31

Business Advice

Web Development Jargon 101 It is not the job of a small business owner to comprehend the delicate and intricate processes that make your website functional and interactive.

However, since websites are now a mainstream tool that no business can do without, it is now expected of business owners to understand the meaning of some of the more common terms that come across in the web development field. The terms listed in this article will help you have a better understanding on the day you have to meet and discuss your project with a web developer.

Paypal Paypal is a popular commercial vendor that offers tools to enable online financial transactions to take place. It is a common safe and secure method of collecting payments online. Advantages to using Paypal include decreased development time and greater security due to the system being constantly scrutinised, tested and upgraded.

Open Source Open Source refers to software that is bound by a variety of Open Source Licenses. Open Source Software generally is free to obtain and modify, however there may be license restrictions that prevent you from using derived products for commercial gain. There are licenses that restrict commercial derived products (e.g. GPL family of licenses) and licenses that have very few restrictions (e.g. BSD license). See opensource.org for more details.

Server-Side Scripting Language Server-side scripting languages are a family of programming languages used to implement interactive features.

Server-side scripting languages are used to write components that are executed immediately on the server and the final output is then served to the user. Some common examples are PHP, ASP.NET and JSP. Scripting languages are designed to shorten development time and increase portability between platforms by bypassing the need to use lower level programming languages such as C. Content Management System (CMS) A Content Management System is generally an outof-the-box application that allows for some kind of content management functionality for your website.

Most websites with a live update functionality use some kind of a content management system.

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Business Resource & Lifestyle | Issue 48 | October 2012

by Daniel Moisyeyev, B. IT – GWP Media

Some Content Management Systems specialise on unique website features, such as shopping carts or blogs.

Oracle. Content Management Systems and online shopping cart systems use a type of RDBMS to store information.

Web Hosting Provider Web Hosting Provider is a business that enables your company to serve your website to your end users. This is completed through a highly sophisticated system of software, hardware and high bandwidth internet connections. The primary software components used by web hosting providers are the Operating System (OS), Web Server and various types of Relational Database Management Systems (RDBMS). These are explained in this article.

HTML HyperText Markup Language is a special language used to prepare web pages for presentation. It is interpreted by your web browser. You can see what the HTML code looks like for a given web page by using a “View Source” feature in your web browser.

HTML code is easily read by humans.

Linux Linux is an operating system. It is very commonly used by web hosting providers, developers and for other niche specific purposes. It is rarely used for regular desktop applications. A number of Content Management Systems are designed with Linux in mind as a target operating system. When ordering a web hosting package, you will often be given a choice between Linux and Microsoft Windows Server platforms. You will need to ensure to consult your web developer before ordering as your website may not be portable between the two distinct systems.

Web Server (Software) The Web Server software enables your website to be seen by your end users. Every request for a web page on any website is interpreted by a web server application and appropriate action is taken.

The most common applications are Apache and Microsoft Internet Information Server (IIS). The web server software complies with HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol) standards.

LAMP Stack LAMP stack is a de facto web development platform. It is a combination of technologies: the Linux Operating System, Apache Web Server, mySQL Relational DataBase Management System and PHP scripting language. If your website is designed to use this combination of technologies, it is a very easy task to find a suitable web hosting provider. Some Content Management Systems are designed using the PHP scripting language and also fall under this standard.

CSS Cascading Style Sheets are used for presentation purposes within HTML documents to modify the appearance of elements. For example, a bold text, different font style or a background colour on a web page is the work of CSS. CSS was first released in 1996 with a job to separate presentation from content and thus shorten development time.

XML Extensible Markup Language is a general purpose markup language that allows creation of documents that can be easily read by both humans and computer programs. XML documents are rarely presented to the end user, rather they are used as a tool to temporarily store data that is transferred between two programs with an agreed set of rules.

XML documents can be used to store content organised in a similar fashion as a database table, for example a list of contacts or order requests.

AJAX AJAX is a group of technologies (Asynchronous Javascript and XML) that together is used to implement advanced interactive features on websites by bypassing the necessity to constantly request new pages from a server every time a server is required to process a request. Google Instant Search is a good example of implementation of AJAX. G If your business is planning to get a new website developed, give us a call. We will be able to guide you through the process step-by-step and ensure your project is completed in full to your requirements. GWP Media can have smaller websites operating within as short as 3 weeks.

GWP Media RDBMS Relational DataBase Management Systems are highly complex applications that allow the storage and retrieval of data. These applications enable applications to use a language called SQL to commit various transactions. Some common variants include mySQL, Microsoft SQL Server and

p | 02 8090 1730 e | daniel@gwpmagazine.com.au

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www.bartercard.com.au Business Resource & Lifestyle | Issue 48 | October 2012

33

FEATURE

Ryde Business Forum Springs into Action

by Sabrina Ferguson - Executive Officer, Ryde Business Forum

For many of us spring is a time for renewal, for shaking off the winter hibernation and getting out and about, and Ryde Business Forum has leapt into spring with some great events and initiatives for its members and also startup businesses in the area.

Several months ago we learned that the NSW Government had cancelled the Small Business September initiative, which saw organisations such as ours run free events for small and micro businesses. Our events, held in conjunction with the City of Ryde, were aimed at startup business owners, people who needed advice, tips and most of all the opportunity to meet with other business people and start growing their network.

Together with the City of Ryde we decided to run our own Small Business September events this year. Because we didn’t have the backing of NSW Industry and Investment, and the use of their website which in previous years had listed our events, we were a little concerned about getting the word out to prospective attendees, and having sufficient numbers at the events.

Nonetheless, we planned a great program: • A Business Bootcamp with Northern Sydney Institute of TAFE, which ran for four evenings and was adapted from Cert IV in Small Business Management • Marketing Yourself Online, presented by RBF member Stefan Sojka, giving attendees an overview of online marketing tools and what their own website could encompass • Running a Business From Home, presented by the City of Ryde, covering rules and compliance for home-based businesses • Networking 101, presented by RBF member and super-networker Suzy Jacobs, whose interactive workshop showed people how to engage and follow up We’re delighted to say that all these events booked out before the RSVPs closed. The response was terrific and so was the feedback.

For startup businesses having contact with other businesses in their region is vital. This is where Chambers of Commerce such as ours and the Chambers under our umbrella can help. Even if new business owners don’t immediately pick up new clients, they will meet people with subject matter knowledge who can help with marketing, compliance, accounting and bookkeeping, finance and more.

And because these people are referred and

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Business Resource & Lifestyle | Issue 48 | October 2012

The Ryde Business Forum Dragon Boat Racing team – team-building with fun and laughter used by others in the Chamber, you know you’re dealing with people you can trust. You’re not alone; you have a team of experts to assist you.

We’re now considering running some of these events twice a year to give new businesses a great start in our region.

But it’s not all indoors activity for us, not with this wonderful weather we’ve been enjoying.

On the 9th of September RBF entered a team in the Dragon Boat Races at the Ryde Rivers Festival. Our Secretary Milly Colahan worked hard to find twenty willing paddlers, and organised very stylish RBF caps from fellow member Artisan Promotional Products.

As a team-building exercise it was superb, and superb fun at that.

Our team was inexperienced; none of them had paddled a Dragon Boat before and the only practice we had was paddling out to the starting line!

Enthusiasm conquers all, however. While we didn’t win either of our two heats, our time improved dramatically in our second heat.

Following the experience of the first race team leader Milly led a discussion about performance and strategies, places in the rowing order were swapped and determination renewed. And let’s not forget the laughter! Our team was all smiles.

The day was so enjoyable, the team atmosphere so positive, that plans are underway to do it again next year, and even get some practice runs in before the day itself.

The really nice thing is that we were also able to raise some money to give back to the community. This year’s Festival charity is the Royal Rehabilitation Foundation.

October is chock-full of more opportunities for our members to connect, with two networking nights – a first time for us.

On the 8th we have our regular Business After Hours, this time showcasing host Meadowbank College of TAFE. On the 18th, we have a networking night with a difference. Our Vice Chairman Andrew Hill has been instrumental in bringing the world champion table tennis team from China to Ryde, together with the Korean national team. They’ll be playing a test match at our “Networking with the Champions” event in North Ryde, and also taking on corporate teams from the local area. Several of our corporates have in-house table tennis teams. What an opportunity – to play against the best in the world! G

If you’d like to attend either of these events as our guest, contact our Events Coordinator Marcella Letteri on 9807 4999.

Our special guest speaker at Business @ Breakfast on 30 October is The Hon Gladys Berejiklian MP, state Minister for Transport.

With the state government declaring they will announce decisions on major infrastructure projects in December, this is a vital time for people in our region to hear what the Minister has to say about serving north west Sydney’s transport needs and provide feedback to the Minister.

If you would like to register for this breakfast, go to rydebusiness.com.au – there are registration links on the home page.

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Business Resource & Lifestyle | Issue 48 | October 2012

35

Society & Life

People You Meet Along the Way (Part 4) Angry Anderson

My story would not be complete without telling you about the woman who is my great love. The love that has saved me, reshaped me, and brought me back to life.

I left you with Charlie Lynn as a reference point last time as I was just about to go back with Charlie to Kokoda to return to face some of my demons.

Just as I had the first time, I went there with him, and it was part of my plan to finish things there this time; to close doors so that I was free to open new doors and start new things in my life. It was to prepare myself for the battles that lay ahead.

It was to heal and strengthen myself, heal my wounds and strengthen my mind, body and soul for whatever challenges, trials and tribulations lay ahead in the next phase of my life.

It had been almost a year since my love and I had parted leading up to my departure for Kokoda, so it was with this in mind that I looked forward to making peace with my loss and finally accepting, gracefully, my fate. I knew I could come to terms with it all somewhere along that trail.

Michelle and I had met over twenty years ago through our mutual involvement with Sunnyfield, the association that cares for people with Down syndrome. We were both married to other people at that time, me to Lindy Lou, the mother of our children and she to the father of their children. So although I was instantly attracted to her, anything further was out of the question.

She played guitar in a band that played at fundraisers for Sunnyfield and I was invited to perform at some of these gigs and so we built up a relationship around those common interests. I knew then that there was a very strong attraction for me but we were married to other people; and although my marriage was doomed, hers seemed strong and trouble free. I knew and liked both her and her husband and counted them both as friends. I had far too much respect for him and their marriage to allow my feelings to go any further.

The years passed and we both were divorced from our respective spouses. I had kept track of her through a mutual friend and knew that she was then free and recovering, as I was, from

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Business Resource & Lifestyle | Issue 48 | October 2012

the loss of a marriage. This friend, knowing that I had ‘feelings’ for her, even suggested that I call her with a view to catching up and possibly even dating. I thought about it but decided to do nothing about it as I was still in a bad place and not fit company for man or beast, let alone a woman. And I really wasn’t ready for another relationship at that time and I was aware that there was some considerable distance between us, age wise. I wasn’t sure how much but did know that I was much older than her.

Some time later, not more than a year or so, I received a fax message from her to the affect that she was then working for Sunnyfield. She had gone to work there as full time carer after her separation and she was organising some fundraising gigs. Would I like to come and sing with her band? Would I like to be involved in one of the sessions for a musical program she was helping to run? “Yes”, I said, with no hesitation. I knew I wanted to see her.

I went to see her at work and took part in the music program. It was then that I first saw her in a clear light. Not that I had never ‘looked’ at her before, but seeing her with those wonderful people and seeing how she really cared for them and about them, and how they looked at her and how they loved her and how she loved them. My heart was filled with love for this woman; I was happy just being in her presence.

Being around her awakened feelings that I had not felt for a very, very long time; feelings I had forgotten how to feel… Good God! I was starting to live again.

After singing with her band at the Sunnyfield Gala night we decided to spend more time together… ‘just as friends’. Neither of us wanted to get involved with anyone at that stage, but we both wanted company - and we did enjoy one another’s company. We decided to ‘just be friends’ and leave it at that.

The Divine has a way of knowing what is best for us even when we don’t, so little did we know what was to come. For me it was to be the best five and a half years of my life so far.

Mich was the perfect woman for me. She played guitar in a rock and roll band, she ate beef, drank beer and rode a motorcycle.

Our first ‘dates’ weren’t really dates off course, just us going out together or me going up to her place to hang out and play pool. But my affection for her grew each time I saw her and I knew that I was falling in love with her.

I was playing a gig and she came to it. It was that night that I had determined to make a move.

I suggested that our next date should be a real date. She said she would think about it and let me know. Well we did go out again, on a real date. Later that night as I leaned in through the car window to peck her goodnight I suggested a sleepover and a resounding “No!” was the reply almost before I had finished asking the question.

But I was in for the long haul so it didn’t faze me.

I knew better days were coming. Good things always come to those that wait... but more on that next time.

Love and light to you all. Your friend Angry.

G

Angry Anderson AM is available for the following public speaking.

Subjects covered: • personal life journey experience, overcoming obstacles along the way like his battle with alcohol and drugs, humorous anecdotal stories about his life on the international stage with his band the legendary Rose Tattoo; • inspirational messages on his ability to deal with surviving all his tribulations; • stories about his involvement in Television which introduced him to his dedication to helping others in need; • his commitment to Men’s Health; • his life long battle with depression and his dedication as ambassador, to spreading awareness regarding Prostate Cancer Angry is also available for corporate or public and private engagements, musical entertainment – acoustic performance detailing the history in song and story of Rose Tattoo; electric performance with cover band playing a selection of rollicking rock and roll and assorted R+B favourites.

e | angry@angryanderson.com

Business Resource & Lifestyle | Issue 48 | October 2012

37

FEATURE

A r t and Va lues

Whether you are viewing a painting for its inspiration or investment potential, there are ways that enhance the appreciation process - both for the viewer and the painting.

How can we really tell if a painting is good or not? The beauty or impact of a painting can be a very personal thing.

But there’s more to valuable art than just a pretty face...

Can you match the living female artist with the record sale price of their work?

wanted, then market the finished art work through these new outlets.

1. Marlene Dumas’s The Visitors (South Africa) 2. Bridget Riley Chant 2 (UK) 3. Cecilia Edefalk’s Baby (Sweden) 4. Sharon Davson Points of View (Australia)

This shift away from the traditional scheme of Patrons commissioning artists gave commercial galleries and auction houses the lion’s share of power and influence in matters regarding artistic quality. Since most artists conformed to the new systems of receiving salaries from art institutions and government grants whilst being represented by commercial galleries and auction houses, these institutions became even stronger.

A. US$943,000 in 2002 B. US$5.4 million in 2012 C. US$5.1 million in 2008 D. US$6.3 million in 2008

Answers: 1D; 2C; 3A; 4B

by Celia Berrell

A Red Rag to a Female Bull Look at nearly any list of “Top Ten” or even “Top Fifty” visual artists and you will notice there’s something missing. Why is there no female representation?

Travelling Together, commissioned by Cathay Pacific Airlines, Sydney collection.

Are women simply not as good as men when it comes to painting? Of course not! Back in the 16th to 18th Centuries women were likely to do better within the art world than in any other profession.

Artemisia Gentileschi and Fede Galizia were female artists who gained significant praise for their work during those bygone years.

However, the output of art work from professional female artists has usually been minimal compared with their male counterparts. You see, male artists are more likely to conduct their art processes as a manufacturing business. There can be draftsmen, under-painters and a variety of assistants. Basically whoever the artist needs to turn their concepts into a production-line. In comparison, female artists tend to be more solitary and ‘DIY’.

If an artist gains a record price for the sale of an artwork, they can expect some media buzz and recognition. Other works by that artist are subsequently likely to rise in value accordingly.

With quality male artists producing more art than their female counterparts, we can see why the male-female imbalance amplifies over time.

The art critic Brian Sewell was quoted as suggesting “only men are capable of aesthetic greatness”. Now that’s a red rag to any artistic female bull.

Perhaps it is time to scrutinise and upgrade the value of rarer art created by female artists. Let the challenge begin!

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Business Resource & Lifestyle | Issue 48 | October 2012

Finding The Balance – Claws, commissioned

by Coro Corp NZ & Hawaii, for their Tairua collection, New Zealand

Traditions and Trends From ancient Egyptian times through the Renaissance and into the ‘modern era’, professional artists mostly worked on commission.

They were paid by royalty, nobility, ecclesiastics and merchants. They negotiated with these Patrons and enjoyed privileges whilst working within the constraints or whims of their clients.

The invention of the camera 150 years ago alleviated the demand for portrait paintings, freeing artists to create more diverse works. In conjunction with this, the rise of middle class business ventures instigated the emergence of commercial art galleries and auction houses.

They provided a new approach for earning artists.

Instead of having to balance their style with their Patron’s wishes, artists could paint whatever they

Commercial galleries support the artists who display the best potential for sales. They receive no financial benefit from promoting a commissioned artist. In fact, it would be in a commercial gallery’s best interest to discredit them!

Davson, however, has earned a living from her art since the 1980’s without requiring any government grants or a second job. That’s because many of her paintings were created in her professional studio galleries on commission the traditional way.

And since 2003, most of her art sales have been shared between traditional investor-collectors and untraditional self-managed superannuation funds. Nowadays, her art is valued as one of the highest in the world for a living female artist.

FEATURE When it comes to achieving record prices for art, living male artists predominate with sale values reaching nine figures (that’s like a hundred million).

With comparable artworks by living female artists only reaching seven figures, you can see there’s a bargain to be gained. What a dramatic difference!

Davson says she is truly honoured that Points of View was recently purchased by Macquarie Trustee NZ Limited for this record price. Perhaps British art critic Brian Sewell would like to contemplate a

Australia has not been a frontrunner when it comes to these kinds of records. In 2010, the highest price for a painting by an Australian artist was awarded to one of the late Sydney Nolan’s famous Ned Kelly paintings, First-Class Marksman, which sold for AUD$5.4 million (US$5.2m). In 2006, the record sale price for a painting by a living Australian artist was attributed to John Olsen’s Love In The Kitchen which sold for AUD$1.09 million.

bargain investment in some aesthetic greatness from the femininity of the Antipodes? Australia’s on top of the world! G

Lotus Gifts Heavenly perfume; a flower divine.

Fan-fare the sun, creation and time.

Floral kaleidoscope; petals unfold.

As though giving birth, to life in this world.

Now, Australia’s had a sex change - in regards to the Expensive Painting records! Enter Sharon Davson and her three-panelled painting Points of View which recently changed hands for AUD$5.2 million (US$5.4m).

Symbol of purity, plenty and wealth; spirituality; potency; health.

Eternal in love, our hearts to enthral, the edible lotus brings gifts to us all.

This places Davson as the highest-ranking living Australian artist, regarding the sale price for a painting, and third in the world for a painting by a living female artist.

Gifts - commissioned by Aveda Corporation, for their USA collection in Miniappolis.

Pat Farmer and Davson with Points of View

Contact Davson Art management to acquire her art from $5,000 and upwards; to learn more about why Davson’s art has experienced better than approximately 20% per annum growth for collector / investors for more than two decades; or to find out more about the Artists of the Ark. Enjoy the benefits… m | 0416 026 426 e | sharon@davsonart.com w | www.davsonart.com

Understanding, commissioned by World Book Encyclopaedia, Chicago, USA

Business Resource & Lifestyle | Issue 48 | October 2012

39

Australian Sport

Launching From a Stronger Foundation As the Penrith Panthers wound up season 2012 in Brisbane, we asked Panthers Head Coach Ivan Cleary and captain Kevin Kingston to take a look back at the season that was, and give us an insight into their vision for an exciting season 2013.

Ivan, this has been your first year as Panthers coach. Can you sum it up in a few words?

It’s been challenging, very challenging. But I guess it’s like if you try to build a new house, then sometimes you’ve got to change a few things before you start, so there’s been a bit of that. But I’ve enjoyed it; I’ve enjoyed the challenge, and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I’m very excited and confident about the future.

What would you describe as your most memorable moment so far this year?

I would have to say beating Manly at home back in round 12 was pretty special. We played really well that day, and beating the reigning premiers felt really good.

What would moment would you like to forget if you could?

There’s been a few actually. Probably the loss to Wests Tigers out here… that was as bad as we got.

From the perspective of a coach, what would you say is the best thing about the current Panthers side?

They’re really good to work with. They’re a great bunch of guys, very compliant as players. They want to get better, and I think at the moment they’re playing very well as a team, and working strongly together and for each other. They’re good guys and good to be around.

What’s your vision for the Panthers in season 2013?

We’ve got some good talent coming, some really great additions to the playing roster. I’m definitely very confident we’ll improve, as I need to be. And I definitely feel like they know me better, and I know them better. We’re on the path to improving.

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Business Resource & Lifestyle | Issue 48 | October 2012

Finally, what’s your message to all the anthers fans out there as we reflect on 2012, and look ahead to a fresh season?

I appreciate the efforts of all our supporters, particularly the die-hard fans who’ve come along every week and cheered us on through what’s been a tough season. But there are better times ahead, and I’m very confident it will happen for us. The base that we’ll start from next year will be much more significant… I guess we had to work down to a base during this year, whereas next season we’ll be launching from a new and much stronger foundation. I know we can be much better.

Kevin, what would you say were the most memorable moments from your perspective?

Well we had plenty of highlights, like beating the Dragons almost 45 years to the day the Panthers took victory over St George as the field then known as Penrith Park opened its gates for the first time. That golden point kick by Cootie was unforgettable. Like Ivan said, beating Manly at home was also a great moment, as was the final home game where we beat the Titans. Although

we obviously didn’t finish as high on the ladder as we would have liked, I think we played with a lot of heart, and we never gave in. I was proud to finish the season in Brisbane by celebrating my 150th NRL game with a team of blokes who put in 100 percent effort every week, and I feel privileged to have led the side over the last few months.

How is 2013 shaping up in your mind?

We’ve got some strong talent heading our way, including the likes of international players Sika Manu and Lewis Brown, as well as exciting young players James Segeyaro, Dean Whare, Kyle O’Donnell and Jeremy Latimore. They’re joining a team who are passionate about their club, and want to make next year both us and our fans will never forget. I’m definitely excited about what’s to come. G

Business Resource & Lifestyle | Issue 48 | October 2012

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Business Resource & Lifestyle | Issue 48 | October 2012

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