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Editor's Note
W

Our Experts

elcome to your Winter issue of NRBM. This issue marks NRBMs 8th
birthday and wed like to say a big thank you to all our readers, columnists,
advertisers and the team who make NRBM possible. Its important for our
regional economy to have a business publication covering issues that impact on our
Northern Rivers business community and covers their successes.
At this time of year business owners are even more focussed on finance than ever with
the end of the financial year. Our columnist Kate Cameron from Rochdale Accounting gives
good advice on business finances and planning for 2016 in her column on p10.
Our feature this issue is on Enova Energy, an exciting new force in renewable power
in the Northern Rivers. The Enova team have an impeccable pedigree with wide ranging
experience in both business and environmental fields. They are the perfect blend to
bring into being Australias first community-owned renewable energy retailer offering an
alternative to the big 3 power providers. Launching in July they will be offering a wide
range of services and best available energy offers to the Northern Rivers community. Find
out more about what they have planned and how you can be involved on p16 and 17.
Our company profile this issue showcases HVTC Northern Rivers, we talk to Manager
Stevie Cole, about the business, the team and meet one of their clients.
Business Matters is a feast of business information and ideas including Employment
& Training, where you can find advice on wage awards, tips to help you work on your
business effectively and get the right staff for your business. In Food & Drink we investigate
the culinary delights available to you, showcasing Blake Seymour, Executive Chef at Ballina
RSL. Jamie Cunningham, our expert business consultant, highlights the top 5 technologies
that could kill your business. Theres a whole lot more so youll have to investigate every
page.
We hope you enjoy your Winter issue and that you have a good Winter season.
Until next time

Moyra Burke-Smith
Editor NRBM
NRBM is and always has been proud to only use local suppliers.

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Publisher

NRBM

Ashley Burke-Smith

T: 02 6685 7569
F: 02 6685 5430
W: www.nrbm.com.au
P: PO Box 1777, Byron Bay, NSW, 2481

Editor
Moyra Burke-Smith

Design
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info@aguawebs.com
02 6676 2980

Contacts
Editorial Contributions:
editor@nrbm.com.au
Advertising Enquiries/Media Kit:
sales@nrbm.com.au
Subscriptions & General Enquiries:
admin@nrbm.com.au

The Small Print :

Notice: While every effort has been made to ensure the
accuracy of the information in this publication the publisher
accepts no responsibility or liability for any errors, omissions or
resultant consequences, including any loss or damage arising
from the reliance on information in this publication. The
views expressed in Northern Rivers Business Magazine are not
necessarily endorsed by the editor or publisher. No part of this
publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or
transmitted in any form, or by any means electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording, internet or otherwise, without the
prior written permission of the publisher.

Jamie Cunningham has worked with 300+

business owners around the world. One
key result of his work is helping owners to
attract and hire top talent, saving them time
and stress in their businesses and their lives.
Clayton Oates, QA Business, our Channel
7 business efficiency guru cuts through
the red tape and helps you streamline
your business to make things happen.
Recognised as one of the Top 25 Global
Accounting Technology Thought Leaders,
the only Australian-based professional
to to be recognised with this honour.
Greg Arnold, Effective Workplace
Solutions has 30 years experience as
a workplace relations practitioner and
manager in a broad range of industries
including construction, engineering,
publishing, and hospitality. He helps business
to reduce the risk and exposure to costly
disputation, court cases and prosecution.
Josh McIntosh, All Pest Solutions, with
over 10 years experience in pest control
Josh and his team are passionate about
pest control and provide a high quality
and professional service throughout the
Northern Rivers to business and residents..
Stephen Paul, Safety and Fire
Education. Stephen is the Work, Health
and Fire Safety Trainer and Workplace
Safety Consultant at S.a.F.E bringing his
extensive industry experience including
15 years in health services and over
20 years in the emergency services.
Tony Bowden EPIC Employment Service
Inc. EPIC is a community based, not-forprofit organisation connecting employers
and jobseekers to create long term
employment in the open labour market.
Jonathan Marquet, McCartney
Young Lawyers. Jonathan works with
commercial clients with a particular
focus on property aspects and advises in
relation to local government and planning
issues and future planning needs.
Gail Fuller, Byron Coastal Real Estate
providing sound real estate advice in property
management, holiday rental revenue, selling
and buying property. Our team is focused
on increasing your profit and ensuring your
investment is maintained to a high standard.
Kate Cameron Rochdale Accounting
& Business Advisory - Kate started her
career with PWC Sydney and moved
to Lennox Head in 2005. A massive fan
of Xero she seriously enjoys working
closely with businesses to achieve results
and positive change. With experience
in both marketing and accountancy
Kate brings a lot extra to businesses.
Soraya Barnham, Complete Uniform
Solutions, works with businesses
to enhance their corporate image
and branding with strategic use of
logos, Workwear & Uniforms.

The paper used to produce this magazine is manufactured by an ISO 14001 environmentally rated mill.

www.nrbm.com.au

Winter 2015

Contents
12

13

21

25

Regulars

Cover Feature

News

6-7

Keeping you up to date with news from the region, including

The Round Up news from the regions chambers.

Business Matters

9-15 & 18-28

Covering the issues that matter to your business:

Biz Tips, Banking & Finance, Legal Corner, Health &
Safety, Employment & Training, Real Estate, Uniforms
& Workwear, Business Efficiency and Marketing.

Company Profile

26

Enova Energy Power for the people

16-17

In our feature this issue we meet the team behind Enova

Energy a new force in renewable energy. This Byron based
community-owned energy retailer, aims to position the
region as a leader in energy solutions. Find out how you can
get involved.

Business Matters
Business Efficiency

This issue we talk to Stevie Cole, Manager of HVTC

Northern Rivers and find out more about the
positive impact they have in our community.

Canberra Comments

16-17

12

Can accounting technology deliver for small business?

29

Health & Safety

Local Federal Member for Page comments on current issues

How prepared is your team to tackle a fire?

Pollies Points

Food & Drink

30

Find out the key issues that your local pollie is fighting for you.

13
21

Blakes Table is the new buzz in Ballina

Employment & Training

22-25

Find out what you need to know on pay awards,

employing the right staff and training.
Heres some more information for you: *Offer available for refinanced loans until 30/06/15. Loan must commence prior to 28/08/15. Minimum loan $150,000. The $1,000 cashback will be deposited to the loan account after
the settlement date. Applications for finance are subject to Newcastle Permanents normal credit approval process. Fees, Charges, Terms and Conditions apply. Newcastle Permanent Building Society Limited ACN 087 651 992,
Australian Financial Services Licence/Australian Credit Licence 238273. NPB2945 HP

www.nrbm.com.au

www.nrbm.com.au

Winter 2015

THE ROUND UP

NEWS & EVENTS

100 Go Solar
World Environment Day was celebrated in June with the launch
of 100 Go Solar at the Green Building Centre in Byron Bay. This
community initiative was launched by Pam and Martin Brook
of Brookfarm, who are Silver Status winners of the Sustainability
Advantage Award from the NSW Office of Environment and
Heritage.
Vicki Brooke of 100 Go
Solar commented Were
thrilled Pam and Martin can
lead the way for businesses in
Byron Shire to switch to solar.
It makes perfect economic
and environmental sense for
businesses to go solar.
Whilst there has been
a terrific take up on the
domestic side of solar,
business is lagging behind
with just 25% of installations of new solar installations for
businesses.
Byron Shire Council have come on board with the project as
well as part of their Green Keys Initiative backed by Green Building
Centre. The purpose of the program is to help local businesses to
become sustainable in their operations.
One of the critical factors is to get landlords and landowners
involved, by keeping it simple for them to access and finance its a
win win for both landlords and tenants with savings from day one
benefitting both parties.
So the challenge is launched to get 100 businesses in the
Byron Shire on solar. To enter register through the website
www.100gosolar.com.au or email info@100gosolar.com.au.

New Jail Proposed for Grafton

A new jail will be built in Grafton under a plan to deal with New
South Wales' rapidly growing prison population.
The announcement follows a significant downgrade of Grafton's
existing prison several
years ago, and would
lead to the delivery
of 1,000 extra prison
beds, Deputy Premier
and Justice Minister
Troy Grant said.
He said the state's
prison population was
reaching capacity at
about 11,600, and a
record $1.2 billion would be included in next week's state budget to
address a critical need for expansions and upgrades.
"We always have challenges from time to time with capacity and,
yes, there is a need for additional beds," Mr Grant said.
Under the plan, the new jail would be built on a greenfield site at
Grafton, under a public-private partnership.
It would accommodate 600 prisoners and should be built by 2019.
It would employ 200 prison officers, compared to 47 working at the
city's existing facility.
"The current jail is old, it's worn and tired, it's been downsized in
scale because of a lot of issues with the current site, so a new site is the
best option," Mr Grant said.
Clarence MP Chris Gulaptis, whose electorate includes Grafton, said
the city had suffered in recent years and the prison development was
a welcome boost.
"It will employ hundreds of people and that's exactly what we
need." Mr Gulaptis said.
6

Winter 2015

Lismore Paves Its Roads With Glass

Another milestone in Lismores
recycling history has been reached
with Lismore City Council building
its first road paved with glass.
The
500-metre
section
near Numulgi Hall has been
reconstructed using glass sand
from the Glass Processing Plant built in May, 2014.
Rural works supervisor Peter Brewer-Charles said council would be
using the glass sand in all road base from this point forward.
Its a consistent product with good compaction results, Mr BrewerCharles said.
Since the recent establishment of councils glass processing plant, all
old glass, crockery and pyrex collected from yellow-lidded recycling bins
has been crushed into sand and stockpiled, ready for use in road base.
The glass to sand concept had some teething problems, as the
product needed rigorous testing to ensure there were no WHS risks to
staff due to the glass sands silica content.
Blakebrook Quarry quality assurance supervisor Jon Rigley said We
needed to make sure the product was 100 per cent safe to use and
that our staff were well-equipped and educated to feel safe and secure
using this new product.
There has been an enormous effort by all the staff at the quarry,
and in particular the boys in the laboratory, to ensure this idea could
get up, Mr Rigley said.
Councils executive director of infrastructure services Gary Murphy
said This is a revolution in how we construct roads and we have
received excellent feedback from the community right from the
beginning for this concept, which saves everyone money and is good
for the environment.

Regions Out of Pocket

by Income Inequality
The recent State of the Regions Report:
Inequality Between and Within Regions
from the Australian Local Government
Association (ALGA), confirmed trends
showing the link between income inequality at a regional level
and economic growth on a national level.
Dr Peter Brain, leading economist and co-author of the report,
said: "The report identifies a need for policies and investments
to be implemented on a region-by-region basis to decrease the
existing inequality across Australian regionsLocal government is
strategically placed to coordinate job-creation policies at the local
level to improve Australia's economic performance and hence
make an important contribution to national economic growth."
ALGA President Troy Pickard welcomed recommendations for
targeted investment in Local Government services such as local
infrastructure maintenance and provision.
Mr Pickard stated: "The success of programs such as the
Regional and Local Community Infrastructure Program in 200810 and the longstanding Roads to Recovery Program highlights
the value and effectiveness of a direct partnership between the
Federal Government and Local Government in delivering major
outcomes in job-creation and economic stimulation.
"However, the decision in the 2014-15 Federal budget
to freeze the indexation of Financial Assistance Grants (FAGs)
funding will cost local government an estimated $925 million
over the forward estimates. Financial Assistance Grants, which
are particularly important for poorly-resourced councils, are a
major element in the national strategy to combat inter-regional
inequality.
"Every years delay in the adoption of this approach imposes
significant costs on the national economy by limiting the growth
potential of both country and metropolitan regions." He said.
www.nrbm.com.au

Love Lennox Festival 2015

The Lennox Head Chamber
of Commerce hosted the 3rd
annual Love Lennox Festival on
Saturday June 6 2015.
The festival is a celebration
of everything there is to love
about Lennox Head, our
beautiful seaside village nestled
between Byron Bay and Ballina.
The Lennox Head Chamber
of Commerce is a small but
vibrant chamber with big goals.
Love Lennox Festival began to
support local business during
the quieter winter months. This year the Love Lennox Festival
Committee gained the support of the local business community,
community groups, home based business and the creative arts to
create a unique and exciting showcase for the town.
Despite the weather the festival attracted huge crowds that
enjoyed street entertainment, festival stalls, surf board swap meet,
kids activities and competitions including Dogs of Lennox and Paper
Plane Competition.
Social media was used very effectively to spread the word and the
famous Instragram frame visited nearly every local business to ensure
the festival energy reached far and wide.
25 local eateries participated in the inaugural Flavours of Lennox.
Patrons were encouraged to purchase tasting plates for $5 and vote
for their favourite flavour and enter the draw to win prizes.
Of course the event would not be possible without the generous
support of sponsors and the efforts of the Love Lennox Festival
committee who worked tirelessly to ensure the event was a success.
We think 2016 will be even better!

Cheat Your Way to the Lismore Business

Excellence Awards
Local accounting and financial services firm Crowe Horwath are
confirmed to again sponsor the Lismore Business Excellence Awards.
For the second year the team are excited about preparations for the
awards which is building up to be another gala event.
The Business Excellence Awards are a fantastic opportunity for us to
support the local business
community. Last year we
provided a Survive and
Thrive guide to everyone
that entered, but this year
we want to encourage
more businesses to put
their entries in said
Catherine Bashforth
Marketing Manager at
Crowe Horwath.
To assist businesses
with their entries Crowe
Horwath have developed a handy Cheat Sheet which breaks down
the entry criteria making it easier to complete. Catherine said we really
do understand the time constraints that many business operators face,
so we wanted to assist them where possible. Entering the awards is a
fantastic way to take a step back and review where you are and what
you want to achieve, we hope the cheat sheet helps make the process
easy and time efficient.
Judging will be starting soon and tickets for the Gala Awards Dinner on 1st
August are on sale now. All of the information along with the Cheat Sheet
can be found at the Lismore Chamber of Commerce and Industry website
www.lismorechamber.com.au.

Yambas Winter Pleasures

Bangalow Billy Rides Again

The Bangalow Chamber of Commerce and the Bangalow Lions
Club hosted yet another successful Australian Billycart Derby
Championship in May with a record registration tally.
Despite a damp start we went ahead with our crowd safety
preparations and were rewarded with a fabulous day (not too hot)
and lots of thrills and spills.
Our lunchtime parade is really popular with the schools and clubs
all adding their colour to the street. We've been hosting this event
since 1994 and it just keeps getting bigger and better particularly
since the local primary school added their own fundraiser "The
Mad Hatters Derby Tea Party" to the event (a mutually beneficial
arrangement).
We like to rope in a couple of celebrities for a race in the

afternoon and this year we had Katrina Katetoni (a hatted pastry

chef), Mick O'Regan (ex-ABC and our tireless race caller), Pat Davern
from Grinspoon and Tex Perkins from Cruel Sea.
All in all a fantastic family day out.

www.nrbm.com.au

There is no better time to visit

Yamba than now, with beautiful
cool, sunny days, making your
visit a real pleasure. We have an
abundance of cafes, restaurants
and retail outlets, all with their
very own style and vibe. Voted
on Trivago as Australias most
affordable accommodation town,
makes this an affordable holiday
for everyone. Check out whats
on in the months to follow:
The annual Surfing the
Coldstream Festival will be on
Saturday 17th October, with an
impressive range of activities,
films, music, street performers
etc. This is a free festival making
it a fabulous event for all the
family. Go to www.surfing
thecoldstream.com.au for more
details.

The Hot Rodders will again be

visiting Yamba on the weekend
of Saturday 14th November, with
over 400 vintage Hot Rods and
cars on display throughout the
CBD, why not come and stay for
the weekend?
The
Yamba
Chamber
is working closely with our
members, Clarence Valley
Council and key stakeholders to
ensure we all can maximise on the
biggest growth and development
projects in the Clarence Valley.
Such projects such as the second
crossing of the Grafton Bridge, the
Pacific Highway upgrade and the
new Harwood Bridge, there will
be opportunities for employment,
training, construction, hospitality
and tourism.

Winter 2015

advertisement feature
business matters

pest management

Plan Your Event Effectively

Uninvited Guests

by Grafton Community & Function Centre

eve all heard it before begin with the end in mind.

Why is it that we always get bogged down in the
details and forget about the bigger picture?
When youre trying to generate an inspirational experience for your
team, organisation and purposeful outcomes are your keys to success.
Purpose
When organising any event ask yourself two questions:
- What do I want to gain out of this experience?
- What do I want my team to gain out of this experience?
Answer these two questions and you have your purpose. Take the
answers to these two questions and write them down or put them on
your whiteboard, keep them around you and in your space while you
plan your event, it will keep you on track. Keeping the purpose in the
forefront of your mind while you plan will make sure you check through
each part of the planning.
When it comes to the actual detail, break it down, make sure each
element meets the purpose of your event.
Scheduling
Timing of topics and breaks is essential to keep people in the zone.
Make each topic no longer than 45 minutes including questions.
Break it down into 35 minutes of direct presentation with follow up
questions for 10 minutes.
Food
Choose your food wisely. Nourish the mind with healthy and
satisfying choices. Fresh cut meats and salads, fruits, if you have a
group that like a little bit of junk go for hot finger food, cheese and
cold meat plates. Fresh tea, coffee and water are always a hit. Avoid
the sugary sweets, you dont want your attendees to crash and burn.

Josh McIntosh, All Pest Solutions

Facilities
Is the building accessible?
Do you need audio hearing
loops? What kind of parking
is available? Is public transport
accessible? Make sure you
know who is attending your
event so you can meet any
special needs when choosing your facility.
Presenters
Keep your speakers presentations short, sharp and to the point. If
you have a large topic to cover break it down into smaller chunks so
your attendees can digest it.
Topics
Are your topics relevant? When attendees lose interest it will cause
distraction to your environment. Always have engaging presentations
that attendees will benefit from. If you know you have a particularly
dry topic to cover, make it interactive, create an activity or show an
engaging video.
Create a Memorable Experience
Make your event memorable. Look at social media campaigns,
tweets, Instagram. Encourage networking, sharing and posting to get
your attendees to start conversations and engage with each other on
a new level. Give a gift to attendees whether its a desk calendar or
desktop inspiration thats relevant to your presentation.
Make the effort to motivate your people, they are your
best asset! For more information call 02 6642 0900 or email:
graftoncommunitycentre@clarence.nsw.gov.au

www.nrbm.com.au

he return of winter means you'll be spending more

time in your home, but you wont be the only one
seeking shelter. As temperatures drop, mice and rats
head indoors to search for food and they might pick your
house or business for their new residence.
Rats are prolific breeders, so when you see a rat, you must take
immediate action. Rat populations can grow exponentially. Under
ideal conditions a pair of rats could produce 15,000 offspring in
just one year.
How do you know if youve got rats or mice? Inspect your
property regularly for signs of rodent activity, which include:
Gnawed surfaces, rats and mice need to gnaw to keep their
constantly growing incisor teeth worn down, look for damage
to woodwork, plastic and lead pipes and electrical cables
Holes in walls, mice holes approx. 20mm in diameter, rats
approx. 80mm
A run, rodents having established the best route from one
place to another use it frequently and this "run" becomes
soiled with grease and dirt and leaves a "smear"
Footprints on dusty surfaces
Droppings, faeces or droppings of rats and mice are a good
indication of the cause, size and duration of the infestation
So how do you avoid attracting these beasties?
Be Neat. Manage your grass levels and keep your yard free
of rubbish, debris & accumulated building supplies. If storing
materials or equipment outside, do so neatly. Elevate stored items
to help reduce nesting. This will also allow you to inspect under
and around these items more easily.

www.nrbm.com.au

Don't Feed Them. Rats will

establish a home in your yard
if there is an ample food source.
Dont leave any pet food, dog
manure, open garbage cans or cans
without tight lids, bags of garbage, bird
seed or any other food scraps outside for rats to eat.
Cut Off Their Water Supply. Similarly rats will nest in your
yard if they have water. To eliminate this problem remove any
dump buckets, unused flower pots, toys, equipment & anything
else in which water can accumulate after rainfall.
Disease Transmission
Rodents have been implicated in transferring over 55 diseases
to humans ranging from viruses to parasitic worms. However the
most common of all is food-poisoning e.g. Salmonella bacteria.
These diseases can be transmitted to humans by a variety of means:
Rodent urine or faeces contaminating your food, cooking
utensils or kitchen appliances
Direct human contact with urine or faeces; where bacteria
enter through small cuts or scratches
Blood-sucking insects, such as fleas, transferring diseases from
rodent to human
Other animals, such as your pets, transferring diseases from
rodent (or blood-suckers) to human
Rodents directly biting humans
So this winter season be aware and avoid attracting these furry
pests. For more information visit: www.allpestsolutions.com.au.

business matters

banking & finance

Ready for the New Financial Year?

Kate Cameron, Rochdale Accounting & Business Advisory

lients commonly associate the end of the financial year

with tax planning however the ultimate time to start
tax planning for the year is the start yes July. It is
imperative you budget for your tax bill, know your ongoing
position, monitor against forecasts and consistently implement
strategies throughout the year.
Have you mapped out your business cashflow for the 2016 year?
Dont gamble with the unknown for your business. Planning is the
lifeblood of your business. Now is the
time to start planning for the 2016
financial year. Are there expenses or
capital purchases you know you will
need to cover? Have you considered
changes in pricing and marketing
strategies and the effect they will have
on the bottom line? Are you wanting to
budget for a family holiday in 2016? A
carefully constructed cashflow budget
for the year will assist you in planning
for business expenses and understand
any financing requirements before
they arise. Avoid getting caught short
by unplanned expenses.
Having a realistic yet challenging goal for the year will give you
and your business the opportunity for a clear path and the ability to
make decisions and action changes as required.
Another consideration this time of year is to ensure your
bookkeeping processes are not only as efficient and as accurate

10

as possible but more importantly provide you with up to date

information relevant to making timely decisions about your business.
We are continually moving clients to the Cloud and setting up
businesses on Xero just this week I received the comment Wow,
Xero has changed my life. It provides the opportunity for clients to
work more closely with advisers with up to date data and planning
opportunities.
This time of year is also a perfect opportunity for clients to
review their current loan and financing
arrangements and determine if
restructuring, refinancing or a
consolidation could benefit you.
Many individuals and businesses are
currently paying above market interest
on finance sought years ago. A simple
review of your finance could save you
thousands. We have recently been
involved and worked closely with a
number of clients to restructure their
current debts to ensure they obtain
not only the best finance option to
suit them, but reduce interest costs
and most importantly, minimise non-deductible debt. Looking at
your debts, and determining the best finance strategy for clients is
something we love to do. We also work with the banks to ensure
they are clear on the strategy we plan with you.
Contact Rochdale if you need assistance with planning for the
2016 financial year.

www.nrbm.com.au

business matters

business matters

health & safety

business efficiency

Accounting Technology A Promise to Keep

First Response Firefighting

Clayton Oates, QA Business

usiness often involves repetition (at least the things that

work are usually worth repeating) however have you
ever found yourself repeating the same old tasks without
making any real progress? Re-living your own Groundhog Day,
over and over again
Accounting Technology may be just awakening from its own (20
year) Groundhog Day! I can vividly recall the buzz around desktop
accounting software back in the mid 1990s (not too dissimilar from
the excitement of the Cloud today) and whilst much progress has been
made since then it is arguable that The Promise back then has actually
been delivered to small business.
So what is/was The Promise? Part of it is that technology would
provide the platform for more efficient businesses, a connected,
streamlined world with systems that dealt with compliance behind the
scenes, the BAS, Bookwork, Tax Returns all being dealt with in order to
make the process of accounting invisible. Then your Trusted Advisors
could get on with Proactive Business Advisory services that ultimately
add value to the business and their owners.
A world in which technology completed, complimented and enabled
a process in which the business owner could fast track the realisation of
their goals and dreams of why they entered the world of business in the
first place (more time, more money and that elusive notion of freedom).
The reality has been that Small Business Accounting Technology
systems have been mostly delivering Compliance Computing for the
past 2 decades, leaving the big picture promise widely un-delivered.

12

Stephen Paul, Safety and Fire Education

ts a normal day at work. All of a
sudden theres a burning smell that
unmistakable smell of smoke.
You quickly go into response mode. The
decision to evacuate or to stay and fight is
made based on the size and location of the
fire and the facilitys emergency procedures.
Obviously the primary thing to remember
before grabbing an extinguisher is that
LIFE IS NUMBER 1. Buildings can be rebuilt
but life cant be brought back. Life safety
is always the main priority, so if in doubt,
evacuate.
The second priority after life safety is could you safely tackle
the fire? Is the fire equipment available and the correct type for
the risk and ready for use? Knowing that your fire technician
is competent, has an understanding of the installation and
maintenance standards and is able to do a building survey to see
if any changes of use have occurred that varies the required fire
equipment is vital.
The next issue is Am I competent and confident to safely
use the fire equipment? If I have never used a fire blanket how
do I know I can use it without burning my knuckles or singeing
my eyebrows? What size fire can I put out with an extinguisher
if I have no practical training or if all my training was with an
electronic fire and a virtual extinguisher?
There is no better way to give staff the confidence to safely
tackle an emergency than realistic, live, hot fire training. Being

Then just when the systems were being refined to cater for streamlined
business processes along comes The Cloud with the promise to deliver
on what the desktop world largely failed to do, its out with the old
and in with the new.
So a few years in are we seeing this new medium delivering on
The Promise? Its still early days and whilst there are tremendously
exciting developments, there is also concern that we are re-living the
Groundhog Day world!
Many have devoted time and resources to make the switch from
Desktop to Cloud. The spotlight is now on delivering on The Promise
of business efficiency solutions. This is more than just removing obvious
pain points of the desktop world though that is part of the transition;
its not the place to end at. Otherwise we will just repeat a transition
and not deliver The Promise.
The potential is there for The Promise to be delivered however it is
going to take an environment of active collaboration by all stakeholders
in the Accounting Tech profession to make it a reality. We all have a
responsibility to participate with a focus on the End at the Beginning to
ensure that this time - The Promise is delivered, Small Business certainly
deserves that we do.

www.nrbm.com.au

www.nrbm.com.au

able to make the assessment that

I put a fire out about that size
in training so I know I can safely
tackle this real fire or This fire
is much bigger than what we
tackled at training so the best
course of action is to evacuate
is critical.
We recently had a participant
completing their annual first
response training who hesitated
at using the fire blanket. After the
other participants had their turn
she decided to have a go. After
feeling the heat and more fully understanding the risks she knew
she would be able to attempt to use a fire blanket if the need
arose.
So it can be seen that preparation is the key to managing an
emergency and being prepared for the possibly disastrous event
of a fire in relation to first response firefighting.
The key things are:
1. Make sure the fire equipment is correct for application, in
position and not obstructed
2. Ensure fire equipment is being tested regularly by checking that
the tag has been stamped
3. Have relevant and realistic training so you have the confidence
to size up the situation for fight or flight
ALWAYS REMEMBER life is more important than buildings.

13

business matters

business matters

uniforms & workwear

biz tips

Step Out of the Box

Soraya Barnham, Complete Uniform solutions
here is an alternative to stock service uniforms. Todays
market is flooded with generic uniform options, with
the right provider you can get an innovative and unique
approach with each uniform specifically designed and created
just for your company.
Your providers aim should be to produce for you the best looking
uniform in the market. Working with you to develop a result that
your team will be proud to wear: a uniform that is completely tailored
to them and your business.
Your organisation's image is unique and should form part of your
marketing strategy. A custom made uniform will definitely deliver
your messages to the public. Having a unique and stylish design
with high quality material will advertise and promote your brand(s).
As well as offering branding solutions to stock service corporate
shirt and polo ranges you should also consider custom designed
sports teamwear, corporate shirts and polos for special events or
teams that you sponsor.
By using your brand and your corporate logos and colours you
can create eye catching designer sports team uniforms for your
sponsored teams and local events your business supports. This is
another way of raising your profile as your logo and company colours
will be associated with these external events in a positive way.
So how do you economically get a polo shirt design or sports shirt
that stands out from the rest, gives that slick finished appeal and
does not take 12 weeks to get to you?
Its simple there are a number of options, one example is using
our Black Kanvas range.

Top 5 Technologies That

Could Kill Your Business

Jamie Cunningham

Sublimation printing dyes the garment, unlike traditional screen

printing methods the colour is "in" the fabric and not on top. This
gives a much better feel to the garment, as well as colour fastness
and the ability to print unlimited colours.
This process enables the production of "all over prints" which
allows your design to extend across the whole garment. Youll have
seen sublimated clothing in sports including Aussie Rules, Cycling,
Netball and Soccer.
Complete Uniforms offers a range of sublimated designs in core
colours that can be purchased with your logos for delivery within
4 weeks. You can use our design templates and order from as few
as 10, you can brand your logo on the sleeves or chest, creating
a contemporary tailored uniform for your business. The range of
garments include polos, jackets, sports singlets and t-shirts, board
shorts, caps, towels even rash shirts and boardies!
Creating bold striking designs has never been this much fun!
If you require your own template this still has a low minimum
order of 25.
Custom Sublimated Workwear is cost effective. Step out of the
box with your uniforms, you will be surprised and how fast they can
be supplied and just how little they cost.

here are massive technological changes coming, and they

are happening faster than you think. The good news is theres
just as much opportunity as there is risk for your business.
Here are the top 5 to keep an eye on:
1 - Crowdfunding and Sourcing. The ability for ANYONE to now
raise capital on an idea means even if youre in an industry that is
capital intensive, the barriers to entry have been levelled. Further, the
connectedness of people (the crowd) via the internet means access
to skills and labour is abundant like never before. When you see
lawyers and accountants outsourcing overseas, you know its become
mainstream.
2 - 3D Printing. This one is a game changer. China firm WinSun
Decoration Design Engineering is printing four story homes. Since 3D
printing became somewhat 'mainstream' (if you can call it that yet),
the technology has increased in speed by 100x. Knowing Moore's law,
this is only going to speed up. To give you an idea, doctors are already
printing replacement joints and bones.
3 - Cognitive Computing. Websites and software are pre-empting
what you are looking for. How are you serving your customers better
by using technology to learn their preferences? The market is starting
to expect things tailored to their needs and wants. If you are not
keeping up, you may be perceived as not caring about your customer.
4 - Sensors and Camera. From the garbage truck knowing how
full the bins are on its route and rerouting to be more efficient, to the
wearable sensor technology that tells you you're low on magnesium.

The world of
'knowing before
you do' is upon
us. Think about
your products
and services how can you
incorporate this
technology with
point 3 to innovate
your business?
5 - Robotics and Automation. Sick of chasing your dog down
the street? Cheetah the robot can now run and jump obstacles faster
than Usain Bolt. When you mix this with points 3 and 4, you start to
understand why futurists are saying within the next decade or two,
47% of jobs will be replaced by robots. OK, thats not a short-term
threat or is it? Foxcomm (Chinese manufacturer of iPhones) says
within 3yrs it plans to make 70% of assembly line work done by
robots.
So I hear you saying ... well, thats all great Jamie but those changes
don't apply to my industry. My only comment to that is be careful.
Young minds are thriving on these changes and industries are being
turned upside down. Be the disrupter not the disrupted.
For more detailed reading on each of these points check out Peter
Diamantis's latest book 'Bold'.

ATT: BUSINESS OWNERS

HOW TO GROW A
GREAT BUSINESS
AND HAVE A LIFE
WHILE DOING IT!
Invest 2 hours and learn how...

+61 2 6676 4246

Bond University, Robina

Friday July 23, 2015
11:00am - 1:00pm (lunch included)

JAMIE CUNNINGHAM
International Busines Coach and authority
on changing your business for the better

4KEYSTOBUSINESSSUCCESS.COM
Dont miss this opportunity to invest 2 hours of your time to learn the critical skills behind every
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15

cover feature

cover feature

Enova Energy Power for the People

It also translates into significant community benefits with direct

employment and flow on jobs in many areas of the community.
Dividends will return to the community and a constitutionally
guaranteed 50% of profits will flow back into the community
benefit projects, and facilitation of ever increasing community
renewable energy generation.
So Why the Northern Rivers as your base?
We are fortunate enough to live in the pristine Northern
Rivers environment and we feel an obligation to help protect that
environment. We also have a community that really understands
what it means to be a community and to support each other. Its
a community that demonstrably is aware of the reality of climate
change and wants to do something constructive about it. If any
region can show how the renewable industry can both create
employment and reduce our impact on the environment, this
region can.
How can people get involved?
People can get involved in a number of ways, they can:
Request a prospectus, available from July, by signing up on:
www.enovaenergy.com.au
Help spread the word, and tell other people about us
Volunteer to work with the Not for Profit (NFP) arm of the
business
Register their interest in buying energy through us (retailing
expected in September)

An Australian First
This is the first time that a community owned renewable energy
retailer has been viable in Australian history. Its no mean feat to
become a legal entity in the power industry especially when youre
offering an alternative to the traditional power sources and going
head to head with the big 3.
Part of the Enova Energy mission is to spread the word and show
that it is possible to create community power and they aspire to
create a commercially and socially vibrant model that can be copied
by like-minded communities across Australia.
Two of the team, Steve Harris and Patrick Halliday, recently
spoke at the successful Byron Solar Revolution Symposium. An
enthusiastic audience had many interesting questions for keynote
speakers Prof. Tim Flannery and Giles Parkinson and also for the
panels that followed. Good connections were strengthened and
new connections made.
When speaking to the team or listening to their presentations its
the passion for bringing about change that shines through. Their
commitment to bringing about peoples power, literally allowing
people to be involved in producing and owning their own power
and supporting their community is compelling. One thing for sure
is that the source of Northern Rivers energy is heading for change.
For more information visit: www.enovaenergy.com.au.

Meet the Team

oday three large energy companies all involved

with CSG dominate the retail space. Backed by their
large fossil fuel generation, they account for a third
of Australias greenhouse gas emissions. Supported by
distribution companies with a central grid mindset, electricity
is transported hundreds of kilometres, incurring significant
losses along the way. Add to this a doubling of energy prices
over the past five years, an inadequate response from the
federal government on climate change, its little wonder
consumers are looking for a better way to meet their
energy needs. So what is the solution? We spoke to Alison
Crook, Chair of Enova Energy, to find out more about their
community owned renewable energy alternative.
Theres a lot of talk of Community Energy at the moment
what do you see as the future trend in power supply?
There is no doubt the future in power supply will involve battery
storage technology. This will have a bigger impact on the electricity
supply than solar PV has had over the last 5 years. Battery storage
is likely to change the way we interact with the grid, where we
become partners with the distribution businesses in assisting them
manage peak energy demands to avoid costly upgrades to the
grid. Enova Energy is well placed to provide equipment and advice
and to negotiate with networks for the best outcomes for our
customers, so our customers can make a real difference. Where
individuals or groups want to go off grid completely we can provide
advice on when and how it will be cost effective to do so, carry out
installations, and provide maintenance.
How has Enova Energy come about?
There had been discussion in the region for some years about
energy options. Kim Mallee, then Sustainability Officer, Byron Shire
Council and myself went to the community energy conference in
Canberra in July 2014 and on returning decided to get a group
together who were interested in making change happen. This
evolved into a group of four people who pursued and won a grant
offered by a consortium of the Total Environment Centre (TEC),

16

Winter 2015

NSW Government Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH), and

sustainability officers from Regional councils to carry out a feasibility
study and develop a Business Plan for a community energy retailer.
Once we got underway, Steve Harris, now our CEO contacted us
and we have been developing it ever since.
The major power suppliers are also talking about investing in
green initiatives, what are your points of difference?
Being Australias first community owned renewable energy
retailer includes being a social enterprise committed to creating
local jobs, and delivering local economic and environmental
benefits. We do this through offering a range of affordable
renewable energy options from ethical sources. We will also offer
energy education, advice and technology to local households
and businesses to assist the community to manage energy more
efficiently; and we will facilitate community efforts to generate
more local renewable energy by supporting local innovation and
technological advances in energy.
We are local, personal, and we care. We are not big, bureaucratic
and one size fits all! We can tailor projects to work with the
community on green initiatives. As people demonstrate in various
ways that they want to adopt alternative energy solutions, we'll be
there to provide advice and help make it happen.
We intend to offer the best 100% Green Power price and the
best Feed-in Tariff.
Another important part of our project is that we are here to
ensure all socio-economic groups can share in the Renewable
Energy Revolution that is underway, and that the needs of
vulnerable households already struggling with energy prices can
be addressed.
What does community owned really mean for the community?
That we are committed to ensuring that Enova Energy is at least
majority owned by the community (as Shareholders) and that it
stays that way. We have written the constitution so this is ensured.
We will only exist if the community wants us to and demonstrates
that by investing in us and purchasing from us.

www.nrbm.com.au

The team has some great credentials between them, which

are part of the reason they have come so far.
Alison Crook is well known in the
business world, she has served on some 17
boards in both private and public sectors
including IBM Australia, Lend Lease
Corporate Financial Services, St James
Ethics Centre and Australian Volunteers
International. Along the way she has
been named as Australian Business
Woman of the Year, and Australian
Business Leader of the Year (Professions),
been awarded an AO for services to public
administration and a Centenary Medal for
services to business.
CEO Steven Harris brings two
decades of NSW energy sector
experience with him having
held senior roles at Powercorp
and Origin Energy, heading
up the sustainability team and
establishing Australia's first Green
Power program with over 500,000
customers
Patrick Halliday,
Co-Founder and Energy Technology
Manager is a passionate supporter of
renewable energy. This shire and its
community are currently at the forefront
of nationally significant renewable energy
initiatives. With Beyond Zero Emissions
and Council supporting a whole of shire
approach, across all sectors, we are even
stronger and even more able to lead Australia.

www.nrbm.com.au

Mara Bun, Director and

Resilience Strategist, is a NonExecutive Director of the Boards of
Green Cross Australia, Australian
Ethical Investments, and now
Enova Energy. She began her career
as a Financial Analyst with Morgan
Stanley for 5 years specialising in high
technology finance. Since then she has been involved in a
number of humanitarian projects and held leadership roles with
The Wilderness Society, Greenpeace Australia, Macquarie Bank,
Allen Consulting Group, Canstar and CSIRO.
Robert Rosen, Director, played a
pioneering role in development of the
socially responsible investment industry
in Australia. With a background in
accounting and property investment hes
an experienced Director including: Nature
Conservation Trust of NSW (Chairman/
Director), Rainforest Rescue (Chairman/
Director), Bush Heritage Australia (Treasurer/
Director) and Australian Ethical Investment Ltd
(Director).
Melissa Mac Court, Co-Founder and Marketing Manager,
has experience in marketing and business development
spanning many sectors including IT Software,
sustainable material, events, convention
and exhibitions, tourism, sports
products, NFPs and government
organisations. Melissa owns her own
local marketing services business
and has previously held many senior
executive roles in both start-up
companies and large organisations.

Winter 2015

17

business matters

legal corner

Invest in
Your Energy
Future

Is Your Self Managed Super Fund

Well Managed?
Jonathan Marquet, McCartney Young Lawyers

elf-managed super funds (SMSFs) have

seen a rapid rise in fame and popularity.
If youre a professional in accounting,
financial planning or wealth management,
youve probably overseen the establishment
of SMSFs and manage compliance aspects for
clients SMSFs.
With substantial wealth held in an SMSF, it begs
the question: what is in place to ensure that the members
death benefits are directed in accordance with their wishes?
There are two common mistakes made by advisors when it comes
to SMSF estate planning.
Firstly, a binding death benefit nomination (BDBN) for a SMSF
does not automatically expire after three years, as is the case with
retail and industry funds, where BDBNs must be renewed. So unless
your clients circumstances or wishes have changed, for the second
reason I will note later, it can be risky to renew BDBNs unnecessarily.
The second common mistake is failing to ensure that the BDBN
is completed strictly in accordance with the requirements of the
SMSF trust deed. The trust deed might annex a specific form to be
used, there may be specific witnessing requirements or there may
be a formal procedure by which a trustee approves the nomination.
It is imperative to dot all the is and cross all the ts when it
comes to completing a BDBN. Why? If the nomination does not

satisfy the requirements of the trust deed then it is not

a valid nomination and the SMSF trustee is not bound
by it.
Take Stefan, for example. He and his second wife,
Cynthia, are members of a SMSF. Stefan and Cynthia
are the two directors of the corporate trustee for
the SMSF. Stefan has contributed significantly to the
SMSF and has 4 children from a previous relationship
that he would like to provide for after his death.
Stefan completes a BDBN nominating 50% of his death
benefits to pass to the trustee of his estate, so it could be distributed
to his children in accordance with his Will. His advisor fails to check
the trust deed, which requires that a nomination is made to either
the members legal personal representative or a dependant.
Upon Stefans death, Cynthia (as surviving director of the trustee
of the SMSF) determines that the BDBN was not valid as it did not
comply with the trust deed. She decides to pay all death benefits to
herself as his spouse and Stefans children miss out on any share of
the benefits. The children are left with little choice but to make a
claim on Stefans estate.
SMSFs can provide excellent advantages to members. However, it
is important for professional advisers to properly consider the estate
planning implications. Clients will be relying on your advice to ensure
that their wishes are satisfied at their death. Make sure your clients
super fund is not just self-managed, but well-managed.

Australias first community owned

renewable energy solutions provider
offers a new model
Enova Energy is a new concept in energy providers one whose time is NOW. The sustainable
energy market is igniting, offering an unprecedented opportunity for Australians to benefit as
customers, as shareholders, as communities. Were not only pioneering renewable energy services
& products in Australia, were also a social enterprise committed to creating local jobs and delivering
local economic and environmental benefits. We do this through offering a range of affordable
renewable energy options from ethical sources, providing education & expertise to households and
businesses, assisting communities to utilise power more efficiently, less expensively. We support and
facilitate community renewable generation projects. We are local, we are capable, and we care.

Experts in Future Planning

If you advise clients in the accounting, financial
planning or wealth management sectors, youll know
that their future planning needs are complex. You may
need to obtain legal advice for your clients needs.
If you are going to refer a client to a solicitor, they need
to be to an expert you can trust.
McCartney Young Lawyers take a holistic approach to estate
planning needs. We can put the pieces together to ensure
your client and their familys future is secured.

Our passion is bringing about positive change by

empowering people

with a sustainable vision

and practical solutions. A renewable future is now in your hands ...

Launching in the Northern Rivers July 2015
Register for updates. Apply for a prospectus today.

Expertise matters.
BUSINESS LAW PROPERTY LAW PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT FUTURE PLANNING
Tel: 02 6683 5566 info@my-lawyers.com.au Level 1, 31 Cherry Street, Ballina www.my-lawyers.com.au
18

MCL001_FuturePlanning_ADNorRivBizMag.indd 1

www.nrbm.com.au
27/08/2014 11:09 am

Enova Community Energy Ltd

enovaenergy.com.au
www.nrbm.com.au

19

business matters

business matters

food & drink

real estate

Where the Heart Is

Gail Fuller, Byron Coastal Real Estate
omes are one of the few physical things on earth which
all of humanity have some association and a touch point
with. It could be as simple as a grass hut, or as palatial as
the mega homes we see of the rich and famous.
Its something we all have in common, a place we reside in at the
end of the day to rest our bodies and a place that is our own personal
territory that allows us to just be.
We fiercely protect it, we use it to identify ourselves, to make
money and to showcase ourselves to the world.
Our home represents all manner of things, and those things are our
personal projection on our properties. We have strong relationships
built over years with our properties; personal investment, especially if
we have physically worked on transforming them through renovating,
or simply bringing our families up in them. They hold memories for us,
like our childhood home.
I sometimes wonder if agents really understand or even contemplate
the full impact of the business we are in, and even consider any of the
above, before they head into a home to sell or rent for the owners.
The first consideration for any transaction that is about to take
place is the honoring of the people first. Finding out what the home
means to them and then designing a plan to support them in either
moving or managing their investment so it is supported as they would
wish if they were living there themselves.
I recently renovated a holiday property for a client who had just
bought a rural property. We spent several hundred thousand dollars
on this home. The owners lived interstate and had not seen the work
that had been carried out. They arrived with their elderly mother to see

Whats on Your Doorstep?

T
the property and she made the following comment. I love the way
you have renovated this because I can feel that you have spent the
money and bought the furniture, as if it was your own home. I can feel
the love that you bring here. This particular home had been neglected
for some years and it was not about turning it into a showcase home,
more about bringing it up to the standard it deserved. When our
guests arrived they felt the warmth, care and consideration taken to
ensure they were comfortable and attended to.
We as agents should be honored to be involved in such a personal
experience with people, assisting them to move on in their lives. We
impact this process greatly and just a few caring or understanding
words can be the lasting memories for many people.
Money should never be the driving factor, reaching sales targets,
for an agency.
I say it should always be about love. Making that the foundation
of our business.

heres a new trend in Clubs food offerings. We interview

Blake Seymour, Executive Chef at Ballina RSL to find out
more
What do you see as the new trends in RSL food?
To me it looks the same as the trend in the hotel world a decade
back. Hotels started hiring really high calibre chefs from the restaurant
world with great reputations to run a restaurant in or even the whole
hotel.
In Sydney now you can see really high quality restaurants opening
up in large clubs. Clubs are now offering a wide range of food outlets
within the one club. For example: a high end restaurant alongside an
Asian dumpling restaurant, a wood fired pizza outlet and a quick and
fresh bistro pumping out lots of quality food.
I also think peoples expectations these days are much higher, so any
successful business has to give customers what they want.
As a local boy tell us a bit about what you love about the area?
I was born in Lismore and did most of my schooling in Ballina. In
terms of my profession we really do have a wide range of beautiful
food sources that are in abundance in this area. The rich soils from the
ancient volcano, the river, the sea and all the high tablelands behind
us really give a great choice of products. Thanks to all the fantastic
producers of course.
Personally I really love any sort of outdoor activity and this area is
perfect for that. I like to do ocean swims up at Byron Bay a couple of
times a week, if there are a few waves around I will be out on my surf
board or even out for a ride on my mountain bike.
Whats been your food journey to date?
My food journey started a bit later than most chefs. After school
I completed a bachelor of business and started working in hotels in
Sydney. At 22 I travelled to Europe to broaden my horizons and ended
up working in a little kitchen in Covent Garden in London. From there
I managed to get a job as an assistant cook in the French Alps under
the supervision of a very talented chef that really got me inspired in the
food world. I think all the produce that you see in France also helped
to inspire me to get my apprenticeship when I got back to Australia.
I did my apprenticeship in the old restaurant Ruby's in the Lennox
pub and some time under Val Suarez, a very talented local Spanish chef.
After that I found my way back to London and worked in a very special

little Spanish restaurant called 'Moro,'

which was amazing. I then moved onto
Lords cricket ground and a sous chef
position at the 'Park Lane Hilton.'
Returning to the Northern Rivers I
worked as a sous chef at 'The Byron
at Byron' for 5 years.
Blakes Table is a new experience,
can you explain how it came about?
Ive always wanted to do this style
of dinner and its how I like to eat. I really
enjoy doing degustation menus but with this
other style of menu there is no fuss its just really good quality local
ingredients prepared very simply and put on the plate.
This lunch or dinner is served platter style on the table for you and
your guests to share. Locally sourced ingredients such as beef, seafood,
vegetables, cheeses and preserves are used to give you a beautifully
designed menu from local ingredients that are in season.
If you want a nice relaxed style lunch or dinner showcasing the best
and freshest local
ingredients, then
Blakes Table is
for you.
What special
foodie events
can
people
look forward to
in the next 12
months?
The new menu in the bistro 'boardwalk' will be starting at the end
of June so Im really excited about that. Our next quarterly degustation
is on the 28/8/2015. There is a new breakfast menu which is becoming
very popular on Sundays, when we offer table service rather than just
using the old buzzer system.
We are also serving a beautiful big buffet breakfast on the first
Sunday of each month and you couldn't get better value for money.
The first 'Blake's Table' will be held on the 31/7/2015 with more to be
scheduled later in the year.

Tantalise your tastebuds with the new Breakfast, Lunch

and Dinner menu by Executive Chef Blake Seymour
New exciting meals available plus a few of your old favourites.
Open for Breakfast from 8am, Lunch from midday till 2pm, Dinner from 6pm
and snack options, tea and coffee are available from 8am till late 7 days.

the

20

www.nrbm.com.au

boardwalk

www.nrbm.com.au

240 River St

6686 2544

us
l
P
The first Sunday of each month
we offer a full buffet breakfast.

www.ballinarsl.com.au
21

business matters

business matters

employment & training

employment & training

2.5% Wage Increase

Can You Absorb the Increase?

Inspiring Futures

By Greg Arnold Effective Workplace Solutions

ts that time of the year again and businesses are not only
dealing with end of financial year accounting issues, but
also considering the impact of the Minimum Wage increase
announced by the Fair Work Commission.
The FWC has decided to increase the Minimum Wage by 2.5%
from the first pay period to commence on or after 1 July. FWC
President, Justice Iain Ross stated in the decision A number
of considerations have led us to award a lower increase than
that determined in last years review decision. Among these
considerations was the reduction in inflation and aggregate wages
growth, which Justice Ross referred to as the most significant
change to occur during the past year.
Of course any increase will apply to the current Award wage
rates. However, for various reasons employers often pay
staff rates of pay that are in excess of the Award rate.
The question that is often posed to me is, If Im paying
an over-Award rate of pay to my staff, can I absorb
the increase? The answer depends upon the way
that the over-Award payment is expressed in the
contract of employment/letter of appointment.
Employers are not legally bound to pay
any more than the appropriate Award
rate of pay, however if the over-Award is
expressed in such a way in an employment
contract/letter of appointment which prescribes

a precise over-Award payment, then that prescribed over-Award

must be maintained. In other words, if the employment contract
states that the employee shall be paid $20 over the Award, then
that employee shall maintain the $20 parity between the Award
rate and the actual rate of pay the over-Award payment therefore
is not able to be absorbed.
However if the over-Award is not prescribed and defined in the
contract of employment, then the over-Award component may
be absorbed by future increases. For example, if the Award rate is
$400 per week and the contract of employment simply states
that the employee shall be paid $450 per week, then there is no
contractual obligation to maintain the $50 parity and increases may
be absorbed into the over-Award rate.
It is important to note here that staff should be advised
in writing as to what over-Award payments are to
be made and what the additional payment is
intended to cover, either by way of a letter
of appointment or employment contract.
If you require further information and
clarification into this very important aspect of
employment contracts, please do not hesitate
to contact us at Effective Workplace Solutions.
You should always seek expert advice prior to
entering into or drafting employment contracts
or appointment letters.

he Job Active program, which replaces the current Job

Services Australia program from 1 July this year, is a highly
sought after 5 year contract and attracted interest from
hundreds of Australian and international organisations.
When officially released in late March, management and staff at
NORTEC were elated with the news that they had won four employment
regions, retaining a large part of their existing regional footprint
(from Coffs Harbour to Tweed Heads) and expanding further south
to Bulahdelah near Newcastle and north to the Gold Coast and west
Brisbane /Ipswich regions, effectively doubling their service footprint.
NORTEC has also had successes in its Small Business Support division,
recently winning the tender for the Australian Government funded
Australian Small Business Support (ASBAS) program, a small business
advisory and mentorship program. This win was further enhanced with
the recent announcement that its bid for the New Enterprise Incentive
Scheme (NEIS) (a training and support program for jobseekers with a
unique business idea) was successful in the Port Macquarie, Northern
Rivers, New England and Gold Coast regions.
Paul Bennett, CEO of NORTEC said that he was not only proud of
the work that the team at NORTEC had delivered during the lengthy
tender process, but proud of the validation that this success means for
the organisation. "It means we can create even more opportunities and
inspire more futures in the regions we operate."
This community owned organisation came to life over 30 years
ago in the Northern Rivers in a lounge room discussion on how to
increase employment prospects for young people.
Since their humble but earnest beginnings, NORTEC has continuously
grown and now provides solutions for staffing, training, small business

Scott Wilson, Kevin Hogan, Member for Page the Ballina Team
and Luke Hartsuyker, Member for Cowper

advisory programs and community support initiatives throughout the

NSW North Coast.
Passionate about supporting local business growth, NORTEC is a
business success story in its own right.
Scott Wilson, Employment Services Manager for NORTEC
commented: "What sets us apart is our staff, they are committed to
getting to know our local business needs and have a personal approach
to finding the right staff for the business. We offer a holistic approach to
our jobseekers needs, offering a range of in-house programs."
"Often the biggest barrier is gaining work experience or transferring
skills to another industry after being made redundant. This holistic
approach assists our jobseeker candidates to transition into work
comfortably whether from school, redundancy or from difficult
personal circumstances.
Its a real blessing to be working for a company that is not only
delivering a valuable service in the community but that is forwardthinking in its approach to business. There is a sense of purpose gained
from working in an industry that really does make a difference to
individuals and communities, Scott further stated.

Creating Opportunities. Inspiring Futures.

Supporting Business Growth and Development
Stang Solutions
Temporary, contract and permanent
stang to suit your individual needs,
Interviewing, skills validation,
administration and legal requirements,
saving you time, eort and money,
Replacement Referral Guarantee,
Tailored solutions to suit your business.

Call: 1800 667 832

22

www.nrbm.com.au

www.nrbm.com.au

Small Business Solutions

Practical small business mentoring
and nancial assistance, through the
New Enterprise Incentive Scheme and
Small Biz Connect Program,
Small business incubator sites oering
easy in-out rental agreements, 24/7
access to your space and supportive
mentoring programs and seminars.

Visit: www.nortec.org.au
23

business matters

business matters

employment & training

employment & training

Staff That Fit the Bill

Tony Bowden, Epic Employment Service Inc
ith work commencing on the major highway upgrade
between Woolgoolga and Ballina many employers
are looking to recruit local people to cover the
expected increase in business.
Thousands of new workers with specialised road construction skills
will flow into the region and stay for several years, which is going to
boost the local economy. In addition to the specific construction jobs
there will be many more types of jobs created from the increased
activity and this is where local employment providers can help.
Hospitality is one area where jobs will boom and employment and
training providers are already preparing the many highly skilled local
people to fill these jobs.
One business well placed to gain from the huge infrastructure
project is The Creek Restaurant at Halfway Creek Shell Service
Centre, situated halfway between Grafton and Coffs Harbour.
Restaurant operator Lynn Heyman is preparing for the boom and
recently employed Lisa Speer with the support of EPIC Employment.
Lynn likens finding the ideal employee to winning Lotto because
that's how she felt when Lisa walked into her kitchen.
The Creek Restaurant serves up fresh home-style meals 24 hours
a day seven days a week to hungry travellers, truckies, and locals.
Customers have been hungry for what 'The Creek' has to offer
for many years, and Lynn has gradually increased her staff from 10
to 16 over the past six years.
Not just anyone can fit the bill when it comes to working at 'The
Creek' - they need to be a team player, think on their feet, be highly
organised, and customer-focussed.

Five Time-Effective Ways to

Work On Your Business

Cate Worboys, Head Teacher, Business, North Coast TAFE

E
ht

h Lotto Lisa on rig

Ammie Millard wit

Lynn says she has tried many ways of

trying to attract quality staff but it isnt always easy to find someone
who fits in with both the job and the team and its extremely time
consuming which, when youre running a busy business, is time you
just dont have. Earlier this year Lynn tried out recruiting through
EPIC Employment.
"Lisa has been brilliant - she's been like winning Lotto. She just
gets in and does the job, and doesn't need to ask what to do next,"
Lynn said.
"I really recommend going through agencies like EPIC because
they can find the person who will be right for you, and cut down on
the work involved in finding someone. I have looked for employees
in other ways like job adverts, and it's just too hard and wastes so
much time."
For more information visit: www.epic.org.au.

ver heard this before? "I should be working on my business,

instead of in it! What that means is that you should be
managing all aspects of your business, rather than just
managing to scrape through each month. Trouble is, youre flat
out: so here are five quick-fixes.
1. Re-ignite relationships
Invest the first half-hour of each day into one relationship. Talk
(dont email) to a client or customer, or a team member, or a supplier
and listen out for needs, good ideas and even complaints so you
can cement or build the trust between the two of you. Its a currency
worth investing in, because then youll know better what youre
wasting your time on and where you need to focus your effort.
2. Develop then delegate
The art of delegation is actually the art of having the right people.
Ask yourself am I not delegating because I have no-one to delegate
to? See above to discover step one to solving that problem. Then talk
to a supplier (training organisation, recruitment firm or temp agency)
who can help you find or develop the right person.
3. Inspire innovation
Being innovative is about working smart, not hard. There are
three things you can do now to enable this; create opportunities
to maximise innovation in your business, make sure you model
behaviour that supports innovation (encourage experimentation and
acknowledge your failures) and, together with your team, agree on
the sandpit and the boundaries within which you will all operate.

4. Connect your financial data

to business requirements
All too often, the financial data
is not hard-wired to businesscritical activities. Take a highlighter to
your spreadsheet and mark those buried
items that actually have a significant impact on daily business activity
then work out how to change how your finances are analysed and
reported so that this data comes first.
5. Prioritise your daily, weekly and monthly activities
Place your big rocks into your schedule first, then fit the small
and medium rocks in between. Its impossible to do it the other
way around, but thats what most of us try to do! And while youre
in your diary, schedule a minimum of 30 minutes of compulsory
thinking time each day to brainstorm solutions to next weeks and
next months biggest struggle point. Chances are you wont make
the time for that next week or next month.
If all this seems daunting Management training can help for
example Certificate IV in Frontline Management a course that will
deliver you the knowledge to succeed with these (and other) ways
to work on your business.
You could decide to acquire the knowledge yourself, or you
might have someone on staff who would provide value to your
business by completing the course. Whichever you decide, talk to
us in the first half-hour tomorrow morning, perhaps?

Learn how to work on your b

usiness,
instead of in your business
If you are spending every minute
of your working
day doing the scores of tasks
needed to be done,
rather than steering the directio
n and the future of
your business, then its time to
stop and take stock.
Who is best placed to improve
your business?
Probably you. Or perhaps you
can train someone
else up. But where to start?
Talk to us. We can provide you
with customised
management training to suit you
r needs, your time
and your budget.

North Coast TAFE - Your Busine

ss Advantage.
Visit northcoasttafe.edu.au or cal
l 1300 628 233
to discover your competitive edg
e.
24

www.nrbm.com.au

www.nrbm.com.au

25

HVTC Northern Rivers

Photo courtesy of Flawless Imaging

YOU GET ON WITH BUSINESS

HVTC Northern Rivers Team

HVTC (Hunter Valley Training Company) is Australias oldest Group Training Organisation
(GTO) and has employed and trained a staggering 20,000+ people over the past 34 years.
We spoke to Stevie Cole, Manager of HVTC Northern Rivers to find out more about how
the company has continued to succeed and flourish and what sets them apart.

How long have you been established?

HVTC (Hunter Valley Training Company) started as a not-forprofit organisation in 1981. HVTC Northern Rivers (formerly Northern
Rivers Training Group) was established 7 years later.
How did it all start?
We were the first Group Training Organisation in Australia,
created through an initiative of the NSW Government in partnership
with industry and unions to provide a new approach to apprentice
training. We now employ over 80 people supporting over 800
apprentices and trainees across the state.
What sets you apart from other training organisations?
We aim to take the risk out of employing trainees and apprentices
providing easy and stress free solutions to recruiting and managing
them.
Our high completion rates we feel are due to our expert staff and
our rigorous recruitment, management and mentoring processes
which result in quality outcomes. At the end of the day it comes
down to care, we strongly focus on customer care and customer
service.
You must have had some great success stories along the way?
Yes, Samantha Tindiglia took out top honours at the 2014
National Group Training Association Awards, winning School Based
Trainee of the Year. Samantha was hosted by Care-Ring Childrens
Centre in Goonellabah.
Weve recently also celebrated two TAFE Award winners.
Mechanical apprentice Jacob Dawes, with Simmo's Automotive,
received the Award of Excellence for Certificate III in Automotive
Mechanical Technology Apprentice of the Year from Kingscliff
TAFE, and Eric Riddle, with Northern NSW Local Health District, was
awarded Information Technology Certificate IV Trainee of the Year
at the Wollongbar TAFE Excellence Awards.
What do you love about operating in the Northern Rivers?
We enjoy the diversity of employers and industries we work with;
from small business through to large government agencies.
Being part of a regional community means we have the opportunity
to really get to know our clients and build real relationships, which
is a win win situation. By working in partnership with our clients

26

Winter 2015

and really listening to their needs, it makes it easier to find the right
solutions for them. Its also great to see people that we work with
develop and blossom in their careers.
Often in regional areas young people have to leave their local
communities to get jobs elsewhere, we help people stay in the region
by engaging young people in traineeships and apprenticeships. It
feels great to have a positive contribution to our community.
We also have a strong history of success in assisting indigenous
people to achieve qualifications and meaningful employment.
A number of our traineeships and apprenticeships are filled by
indigenous young people.
Simmo's Automotive Group
As part of their program of School Base Apprenticeships and
Traineeships HVTC Northern Rivers has worked closely with Simmo's
Automotive Group, who currently employ 30 staff members and
host six full time apprentices; three in the paint and panel workshop
and three in their mechanical workshop.
Owner, Warren Simmons, says, We took on two School Based
Apprentices from HVTC and were delighted with the boys and the
service provided. We were so impressed that we signed them both
up as full-time apprentices.
Simmo's Automotive Group is a company that believes training
is the only way the auto industry will continue into the next decade.
The objectives of the company are to identify, train, evaluate and
improve the quality of their greatest asset - their staff.
Their commitment to training has been proven over the years; they
have employed approximately 100 apprentices and have continually
hosted apprentices with HVTC Northern Rivers since 2005.
"HVTC has given us impeccable support in a professional and
consistent manner. Their quality service allows us to concentrate on
the other important duties that come with running a business." said
General Manager, Andrew Simmons.
For this dedication to skills training and employment, Simmo's
was recently named winner of the 2015 HVTC Excellence Award
for Small Host Employer of the Year.

WELL TAKE CARE OF THE REST

HVTC Apprentices and Trainees
HVTC Northern Rivers is part
of HVTC (Hunter Valley Training
Company), Australias oldest
group training organisation.
Over the past 34 years, we have
trained and provided employment
to more than 20,000 apprentices
and trainees.
In partnership with our host
employers, our apprentices and
trainees have won many awards
and scholarships.

Simple and stress free

At HVTC we recruit, employ and
arrange formal training for your
apprentice or trainee, leaving you
free to focus on productive work
that boosts your business.

We take care of everything for you.

We are specialists in recruitment,
VET regulation, WHS and HR.
We manage all of the paperwork
and payroll. You receive one
weekly invoice simple!

We will look after you

We are committed to providing the
best solutions for your business
and maximising your training
investment.
Full time and part time trainee
and apprenticeship options
School based options
Indigenous engagement
Mentoring and performance
management
Proven recruitment process

Over 27 years
experience in the
Northern Rivers

Customised services

Completion rates
around 25% higher than
national average

Call us today
Hunter, Illawarra, Mid Coast, North Coast, North West, Northern Rivers,
Shoalhaven, Southern Sydney, Sothern Tablelands, Western Sydney,
Hunter-V-Tec

www.nrbm.com.au

Multi award winning

apprentices and
trainees

02 6622 1363

hvtc.com.au

business matters

business matters

marketing

canberra comments

Merry Christmas? Youre Kidding!

Budget for Small Business

Moyra Burke-Smith, Cool Promo

ts this time of year that most marketing departments get their
budget for the next financial year, so its essential to plan that
budget carefully to ensure youre getting the best value and
the best results. Yes you cant plan for everything, however there
are ways to stretch your budget further if you plan ahead.
Often opportunities arise throughout the year and thats great if
you are placed to take advantage of them, but you can only do that
if youve planned your budget and have
a contingency fund. I know this is almost
unheard of in this day of budget caution, an
extra pot of money? How can it be?
First you have to look at all the marketing
you know youre going to do, so all the Expos
youre going to attend, the communications
campaigns, the customer reward promotions,
sponsorships etc. All the 'have to' things you
know you need to do.
Then look at the crossovers in marketing
materials and merchandise you can identify
between these activities. For example, if you
attend 4 expos throughout the year then look
at the attendance numbers for last years events and bulk buy your
merchandise rather than buy 4 times a year. You can save substantial
amounts by buying in bulk rather than realising youve run out of
something 2 weeks before the event and having to pay for an express
service.
If you have brochures of flyers that dont date then order your years
supply in one go, the run on costs are minimal, so even if you over

Kevin Hogan, Federal Member for Page

he Federal Government
announced the biggest small
business package in Australias
history on Budget night and many
local businesses are already taking
advantage of these new measures.
At the heart of the package are tax
cuts for all small businesses with an
annual turnover of less than $2 million.
This includes tradies as long as you
have an ABN, you will qualify for the benefits from this package.
Small businesses will be able to immediately deduct each and
every asset costing less than $20,000 that they buy.
I have heard from a large number of local businesses which
are already taking advantage of these deductions to expand their
operations ranging from automotive companies to cafes. I would
like to encourage other small businesses to consider doing the same.
If you need more detailed information about how your business
can make use of the package, please contact my office.
The reason the Small Business package is the centrepiece of
this years budget is because the Government recognises that the
sector makes up 96 per cent of all Australian businesses. Nationally,
it employs more than 4.5 million people and produces more than
$330 billion of our national economic output every year.
Likewise in the Northern Rivers and Clarence Valley, its the hard
working women and men of our 10,000 small businesses who are
the engine room of our local economy.

order and have a few left over at the end of the year youve still saved.
Those materials left over may even help with an additional end of year
campaign or be used at those unplanned for events you always want
to take advantage of but dont have the materials available to do so.
At this time of year I always make myself popular with clients by
wishing them a Merry Christmas. For most of us its something were
not ready to be thinking of, but
in marketing terms its the perfect
time to be planning.
Imagine a November without
that mad seat of the pants
rushing around? Use this time
now to get the artwork done
without the stress of a tight
deadline. Choose your client
gifts and merchandise knowing
you have time to choose wisely
and explore a variety of ideas
to find the perfect one that fits
with your brand. Avoid that
knee jerk choice that you may later regret.
By planning now you can also take advantage of price points for
having 12 weeks production lead time. Youll save money and are
guaranteed to have your materials well in time for Christmas, leaving
you time to plan the Christmas party.
For more information visit: www.coolpromo.com.au.

The highlights of the $5.5 billion Small Business package are:

1.5% tax cut for all small businesses
5% tax cut for small unincorporated businesses
Immediate deductibility on every asset costing less than $20,000,
purchased between Budget night and the end of June 2017
Measures to encourage start-ups and entrepreneurship costing
$70 million
Measures to help young disengaged youth to become job ready
($331 million)
Another $40 million in red tape savings, taking total savings to
$2.45 billion
Measures to encourage job seekers look for work ($25 million)
Measure to help employers take on job seekers ($19 million)
Minister for Small Business Visit
In the lead-up to the budget I invited the
Minister for Small Business
Bruce Billson to the area to
meet with our local business
people and hear the unique
challenges we face as a
growing regional centre.
Both public events were
well-attended and many
of the issues raised were
addressed in the budget. I
imaging.com
clayton@flawless
would like thank everyone
who attended as the Minister walked away knowing what our local
businesses need to grow and employ staff in the future.

Kevin Hogan MP
Caring & Delivering for Our Community
$5.5 billion Jobs and Small Business package
Immediate deductibility on assets under $20,000
Tax cuts for small businesses
$2.45 billion in annual red tape savings
Three Free Trade Agreements
Lower electricity prices
Visit www.kevinhogan.com.au or call 6621 4044 for the latest business news
KevinhoganMP
28

www.nrbm.com.au

www.nrbm.com.au

@KevinHoganMP

Authorised by K Hogan, 63 Molesworth St, Lismore NSW 2480

29

local government

pollies points

Jobs Summit
for Ballina

Jobs Action Plan

Extended for 4 Years

Tamara Smith
Member for Ballina

Thomas George
Member for Lismore

Small businesses are a big part of regional communities like the

Northern Rivers. They make up the bulk of employers, are often
family run and provide many of the day to day goods and services
people need.
The recent Federal Budget has put a spotlight on the needs of
small businesses, but increasing tax write offs isnt enough. Small
businesses in the Northern Rivers struggle to grow because of factors
like the need for high speed internet services, access to mentoring
and attracting quality employees.
As a first step towards a more strategic approach to creating
export jobs in our region, I will be hosting a jobs summit in Ballina
in July. Unemployment in our electorate is above both the state and
national average and employment participation rates are lower than
in other regional areas. I want to bring together employer groups,
community organisations and other stakeholders to talk about
growing small businesses and to work together to devise a plan to
support local jobs into the future.
As the NSW Greens Small Business spokesperson and as the
Member for Ballina, I am looking forward to championing the
innovation, resources and support that small businesses in my
community need to prosper.

Legislation to extend the successful Jobs Action Plan until 2019

has been passed by Parliament a key plank of the NSW Liberals &
Nationals election commitment to create 150,000 jobs in the next
four years.
The rebates will help keep NSW as the engine-room of the
nations economy by encouraging jobs growth across the state.
Under the Jobs Action Plan, businesses that create a new position
receive a $5,000 payroll tax rebate, roughly equivalent to the annual
payroll tax bill for one employee. This will be paid in two parts, at 12
months and 24 months, after the employee is hired.
Since its implementation four years ago, businesses have strongly
supported the Jobs Action Plan by making over 90,000 payroll tax
rebate applications.
In addition our Rebuilding NSW plan will unlock $20 billion to
fund critical infrastructure in transport, roads, hospitals and schools
across the state.
Rebuilding NSW will boost the economy by almost $300 billion
in just over two decades and generate an additional 120,000 jobs.
This is a key element of the Governments strategy to grow local
businesses and encourage businesses to relocate to NSW.
Our comprehensive plan includes payroll tax rebates, boosting
the State Investment Attraction Scheme and ensuring we have a
skilled workforce for the jobs of the future.

WELCOME TO

BYRON BUSINESS PARK

268 EWINGSDALE ROAD, BYRON BAY

FOR LEASE

Byron Business Park is situated on Byrons main arterial access - Ewingsdale Road.
This multi-use site is centrally located, spanning over 17.5 ha, with heavy vehicle access
& ample parking, offering a variety of leasing options;

2000+m of food grade coolroom

Workspaces from 150 - 800+m
Storage, open land and administration
Catering spaces

A space of this calibre is near impossible to find, let alone in an amazing location like Byron Bay!

Contact: Kath Vaubell - 0415 410 633

www.byronbaycommercial.com.au
30

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31