Worst Nightmares for a Trade Business Owner
How you can protect yourself from them
THE NEW NORMAL A Guide to Dealing with the Growing Tiredness & Boredom
Reopening Your Business How to cut through the Covid-19 noise Have they contributed to where you’re at right now?
www.aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au
CONTRIBUTORS • Angela Smith • Anthony Igra • Asanka Gunasekara • Ilan Noy • Jim Baker • Leo Babauta • Melissa A. Wheeler • Monroe Porter • Robert Bauman • Sandra Price • Vanessa Petch
EDITOR Nigel Gorman EXECUTIVE EDITOR Caroline Miall GRAPHIC DESIGNER J. Anne Delgado
From the Editor Hey Everyone, Welcome to the 93rd Edition of the Aussie Painting Contractor Magazine. Well, the painting industry seems to be coping really well considering the current climate. From reports from Members of Aussie Painters Network only about 20% of painting companies we have spoken to applied and got Government assistance through JobKeeper. In fact, we are getting more calls for people looking for staff and growing their business than those looking for work. There have been quite a few businesses signing up apprentices to build their staff from scratch rather than employ unemployed painters. I know many are going to disagree with me over this, however, I think that the Painting Industry in Australia is in a stable position and is growing and moving forward. With the Government incentives of JobKeeper, the ability to take up to $10,000 of Superannuation as well as people not traveling and cancelling holidays saving them thousands, also home owners getting a mortgage reprieve for the short term, people are cashed up and are looking at how they can improve their properties. Now is the time to go hard and make the most of the current situation.
Till next month, Happy Painting!!
Nigel Gorman
nigel@aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au
07 3555 8010
Contents 06 09
15
Forget work-life balance – it’s all about integration in the age of COVID-19
26
5 Worst Nightmares for a Trade Business Owner
28
Why Photos Are Worth $100,000.00
32
Are you wearing all the hats in your painting business
34 38
5 Years Cancer Free
Unfair Dismissal Increase How can you protect yourself against an unfair dismissal claim?
How you can protect yourself from them
A Guide to Dealing with the Growing Tiredness & Boredom of
THE NEW NORMAL
18
What to do when Reopening Your Business
21
Avoiding the “Salesman” Decease
How to cut through the Covid-19 noise
41
Rich and poor don’t recover equally from epidemics. Rebuilding fairly will be a global challenge
46
Industry Idiots
47
Important Contacts
Opinions and viewpoints expressed in the Aussie Painting Contractor Magazine do not necessarily represent those of the editor, staff or publisher or any Aussie Painters Network’s staff or related parties. The publisher, Aussie Painters Network and the Aussie Painting Contractor Magazine personnel are not liable for any mistake, misprint or omission. Information contained in the Aussie Painting Contractor Magazine is intended to inform and illustrate and should not be taken as financial, legal or accounting advice. You should seek professional advice before making business related decisions. We are not liable for any losses you may incur directly or indirectly as a result of reading Aussie Painting Contractor Magazine. Reproduction of any material or contents of the magazine without written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited.
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1800 355 344 / 07 3555 8010 info@aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au aussiepaintingcontractor.com,au
Forget work-life balance
It’s all about integration in the age of COVID-19
It wasn’t the usual end to our staff meeting. This time, the head of our university department wrapped up the video conference by inviting her nine-year-old son to come and say hello to about a hundred colleagues. It was an acknowledgement of the changes we have all adopted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The responses required to contain the spread of the virus have obliterated the boundaries that conventionally separate work from the rest of our lives. It has left us questioning the old concept of work-life balance. Read more: 6 strategies to juggle work and young kids at home: it’s about flexibility and boundaries
It’s a misguided metaphor because it assumes we must always make trade-offs among the four main aspects of our lives: work or school, home or family (however you define that), community (friends, neighbours, religious or social groups), and self (mind, body, spirit). Friedman, a professor at the prestigious Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, founded the Wharton Work/Life Integration Project in 1991 to “produce knowledge for action on the relationship between work and the rest of life”. A more realistic and more gratifying goal than balance, he argues, is to better integrate work and the rest of life in ways that engender “four-way wins” between work, home, community and self.
The myth of balance
The idea of work-life balance caught on the 1980s, powered to a large extent by the increasing number of women in the paid workforce who also shouldered the bulk of home and family work. While it is a concept somewhat hard to define and based on many assumptions, definitions of work-life balance tend to focus on the “absence of conflict” between professional and personal domains. The intention is noble. The problem, in the words of business scholar Stewart Friedman, “balance is bunk”:
6 | Aussie Painting Contractor
Synergies, not trade-offs
Integration is not about trade-offs but synergies, gaining more by combining aspects of life often deliberately quarantined from each other.
Psychologists Jeffery Greenhaus and Saroj Parasuraman describe integration as “when attitudes in one role positively spill over into another role, or when experiences in one role serve as resources that enrich another role in one’s life”. A pre-COVID-19 example might be participating in a work-sponsored fun run for charity. It’s as chance to deepen your bonds with colleagues and do something good for the community. And exercise is good for both your physical and mental health.
Making integration the new normal
What would work-life integration look like in the age of COVID-19? Perhaps it is a father who invites his children and partner to discuss a workplace challenge he is facing over dinner. Working from home has been particularly onerous for families with kids cooped up and parents having to take on homeschooling duties. In this scenario, talking through a workplace issues enables the family to support each other and to feel a part of each other’s lives.
Her son, meanwhile, got a chance to better appreciate his mother’s work, with nearly a hundred little boxes of faces no doubt helping him to understand why she is not always available. It was an opportunity to increase empathy and understanding from both colleagues and family. It sent a positive message that all employees are entitled to this understanding. Integration also allows us the opportunity to throw away the idea of being the “perfect” partner or parent and instead work on being more open, honest, and even vulnerable. But first we need to recognise that COVID-19 has dramatically changed personal and work dynamics, and we need to let go the mental model of thinking of work-time and home-time being distinct and separate blocks. -------------------------------------------------------------------Melissa A. Wheeler Senior lecturer, Swinburne University of Technology Asanka Gunasekara Lecturer in Management, Swinburne University of Technology
In the case of our departmental head introducing her son at the end of the video conference, it reminded the rest of us about the demands of working at home at this time.
2020 June Issue | 7
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5 Worst Nightmares
for a Trade Business Owner How you can protect yourself from them There are many risks that you face when working in the trades, and even more when you own a trades business. As the owner you’re not just worried about yourself, but you’re also responsible for your team and your clients.
For many tradies this is seen as a risk of being a business owner, but you can protect yourself financially.
Trade Credit Insurance
Trade credit insurance protects you against losses caused by a client going into administration or bankruptcy etc.
As business owners we can take the attitude of “that’s how it is” and live with those risks, or we can try to protect ourselves against them.
In the event that one of your clients fails, the insurer will pay you the bulk of the outstanding amount.
We’ve put together a list of five nightmare scenarios for any trade business owner. In some cases they are real-life stories from our own clients.
The insurer will still try to recover money through the administration process, and if they do happen to recover additional funds they may share some of that with you, in order to achieve a full recovery for you.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
The main downside to trade credit insurance is its cost. At the very low end you’re looking at an annual premium of around $5k, and for a business with revenue of around $1 million you can expect to pay at least $10k.
A large client goes under without paying you Your work results in the death of a third party One of your team suffers a major injury at work A new home you are building is destroyed You suffer an injury that leaves you unable to work
1. A large client goes under without paying you
So it’s not cheap, but if we look at that electrician of ours who lost $150k on one job, no doubt they would have happily paid the $10k premium if they knew.
We’ve heard so many horror stories from subcontractors who’ve had a builder go into administration owning tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Whether or not you should have trade credit insurance really depends on the types of clients you’re dealing with. If you deal with a lot of smaller clients, especially domestic clients, you’re not going to get any benefit from it.
An electrical contractor client of ours had a company fail whilst owing him $150k. For a large electrical contractor that may be easier to swallow, but for a bloke with a handful of staff it was a massive hit.
But if you do a lot of work for a small number of clients, leaving you with large exposures to single companies, then it’s certainly worth considering.
As in many of these cases, once the administration and liquidation period is over, there is nothing left for the subcontractors and other unsecured creditors. The damage caused goes far beyond the money lost. The stress and impact on your mental health can sometimes outweigh the financial impact.
Try putting it this way… What would happen if one of your top three clients failed and couldn’t pay you? If it wouldn’t bother you, then you might not need the cover. But if it meant having to put off some staff, or having to re-mortgage your house to pay the bills, then you probably do.
2020 June Issue | 9
2. Your work results in the death
of a third party
One of the great things about being a tradesman or a builder is that you can stand back and admire your work. The huge number of tradies using Instagram shows this perfectly in action. You want families to enjoy the house you’ve renovated, or the deck you’ve built, or the new lighting you’ve installed. The last thing you want is for that work to cause harm to your client or their family, or perhaps one of their visitors to the home. But sadly, it can and does happen.
We don’t know the full story with how the deck collapse investigation panned out, but it could be that there was no negligence with the physical building work undertaken, and instead it was the design or the inspection of the deck that was the issue. In this case, it could be that public liability will not respond, and instead it will be professional indemnity insurance that is required. Your Trade Risk broker can go through this in more detail with you, but if you’re providing design or advice services, and especially if you’re charging a separate fee for this work, you’ll most likely need professional indemnity insurance.
Given we’re talking about “nightmare” scenarios, let’s look at a very nasty one. Thankfully the builder involved was not a client of ours.
This is a very broad way of looking at it, but you could say that public liability relates to your physical work, and professional indemnity relates to your non-physical work such as design and advice.
In 2008 there was a gathering of school mothers out on a deck. The house was a beautiful old Queenslander in the blue-chip Brisbane suburb of Ascot.
3. One of your team suffers a major injury at work
The structure failed, and multiple people suffered serious injuries, whilst sadly one of the mothers lost her life.
Working on a construction site can be dangerous. We all know that and accept that risk when working.
Whilst one could say it was a tragic accident, there’s always going to be legal action following an event like this.
A nail through a finger might be joked about and posted on social media, but what if something really serious happened? What if one of your tradies suffered an injury that left them critically injured, or worse…?
In this case it was the builder who previously worked on the deck and a building inspector who were sued for millions of dollars by the family of the deceased as well as those who were injured.
Public Liability Insurance
If your work results in property damage or personal injury to a third party, and you are found to have been negligent, your public liability insurance will respond. In the case of the deck, the building inspector most likely wouldn’t have been covered by public liability (see section below), but the builder would have been provided that there was negligence involved in their building work. Public liability will generally form the core of any tradie or builder’s insurance portfolio.
Professional Indemnity Insurance
In some cases your negligence wasn’t to do with your physical work, and instead was related to the design or professional advice you provided.
10 | Aussie Painting Contractor
Any good business owner is obviously going to feel terrible about the injury to their team member and the impact it’s going to have on their family. From a financial perspective, the best way you can manage this is through insurance. If the worker is one of your employees they will be covered by your workers compensation insurance. But we know in the building industry plenty of businesses use subcontractors, and this is where things can get a little messy… Even if you have engaged a worker as a subcontractor, they could be a deemed worker and therefore must be covered under your workers compensation. This is good from one perspective, as it means the person is covered. But that’s only any good if you have your workers compensation setup correctly.
2020 June Issue | 11
If you thought all your workers were subbies and not deemed workers, you could end up in trouble. It could be worth speaking with your accountant or the relevant workers compensation provider for your state for further clarification.
Workers Compensation Insurance
As insurance brokers we don’t deal with workers compensation, but it would be neglectful of us not to raise it as an important for of insurance for your trade business. In most Australian states workers compensation is administered by a government body, such as WorkCover in QLD and iCare in NSW. Other states have their own different contacts.
Personal Accident Insurance
Going back to what we said about subcontractors, if your worker is classed a genuine subcontractor and not a deemed worker, they will not be covered by your workers compensation. You could say that it’s not your problem, and as a subbie it’s their own responsibility to look after themselves.
New build destroyed Who is responsible financially? As the builder, in most cases it will be you. It’s not the homeowner’s responsibility until handover in most cases. If the house was just at frame stage you’re still going to be hurting financially, but it probably won’t ruin you. What if the house was virtually complete though? You could be down a few hundred grand. But hold on… You have public liability insurance, which covers property damage, so all is okay! Not so fast… Whilst public liability insurance does indeed cover property damage, the policy will only respond in the event of negligence. Public liability is designed to respond in the event that your negligence results in property damage or personal injury to another person. If there is no negligence, there is no claim. If you ensured the site was safe and secure, and you did nothing wrong (or negligent) which contributed to the damage, your public liability insurance is not going to cover the claim.
Legally that’s probably fine, but you’d still feel pretty bad if they lost their income on your job right?
Contract Works Insurance
Some larger building companies have made it mandatory that all subcontractors have their own personal accident or income protection insurance.
Contract works insurance covers your projects whilst they are under construction. It can cover the structure itself, along with the materials located on site.
It’s certainly worth considering if you want to ensure your subbies are looked after should they be injured on your site.
Most importantly, contract works does not rely on your negligence, which is where public liability insurance kicks in.
4. A new home you are building is destroyed
5. You suffer an injury that leaves you unable to work
As a good builder you make sure your site is locked up and safe every night.
Picture this… You’ve done your apprenticeship, spent a few years working for someone else, then a few more years building your own business. You’re finally at the point where you’re making some good coin and the hard yards are paying off.
Now imagine turning up to the worksite one morning to see that your new build has been reduced to a pile of rubble. It could have been caused by a storm, arson or malicious damage. How it happened doesn’t matter as much as the fact that you’ve just lost everything.
12 | Aussie Painting Contractor
What you need in this case is contract works insurance.
You borrow some money for an investment property, then another big mortgage to build your dream home. You have decent amount of debt, but business is good and it’s all comfortably manageable.
Then one Friday afternoon you trip and fall from a second storey deck your team is building. You end up in hospital with a broken femur and fractured vertebrae. The doctor reassures you that you’ll make a full recovery, but also that you’ll be off the tools for at least six months. Suddenly it feels like everything is about to fall apart… How are you going to keep looking after your family and covering your mortgage repayments whilst you can’t do any work? The last ten years of hard slog is about to ruined thanks to a Friday afternoon trip… But then you remember, your broker at Trade Risk gave you a quote for personal accident insurance a few months ago, and you went ahead with it!
Personal Accident Insurance
This type of cover goes by a few different names, but we’ll stick with personal accident insurance. Despite the name, it can also include cover for illness depending on the option selected. Personal accident insurance can cover a large percentage (typically 85%) of your income for a period of time whilst you are unable to work due to injury and illness. Continuing with the case study above, the tradie would simply have to provide a medical certificate from the doctor confirming the injuries and the amount of time expected to be unable to work.
There are quite a few different options when it comes to waiting periods, benefit periods and benefit amounts, but your Trade Risk broker can run through these with you and provide a few different quotes.
Don’t risk it all
We know from ten years of experience that not every trade business owner is going to take out every type of trade insurance that can help them. Some do though, especially those who truly appreciate the value they have created in their business and are willing to invest a very small percentage of their revenue to protect it. We’re happy to talk to you about what you do and don’t need, and what types of insurance might give you the best “bang for buck” for your budget. We don’t want you to spend all your money on insurance, but if something goes wrong in your business, we at least want to know that we gave you all the options and you knew what you could have insured yourself against. If you’re an existing Trade Risk client and would like to discuss any of the above forms of trade insurance please contact your account manager, or for new clients please call us on 1800 808 800.
www.traderisk.com.au 1800 808 800
2020 June Issue | 13
A Guide to Dealing with the Growing Tiredness & Boredom of
THE NEW NORMAL This pandemic is no longer an exciting (but scary) novelty. We’re a couple months into this lockdown and crisis, and it’s starting to wear on many of us. We experience it as boredom, tiredness, exhaustion. We experience it as ongoing burden, and can’t wait for it to be over. We lose patience, and want to do anything else but this. That all makes sense. It’s also exactly why we have difficulty sticking to habit changes, to long-term deep commitments, to ongoing projects and long-running challenges. It’s one thing when things are new, novel, exciting, fresh. It’s a completely different thing when things are boring, dull, tiring, burdensome. What would it be like to work with this difficulty inside ourselves, and shift it? What would it change for us if we didn’t have to get tired of long-term challenges, or feel them as boring difficult burdens? What would it shift if we could develop the joy of patience?
Just a few possible benefits of shifting this: • We can endure long challenges, for months and even years. • We can shift habits long term, instead of dropping new habits after a couple of weeks. • We’ll have more patience for people who usually tire us out or get on our nerves. • We’ll be less drained by things that weigh on us or bother us over the long term. • We’ll have a greater capacity for endurance, fortitude and patience overall. • I’d say those are benefits worth working toward! And the good news is, with the boredom and tiredness we’re feeling from the lockdown and pandemic, we have the perfect practice ground. This is the time to practice, right when we’re feeling like not facing this difficulty. So how do we do that? Let’s first look at why these kinds of situations try our patience, and then how to work with them during the current situation.
2020 June Issue | 15
Why These Things Try Our Patience
If we think about it, there’s nothing in most situations that we face that makes them inherently difficult or annoying. We create the difficulty. For example, let’s say you had to sit in a room with no devices, nothing to read, nothing to do … for two weeks. Most people would find this tedious, boring, tiresome. (Not everyone, but most.) Why though? There’s nothing wrong with an empty room. It’s not worse than any other situation — except that we make it worse, by deciding that it’s not fun, not exciting, not interesting. That’s our decision. We create the experience of boredom, burden, difficulty. The good news is that if we create the experience, we can change it. We have the power to not be bored, impatient, burdened, annoyed, frustrated.
The shift comes from letting go of the thoughts we have about the situation, which are creating the difficult experience.
Whenever you’re feeling restless, bored, tired of the situation, frustrated, unhappy, exhausted by it all … delight in the opportunity to practice! Let yourself find the beauty in the practice. Look at the situation around you, and ask, “Why is this frustrating or tiresome? Why don’t I like it?” See what thoughts come up. “I just want it to be over. I just want some human contact. I just want to go to my favorite restaurant. I don’t like having to stay home.” Notice that a lot of those thoughts are about what you want or don’t want. What you like or don’t like. This is about us getting our way — and we always want our way. What would it be like to not need to get our way, but to love things just as they are? Look around, and see the beauty in this moment. See the incredible miracle of life and the world around us. Feel the connection to all other human beings, to all living beings, in everything you see. Or just experience the moment without the thoughts. Just the sensations of this moment.
“But it really is boring/frustrating! It’s not just my thoughts about it!”
When you’re feeling frustration, it’s also an opportunity to experience the sensations of frustration, without judging them. What does it feel like in your body to feel frustration? Can you just experience that?
No, it’s not. In reality, it’s just life. The world, and life on earth. It’s just molecules and energy. We create the narrative that it’s bad or good. We can let go of the narrative.
Over and over, the feelings will come up. We can just experience them, without judging. We can just experience this moment. We can see the beauty in this moment.
If we let go of the beliefs and narrative and thoughts about the situation … it’s not good or bad. It’s just life. And in fact, we can create a new view: that it’s a miracle to be alive, to witness the universe like this, to be interconnected to other living beings in so many ways; that it’s something to be grateful for. Or just experience the experience, without thoughts and narratives.
These are practices of patience. And with practice, we can increase our capacity.
It’s up to us. We can practice with these thoughts and experiences. Using the Crisis to Practice Patience So with this in mind, let’s use this current crisis to practice patience.
16 | Aussie Painting Contractor
Or we can practice frustration with not getting what we want. What will you practice today?
Leo Babauta
a successful ‘simplicity’ blogger and author from California, the creator of top 25 Blog
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What to do when
Reopening Your As many business owners look to life after COVID-19, an important question comes up: how do we plan to reopen our business? For most businesses, the easing of restrictions doesn’t mean a return to business as usual. There are rules and regulations in place about how companies can operate, including how many people can be on their premises at one time and how employees must be protected. Customers may not come back quickly and supply chains may still be disrupted. Your main goal is to keep your business going after COVID-19, but reopening requires careful planning. Here are some tips for restarting your business. 1. Examine your business model The pandemic may have shown you some ways you can pivot your business model to adapt to economic turmoil. Exploring new ways to earn money—such as additional revenue streams—can provide your business with financial stability, and help you be successful. Here are some questions to ask: • Is my current business model viable following the pandemic? • If not, are there ways to adjust my business model? • Can my expertise be used to create additional revenue streams? • What are current market trends that could affect how I run my business? • What are my competitors doing to adapt? Many small business owners have expertise that could go into consulting. If you own a restaurant, you could consult with new restaurant owners on setting their menu or hiring staff. You could also create passive income by writing eBooks or running courses related to your specialty.
18 | Aussie Painting Contractor
There are also new business models you could consider, including having clients or customers pay a monthly retainer or membership fee, selling your products online, or adapting your goods and services based on market trends. Look to businesses similar to yours to see how they’re changing, and how successful their adjustments are. 2. Have a safety plan and procedures in place Given the rules and regulations regarding businesses reopening—to protect client and staff safety—it’s important that you have a safety plan in place, and ensure your teams knows and follows the rules. • Be clear about what needs to be disinfected and how often • Ensure staff knows about the safety gear they are required to wear and provide it • Make sure workers knows about hygiene rules and procedures • Train employees on social distancing within your location and post guidance throughout your premises • Consider including physical barriers to further protect customers and staff • Stagger shifts and appointments if possible • Determine if any areas can be repurposed— for example, see if you can use a conference room as an additional waiting room for clients or as office space to keep staff physically separated • Talk to your employees about their levels of comfort and their concerns • Be willing to adapt based on customer and employee needs
Business 3. Access funding and financial programs Even with restrictions easing, customers may not be eager to return to your business, for a variety of reasons. Many people now have limited incomes and are concerned about safety measures. It could take a while for your income to balance out. Local, regional and federal governments have programs available for small businesses. Additionally, financial institutions and local businesses that represent business interests may also have financial programs you can access to help you through the turmoil caused by COVID-19.
Final thoughts
Unfortunately for most businesses, the easing of restrictions linked to COVID-19 wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mean an immediate return to pre-COVID-19 operations. There will be a period of transition in which you may have to make adjustments to your business. Evaluating and adapting your business model and strategies, planning for your business to reopen safely, and accessing financial assistance and programs will help during this time. Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s next for you and your business? If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to chat about future-proofing your business, please get in touch with our advisors.
Sandra Price
www.facebook.com/ tradiebookkeepingsolutions/
2020 May Issue | 19
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Avoiding the
“SALESMAN” The Death of a Salesman is a 1949 Pulitzer Prize winning play written about the tragic life of Willy Loman the salesman, an average guy who chased the American Dream as a way to overcome his weaknesses and insecurities. His denial and false sense of success leads to tragedy and ultimate suicide. There are many similarities between Willy’s demise and contractor companies who destroy themselves or at best experience a lifelong series of business ups and downs. Before going further, I want to make it clear that I consider myself a good salesman and am offended by the stereotype used to portray salespeople. Good salespeople are problem solvers, good listeners and a vital part of the business process. Unfortunately, it is the pigeonholing of the sales profession as pushy characters that leads to this misbelief just as a few bad contactors ruin the industries reputation. However, Willy does possess several of the characteristics that destroy many a contractor business. Let’s discuss some of them. “One more job and it will all be ok.” The ideal salesman was once described as someone who, if he was tarred and feathered and run out town, would think he was
DISEASE leading a parade. Having a paositive attitude and enthusiasm can be a positive trait. However, there is a thin line separating optimism and denial. Optimism is the hopefulness and confidence something will work. Denial is the refusal to acknowledge facts and conditions keeping something from working. Think of a contractor that failed. Normally, the company had a great deal of work and was busy. If your company is not making money where your business is now, it is doubtful one more job or next year it will be better. One definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over in hopes that it works. To succeed, businesses much fix the core business issues in their way and not just blindly try to do so by selling more. “We can do this job.” Taking jobs outside of your core competency can be devastating. Contracting is not an endeavor where taking the job and figuring it out later works very well. Characteristics of a typical bad job include an unknown customer, job location, type of skills required to do the job, the size of the job, etc.
2020 May Issue | 21
It’s hard to tell why contractors take work they should not do. I think the fear of running out of work, being in too much of a hurry and Willy Loman’s type of denial all play a role in the situation. A little checklist can help you avoid bad jobs. • Have you checked credit and talked to other subs about this customer? • Did you get bad vibes from this customer when you met? • Did you google the customer to see what he or she does for a living and search lawsuits? • Is this job substantially larger than your standard job? • Do you have the cash to carry the job’s payment schedule if it is delayed? • Does this job contain some type of work you really are not accustomed to doing? • Does the job have a demanding schedule? • Are there other factors such as other subs, weather, materials that could impact the job? As a contractor, you are always taking risks but make sure the “salesman disease” does not put you into denial regarding those risks. Don’t take an out of town difficult job for a litigation attorney, to be done in the middle of the winter, with a picky architect, a lot of material to buy upfront, a demanding schedule and a customer who came across as demanding and wonder why you are in trouble. “Don’t worry we will get it done.” Outselling your financial and production capabilities can be disastrous.
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If you are having trouble finding employees at your current level, what makes you think you will be able to do so if you double your sales? There is a limited number of good craftsman including subcontractors and dramatically overselling that capacity can have a devastating impact. You also need enough cash to take you through your sales growth. If you do 100k a month and it takes 30 days for people to pay you and you go to 200k a month, you need another 100k in cash to keep things going. “The customer is always right; we will take care of it”. If you are dealing with unscrupulous customers or someone who is demanding unreasonable specs and performance, such folks can eat you alive. To keep doing things to merely keep them happy is insane. You must clearly negotiate what you will do and that they will be satisfied and pay you. It is doubtful you are going to make this person happy and at this point it is all about damage control. In closing, there is nothing wrong with being a good salesperson. However, good salespeople are not in denial and will not make the sale at all costs. Building business requires more than sales.
Monroe Porter
is president of PROOF Management a firm that teaches seminars and runs networking groups for painting contractors.
www.proofman.com
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Unfair Dismissal
INCREASES There’s no doubt COVID-19 has had a significant impact on Australian employment figures and now we’re seeing an increase in unfair dismissal applications being lodged.
How can you protect yourself against an unfair dismissal claim? The short answer is you can’t. It is very easy for an employee to make an unfair dismissal application and cheap, only $73.20. So, what have they got to lose?
The increase in applications can be attributed to three primary reasons:
The important thing then is not so much to avoid an unfair dismissal claim but proceed as if you are preparing for one. If you enact all terminations as if they will be scrutinised by the Commission, then you are in a much better place then if you don’t.
1. The first one is purely a numbers game. The sudden and resounding impact of COVID-19 on businesses saw a greater number of employees being terminated or being made redundant all at one time. More people losing their employment, means more unfair dismissal applications. 2. People are scared. You cannot go a day without hearing that the unemployment figures are skyrocketing, businesses are going out of business, we’re facing the worst economic disaster we’ve seen since the Great Depression etc. All of these play into people’s minds and feeds their fear that they may not get another job. They have families to feed and bills to pay, so they lodge an unfair dismissal application in the hope they’ll get reinstated or will at least receive a few more weeks payment to help tide them over. 3. Employers are / were scared too and felt like they had to make a quick decision for the viability of their business. When we’re rush, scared or panicked, we make mistakes. In the heady moments of the first few weeks of COVID-19, many businesses acted too quickly and didn’t follow proper processes when terminating their employees. How you terminate your employees is closely scrutinised by the Fair Work Commission in determining whether a termination was unfair, harsh or unjust
26 | Aussie Painting Contractor
The key points when enacting a termination are: • Could the termination be considered to be harsh, unjust or unfair? • Have I consulted with the employee, explained the issues or concerns and provided them with an opportunity to respond and / or improve? • Have I considered all relevant factors including seriousness of the issue, ability of the employee to improve, length of service, previous work history, age, ability of the employee to get another job, mitigating circumstances? Have I given these and the employees responses due and genuine consideration? • Have I followed due process? Enacting a termination can be difficult, but you don’t need to go it alone. At HR Maximised, we’re happy to discuss your concerns and help guide you through the termination process.
Vanessa Petch HR Maximised 0418 190 106
we bring you The series! The Industry
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Why Photos Are Worth
$100,000 There is that old saying that a picture is worth a thousand words. Well in the building and construction game, a good picture can be worth much, much more.
your job you will have a picture story of the work. Now the trick here is to closely review your scope of works from the contract.
So often when conducting payment claims for clients I come across situations where a good picture would have easily prevented a contractor from facing a payment dispute. Without it the argument becomes a case of the contractor’s word against the client’s.
Make sure you photograph everything on that scope. That way you can prove you did all the work required under the contract. Also, think about what you are shooting, and take wide, medium, and closeup shots. Imagine these photos had to be presented in court, and choose your subject accordingly. For example if you were doing roof work you might take a wide shot of the roofed area, some medium shots of pointing and guttering, and then some close-ups of the tiles, box-gutter, and edging. This would capture the quality of the workmanship.
The funny thing is that these days it has never been easier to take a photo. Digital technology makes every shot a winner and it is easily stored, easily developed. Even more convenient is the fact that mobile phones all have cameras on them. Sometimes you need to do less talking and more picture-taking. A series of photos is excellent evidence in a payment dispute and can protect the value of your work from unsubstantiated allegations of defects, back-charges, and incomplete work. If you are religious about taking photos you can put yourself in a position where the client has no evidence but you do. Further, your photos will block or defeat your client’s allegations. Often the client will back down once the quality of your evidence is exposed.
When and what do I photograph? The basic answer to that is to take a few every day to demonstrate the progress of the work. Taking photos of milestones are a good idea. That is, whenever a key phase is completed take a photo of it. This could be anything from the installation of a switchboard to a completed trench to a section of roofing. You know what I’m getting at. By the end of
28 | Aussie Painting Contractor
Remember, the value of photos is retrospective Because so many payment disputes occur after or near the end of the work, the value of photographic evidence is realized long after they have been taken. That’s why I advise you to take photos every single day. In 6 months time they will be very important when your client accuses you of running cables in the wrong area, or digging a defective trench or using the wrong piping. So in the first instance you are taking photos where there is no dispute on the horizon. Most payment disputes do not erupt straight away. It will start with a comment about something not being quite right. Or maybe something isn’t working properly and so on. Start taking photos of the work and installations that your client is complaining about. By all means attend to the problem and fix it, but have a record of how it was when you found it, and how it was when you’d finished with it. Now your client has nowhere to go.
One of my clients was accused of damaging an installed piece of fire equipment on a building site. He couldn’t get his last payment. But he had taken lots of photos. He could prove that when he had completed his work, the item in question was not damaged. There was a photo of it in perfect condition. Some photos from a later period showed the item bent and buckled, and it was obvious that a later trade had caused the damage. The matter went to adjudication but the photographic evidence was so compelling that the client paid up without too much argument. Let’s look at the main uses of good photos.
such damage occurred and you can challenge the client to produce evidence of his own to support his accusations.
1. Combating allegations of defective work As per the example above, this is the most common use of photos. The key thing here is to have good close-ups of the detail of your work. These are excellent at combating accusations that the work was no good. The client will assume that you don’t have this kind of evidence, and will also assume that if the area has been built-out, that you could not produce any to defend your position. Photos are great at killing that tactic.
3. Proof of work done This is the easiest thing to do because if you have taken photos everyday, you should be able to show all the work was completed as per the contract. It is very common for clients to withhold payment by alleging that the contractor has not completed the work. The client will usually be very specific about what was not done. But if you have your photos in place, this strategy will fail.
2. Blocking unsubstantiated back-charges Commonly at the end of the work, when the contractor is trying to get that final payment, the client will produce a raft of back-charges detailing a long list of damage and havoc for which the contractor is supposedly responsible. Many of these will date back to the beginning of the project, and of course had never been brought to anyone’s attention until now. But if you have a series of photos that show the progress of the work, then you can demonstrate that no
If you have taken some good close-up and detailed shots of the work, then (assuming there was no damage on completion) it will be impossible to argue that there was damage or that it was your fault. One of my clients was accused destroying a section of kerb with his truck and the head contractor was attempting to back-charge the contractor for its repair: but the head-contractor could not prove that the damage had even occurred and so this tactic failed.
Remember that photos are only a part of wider strategy you can use to protect the value of your work. Those of you who have read my previous articles will know the importance of a good Site Diary, Variation Instructions, and documentation generally. A good series of photos will add huge firepower to your claim for payment.
Anthony Igra
For more great articles and video information about dealing with payment problems go to www.contractorsdebtrecovery.com.au
or call us on 1300 669 075
2020 May Issue | 29
LEAD KILLS Find out if the things around you are safe for humans and pets.
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DO
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Apprentice? Aussie Painters Network is the preferred industry consultation provider for Master Painters Decorators & Signwriters' Association of Queensland Union of Employers (RTO 30048) to provide an exceptional quality, convenient experience for apprentices. We work closely with employers and their apprentice with access to thorough, easy to use, online training resources, combined with onsite tutoring and hands on simulated work environments in our custom built Painters Training Wheels.
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aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au Call : 1800 355 344 or 07 3555 8010
Are you wearing all the hats in your painting business? Have you created yourself a job, not a business? Like many painters, you’re wearing all the hats in your business – and the physical and mental load is weighing you down. What happens when you have a day off sick? What happens when you want a week’s holiday? Can you honestly walk away and know the business is still making you money? How do you feel just thinking about it? Are you sick to the stomach wondering if your team will cope without you? Keep treading this same path or systemise your business. It’s that simple. Systems are a one-off investment of time, for longterm business sustainability. They’re step-by-step how-to guides on the processes and procedures in your business. Here’s six big wins when you systemise your trade business: 1. Ease of training With systems, training your new painters is seamless and straightforward. No more repeating the same instructions — only to fall on deaf ears. Systems will
32 | Aussie Painting Contractor
provide you with a visual training tool. Your painters can also refer to the systems, any time, if they’re unsure of the right processes to follow. In our own trade business, we reduced the time to train a new dispatch person from six weeks to two weeks using the systems. 2. Clarity and confidence When one of our tradies had a car accident in the middle of the Harbour Bridge (not a great spot to stop in peak hour!), he’d already called our insurance company, arranged a tow truck, gathered the right information from the lady who ran up the back of his vehicle, and was en route in an Uber to his job with hand tools in tow — all before our dispatch contacted him asking why his vehicle had stopped for so long (love a tracker!). 3. Reduce mistakes You’ve put particular systems in place because you know they work. This means the only time something will “go wrong” is when an employee “steps outside” the systems you’ve implemented. Accidents happen. When you have systems in place, you can show your painter exactly where in the system they went wrong. They can correct it for next time. Ultimately, systems will reduce costly mistakes.
4. Consistency in standard When systems are in place, every painter in your business is doing the same thing. Importantly, this provides consistency in service for your customers. When your customers are used to hearing the same things and receiving the same service, they then expect this same high level of professionalism and flow of service. Consistently good service = happy repeat customers. 5. You’re in control When you’ve implemented systems, you’re in control of your business, even when you’re not there because you know (mostly!) what your painters are doing. If a particular painter decides to leave the business or is unwell, it’s easy for another painter to step in and follow the systems. It’s impossible for this to happen if all the important information needed for the role is not in the painter’s head, not written down. 6. Gives you a business you can sell Depending on your ambitions for your business, this is probably one of the main benefits of systems. The
knowledge and information required to successfully run your business is no use to anyone sitting in you and your employee’s heads. This is your asset. This is where the value lies, should you ever wish to sell. For your business to be attractive to a buyer, it must operate without you in it. Perhaps it’s time to start thinking about your painting business in a new light. One that involves systems that’ll provide predictable and positive results. Visit our ‘Survive the Sh*t Storm’ hub, where you can download free strategies and resources that will help you NOW in your trade business: www.lifestyletradie.com.au/apn-systems
Andy and Angela Smith Lifestyle Tradie is an award-winning education service and community for tradies in business who want to make more profit and fast-track financial freedom.
5 Years Cancer Free In August 2013 I went for my yearly blood test, mainly to check my cholesterol to see if I had to cut down on my cheese and wine intake (sic). A few days later my GP wanted to see me to discuss the results. It was a complete shock when he said my PSA count (Prostate Specific Antigen) showed a concerning rise from the previous years’ test. He referred me to a Urologist and after an examination and biopsy, it was confirmed that I had Prostate Cancer.
Unknown to me at the time, around 18,700 Australian men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year. More than 3,000 die of the disease making it the second largest cause of male cancer deaths after lung cancer. Statistics show that almost one man in eleven will develop prostate cancer during his lifetime. Men should have regular checks just as women do for breast cancer. Caught in its early stages whilst still confined to the prostate gland, prostate cancer can be cured. If you have symptoms (refer below)
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it doesn’t necessarily mean you have Prostate Cancer. It could be a number of other things that can be treated. I had no symptoms at all which made it even more of a shock when told, so I was very fortunate that mine was detected at a very early stage.
With consultation with the urologist, my PSA was monitored every 6 months. Because of early diagnosis, the best approach for a growing number of men is to monitor the cancer for signs that it is getting worse. Called ‘active surveillance’ or ‘watchful waiting’, this strategy allows men with early-stage or very slow growing prostate cancer to avoid treatment and its side effects -- or actively monitor the disease and to take action if the cancer grows or spreads. Over a period of 18 months, my PSA reading steadily increased so I felt then it was time to have the cancer treated, in my case, having the prostate removed (there are other methods but this was my choice). That was in August 2015.
Although devastated that it was happening to me at age 60, I was certainly glad I found out then, rather than in five or ten years when it may have been too late to be cured. This was when I decided to write an article for the APN magazine as there were many things I didn’t know about the disease and wanted to share what I had learnt. Too many of us avoid the subject and are afraid or embarrassed to talk about it. The following is what I resourced in case you may not have read it at the time.
Most men tend to accept the onset of one or more of these symptoms as being a natural consequence of ageing. However, anyone experiencing any of the above symptoms is advised to consult a doctor without delay. Early expert diagnosis and treatment is important and may avert potentially serious health consequences.
So what is a Prostate? Information and images sourced from the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia www.prostate.org. au/ The Prostate is an organ forming part of the male reproductive system. It is located immediately below the bladder and just in front of the bowel. Its main function is to produce fluid which protects and enriches sperm. In younger men the prostate is about the size of a walnut. It is doughnut shaped as it surrounds the beginning of the urethra, the tube that conveys urine from the bladder to the penis. The nerves that control erections also surround the prostate.
Prostate cancer Prostate Cancer is the only one of the four disorders that is potentially life-threatening. One of the most worrying aspects is that many prostate cancers develop without men experiencing ANY SYMPTOMS. Prostate cancer occurs when some of the cells of the prostate reproduce far more rapidly than in a normal prostate, causing a swelling or tumour. However, unlike BPH, prostate cancer cells eventually break out of the prostate and invade distant parts of the body, particularly the bones and lymph nodes, producing secondary tumours, a process known as metastasis. Once the cancer escapes from the prostate, treatment is possible but “cure” becomes impossible.
There are four main disorders of the prostate, causing general inflammation, enlargement & pain; Prostatitis, Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH), Prostatodynia and Prostate Cancer. All can have similar symptoms, which may include one or more of the following: • Waking frequently at night to urinate • Sudden or urgent need to urinate • Difficulty in starting to urinate • Slow flow of urine and difficulty in stopping • Discomfort when urinating • Painful ejaculation • Blood in the urine or semen • Decrease in libido (sex urge) • Reduced ability to get an erection
Prostate cancer is usually one of the slower growing cancers. In the past, it was most frequently encountered in men over 70 and many of those men died of other causes before their prostate cancer could kill them. This led to the old saying “most men die with, not of, prostate cancer”. However, that certainly is not true today.
2020 May Issue | 35
Three developments have changed things considerably: • Men are living longer, giving the cancer more time to spread beyond the prostate, with potentially fatal consequences. • More men in their early sixties, fifties and even forties are being detected with prostate cancer. Earlier on-set, combined with the greater male life expectancy, means those cancers have more time to spread and become life-threatening unless diagnosed and treated. • Prostate cancer in younger men often tends to be more aggressive and hence more life-threatening within a shorter time.
cancer is present. Where cancer is present, the PSA can predict the volume of disease. Where the PSA is less than 10, the cancer is commonly confined to the prostate. If the PSA is above 30, it is very likely the cancer has spread beyond the prostate and is therefore less likely to be curable. If your test reveals a slightly elevated PSA, your doctor may recommend the test be repeated from time to time to establish the rate of change, if any, before recommending a biopsy. Men should make an individual informed decision about testing based on the latest available evidence on the benefits and potential harms of testing and subsequent treatment for prostate cancer. Don’t assume you’re invincible and that nothing like this could happen to you.
Remember: It can be life threatening to wait for symptoms to appear before seeking assessment.
All men should be aware of their risk of the disease and consider being tested for it regularly from age 50 onwards, or from 40 onwards if there is a family history of prostate cancer.
I hope this article has got you thinking about it. All it takes is that one appointment with your doctor for a simple blood test. Get a full health check while you’re there! I am happy to say, I have been ‘Cancer Free’ for 5 years.
Testing through a Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) blood test and Digital Rectal Examination (DRE) and subsequent prostate biopsy is currently the best available way to detect the presence of cancer.
PSA
The PSA blood test looks for the presence in the blood of a protein that is produced specifically by prostate cells called Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA). The presence of an elevated PSA does not necessarily mean prostate cancer is present as there are other medical conditions that can lead to a PSA result outside the normal range. The result of a PSA test needs expert evaluation by an experienced doctor. As a general rule, the higher the PSA result the greater the chance that prostate
36 | Aussie Painting Contractor
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Jim Baker
www.mytools4business.com
50 YEARS A HOUSE PAINTER
This book contains 36 topics of industry related knowledge and information which will help you in the way you operate your business.Topics under headings of; Business Checklist, Staff, Marketing and Sourcing Customers, Professional Behavior, Successful Operation and Looking Ahead.Highly recommended by Jason Osborn, Dulux Business Development Executive as; â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;A very easy interesting read, that combines industry facts and great topics.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;
www.mytools4business.com
2020 May Issue | 37
How to cut through the Covid-19 noise Make no mistake, Covid-19 lockdown pain is real. Small and big business is hurting. Fortunately, in response to the unfolding economic crisis the Government has developed a ton of support packages – good on them, I say. Although it’s not as easy as it looks to take advantage of them. From cashflow boost to loan and mortgage repayment deferrals, JobKeeper and JobSeeker, payroll relief, the list goes on. It’s enough to confuse anybody. Eligibility criteria is the new buzz word. The recently announced Small Business Adaption Grant program was heavily subscribed and was closed within days. Peak bodies are lobbying politicians to get that extra help for their constituents in the business sector, who have missed out in the initial funding rounds. The news is full of stories about small businesses or entire market sectors that get no share in the cake that the government has been dolling out. If your business has been suffering and you were able to access some of the financial support or relief measures, then you also know how much it takes to go through the process of applying. Often hopes have been raised, only to be dashed once you’ve looked into the fine print. Are you getting utterly confused by all the noise?
38 | Aussie Painting Contractor
I understand the pain, I also understand how tough it is to keep a business going in times of uncertainty. However, if you take a step back and take some stock of your business numbers, you’ll be able to regain some certainty. Enough certainty to make solid decisions for the future of your business. The numbers don’t lie, and luckily there are things you CAN do to reshape and revitalise your business in any market. Be ready to adapt to the new market conditions and get back in the driver’sseat to steer your business recovery. Where to from here? Think about how your business was going before the Covid-19 lockdown came into place. What were your biggest business management issues then? Have they contributed to where you’re at right now? Did your business have enough of a buffer to withstand the impact of a downturn? Do you need to think about a more solid risk management strategy to include in your business planning for the future? My best advice is to go back to basics. Have a look at your business management systems and processes. Take stock at how they were working and how you could improve them now that you might have some extra time to work ON your business.
I suggest you cover the following business activity areas: 1. Review your Accounting Systems and processes. Do they deliver real time financial data to you when you need access to it? Are your financial administration processes timely and adequate? 2. What’s the Financial Health of your business? How is your profit margin? How do you compare with industry benchmarks? Can you reduce any overheads now to save some costs? 3. Have you done some Tax Planning recently? This is not something you do at the end of the financial year. It goes hand in hand with business development and cost minimisation strategies. 4. Do you know where you want to go with your business post Covid-10? Create a Business Plan to guide you on the path out of the business downturn. Make it deliberate, set KPIs. Get your marketing plan updated to suit the new environment. Make sure you have the skills and resources you need for your business recovery. 5. Create a Covid-10 Recovery Budget. Take stock, reduce any overheads, make contingency plans and let the numbers to the talking. A budget will help you avoid further sinking into debts you don’t need. 6. Set your sights on the future. Create a Business Wealth Plan to make sure that your profits don’t go to the taxman but rather fills your own retirement fund.
Talk to your clients
This is another thing that’s hugely important for your plan to help your business recovery. Talk to your customers and clients. Good client relationships are essential not just outside crisis times, but especially so now, where everything is in a bit of a flux. If you haven’t set up regular communication channels with your clients, now is the time to do so. Let them know what kind of services you can deliver in this environment, what safety measures you have in place while conducting your business, your opening times, any new services that you can offer due to the changing demand or Covid-19 regulations. Let them know that you’re there for them and increase your online visibility on social media. Social proof is just as important these days as having an ABN. If you are stuck and need help with a complete review of your business financial health, call my office on 3399 8844. YVisit our website at www.straighttalkat.com.au and complete your details on our Home page. Copyright © 2020 Robert Bauman
2020 May Issue | 39
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40 | Aussie Painting Contractor
Rich and poor don’t recover equally from epidemics. Rebuilding fairly will be a global challenge. Since the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004, disaster recovery plans are almost always framed with aspirational plans to “build back better”. It’s a fine sentiment – we all want to build better societies and economies. But, as the Cheshire Cat tells Alice when she is lost, where we ought to go depends very much on where we want to get to.
Some governments are aware of this and are trying to ameliorate this brewing inequality. At the same time, it is seen as politically unpalatable to engage in redistribution during a global crisis. Most governments are opting for broad-brush policies aimed at everyone, lest they appear to be encouraging class warfare and division or, in the case of New Zealand, electioneering.
The ambition to build back better therefore needs to be made explicit and transparent as countries slowly re-emerge from their COVID-19 cocoons. The Asian Development Bank attempted last year to define build-back-better aspirations more precisely and concretely. The bank described four criteria: build back safer, build back faster, build back potential and build back fairer. The first three are obvious. We clearly want our economies to recover fast, be safer and be more sustainable into the future. It’s the last objective – fairness – that will inevitably be the most challenging long-term goal at both the national and international level. Economic fallout from the pandemic is already being experienced disproportionately among poorer households, in poorer regions within countries, and in poorer countries in general. Read more: Recession hits Māori and Pasifika harder. They
Banda Aceh, Indonesia, after the 2004 tsunami: the impact of disaster is not felt equally by all. www.shutterstock.com
In fact, politicians’ typical focus on the next election aligns well with the public appetite for a fast recovery. We know that speedier recoveries are more complete, as delays dampen investment and people move away from economically depressed places. Speed is also linked to safety. As we know from other disasters, this recovery cannot be completed as long as the COVID-19 public health challenge is not resolved.
must be part of planning New Zealand’s COVID-19 recovery
2020 May Issue | 41
The failure to invest in safety, in prevention and mitigation, is now most apparent in the United States, which has less than 5% of the global population but a third of COVID-19 confirmed cases. Despite the pressure to “open up” the economy, recovery won’t progress without a lasting solution to the widespread presence of the virus. Economic potential also aligns with political aims and is therefore easier to imagine. A build-back-better recovery has to promise sustainable prosperity for all. The emphasis on job generation in New Zealand’s recent budget was entirely the right primary focus. Employment is of paramount importance to voters, so it has been a logical focus in public stimulus packages everywhere. Fairness, however, is more difficult to define and more challenging to achieve. While a rising economic tide doesn’t always lift all boats – as the proponents of growth-at-any-cost sometimes argue – a low tide lifts none. Achieving fairness first depends on achieving the other three goals.
Under-prepared and under-resourced: the hospital ship Comfort arrives in New York during the COVID-19 crisis. www.shutterstock.com
Economic prosperity is a necessary precondition for sustainable poverty reduction, but this virus is apparently selective in its deadliness. Already vulnerable segments of our societies – the elderly, the immuno-compromised and, according to some recent evidence, ethnic minorities – are more at risk.
42 | Aussie Painting Contractor
They are also more likely to already be economically disadvantaged. As a general rule, epidemics lead to more income inequality, as households with lower incomes endure the economic pain more acutely. This pattern of increased vulnerability to shocks in poorer households is not unique to epidemics, but we expect it to be the case even more this time. In the COVID-19 pandemic, economic devastation has been caused by the lockdown measures imposed and adopted voluntarily, not by the disease itself. These measures have been more harmful for those on lower wages, those with part-time or temporary jobs, and those who cannot easily work from home. Many low-wage workers also work in industries that will be experiencing longer-term declines associated with the structural changes generated by the pandemic: the collapse of international tourism, for example, or automation and robotics being used to shorten long and complicated supply chains.
Poorer countries are in the worst position. The lockdowns hit their economies harder, but they do not have the resources for adequate public health measures, nor for assisting those most adversely affected. In these places, even if the virus itself has not yet hit them much, the downturn will be experienced more deeply and for longer.
Worryingly, the international aid system that most poorer countries partially rely on to deal with disasters is not fit for dealing with pandemics. When all countries are adversely hit at the same time their focus inevitably becomes domestic. Very few wealthy countries have announced any increases in international aid. If and when they have, the amounts were trivial â&#x20AC;&#x201C; regrettably, this includes New Zealand.
And the one international institution that should have led the charge, the World Health Organisation, is being defunded and attacked by its largest donor, the US. Unlike after the 2004 tsunami, international rescue will be very slow to arrive. One would hope most wealthy countries will be able to help their most vulnerable members. But it looks increasingly unlikely this will happen on an international scale between countries. Without global empathy and better global leadership, the poorest countries and poorest people will only be made poorer by this invisible enemy. --------------------------------------------------------------------
Ilan Noy
Professor and Chair in the Economics of Disasters and Climate Change, Te Herenga Waka â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Victoria University of Wellington
The portable, inexpensive method to prevent paint waste-water polluting the environment.
2020 May Issue | 43
AUSSIE PAINTERS NETWORK
E-LEARNING
PORTAL Advanced Estimating Course for Painters - $250.00 Quoting Off Plans Calculating Overheads Hourly Rates and Labour Costs Tendering and Contracting Financial Management for Painters - $150.00 Basic Book-keeping Interpreting Financial Reports BAS and GST Marketing a Painting Business - $150.00 Effective Social Media Web-sites and Marketing Plans Starting a Painting Business - $150.00 Business Structures Workplace Health and Safety Legal requirements Contracting Painters WHS Management - $120.00 Risk Assessment Handling Apprentices Industry Specific SWMS and JSAs Relevant AS/NZ Standards and Codes of Practice WHS Management Plans Effective Customer Service - $150.00 Maintaining a Professional Image Closing the Sale and Following Through Quality Assurance
Painters Safety Induction Course - $20.00 Hazardous Materials Working at heights Electrical safety Manual Handling Spray Painting Safety Lead Paint Safety Lead Paint and Asbestos Awareness Course - $90.00 Testing for lead paint Encapsulation Painting Asbestos Containment and Clearance Chemical Stripping Painting Contractor Business Management - $800.00 Customer Service Financial Forecasting Managing Employees Marketing Resolving Business Disputes - $150.00 Create a Dispute Resolution Procedure Understanding the Security of Payment ACT COVID-19 Infection Control Course - $39.00 (Payment optional at end of course)
Business Continuity Plans Hygiene procedures Preparing your workplace Self-isolation procedures Risk assessment templates
2020 May Issue | 45
The The Industry Industry Idiots Idiots
46 | Aussie Painting Contractor
IMPORTANT
Contacts
Aussie Painters Network aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au
Ph. 0430 399 800
National Institute for Painting and Decorating painters.edu.au
Ph. 1300 319 790
Australian Tax Office ato.gov.au
Ph. 13 72 26 / Ph. 13 28 65
Award Rates fairwork.gov.au
Ph. 13 13 94
Fair Work Building & Construction fwbc.gov.au
Ph. 1800 003 338
Mates In Construction matesinconstruction.com.au
Ph. 1300 642 111
Workplace Health and Safety Contacts Comcare WorkSafe ACT Workplace Health and Safety QLD Victorian WorkCover Authority WorkCover NSW SafeWork SA WorkSafe WA NT WorkSafe WorkSafe Tasmania
comcare.gov.au worksafe.act.gov.au worksafe.qld.gov.au vwa.vic.gov.au workcover.nsw.gov.au safework.sa.gov.au commerce.wa.gov.au/WorkSafe/ worksafe.nt.gov.au worksafe.tas.gov.au
1300 366 979 02 6207 3000 1300 362 128 1800 136 089 13 10 50 1300 365 255 1300 307 877 1800 019 115 1300 366 322
actcancer.org cancercouncil.com.au cancercouncilnt.com.au cancerqld.org.au cancersa.org.au cancervic.org.au cancerwa.asn.au
(02) 6257 9999 (02) 9334 1900 (08) 8927 4888 (07) 3634 5100 (08) 8291 4111 (03) 9635 5000 (08) 9212 4333
Cancer Council Australia ACT NSW NT QLD SA VIC WA
2020 May Issue | 47
