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  • 17-Mar-2016 13:00 | Anonymous

    Dine at TABLE:30 before the end of April 2016 and you and a guest can enjoy their seafood buffet for only AUD110*.


    Seafood lovers can delight in a succulent spread, with a delicious variety of fresh Sydney rock oysters, Australian tiger prawns, poached whole ocean trout, mouth-watering mussels, local Balmain bugs and blue swimmer crabs. Complement your fresh catch with an enticing array of hot dishes, salads, a live cooking station and a selection of delectable desserts.


    This offer is available on Saturdays from 6:00pm to 9:00pm.


    Bookings are essential. For dining reservations and enquiries, speak with the friendly staff at Parkroyal Parramatta today:

    P: 02 9685 0377  

    E: dining.prsyp@parkroyalhotels.com



    *Terms & conditions apply. Offer price is based on two people.


  • 17-Mar-2016 12:18 | Anonymous

    Want to know how investing in Workplace Rehabilitation can help to reduce your Worker’s Compensation Premium Costs?

    You may not be aware, but partnering with a Workplace Rehabilitation Provider with a proven record of facilitating safe and timely return to work is the best way to ensure that your staff are returned to work rapidly with a minimum of premium impacting lost wages.  There are many benefits for NSW Employers who maintain a safe workplace and support early return to work after injury occurs.


    New scheme reforms were introduced in August 2015 whereby high performing employers can achieve a performance discount of between 5-20% off their premiums. About 70% of employers currently perform better than the scheme average. These employers have achieved low workers compensation claim costs through good safety systems and proactive support of injured workers resulting in early return to suitable work after an injury. (See insurancereforms.nsw.gov.au)


    Under the reforms, premiums continue to be calculated based on claims costs however the medical and rehabilitation claims costs are now excluded from the calculation. The intent of this change is to ensure that workers are given rapid access to the medical and rehabilitation interventions that will support recovery and return to work. The flipside of this is that the claims costs associated with weekly payments now impact more heavily than before, with the wages bill being recouped up to three times in the premium calculation.


    What does this mean for the way NSW employers manage injuries?


    The core message of these reforms for employers is to promote safe workplaces through injury prevention strategies. By minimising the quantity and nature of workplace injuries, NSW employers can demonstrate improved performance against the scheme average. This message is reinforced through:


    1. The automatic application of the Employer Safety Incentive (ESI) which provides a 10% discount off the premium with the value of this discount only being recouped in instances of a claim that results in more than 4 weeks off work.


    2. Access to an additional 5% discount, through the Employer Safety Reward (ESR), if you are a medium to large employer and are claims free for 4 years.


    What if I have a claim or several claims, what should I do?


    The second intent of these reforms is to promote recovery through early access to rehabilitation and return to work. Early provision of workplace or vocational rehabilitation support with clear objectives around return to work is a great way to ensure that you qualify for the additional Return to Work Incentive (RTWI). The RTWI provides a further 5-15% off your premium where return to work has been achieved by 13, 26 or 52 weeks. 



    Infographic from insurancereforms.nsw.gov.au



    If you’d like to discuss how partnering with a Workplace Rehabilitation Provider can assist you to improve your systems to prevent injuries and minimise premium costs, Injury Treatment will be happy to help! 


    Injury Treatment is a national clinical consulting firm employing approximately 300 staff nationally, including; Senior Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Exercise Physiologists, Psychologists, Rehabilitation Counsellors and Employment Consultants. 


    Contact us on 1300 622 734 and talk to our customer team today. 


    We can provide you with consultation around safety systems, risk assessment and implementation of appropriate risk controls too.


    To best understand the full extent of how these reforms apply to your individual business, contact WorkCover NSW on Ph.13 10 50. 






  • 17-Mar-2016 11:00 | Anonymous

    The new site for Gallop Management has gone live and we are thrilled to share it with you. 


    Check out who we are, what we do and the success of our clients. Let us know what you think!


    http://www.gallopmanagement.com/





    Gallop Management is a Gallop Solutions Company


  • 15-Mar-2016 16:54 | Deleted user

    The Western Sydney Business Connection is proud to be a part of the NSW Department of Industry's procurement project and encourages you to get involved in a key piece of research.


    A valuable procurement toolkit is being developed for Western Sydney and we welcome your company's involvement.


    The initial part of the project aims to identify and research the needs of companies that procure products and services based in Western Sydney. This information will be used to produce a printed toolkit guide for SMEs to use. 

    If your organisation procures products and services in Western Sydney and you want to be part of this groundbreaking research, please contact WSBC CEO Michael Sugg to express your interest and participation in this short survey.

    The Procurement Toolkit will:
    • introduce local, small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) to large organisations (government and commercial) operating in Western Sydney that are procuring products and services in Western Sydney.
    • increase awareness by large organisations operating in the region of local SMEs and their capabilities which can assist them to diversify their supplier base and/or increase their local spend.
    • encourage local SMEs to develop a better understanding of what large organisations require in terms of the tendering process.
    • assist SMEs to develop their capabilities to a level where they are confident to approach companies or industry sectors that they have not previously considered supplying.
    • encourage collaboration between SMEs to form joint ventures or informal alliances.
    • provide opportunity to work collaboratively with all levels of government,  industry and industry associations.
    This initiative is being driven by the NSW Department of Industry, in conjunction with WSBC, AIG, ICN, NSWBC, NSW Transport and RDA Sydney.


    Get Involved now and be part of creating this valuable procurement tool kit!

  • 15-Mar-2016 14:22 | Anonymous


    Fair Work Act Changes


    In November 2015, laws were passed that amended the Fair Work Act (Act) and below is a recap for employers of the main changes as these laws are now in operation.


    Greenfields Agreement


    These are enterprise agreements that are made in relation to new enterprises (ie, before employees are actually employed) and are typically negotiated between the employer and relevant trade unions.


    NEW:    the Act now provides employers with relief where an agreement with unions cannot be reached – after six months of negotiation, employers can go directly to the Fair Work Commission (FWC) to have their Greenfields Agreement approved


    NEW:    the FWC must approve the Greenfields Agreement if, on an overall basis, it provides for pay and conditions that are consistent with the prevailing pay and conditions within the relevant industry for equivalent work


    NEW:    provided the FWC approves the Greenfields Agreement, it is taken to have been made on the date when the application for approval was lodged with the FWC


    Unpaid Parental Leave


    Employees who qualify for unpaid parental leave are entitled to request up to an additional 12 months of unpaid parental leave (ie, in addition to the usual 12 month unpaid parental leave period) and an employer can only refuse the request on reasonable business grounds.


    NEW:    the employer must not refuse the request unless the employer has given the employee a reasonable opportunity to discuss the request  


    Protected Industrial Action 


    Protected industrial action is simply industrial action engaged in pursuant to the provisions of the Act (as a tactic in enterprise agreement negotiations).


    NEW:    unions and other employee associations are now prevented from taking protected industrial action to force an employer to agree to bargain


    NEW:    in order for unions and other employee associations to apply to the FWC for a Protected Action Ballot Order (ie, requiring a protected action ballot to be conducted to determine whether employees wish to engage in particular protected industrial action for the agreement), one of the following must occur:


    (a)    the employer agrees to bargain, or initiates bargaining, for the agreement;

    (b)    a majority support determination in relation to the agreement comes into operation;

    (c)    a scope order in relation to the agreement comes into operation; or

    (d)    a low‑paid authorisation in relation to the agreement that specifies the employer comes into operation.


    On the Horizon….


    Further changes to the Act may be coming so stay tuned for updates in due course!


    Questions/Assistance


    If you have any questions or would like any assistance, please feel free to speak with or email a member of our Matthews Folbigg Workplace Solutions team on (02) 9635 7966 or info@matthewsfolbigg.com.au


    DISCLAIMER: This article is provided to clients and readers for their general information and on a complimentary basis. It contains a brief summary only and should not be relied upon or used as definitive or complete statement of the relevant law.


  • 15-Mar-2016 11:48 | Anonymous

    ‘There has never been a more exciting time to be an Australian’ is the very first sentence of the well publicised innovation statement released by the Turnbull Government on 7 December, 2015. The purpose of this bold statement is to demonstrate a firm belief by the Government in the innovation potential of Australia and a commitment to the cause of promoting a post-mining era ‘ideas boom’ through initiatives worth $1.1 billion over four years. The statement is focused on four pillars: culture and capital, collaboration, talent and skills, and “government as an exemplar” with an overarching long-term goal of encouraging ‘a culture that backs good ideas and learns from taking risks and making mistakes.’


    A key government measure to promote ideas at their root stage is the R&D Tax Incentive, which is a broad based program that provides a tax offset to eligible companies at a rate over and above that of a normal tax deduction. The Incentive can see eligible businesses obtain tax offsets of up to 45% of R&D spend, with some of this potentially refundable in cash for businesses with grouped annual turnover of less than $20 million.


    R&D activities can involve design and development of new products, processes, platforms or services, or those that are above and beyond the capabilities of their predecessors. Expenses that are eligible for the R&D tax offset include cost incurred on salary and wages, direct prototype costs, travel, contractor costs and other business overheads applicable to the registered R&D activities.


    In order to apply for the R&D Tax Incentive, companies are required to lodge an R&D Application within 10 months of their financial year end. Therefore, a company that undertook eligible R&D activities at any stage during the 2015 financial year is able to access the tax offset through lodging an Application form by 30 April 2016. We assist over 1000 companies nationally with this, with over 300 of these out of the Sydney area.


    Further to the R&D Tax Incentive, the statement references a desire to introduction of tax breaks for early stage (angel) investors in order to promote investment in innovative start-ups with high growth potential. These tax breaks include: a 20% non-refundable tax offset on investments (capped at $200,000 per investor per year) and a 10 year exemption on capital gains tax, provided investments are held for three years. The new arrangements are not yet officially law but, if passed as such, are expected to commence from 1 July 2016.


    For further information please contact: 


    Mitch Eady

    PwC R&D Manager 

     

    P: 02 8266 4991

    E: mitch.eady@au.pwc.com



    Aaron LePoidevin 

    PwC R&D Partner 


    P: 02 8266 0215

    E: aaron.lepoidevin@au.pwc.com



  • 01-Mar-2016 13:59 | Deleted user

    The Parramatta CBD skyline will change forever with more than $8 billion being invested in building and construction opportunities. 


    Already a major transport hub, dining and shopping precinct and sporting and events destination, this investment will accelerate Parramatta's journey to become Australia’s Next Great City. The State Government has identified Parramatta to join the City of Sydney as the dual CBDs that will drive the state economy. 


    The $2 billion Parramatta Square development is underway with the Western Sydney University city campus set to host 3,500 students daily when it opens in 2017. Add to that a $1 billion dollar light rail, a $900 million investment in Westmead bio-medical precinct, relocation of the Powerhouse Museum and a new $300 million 30,000-seat stadium, scheduled to be completed by 2019. 


    Click on the video below for more...



    Featuring interviews with NSW Premier Mike Baird; Danny Rezek, Partner, Deloitte Australia; Tara Cheesman, Smart City Project Officer, Parramatta City Council; and Wally Scales, Director, Knight Frank. 

  • 29-Feb-2016 15:07 | Anonymous

    With all eyes on utilising innovation to grow your business, it’s time to learn how.


    Davies Collison Cave and Western Sydney Business Access invite you to a special ‘Innovation’ breakfast, where you will be provided with practical techniques and insights to help you develop your business or enterprise.


    Damon Henshaw from Davies Collison Cave will provide insight into finding value through various forms of intellectual property in your business, such as trade marks, patents and designs, and will offer strategies for how to best leverage this. 


    Other speakers include:

    • Paul van Bergen from KPMG, presenting on capturing your R&D knowledge and utilising tax incentives and funding to maximise commercial value;
    • David Newton from Telstra, on the benefits and tools to make the most of cloud technologies and cloud security;
    • Dr Andy Marks from Western Sydney University, on innovation and collaboration in action;
    • Adjunct Professor Jim Taggart will MC the event.

    When and Where?

     

    When: Thursday 3 March 2017

    8am for 8.30am start, presentations to finish 11.30am
    Breakfast and refreshments provided

    An optional lunch and networking will follow


    Where: Parramatta Leagues Club, 13-15 O’Connell Street, Parramatta


    How do I sign up?


    If you are interested in attending, please register here.





  • 29-Feb-2016 14:53 | Anonymous

    Let’s face it, sometimes it happens. Your drive and love for your own business begins to fade. Much like personal relationships, in the early days everything is amazing and fun. Over time, and with relentless demands, the love dilutes and soon becomes replaced by stress and pressure.


    This loss of love in your business begins to impact your ability as a leader to perform and direct your team. We then begin to ask ourselves “Is it really worth it? “


    Take some time out to go on a date with your business and consider how you can implement the following three suggestions to improve the relationship.


    1. Define your vision and map your direction

    The first step to falling back in love with your business is to define your purpose and vision. Investing in your ‘why’ will make the hard work required to get things back on track easier. When you have a reason, hard work doesn’t seem so hard.


    Document your vision and map the steps required to get there. Share this with the team so they become unified: one team with one dream.


    2. Get the right people in your business so you can delegate and elevate

    How are you going to achieve your vision if you have the wrong people in your business? As a business owner it is easy to blame staff for poor performance. With the right people you can achieve the impossible.


    To effectively delegate and elevate yourself as a business leader you need to have the right people in your business. This will give you more time in the captains’ seat working on the activities you are good at and driving the direction of the business forward.


    Consider creating a staff matrix of everybody in the business - you included. Outline their roles, current key performance indicators, and their alignment to your business values. Consider who is performing and who is not.


    3. Create a clear business structure and set goals across your business to measure your progress and keep you motivated

    Create a clear and documented divisional structure across your business. Specifically outline each division’s key performance metrics and lines of communication.


    Untangle the wires and assign responsibilities, so your team clearly knows their role in the newly implemented business structure, and what is expected of them. All good loving relationships have clear responsibilities, communication lines and expectations.


    By defining your vision, aligning the right team to you direction, and creating clear structure in your business you will begin to feel the love again.


    To find out more on HOW to fall back in love with your business, join us at a Gallop Discovery seminar at Leichhardt. WSBC members can be eligible for complimentary tickets.


    Contact Roger Vertannes to be qualified:


    M: 0488 335 589  

    E: rvertannes@gallopsolutions.com





    www.gallopsolutions.com


  • 29-Feb-2016 14:41 | Anonymous

    Imagine that you can buy electricity up to 40% cheaper than what’s on offer from the electricity retailers. At a fixed rate for 25 years – protecting your business from inevitable electricity price hikes.


    And just think about all the acres of existing roof space – offices, factories, warehouses – stretching across the country that could be utilised to provide energy at the point of demand for business.  Clean, solar energy.


    By now, I’m sure you’re thinking that there must be a catch – you have to go through the hassle of finding someone reputable to install the panels, pay for the installation and the ongoing maintenance of the panels for a pay-back that’s at least a decade away. It’s the reason so few large-scale solar projects exist in Australia. 


    And it’s the very problem that inspired me to look at doing solar differently. Enter SolarCloud – it’s solar as it should be. No capex required, no ongoing maintenance.


    You would be hard pressed to find anyone who truly believes solar electricity is a bad idea.


    It’s free to generate, produces zero emissions and Australia has an abundance of the raw materials. And yet only 1.1% of Australia’s electrical energy is produced using solar PV technology.


    Three years ago I started working on a concept where anyone, anywhere could share solar energy – regardless of whether they lived in a rental apartment or owned their own house.


    There was no model for how I wanted it to work, so I decided to invent one.


    I thought about the way telcos do business – offer the hardware at no cost and charge for the service – and how this could translate to the solar market.


    With SolarCloud, in return for being able to use your rooftops to generate energy, SolarCloud will conduct a free energy audit of your business and provide and install LEDs and solar panels which SolarCloud will maintain for the life of the panel.


    This style of arrangement - called a Power Purchase Agreement - has been working effectively in the US market for some time. Global business innovators such as Google and Apple have been investing heavily in these arrangements because they see the long-term financial and environmental benefits.


    Our first installation of panels will be at Australian Technology Park in the heart of Sydney, and we are geared up to expand quickly.


    We’d love to hear from you if you’re interested in being a part of this innovative and disruptive way to produce and purchase power.


    Call us directly on (02) 8579 2008 or click here for more information and to register your interest.


    John Kennedy is the founder and CEO of SolarCloud. The SolarCloud scheme is ASIC registered and complies with all Australian Financial Services License (AFSL) regulations.


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