Business News 251

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CONTENTS

18.

CONTENTS 6 Biz News 12 New Appointments 13 Inside Word 16 Money 17 Governance

14. FEATURE

COVER STORY

“Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything” - George Bernard Shaw

24 Property 26 Legal 28 Business Advice 29 Employment 32 Tech Guy 34 Elevator 36 Business Events 44 After Hours

38. ARTS ISSUE 251 MAY 2016 Read online at: www.biznewsmag.com.au

40. COMMUNITY

50 Cool Stuff 51 Books

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EDITOR

WHY WE’VE GOT IT WRONG ON JOBS

T

here is a lot of emotion and an awful lot of good intentions around jobs and skills training in regional areas in particular.

In some ways governments at both state and federal are getting it right – the conversation having shifted to bridging the gap between employer needs and job-seeker skills is one example of that - but in a few fundamental areas, they’ve got it wrong.

We like to joke that there is no more than two-degrees of separation in Geelong, and that means that pretty much all of us know people who work in big government service areas like health, education, government departments. That also means that we hear about the challenges they face as part of big bureaucracies.

By nature, larger organisations operate under a system of layers, but something that is becoming increasingly obvious is that the layering of regulation and box-ticking requirements that is such a feature of how we operate in Australia has generated an employment layer of career report writers, people who often arrive around periods of restructure and are charged with steering some sort of transition.

This organisational layer is a problem for a number of reasons: they are employed to drive change and they need to be able to show that they are doing so, even if that change is counter-productive; they halt the career progression of people from the lower layers of the organisation; and they all-too rarely know how to do the jobs of the people working under them and are reporting on operations they don’t really understand. Big systems play to the strengths of the duckers and weavers of the employment market, the result of which is a largely unrecognised part of the productivity problem across Australian business and industry.

At the top of the workforce pool, we have a generation fast approaching retirement that will need to be replaced. At the bottom we have a generation who want to work, who are educated and hungry for opportunity, but struggling to gain meaningful entry into the workforce.

If we want to start to effectively tackle these challenges, we need to look at the way we think about the way we work from the bottom up, not the top down. We need to provide more opportunities, not make more demands of young people looking for work.

Quick question: how many of us came into our first few jobs with all the necessary skills and experience? Or did we just start at the bottom and work our way up?

If we want to effect real change, and in time to meet our current challenges, we should be looking to up-skill the lower middle levels of workers to prepare for the baby boomer exit, while bringing in a basic level of support to alleviate the time-intensive parts of their current jobs (data entry, customer service, etc.) so they can use their knowledge and experience to boost productivity, growth and cost savings. The people who do the work at the core functions of any business or organisation often have great ideas about how to improve systems and processes where they work, but no time or support to pursue those ideas.

These are the people who should be reporting to management and boards, becoming the new plan makers. And, because they know how to do the job of the person below them, they can also be trainers and mentors to people just starting out. At a basic organisational level, they can cover for team members when they go on leave – do you remember when that used to happen?

It is a simple truth that entry-level jobs lead to more senior and leadership roles when we support people with ongoing training throughout their careers. But too often that isn’t happening, the expectation is that you have experience in the role before you step into it, rather than growing into it, and there is a role for governments to play here in upskilling the lower-middle levels of our workforce.

None of which, of course, would be music to the ears of highly mobile change specialists, all of who are workers themselves. But they too would benefit from more training to build valuable skills.

DAVINA MONTGOMERY

BIZNEWSMAG.COM.AU | 5

BIZ NEWS

$3.1M START UP PROGRAM FOR GEELONG NEW MEMBERS

April 2016 CLOTH

by Artist Anna Reynolds Devlin Apartments Mannerim Stables Queenscliff Literary Festival

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federally funded $3.1m Geelong Region Job Connections program is offering free training through RMIT University and NetGain in Certificate IV Small Business Management. Participants in the Start Up program also receive 12 months mentor advice and business support.

Launching the program, Member for Corangamite, Sarah Henderson said the program was designed to increase workforce participation and help people back into the workforce through the creation of up to 40 small businesses.

The first intake in the program, delivered by RMIT, is now underway, while the second

intake, delivered by NetGain, will occur in June 2016.

Unlike many other funded skills development schemes, Start Up is available to those not on income support payments.

“It was wonderful to see so many dynamic small business ideas from participants, ranging from clothes for women over 50, exports to China and a mobile spa and sauna business,” Ms Henderson said of the Geelong Region Job Connections program run over the past two and a half years.

For more information visit: www.netgain.asn.au/startup or www.rmit.edu.au

MANUFACTURING CONTINUES TO EXPAND VISITING FRIENDS AND RELATIVES The biggest tourist attraction in Geelong is the people who live here.

With our large resident population, our appeal as a relocation city for Melbourne ex-pats plus the volume of international students at our secondary and tertiary institutions all combine to make ‘Visiting Friends and Relatives’ our largest driver of visitation.

This years Visiting Friends and Relatives (VFR) campaign is a family-oriented treasure hunt. We’ll be gathering $10,000 in prizes that will be hidden around our wonderful region. Families will be able to collect the smaller prizes along the way by touring the region, visiting participating operators and collecting hints and clues.

H

ave you been told manufacturing is in decline in Australia? We all have, but the figures tell a very different story. The Australian manufacturing sector recorded a 12-year high in activity in March.

I’m going to say that again. The Australian manufacturing sector recorded a 12-year high in activity in March.

The latest figures from the Australian Industry Group Australian Performance of Manufacturing Index (Australian PMI®) showed a slight easing of activity in April, dropping 4.7 points to 53.4 (readings above 50 indicate expansion in activity and the distance from 50 indicates the strength of the increase).

Ai Group Chief Executive, Innes Willox, said, “The current expansion in manufacturing is a much-needed turnaround for a sector

that has been through a very tough decade.

While margins remain tight, recovering domestic market share and building momentum in a variety of export markets provide a strong foundation for the lift in confidence required for the sector to move up another gear.”

The Australian PMI® expanded for a tenth straight month in April – the longest unbroken period of growth since September 2006 – despite easing by 4.7 points to 53.4.

Of the seven activity sub-indexes, all expanded except employment (down 4.2 points to 49.0). Production (down 3.2 points to 56.8), sales (down 2.7 points 56.8) and stocks (up 2.0 points to 56.7) all expanded strongly while new orders maintained mild expansion, albeit at a slower pace (down 9.6 points to 52.4).

You can put up a prize to be included (big or small). There’s one large Major Prize they must find, but they’ll need to be really clever and adventurous to figure out where the prize is hidden. The Major Prize is a complete holiday and experience package in the region, so there’s sure to be plenty of interest.

Sound fun? Then join us for this great offseason promotion and encourage your family to visit!

If you’d like to know more about membership or anything TGGB do, don’t hesitate to get in touch with their Business Development Manager Di Nelson on 5244 7109 or dnelson@tourismgeelongbellarine.com.au

BUSINESS NEWS | 6

BIZ NEWS

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IT’S (NOT JUST) A MAN’S WORLD

he Geelong Manufacturing Council has launched a Women in Manufacturing Network (GMC-WIMN) in a bid to promote, support and encourage participation of women in manufacturing and engineering roles. The network was launched at a function at The Pier in March, and brought together over 60 women and male champions of change from across a range of sectors.

Notably the Geelong Manufacturing Chair, Jamie Baensch and Chief Executive Officer David Peart ‘walked the talk’ and brought along their daughters, who are high school students.

Speakers at the event included Victoria’s Lead Scientist, Leonie Walsh; Madeleine McManus, Monash University; Deb Cailes, VP Manufacturing and Supply at IDT Australia; and Jo Staines, Head of Operations at Boeing in Port Melbourne.

Discussion at the event brought up many of the great opportunities for driving Australian manufacturing forward, and many of the challenges faced by women in what is one of the last bastions of male dominance in business and industry.

Key points that came of the discussion were: -T he importance of working where you fit, in terms of your values and attitudes. The panellists strongly felt that the best job advice was to work with someone (people and a company) you want to work with.

-L ack of confidence early in their career was a shared experience amongst the panellists, with good mentors (both male and female) pointed to as critical in gaining the confidence to work towards leadership roles.

-O vercoming the perceived need to ‘behave more like a man’ to develop your own personal style. Recognising that bringing contrasting styles can result in decisions looking at longer term and more creative outcomes; and bringing people together so everyone owns the outcome.

-A cknowledging and addressing unconscious bias.

-F lexible work practices being crucial in the promotion of gender equity in the workforce.

Future events are being planned for GMC-WIMN.

BIZNEWSMAG.COM.AU | 7

BIZ NEWS

After spending the vast majority of adult life being spoilt by award winning coffee and food in one of our major capital cities, Chris the Coffee Drinker has taken up residence in Geelong and is ready to discover some of our region’s best Coffee O’Clock venues.

ALFIE’S CAFÉ

Waurn Ponds Shopping Centre, Waurn Ponds

DEAKIN-INDIA COLLABORATION TARGETS BATTERY STORAGE

Food court coffee – the phrase that should send shivers down your spine for all the wrong reasons. I was shopping at Waurn Ponds the other day and spotted Alfie’s Cafe as I walked through the food court.

Having made it through till 9:45am without coffee, I had to choose between grabbing a FCC (yep, a food court coffee) or waiting until I had the chance to find another option later in the morning. Having opted for the FCC, I must say that I was pleasantly surprised.

I ordered my coffee, which was brought to my table in the correct cup at just the right temperature. It smelt good and, more importantly, it tasted good as well.

So, one to file away under “don’t judge a book by its cover” – not all FCC’s taste like FCC’s. If you need to re-energise during your shopping expedition, Alfie’s Café is a great option.

BELSIZE AND CO

67 Hesse Street, Queenscliff

Belsize and Co is located right in the heart of the main street of Queenscliff. On the day I visited, the shop was about half full but during peak times, it might become pretty busy.

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eakin Invenio is reporting on an Australian - Indian research collaboration that will ‘harness the potential of renewable energy’.

Deakin University was awarded a grant of just under $1 million by the Commonwealth Government’s Australia-India Strategic Research Fund to advance battery storage technology.

Professor Maria Forsyth of Deakin’s Institute for Frontier Materials (IFM) will lead the Deakin team that will work in partnership with the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore (IISc) and the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (IIT-B) on the project.

Deakin’s Interim Deputy Vice Chancellor Research, Professor Peter Hodgson, said

The cafe takes in two adjacent shops, seating around 50 people. Apart from coffee, they have a selection of cakes and slices, as well as a food menu, although I didn’t the chance to sample it.

My long black was delivered in tulip cup (that’s good), with a great crema (that’s good too) at what I think was exactly the right temperature (three out of three!). The flavour was really, really good. Good strength, really smooth and lacking the bitterness that some intense coffees can produce. There is no doubt that I’ll be heading back to Belsize and Co really soon to enjoy another long black or two.

This is coffee that is worth the drive!

/geelongcoffee

www.geelong.coffee

in the report, “Efficient energy storage technology is a vital part of building a sustainable, reliable energy supply that will reduce the world’s dependence on fossil fuels.”

Professor Hodgson said the project would develop safer, more stable energy storage materials and technologies, that would unlock the full potential of renewable energy sources.

The new prototyping facility established at Deakin will enable further innovation and intellectual property development towards large-scale energy storage applications and allow engagement with key industry partners in India and Australia to develop local manufacturing capabilities.

BORROWERS WINDFALL MEANS MORE PAIN FOR RETIREES

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hile borrowers and investors will welcome the RBA move to reduce the official cash rate to the historic low of 1.75 per cent, savers – and particularly retirees seeking an income from their savings – will be feeling the pain.

According to CANSTAR, the average mortgage holder in Australia would be save around $50 a month on a $350,000 mortgage, which could mean a couple’s night out at the movies. A luxury that many self-funded retirees will be foregoing for quite some time.

Prior to the rate cut, the CANSTAR database put the average 12-month term deposit rate at a modest 2.69 per cent. A 25 basis point cut provides a return of just 2.44 per cent. On a $500,000 deposit that would mean a $1,250 drop in annual interest, a hit of just over $100 a month. For retirees with deposited savings of $250,000 they will see a reduction of around $625 in annual interest, or the little over $50 a month that would have paid for that monthly trip to the movies or an annual vehicle registration.

BUSINESS NEWS | 8

BIZ NEWS

CITY CHASING FEDERAL INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING

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he City of Greater Geelong (CoGG) has issued it’s wish list following the announcement of the Federal Government’s $50 million Smart Cities program to help fund new infrastructure. It is likely that competition for the funding will be fierce.

and development works on major projects. She highlighted the duplication of the rail line from Geelong to Waurn Ponds and the proposed waterfront convention centre as key projects she would like to see receive a funding boost.

“Our region is experiencing a rapid rise in population, and we’ve already indentified a range of major infrastructure projects needed to help us cope with that growth,” said CoGG CEO, Kelvin Spiller.

“The key to our Smart Cities Plan is collaboration at all levels of government. With G21 as the representative body of our five regional councils, the Geelong region is already working very collaboratively in conjunction with key organisations such as the Committee for Geelong and the Geelong Chamber of Commerce,” Ms Henderson said.

He said identified projects critical to unlocking Geelong’s future economic potential included matching funding for Stage One improvements to east-west freight movement across the city that would remove trucks from the Geelong CBD; duplication of the Geelong to Waurn Ponds rail line; and funding to build an international terminal at Avalon Airport and deliver customs and quarantine services.

Mr Spiller said he hoped a portion of the $50 million initiative would be shared with Australia’s major regional cities, particularly Geelong.

Federal Member for Corangamite, Sarah Henderson, said she had made a submission for $2 million to accelerate planning

PanelHype

Fruition Recruitment

Admin & Co

Active Advisory Pty Ltd

Photography by Riccardo

Cash 4 Cars Melbourne

BuzzTech

Chelsea Dolby

Pixeld

Deloitte

Geelong Picture Framers at Metropolis Gallery

Geoffrey W Fary Flexicar Carsharing

“The global lesson is that cities collaborate to compete, and success requires commitment from all tiers of government, the private sector and the local community. There’s a great incentive here for everyone to work together.

“I encourage residents to provide input on jobs closer to homes, more affordable housing, commutes to and from work and technology solutions to improve sustainability,” she said.

FEATURED MEMBER

Lyons Construction is Geelong’s largest and oldest Construction Company, established in 1929.

Specialising in medium to large scale commercial building projects Lyons Construction has an enviable reputation earned over many years, built on performance, integrity and experience.

T 03 5221 4088 www.lyonsconstruction.com.au

Geelong Chamber of Commerce Connecting people and business in Geelong and the Greater Geelong region

Email: jody.keating@geelongchamber.com.au BIZNEWSMAG.COM.AU | 9

Ph: 5222 2234

BIZ NEWS

WHY IT’S GOOD TO BE A TRADIE

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o P

C r W p h

S f i

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“In response, employers have sped up the time to hire, often conducting a single interview for each candidate before making a hiring decision. We’re also seeing greater use of counter offers to retain talent.”

According to Adam Shapley, Senior Regional Director of Hays Trades & Labour, “Trades professionals are spoilt for choice when it comes to job roles with many opportunities presented to them simultaneously.

Adam says that parents, students, employers and jobseekers should recognise the benefits of an apprenticeship. “For employers, they close the skills deficit and create sustainable skills pipelines. For jobseekers, they provide a solid grounding in your chosen profession and equip you with the skills employers need so that you can not only enter but succeed in the world of work,” he said.

ustralia’s next generation of could-be tradies are favouring degrees or post-graduate qualifications over apprenticeships, according to the latest Hays Quarterly Report. The recruiting firm says there is continuous demand for skilled and experienced construction tradespeople, with technical knowledge and specific industry experience important in securing a long-term career.

“A number of quality projects are kicking off in both city and remote locations around Australia, so we expect an increase in the number of trades and labour jobs.” He said carpenters in particular are in increasingly short supply, while general and civil labourers, electricians, plumbing workers and sheet metal workers are in solid demand for construction projects.

“The many roads, rail and other civil projects taking place across the country creating high-level demand for a range of skilled labour, including civil plant operators.

Despite the demand, there still appears to be a stigma attached to apprenticeships, with many parents, who are a key influencer when students make their future education decisions, lacking knowledge of apprenticeships. According to the Barclays Apprenticeships study of 1,000 university students and their parents, only eight per cent of parents were confident in their knowledge of apprenticeships.

To see the full list of skills in demand and trends for your sector or industry, visit www.hays.com.au/report

BUSINESS NEWS | 10

I t

W t p a s

VIC CHAMBER

ACTION NEEDED TO SPUR BUSINESS INVESTMENT AND GROWTH IN GEELONG

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espite a busy Christmas and New Year trading period, the first quarter of 2016 has been a challenging one for many Victorian businesses, according to the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s latest Survey of Business Trends and Prospects.

Compared to the previous quarter, respondents to the survey reported a fall in exports, sales and profits in the first three months.

Wage and labour on-cost pressures such as WorkCover premiums, payroll tax and penalty rates also continued to hit many businesses hard.

Subdued demand, profits and cash flow have had a flow-on effect for businesses in Geelong and this is impacting their capacity to reinvest in their business.

Investment in capital, such as buildings, plant and equipment, is vital to increasing business competitiveness and boosting productivity.

While business investment has been subdued across Australia, the capacity to re-invest in strategic growth and diversification projects of all sizes is even more important for a region like Geelong as it undergoes changes to its traditional industries and economic structure.

The capacity for businesses in Geelong to invest in capital is critical to the region’s ability to leverage its economic diversity.

While both State and Federal governments are providing financial support for local businesses to expand through programs such as the Geelong Region Innovation and Investment Fund and the Regional Jobs and Infrastructure Fund, it is clear that barriers to investment still exist.

Over a quarter of respondents to our survey reported that labour constraints, including high wage costs and the availability of suitably qualified and skilled employees, are preventing businesses from undertaking new investment.

Additionally, our members reported that unnecessary red tape and a challenging economic climate are hindering business investment and expansion.

What is needed is action from governments at all levels to implement initiatives that lower business costs, reduce regulatory burden and improve our education and training system to ensure that employers can access quality workforce skills, now and into the future.

MARK STONE IS THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF THE VICTORIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

BIZNEWSMAG.COM.AU | 11

NEW APPOINTMENTS

KYLIE WARNE PRESIDENT - GEELONG CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Kylie Warne was reelected unopposed as President of the Geelong Chamber of Commerce last month’s meeting of the Board of Directors.

The appointment means Ms Warne is now one of only two Presidents in the Chamber’s 162-year history to serve four consecutive years. In addition, Ms Warne is the longest-serving female President, with three other women previously occupying the role.

Ms Warne said she was delighted to be reappointed.

“Leading an organisation that represents almost 900 businesses, which in turn employ a third of Geelong’s workforce, is an enormous privilege.

“For more than a century and a half, the Chamber has been part of Geelong’s story. Into the future, we will play an increasingly important role as we work to drive local economic development and job creation in an economy undergoing significant structural changes,” Ms Warne said.

Ms Warne said highlights of her Presidency to date included overseeing a 28% growth in membership, representing Chamber members’ interests in Canberra and Spring Street and the installation of a new governance regime and Constitution.

Ms Warne said her fourth year as President will be focused on “unfinished business”, citing further membership growth, developing an innovation portfolio and working with the City of Greater Geelong and other stakeholders to drive the economy as key priorities.

Also reelected was Mark Edmonds as Vice President.

REAL ESTATE Ji Thornhill joins Release as a Property Manager. This Torquay local started his career as a plumber, meaning Ji understands the world of property maintenance and previously ran a mechanic business. Ji crossed over into Property Management as he has a passion for investment properties and customer service.

REAL ESTATE

COMMUNITY SERVICES

Nicole Riemer joins the innovative Release Property Management Team as a Senior Property Manager in the Lara office. Nicole brings local knowledge and over 8 years’ experience in Property Management. She previously worked in Finance Broking and, as a local investor herself, treats every property as if it were her own.

Susan Taylor has been appointed Service Delivery Manager at Pathways Mental Health & Wellbeing Support Services. Susan will manage Pathways services under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) to ensure we provide high quality delivery of care in the management of mental health challenges on a day to day basis.

BUSINESS NEWS | 12

POSITION

Wendy Hall-Burns has been appointed Program Innovation Manager at Pathways Mental Health & Wellbeing Support Services.

Wendy will oversee Pathways Employment & Housing services and be responsible for new business concepts and program innovations within this newly created role.

INSIDE WORD

G21 GIVES THOUGHT TO LEADERSHIP

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he G21 Board of Directors have elected Give Where You Live Foundation CEO Bill Mithen as its new chairperson. Mr Mithen replaces the former City of Greater Geelong mayor, Darryn Lyons, whose appointment to the G21 board ended with the State Government’s recent removal of the City Greater Geelong Council.

Mr Mithen was elected to the G21 board in November 2014 and said he was honoured by the recent appointment.

“Since joining the G21 board I’ve come to fully appreciate the breadth and magnitude of G21’s work.

“I’ve been especially pleased to help build the relationship between the Give Where You Live Foundation and G21 to implement the GROW (Geelong Region Opportunities for Work) project targeting entrenched place-based regional disadvantage.

“G21 has earned the respect of both sides of politics because it has demonstrated over time that it has the region’s best interests at heart.

“Much has been achieved by G21 for the region over more than 12 years. I will work to ensure that record of achievement continues.

“The region has big challenges ahead of it, with equally big opportunities. Alongside G21 CEO Elaine Carbines, I’m looking forward to helping lead G21 as we build on the positives for our region,” Mr Mithen said.

Prior to joining the Give Where You Live Foundation, Mr Mithen was Australian Operations Director at Save the Children Australia.

that established guidelines for partnership between business and the not-for-profit sectors.

During his time there he worked in a number of regional and remote Aboriginal communities as well as in many metropolitan communities experiencing disadvantage.

Prior to moving to the not-for-profit sector Mr Mithen held a number of private company directorships and worked in senior management positions within the marketing services, beverage and oil industries.

As part of a commonwealth government committee, he helped develop an intensive parenting support program in the Northern Territory, and he was part of a state government working group

He also currently sits on the boards of Gforce Employment Solutions and Australian Community Philanthropy.

BIZNEWSMAG.COM.AU | 13

FEATURE

A TALE OF TWO BUDGETS

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he Andrews Government in Victoria had a swagger in their step on budget day in April, and the hot word of the day was surplus. It’s clearly a lot of fun being a treasurer with cash in hand and Tim Pallas seemed to grow as the announcements were rolled out at Spring Street.

in Adelaide. The PM’s vision is for 30-minute commutes for all Australian workers. The ideal of a 30-minute commute is not a new one for people living in Geelong and working in Melbourne. Making the project a privately funded one adds the potential that it might actually happen sometime in the relatively near future.

It was a very different story in Canberra, as the Turnbull Government kicked off its election sloganeering on Budget night with – and you already know this one, it’s only three words – jobs and growth.

Opposition Labor transport spokesperson, Anthony Albanese, meanwhile, suggested that the PM should ‘restore’ $4 billion in funding reduction to public transport projects under the former Minister for Cities, Tony Abbott. I’m sure the PM would point the debacle of the East-West Link, disastrously planned though it was.

Under Malcolm Turnbull’s ‘Smart Cities’ vision, investment in landmark projects would be brokered under a $50 million ‘investmentbanking style’ innovation unit. That’s a lot of inverted commas for something that Australia as a whole, and Victoria in particular, needs to be doing a lot more of. And, right on pre-election messaging, the PM pointed out that brokering the infrastructure investment the country needs would deliver on, wait for it … jobs and growth.

Locally, the Smart Cities policy attracted plenty of interest, and City of Greater Geelong CEO, Kelvin Spiller, welcomed the infrastructure announcement.

“Government kicked off its election sloganeering on Budget night with – and you already know this one, it’s only three words – jobs and growth.”

We’ve said it before and we’ll keep on saying it, big infrastructure projects in Victoria are an attractive investment opportunity. Sovereign wealth funds in Canada, Norway and Japan and Chinese insurance companies like investing in Australia. When planned as commercial projects, Australian infrastructure has a good rate of return on investment.

And let’s not forget, Australia has a very sizeable and fast-growing investment capital pool in superannuation that, with the right protections and governance in place, could be a win-win for future infrastructure planning in the state – with the returns on big road and rail projects paid back to the people who are also benefiting from using the infrastructure.

The Turnbull idea would see a pool of $50 million available for feasibility studies into prospective projects, exampled as the Melbourne Metro, the new airport rail link in Sydney, the light rail

“Our region is experiencing a rapid rise in population, and we’ve already identified a range of major infrastructure projects needed to help us cope with that growth,” Mr Spiller said, providing a local project wish list that included matched funding for Stage One improvements to the east-west freight movement across the city to remove trucks from Geelong CBD; duplication of the Geelong to Waurn Ponds rail line; and building of an international terminal and delivering customs and quarantine services to Avalon Airport.

At the core of Bill Shorten’s budget reply was ‘$71 billion in budget savings over the next decade’ – albeit with an unanswered $20 billion question mark over future tobacco excise. The Opposition would not back the Government’s plans to incrementally reduce the company tax rate to 25 per cent across the board – although it will support tax cuts for businesses under the $2 million turnover threshold – that would account for $49 billion of its $71 billion budget saving’s spruik, and the Opposition would continue the big business deficit levy.

BUSINESS NEWS | 14

FEATURE In what was an interesting move, the Opposition leader introduced a policy of capping VET FEE-HELP loans at $8000 per year. The policy would not apply to public TAFE courses and responds to big concerns of rorting by private vocational educational providers, otherwise known as registered training organisations or RTOs. The winners of announcements from both sides of the federal divide were small businesses – as defined by the $2 million threshold. As with all budgets, the devil lies in the detail and there is already considerable discussion around that definition of a small business and what it should be.

The Australian Advanced Manufacturing Council (AAMC) supported the Government’s budget announcement of raising the small business threshold to $10 million in turnover from the current $2 million. The Opposition would retain the $2 million threshold and the AAMC said the Opposition Budget reply ‘appears to have ignored the realities of global competition’.

Chairman of the AAMC, Mr John Pollaers, said, “The Government’s decision to raise the threshold to $10 million will add an estimated 60,000 businesses to the existing 810,000 businesses in the small business category.

With recent cuts to health budgets hitting hard at hospitals, a $2.9 billion boost to the state’s health system was welcomed, including the $200 million Regional Health Infrastructure Fund. What that funding will mean for local health services is yet to play out.

Mental health services were also boosted, with a statewide addition of $132 million for clinical mental services, funding to boost ice crisis services and $57.3 million to support vulnerable children and families.

Police services have been boosted under the state budget to the tune of $596 million, providing for additional police as well as equipment and technology resources.

The findings of the Royal Commission into Family Violence have been supported with $572 million to fund the initial response to the Commission’s recommendations, including more support for specialist services.

“Booms, as we know, don’t last forever”

“Those additional 60,000 businesses employ an estimated additional 1.5 million Australians,” he said. “Suggesting that small enterprises are those with turnover under $2 million a year is out of step with the rest of world and significantly limits Australia’s potential in what is an increasingly competitive business landscape globally.”

In the European Union, a small business is one with less than 50 employees and an annual turnover of below 10 million Euros; in the US, a small business employs up to 500 employees. The AAMC was lobbying to raise the threshold of small businesses to those with a turnover of up to $20 million.

Also in the state budget win list were emergency services training, sporting facilities and regional events.

G21 hailed the $1.46 billion over the forward estimates to ensure the Western Distributor would proceed as a big win for the region in a budget that saw many of the G21 priority projects attract funding.

And while the big ticket stuff was grabbing headlines, there were plenty of smaller projects on the receiving end of a state-funded boost as well, including funds for the fit out of the new Plumbing Industry Climate Action Centre being constructed in Breakwater.

The training facility has been designed to assist local trades keep up with changes in sustainable technology products and processes.

The Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry labeled the Victorian Budget 2016 as ‘pro-business’, with chief executive, Mark Stone, saying the increase in the payroll tax threshold from $550,000 to $650,000 was a win for business and jobs.

While the Federal Budget 2016 was one delivered, responded to and received very much through the prism of the impending July 2 election, the Victorian State Budget 2016 was a story of windfall gains on the back of the property boom.

“Once fully implemented, the payroll tax threshold will reduce pressure on approximately 36,000 businesses across the state, helping to keep Victoria competitive against our interstate neighbours,” he said. “A further 2,800 Victorian small businesses will be kept out of the payroll tax net completely.

The spending list was long and had its own flavor of ‘jobs and growth’ without resorting directly to sloganeering. Locally, across the region there was plenty of hand rubbing.

“The payroll tax threshold has not changed since 2002, and [the state budget’s] increase will enable thousands of businesses to consider employing more people.

Key amongst the local budget boosts were: $5.5 million for planning of key projects including the convention centre; $7 million for the Geelong Performing Arts Centre (GPAC) redevelopment; additional V-Line rolling stock, and more services to alleviate crowding on the Geelong-Warrnambool line; the building a new tech school at The Gordon and an additional $35.6 million to upgrade ten schools across the region; as well as $3 million to investigate the duplication of Barwon Heads Road to meet the demands additional traffic from Armstrong Creek; and $3 million in planning for the duplication of the South Geelong to Waurn Ponds rail line.

The Drysdale Bypass was funded, with the $107 million project planned to reduce congestion on the Bellarine Peninsula, and $4 million will fund the planning of the extension of the Geelong Ring Road to the Bellarine Peninsula. The Midland Highway between Bannockburn and Meredith will see a $10 million boost to construct overtaking lanes.

“Payroll tax exemptions for employers taking on displaced apprentices and trainees are also welcome, and will help ensure Victorian business has access to skilled employees into the future.”

Mr Stone said support for businesses to build their export skills and participate in both inbound and outbound trade missions through a $24 million fund was welcome, as was the $4 million to establish the Asia Gateway, which would help Victorian businesses to develop capabilities and connections in Asian markets.

Mr Stone also welcomed $32 million for the International Education Sector Strategy and $38 million to promote Victorian tourism and business overseas.

With population projections extending out for the next decade, there is a strong likelihood that the budgeted tax income for Victoria will play out. What is without question, however, is that while we need to spend to invest in the additional infrastructure and services the state will need to support its booming population, we will also need to be saving. Booms, as we know, don’t last forever.

DAVINA MONTGOMERY BIZNEWSMAG.COM.AU | 15

MONEY

CREDIT MANAGEMENT: EMPOWERING WOMEN IN BUSINESS

O CARL JONES, GREAT SOUTHERN CREDIT MANAGEMENT

For an obligation free chat about how our services can assist your business, call Great Southern Credit Management on 5246 5444 today.

ver our many years of experience in the credit management and debt collection industry, our female clients have regularly told us how difficult and frustrating they find following-up overdue accounts to be. Outsourcing this unpleasant task to credit management experts can be liberating and empower them to focus on the more rewarding and productive aspects of growing their business.

Trying to collect overdue accounts can be so difficult that over time it seems the easiest way to deal with the issue is to either keep printing out endless monthly statements, or, abandon the process altogether. This unfortunately leads to eventually writing the account off and losing the money they have worked hard to earn.

Whilst these same issues are also experienced by men in business, many of our female clients have told us that before they sought assistance from Great Southern Credit Management they regularly felt anxious and apprehensive about credit management and especially debt collection.

Prior to our consultation most had also not realised the associated consequences of letting debts slide, including: on-paying customers feeling rewarded for their -n bad behaviour; - t heir decision to stop pursuing other unpaid accounts earlier than normal; - t he impact on their cash flow and business viability; and - t heir business becoming known as a ‘soft target’ and attracting other non-paying customers.

With many family businesses operating in the trades sector, such as builders, plumbers and electricians, some wrongly perceive the female business owner’s role as administrative support

BUSINESS NEWS | 16

to their partner’s business. In an effort to control the direction of a phone call to follow-up a debt owed, the customer might raise irrelevant issues.

Debtors trying to avoid paying can sometimes become aggressive, raising their voice or using profanities. Another tactic is to imply that the customer will sully the female’s business reputation if they persist in requesting payment of the debt.

Often too the male business partner is reluctant or unable to provide support or get involved because they are on building sites, away from the office. These factors can combine to leave the female feeling frustrated and deciding not to pursue the debt any further.

We help women across all business sectors, whether in a trade, in hospitality, in professional services or the myriad of other industries that women are excelling in. Our clients tell us that working with a credit management and debt collection specialist who understands the issues women in business face is empowering.

We understand our clients are time-poor, are concerned with maintaining a good worklife balance and are relieved to have the debt collection issues resolved quickly. We help you take back control of the situation. We liken pro-active debt collection as being another form of business insurance, but without the annual premiums. Experts in credit management and debt collection not only assist in protecting your business bottom line, but also safeguard your brand and reputation.

By drawing a line in the sand and referring overdue accounts for external collection, you will be removing yourself from a source of stress and devote your time to more productive tasks. But you will also feel empowered to focus on growing your business and achieve a better work-life balance.

GOVERNANCE

CODE OF CONDUCT – THE FOUNDATION OF GOOD GOVERNANCE

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iscussions around good governance and putting into practice an organisation’s Code of Conduct have a certain timeliness in Geelong at present. As we consider the fallout from failures to comply with Codes of Conduct or to institute good governance practices amongst the headlines, it is well worth turning that focus inwards into our own business practices.

Organisations striving for best practice in board leadership, effectiveness and governance will have in place a Code of Conduct that all board members and staff understand and formally commit to through the selection, induction and annual review processes. This month’s article will provide a summary of the key components of a Code of Conduct and the key benefits derived from having such a document in the governance system of your organisation.

Background There is an expectation that board members will act in good faith, fairly and impartially, with honesty and integrity and always in the best interests of their organisation and stakeholders.

However, what is expected and then delivered is not always in alignment, and whilst the existence of a Code of Conduct will not necessarily deliver good governance, it is a powerful tool for setting expectations and then providing a mechanism to manage any digression from the benchmark. Such a document and the process by which it is developed and maintained is also a core component of the organisation’s culture.

Development of the Code The best outcome is achieved when the board and senior management team develop the Code of Conduct collectively. This process should achieve buy-in, commitment and a referral base if future actions do not meet expectations established in the Code.

When new board members and management are recruited, the prospective recruitment should receive a copy of the Code during the selection process and its content and role discussed at this time. This process is about re-enforcing the desired culture and aligning personal behaviour with organisation expectations.

Contents of the Code Whilst the contents of a Code of Conduct are generally unique to each organisation, there are some universal behaviours that should be included in each Code and these include:

Be prepared to contribute: to analyse and make decisions; allocate appropriate time and resources to do the job.

Comply with established legislation, regulations and the constitution: act within both the letter and spirit of the compliance requirements.

Demonstrate both stewardship and leadership: apply the principles of good governance at all times.

This list is not intended to be exhaustive and it should be developed in words and statements that are reflective of your organisation’s culture.

Benefits of a Code of Conduct The benefits of a code of conduct include: • Creating an agreed way of behaving and operating for the entire organisation • Improving organisational performance by aligning expected behaviours with business and strategic objectives; • Enhancing the organisations culture – the board, management and staff know what is expected of them in terms of behaviour; • Appropriate communication across the organisation will provide a framework and benchmark to refer to when confronted with difficult discussions and decisions around inappropriate behaviour; and • Establishing and promoting organisational values – fundamental to good leadership and management.

In summary, good governance is as more about the behaviour of individuals than the establishment of systems and processes.

Whilst the latter is important and should not be devalued or avoided, the former and how this is managed and delivered, will ultimately determine the governance standard that is achieved by your organisation. A Code of Conduct developed and delivered by the Board will make a valuable contribution to your ongoing quest for governance excellence.

MARK SCHULTZ For further information, go to www.governancetoday.com

Act with honesty and integrity: be open and transparent in dealings with all stakeholders, use power responsibly and avoid any conflict of interest.

Act in good faith and always in the best interests of the organisation: be accountable individually and collectively, accept responsibility for your decisions, always be mindful of the reputation of the organisation and act accordingly.

Act fairly and impartially: avoid bias, discrimination, self-interest; act in a respectful, professional and courteous manner; disagree but do not be disagreeable.

Use information appropriately: apply the information received as a director only in the manner for which it was intended.

Use your position appropriately: do not seek to gain from your position nor gain benefits for your family, friends or colleagues; apply independence in judgement and decision-making.

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COVER STORY

SEEKING INVESTMENT Making Sense of the Dollars that Drive Development

Artist’s Impression of Balmoral Quay

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eelong is growing – economically, demographically, socially and culturally. But growth doesn’t happen in isolation and there is considerable thought and debate around how that growth is happening, how it is being planned and what sort of city it will all result in.

The role of high-level capital investment in a growing city is an important one. In the case of Geelong, situated on the low rise of a strong upward curve, attracting investment that adds value not only financially to the city, but also soft value, adding to the culture, amenity and overall appeal of the city is vital.

Governments can, have and are providing a hand up in continuing that often-bandied ‘revitalisation’ of Geelong as a region and as a regional city. Governments can only ever be part of the picture, however. We need private investment because private investment brings in the capital to redevelop, to expand and to grow. And for private equity and venture capital investors, the dollars have to make sense.

Much of the external capital coming into Geelong is, understandably given the population forecasts and booming prices in Melbourne, concentrated on real estate development.

It was a day out of the box in April when 20 members of the Supalai board came to mark construction of their first Geelong project, Balmoral Quay. The sun was sparkling across the bay and the occasional zephyr filling the air with that scent of clean saltiness you only get when you are right on the edge of the water. From the site office of the Balmoral Quay development it was, quite literally, a million dollar view.

The Rippleside Shipyard has had a chequered development history, but in the 18 months since the investment consortium purchased the site, it has charged ahead, selling out its first release. The development will see construction of 90 townhouses, the city’s first floating marina and the rejuvenation of the Rippleside and St Helens beaches, as well as the extension of the waterfront walking trail that will connect St Helens to Geelong.

Properties with bay views were sold for more than $2 million and the development’s Stage One release set a new record for off-the-plan sales in Geelong with total sales of $25 million.

Chairman of the Supalai board, Prateep Tangmatitham, declared the site ‘a jewel in the crown of this magnificent bay’.

“I’m delighted to see the site for myself and to appreciate first hand the potential of such a perfect waterside location,” he said. “When complete, it will be an attractive residential enclave and symbol of the city’s future.”

It was smiles all round, as you would expect, but there was something bigger going on that day and it centred around looking at the future of this city from the outside in. It was an interesting view.

Supalai is Thailand’s third-largest property development company with a market capitalisation of AU$1.8 billion, is a key investor in the $100 million redevelopment of the Rippleside Shipyard site, along with Melbourne-based investors Serafini Hay and Chase Properties and interest in the board’s visit to Geelong was boosted by the announcement of a second investment by Supalai in the region, acquiring a 50 per cent interest in Gen Fyansford.

Gen Fyansford is the new master planned residential community in Fyansford being developed by Melbourne based property developer ICD Property. With approximately 900 homes, mixed use commercial sites, parkland and open space, Gen Fyansford is another of the new style of master-planned developments reinventing some of the region’s forgotten treasures.

And that’s what external investors do, they look for places at the bottom of a growth trend and seek out sites with inherent value (close to the city, with views or proximity to rivers or waterfront) and develop them at a profit. Essential Economics has forecast that the city will grow by roughly a third, over 100,000 people, in the next ten years, and will reach a population of 500,000 in the next 30 to 40 years.

As the city’s economic base shifts from traditional manufacturing, developers are seeking out former industrial sites in growth areas, as these sites are increasingly rare and formidably expensive in cities like Melbourne and Sydney.

Joe Gersh of Gersh Investment Partners is a prominent identity in the development community. A former lawyer with a passion for property, his firm represents the interests of external investors like Supalai as they seek out opportunities here in Australia. He has represented Supalai for a number of years and said the company’s mandate to his firm was to find ‘high quality residential investment opportunities with credentialed Australian partners’.

BUSINESS NEWS | 18

uay

COVER STORY Mr Gersh said that while Supalai’s initial reaction to the proposed investment in Balmoral Quay was hesitant, the site’s location was too good to overlook.

“It was a unique waterfront site lending itself to quality development and clearly meeting a need in the Geelong market. There was an element of urban renewal, the marina berths were an additional attraction, and, not surprisingly, the financial metrics needed to be compelling and they were.

“In terms of the investment logic, there needs to be financial metrics that work and Geelong has got to the point where they do, for selected developments. So it’s an international market for capital and Geelong is competing with Melbourne and other regional centres, but given that there is now a second Supalai investment in Geelong, it would seem clear that Geelong is able to provide attractive financial returns.

“If supported by the local council, the local authorities and the state authorities, Geelong can continue to attract international capital for the right opportunities,” Mr Gersh said.

There is a clear need for high-level capital investment from overseas across Australia. It’s not an idea that everyone will warm to and headlines around foreign ownership – particularly when the investors are coming from Asia – tend to feed that fear. But the simple fact is that from the time of European settlement, Australia has always been a net importer of capital.

“We are a large country with a small population,” Mr Gersh said.

“There’s nothing new about overseas investment. It was previously British, and then European, and now it’s Asian investment. It’s our job, if we want to attract capital, to create an ordered, transparent investment environment with good corporate governance and reliable and stable government regulation.

“The chairman of Supalai, Mr Tangmatitham, spoke of town planning laws that were clear so that investment decisions could be made with some degree of certainty.

“It’s our job to translate Australian conditions into terms comprehensive to overseas investors. Generally speaking, we do that well. There are moments, for example the sacking of the Geelong council in the week of the opening of Balmoral Quay raised an eyebrow. To the Australian contingent it was mildly embarrassing. The Thai contingent took it in their stride and understood that the council would continue to perform its functions and business life would go on.

“But it’s not the best look in the week that the entire board arrived and it’s not to be encouraged,” Mr Gersh commented, wryly. “We would hope that, if anything, there will be an improvement in efficiency, turnaround times and responsiveness, all of which help. None of this is lost on overseas investors; they are watching it closely.”

So it’s to be embraced, but it’s to be embraced carefully, and the planning has to be really carefully thought through.”

Tom Roe is a director at Gersh Investment Partners and the newly appointed Chair of the Urban Development Institute of Australia’s Geelong Chapter.

Mr Roe first became involved in investment in Geelong with The Point development at Point Lonsdale, in a private capacity as part of a collective that acquired the site from Stockland.

He said that while there are active local investors who are very loyal to the region, and who are taking risks and adding value to the city, there is too much of a tendency within the local community, including in the media, to disparage the city and to look outside of it for positives.

“That’s part of the story, and I think that’s odd because when you look at the natural advantages that this place has, why isn’t it obvious to everyone who lives here?”

It’s a common observation that there is too much emphasis put on the negatives, the losses that come with change, and not enough on the positives and where that change is driving growth. Change isn’t easy, and it will continue to bring losses. But it is equally true that a changing economy and a growing city also bring opportunities, including the opportunity to grow sustainable industries as the less sustainable or unsustainable industries depart.

For instance, everyone knows about the closures of the old guard of Geelong employers such as Alcoa, Qantas, Ford and Target, because the headlines have run for years about it. But how many people know that about where the new jobs are coming from outside of the government sector – the small and medium businesses, the housing construction industry, the IT tech sector, the tourism businesses that are expanding, the agriculture sector that is gathering pace and the professional service firms that are investing and growing local offices?

What does it say about us a city that we readily accept the bad news but remain sceptical about the good news? Don’t we owe it to ourselves, to our resilience and persistence and drive, to all that we have to offer and to our kids and all they will add to the city, to be better than that?

Mr Roe believes that population growth projections underrate the potential of the city.

“Certainly Geelong is too small. An external investor looking in sees incredible infrastructure support and capacity, proximity to Melbourne, access to the Melbourne employment base and particularly Melbourne’s western logistics area that has been growing strongly and we know the [state] government wants it to continue to grow strongly along with Geelong.

The appeal of Australia for investors centres on transparency, little or no corruption, steady growth, political stability – where stability is measured in terms of parliamentary democracy – and good governance.

“An external investor is seeing the internal attributes of the greater Geelong region, its connectivity to Melbourne, the change that is occurring here, the potential that is embedded here – part of which has been realised but in many respects hasn’t been realised – and a tremendous amount of population growth that is still to occur. It’s not growing as rapidly as I think Geelong deserves.”

One thing that is abundantly clear across Victoria in particular, with its steady population growth, is that not all developments and investing developers are equal.

Mr Roe said that as some of the prices being paid for wholesale land, as well as retail, in Melbourne are ‘mind blowing’, those soaring prices give Geelong a further comparative advantage.

“In Melbourne, we are anticipating that over the next 30 to 35 years the city will grow from four million people to eight million people and that Victoria will grow to ten million all up,” Mr Gersh said. “So there is a huge amount of development to happen in the next 20 to 30 years, which places a huge burden on governments, not only with the infrastructure that will be required, but also in terms of the thinking.

We just need to think in a different way, because Melbourne is going to be a very large city, and even Geelong will become a significantly larger city than many Geelong residents can anticipate at the moment.

In Upper Point Cook, a benchmark 448 square-metre lot (yes, that’s correct, a 14 metre wide and 32 metre long house block is now a benchmark) will set you back more than $340,000. In Warralily, the same block would cost from $175,000. In the new The Heights development at the top of the escarpment in Hamlyn Heights and you be paying around $240,000. Head down to the new estates in Drysdale and the same block is priced in the vicinity of $155,000$160,000.

“It’s both a threat and an opportunity. On the one hand, we’re not going to be able to entirely live in the same way that we have in the past; on the other hand, it throws up employment opportunities and all the other opportunities that size and scope and scale give us.

There are some interesting trends emerging in the local property market, and that are becoming evident in new developments across the region. At the Warralily development in Armstrong Creek, early land sales were predominantly made to local buyers, with less than 10 per cent coming from Melbourne and beyond. Now, the latest sales

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COVER STORY figures show that just under 30 per cent of sales are to buyers moving to Geelong, with an extraordinary 272 per cent increase in the last three years.

the discussion on a couple of outdoor benches because the one place that was open closed at 5pm. How quiet the place was telling of the capacity the city has for growth.

“The rate of change over a short period of time is fantastic,” Mr Roe said. “The buyers that are coming here are from right across Melbourne, there isn’t a clear trend yet as to where they are coming from, but there is an expectation that there will be a lot more people coming here from the west of Melbourne.

Mr Roe describe his vision for Geelong as the ‘Geneva of South East Asia’, as a thriving and diverse economy, with a population of around one million people.

“The south side of Geelong is going very well, but there are challenges to the north of Geelong absolutely and part of Geelong’s future is to ensure that the northern side of the city comes along with the whole of Geelong as this change occurs.”

In simple terms, Australian-based and international external capital investors like Geelong’s investment potential and projects in the area are a relatively easy sell. But investors want the region to be bigger – much bigger. The G21 region is currently home to just over 300,000 people. Mr Roe suggests we should be aiming for a regional population closer to one million.

“The challenge for Melbourne, for Geelong and for the whole of the state is growth. It is probably unstoppable that Melbourne will grow by almost one million people within ten years.

We’ve already got terrible infrastructure constraints, particularly around transport in Melbourne and we are facing further growth of a million people.

It’s a huge challenge, and it is very, very expensive to retrofit infrastructure.”

“I’d like to see Geelong become a city that is strongly interrelated with wider Asia as a financial and high-end professional community, leading our region in advanced manufacturing and high order skills.

Like Geneva, Geelong is a city that is facing toward the water, and really needs to be highly connected with the waterfront. We should be seeing ferries moving across Corio Bay, and, in terms of the development of central Geelong, we should be looking to have multiple lower-level buildings, with connections between street level and rooftops, rather than a concentration of higher-level buildings.

There should be the creation of a lot of urban spaces within that builtform environment with piazzas and so on. That’s the sort of city that I’m looking forward to being created here.”

“… Geelong should be aiming for a regional population of closer to one million people.”

He pointed to the lack of timely infrastructure delivery in the areas of both public and private transport, education, health, retail services, local community amenity and active public space such as sporting grounds as putting pressure on growth corridors across Australia, questioning why the same tax structures that are applied to new development in the Melbourne growth corridors aren’t being applied in Geelong.

“When the tax systems have been set up correctly, from the outset, a developer will pay less money to the farmer and pay more to the state, including councils, to fund infrastructure. At the moment, there is no Growth Areas Infrastructure Contribution Levy or equivelent that developers pay in this region. There are developer contributions, but they tend to be intra-focused into a development, so there is a sharing of local precinct development costs, but there is no external levy that is charged to help fund part of the [surrounding] infrastructure. We would certainly expect the whole of the community to help fund part of the infrastructure, but I think there is also good economic grounds for throwing back the burden to the ultimate land owners to contribute to that infrastructure,” he said.

“If you looked, for example, to where the next front of development is going to happen, south of Geelong is essentially done, it’s planned and there’s nothing we can do about that, but west of the ring road and out to Bannockburn, Teesdale and Inverleigh back to Lovely Banks, out there is a tremendous opportunity for growth as well as back in the city centre. Out there is great opportunity for affordable housing, while here in the city it has to be more expensive but with increased amenity. The shame will be if we let the speculation that is just starting to occur west of the ring road go without taxing it appropriately to help fund the infrastructure that we know that the city needs to grow. That is happening in Melbourne right now and I think it would be a real shame if it doesn’t happen here.”

It was a late afternoon on a sunny weekday when we met in central Geelong. Street front cafes had shut up shop for the day and there was hardly any traffic and you could pick your car park. We finished

Beyond the land and housing development, this region needs significant private capital investment, because the scale of the growth and change we are faced with will extend far beyond the bounds of government funding, and that is a good thing for both the economic sustainability and ultimate diversity and strength of the region.

Brett Luxford has been at the City of Greater Geelong for just three months, but the new General Manager of Investment and Attraction said he is seeing significant levels of external interest in investing in the region.

“There’s been a lot of focus, rightly or wrongly, on the shift of that older type of manufacturing industry out of Geelong, but there is a real buzz around what the future of Geelong might be. Investors are seeing the opportunities to be on the cusp of the regeneration of an area that has a lot of assets. “[At the City of Greater Geelong] we are getting people looking at the opportunities in renewable energies, at opportunities in the defence sector and in advanced manufacturing. We’ve got to acknowledge that we are still an agricultural region and we need to be supporting opportunities in the agriculture sector and that’s another area that is being really heavily explored – particularly around growing and value-adding in the food sector, and there are some key export opportunities there.”

He said other potential investment areas being explored in the region are based on leveraging opportunities around Avalon becoming an international airport.

“Central Geelong is another exciting opportunity, with the Malop Street green spine that will generate some new opportunities and also looking to increase the residential opportunities. We are talking to a number of people about that.”

So yes, there are people across Australia and increasingly from across its shores looking at the investment potential in Geelong. And for this city and its people to shake off the decades of negativity, and stride into and embrace the future with confidence, we are going to need people to not just see what Geelong has to offer, but also to fall a little bit in love with the place. We need the investment in the future growth of the city, but we really need a lot high quality, positive investment backed up by solid, responsive and smart planning.

DAVINA MONTGOMERY BUSINESS NEWS | 20

INNOVATION

WHY BUSINESSES FALL RAPIDLY INTO A NEVER ENDING ABYSS

I

t’s no surprise in this exponentially evolving era to see oncethriving companies falter and suddenly fall into a loop of failure, seemingly out of nowhere. Companies mistake initial success in the first few years for continued success in the future and continue to follow the set work pathways. They try to fight against market forces by focussing on demand as opposed to moving with those market forces. This narrow focus on selling products and services distracts them from the real purpose of serving consumers and gauging what they really want. As a result of this response, they become outdated and obsolete in no time.

One of the prime reasons of why businesses fail is the inability of companies to break free from the mould of old methodologies and incorporate smart approaches for their company to progress ahead.

Organisations that only make use of outdated practices end up producing substandard results over time and fade from being a great business, no matter how much successful they were in the past or are in the present.

Have a look at where Nokia is heading today. Nokia, a former mobile phone market leader, has seen its smartphone market share drop drastically from 30 per cent in 2010 to less than 5 per cent in 2012. Inability to focus on innovation and failure to recognise tight competition from Samsung, Apple and Blackberry led to its collapse.

Nokia’s umbrella branding neither impressed nor built anticipation in users. Nokia decided to stick to its own mobile OS, Symbian, and didn’t consider Android a strong enough platform to pursue. What can be learned from Nokia’s downfall is that companies that fail to continually innovate and advance by employing smart technologies and methodologies have high likelihood of being deserted by customers at the drop of a hat.

A recent phenomenon that has completely changed the way businesses compete is disruption. No industry is safe from disruption. Given the rapidly changing face of business and the technology supporting it, every company should at least be prepared to adopt disruptive and advancing technology. Industries that have some form of restriction that limits supply and reduces competition - thereby keeping prices high, even when providing poor service are ripe for disruption. This is what happened to the taxi industry

all over the world when Uber kicked in to full swing. Despite the initial backlash, Uber continued to grow at an astounding rate with a current net worth estimated at $62.5 billion. Uber used the blend of the internet and smart technology to its advantage and customers loved it. The company developed a better cost model by utilising a smartphone-enabled app to offer more reliable and less expensive service to ride-seekers. Now, with one single tap on a mobile phone, people can see a car at their disposal within minutes.

Disruption doesn’t mean doom for established businesses. If the existing companies within an industry are able to innovate and adapt to address the suppressed and emerging needs of the consumer, then they can be better prepared to sail through the disruption process.

The need of the hour is evolution. All businesses and organisations need to be evolving from old operating methods and looking how technology is used and employing it in every aspect - be it customer care service, production, managing human resources, improving business communication and even a catalyst for innovation.

Initial business models and strategies that might have worked in the past will not necessarily work in the future. Businesses should perpetually study their market and evolve accordingly to avoid running the high risk of being left behind. By doing research in their industry and the market in their geographical location, companies can stay ahead of the curve. When you mirror the new requirements of your target customers, you stay competitive and useful. What your customers wanted six months back is different from what they want today. If you only keep offering them the ‘same old sh*t, they’re going to go somewhere else for what it is they want now.

To save time for evolution and innovation, companies need to rely heavily on smart technology and adopt it religiously as a part of their business curriculum. Smart methodologies can be employed through three pathways: automation, optimisation, and business intelligence. Enterprises should assess their capacity to adapt and identify where they lack and proactively take action as the circumstances demand.

If you are not adapting smartly, you are going to fall and it’s not going to be pretty.

AAMIR QUTUB - GENERAL MANAGER, ICT GEELONG AND CEO, ENTERPRISE MONKEY BIZNEWSMAG.COM.AU | 21

BUSINESS NEWS | 22

ST LAURENCE

St Laurence MyPATH - helping NDIS consumers achieve their goals and Registered Providers to survive July 2, 2016 looks likely to be the date that Australians return to the polls for a Federal Election. To thousands of Australians however, a far more significant and exciting event will be taking place at this time – the National Rollout of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). The rollout will commence 1 July in Victoria, with an expectation that it will be operating state-wide by 2019 and estimated to deliver 18,100 new jobs and an additional $2.5 billion worth of expenditure into the local market.

St Laurence as a major disability provider in the nation’s largest trial has been on an interesting, sometimes rocky journey, of adapting their processes and programs to better support the needs of consumers and deliver services designed to optimise social and economic independence and full participation for people with disability.

One program which has been leading the way is St Laurence’s ‘modern’ take on what the sector has traditionally considered day service programs. CEO Toby oConnor explains “The days of traditional group disability day program services which essentially operated 9am – 3pm week days and focused on a range of activities with limited choice and limited outcomes are over and providers like St Laurence have needed to make the transition to be able to meet new requirements for funding in terms of evidence based outcome tracking and reporting.

It was clear to us in the lead up to the NDIS trial that we needed to invest in significant change to ensure we could provide a quality service which would align strongly with the principles of the NDIS, Disability Act 2006 and Quality Framework for Disability Services in Victoria. MyPATH is the result, an innovative, fully customised learning and vocational program designed to provide greater opportunities for clients to choose and control their support services, encourage greater transition between programs, training courses and community activities and importantly enhance flexibility in the way services are delivered.

To ensure best practice and a standardised approach St Laurence drew on the skills and expertise of disability educators, specialist education experts in adult learning and most importantly their own participants.

MyPATH provides a more structured and transparent service delivery framework that delivers increased levels of engagement in choosing and planning programs and pathways. MyPATH also aims to encourage greater opportunities for achievement of personal outcomes and wider involvement in the local community.

MyPATH is designed to promote independence and responds to individual life choices - using an innovative and fun curriculumbased approach to lifelong learning with 9 Experience and Learning pathways that can also lead to Accredited Courses, Volunteering, Work Experience, Supported and Open Employment. The move to an adult learning based framework is underpinned by new Resource Tools developed for increased consistency in service delivery and outcomes Person Centred Thinking Resource Kits; MyPATH Module Folders; Module Structures, topics, activities and tasks and Outcome Tracker technology.

The MyPATH Manager is an online application that provides adult leaning resources, outcome tracking, reporting, delivery guides so

that MyPATH Educators have the best tools they require to deliver quality, outcome-focused programs to consumers who choose MyPATH. With St Laurence’s success in developing a product that meets the needs of NDIS participants in Geelong large disability providers in South Australia and Queensland have shown considerable interest and have purchased or are close to acquiring MyPATH and its supportive software. The attractiveness for other players in other states of Australia, is that the MyPATH learning program can deliver on their organisational needs in readiness for the NDIS rollout.

This includes a customised software program that provides learning resources, outcome tracking, progress reporting, and a viability calculator for organisations to be financially successful in delivering on this program in a competitive new open market. St Laurence is extremely fortunate to have employed a software developer who has a strong understanding in this sector and is currently working on providing further enhancements. This will include the area of I.T mobility to deliver the MyPATH suite of products, for future MyPATH versions to incorporate community inclusion and participation with one to one support from a client’s support worker.

The long term success of the MyPATH program has participants acquiring the necessary skills and competencies that creates independence to transfer to accredited training and supported employment into the future.”

MyPATH Manager also provides an inbuilt feedback mechanism so that the learning resources remain dynamic through a continuous improvement process. The software can also be integrated with existing systems via the data exchange module (DEX).

People accessing MyPATH are further supported by a centralised and streamlined referral and intake process, Personal Information Intake forms and resources to help people find their way through all the choices available.

St Laurence looks forward to exciting times ahead as they continue to evolve their organisation to better meet the needs of consumers and explore further opportunities for growth in the emerging new NDIS markets.

BIZNEWSMAG.COM.AU | 23

PROPERTY

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q t c c

W 2 9

U o w M

THE FRAMEWORK FOR A GREAT DEAL - PART 2

L

AST MONTH, we made a good start by scoping the first 8 questions you need to keep asking yourself as part of your prep-work for each negotiation.

So, let’s pick up from where we left off — here your next 6 questions.

Before (and during) each negotiation, you need to be asking things like:

12. P roposing Options, NOT Ultimatums?

You should only use an ultimatum as a last resort — only when you can back it up and carry it through, and the other side knows that.

Even then, you are probably better to seek options and alternatives, which will lead to a positive outcome for both parties.

Are you:

Whenever the only answer is simply YES or NO, someone has to lose.

9. Offering Solutions?

13. Staying with the Big Picture?

You need to understand that it’s certainly not one-way traffic. Part of your role is to come up with solutions.

In every negotiation, you ought to try making a guess as to what objections, issues, and problems the other party is going to come up with. Because, once you do that, you can propose alternatives, solutions, and flexible outcomes that they may not have even considered.

10. Properly Anticipating?

What you’re trying to anticipate here are the other party’s reactions, objections, and responses.

For each possible objection or reaction, list what you might be able to use as a response. Try and come up with alternatives and examples, to counter the other party’s potential negatives.

11. S eeking out Win-Win Resolutions?

When it’s all said and done, negotiating is really nothing more than give and take by both parties. What you’re seeking to do is trade your least important items, for those that will really help you achieve your desired outcome.

Don’t allow yourself to end up debating just ONE point or issue; because, to resolve that single issue will again require someone to lose.

To achieve your desired outcome, always make sure you have a number of variables under negotiation, all at the same time. That way, you can float ‘trial balloons’ simultaneously, in an attempt to trade what are minor issues for you.

14. A dopting Persuasive Rationale?

Think about what you need to do (or say) to logically convince the other side — without the need for confrontation.

You might not necessarily win every point; but they will have difficulty finding flaws in your logic. Whenever they are ambivalent on a point that’s important to you, your logic will win the day.

You’re now about 70 per cent of the way through the prep-work you need to undertake for a successful negotiation. And after the final segment, you will then have in your hands the complete framework to refer back to.

CHRIS LANG Best-selling Amazon author & responsible for 7 books on Commercial Property, Chris is also CEO of CommercialPropertyMadeEasy.com Important information: This content is general in nature and does not constitute formal advice. Individuals should seek appropriate professional advice that considers the individual’s objectives, financial situation and needs before making investment decisions.

BUSINESS NEWS | 24

F w m c o

I q i T w

P i p

INSOLVENCY

PERSONAL INSOLVENCIES ON THE RISE

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ersonal insolvency statistics recently released by the Australian Financial Security Authority (AFSA) indicate that personal insolvencies in Australia were 2 per cent higher for the March 2016 quarter compared to the March 2015 quarter. According to AFSA, this is the fourth consecutive rise in personal insolvencies when each quarter is compared to the corresponding quarter the year prior. The last time four consecutive rises occurred was 2009.

Whilst bankruptcy and personal insolvency agreements fell for the March 2016 quarter compared to the March 2015 quarter by 5.8 per cent and 9.5 per cent respectively, debt agreements rose by 15.6 per cent.

Unsurprisingly, Western Australia and Queensland accounted for most of the national rise, as the impact of the mining downturn continues to wash through the economy. Debt agreements in Western Australia in the March quarter 2016 were the highest on record.

For the March 2016 Quarter, 16.1 per cent of personal insolvencies were business-related, with “economic conditions” identified as the most common cause of business-related personal insolvency. The most common non-business related causes were identified as unemployment or loss of income and excessive use of credit.

A Debt Agreement is a binding agreement between a debtor and the debtor’s creditors where creditors agree to accept a sum of money that the debtor can afford. A debtor’s unsecured debts, assets and after-tax income must be under certain limits to propose a Debt Agreement.

A Personal Insolvency Agreement is also a legally binding arrangement between a debtor and the debtor’s creditors where the debtor offers to pay his or her creditors in full or part by instalments or a lump sum.

Bankruptcy is a process where a debtor is legally declared unable to meet their debts and a trustee is appointed to administer the debtor’s affairs.

Each of the above formal insolvency options are legislated in the Bankruptcy Act and have their own consequences, which should be considered along with a debtor’s current and expected future circumstances.

In addition to formal insolvency options, there are also informal options available to individuals experiencing difficulties in managing their financial affairs. These informal options involve dealing directly with creditors to seek their agreement to allowing further time to pay, renegotiating In Geelong, there were 58 personal insolvencies in the March 2016 payments, or arranging with the creditor to accept a smaller amount quarter, a 21 per cent increase from the December 2015 quarter. This to settle an outstanding debt. As each individual’s circumstances included 38 bankruptcies, 7 of which were identified as business-related. are different, seeking independent advice and assistance from an The Surf Coast - Bellarine Peninsula areas had 12 personal insolvencies, accountant, solicitor, financial counsellor or registered trustee can which included four identified as business related. assist in determining the most appropriate option for an individual’s circumstances.

Personal insolvencies under the Bankruptcy Act 1966 include formal Further information in relation to personal insolvency is also available insolvency appointments such as bankruptcy, debt agreements, and from the AFSA website www.afsa.gov.au personal insolvency agreements.

The information in this article is general in nature and should not be construed as legal, financial or professional advice.

BIZNEWSMAG.COM.AU | 25

LEGAL

Protecting confidential information and intellectual property in the workplace

EMILY CAPILL, INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND COMMERCIAL LAW

The recent case of BlueScope Steel Limited v Somanchi [2016] FCA 4, serves as a sobering reminder of how important it is to protect the intangible (but highly valuable) assets of a business – that is, the information that embodies or generates goodwill, or that makes the business highly effective, efficient and productive, or which gives the business its competitive edge over other businesses in the market.

The importance of this information is often overlooked, particularly in the employment context, where employees come and go, taking bits of this valuable information with them.

When it comes to protecting this information from disgruntled employees, employers should be proactive rather than reactive. This article provides suggestions on what steps employers should take to protect their confidential information and intellectual property.

Confidential information vs intellectual property

BEN CAPILL, EMPLOYMENT LAW AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION

Confidential information is essentially any information that is not publicly available and not trivial. Intellectual property is information that has been put into a material form by a person, whether that information is embodied in a product, a work, computer programme or system. Intellectual property may be, but it is not always, confidential information. For this reason, it is often necessary to address the use and ownership of both confidential information and intellectual property in an employment contract to ensure that the employer’s interests are adequately protected.

Protecting confidential information 1. Define the confidential information Note: The content of this article is for general marketing purposes only and is not legal advice. If you need legal advice, please contact Emily Capill on the above email address or (03) 5273 5263.

In most cases, whether subject matter is “confidential” is usually a straightforward enquiry. However, the mere fact that an employer asserts, or a contract stipulates, that particular subject matter is confidential, does not of itself mean that the employer will have enforceable rights to protect that information from misuse by employees. This is particularly the case where the employer wishes to enforce a restraint on the use of the confidential information by the employee after the employment contract has been terminated.

BUSINESS NEWS | 26

In such cases, the question is whether the alleged confidential information has retained the necessary quality of confidentiality to justify restricting an employee’s use of it. In making this assessment, a court would look at: 1. Whether the information is publicly available; 2. The level of skill and effort expended to acquire the information; 3. T he efforts the employer has exercised to protect the information; and 4. W hether the information is of a kind generally treated as commercially sensitive in the industry.

The court is less likely to embark on an extensive enquiry into the nature of the purported confidential information if it is clearly defined in a contract. Therefore, if subject matter of significant commercial value to the business needs to be disclosed to an employee for a particular purpose, it is prudent to document the particular subject matter, the purpose, and the rights and obligations of the employer and the employee in a contract.

The specificity and clarity of the contract will assist the employer with the assertion and enforcement of its rights in the event of a dispute. It may also give rights to an employer in relation to information that would not otherwise constitute “confidential information” under general law.

2. Impose a post-employment restraint of trade Generally an employee’s duties to his or her employer cease upon termination of the employment contract. However, obligations relating to confidential information will extend beyond the employment contract where the circumstances give rise to an equitable obligation of confidence, or where the employment contract imposes a restraint on the use of the information. Such a restraint may be combined with a general covenant that restricts the employee from competing with the employer post-employment.

Such restrictive covenants need to be drafted with care, as a court will not enforce a restrictive covenant unless it is satisfied that the restraint goes no further than is reasonable to protect the legitimate interests of the employer.

Although courts generally accept that the misuse of confidential information is a legitimate interest of an employer, the court will scrutinise the nature of the information and its value to the business to determine whether such a restraint is reasonable.

LEGAL Intellectual property The employer’s intellectual property may be protected incidentally through a confidentiality clause in an employment contract.

However, in circumstances where the employer’s intellectual property is a valuable asset to the business, or employees are engaged to create or improve products and systems for the employer, then contracts should address use and ownership of existing or future intellectual property.

Whereas the Copyright Act 1968 provides a statutory presumption that works created in the course of employment will be owned by the employer, there is no such presumption for inventions. Rather, the Patents Act 1990 provides that an inventor is the owner of an invention unless title has been transferred by way of assignment or otherwise to another person. In some circumstances, courts have found an implied term in an employment contract that the employer owns inventions that are created by employees who are engaged by the employer to create such inventions – however, the application of this implied term is likely to be quite narrow and may not adequately protect the employer’s business interests.

For certainty and clarity, it is prudent to have a clause in the employment contract that specifically deals with the creation of works and in what circumstances the intellectual property is owned by the employer.

Practical tips Employers need to be strategic in the way they endeavour to protect their valuable business information and assets.

Unfortunately, due to the nature of confidential information, the threat of the law is not always enough to deter a disgruntled employee from misusing it. Some practical tips an employer can take to assist in protecting its confidential information and intellectual property include: 1. E nsure the employment contract: (a) D efines “confidential information” adequately to cover the information that is most valuable to the business, including client contact lists, policies, procedures, etc. (b) S pecifically identifies any particular business information, for example, computer software or data, that is important to the business;

(c) Includes a clause in relation to the ownership and use of intellectual property that is created in the course of employment; and (d) Includes a restraint on the ability of the employee to compete with the employer during and after employment. he employer should be very cautious and selective about to 2. T whom it discloses the confidential information. If possible, only disclose the information to senior staff and ensure that adequate contracts are in place (including a non-disclosure agreement if appropriate); 3. I t may be appropriate in some circumstances to have the information secured such that access is only permitted after a security check (e.g. password), or the employer is alerted whenever certain information is accessed, or access is supervised by senior staff; 4. The employer should review and revise the businesses checksand-balances and accountability policies and procedures regularly; 5. The employer should ensure that no single employee has sole control or access to important information; 6. I f a document is confidential, mark it as such, and only record and share confidential information as appropriate and necessary; 7. I f a particular employee is problematic, consider restricting their access to the confidential information where possible; 8. At the exit interview, remind the employee of their continuing confidentiality obligations. Ensure that paper documents are returned and that any work-related data is removed from the employee’s electronic devices, for example, mobile phone and laptop; and 9. O nce the information is taken by an employee, act quickly. As in BlueScope Steel Limited v Somanchi, an urgent application can be made to the court to prevent an employee from dealing with confidential information in a way that will be harmful to the employer and its business.

BIZNEWSMAG.COM.AU | 27

BUSINESS ADVICE

TAX PLANNING FOR BUSINESSES

T

o compete successfully, business owners need to explore every available tax advantage to minimise income tax and capital tax liabilities. With 30 June fast approaching, here are just a few considerations that may be relevant to you:

HELEN BUTTERISS, PRINCIPAL, BUSINESS ADVISORY, CROWE HORWATH

Reduction to company tax rate for small business companies from 1 July 2015 From 1 July 2015, if your entity structure is a small business company (i.e. that is a company which carries on a business with an aggregated annual turnover of less than $2 million) the income tax rate is reduced by 1.5 per cent to 28.5 per cent. All other companies will remain subject to an income tax rate of 30 per cent.

Tax discount for unincorporated small businesses For the 2015/2016 income year and later income years, an individual who runs a small business (business with an aggregated annual turnover of less than $2 million) or whose assessable income includes a share of a small business trust’s or small business partnership’s net income, providing the small business is not a corporate tax entity, will be entitled to the “Small Business Tax Offset”.

The amount of the Small Business Tax offset for an income year is calculated by first determining the percentage of the individual’s taxable income for the year that is total net small business income. This percentage is then applied to the individual’s basic income tax liability for the income year, with the amount of the tax offset equal to 5 per cent of that calculation, capped at a maximum amount of $1,000.

Trust distributions If your entity structure is a trust, then it is crucial that your trustee resolution to appoint or distribute income to beneficiaries is effective as at 30 June 2016. This means that tax planning for trusts should be done as soon as possible to ensure the resolution can be made with tax effective considerations in mind and also be finalised and documented prior to 30 June.

This is general information only and should not be relied or acted upon without firstly consulting a professional advisor

asset is acquired at or after 7:30pm on 12 May 2015, and first used or installed ready for use on or before 30 June 2017.

Importantly, from 1 July 2017, the capital allowance concessions provided to small businesses will be reduced to an immediate deduction for depreciating assets costing less than $1,000 if the asset is first used or installed ready for use on or after 1 July 2017.

Maximising allowable deductions Expenses that are incurred before 30 June can reduce taxable income. Consider upcoming liabilities and the value in incurring them before the end of financial year (EOFY).

Variation of PAYG tax instalments Subject to a review of your year-to-date tax position, it may be possible to reduce the amount of your remaining tax instalments for the 2015/2016 year (i.e. specifically the quarterly tax payments for March 2016 and June 2016). This can provide a cash flow advantage as compared to the delay in waiting for your 2016 tax return refund to be paid by the ATO. Please contact your Business Advisor to discuss this issue.

Bad debts If you have any bad debts, ensure you write them off prior to 30 June 2016 and prepare minutes approving the write-off. This will also enable an adjustment for any GST charged on the original invoice.

Trading stock Stock can be valued under different methods for each item of stock.

• Cost • Sales Value • Lower of market value or replacement cost Conduct a stocktake before EOFY and identify obsolete items. Determine whether to conduct “sales” prior to 30 June 2016.

Superannuation

Small business entities: capital allowances

Contributions in respect to the quarter ending 30 June 2016 must be made before 30 June for a deduction to be available in the 2016 year. For family businesses, consider maximising concessional contributions for key individuals.

For the 2015/2016 and 2016/2017 income year, the capital allowances concessions provided to small businesses include an immediate deduction for depreciating assets that cost less than $20,000 - provided the

There are many other tax planning considerations so make an appointment now with your Business Advisor to see how you can improve your financial position before 30 June.

BUSINESS NEWS | 28

EMPLOYMENT

SHIFTING OUR MINDSET ON JOBS

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ecently, it seems like the only news that makes the news about the Geelong jobs market is bad news. With the shutdown of major manufacturing employers Qantas Forstaff and Alcoa, together with their supply chain during the last two years, added to the impending closure of Ford and the announcement last month that Target will be relocating their headquarters to Melbourne, with the loss of up to 180 jobs in Geelong, it would be easy to feel pessimistic about the future for our city by the bay. But it’s not all bad news. There are emerging industries experiencing high rates of growth, and numerous initiatives aimed at getting Geelong people back into work.

Geelong is experiencing a period of transition from traditional manufacturing to knowledge and service-based occupations.

Eight industries have been identified as the fastest growing and some have been experiencing skills shortages in recent years – health and community services, hospitality and tourism, trades and services, transport and logistics, advanced manufacturing, construction, education and food & fibre (agribusiness).

The Geelong Region Local Learning and Employment Network (LLEN) has been the quiet achiever on the Geelong education and employment scene over the last 15 years, recognising the unique needs of the local area’s students and jobseekers, and bringing together their Network members including schools, tertiary education providers, employers, community organisations, councils and government to provide solutions. Initiatives the LLEN has been responsible for include: Taster Days for indigenous students in the Health & Community Services sector, where

students get to experience the wide range of careers available in this dynamic and rapidly growing industry; and On the Front Foot workshops for retrenched workers, hosted in 2015 in response to the redundancies created by the shut downs at Forstaff and Alcoa.

The LLEN also initiated a number of Taster Days for mature male workers who had experienced retrenchment, introducing them to the possibility of forging a new career path in the health and community services sector.

In 2014, Geelong Careers was launched – an online one stop shop and mobile app providing Geelong job seekers with a local job search and career development portal.

More than just a traditional jobs site, Geelong Careers comprises a suite of sites based on the fastest growing industries in the region, and provides information on where the jobs are in each of these industries, videos of locals working in those industries, and links to where you can obtain further education/training required to get the job you want.

In 2016, Experience for Work is being launched – providing a live feed of experience and volunteering opportunities for job seekers eager to try out a new career path and gain some exposure, learn some new skills, and experience first-hand their industry of choice.

With the LLEN and many other organisations throughout Geelong working to improve opportunities for local jobseekers, the future actually looks quite bright – it just requires a shift in mindset to recognise where the opportunities lie.

JOANNE NEMSHICH, GEELONG REGION LLEN For more information visit www.grllen.com.au

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TECHNOLOGY

Every month, our Tech Guy, Jon Mamonski, brings us the wildest, most mind-blowing gadgets he can find...

IT’S TIME TO DUMP THE PC Do you still have a PC? Is it running Windows 8, 7, or worse, Vista?

It’s time to bury it and say hello to your new notebook. The latest ASUS EeeBook E402 is an affordable, lightweight 14-inch compact. It gives you a larger display, more than adequate storage and is packed with technologies designed to enhance your computing experience, also in your choice of white, red or blue. ASUS EeeBook E402 offers you large storage space with up to a combination of a 1TB HDD and 64GB eMMC, so you can bring your files with you, anywhere you go.

To keep heating issues at bay, ASUS IceCool Technology gives a unique internal layout that keeps palm rest surface temperatures between 28oC and 35oC. This is lower than body temperature, so you stay comfortable for hours on end.

ASUS EeeBook E402 is designed to give you a more intuitive touchpad experience. Exclusive technology used in the production of smartphone touchscreens has been incorporated into the touchpad, giving you a highly sensitive surface for almost instantaneous response and incredible accuracy. The full size chiclet keyboard features an improved design that allows for more accurate typing. It has 1.6mm of key travel with little key float for a solid feel and more comfortable typing experience. It’s considerably durable too, with a 10-million keystroke lifespan.

ASUS EeeBook E402 features quality dual speakers with larger 9cc speaker chambers situated under the palm rest. These direct sound towards you for a truly immersive experience.

SonicMaster has been tuned by the ASUS Golden Ear team with the goal of providing you with quality notebook audio. Whether you’re on headphones or speakers, you’ll experience richer, more detailed audio.

Available now, priced at $328, the ASUS E402 is exceptional value, so dump that PC right now.

DRONE DELIVERIES Flirtey, the Australian startup that did the first FAA-sanctioned drone delivery in a rural area, has replicated the feat in an urban setting.

It sent out an autonomous hexacopter on a one-kilometre flight to an empty house in Hawthorne, Nevada, carrying food, water and a first-aid kit in a box attached to a rope. The drone flew with zero human intervention - there was a pilot on standby in case things went awry, but the team programmed its flight path beforehand.

Flirtey CEO, Matt Sweeny, told Fortune (fortune. com) that it was able to convince the FAA due to its previous experience delivering textbooks and car parts in Australia and New Zealand.

The flight did prove that the startup’s machines are capable of navigating more crowded locations with buildings and power lines. It brings Flirtey closer to doing actual drone deliveries in the US. Before that, though, it plans to kick things up a notch and do another sanctioned flight in an “urban populated area”.

BUSINESS NEWS | 32

LED’S SAVE TURTLES Sometimes, it’s the simplest tech that makes the biggest difference. University of Exeter researchers have crafted fishing nets with evenly distributed green LED lights (one every 10 metres) that warn sea turtles away without spooking fish. While scientists have yet to nail the exact reason the lights steer the turtles clear, one researcher tells that it’s likely just a matter of visibility - the turtles stand a better chance of seeing the net in time to avoid it. It’s not only quite effective in early tests (it reduced green turtle deaths by 64 per cent), but relatively cheap at $150 to cover a giant 500 metre net with 50 lights.

Thousands of sea turtles die every year due to accidental catches, many of them from endangered species. If the LED-augmented nets can save at least some of those unwitting victims, they could increase the chances that these species will survive or even bounce back.

t

al

TECHNOLOGY

MANNED DRONE E-Volo has been talking about the prospect of using many-rotor electric helicopters (multicopters) as semi-affordable personal transport for years, and it now looks like this isn’t just a far-fetched dream. The company recently completed the first manned test flight of the first certified multicopter, the Volocopter VC200, and documented the whole affair on camera. It wasn’t the most ambitious flight, but it shows exactly what the extremely stable, drone-like vehicle can do. You don’t need to constantly monitor the controls to keep the VC200 airborne, making it perfect for newcomers.

The designers still have to ramp up their tests to the point where the Volocopter hits its full 60mph top speed, but they’re now confident enough that they hope to take preorders later this year. It’ll likely only be limited to enthusiasts at first, but the dream is to use the aircraft’s unique properties to expand what’s possible. Since it’s easy to fly, fuel-free and relatively quiet, you could use it for personal flights over noise-sensitive areas without requiring gobs of training or exorbitant maintenance costs.

DRIVERLESS RACE CARS NVIDIA technology will power the custom sports cars competing in the upcoming driverless racing series Roborace held across the world in the U.S., South America, U.K., Russia and Malaysia. Specifically, the company’s Drive PX 2 liquid-cooled supercomputer would make up the brains of these futuristic vehicles. As for Roborace itself, it’ll consist of ten teams, each with two of these NVIDIA-powered vehicles. The races themselves will last for one hour.

The Drive PX 2 will work with a host of sensors, including radar, GPS, LIDAR, cameras and high-definition mapping sensors. And the more these cars race, the more the Drive PX 2 will learn and improve over time. As NVIDIA said in its press release, each team would have identical vehicles - the only competitive advantage will come in the software each team builds to control their cars. The first Roborace series will kick off this September.

SNAP AND SEARCH

SLOW DOWN If you drive in unfamiliar areas often enough, you’ve probably run into situations where you couldn’t spot a speed limit sign or were too busy finding your way to notice. However, Waze has some relief in sight: it just started rolling out an alert feature that makes it clear when you’re breaking the speed limit on a given street. You can tell it whether or not to sound an alert, and even force the alert to show only when you run over the limit by a set percentage - helpful for those fast-paced roads where obeying the limit actually makes you a hazard. Waze is launching the feature in just 16 countries, most of which are in mainland Europe and Latin America.

Australia is getting it ‘soon’, we are told so don’t despair if you tend to keep a heavy foot on the accelerator.

Google might be working on a new feature for Android cameras that allows smartphone photo-snappers to search for information directly from their pictures. This tech would essentially combine Google Goggles, a visual-search app that’s been around for years, with your Google Camera.

Google Goggles lets users take pictures of recognisable or famous objects and instantly discover more information about them, and it can read text in eight languages and translate it. Google’s new tech would let users trace an outline around the object they want information on, getting rid of background noise and clutter. So far, this functionality has been tested in mobile devices and wearables.

MOVE WITH YOUR HEARTBEAT If you’re like most people, then you probably have an uptempo playlist and a downtempo playlist stashed somewhere. But what if you didn’t need to?

That’s the idea that Jonathan Dagan is exploring with the interactive music video for his song Almost Forgot. Rather than a static YouTube clip, the iOS app scans your heartbeat and matches the songs tempo to suit. That way, if you’re in a sedate mood, the track plays as a slow ballad, and if you’re at the gym, it’ll be more like a dance hit.

The phone can monitor your pulse using the old camera-lens-as-anoptical-heart-rate-monitor trick that’s been knocking around these last few years. Android users shouldn’t feel left out, since they can visit the Almost Forgot website if you’ve got Lollipop or Marshmallow. As Dagan says himself, he wanted to “let the listener create their own version of the song with their heartbeat.” Who knows, maybe this sort of curation will become commonplace as wearable devices get more prevalent and music playback gets smarter. We can imagine a whole new generation of artists blaming the poor reception of their next album entirely on the fact that none of us were pumping our heart hard enough to listen to it properly.

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the

ELEVATOR

OZCOM IT Services is a global leader in Information Technology Services and Solutions, established in 2009 We have grown to become one of the most honourable IT Company in Geelong & Melbourne.

One of our core principles is to focus on leading & new technologies which will ensure we are providing the highest quality IT service to our clients. Our team of professionals believe that IT solutions can be achieved only by close collaboration with our clients. We listen to what you have to say about current needs, typical frustrations and expected outcomes.

We Specialise in:

• On-Site IT Support • Networking / Disaster Recovery • IT Solutions & Security • Cloud Hosted Services Our Managed IT Services allows you to concentrate on your business and do what you do best, while knowing that your IT is in very capable hands. Our proactive, preventative approach means your technology will be functional & stable.

With a wealth of knowledge and experience in the Corporate, Government and Education sector, you can be sure we will keep your ICT Infrastructure running smoothly.

Speak to us today to learn how OZCOM IT Services can help your IT System & put your organisation one step ahead of the competition.

The ELEVATOR allows businesses the opportunity to give their ‘Elevator Pitch’ to the rest of the regional business community free of charge.

For more details email abbey@adcellgroup.com.au

With the 2015-16 financial year drawing to a close, now is the time to start planning for the next 12 months.

You need to ask yourself: “What strategies do I have to grow my business in 2016-17 and how will updates to employment laws impact on how I recruit and manage staff?”

As a business owner, you’re an expert in your field.

However, it can be difficult to stay on top of all the changes and requirements of the employment laws.

You understand the need to get quality advice and support from other professionals when setting up your financial, legal or IT systems. Strawberry Seed is here to help you establish your people systems and give you people advice.

Your employees are one of your biggest business investments. Therefore, it is crucial to have solid HR policies, systems and processes in place to ensure a successful and positive relationship between you and your staff.

We can be your HR support if and when you need it.

We can help with risk management as well as proactive assistance through training, performance reviews and successful onboarding of staff.

Strawberry Seed can adjust our services to suit your needs whether you want casual help at an hourly rate or ongoing support through customised packages.

We offer you peace of mind in knowing you and your managers will receive the right advice at the right time.

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CLOTH also repurposes fibre for reinvention through a vigorous studio regime of reckless dying, screen-printing and stitching. It’s where the Fashionista dandles with Brutalist Architecture and couture. CLOTH supports Women’s Development by working with the fair trade network THE STITCHING PROJECT in Rajasthan, INDIA. Anna Reynolds has 30 years of experience in the local and international Arts sector. Her enterprises have included Exhibition Residency, Education, Commission, Consultation, Governance and Facilitation.

CLOTH is her Monday to Friday gig- please ring with enquiry’s

So start planning for your 2016-17 financial year by giving us a call to discuss how you can confidently build your business over the coming 12 months.

Best prices guaranteed!

s

strawberryseed.com.au

Ph: 1300 720 503

service@ozcomitservices.com.au

Ph: 5217 0975 info@strawberryseed.com.au Or find us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn

www.ozcomitservices.com.au BUSINESS NEWS | 34

17-19 Hesse Street Queenscliff, VIC 3225 10-5 Monday to Friday Weekend Appointments Welcome

Ph: 03 5258 4684

www.artistannareynolds.com littlechickapea@yahoo.com

THE ELEVATOR

Ages 15+ | Groups of 2+ | By Appointment Only

Crime is on the rise across the Geelong region, with Neighbourhood Watch reporting an 11.5% jump in crime rates in Greater Geelong, a 9.7% rise across the Bellarine Peninsula and a 6.2% rise in crime throughout the Surf Coast.

A monitored alarm system means that a registered security company is immediately alerted of any unauthorised access to your home, business premises or holiday house – at a cost of less than a cup of coffee a day.

Not only is GEELONG MONITORING SERVICES the ONLY security company in the region with it’s very own Australian Graded Monitoring Centre, it is one of ONLY a few local security companies with it’s own Patrol/Attendance cars & staff including the ONLY security company with a patrol car & staff based in Torquay every night! GMS does NOT subcontract any component of its monitoring service.

GEELONG MONITORING SERVICES is the fastest growing security company in the region with the addition of over 300 new monitored sites in the last 3 years. Part of the Sectrol Group, the company has over 40 years’ of experience in the security industry and has offices in Geelong, Ballarat and Portland.

GMS provides commercial, industrial & residential security and CCTV, static guards and patrols.

Ever wonder whether you have what it takes to escape?

Whether you could find all the clues, solve the puzzles and unravel the mystery before time runs out?

Escape Room Games Pty Ltd is inviting all escape artists to ply their trade and test their mettle in a themed interactive adventure known as an escape room.

What is an escape room?

An authentic, immersive environment where teams only have their problem solving skills to guide them. Your team has 45 minutes to find the clues, solve the puzzles and progress from stage-to-stage until you escape.

Our first room ‘Escape Room Geelong - The Mad Scientist’ located in Belmont has had families, couples, sports clubs and business groups through with 200+ visitors both locally and internationally.

Some FAQ’s You are never actually locked in and can walk out at any time.

You will not be squished in or crawling through any tunnels or vents.

Our escape room is air conditioned so that people are comfortable.

Your experience has a safety briefing and is guided by a first-aid trained operator.

Fruition Recruitment is the first choice for companies who believe in the value of their people, and with a reputation for providing industry leading results, they are a business that clients love working with and candidates trust.

They provide high quality permanent recruitment and content writing services exclusively to clients across Greater Geelong, the Surf Coast and regional Victoria.

They connect their clients to more long-term and culturally suited pools of talent from which to draw, and are connected with candidates their competitors aren’t.

Recruiting permanent roles across all areas starting from as little as $3,980 for an end-to-end campaign (including advertising and a guarantee period), Fruition combines the latest sourcing techniques with a market leading ability to put the right people in the right positions and for the right reasons.

As an owner managed recruitment business, they are a progressive consultancy but without the distractions and demands of a larger firm. This means Fruition are flexible and free to focus solely on their clients, candidates and community, and they even cap the number of vacancies they work on at any one time so their clients can be assured their full attention and expertise.

Contact Fruition Director, Lauren Hogan on 0439 351 629 for more information or to arrange a meeting.

For Bookings, Vouchers, Videos or Information call or visit our website.

Fruition Recruitment Geelong, Victoria 3220

Geelong Monitoring Services Unit 1, 7 Crown Street Geelong, VIC, 3220

1300 904 399 | 0439 351 629 hello@fruitionrecruitment.com.au

www.fruitionrecruitment.com.au

03 5221 7774

www.geelongmonitoring.com.au

BIZNEWSMAG.COM.AU | 35

Upcoming

BUSINESS EVENTS

May2016 ACTIONCOACH BUSINESS COACHING GEELONG Hugh Bowman presents “5 Ways to Massive Profits in Your Business” Workshop with a Networking opportunity afterwards and drinks provided.

DATE: Thursday 12th May 2016 TIME: 3pm – 5:30pm WHERE: 398 Latrobe Terrace, Newtown VIC 3220 COST: Complimentary with A Free Business Book included PHONE: (03) 5221 8969 EMAIL: shelley@actioncoachgeelong.com.au For more information and to register, go to our website www. businesscoachgeelong.com.au/ business-growth/

SMARTPHONE PHOTOGRAPHY - TECHNIQUES & EDITING APPS TO CREATE WOW PHOTOS Does your business capture, share and post photos from your Smartphone?

This workshop will give you the confidence to capture WOW photos by combining basic photography principles and apps that we recommend.

DATE: Friday, 13 May, 2016 TIME: 6pm – 8pm WHERE: Startup Cloud, 169 Ryrie Street, Geelong COST: $65.00 CONTACT: Mike James, Better Mobile Photos PHONE: 0455 238 111 EMAIL: bettermobilephotos@gmail.com

BPW GEELONG – MOVING ON UP BREAKFAST

BUSINESS IN HEELS

Join us as we launch the Geelong Mums Jump in Puddles Winter program and hear from guest speaker Narelle Plapp aka The Muesli Chick!

TIME: 7pm – 9pm

DATE: Tuesday May 17th, 2016 TIME: 7.15am for 7.30am start WHERE: The Pier, Geelong

COST: BPW Geelong members $48 Nonmembers $58 Table of 10 $550 EMAIL: bpwgeelong@gmail.com

BOOKING: www.trybooking.com/LFTD

PRICING FOR MAXIMUM PROFIT Unsure of when to discount your products and services? Is the price of your product/service maximising your profit and cash flow?

DATE: Wednesday May 18th, 2016 WHERE: Centra, 131 Yarra Street, Geelong COST: $40

GUEST SPEAKER: Rachel Jayne Groover Rachael Jayne Groover is the author of the best-selling book “Powerful and Feminine: How to Increase your Magnetic Presence and Attract the Attention You Want.”

BOOKINGS: www.businessinheels. com/fevent/305/rachael-jayne-groover/

THE TYPE 1 FOUNDATION FAMILY DAY OUT! The Type 1 Foundation is a not-for-profit charity supporting

DATE: Wednesday, 18 May, 2016

families living with Type 1 Diabetes; all welcome.

WHERE: Geelong Council Offices, 100 Brougham Street, Geelong

DATE: Sunday 29th May, 2016

COST: $20

WHERE: Aerodrome Trampoline Park

HOSTS: Enterprise Geelong, City of Greater Geelong & Business Victoria

BOOKINGS: Essential!

TIME: 5:30pm – 7:30pm

TIME: 11am – 1pm

EVENT FACILITIES: Wheelchair access

COST: FREE

CONTACT: Michelle Higgins

CONTACT: type1foundation@yahoo.com.au

PHONE: 03 5272 5138

EMAIL: info@enterprisegeelong.com.au BOOKING: www.enterprisegeelong.com.au

GEELONG CHAMBER OF COMMERCE – AFTER 5 After 5 Events allow Chamber members the opportunity of networking with other business owners to promote themselves and their business.

DATE: Wednesday, 18 May, 2016 TIME: 5:30pm – 7:30pm

WHERE: Karingal Eastern Hub

COST: FREE for Chamber members only PHONE: 03 5222 2234

BOOKING: www.geelongchamber.com.au

BIZNEWSMAG.COM.AU BUSINESS NEWS | 36| 36

OR VISIT: www.type1.org.au

GEELONG INNOVATION EXPO 2016 The fourth annual Innovation Expo brings local industry leaders, Deakin, the CSIRO and more together to present new ideas and extend our local innovative culture.

DATE: Wednesday, 15 June, 2016 TIME: 9am – 2pm

WHERE: The Pier, Geelong COST: FREE

CONTACT: Michael Williams PHONE: 0439 882366

EMAIL: Michael.Williams@ geelongmanufacturingcouncil.com.au MORE INFO: www.geelongmanufacturingcouncil. com.au

FOOD

I’LL BE THE JUDGE OF THAT

Founding Australasian Chair of IFWTWA (the International Food Wine and Travel Writers Association), Kevin Moloney, has been a senior judge on the Harwood Andrews Golden Plate Awards for the past 10 years. Kevin talks about how he loves his job.

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ost people think I have the best job in the world, including me. And we’re all perfectly correct of course; I do have the best job in the world. Judging some of Victoria’s best cafes, restaurants and pubs is a job that most of us would love to have. Yep. I’m one lucky diner all right.

This is my tenth year as a judge for the Golden Plate Awards and - all jokes aside - it’s a job that I, and my fellow judges, take very seriously.

When I started judging, the Awards were only operating in the Geelong Bellarine region. Six years ago the restaurants in Ballarat/ Daylesford cottoned on to the benefits of the GPA and put their hand up for a separate Awards program in their region.

And now we have Bendigo and Central Victoria as another region.

The heat is well and truly on in the kitchens around Victoria, as the ‘good paddock’ I’ve been in for several years has now grown statewide.

The Golden Plate Awards have been specifically designed to work with restaurants and to recognise excellence in hospitality. As judges, we’re charged with the responsibility of assessing all the elements that go into making a complete dining experience. It’s not just about the food either. We have a checklist of hundreds of points that we carefully look at and give our professional opinion on.

The awards also go a couple of steps beyond any other restaurant awards that I know of. Written comprehensive feedback is given to the venues, and the awards are fully audited We judge anonymously and while I don’t walk into a restaurant with a dodgy wig, huge sunglasses and a fake moustache, I try to keep as low a profile as possible. During the course of the meal, I’ll pay attention to everything that’s on my list then race to the car (no I don’t sit at the table with notebook and pen poised) and make

copious notes for my report, which the owners of the restaurant, pub of café will read through at a later date.

Golden Plate Awards can make you very popular among friends who want to join you in the dining experiences, but slipping into judge mode when it’s not required is a sure way to lose them.

Helpful comments like, “You could have done with less salt in your Cassoulet,” don’t go down very well at dinner parties with friends and I have to remind myself, while biting into a meal, that I also have to bite my tongue.

KEVIN MOLONEY Judging for the Golden Plate Awards in the Geelong Otway, Ballarat-Daylesford and Bendigo & Central Victoria regions is now underway.

To vote for your favorite venue email events@maximpr.com.au

BIZNEWSMAG.COM.AU | 37

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ARTS ELIDA LUCIARTE + PHIL ALLEN: RECENT PAINTINGS 14 – 28 MAY

Exciting Geelong artists Elida Luciarte and Phil Allen are exhibiting works in concurrent solo shows.

Painting in oils is Elida Luciarte’s passion and experimentation in recent years has allowed her to develop a new technique and distinctive style to create highly charged compositions of light and colour.

Her paintings for this exhibition are populated by individuals and groups who all seem to be part of an ongoing narrative, and can be seen simply enjoying day-to-day life, leisure and interaction.

For Phil Allen, the process of translating creative ideas onto canvas has always been an absorbing experience.

A long-time admirer of modern stencil artists, in this exhibition Phil presents hybrid versions of his trademark hyper realistic paintings of fruits, in large scale works that delightfully combine pop art with street art. www.metropolisgallery.com.au

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ARTS KARNIVART UNTIL 27 MAY

Karingal KarnivART is a unique art exhibition featuring high quality works of art including sculptures, paintings, drawings and photographs created by artists with a disability.

The 2016 exhibition will be held at the new Eastern Hub in East Geelong and is open to artists over the age of 16 who live in Victoria and identify as having a disability or history of mental illness.

THE GLASS MENAGERIE 12 – 14 MAY

www.karingal.org.au

The magnificent Pamela Rabe brings her 2015 Helpmann Award-winning performance in this Tennessee Williams classic to the GPAC stage this May. Put in the hands of Belvoir Artistic Director Eamon Flack, this production delivers on every count – also winning Best Play at the Helpmanns last year.

IN A VISUAL SENSE

A beautiful play ringing with melancholy, The Glass Menagerie follows a family as it falls apart, shattering the dreams that had given the Wingfields some fragmented substance. Amanda Wingfield is a single mother (played by Rabe), her son Tom, (Luke Mullins) is an aspiring poet who works in a warehouse, her daughter, Laura, is studying to become a secretary. They live in a small apartment pent up with fantasies and urges, rage and wounded tenderness. It is not a magnificent existence, but each has one true idea for a better life. Enter the Gentleman Caller…

The Glass Menagerie is a touching depiction of how change affects the individual (as well as the group), even as it rips them asunder.

5 – 31 MAY

Images of flesh, fable, flora, fauna and fabric come together in this latest exhibition at art@wintergarden. Bringing together an eclectic and vibrant mix of art mediums, processes and ideas, the exhibition showcases the work of John McClumpha, Gail Martin, Jen Boyd, Sue Baulch, Sue Harrington, Heather Stewart and Shirley Hurley.

The artists studied together at Brougham School of Art & Photography in its heyday and have remained firm friends.

While each works in isolation they help sustain their art practices with regular catch-ups to discuss art, politics and life in general over a glass of wine.

In the years since Brougham, each artist has gone in a different direction, finding their own niche and exploring the processes of printmaking, textiles, collage, drawing and painting. www.artwintergarden.com.au

www.gpac.org.au

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GEELONG CONTEMPORARY ART PRIZE 2016 ENTRIES CLOSE 20 MAY

The Geelong Contemporary Art Prize is a signature event that assists with the development of the Geelong Gallery’s collection while fostering Australian artists and contemporary painting practice.

An acquisitive painting prize of $30,000, the event is open to artists living and working in Australia and is sponsored by the Dimmick Charitable Trust.

Judging for the 2016 event will take place in early June by judges Jason Smith, Director Geelong Gallery, and Lisa Sullivan, Curator Geelong Gallery, with the official opening of the exhibition on 21 August. www.geelonggallery.org.au

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DON QUIXOTE 21 MAY

With a cast of internationally recognised artists, Victorian State Ballet’s Don Quixote brings to the stage the superb and highly skilled ballet technique of original choreography by Petipa restaged by the company’s director Michelle Sierra.

Victorian State Ballet’s production of Don Quixote is a spectacular rendition of one of the most festive and flamboyant of ballets. Its fiery passion and exciting musical score has audiences on the edge of their seats and the spirit of this great classical work is honoured through excellent staging, simple and direct mime and superb classical ballet technique and choreography. www.gpac.org.au

BIZNEWSMAG.COM.AU | 39

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CROWDFUNDING CAMPAIGN TO HELP ASYLUM SEEKERS

ocal community organisations have launched a crowdfunding campaign to help asylum seekers in the Geelong region apply for protection visas.

The Seeking Refuge Project, a partnership between seven community groups, is looking for $70,000 in donations to fund vital interpreter services for asylum seekers navigating the complex protection visa application process.

Approximately 300 asylum seekers in the Geelong area will be invited by the Federal Government to apply for protection visas over the next three years.

Seeking Refuge is arranging workshops to help asylum seekers complete their applications, but Project Coordinator and lawyer, Marijana Graljuk, says most asylum seekers will require the support of an interpreter to ensure their information is accurately recorded. Each application takes several hours to complete at a cost of around $465 in interpreting fees per application.

“Our volunteer team of Migration Agents and administrative assistants can provide migration law advice and practical help to the asylum seekers in our community, but professional interpreters are essential, so that the asylum seekers and volunteers can understand each other,” Marijana explains.

“Without access to professional interpreters, asylum seekers will find it difficult to understand the requirements of the application process.

Professional interpreters will provide asylum seekers with the best chance of completing their application correctly, so their claim for protection can be reasonably assessed.”

“Seeking asylum is a human and legal right, but it is a difficult process to go through without understanding the language on the application form or how to access help. We need a lot of money for this project and every little bit helps, so please donate what you can,” Marijana said.

“There are some great rewards for donating and all donations over two dollars are tax deductible. Donating has also been scientifically proven to make you feel great, so go on and give it a go!”

The Seeking Refuge Project is a partnership between Bellarine for Refugees, Barwon Community Legal Service, the Wesley Centre for Life Enrichment, Diversitat, the Combined Refugee Action Group Geelong, Refugee Legal and the Asylum seekers Resource Centre and is supported and facilitated by Deakin University.

The Seeking Refuge crowdfunding campaign “Seeking Refuge” is running at www.pozible.com/seekingrefuge until 31 May 2016.

LEADERSHIP REFORM AT BARWON MHDAS Barwon Health’s Mental Health, Drugs and Alcohol Service (MHDAS) has been working toward adopting a recovery-oriented practice, in line with international mental health policy, to promote client centred, accessible and family inclusive care.

Barwon Health’s MHDAS is internationally recognised for its innovative clinical programs and integrated models of practice and also provides seamless integrated care for its clients, supported by excellent internal relationships and partnerships with the local community.

“The MHDAS is now entering a new phase of co-design of our service system with people who access our services, people who support them and our wider community,” says MHDAS Director, Jennifer Black “In order to facilitate this process we are in a unique position of being able to establish a new leadership team with skills which will enable this transformation of our service system.

“As well as operational leaders, we are seeking experience in service redesign as well as the introduction of a lived experience role within the leadership team.”

Over the last five years, the service has challenged historical beliefs and ways of working, taking a unique approach to implementing systems which promote self-direction and self-management for people throughout the Barwon South West region accessing these services. This has seen a significant cultural change and systematic transformation within the MHDAS. Jennifer says the service has already achieved significant transformation through engaging the workforce in a three-year reflection and debate about consumer centred care, and invited staff to design their own practice change.

“The initiative has not only achieved a change where staff now constantly question the status quo, but a range of innovative projects leading to fundamental change in the way people access and interact with the service,” she says.

“In particular, the MHDAS leadership team introduced the practice principle of ‘nothing about me without me’, setting an expectation that staff would have no conversations outside of professional supervision about a person accessing services, without them being present.”

The significance of this work was recognised by the Victorian Government through a 2013 Victorian Health Care Award - Health Leaders Award for delivering innovative alcohol and drug or mental healthcare.

BUSINESS NEWS | 40

COMMUNITY DONATE $1 A DAY DURING MAY It’s May and time to support Give Where You Live’s annual appeal for Geelong, by Geelong. Donate $1 a day during the month (that’s only $31, folks) or get involved in other activities over the month to raise money for the appeal.

Wear your footy colours to work, pop on the kettle, bring in a plate of goodies for your workmates and donate some money to the cause by hosting a MAYDAY Footy Colours Morning Tea. To register your Footy Colours Morning Tea, email mayday@givewhereyoulive.com.au You can also register for a MAYDAY donation tin and encourage all your workmates to donate their $1 a day, or attend the BAY 93.9 MAYDAY Trivia Night on 27 May. More details at www.givewhereyoulive.com.au

NEW CAMPAIGN TO BREAK THE CYCLE OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND CHILDREN The local community has been urged to get involved in a national campaign on how disrespect towards girls can grow into something more serious.

Stop it at the start aims to help families, teachers, sports coaches and others challenge their own views about respectful relationships and gender equality, and start a conversation with young people.

The campaign is one element of a national, long-term strategy to reduce violence against women and children and is underpinned by the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010-2022.

Federal Member for Corangamite Sarah Henderson said violence against women was a widespread issue affecting many Australians.

“The statistics are shocking. Every week a women is murdered by her current or former partner, and one in three women has been a victim of physical or sexual violence, since the age of 15, from someone known to them.

“But many of us often don’t realise where it begins – with the attitudes and behaviours our kids develop as they grow up.

“As adults, the things we say and do when we see disrespect towards girls have a real impact. Casual comments like ‘boys will be boys’ teach boys that it’s okay to act that way. Telling girls ‘he just does it because he likes you’ teaches them that they should simply accept disrespectful behaviour.

“This escalates to one in four young people not thinking it’s serious if a guy, who’s normally gentle, sometimes slaps his girlfriend when he’s drunk and they’re arguing.”

Launched in Canberra last month by the Minister for Social Services, Christian Porter, and Minister for Women, Senator Michaelia Cash, the campaign is jointly funded by the Commonwealth, state and territory governments.

“Our words are powerful, and our influence is strong,” Ms Henderson says.

“What we think and do becomes normal for us very quickly, so it can be hard to challenge ourselves.

“But we can be more aware that the excuses we make have a lasting impact. We can start having conversations about respect. And we can intervene and correct this behaviour in young people when we see it.”

Advertising for the campaign is supported by online tools and resources, community engagement and a range of other activities that will run until 2018. Visit www.respect.gov.au for more information on the campaign.

If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, domestic or family violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit www.1800RESPECT.org.au.

GET YOUR TICKETS TO THE NON-EVENT OF THE YEAR When you’re invited to attend a Ball, Charity Auction or other formal function, don’t you often wish you didn’t have to attend? Well, now you DON’T. This is the first time ever that the Winter Ball has NOT been held in Geelong.

Save money on a new dress, new shoes, formal wear, baby sitter, flowers and silent auctions. To get out of this non-event, all you need do is make a donation of your choice to support the Eastern Hub Community Centre in East Geelong, a partnership project between East Geelong Rotary and the Karingal Foundation.

All donors will receive a ticket for donations of $15 to $1000. If you donate for a table of 10 for $1000 you will enter the draw to win a fully catered for house concert at your home for 10 people. All donations up to $100 will be eligible for a book or CD ‘no door prize’ so that you can kick back and enjoy a quiet night in.

Funds raised will contribute to building the outdoor community area of the fully inclusive Eastern Hub Community Centre.

To purchase your tickets to the non-event of the year, visit www.trybooking.com

BIZNEWSMAG.COM.AU | 41

COMMUNITY

Karingal BacLinks members during their recent planting activity at Big Rock.

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PLANTING THE SEED FOR AN INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY

aringal BacLinks business partners lent their green thumbs to a planting program as part of the Karingal Foundation’s partnership with Mountain to Mouth: Geelong’s Extreme Arts Walk.

On Wednesday April 13, Karingal BacLinks business partners from Mercure Geelong, Coulter Roache, Harwood Andrews, Evologic, Adroit Insurance and Barwon Water came together with Karingal clients and Landcare crew to plant 650 plants at Big Rock at the top of the You Yangs. This planting is the beginning of a green corridor, which will be filled with indigenous species

and is eventually planned to stretch 80 kilometres - the distance of the M-M Extreme Arts Walk.

This inclusive project is going to have lasting environmental benefits and it just another way that Karingal is fostering community inclusion for people with a disability.

Registrations for M~M 2016, being held in Geelong on May 6-7, will also raise funds to help establish the fully inclusive community garden at Eastern Hub Geelong. For more information visit: mountaintomouth.com.au

KARINGAL ART COMPETITION HELPS CANVAS LOCAL TALENT Launched at a packed house on Wednesday 4th May, the 2016 KarnivART exhibition features the artwork of 89 artists from the Geelong, Surf Coast, Melbourne and Warrnambool regions who have a disability or history of mental illness.

The exhibition, now in its eighth year, offers important recognition for artists with a disability or mental illness from around the region. It is designed to encourage and inspire the artists involved to continue with their passion and to provide them with a creative outlet, which can offer so many benefits such as increased community involvement, new ways to communicate and express emotion and improved selfconfidence.

The number of entries in this event continues to grow each year and in 2016, we thank our event sponsors TechnologyOne and Provincial Media.

The exhibition is open to the public between 9:00am and 3:00pm from May 4th – 27th with artworks available for purchase.

COMING UP: WINTER WBDO In an example of community volunteering at its best, employees from a range of local businesses and people who have disabilities will join together on Thursday 16 June for an inclusive day of fun activities at the Karingal BacLinks (Business and Community Links) Winter Workplace Big Day Out. The event, presented by Adroit Insurance Group, and sponsored by MatchWorks, St John of God Pathology, Harwood Andrews, GMHBA and Whyte, Just & Moore provides an opportunity for organisations to sample employee volunteering, while breaking down barriers between people of all abilities and fostering a greater sense of community.

The entry submitted by Liam O’Neill, winner of the Arts Award at the 2016 Geelong Awards for People with a Disability.

BUSINESS NEWS | 42

The volunteers will spend the day participating in a range of fun, challenging team activities alongside around 80 program members from Karingal, Encompass and St Laurence. Activities on offer include netball, volleyball, dancing, wheelchair basketball and soccer.

To register your interest or for more information, please contact the Karingal BacLinks office on 5222 7445.

BIZNEWSMAG.COM.AU | 43

AFTER HOURS

TALKING SPORT The Barwon Sports Academy hosted the Friends of BSA Luncheon as an exclusive thank you to some of Geelong’s biggest supporters of local sport. Twenty guests were joined in a private dining room at Baveras Brasserie by Australian five-time world champion rower and triple Olympic gold medallist, Drew Ginn OAM, Frank Costa OAM, and Victorian Institute of Sport (VIS) and Barwon Sports Academy (BSA) sailing athlete, International Cadet Class, Thomas Alexander.

Thomas, who was the Victorian, Australian and World Champion in his class in 2014 and spoke of the benefits the BSA brings to local athletes, while Drew regaled the crowd with stories from his illustrious career.

Photos by Pam Hutchinson, Pam Hutchinson Photography

Drew Ginn OAM & Frank Costa OAM

Dan Simmonds (Harwood Andrews Lawyers) & John Fitzgerald (Bendigo & Adelaide Bank) BUSINESS NEWS | 44

Cameron Loftus (Barwon Sports Academy) & Rhonda Arnott (A&M Costa Foundation

AFTER HOURS

Amanda Bavin (Transport Accident Commision)

Coodabeen Champion Ian Cover

Barry Fagg (Fagg’s Mitre 10)and Diana Taylor (CT Management)

Business

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Brad Tresidder (Tresidder Insurance Brokers)

Thomas Alexander & Marcus Dripps (Corio Bay Health Group)

Corporate

Geelong

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Personal Werribee

116 Yarra Street, Geelong VIC 3220

2A Wedge Street, Werribee VIC 3030

(03) 5226 5995

(03) 9974 9095

BIZNEWSMAG.COM.AU | 45

AFTER HOURS

OPEN FOR ALL ABILITIES Karingal’s Eastern Hub Geelong was designed to bring together the community and that’s exactly what it achieved on April 21 when the fully inclusive and accessible centre was officially opened.

Member for Geelong Christine Couzens joined Karingal chair, Rod Payne, to officially open the $6.5 million centre in front of more than 150 guests, including Karingal staff, clients and community leaders.

Karingal Chief Executive Officer, Mike McKinstry, says the hub recognises the past and celebrates the future.

“In 1956 on the same land, the Karingal Children’s Occupation Centre was opened,” Mike said. “People with a disability would come to learn, play and connect with each other.

“It warms the heart to think that 60 years on, this centre will achieve those same goals in an innovative space, while also welcoming the wider community.

“The collaboration on this project shows how important this centre is for the region and strengthens Geelong’s status as an inclusive community,” Mike said.

Photos by Pam Hutchinson, Pam Hutchinson Photography

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AFTER HOURS

Team Truffleduck with Peter Alexander

Louise Rau, Donna-Maree Demasi

PYJAMAS AND CHARITY – A GREAT MIX! The ‘Pyjama King’ Peter Alexander joined over 500 guests to raise funds for the Give Where You Live Foundation at the annual BTS Admin Professionals Breakfast; held on Thursday 21 April at The Pier, Geelong.

The morning, led by 95.5 K Rock’s Lee ‘Stampsy’ Stamps, left guests both inspired and laughing as the successful entrepreneur hilariously shared candid stories from early in his career, from the inspiration behind his brand through its sale to the Just Group, and how he built a big name brand with no idea how to operate a business.

The breakfast raised over $45,000 for the Give Where You Live Foundation, which will assist in the support of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged people in our region.

Give Where You Live Foundation CEO Bill Mithen remarked “This year’s BTS Admin Professionals breakfast was remarkable, with over 500 people attending and over $45,000 raised, this breakfast is one not only great fun, but a fantastic way to connect with so many of our supporters.”

Photos by E.L Photography

Kylie Warne, Bill Mithen, Robbie Lecchino

Davina Montgomery, Tanya Carroll, Sheridan Salmon

Charlotte James, Gerogia Mansell, Kate Devany

Kim Dudley, Erin Tucker BUSINESS NEWS | 48

Lee Stamps

AFTER HOURS

Sarah Milgate, Alyce Matthies

Zlatica Kowak, Mandy Weeks

Steve Bentley, Janet Taylor

Alison Shaw, Liz Townley, Rose Roberts

Claire Sharp, Val Brown, Delila Zahirovic

Rosemary Ramsay, Kellie Stone

The Bellarine’s Most Beautiful Conference Venue

90 McAdams Lane, Bellarine

03 5251 5536

www.terindahestate.com

BIZNEWSMAG.COM.AU | 49

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Plush Throw Rug 125x150cm $25.95

Chunky Knit Cushion 43x43cm $28.95

Pink and Natural Frame 5x7 $26.95

Handmade shell necklaces. - $15

Bohemian Canvas 80x80cm $49.95

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AFTER BOOKS HOURS

ZERO K Don DeLillo DeLillo, winner of the National Book Award and the Pen/Faulkner Award for fiction, is at the height of his literary fettle in this, his latest book. Is death merely a problem to be solved? Or by seeking to overcome a natural end are we overlooking the ‘mingled astonishments’ of our time on earth?

Jeffrey Lockhart’s father, Ross, is a billionaire in his sixties, with a younger wife, Artis Martineau, whose health is failing. Ross is the primary investor in a remote and secret compound where death is exquisitely controlled and bodies are preserved until a future time when biomedical advances and new technologies can return them to a life beyond disease. Artis is about to surrender her body.

It is Ross Lockhart, most particularly, who feels a deep need to enter another dimension and awake to a new world. For his son, this is indefensible. Jeff, the book’s narrator, is committed to living, to experiencing the beauty and humanity of the everyday.

HOW (NOT) TO START AN ORPHANAGE Tara Winkler and Lynda Delacey Coming home to Australia after a group tour of Cambodia in 2005, Tara Winkler spent two years raising money for the children of a corrupt and abusive orphanage in Battambang.

With a team of committed locals and support from friends, she established the Cambodian Children’s Trust (CCT), founding a new orphanage with an instant family of fourteen children and three dogs. But she came to realise what she was doing to help was actually part of the problem.

Tara led the closure of the orphanage and the establishment of a model of programs and services to help Cambodian families escape poverty that supported families to stay together. Now, she speaks out against the spread of orphanages in developing countries, funded by well-intentioned foreign donors, and of the harm that comes to children when they are separated from family and left to grow up in institutions.

CODE OF SILENCE Colin Dillon with Tom Gilling ‘Wherever there is power and money, there is always the risk of corruption. But everyone has a choice: to become involved or to take a stand against it.’

In 1987, Colin Dillon chose to stand against corruption as the first serving police officer to voluntarily appear before the Fitzgerald Commission of Inquiry into police corruption in Queensland. He did this at a time when the Fitzgerald Inquiry was beginning and struggling for traction. Dillon’s first-hand evidence at the Inquiry was instrumental in securing convictions and prison sentences against politicians and members of the force, including Police Commissioner Terry Lewis.

Revealing, powerful and uncompromising, this is the story of Colin Dillon’s nearly 40 years in a police force rotten to the core. It describes the extraordinary range of criminal activities - drugs, gaming, SP bookmaking, brothels, and vehicle theft - that were allowed to operate with impunity in return for bribes. It also tells of the high price an honest man and his family paid for his decision to break the code of silence.

Colin Dillon joined the Queensland police force in 1965 - before the 1967 referendum - and worked within that system for almost four decades. He became the first commissioned Indigenous Police Inspector in Australia and still lives in Queensland.

COMMITTED TEAMS Mario Moussa Ph.D., Madeline Boyer & Derek Newberry, Ph.D. Increasingly, being good at teamwork is synonymous with simply being good at your job. And for a valid reason: the complexity of today’s world — shaped by rapidly accelerating technological, economic, and cultural trends — demands that organisations of all kinds seek out the potential of teams. But too often what they deliver is a lot of talk and little accountability.

Based on research from Wharton School of Executive Management, the book explores some fundamental insights about teamwork — what usually goes wrong, what frequently goes right, and the methods and techniques that will help anyone access a team’s full potential. These insights have been distilled into a simple, repeatable process that can be applied immediately.

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