Castle Hill RSL has undertaken a major re-development of its Events and Functions facilities to become the highest quality facility in the hills for Corporate, Social and Community Events.

Split Watermelon Design have recently completed the refurbishment of three existing Function Rooms and the Sports Bar at Castle Hill RSL Club.  Each has been given its own unique personality, and grow gradually darker in theme as you transcend the building's levels.

The Phoenix Room is the largest and arguably the most dramatic of all the spaces. A striking carpet design reminiscent of large palm fronds dominates the room.   Dark finishes exude a moody glamour, with dark painted timber panelling and soft metallic wallpaper throughout.  The bar is a definite focal point with its glossy front and glowing plinth. A large chandelier in hand blown glass and satin bronze sparkles over the centre of the space.

The adjoining Sports Bar retains a typically masculine feel but has been softened with warm paint finishes and timber elements throughout.  The gloss black bar panelling, carefully selected memorabilia display and bold carpet design give personality to the space.

The Sovereign and Gallery Rooms are intentionally lighter in feel, largely influenced by the amount of natural light in both rooms.  A palette of warm grey, white and silver together with soft white drapery gives an elegance to the spaces.

Group President Mr Warren Glenny said “In the growing Hills Shire the demand for high quality events and functions facilities is increasing we are proud to be the destination of choice for our corporate, social and community groups”.

The developments include:

Gallery                 105 sqm

 Full HD Projector with Motorised Screen and Projector Lifter

Sound Re-Inforcement System

iPod Input point.

Wireless Handheld and Lapel Microphones

Lectern Input

VGA and Audio Input Point

Wireless Presentation Device

Sovereign           203 sqm

Full HD Projector with Motorised Screen and Projector Lifter

Sound Re-Inforcement System

iPod Input point.

Wireless Handheld and Lapel Microphones

Lectern Input

VGA and Audio Input Point

Wireless Presentation Device

Phoenix               300 sqm

Full HD Projector with Motorised Screen and Projector Lifter

Sound Re-Inforcement System

iPod Input point.

Wireless Handheld and Lapel Microphones

Lectern Input

VGA and Audio Input Point

Wireless Presentation Device

ECR                        35 sqm

Full HD Projector with Motorised Screen and Projector Lifter

Sound Re-Inforcement System

iPod Input point.

Lectern Input

VGA and Audio Input Point

Wireless Presentation Device.

Luxe                      330 sqm

3 x Full HD Projector with Motorised Screen and Projector Lifter

Sound Re-Inforcement System

Wireless Handheld and Lapel Microphones

iPod Input point.

Lectern Input

HDMI, VGA and Audio Input Point

Wireless Presentation Device.

Ability to overflow Audio and Video into Luxe Lounge Pre-function area.

Lyceum                 525 sqm              

3 x Large Projectors and Screens

FOH Fold back System

Large Input desk (32 Input channels)

Wireless Microphones System

Lectern Input

FOH Lighting System

Automated Table Light System

VGA and Audio Inputs

Ability to overflow Audio and Video into Luxe Lounge Pre-function area.

EBR                        46 sqm

Motorised Screen and Projector Lifter

VGA and Audio Input Point

Games Room     335 sqm

9 x 50in LCD’s

Richard Holland the Membership and Events Manager for Sydney Hills Business Chamber said: “The Sydney Business Chamber has had a long association with the Castle Hill RSL.

Now in our 21^st year we have evolved markedly since our humble beginnings and pride ourselves on the many monthly events we run to benefit our members.

None of this would be possible of course unless we have great partners and especially venue partners who not only provide a great service through their attentive staff but are innovative with their ideas to assist us with our events.

The Castle Hill RSL has added even more value to this partnership in recent months by completely renovating and invigorating key rooms for event organisers like ourselves and we are now spoilt with choice culminating with the opening of their “New” Phoenix Room.

We are very lucky to have the Castle Hill RSL as a partner but even more so as a friend and we look forward to a long & mutually beneficial relationship with them”.

Businesses have until 30 November 2014 to apply for Export Market Development Grants (EMDG). 

The EMDG scheme provides a grant of up to $150,000 to fund up to 50% of expenses incurred on eligible export promotional activities to any overseas market (except New Zealand – not regarded as an export and North Korea and Iran due to sanctions) for a maximum of 8 years.

Overview of EMDG Eligibility

To be eligible, the business must:

• be an Australian individual, partnership, company, association, co-op, statutory corporation or trust that has carried on business in Australia during the year
• have income of not more than $50 million in the grant year
• have incurred at least $15,000 on eligible export expenses (first time applicants are entitled to combine 2 years’ worth of expenses).

Additionally, the eligible product must be either:

• a good that is made in Australia or made outside Australia but have a significant economic benefit to Australia; or
• a service, except those relating to migration, adoption, welfare, real estate in Australia, general legal, adult entertainment, or student accommodation

What can be claimed?

Expenditure relating to specific export promotional activities undertaken during the income year can be claimed.

There are nine categories of promotional activities that can be claimed:

1. Overseas representatives all reasonable costs that you pay (excluding commission) to have an overseas representative act on your behalf on a long-term basis to market/promote your product (to a maximum of $200,000).
   
2. Marketing consultants the cost of engaging an arm’s length consultant to undertake export market research or marketing activities (a maximum of $50,000 can be claimed under this category).
   
3. Marketing visits the cost of travel during the marketing visit e.g. airfares (conditional), taxi fares, departure taxes, etc. An allowance of $300 per day is claimable for overseas marketing visits to help defray accommodation, entertainment and living expenses.
   
4. Communication the costs of communication to promote your product. If you do not claim your actual communication expenses, you will receive an automatic 3% addition to the claim.
   
5. Free samples the cost of providing free samples of the product you are promoting for export.
   
6. Trade fairs, seminars, in-store promotions the cost of participating in an international trade fair, seminar, in-store promotion, international forum, private exhibition, or similar activity.
7. Promotional literature & advertising external costs of promotional material, such as brochures, videos, DVDs, advertising and website development.
8. Overseas buyers the cost of bringing potential buyers who are non-residents to Australia for an approved export promotion purpose (up to a maximum of $7,500 per buyer visit up to a maximum of $45,000 per application).
9. Registration and/or insurance of eligible intellectual property payments made to third parties, e.g. patent and trademark attorneys, for the grant, registration or extension of the period of registration of intellectual property (for countries other than Australia or New Zealand) up to a maximum value of $50,000 per application.

What to do next?

Applications for this year's round of grants opened 1 July 2014 and will close 1 December 2014, although it is in the business's interest to get the claim in as soon as possible after 1 July to maximise cash-flow.

Extensions are not granted to applicants. Therefore if believe your business may be eligible, you must act promptly.

For more information or to discuss these grants in more detail, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Regards

Howard Badger
02 9881 3600
hbadger@moorestephens.com.au

The Australian Turf Club’s (ATC) Rosehill Gardens was last night awarded the Best Function/Convention Centre Caterer at the 2014 Savour Australia Restaurant & Catering Hostplus NSW Awards for Excellence.

The awards were announced before industry peers and presented by the NSW Minister for Hospitality, Gaming and Racing, and Minister for the Arts, the Honourable Troy Grant.

Rosehill Gardens had competed alongside a number of industry leaders, including three of Doltone House’s venues, Luna Park, and the ATC’s other world-class facility, Royal Randwick – which was also a finalist in the Caterer at an Event category.

Rosehill Gardens was also a finalist in the category of Caterer at a Major Event.

The Awards are an authoritative guide to Australia’s best restaurants and caterers, with more than 500 trained judges and 1500 entrants, and set the  state’s benchmark as the most important and respected industry awards specifically designed to objectively recognise and promote industry best practice.

Rosehill Gardens’ prestigious racecourse and purpose-built Event Centre caters to a diverse range of events and exhibitions such as the Stitches and Craft Show, Pet and Animal Expo and Pool and Spa Expo.

Other major events include the NSW Caravan and Camping Supershow, which attracted more than 80,000 visitors, and recently the first of three annual SMASH! Sydney Manga and Anime Shows, proving Rosehill Gardens as a popular alternative to venues in the CBD.

Australian Turf Club Chief executive Darren Pearce said: “We are thrilled and honoured to receive this award from such a reputable organisation. The award is one of the greatest compliments to our team and promotes Rosehill Gardens as a prominent venue for public, ticketed and international events within Australia.”

In 2014, the 17th year of the Awards for Excellence nationally, a number of industry events held around Australia will be held to announce the winners and celebrate the outstanding achievements of restaurants and caterers in this vibrant and hardworking industry.

Rosehill Gardens will now compete nationally on Monday 27 October against other state winners such as Customs House in Brisbane and Zinc at Federation Square in Melbourne.

The Australian Turf Club presents quality thoroughbred racing, carnivals, entertainment and an impressive collection of award-winning convention and event centres across four Sydney racecourses - Royal Randwick, Rosehill Gardens, Canterbury Park and Warwick Farm.

When looking for your next team bonding exercise why not give the AFL’s 9’s a go!

AFL 9s is the Australian Football League’s fun, fast and exciting new game which caters for people of all ages and abilities. The flexibility of the game allows for the rules to be adjusted to make it easier to play and less physically demanding leading to a lot more fun for those involved. AFL 9’s is a great way improve team camaraderie within your workplace and its inclusive nature means teams can include both men and women.

AFL NSW/ACT offer a range of AFL 9s competitions for all age groups, and can cater to individual organisational needs including team bonding exercises and fully fledged social/recreational competitionsand even lunchtime sport competitions. For more information about AFL 9s for your company or local competitions, call us now on (02) 8867 7400 or email ben.haywood@aflnswact.com.au

Join Us for Networking Drinks on 12 November 2014

Prior to joining Sport NSW, Cheryl held roles including State Manager of the Australian Sports Commission overseeing the Active After-schools Communities program, as Executive Director of the Illawarra Academy of Sport and Executive Officer of the NSW Premier’s Soccer Task force.

Cheryl was also a recipient of the prestigious Margaret Pewtress Memorial Award at the Active Australia Awards at Parliament House in Canberra, recognising her contribution to women’s sport and the sporting industry from grass roots to regional, state, national and international levels for over 20 years.

Cheryl’s passion and enthusiasm for sport is unwavering and her commitment to the industry is unshakable. Cheryl will provide attendees with insight into:

• the challenges facing sporting organisations in NSW and trends in participation in community sport which ultimately impact on elite sport and Australia’s status as a ‘Sporting Nation’
• opportunities for corporate supporters and service providers to reach into sporting organisations and the broad audience and diverse communities they encompass

When: 5.30 - 7.30 pm on Wednesday 12 November 2014

Where: Matthews Folbigg Boardroom, Level 7, 10-14 Smith St, Parramatta

RSVP: fayc@matthewsfolbigg.com.au by Friday 7 November 2014

Bankstown City Council is pleased to invite business and industry representatives to attend the Energy Efficiency and Lighting Expo, including energy workshops and business networking.  The purpose of the expo is to provide the opportunity for local businesses and industry members to:

• Connect with a range of energy saving specialists;
• To gain information about how they can engage in energy efficiency improvements in their business through a variety of means including technology, metering, auditing, upgrades etc; and
• Attend short workshops for local SMEs to improve their energy literacy.

Participation at the expo is free however bookings are required for the workshop and business networking to ensure adequate catering.

Visit the expo for a chance to win $1,000 of energy efficiency products or services for your business.

Simply click here to register for workshops or functions.

Workshops:
1-3pm: Understanding energy bills and getting a better deal
3-5pm: Energy Efficiency for business

Business Networking: 5-6pm

Moderated Q&A (with James O'Loghlin) 6:15-7:30pm - Bryan Brown Theatre

The business networking and Q&A session will provide an opportunity to hear from local businesses which have undertaken energy efficiency projects and have experiences to share.  This will be held in the Bryan Brown Theatre.

Who will be exhibiting?

• Energy Efficiency auditors;
• LED and energy efficiency lighting manufacturers and suppliers;
• Energy sub-metering specialists;
• Accredited certifiers for the NSW Government Energy Savings Scheme;
• Solar voltaic and solar hot water specialists;
• Heat pump specialists
• Energy saving building services (insulation, glazing, window tinting etc);
• HVAC suppliers/technical specialists; and
• Energy efficiency training providers.
   

Who should attend?
The expo will be a fantastic opportunity for businesses and industry of all sizes to connect with specialists across a range of areas who can provide information and advice to help your business save energy and money.

Parramatta accounting practice Priestley & Morris will significantly increase its presence in Western Sydney through its merger with national chartered Accounting and Advisory firm William Buck Sydney (William Buck).

The merger will see current Partners Andrew Cordwell and Michele Nevill, and their staff, join William Buck on 1 September. 

Priestley & Morris Partner Andrew Cordwell says, “The merger allows us to provide added depth and specialist services for our clients in Western Sydney. We chose William Buck because of their collegiate approach to doing business – their partnership of business and community values is what makes this such a fantastic opportunity for our clients and people.”

“Parramatta is the CBD of the West and covers a broad geographic area and diverse business base. Many of the growing businesses in the area are looking for a high level of professional accounting services which is offered by mid-tier practices. We are now well placed to tap into this market through the merger.”

He added, “Legal, manufacturing, distribution and not-for-profit enterprises are seen as four major growth areas for the business.”

Mr Cordwell joined Priestley & Morris in 1971 and moved to the Parramatta office as partner in 1984. Ms Nevill commenced with the practice in 1989 and gained partner status in 2001.

As part of its commitment to Western Sydney, William Buck will be transitioning several key executives to the Parramatta office to service its growing presence there.

“Priestley & Morris is a well-established practice in Parramatta and the Greater Western Sydney area with a deep skills base and excellent clients. Their focus on SMEs complements our existing client acquisition strategy,” said Mr Nick Hatzistergos, Managing Director of William Buck Sydney.

“We are firmly planting our presence in the middle of a growing SME heartland and intend to become an integral part of the business community. With both State and Federal governments planning major infrastructure initiatives for Western Sydney, including a second airport and light rail project, it’s a natural fit for William Buck to expand there,” he added.

William Buck has already formed several key relationships with legal firms, banks and educational institutions in Western Sydney.

In the current financial year, William Buck Sydney will achieve a revenue target of approximately $25 million, which is up 20% per cent on the 2014 financial year. Staff numbers will climb to 150 people post-merger.

Your One-Stop Shop for the holistic management of all your employees throughout the duration of their traineeship or apprenticeship.

Latest update:

The NSW Training Awards were held on the 9^th September at Dockside Pavilion Darling Harbour,

Congratulations to Western Sydney we had two winners on the night

Steven Atkins 2014 VET Trainer/Teacher of the Year  TAFE NSW - Western Sydney Institute

Steven will go through to the National awards held in Adelaide on Friday, 21 November 2014; Steven currently teaches trade qualifications in Commercial Cookery and has practiced his trade for over 15 years in various commercial establishments.

Steven noticing that students are now more willing to engage with learning through platforms such as Facebook, developed a ground-breaking Mt Druitt College Commercial Cookery Facebook page. Steve's innovative approach to teaching has allowed him to develop highly successful events and community based functions, such as the Hawkers Market, that provide clear educational outcomes and deliver essential community building opportunities.

Daniel Brown 2014 Phil Darby Memorial Award - Encouragement Award for an Apprentice or Trainee

Phil Darby would have proudly supported Daniel in completing his apprenticeship. As a school-based apprentice, Daniel had a number of employers and endured some periods of unemployment, but despite this, he persevered to complete his apprenticeship.

Daniel is philosophical about his experience, believing he has benefitted from working with a number of employers. This experience has given him the understanding of how important it is to look after and mentor apprentices and above all how important it is to listen to the needs of the employer and younger apprentices.

He will be a great mentor for young apprentices who find the pathway to completion difficult and his philosophy is "it can be done if you have support and mentoring".

If you would like more information on how we can facilitate the completion and lodgment of training contracts and incentive applications, and provide mediation and dispute resolution for apprentices and trainees contact:

Sandra Richardson sandra.l.richardson@det.nsw.edu.au  0142 082 651

A company's stable of intellectual property (IP) rights can arguably be viewed as a barometer of how innovative a business is – and it seems a lot of economic activity is currently associated with IP intensive industries.

Recent studies to determine the economic impact of IP intensive industries in US and European markets suggest that businesses have been transforming and restructuring to make IP rights their primary on-book assets.

To remain competitive, local businesses and manufacturers need to be able to generate company value outside a traditional fixed asset type business structure.  By providing monopoly-style access to local and overseas markets, which is especially important in highly competitive industries, IP rights are hot property.

The rise of intangibles

Intellectual property rights are traditionally referred to as "intangible" assets, as in many cases, they lack the real and tangible characteristics of a fixed asset. These include a huge range of things from brand names to industrial designs, proprietary production processes to database rights and many more.

Current research shows that over the last few decades, the centre of corporate wealth has been shifting from tangible, physical assets and capital, to "intangible" or knowledge-based capital.

Charting this shift, a comparison of Standard & Poors 500 companies shows that in 1978, the asset distribution of corporations was 95% tangible assets and 5% intangible assets.  In 2010, however, this distribution had been turned on its head, with 20% tangible assets compared to 80% intangible assets.

While an 80/20 mix of intangible versus tangible assets may not be appropriate for all businesses, a regular IP review might assist a business to follow and manage a similar asset shift. 

Whether it's the reputation of the brand, or a new design for a time-saving piece of factory machinery, an IP review can identify potential areas where investment can be made to capture or establish new IP for the business, and generate increased economic activity.  Indeed, valuation of IP rights is now a regular function of major accounting practices.

Intellectual Property as a financing mechanism

Intangible assets can have enormous value - Microsoft recently purchased Nokia's mobile phone business, and a suite of IP rights, for $7.2 billion; and Apple was awarded $1 billion in damages against Samsung in the 

US for infringement of IP rights.  But value doesn't have to come through buying and selling, or contentious Court action.

IP rights can be used to generate regular income through sales or licensing. Consider the revenue generated from the Cochlear Implant or the ladder and access systems produced by Hedweld Engineering Pty Ltd. Or other forms of IP rights such as the broadcast rights of major sporting events or the sale of a proprietary product, such as the Dyson vacuum cleaner or a pharmaceutical.  Pfizer has made tens of billions of dollars from Viagra.

Securing local and international markets

Several mechanisms can assist companies locally, while improvements to the IP system in China and a new Global Patent Prosecution Highway program are good news internationally.

Government funding, grants and R&D tax incentives are all available to assist Australian businesses to foster and develop their knowledge-based capital, both locally and overseas.

In China, once a safe haven for infringers and counterfeiters, an overhaul of the IPR enforcement system, and an increasingly affluent population – a major consumer market in itself – means that China is now emerging as an important destination for protecting intellectual property.

Filing patents overseas was made easier this year, with 13 countries, including the US EU and UK , signing the Global Patent Prosecution Highway (GPPH) which fast tracks the examination process for corresponding applications across participating patent offices, minimising the costs associated with protracted international patent prosecution.

The business value of IP rights internationally is significant and businesses should be taking steps to review their IP rights (IPR) portfolios and strategies.  To remain competitive and viable, companies should be investing more in development and innovation.

Integrating an IP strategy into the business can increase local market share and open more secure options for international markets.  Although not a definitive measure in its own right, the more IP intensive an industry is, the more likely it is to be trading internationally.

For more information on this article, contact:

Damon Henshaw Partner and Patent Attorney at Davies Collison Cave

T  8869 6200

E  dhenshaw@davies.com.au

Small to medium enterprises (SMEs) are the engine room of the Australian economy. They account for 96 per cent of businesses and employ more than five million people. 

St George Bank recognises the important role SMEs play to the nation and is passionate about supporting them with a number of innovative initiatives.

The Kick-Start Pop-Up initiative is the latest of these, and will see a number of small business owners across the country set up their business in a high-traffic retail space, funded by St.George.

The retail spaces will be set-up in select Westfield shopping centres in Sydney, Brisbane and Perth during October and November 2014, with further sites to be announced as the program builds momentum into 2015. 

The Pop-Up program adds to a range of Kick Start initiatives launched by St.George in the past 12 months, including the Kick Start Business Hub, a series of $10,000 grants to aspiring small business owners and an additional $2 billion allocated to small business lending.

St George is encouraging Australia’s entrepreneurs enter the new Kick Start Pop-Up initiative for a chance to win a retail space in one of Australia’s busiest shopping malls.

Each Pop-Up shop will include

• Exclusive use of a 3m x 5m pop-up shop in a high-traffic Westfield shopping centre for seven days: Parramatta in Sydney, Carousel in Perth and Carindale in Brisbane
  
• A fit-out for the pop-up shop including personalisation to the winner’s brand
  
• A marketing workshop with creative and strategy experts at GPJ