SYDNEY - ISSUE 75 | SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2015
RORTS AND
POLITICS Page 14
CYBER SECURITY
IS YOUR BUSINESS PROTECTED? Page 30 Top Western Sydney Businesses Announced for 2015: A Trending Topic in Australia Page 36
CHANGE YOUR P@$$W0RD5!
Larry
Pickering LARRIKIN, AGITATOR BiziNet Magazine
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Editor and Publisher: Dmitry Greku Cover Story A. Charles Smith Contributing Writers: Charlie Lynn Cher Campbell David Kelly Jared Goodwin Craig McCallum Bekir Kilic Bruce Gleeson Melissa Harries
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Art Director: Svetlana Greku
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BiziNet Magazine, former Business Resource & Lifestyle is published by GWP Media® ABN: 82 096 352 064 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.
Contents Cover Story
08
Larry Pickering Larrikin, Agitator A. Charles Smith
Regulars
06
EDITOR’S LETTER
BiziNet – Effective and Affordable Online/Offline Business Growing Concept Dmitry Geku
14 16
LEADERSHIP
Bekir Kilic
Features 103 Questions to Ask Your Accountant
Charlie Lynn
WORKFORCE
26
Business Networking the Good OldFashioned Way
34
Office Furniture: Workplace Comfort and Safety
Skills Barometer Checks Employment Pressure in Western Sydney
BUSINESS ADVICE
Bankruptcy and the Family Home Part 2 – The Doctrine of Exoneration Bruce Gleeson
20
Cyber Security - Is Your Business Protected?
21
Rorts and Politics
Craig McCallum
18
30
DIGITAL CORNER
Sacha Partners
Nicole Baines
Jared Goodwin
36
Top Western Sydney Businesses Announced for 2015; A Trending Topic in Australia Parramatta Chamber of Commerce
Quality Client Service Delivery and Building Relationships. The Holy Grail! David Kelly
28
Time to Check in: How is Your Mental Health?
32
They’re Just Not That into You
Watch More @ bizinettv.com.au
Melissa Harries
Cher Campbell
BiziNet Magazine BiziNet Magazine
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Introducing New Contributors
Bekir Kilic Bekir Kilicis a Managing Director of PRO IT. Founded in 1999, PRO IT’s objective was to provide an alternative to the conventional IT support and outsource services model for banking, finance and the media industries by focusing and understanding the clients core needs, can do attitude and close client/vendor relationship. IT support and outsource services is delivered throughout all major cities located in Australia and New Zealand. Today PRO IT provides data centre “smart & remote hands” for many multinational organisations.
proit.bizinet.com.au
PRO IT Pty Limited p | 1300 727 553 f | 02 872 4 3311 www.proit.com.au
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Cher Campbell Jared Goodwin Melissa Harries Melissa Harries has been practicing as a psychologist for ten years. The first six of those were as an Army Psychologist were she was responsible for enhancing soldier mental health and performance. This included deployments to East Timor and Afghanistan. Since leaving the Army Melissa founded Mindset Abilities and has provided a suite of EAP services including counselling, training, coaching and mediation to a broad client based. She particularly enjoys assisting individuals and teams to improve workplace performance and wellbeing.
mindsetabilities.bizinet.com.au
Melissa Harries m | 0422 473 203 p | 02 9687 9776 www.mindsetabilities.com.au
#75 Sep/Oct’15
Jared has over 10 years sales experience and has been a senior business development manager with Bowermans Office Furniture since 2014. Jared has quickly picked up the industry knowledge to confidently advise clients on how best to maximise their office space whilst maintaining a happy and healthy work environment for staff. Jared is a director of Youth Insearch Foundation www. youthinsearch.org.au and brings some strong governance, leadership and project management skills which have helped him to develop strong relationships with new and existing clients.
bowermans.bizinet.com.au
Jared Goodwin p | 02 9630 8333 e | jared@bowermans.com.au www.bowermans.com.au
Cher Campbell commenced her recruitment career in 1999 and has worked across an extensive array of positions and industries. “I’m really proud of the fact that our business has been built entirely on referrals and repeat opportunities which is exactly what we had in mind when we started iPlace Recruitment. Having been in the industry for over 15 years I have seen enormous change and I have also witnessed how wrong it can go if you don’t spend the time getting to know what our client is looking for and what the motivators are for our candidates.”
iplacerecruitment.bizinet.com.au
Cher Campbell m | 02 02 8865 9200 p | cher@iplacerecruitment.com.au www.iplacerecruitment.com.au
Parramatta Chamber BAF When:
1 September 2015
When:
BAF 5:30 – 7:30pm Where:
100 Leaders
Business Connect Breakfast
2 September 2015
When:
8.00am
Parramatta Council
10 September 2015
6:45 - 8:30pm
Where:
Event Cinemas
Where:
All My Admin
Cost: $40
Castle Hill
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Contact: 02 9635 0022
Cost: $45
Cost: $40
Contact: 02 9843 0324
Contact: 02 9894 8682
Learning at Work Expo
The Sydney Country Music Festival
Bella Vista Business Alliance When:
16 September 2015
5:30 - 7:30pm Where:
Bella Vista Hotel
When:
27 - 28 October 2015
When:
7.30am - 4.00pm Where:
31 October 2015
10.00am - 11.00pm
Australian Technology
Where:
Bella Vista Farm
Bella Vista
Park, Sydney
Park, Bella Vista
Cost: $45
Cost: Free
Cost: $75
Contact: 1300 889 132
Contact: 02 8908 8558
Contact: 02 9843 0112
What’’s On @ Benefits of Voluntary Administration
Running an Interview
Family in Business - Recovery
Motivating Staff and More...
BiziNet Magazine
#75 Sep/Oct’15
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EDITOR’S LETTER
BiziNet – Effective and Affordable Online/Offline Business Growing Concept Dmitry Geku, M. Sc. Editor and Publisher - BiziNet Magazine
About six months ago we started thinking about a serious upgrade for our business. It started with the kernel of an idea, and then mushroomed into something far more substantial. The first brew was the name, BiziNet. Powerful brainstorming led us to utilise this name as the new title for our magazine. Painful and dramatic the change proved to be, because it meant saying goodbye to our well-known and strongly branded Business Resource & Lifestyle title. But some social and business aspects brought us to opt for – BiziNet. The next step was the establishment of BiziNet Landing Pages for our clients. Landing Pages are a business honeycomb fashioned as a carrier of a massive volume of business and lifestyle-related information. Landing Pages contain company profiles, personal profiles of Companies’ Directors, professional advice videos and all of the Companies’ details, including links to their social media pages, websites and articles that we host on our blog. Almost all of our clients now have familiarlooking banners on their pages with QR codes.
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This allows our readers easy access to clients’ Landing Pages, and, if they are interested, to watch a video or read more about particular businesses and secure their support. These developments have permitted us to tie online and offline content business together, that is already bringing significant extra turnover to our clients. BiziNet magazine has become not just a publication, but the whole Online/ Offline/Social business media concept with all these implementations. And the BiziNet offline printed edition plays the role of a gateway to massive online business content in an article and video format. We are also proud to announce our new business association with Nicole Baines of All my Admin. Nic, for us in GWP Media and BiziNet, is first of all a good friend, a benchmark of business ethics, the best people-connector you can find--a networking guru if ever there was one. Back in the early days Nicole was responsible for creating an environment in the Hills which helped my business to grow. She didn’t consult me nor do sales for me. But she created this healthy, happy and profitable business environment where my young enterprise germinated and grew to what it is now. She is one of us, doing exactly the same in the Bella Vista Business Alliance. Bella Vista Business Alliance is GWP Media’s new business networking project where Nic, with the All myAdmin team, is playing a major partner’s role doing what they do best – bringing people together, getting them to know one
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another and letting them grow their revenues. Aren’t we are all here, in our businesses, for this? We run Bella Vista Business Alliance events in Bella Vista Hotel, the best venue in the Hills. The events take place once every six weeks, mostly on Wednesdays at 5.30pm. We don’t have long speeches, nor do we sell our businesses hard. We let our members talk, get to know each other and accomplish business. Most of us do business with people – not with businesses. We do push our members’ personal profiles through our slide shows at the events, along with their businesses, utilising advertising in BiziNet magazine, Landing Pages hosted on the BiziNet website and videos under the BiziNet TV umbrella. BiziNet is a great combination of all possible business media services, marketing concepts and networking events. We made it affordable and effective for any business in the market place, small, medium or large. So, please join us; come and visit as a guest – get involved, become engaged and watch the returns as your business grows. Have a great day. Take care of yourselves and your clients. G
e | editor@gwpmagazine.com.au
BiziNet Magazine
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PROUDLY PRESENTED BY
GWP MEDIA
Larry
Pickering LARRIKIN, AGITATOR
The bland tale might drone on that he has led a very full life. ‘You must be kidding,’ Larry Pickering, cartoonist, raconteur and radical blogger would resoundingly advocate.
This bloke’s life has been lived to the proverbial max, and then some, as he would, modestly, enjoy it being put. And what’s more, he shows no sign of giving it away any time soon.
to his second little brood of two, aged four and three. Are the maths right? Well, actually, yes, because he was married at seventeen years of age and, after the passing of his first wife, married again.
He talks about ten year sojourns that divide one stage of his existence from the next. So that in seventy two years on this earth, leaving aside the first twelve at home, he plunged into six subsequent increments, each fascinatingly different from the other but with two primary constants; hard work and family.
All of his adult children live not far from him in the Gold Coast area and they make a habit of getting together frequently at his home, he proudly relates.
Proudly, and why not, he boasts eleven children ranging in age from the fifties down
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by A. Charles Smith
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Most people usually grow up. Some take a good deal longer than others and are often in transition. Yet many others never do. It would be a mistake to simply categorise Pickering at any period of his life as locked securely into a particular stage, for his joie
GREAT AUSTRALIAN PEOPLE
capture a thousand words, but a cartoon gives rise to many thousands of thoughts. Sadly, not all humorous or satirical to some, such as those penning like sketches, have recently found. Pickering himself has gone to town on Mohamed latterly, and to think that in this country such freedom of expression is also under threat. Rise of radical Islam and limitations on free speech, subtle and overt, certainly motivated Larry to produce an incisive reprise in the style that made him a household name.
de vivre is derived from inhabiting all three, predominantly at the same time. That is what makes him such an interesting character. Even today, his famous cartoons remain legendary more so for those baby boomers who either loved or loathed them. But all would agree; they could not be ignored. Now his blog, Pickering Post, established some three years ago, bursts with satire, insightful comment and the signature touch of irreverence. As one with the cartoons, you may not agree with all that he says, but you have a good time finding out where he is going and the stuff of which he is made.
Irreverence coupled with originality was his foremost trademarks in the halcyon days illustrating with newspapers. But it is true that he really made his mark at The Australian where he joined in November 1975, during the dying days of what Alan Reid called, “The Whitlam Venture.” The annual, much-vaunted Pickering Calendar followed, one that Prime Ministers and celebrities eschewed but always peeped at, Larry would say wickedly, in case their au natural depictions failed to flatter. Who could forget some of the memorable musings proving a pen is mightier than the sword, a fortiori a cartoon. A picture might
The worldwide reaction to the cowardly, murderous attacks on the Parisian cartoonists and writers at Charlie Hebdo at least made the bearded beasts sit up and take notice. Hundreds of thousands took to the streets in solidarity. Free people would not take it anymore. But insidiously, a debate opened up as to why the killers did it, and whether offence could reasonably be given in the name of freedom of expression. Pickering Post is all about quashing any notion of suppressing free speech under the guise of not wishing to cause offence. He would say such a debate is the nonsensical discussion the left seems inclined to initiate. It tends to suggest that all should sit down, understand each other’s point of view, smoke a peace pipe and sing ‘Kumbaya’. Pickering is not having a bar of it, for therein lies the near bottom of the slippery slope.
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PROUDLY PRESENTED BY
GWP MEDIA
Thus is Larry Pickering a stirrer, an agitator, a revolutionary or what?
was also very proud of his Bentley car. I sat in it once but he would not let me go for a drive.” ‘But you were only eight or so?’ I protested.’ “I had driven before,” he replied with a mischievous laugh.
“Oscar Wilde encapsulates what I am about when he wrote, ‘Agitators are a set of interfering, meddling people who come down to some perfectly contented class of the community and sow the seeds of discontent amongst them. That is the reason why agitators are so absolutely necessary. Without them, in our incomplete state, there would be no advance towards civilisation.”
rapprochement subsisted until his death some few years ago.
So where did it all begin for this straighttalking larrikin of a man? His first job at eight was selling newspapers in the Melbourne suburb where he lived with his parents. His most famous customer was the Prime Minister of Australia, Sir Robert Menzies who lived at 2 Haverbrack Street Malvern. He recalls many Saturday morning conversations with the great man, sometimes enduring as long as half an hour. “He mostly talked about cricket. Menzies
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But things were not happy for the boy at home and Larry was unable to cope with the Christadelphian faith, practised by his parents. The estrangement with his mother, unfortunately, remains to this day. His father and he eventually reconciled and this
Larry found work in the Victorian Railways as a labourer inducing his engagement by overstating his age. “I ended up in the shunting yards at Footscray and Port Melbourne, having secured for myself a little one bedroomed flat.” It was backbreaking work and he did not take long to learn that the harder he worked, the more money he made. “They are the values
GREAT AUSTRALIAN PEOPLE
I have taken with me throughout my life. No work, no pay. More hours, more reward.” He describes himself as holding conservative views yet is happy to include the tag, ‘radical’ in there too, in the sense that he would like to think of himself as progressively conservative. Meaning that he is not saying, ‘no’ to homosexual marriage, but, “Hey, have some respect for those who value its integrity and the institution; like the old couple down the road in their eighties holding hands; why the rush?” A back injury saw the need to do less arduous work and he drifted into drawing, largely teaching himself. He worked at the Canberra Times, the Fairfax press outlets and The Age. “It was a good paper in those days he says of what Gerald Henderson now labels, ‘Pravda on the Yarra.’. Left leaning, but always honest and told it straight. Along the way, he won four Walkley Awards, a Churchill Fellowship and travelled widely. After he parted from newspapers, he managed to operate tomato farms in South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales, even employing his father, but when a hailstorm wiped out a four million dollar crop ready to be picked, his farming days were over. In between, he managed to buy a horse for seven thousand dollars, proudly boasting at the time that it would win the Melbourne Cup.
“Rising Fear nearly did in the 1986 race. We thought we had won from the stands but were pipped on the post in a photo finish.”
of freshness gifted to few, despite sedate entry into septuagenarian territory. His eyes sparkle, the smile beguiles the tone direct and determined, yet unfailingly friendly.
His re-entry into public political debate has come after a furlough lasting nearly twentyfive years. For Pickering, the hibernation did not see him gravitate to some Nimbin-style commune. You might take the boy out of the political fray, but you could never take politics out of the boy.
Pickering is scathing of the public broadcaster, the ABC and today’s Fairfax newspapers in its biased reporting and nonreporting of important stories. The low point was reached during the Gillard government about which he is especially dismissive.
Boyish is one of the first things that strike you when casting a look back at Pickering in his heyday, albeit that he was well into his thirties then. But for the doffing of his cap revealing a head largely devoid of the locks of his youth, Pickering retains that feature
Subscribing to the old adage, publish and be damned, he saw the reputations of senior people trashed. Stories about Gillard and the ‘slush fund’ she helped to set up were spiked, with Gillard herself bringing about, directly or indirectly, the destruction of the careers of journalists, Glenn Milne and Michael Smith. “John Hartigan, the head of News in Australia, whom I knew well, resigned over the issue involving Gillard, who was threatening press regulation.” There is a quiet resilience in his voice as he describes the term of the Gillard government that he predicts in time will be seen as a, ‘blight on Australian history.’ Allied with the attitude of that indigent government, Pickering says that reporting of the news had become in many cases misleading, inaccurate and unfair.
BiziNet Magazine
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PROUDLY PRESENTED BY
GWP MEDIA
“When the Gillard government, emboldened by the Leveson Inquiry in Britain, sought to regulate the news, that was it for me. I came out of retirement, concerned that this trend was undermining the public’s right to know, unsanitised by the depredations of bias and political correctness.” The trend has persisted with an even greater vengeance in recent times as war seems to have been declared against the current federal government and on Tony Abbott in particular.
He sees the left media as trying to dominate all the flow of information. One senses that he has a point, arguing cogently that had the Gillard story been aired in a timely manner, as the national broadcaster should have done, it would be difficult to conceive the Prime Ministership having ever been within her reach. For his own part, Pickering is not in a similar business to that of the compromised ABC. “I have tried to allow all opposing and alternative views.”
know. It is not going to happen with me.” He is a contrarian in many things, not just political, unless you regard late term abortions as a political issue rather than, as he says, a, ‘lack of respect for a small defenceless human.” But he reminded me of the simple things that guide him such as the all-embracing nature of State control. “I like fishing. So you catch a fish and if the State says it’s too small, you have to throw it back. But the large ones are
“Fairfax and the ABC have shown little pretence at its contempt for the punters and even the middle ground.” He accepts that In the case of a private company it has a right to take that line just as News Corporation takes a slightly different line, albeit not so strident one way or the other. He finds no excuses for the ABC. “The public broadcaster is in a unique category being subject to a charter. These days it is more followed in the breach.” Pickering bemoans the standard of journalism in these entities, calling the many therein as, “redundant hacks, financially supported by trade unions and the ALP in order to drag public opinion to the far left using the internet.” His blog opinions have produced phenomenal results, enough hits, in the many hundreds of thousands, to catch the eye of anxious advertisers, but the lure of that medium has not persuaded him to alter his approach, despite his only support being a government pension. He estimates that the Post has a weekly reach approaching the one million mark and shows no signs of any lessening in interest. “Advertising would compromise the site as many demand concessions to editorial content and I am not prepared to bow to such demands.” In the almost three years since its inception, supported by Facebook and email lists and the large readership, the site has had a remarkable influence and success in exposing vital information that he says has been deliberately overlooked in the mainstream media. The consequence has been relentless and withering attacks on the site. With a wry grin, Pickering is undeterred by the trolls leading the way inspiring him to meet them head on albeit that valuable time and energy has been exerted in this down-time process.
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He is pragmatic enough to accept that if his blog is to survive, he needs to be able to employ a moderator and a researcher and be able to contract with AAP and Reuters news sources. “Pickering Post has no affiliation with any political party or group,” he adds. There is no doubting his determination that this is the way things will stay and, returning to the topic of advertising, he reminds that therein remains his problem. “I know for a fact that the Oz has had its problems with Woolworths and Coles. Just what has been done to repair or redress those issues we will never know. Quite simply, I do not wish to be beholden to that sort of leverage.” You mean, they have buckled in some way I asked. “The problem is, we don’t
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productive, whereas the smaller ones are fair game for the bigger ones. Make sense of that if you can.” I have to admit I struggle with it, being a fisherman myself and having sons the same way inclined. Eventually, I am driven to concede that he seems to have a point. Global warming fixation is another of his bugbears. So we see the orthodoxy on global warming is like, he asserts, a fanatical religion that calls sceptics, ‘deniers’, akin to the likes of Tobin and all that lot who said the gas chambers in Germany were merely shower blocks. On gender, “Why are men all being branded as bastards, but women are never being
GREAT AUSTRALIAN PEOPLE
the orthodoxy as practised by the politically correct, risks you being branded as rednecked. “This is an abomination in a free society,” he confidently asserts. He is not particularly hopeful for the future given the current political structures, yet recent experience of attending a ‘wake up Australia’ rally, a first for him, show some signs that all is not lost. “There’s a large pool of voices out there that never protest or make a fuss who are taking the country’s future seriously.”
called, bitches.” Blunt it might be, but hard to disagree with this analysis in the real world. Controversy has often followed him. Some of it he would rather not have courted, pun not intended, given the criticism of him in a commercial case by the Queensland Supreme Court. Despite the abuse heaped upon him by the deposed Prime Minister, he doggedly pursued the Julia Gillard controversy and with some justification given the adverse findings made about the former Prime Minister’s credibility in the Royal Commission by a former distinguished High Court judge.
the man to challenge everything, something the sixties and seventies radicals sought to do. Not so the young of today, he says, happy to conform to Statist orthodoxy, the very antithesis of the radical and never daring to go outside of it.
And after eleven children, a life anyone would be proud to emulate, albeit with his own caveat that he had, ‘by no means been perfect’, he is far from abandoning his own quest for change. Larry Pickering is provocative and challenging, but surely he has an argument that deserves airing? G
Israel is evil and Hamas misunderstood, is yet another pet left concern. Of any person disagreeing with a referendum on aboriginal recognition, they are racists. Challenging
Pickering is happy to be called an agitator in this context. Oddly enough, it is the nature of
BiziNet BiziNet MagazineMagazine #75 #75 Sep/Oct’15 September / October
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LEADERSHIP
The Hon. Charlie Lynn
Rorts and Politics Political travel rorts have dominated our headlines since Bronnie Bishop’s halo was ejected through the rotor blades of a helicopter on a bleak city visit. Revelations since then have exposed a travel rort that is unacceptable to Australians struggling to balance life-work-family demands after the end of the entitlement era. Having pollies children travel business class at taxpayers’ expense was simply a rort too far for Joe public. The imagery of a bunch of political prats slurping up silver service in business while struggling businessmen and women have to endure cattle-class at the back of the plane adds to the perception of an increasing divide between the political class and the rest. The original intent of allowing wives/husbands and children to fly to Canberra to compensate for the time politicians spend away from families was fair and reasonable. If the politicians now in the spotlight had been guided by the spirit of that intent instead of pushing the entitlements envelope they would have retained the public respect they need to be effective community leaders. They would be well advised to be guided by the ageless Rotary 4-way Test in the future: Is it the truth? Is it fair to all concerned? Will it build goodwill and better relationships? Will it be beneficial to all concerned? The exposure will lead to the inevitable inquiry which will lead to tighter regulation of what are deemed to be political perks. My experience indicates this will be the worst of all outcomes as it will lead to taxpayers having to fund yet another layer of public servants to monitor their expenses. The cost will inevitably be far greater than the savings. Public servants are not cheap. They are shielded from the spotlight and are most adept at ensuring their featherbedded perks are well shielded from public scrutiny. During my term in the NSW Parliament Ministers used to quietly fume over the fact they had to travel economy while their departmental staff were entitled to Business Class. When a bunch of dopey judges, on salaries of up to half-a-
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million a year, handed down their judgment of MPs allowances our Liberal Party members, which included a number of lawyers, had to engage a QC to decipher the document to ensure we did not inadvertently misinterpret their rulings. The Labor Party took a similar approach.
are just moved sideways out of the limelight on the same salary if they are found to be incompetent.
One judge declared that, for the purpose of assessing eligibility for the Sydney Allowance, Camden was a Metropolitan suburb and Campbelltown, which is 20 km closer to the city, was a country town. It took over four years to correct the anomaly.
In days gone by politicians enjoyed a generous superannuation scheme to compensate them for the average pay and high demands of their service. This benefit has since been removed. A political career in a marginal seat is now a high risk employment strategy.
A Member of the Legislative Council was not able to order an item that cost more than $100 from his own office support allowance without the approval of a Public Service clerk.
The profession of politics is therefore becoming less and less attractive for the highly talented and experienced people we need to guide our national destiny.
Country Members who arrived in Sydney late on a Sunday night in preparation for the Parliamentary sitting week had to travel into Parliament House to sign a document verifying that they were in the metropolitan area. These were duly checked by a bevy of Public Service clerks.
If a thorough inquiry was ever conducted into the bureaucratic cost of having politicians comply with the complexities of their salaries and allowances we would find it more economical to develop a complete employment package for them. The package would include their salary and an allowance that allowed them to equip and lease and office; to hire permanent/ relief staff of their choice; to lease a car; to travel around their electorate; to cover their costs of attendance at events and functions, etc.
An MP in the NSW Parliament cannot be trusted to have a credit card – but bureaucrats who work for him/her are authorised to have one. Yet we expect our MPs to provide high level representations for up to 50 000 constituents. We expect them to master the detail of complex submissions relevant to all areas of government. We expect them to take full responsibility for large Government departments. We expect them to attend every business gathering, every school function and every public event - often at night and over weekends. We expect their spouses and children to get by without them. And we expect them to do this on less than half the pay of bureaucrats who work for them. Unlike politicians who survive on a four year cycle bureaucrats cannot be sacked – they
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Higher wages for bureaucrats translates into higher superannuation payments than their political masters.
All this expenditure should be at their discretion. If they do a good job voters in their electorate will re-elect them. If they don’t, they won’t. This would release a veritable army of public servants from the mindless tedium of checking receipts and taxi dockets and enable them to get a real job. It would also cause the retirement of dopey judges from the parallel universe they inhabit. But more importantly it would restore the respect the profession of politics deserves. G For more topics and to contact Charlie Lynn, please visit www.charlielynn.com.au/blog.
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WORKFORCE
Craig McCallum, Director Marketing and Media, TAFE Western Sydney
Skills Barometer Checks Employment Pressure in Western Sydney It’s the third largest economy in Australia but in pockets has some of the state’s largest unemployment figures and employers are telling us that they cannot fill some jobs. The economy of Greater Western Sydney (GWS) is one of great importance and complexity.
Recently more than 450 business managers and executives in GWS were contacted to take part in a research project to gain an understanding of employment pressures in the region. The research, commissioned by TAFE Western Sydney and the Western Sydney Business Connection and conducted by Lonergan Research, aimed to identify current and future skill needs of employers. Results from this research have now been published. A quick glance of work roles in GWS revealed that of the nearly 860,000 filled roles in the region, there was a fairly even spread between sales workers (18%), clerical and administrative workers (18%), managers (17%) and professionals (17%). Coming in with proportionately less positions were technicians and trades workers (12%), labourers (9%) and machinery operators and drivers (7%). The least significant group of workers were in service industries such as hospitality and community services (3%). Breaking these roles up into the broad categories of blue, grey and white collar, where blue collar roles are primarily manual, grey collar are primarily about service and white collar are office workers and professionals gave a further understanding of the types of roles in the region. Within these definitions, Greater Western Sydney roles were found to be 9% grey collar, 27% blue collar and 64% white collar. Drilling further down into the research it was found that within these role definitions, grey collar roles had the highest proportion of unfilled jobs, with demand outweighing supply by 10%. White collar roles also had a higher demand than supply; with 8% of roles unfilled. Blue collar roles had the smallest gap between supply and demand with 5% of roles unfilled.
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Overall, there was a significant shortage of skilled and qualified workers in the region with around half of job applicants underqualified or unsuitable for advertised positions. The Audit found that sales worker positions advertised have the least suitable applicants with one in six applications considered underqualified. Management positions equate to almost a third of all job shortages in GWS and businesses are telling us that half of the applicants for these positions are also underqualified. It is perhaps therefore not surprising that these positions take the longest time to fill at an average of nine weeks compared to an average of five weeks for other roles. Business, finance and management have been identified as the areas having the largest deficit of technical skills and the highest anticipated need of these skills in the future. Building, electrotechnology, engineering and manufacturing skills show the next biggest deficit of skills. Employers in GWS expect this trend to worsen. Business leaders in Greater Western Sydney are putting a greater emphasis on an employee’s ‘soft’ skills to complement their ‘hard’ or technical skill qualifications. Soft skills like teamwork, time management and communication are transferrable skills which can see workers through a range of jobs or even a career change when a specific technical skill may become redundant. I believe that these abilities can be gained through training in various forms, and we have seen success in learners picking up interpersonal skills through pre-employment programs and through having these skills embedded in other training programs. I would like to see more discussions around the complementary roles of training organisations and industry in closing skill gaps identified.
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For example, research indicates individuals learn better in an on-the-job environment. Doctors are put through their paces in hospital wards before they are accredited and lawyers undertake their articles before they represent clients. Could an internship model work for other professions? Also, workers who have a base qualification but wish to upskill may be ineligible for funding assistance. Is it more appropriate to fund skills sets or units of competency rather than whole courses? And would this help close the skills gap in some areas? The skills barometer has been an opportunity for us to hear from businesses and industry about current and future needs for the regional workforce. We would like to continue to lead this discussion and to be active in ensuring that employers have access to the training and support that they need to grow their businesses. I invite employers to contact us to discuss their current and future training needs and to be a part of the dialogue about skilling the workforce of the future in Western Sydney. G
TAFE NSW - Western Sydney Institute (WSI) p | 02 9208 9304 e | craig.mccallum8@tafensw.edu.au www.wsi.tafensw.edu.au
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BiziNet Magazine
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BUSINESS ADVICE
Bruce Gleeson, FCA – Principal, Jones Partners Insolvency & Business Recovery
Bankruptcy and the Family Home Part 2 – The Doctrine of Exoneration In the July-August issue I wrote about bankruptcy and the family home and typically what happens when an individual enters into bankruptcy and has an ownership interest in the family home. In such situations, it is a very emotional and real practical consideration when contemplating voluntary bankruptcy. This follow on article considers the position of the co-owner (i.e. the spouse in most instances) and aspects they should consider when taking into account what offer they may put forward (if any) to the bankruptcy trustee regarding the bankrupt’s interest in the family home. I typically find as a Bankruptcy Trustee that the Doctrine of Exoneration is a concept that can be quite critical from the co-owners perspective when considering what the bankrupt’s true net equity position may be in the family home (or indeed another property owned jointly). Put simply, the Doctrine adjusts the interest of owners in the equity of the property when monies are borrowed and secured against a jointly owned property, but not used for the benefit of all co-owners. As such it can often result in a significant difference in the bankrupt’s true net equity position and make the offer for such interest more achievable. Such aspect generally is more common in situations where the family home has been used as security for the business operated by one of the co-owners – i.e. family businesses. A 2004 case, Dickson vs Reidy [2004] NSWSC 1200 provides a typical example of what I see occurs. Importantly, it also cites that case of Parsons vs McBain [2002] 192 ALR 772 which provides an excellent insight on the Doctrine of Exoneration and its principles. In Dickson vs Reidy, the husband and wife were joint owners of a property in East Gardens, NSW. A Sequestration Order (ie involuntary bankruptcy) was made against the wife declaring her bankrupt in early 2003. As a result of the wife being made bankrupt, and in accordance with Sections 58 and 116 of the Bankruptcy Act (“the Act”), the joint ownership was severed and her interest in such property now belonged to her bankruptcy trustee. Around mid 2003, the property was sold by the husband and the wife’s bankruptcy trustee for $747,000. At the time of the sale, there was a mortgage over the property ($470,000) which after payment of same / other sale costs resulted in surplus proceeds of approximately $230,000. These were then split on a 50/50
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basis being approximately $115,000 to the husband and $115,000 to the wife’s bankruptcy trustee. The husband commenced action against the wife’s bankruptcy trustee for an adjustment to the net proceeds. Specifically the husband contended that the jointly owned property was mortgaged to secure a loan which was wholly and only used for the benefit for the wife and in such circumstances the Doctrine of Exoneration applied such that her interest in the property was subject to a charge to secure his right of exoneration from liability for the loan. As a result, the husband claimed that her interest in the property which passed to the bankruptcy trustee was subject to that charge, and thus he should have received the whole of the net proceeds (being approximately $230,000) rather than one half. At paragraphs 20 and 21 of the Parsons vs McBain the Court provided the following explanation: “20” The equity of exoneration is an incident of the relationship between surety and principal debtor. It usually arises where a person has mortgaged his property to secure the debt of another whether or not that other has covenanted to pay the debt. However it will also arise on a case where, although not an actual suretyship, the relationship is treated as one of the suretyship. “21”An equity of exoneration operates in the nature of “a charge upon the estate of the principal debtor by way of indemnity for the purpose of enforcing against the estate the right to which (“the beneficiary”) has, as between (the beneficiary) and the principal debtor to have that estate resorted to first for the payment of the debt”.
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Therefore where co-owners mortgage their property so that the money can be borrowed for one mortgagor, the other has an interest in the property of the co-mortgagor whose property is to be regarded as primarily liable to pay the debt. Relevantly, in the Official Trustee in Bankruptcy vs Citibank Savings Limited [1995] 38 NSWLR 116 the judge indicated that the Doctrine of Exoneration depends on the presumed intention of the parties. Thus it is important to remember that the Doctrine is based on an inference with reference to all the facts of the particular case in question. Whilst contemporaneous agreements or other documented expressions of intention are sources of evidence about what the intentions of the parties were, equally there is no reason as to why their intentions may not be inferred from the circumstance in which they acted. In Dickson vs Reidy, the bankruptcy trustee submitted that the equity of exoneration did not apply to any of the loans in that case because it had not been shown that they were for the substantial benefit of the wife (“the Bankrupt”) and it was not sufficient to show that she did receive some incidental benefit. Additionally it was indicated that for the husband to succeed it was necessary to show his intention to act as if the surety for his wife in respect of each loan and the evidence did not prove such intention. Ultimately the Court determined that funds were raised and applied for the use of the wife without the benefit to the husband and thus it was sufficient to attract the Doctrine of Exoneration. As a consequence, the husband had established a charge on his wife’s (“the Bankrupt Estate’s”) interest in the property to secure that right which was passed to the bankruptcy trustee subject to the charge.
BUSINESS ADVICE
Accordingly the husband was successful in obtaining Orders that the bankruptcy trustee pay him the sum of approximately $115,000 and thus the husband received effectively the entirety of the net proceeds from the sale after the mortgage was discharged. This case and other authorities should be considered when there is a co-owned property and borrowings regarding it may have been for the benefit of only one of the co-owners, ie for use in the business that they operate. Additionally the factual evidence, including the intentions of the parties will be critical in determining whether the Doctrine of Exoneration can be sufficiently made out. As evident above, the outcome ultimately has a substantial benefit to the non-bankrupt co-owner to the detriment of the unsecured creditors of the Bankrupt Estate.
With the manner in which new start businesses get off the ground, it is not uncommon for family home to be used (particularly where there is sufficient equity in it) as a means by which the business has working capital from the start. However if the business is only operated by one of the co-owners and ultimately fails whereby the business operator may themselves be presented with having to declare bankruptcy, then careful consideration as to whether or not the Doctrine of Exoneration could potentially be applicable is important because it is quite often in my view overlooked. Having sufficient records that attempt to properly record and explain such borrowings will be vital when raising same with the bankruptcy trustee of the co-owner.
Jones Partners p | 02 9894 9966 e | bgleeson@jonespartners.net.au b | www.brucegleeson.com.au www.jonespartners.net.au
jonespartners.bizinet.com.au
As a Bankruptcy Trustee I am regularly involved in matters where this issue comes up and I am happy to take any inquiry in relation to this aspect. G
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BUSINESS ADVICE
David Kelly, General Manager Grech and Bannerman Lawyers
Quality Client Service Delivery and Building Relationships. The Holy Grail! Grech and Bannerman Lawyers have been providing expert legal advice to the residents and businesses in the Hills and surrounding districts for many years. Over the years we have developed a reputation for reliability, honesty and for delivering quality client service. But what is the key to our success and what does the term “quality client service” really mean. Basically as a firm we have followed a very simple philosophy of being “responsive to our clients’ needs and listening” and in taking the time to understand their issues and concerns. We then work with them in developing strategies in order to move forward and achieve the desired outcomes. In essence we approach “client service” through: • Creating innovative solutions to a client’s problem • Being efficient and operating cost effectively. • Through turning individual client assignments into hopefully “long term” relationships / repeat business. • Knowing the clients business/issues and identifying areas for “cross-selling opportunities”. • Constantly generating awareness of the firm and range of services provided and by keeping the clients updated / informed regularly. • Turning enquiries into work. It can be argued that clients usually follow a number of steps in their decision making process and it is important to understand some of the “drivers” that may influence this decision. In other words ask yourself these questions. Are you: • Thorough in your approach to your work • Do you show creativity in your proposed solutions • Kept informed according to the needs of the client? • Helpful in diagnosing the causes of their Problems? • Accessible within limits? • Do you keep your promises on deadlines/ Follow-up? • Is your communication free of jargon, in other words kept simple in order to ensure the client really understands? • Do you offer and deliver fast turnaround of work when requested? • Do you “listen first”, consider and then act? • Do you relate well to people?
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• Do you communicate well, do they understand what you are trying to achieve?
GAINING, EARNING AND DESERVING TRUST.
Arising from a recent client survey revealed what clients believed were some of the important factors in having trust and faith in the lawyers and in developing, and maintaining a relationship.
How do you achieve this effectively? Some basic rules to building a strong relationship is about ensuring: • You are available to act as a sounding board and take the time to consider the issues/ implications before you react. • Work really hard at listening and understanding. • That you do the unexpected occasionally; don’t take each other for granted. • You discuss your common values. • Communicate honestly, openly and frequently. • Spend time to get to know each other. • Show your appreciation regularly but not in a formulaic way. • Don’t let problems fester. Catch them early and deal with them promptly and openly. • Show interest. • Understanding through “Displaying Empathy” • Take the necessary time on issues. • Give of yourself and ensure the client acknowledges and makes the time as well.. • Treat them as you wish to be treated. • Respect the relationship.
• You make it your business to understand their business drivers. • You keep the client(s) informed on progress. • You don’t wait for the client to initiate everything, you anticipate. • You involve the client in major issues. They must feel part of the solution • You understand your clients business. • You make your clients feel important. • You deal with any perceived problems/ issues within the relationship openly and importantly quickly. • You show an interest in your clients beyond the specifics of tasks at hand. Fundamentally it’s about “Client Development” and in” Building a Relationship” that works on a number of fronts. Any Relationship Building action in our opinion must pass three basic tests: 1. Does it allow you to be seen to be generous with your time and help? 2. Does it allow you to illustrate your ability to help? 3. Does it allow you to get a better understanding of their situation? If you can answer yes to all of these questions then you are a long way down the path of building a strong relationship and in delivering the type of quality client service that as a business you can you be proud of. What are some of the other fundamental principles of Client Development or for that matter in maintaining, keeping and or gaining new clients? Based on experience, in our opinion some of the key elements to consider are:
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Do the above well and you could benefit by the client: • Staying a long term client. • Referring you to their colleagues, and business acquaintances. G
Grech and Bannerman Lawyers p | 02 88531700 e | info@grechandbannerman.com.au www.grechandbannerman.com.au
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QUESTIONS to ask your accountant
Working together to grow your business Many business owners make the mistake of thinking that their accountant is just there to help them get through tax time. In fact, your accountant can be an unexpected goldmine of great business advice, and may be able to spot things that would otherwise go unnoticed. You see, while it is true that your accountant knows your business as a set of numbers on a page, a good accountant can read a story in those numbers. They can see where your business has space to grow, and where you might be losing out unnecessarily. Your accountant is the perfect person to help
Inside
bridge the gap between your current compliance responsibilities and the vision for the future of your business. A great accountant, in addition to keeping your finances in order, is also an educator, a trusted advisor and a source of inspiration for your business. We have prepared this list of 103 questions to ask your accountant to give you some ideas about which areas of your business might benefit from the expert opinion of your accountant. It is a starting point from which you can begin to engage in a productive dialogue, and see new opportunities for improvement within your business.
Fundamentals Laying the right foundations for tomorrow’s success
Finance Finding financial flexibility with minimal risk
Technology The right strategy will bring down barriers to efficiency
Legal Keeping your business out of legal trouble
And more
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Accounting Business Services Tax Services Online Accounting
BiziNet Magazine
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Specialist Sep/Oct’15 Services
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Fundamentals
Laying the right foundations for tomorrow’s success 1.
Should I consider using cash flow statements as a management tool?
2.
Am I pricing my products/services correctly?
3.
Which indicators of my company’s financial performance should I be tracking weekly, monthly and annually?
4.
How do my financial ratios and percentages compare with other businesses in my industry?
5.
At what point does a business need to employ a finance manager?
6.
Should I have my business professionally valued?
7.
How can I reduce my operating costs?
8.
How can I speed up the collection of receivables?
9.
At what point should I cut off slow paying customers from additional credit purchases?
10. How should I determine my own remuneration? 11. How do my operating costs place me in terms of being able to withstand a crisis? 12. How do I identify if my operating costs are disproportionately high?
Finance
Finding financial flexibility with minimal risk
13. How should I approach the bank for a business loan to maximise my chances of approval?
14. What kind of questions should I be prepared for bankers to ask me when they review my business’s financials as part of the borrowing process?
15. What is the difference between debt and equity financing? 16. How can I determine my current borrowing capacity?
18. Should financing terms be linked to the useful life of the asset being financed? 19. When is a good time to refinance a commercial loan in order to trade down interest rates?
20. If my business is facing a cash crunch, how do I know if I should cut costs, borrow money or do both?
21. Are there effective ways of maintaining marginal-credit accounts as
17. Would factoring be a suitable way to raise money for my business?
Technology
customers without accepting undue risk of non-payment?
The right strategy will bring down barriers to efficiency
22. What is cloud software and should I be considering it as an option for my business? 23. If I do invest in cloud software, should I choose a general accounting package or is it better to look for an industry specific system?
24. What kind of efficiency gains should I expect following the implementation of cloud software? 25. Are there any security concerns associated with cloud accounting software that I need to be aware of? 26. How vulnerable is my computer data? Do I need to take special precautions to prevent tampering or loss due to accidents or viruses?
27. What should I take into consideration when purchasing business computers? 28. What portion of my marketing budget should I direct towards improving my online presence? 29. Should I consider outsourcing my social media requirements? 30. Would a virtual administrative assistant be a good option for my business? 31. Should I be considering a restructure in order to move more of my business online? 32. Have I adequately considered ways in which new competition may emerge online?
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Legal
Keeping your business out of legal trouble
33. What is the most effective business structure for me?
41. Can my business buy back shares from me?
34. Is there any benefit in me taking security over my own company?
42. What are my legal considerations with regard to my online activities?
35. Should I have a buy/sell agreement with my partners/shareholder? 36. What are the key considerations when signing a commercial lease? 37. Can I sell off part of my business without losing control? 38. What are my responsibilities in withholding and remitting employee taxes?
43. I have several businesses, can they be treated separately for workers’ compensation purposes?
44. Have I properly addressed the potential need for non-disclosure agreements in my business?
39. Do I need a credit policy? 40. When does an independent contractor become an employee and how do I avoid potential legal pitfalls in this area?
Business
Should I be worried about privacy, security, false advertising and/or copyright infringement?
45. How should I deal with loan accounts between my company and related parties?
46. How should I account for my business when writing a will?
Manage your finances and maximise your efficiency
47. How do I calculate the real cost of producing my product/service line? 48. How do I determine my breakeven point? 49. What steps can I take to lower my breakeven point? 50. Should my business be on the accrual or cash basis of accounting? 51. How should I value inventory? 52. How long do I need to retain all of my financial records? 53. Are my point of sale record keeping methods sufficient to provide satisfactory proof in the event of an audit?
54. What parts of a home office set up can I claim as a legitimate business expense? 55. What strategies can I use to defer my income tax? 56. If I get a request for an audit what preparations do I need to make? 57. How do I determine the depreciation value of assets I intend to purchase this year? 58. Are there records that need to be kept if I intend to scrap obsolete or non-saleable inventory? 59. What are my record keeping responsibilities in relation to my employees?
Planning
Planning for the future - whatever your plans may be
60. Should I have a board of directors? 61. What are the Capital Gains Tax implications of different business exit strategies? 62. How often should I hold board meetings and how should they be structured? 63. If I need additional premises is it better to lease or acquire the space? 64. How should I recruit board members? 65. If it comes time to sell my business, should I sell the assets individually or try
to find a buyer for the whole business?
66. What are the main tax considerations if I am considering selling my business?
67. When should I consider taking my company into voluntary liquidation? 68. If I own a non-trading company can I easily wind it up? 69. Will my insurance be sufficient in the event that I, or another key person in the business, passes away or becomes unable to work?
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Rewards
Making sure that you and your staff are happy 70. How can I simplify my superannuation management obligations? 71. What is a salary sacrifice and how might it benefit me and my employees? 72. What type of salary sacrifices should I consider offering my employees? 73. How can I introduce an effective performance management system for my staff? 74. How can I reward high-performing employees? 75. What types of salary packaging are available to my business? 76. What are the Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) implications of salary sacrifices? 77. What benefits do novated leases have for me and my employees? 78. Should I consider non-material staff rewards? 79. Is it advisable for me to have a company car/cars and if so should I allow employees to use them for personal reasons?
Strategy
Getting ready for future challenges
80. Is my business plan sufficiently flexible?
85. Would there be any benefits for my business in developing strategic
81. How often should I set aside time to reconsider my business plan? 82. Is my business plan ambitious enough?
86. Would I benefit from adopting a more aggressive and formalised referrals/ rewards system?
83. Am I considering both increasing my market share and competing with my direct competitors?
87. What can I do to improve my cashflow? 88. Is my long term business plan aligned with the resources I have available
84. How can I improve my supply chain?
Innovation
partnerships with other businesses?
to me?
Funding your creativity
89. How should my current product profitability help guide my future product development? 90. Am I directing enough resources into innovation? 91. How do I work out who my most valuable customers are? 92. Am I focusing on my less profitable products when I should be directing my attention towards my biggest earners?
93. Am I always ensuring that I am aware of any technological advances that may impact my competitiveness?
94. How do I know if I am monitoring my competitors closely enough to be aware of any industry breakthroughs?
95. Should I be looking at innovative ways to eliminate waste as well as developing new products?
96. Would my business benefit from considering new marketing and advertising strategies?
Family
Considerations specific to family businesses
97. What kinds of trusts can I set up to benefit my family from my business? 98. What tax and financial advantages are available for different trust structures?
99. Is it advisable to have a certain number of non-family staff members? 100. How do I establish a succession plan that ensures continuity in the business
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when I retire?BiziNet
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101. What common legal pitfalls do I need to be aware of if I am running a family business?
102. What are the considerations if I want to transfer my business to a family member?
103. What are reasonable guidelines for hiring, managing and promoting family members?
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BiziNet Magazine
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by Nicole Baines
FEATURE
Business Networking the good old-fashioned way “What on earth has happened to business networking groups?” “When did the deal come to mean more than the person?” These were the questions I found myself asking colleagues early in 2014. (l-r)Dmitry Greku and Nicole Baines
Having been a part of the Hills Business Community for 13 years, and having played a significant role in building one of the largest networking groups in the Hills, I had become disillusioned and discouraged by some of the trends I was seeing across the local business community. The small business world appeared to be becoming so busy that people guest attendees weren’t even taking time to stop and have a decent conversation. Attendees at events were hungrier than ever for customers and this was creating an air of desperation at networking functions. The event calendar was so busy with groups trying to grab the small business marketing dollar, that you could be out every night of the week schmoozing with serial networking junkies. And the most significant indicator to me that all was not well, was watching attendees clamour around the organisers of these events as if they were demi gods. I don’t know how I ended up there, but I decided it was time to Stop. I cancelled memberships, stopped accepting invites and slowly reclaimed my evenings and my life. Slowly, but surely, when I unwound myself from the networking rat race, I began to remember what mattered most in life and in business. And it was not the number of events I had attended last month, or how many people I was talking to about my business. Health, family, friends should all have an important place in our lives. These things had suffered badly from over zealous business networking. Deep fried canapes, never eating dinner with my kids, and “friends” who wanted my time (most of whom I never heard from once I stopped attending networking events by the way) were the price of networking that I was no longer willing to pay. Don’t get me wrong. I whole heartedly believe there is a place for networking events and therefore, by default, networking groups. But in my opinion, we should all take the opportunity to Stop, take a look at what we
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are doing, and reset our networking modus operandi. Once I did that myself, I had a few a-ha moments, that reminded me what great networking groups and events are all about. And I set about establishing a couple of back to basic groups that offer attendees a taste of that. Here’s what I think are networking fundamentals: 1. The big prize is life, not a deal. Business, after all, is done by people and people have lives. When we forget that, we miss the opportunity to use business as a vehicle to impact people’s lives. Maybe the reason people cross our paths at business events, has much more to do with their life of yours than it does about your business or theirs. Get to know about people’s lives before you do a deal with them. The real treasure might be worth so much more than the deal. 2. There is no need to rush. Would you marry the first person you had coffee with? Isn’t that why we date someone, get engaged and maybe even live together
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Paula Duncan
before we marry? I have seen so many “partnerships” go down the drain because people rushed into a deal before getting to know their new “partner” well enough before signing on the dotted line. 3. Manners matter. I can’t even count the times I have been pushed out of the way of a food or drinks platter by a greedy desperado at a networking event. And don’t get me started on the number of times someone has interrupted a deep conversation to thrust a business card into my hand.
on the planet, in our community and in business. Let’s accept that the world is a diverse place and move on! 6. Servant heartedness is the ace card. It comes natural to some people and it’s how I live my life. If we approach every conversation from the place of servitude, and encourage that in the culture of our networking groups, everyone is a winner. 7. Every conversation is a learning opportunity. To learn something new is gold! Conversations and presentations
Business Connect is an initiative of my company All My Admin. We host our clients and partners to a quarterly business breakfast, where we get the chance to talk to each other, hear from a speaker about a topic of interest, contribute to a charitable cause, and do business if we please. It’s a low cost, low effort style of event with only about 25 people attending each session, but it offers our clients the chance to get to know each other and for my team to touch base with them all face to face. I love watching our clients talk. They are a great bunch. I am proud to host these invitation only events. Bella Vista Business Alliance (BVBA) is a 6 weekly gathering at Bella Vista Hotel. My dear friends Dmitry and Svetlana Greku of GWP Media are the brains behind this group. It’s conversations with Dmitry that had me reflect on what had gone wrong with networking. All My Admin now assists with the organisation of BVBA and we are pleased that the past two events have been wonderful successes, with over 70 people at both events. There is minimal formality at these events, with the speaker being asked to speak about their life and not necessarily their business. There is ample time to meet new people and catch up with old friends. GWP support members of the Alliance with their multiple media streams, including articles in their BiziNet magazine, video and online campaigns. Opportunities from these events abound. Again, there is a charitable component to each event, with the opportunity to share info and requests being made available to local charities at each event.
Members and guests at Bella Vista Business Alliance Event
Add to this, delicious but healthy food options, old fashioned manners and kindness, and you have two networking groups that have recaptured the heart of what it is to do business in the Hills.
4. Welcome everyone. There is no place for cliques, gossip, name calling or exclusion in any networking group. Opportunities come from anywhere and everywhere, so be open to meeting new people, take some time to get to know them and trust that opportunities will present themselves. They always do. 5. Everyone doesn’t always get along. There is plenty of business to go around. Someone who rubs you the wrong way, or who doesn’t click with you, will get on fine with someone else. No one is perfect, including you! We all need to co-exist
at networking events offer a magical opportunity to share knowledge. 8. It’s about the members. When I see an event organiser, a committee or sponsor getting all the attention at an event, I know the group has its priorities wrong. Especially when a fee is payable as a ticket price or when a membership fee is payable, it is critical that the needs of the members are understood and form the basis of the service offered by the group. If you don’t answer needs, the members will walk!
Last month’s Bella Vista Business Alliance event featured Bekir Kilic as the guest speaker, with a special appearance by TV small screen star Paula Duncan. The next event is on Sept 16 from 5.30pm and will feature Prue MacSween as our speaker for the month. You can see from the photo spread, that all attendees had a great evening of enjoyable conversation and delicious food from Bella Catering. G
To find out more about either event, please call All My Admin on 02 9894 8682 or GWP Media on 1300 889 132 www.bellavistabusinessalliance.com.au
BiziNet Magazine
#75 Sep/Oct’15
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BUSINESS ADVICE
Melissa Harries Principal Psychologist, Mindset Abilities
Time to Check in: How is Your Mental Health? Being in business takes a toll. The pursuit of success also requires a level of sacrifice, whether that be time lost with family and friends, less time at the gym, even the simplicity of time off work. If you are in a leadership, management or business role its unlikely that you took sick leave last time you were sick. Long term gain for short term pain right? Maybe. And if you don’t take care of your mental health then definitely wrong.
When your head is down and bum up working are you necessarily aware of whether your mental health is starting to deteriorate? Or does “good mental health” get put on your “later” list of important but not urgent agenda items. Below is a quick quiz that can help you to evaluate whether you need to take some action on your mental health. Our suggestions for how to do this follow.
means 3 sessions of moderate exercise every week for 45 minutes at a time. Moderate exercise is when you can talk but not sing while working out. So if it’s a walk, it’s a brisk walk so you could talk to your mate but not carry a tune. Be mindful. Practice focusing your attention on where you are and what you are doing instead of being up in your headspace thinking
In the last 4 weeks how often did you feel..?
None of the time
A little of the time
Some of the time
Most of the time
All of the time
…nervous?
1
2
3
4
5
…hopeless?
1
2
3
4
5
…restless of fidgety?
1
2
3
4
5
…so depressed that nothing could cheer you up?
1
2
3
4
5
…that everything was an effort?
1
2
3
4
5
…worthless?
1
2
3
4
5
What does your score mean? Add up your individual responses to give a total score between 6 and 30. - 6–11 is a low score and suggests that you are well though may benefit from learning more about how to prevent or assist others with mental illness. - 12–19 is a moderate score suggesting that you may benefit from making some improvements to how you manage your health and wellbeing. Try the below suggestions and access information about mental health. - 20–30 is a high score and suggests that you may benefit from face to face support from a health provider like a psychologist or your GP. Top 5 mental health activities Get moving. Exercise is so powerful that you can treat depression with exercise alone but it has got to be regular to be effective. Regular
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about past, present and future problems. A good example is when you are eating dinner with family and thinking about work (and vice versa). You lose contact with the stuff that adds meaning, pleasure and fun to your life. Practice mindfulness, the cognitive skill of paying attention on purpose with curiosity to get out of your head and in to reality. For more information on how to be mindful check out www.mindsetabilities.com.au/mindfulnessresources/ Do relaxing things. Life is demanding. This is not a bad thing, but it does need attention. Take time out to do things that help you to relax and unwind so that you can recover from life’s inevitable demands (including work). Relaxation is not necessarily doing nothing. It might mean going for a run, seeing a mate for a beer or going stand up paddle boarding out at Narabeen. It might mean doing nothing too like having a hot bath and reading a book. What
#75 Sep/Oct’15
matters most is person-activity fit because what I find relaxing you might find stressful and vice versa. Do fun things. Did you know that experiencing a positive mood undoes the effects of stress? As little as 30 seconds of feeling good starts to reduce the physiological impact of stress. Feeling good can be done on a massive scale like an overseas holiday or on a small scale like watching a youtube video of a cat versus a vacuum cleaner. You can make decisions every day to do things that are fun, interesting, hilarious, loving, etc. Connect. We are social creatures by nature. Think about it, we couldn’t survive on our own 50,000 years ago, we needed to be part of the clan. We are hard-wired to connect with others and these connections are the biggest protective barrier to mental illness. You have two jobs with your social networks: one is to talk about your concerns and get the benefits of debriefing and getting support. The other is to not talk about your concerns and just enjoy the company of people who you like. G For more information on how to get better mental health contact Mindset Abilities today.
mindsetabilities.bizinet.com.au
Mindset Abilities p | 02 9687 9776 www.mindsetabilities.com.au
02 9687 9776
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33 29
DIGITAL CORNER
Bekir Kilic, Managing Director, PRO IT Pty Limited
Cyber Security - Is your business protected? The Australian newspaper on 8th July reported that Tony Abbott chaired a meeting of the country’s business chiefs to discuss how to deal with the growing threat of cyber attacks amid estimates the online assault is costing industry more than $1 billion a year. The meeting comes as the government undertakes a review of the current cybersecurity strategy assisted by a panel of representatives from the Business Council of Australia, Cisco Systems, Telstra and the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. The Prime Minister said “Strong cyber security is as important for Australia’s economic prosperity as it is for our national security.” Mr Abbott said government and businesses needed to work together “to fight those who wish to do us harm online”. Recently I attended a Macquarie Graduate School of Management business seminar encouraging CEOs to take more of an active involvement in Cyber Security. The presenter was Dr Sally Ernst co-founder and MD of the UK and Australian Cyber Security Networks. After interviewing numerous CEOs Sally’s message was that there is “no problem” as most respondents did not believe that they would be affected. The Australian newspaper also reported on the 29th July that Australia is coming under “unrelenting” attack from online security threats that have more than tripled in three years and are forecast to cost more than $1 billion in malicious damage from activity including crime and espionage. Federal security agencies base their warnings on a 20 per cent increase in the number of cyber-security threats to 1131 incidents last year that triggered a response from the Australian Signals Directorate, the key spy agency within the Defence Department. The number of attacks has increased from 313 in 2011. IT News on 28th July reports Android bug leaves a billion phones open to attack. A security researcher has discovered what could be one of the worst vulnerabilities in
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Google’s Android mobile operating system to date, leaving close to a billion devices open to remote code execution. Joshua Drake of security vendor Zimperium analysed gigabytes of source code for Android, and discovered that the Stagefright media library written in the C++ language - used for time-sensitive applications - is vulnerable to memory corruption. Drake estimated that the Stagefright bug affects around 95 percent of all Android devices - equivalent to 950 million. Businesses are being left vulnerable as staff side-step security protocols. Some of the rules proposed by businesses trying to stay safe, can seem like they are designed just to make life difficult. Not being able to download applications or have access to certain websites, as well as an emphasis on strong passwords and complications around working remotely, are just some of the common issues employees in businesses have to deal with. Employees are increasingly using apps, cloud services, software and devices that are outside the knowledge and control of the CIO and IT staff. Somewhere between 15% and up to 30% of IT spending now occurs outside the standard consolidated budget of the IT department, according to research from PWC. On the one hand it’s important for businesses of all sizes to have the security solutions and protocols in place to protect their assets and it must always be remembered that people are in any business is the first line of defence, so making sure staff are up-to-date on best practices is a must.
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It’s equally important however to ensure that what you have in place and the information being provided to employees isn’t over complicating the situation, which could encourage staff to sidestep rules and regulations in order to avoid a loss in productivity. Executives must take charge and really understand the situation from their employee’s perspective in order to find a solution that allows people to work effectively, without leaving the business vulnerable. Finding a happy medium is crucial, in allowing employees to take advantage of technology that drives productivity and business growth, without compromising the security of the network. By understanding which apps, websites and other behaviours staff find useful to complete their work effectively and efficiently, it should be possible to work out bespoke solutions and approaches to protocol that provide the best of both worlds. Ultimately, people are an organisation’s first line of defence, so getting the team on board and up-to-speed is what will make the real difference. G
proit.bizinet.com.au
PRO IT Pty Limited p | 1300 727 553 f | 02 872 4 3311 www.proit.com.au
PRIVATE
ISL AND
BiziNet Magazine
#75 Sep/Oct’15
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BUSINESS ADVICE
Cher Campbell, Director, iPlace Recruitment
They’re Just Not That into You
And other common interview mistakes by employers Having been a recruiter for 16 years, I regularly encounter the constant juggle between managing the decision maker and the candidate’s expectations when trying to find the perfect candidate. We look at the opportunity from all perspectives and one of the challenges we face is that sometimes it’s the interviewer who doesn’t always prepare. In an employment market where plenty of candidates apply, the reality is that pile of CVs on your desk will probably yield one or two gems – the one you want. The candidate who ticks all the boxes, has all the experience and on a bad day pretty much shoots the lights out. But how do you ensure your company ticks all of their boxes? Employers forget this stellar candidate is in high demand and will often have more than one opportunity offered to them. What could go wrong? I have a vacancy, they want the job, surely they’ll take it? Let’s look at a case study to understand what could go wrong: Jim, the client, is an excellent boss. His staff love him. But he’s jamming an interview between two important finance meetings. As a result, he is rushed and his series of questions feel textbook and impersonal. Diane, the candidate, walks away with mixed feelings and isn’t sure whether Jim was interested. She doesn’t know if she could see herself working for Jim as she would have preferred to have a candid chat about her capabilities and where she could use her skills within the business. Jim of course, being the greatest boss ever, loved Diane and expects her feedback will be favourable. Why wouldn’t it? It’s an awkward situation all round. Diane takes another job where she feels like the interview was a two way street. She answered the same formula questions Jim asked about what happened, the outcome and what she’d do differently next time however the delivery was completely different and she felt like a human with the other employer as opposed to a number and another meeting in-between meetings. Interviewers should prepare for an interview as much as the candidate to ensure they really get to what motivates them and
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makes them tick. Where does it all go wrong? As recruiters we see too much focus placed on generic and formulaic lines of questioning during interviews. Of course you need to know what sort of digital campaigns your prospective online marketing coordinator has spearheaded and some of the technicalities for the role. However, these days, the more casual “meet for a coffee and a chat” style of interview is far more successful and unlocks the candidate’s personality and potential red flags much faster. In a formal interview it’s easy for candidates to be equally formulaic and mask tendencies that might surface once a certain comfort level is achieved.
Steve has another offer. The roles are similar, dollars are on par. Not a lot separates the two. Steve talks about his kids and how he has always wanted to coach his son’s soccer team. It’s never been an option. The kids will be grown up before he knows it. Where does the time go? Light Bulb Moment! Peter offers Steve flexibility and suggests that Steve leaves every Wednesday at 3pm so he can coach his son’s team. Steve is overwhelmed and feels valued. This show of faith has floored him. The other company have thrown an extra $10K Steve’s way but in the end Peter’s offer is more attractive and Steve accepts.
Highly structured interviews can definitely work on occasions but for the most part, a genuine conversation about skills and experience coupled with a revelation or two about what each of you like to do in your spare time is far more effective.
The motivator for Steve was work/life balance. More money is not always the answer. Prospective employers should take the time to understand what motivates candidates, and see what they can offer to get a role over the line.
Walls come down and before you know it you have found out the real reason they left their last job: “…everyone had a problem with me so I just walked out.” Red flag. Sirens. Thanks for coming. All the best to you.
So the next time you enter an interview think about how you want it to go – what do you want this person to walk away thinking about your business and the opportunity in-front of them and how can you stand out as the employer of choice? G
When people bring their “A” game to an interview and don’t feel that sense of comfort that story is never told and you could end up hiring your worst nightmare. iplacerecruitment.bizinet.com.au
You have made an offer to the candidate and so has someone else. How do you make this happen? You need to establish the motivators. Are they chasing the almighty dollar or are there other factors? Meet Peter and Steve. Peter is about to offer Steve a senior position. Steve is exactly who Peter has been looking for.
#75 Sep/Oct’15
iPlace Recruitment p | 02 02 8865 9200 e | cher@iplacerecruitment.com.au www.iplacerecruitment.com.au
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www.samedaysigns.com.au 33 BiziNet Magazine
#75 Sep/Oct’15
BUSINESS PRODUCT
Jared Goodwin, Bowermans Office Furniture
Office Furniture: Workplace Comfort and Safety Office furniture is arguably as important as the location of your business. You and your colleagues will be spending at least 8 hours a day, 5 days a week in the office. So here are some basic rules that you should carefully consider: Dimensions: Furniture must fit the space with enough room to open cabinets and drawers. Staff must have enough room to comfortably access their desks. Workplace laws require compliance with set corridor widths for fire access. Suitability: Furniture needs to be suitable for the purpose. A cool looking desk isn’t necessarily functional. Café style chairs and tables that adorn catalogues catch the eye, but are they appropriate for a professional office? Additional items: Storage cabinets, book shelves and computer stands must be factored in to the available area as these will provide additional functionality, ergonomics and storage space for your office. Amenity and productivity: Good office furniture will encourage and assist employees to be more productive, by ensuring that all they need is at hand, and they can carry out their duties without disturbing others.
Workplace comfort and Safety: Office furniture has to be ergonomic, comfortable, stylish and practical. Health and safety requirements need to be adhered to as the risk of many strains, aches and other work-related ailments, have to be obviated. Interior design: Divide the room where possible by having separate areas for different types of staff. Those who spend all day on the phone will have different furniture needs to others who require room to view design ideas or those who need peace and quiet. Mood creation: Different moods can be created by using different coloured chairs, desks, or tables. Partition and screen heights offer acoustic assistance and shelving options. Looking ahead: Stylish hi-tech modern designs, or functional; basic shapes? What you choose will depend on the nature of your business and your budget. Your office furniture may be fashionable today, but will it still look stylish in 5 years’ time? Pleasing ambience: Think about the impression your office furniture has to give to clients as well as staff. Furniture for a firm
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BiziNet Magazine
of accountants needs to be different from a graphic design company or a call centre. The office might be part of a factory, restaurant or a shop, so it needs to be appropriate and in keeping with the company image. A design agency will want to appear creative and vibrant, whilst a solicitor’s office aims to appear professional, calming and inviting. Expansion and fluidity: Think about the future; how easy is it to expand the office layout, using your chosen furniture? New employees, technology changes or processes and procedures may mean that the office layout has to change frequently. Can you move desks around yourselves, or do you need the fitters to take these items apart so they can be rebuilt in a different part of the office?
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These tips should help you to decide which office furniture is best for your requirements, will meet the needs of your staff and give the right impression to your clients and other visitors. The right office furniture will look good, be comfortable and last a long time. Why not consider updating your office furniture today? G Bowermans Office Furniture p | 02 9630 8333 e | jared@bowermans.com.au www.bowermans.com.au
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FEATURE
Top Western Sydney Businesses Announced for 2015; A Trending Topic in Australia The results are in for the 2015 Western Sydney Awards for Business Excellence (WSABE) and winners were announced on Friday 14th August at the Gala Dinner Awards at WatervieW in Bicentennial Park. Guests glided across the red carpet serenaded with a string quartet by the Australian Youth Orchestra as they were greeted with a glass of champagne and invited to pose in front of the 2015 WSABE media wall which was camouflaged with the supporting and category partners. The Gala dinner hosted over 440 Western Sydney businesses who were treated to chef specials and dynamic performances by Packemin Productions; Phantom of the Opera and Back to the 80s. The fish centrepieces were a conversation piece as guests were asked to come up with a name for their fish and the WSABE Committee formed a judging panel to announce the winner. The Gala Dinner featured a live Instagram and Twitter wall displaying all #WSABE2015 posts. Half way through the night, the hashtag was a trending topic in Australia ranking number 5 according to a number of trend research accounts including Trends In Australia. The night recognised the winners of each category as well as celebrated high scoring businesses who were presented with the Highly Commended Award. All categories were judged by a panel of experts in the field except for one award whose winner was kept confidential even from the hosts, Parramatta Chamber of Commerce. This award was the Local Chamber of the Year and it was presented and announced on the night by NSW Business Chamber. Geoff Starr of NSW Business Chamber announced and presented the Local Chamber of the Year Award to Parramatta Chamber of Commerce recognising its outstanding services and benefits to its members, Parramatta and the Western Sydney Community.
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Winners of the 2015 WSABE Awards were:
CATEGORY
WINNERS
Sarina Russo Employer of Choice
Residential Gardens for the Spanish Speaking Frail Aged
Lexus of Parramatta Rising Star
Grabowski Financial Planning
Urban Growth Excellence in Sustainability
Butterfly Skye’s BugShop
Hope Media Excellence in Marketing
Children’s Medical Research Institute
PwC Private Client Excellence in Export
RBK Nutraceuticals
University of Western Sydney Excellence in Small Business
Build on Bookkeeping Winners and sponsors
Crowe Horwath Excellence in Business
Southern Cross Group Services
JC Travel Professionals Excellence in Business Ethics
Residential Gardens for the Spanish Speaking Frail Aged
NewsLocal Excellence in Education
Catholic Education Office Diocese of Parramatta
Accor Excellence in Customer Service
Capify
DOOLEYS Catholic Club Young Business Executive
Natalie Hanna Akkari from Montessori Merrylands
Interclean Young Entrepreneur
Carly Chant from Build on Bookkeeping
Senses Direct Business Leader
Tania MacLeod from Tania’s Strictly Dancing
Parramatta City Council Excellence in Innovation
White River Design
Patron’s Choice (The Hon. Alan Cadman OAM)
myFLO
Local Chamber of the Year (NSW Business Chamber
Parramatta Chamber of Commerce
Western Sydney Business of the Year
Children’s Medical Research Institute
Highly Commended Award Winners were: Elders Real Estate Toongabbie RBK Nutraceuticals Pet Resorts Australia Tania’s Strictly Dancing Krystle Lyn Tran from Strathfield Chiropractic Ellen Smallacombe from Penrith Hogs Daniel Nguyen from You Marketing Solutions
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will be celebrated in a
Winners and sponsors will be celebrated in a relaxed cocktail event at Lily’s Function Centre at the end of August. The 25th WSABE Awards Program is proudly hosted by Parramatta Chamber of Commerce. G www.wsabe.com.au
Celebrating 25 years of WSABE and business success in Western Sydney
Parramatta Chamber of Commerce is proud to host the
Parramatta Chamber of Commerce is proud to host and showcase the 2015 Western Sydney Awards for Business Excellence Congratulations to our Finalists and Winners for 2015 and Thank You to our Sponsors and Partners for your support.
Contact us: 10 Hassall Street PARRAMATTA T | 9635 0022 W | www.parramattachamber.com.au
BiziNet Magazine
#75 Sep/Oct’15
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BiziNetwork ACCOUNTING Sacha Partners 02 8896 4307 Level 5, 4 Columbia Court Baulkham Hills NSW 2153 sachapartners.com.au
HEALTH
AUTOMOTIVE Lander Toyota 02 8884 4888 112 Sunnyholt Road Blacktown NSW landertoyota.com.au BUSINESS SUPPORT All My Admin 02 9894 8682 Suite 305, Macarthur Point Solent Circuit, Bella Vista, NSW 2154 allmyadmin.com.au EDUCATION TAFE WSI 02 9208 9304 2-10 O’Connell St Kingswood NSW 2747 tafensw.edu.au
Pro IT Pty Limited 1300 727 553 12-18 Fairfield Street, Fairfield East NSW 2165 proit.com.au
HR
IMMIGRATION
iPlace Recruitment 02 8865 9200 PO Box 7915 Baulkham Hills NSW 2153 iplacerecruitment.com.au
Teleo Immigration Specialists 02 8080 3840 Suite 214, 25 Solent Circuit Baulham Hills NSW 2153 teleo.com.a MANUFACTURING
Nova Employment 02 8818 7700 Suite 105, The Cutaway RHTC, Rouse Hill NSW novaemployment.com.au
Manufacturing and Design Solutions 02 9614 7068 PO Box 213 Northmead NSW 2152
People Co 0409 044 657 Suite 508, 2-8 Brookhollow Ave Baulkham Hills NSW 2153 peopleco.com.au
FURNITURE Bowermans Office Furniture 02 9630 8333 591 Church Street North Parramatta NSW bowermans.com.au
IT
Clinic Francaise 1800 193 820 Level 5, 4 Columbia Crt Baulkham Hills NSW 2153 clinicfrancaise.com
manufacturinganddesignsolutions.com.au
MENTAL HEALTH Mindset Abilities 02 9687 9776 201/22 Hunter St, Parramatta NSW 2150 mindsetabilities.com.au
INSOLVENCY
PRINTING
Jones Partners Insolvency & Business Recovery 02 9894 9966 Suite 301, Level 3, 4 Columbia Ct, Baulkham Hills NSW 2153 jonespartners.net.au
GWP Media 1300 889 132 F78B 24-32 Lexington Drive Bella Vista NSW 2153 gwpmedia.com.au
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LAND A BETTER DEAL AT LANDER TOYOTA The Lander Toyota better buying experience starts from the moment you enter our stunning new showroom. Our professional consultants will discuss your needs and present all the options available to you from the exceptional Toyota range.
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