Western Sydney Business Access - March edition OUT NOW

MARCH 2021 Edition 119

WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS

Western Sydney Telco Twins: Mark and David Fazio.

TWINS VS BIG TECH

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HE Fazio twins, Mark and David, are mates for life so it is little wonder they used the name for a successful telco business they started in the family backyard in Smithfield.

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Their telecommunications trendsetter MATE is now a successful homegrown business taking over the telco space by using the principles of mateship and family. READ THE FULL STORY PAGE 6

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Invasive turtles hit West

Scent detector dogs swarm areas of Western Sydney to sniff out rouge turtles: 2

West land values are rising

Western Sydney residential land values fared better than commercial holdings: 4

Lights on Penrith 2021

The Lights on Penrith 2021 Growth Summit will be held on Friday, March 26: 10

Breaking glass ceilings

The road to leadership has been a long and winding one for many women: 14

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Invasive turtles terrorise West CENT detector dogs who ‘nose out’ invasive pests have swarmed areas of Western Sydney as the NSW Government unleashed a specially-trained squad to eradicate an alien turtle species from our waterways and wetlands.

Minister for Agriculture Adam Marshall said they might look harmless, but the redeared slider turtles were introduced from North and Central America and posed a serious biosecurity threat, preying on native turtle species.

“Red-eared slider turtles are one of the world’s worst invasive alien species,” Mr Marshall said.

Arras affected include: Glenmore Park, Penrith, Kurmond, Kellyville and Leppington.

“These turtles are an extremely serious introduced biosecurity threat, and we need to extinguish them from our water-ways.

“Our highly trained scent detector dogs have the ability to nose out traces of these invaders above and below the water. While experts in camouflage, the red-eared slider turtles have nowhere to hide.

“These invasive turtles came from the United States and Mexico, and they prey on our native species, fish and frogs, compete for food, nesting areas and basking sites, and can even spread infectious salmonella bacteria to people, pets and other animals.

“We have already removed hundreds of red-eared slider turtles from Sydney waterways and the hands of illegal keepers, but this is just the start.”

into, illegally kept and illegally released in Australia which have been found across the Sydney basin, from Camden north to Woy Woy and west to Windsor,” Mr Marshall said.

“They are often illegally purchased when they are very small and attractive but grow rapidly into large adults capable of biting their owners.

“Red-eared slider turtles might appear to be an ideal pet when small, but they are vicious. If you see one, or you have inadvertently purchased one – or have one that you no longer wish to keep – contact us immediately so we can safely remove them.”

Members of the community are advised to be on the lookout for unusual non-native animals, including turtles, snakes, lizards and other reptiles, mammals, birds and amphibians.

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A sniffer dog hunts down a terrorist turtle.

The NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) collaborated with Greater Sydney Local Land Services, Centennial Parklands Trust, local councils and University of Canberra to develop a new range of

tracking and trapping devices being trialled.

Mr Marshall said keeping red-eared slider turtles as pets was prohibited and they were an issue on the black market.

“These alien species have been smuggled

If you see a red-eared slider turtle or any other illegal invasive animals, please contact NSW DPI on 1800 680 244 or take a photograph and post the details on NSW DPI’s website.

Land blocks tipped to reach $75M

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Property records show the 244256 Aldington Rd site last sold in June 1980, for $77,400. The 258-270 Aldington Rd site last sold $64,000 in August 1977. Both sites are occupied by residential dwellings.

In October last year, the Barba and Putrino families snapped up a nearby 3.96ha farm at Badgerys Creek for $14.5m.

The 205 Lawson Dve purchase signaled the first transaction since the

20HA block of two parcels of land located within the Aerotropolis precinct that was once bought for $141,000 is tipped to sell for $75m to $80m.

Located in the Mamre Rd development area, it will test demand in the Western Sydney market.

The amalgamated site at 244-270 Aldington Rd in Kemps Creek spans two titles and is being sold as an amalgamated offering.

WSBA enables readers to appreciate and engage with the physical, community, cultural and business environments of one of Australia's fastest growing regions, Greater Western Sydney.

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area was officially rezoned by the NSW government in June last year and followed the state’s green-light as part of a fast-track announcement.

The long-time landowners at Aldington Rd are now selling following the recent rezoning of the precinct and exhibition of the draft Mamre Rd Development Control Plan.

The Mamre Rd precinct spans 850ha and is one of 10 key precincts in the Western Sydney Aerotropolis.

4 13 16 18 19 20 24 26

COVER: The Fazio twins, Mark and David, are mates for life so it is litle wonder they used the name for a successful telco business they started in the family home: 6.

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MARCH 2021 Western Sydney Business Access (WSBA) ACCESS NEWS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD ABN 39 600 436 799 Publisher/editor: Michael Walls M: 0407 783 413. E: michael@wsba.com.au Associate Editor: Dallas Sherringham Journalists: Elizabeth Frias, Paul Haigh.

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He may have found a game changer: 16

Greater Wester Western Sydney footprint footpri

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NSW Valuer General report reveals….

Western Sydney land values rising  DALLAS SHERRINGHAM ESTERN Sydney residential land values fared better than commercial holdings in the latest figures released by the NSW Govern-

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ment.

The 2020 figures show that overall, land values in the West were on the rise, but to make any real money, you need to be in it for the long haul or have land near the new Aerotropolis.

The Western Sydney local government areas include Blacktown, Camden, Campbelltown, Fairfield, Liverpool and Penrith NSW Valuer General Dr David Parker recently published land values for the West and generally speaking, they reflect the property market as of July 1 2020.

Dr Parker said property sales were the most important factor valuers considered when determining land values.

“The year 2020 was a difficult year for determining land values in the aftermath of last summer’s horrific bushfires, followed by the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis,” Dr Parker said.

“My office has undertaken separate studies of the impact of both bushfires and COVID-19 on the property market. Our valuers have applied the findings of these studies to affected areas and property types where there are insufficient sales available to determine the land values.”

Valuer General NSW has established a dedicated assistance line for landholders impacted by the 2019-20 bushfires, or who believe their land value has been impacted

by COVID-19. Affected landholders are encouraged to call 1800 458 884.

“Land value is the value of the land only and does not include the value of a home or other structure,” Dr Parker said.

The total land value for the Western region increased slightly by 2.6% between July 1 2019 and July 1 2020 from $231bn to $237bn.

Residential land values increased slightly by 2.7% overall. These slight increases were experienced in Blacktown 3.6%, Fairfield 3.8% and Penrith 4.9% which was driven by demand for these relatively affordable locations with good connectivity to greater Sydney. Camden, Campbelltown and Liverpool remained steady.

General overview Overall, commercial land values in the region remained steady at -1.2%. Slight decreases were recorded in Blacktown -2.7%, Fairfield -2.4% and Liverpool -2.1% due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The reduction was moderated by growth areas and the high concentration of Business Development, Enterprise Corridor and Business Park zoned areas which were less impacted by COVID-19.

Industrial land values in the region increased moderately by 6.9% overall. Strong increases were recorded in Camden 15% and Campbelltown 10.8).

These trends were driven by infrastructure improvements given development of the new Western Sydney Airport as well www.valuergeneral.nsw.gov.au or call 1800 110 038 for more information on land values and the valuation system.

Total land value for the Sydney West NSW region Property type Residential

01 Jul 2019

01 Jul 2020

$179,401,364,363

Commercial

% change

Property count

$184,254,840,035

2.7%

368,193

$8,268,392,010

$8,168,912,470

-1.2%

3,475

Industrial

$21,077,150,350

$22,540,563,400

6.9%

6,105

Rural

$16,159,687,040

$15,903,477,400

-1.6%

8,763

Other

$6,126,440,877

$6,187,930,267

1.0%

9,709

$231,033,034,640

$237,055,723,572

2.6%

396,245

Total

as strong demand for logistics and retail warehousing. Slight increases were experienced in Liverpool 3.7% and Penrith 4.6% given reduced demand in comparison to previous years.

Rural land values remained steady at -1.6% overall and this was consistent across the region with the exception of Camden which experienced a moderate decrease of 7% due to reduced investor demand.

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Number one spot on Amazon

Emma’s book an inspiration to us all  DALLAS SHERRINGHAM ESTERN Sydney Awards Business Winner and Director of Active Property Investing Emma Allen has just reached Amazon’s top spot for Business Biographies and Women in Business books.

It is an amazing achievement for Emma who decided to take her own advice to ‘Back Yourself ‘ and sat down and wrote the book.

‘Back Yourself’ is a collaboration of Australian businesswomen across an array of industries.

It combines their inspirational stories and expert advice and the book shares the life-changing power of what can happen when you learn how to back yourself.

Having the confidence to back yourself as an entrepreneur was one of the most

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important qualities you needed to succeed in business, Emma said.

“You’ve got to have the courage to pursue your vision. Backing yourself isn’t about getting it right every time, but the idea that no matter what happens, you can bounce back and keep going,” Emma said.

The book has caught the eye of Oprah Winfrey’s favorite guest Tererai Trent and author of The Awakened Woman who has endorsed the book.

“Back Yourself’s platform of supporting women in business inspires us to never give up on out business goals. This book shows us how we all stand on each other’s shoulders!”

It can be challenging to be a successful businesswoman and Emma gives this advice for others thinking about starting their own enterprise: “A leader with clarity and one that acts with purpose creates an environment that is engaging, trustworthy and inspirational”.

Hay House author Susan Pearse also endorsed the book.

“Back Yourself shares the secrets that really make a difference. Wise, innovative, practical and inspiring – It’s a must-read book for every woman in business.”

“We support this book because we know that there are so many women out there with big dreams and ambitions who are playing small and being held back by fear and self-doubt,” Ms Pearce said.

“We wanted to send a strong and clear message to the world and to women everywhere that it doesn’t have to be this way, and this book will guide you through everything you need to back yourself and have the courage to follow your dreams,” she said.

‘Back Yourself’ was launched nationally in December 2020 and will is available in bookstores. For more information about “Back Yourself visit www. thewomensbusinessschool.com

Rock star author: Emma Allen.

Ryde town centre to be developed

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HE City of Ryde will be housed in a new $108.9M mixed-use town centre development after getting the go ahead from the region’s planning authority.

The Sydney North Planning Panel approved the application for the Ryde Central redevelopment, a project that will house council offices, public meeting rooms, function space and an art gallery.

The panel’s unanimous decision

will see the demolition of the existing civic centre, at 1 Devlin Street, and the construction of the new 7-storey building in its place.

This project will deliver a four-fold increase in community facilities without the introduction of any residential development on the site.

The centrepiece of the project will be a new multi-purpose and cultural building dedicated to community use.

This building will feature the Edna Wilde Performance Hall – named after long-serving Ryde Eisteddfod Chairman and former City of Ryde Councillor and Mayor Edna Wilde OAM – which will be able to seat up to 700 people.

An additional commercial building will also be built on the site which will house Council staff as well as external tenants. Other features include a centrally located public plaza, extensive

landscaping works, direct and accessible pedestrian links, as well as 236 on-site basement car spaces.

Plans to demolish the existing centre and replace it had divided the City of Ryde council.

City of Ryde Mayor Jerome Laxale said the new project would “generate jobs and revitalise the Ryde Civic Centre site”.

Sources: City of Ryde council. The Urban Developer

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Cover Story

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How the Telco Twins are taking on the giants

MATEship concept a winner

Western Sydney Telco Twins: Mark and David Fazio.

 DALLAS SHERRINGHAM

“

In its first three years of operation its revenue grew by a staggering 3703%. That growth has continued during the COVID-19 pandemic with MATE showing an incredible 100% growth in revenue since March 2020. “

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HE Fazio twins, Mark and David, are mates for life so it is little wonder they used the name for a successful telco business they started in the family backyard in Smithfield.

Their telecommunications trendsetter MATE is now a successful homegrown business taking over the telco space by using the principles of mateship and family.

The brothers aren’t your typical telco industry leaders. In fact, they started the company on principles that were almost in direct opposition to those of their giant competitors.

Where other telcos were charging big percentages over NBN margins, MATE embraced smaller profits. Where other telcos were pushing lock-in contracts and set up fees, MATE said: “‘there’s no room for contracts and fees between MATES.” And where other telcos were sending their customer care teams offshore, MATE was installing theirs right here in Western Sydney at the Wetherill Park headquarters.

These decisions have been driven by Mark and David who, from the beginning, wanted to do something different in the telco space. “‘David and I never wanted to be a giant, faceless telco company,” Mark said.

“We’re just guys from Western Sydney who saw these gaps in the telco market between what the consumer wanted and what the telcos were offering them.

“And we wanted to fix that,” Mark said. “We knew we could only do that by doing things differently than the industry standard.”

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David is CEO of MATE and said: “We started by offering reasonable prices on NBN reselling.”

“When other telcos were complaining about the low margins and pulling out of the market, we just got on with making a working business plan and educating our customers about the NBN roll out.”

Despite relatively low margins, this approach is paying dividends. From its conception, MATE has blown away the competition in terms of growth.

In its first three years of operation its revenue grew by a staggering 3703%.

That growth has continued during the COVID-19 pandemic with MATE showing an incredible 100% growth in revenue since March 2020.

It isn’t all down to pricing Of course, this isn’t all down to pricing.

In fact, much of MATE’s success comes from its concept of mateship. David and Mark have embraced mateship, first forged in their hometown in the West.

It started out as a local family business and it stayed that way.

“We hire our family and friends. And once we hired all of them, we hired our employees’ families and friends,” Mark said.

“Staying local has meant we can bring jobs to the local economy and give business to other local companies.”

For MATE, mateship means more than just hiring family. It means treating customers as if they’re family. MATE does that by focusing on its customer service.

“Our motto is to treat customers how we’d want to be treated,” Mark said. “That means giving them the products they want,

at a price that works and with service that’s unsurpassed.”

David tells the amusing story of an irate customer who rang them in the early days of their business on a rant about their poor customer service. He went on and on and ultimately demanded to speak to the CEO. So, David gave him a call back.

“After listening to this customer for over 40 minutes, I finally realised that he wasn’t actually one of our customers. He thought he was ringing another telco.”

“After that we showed them who we were, what we were willing to do for our customers and we signed him up. He’s still a customer today.”

With first jobs as an apprentice cabinet maker and in retail respectively, David and Mark learnt the importance of customer care.

So, MATE continues to do things differently. You’ll never see MATE in big TV, radio or billboard ads. Instead, MATE focuses 70-80% of its marketing on social channels.

“We like social channels because we can have a two-way communication,” David said. “‘We aren’t just advertising. We’re listening and engaging.”

For David and Mark, there’s just no reason to be in business if they aren’t talking to their customers.

“It’s all about the customers. From onboarding new internet and mobile customers, to assisting with their NBN rollout, we want to be there for them. We’re different because we’re here – every single person at MATE is on the ground in Sydney. And we’re all ready to help,” Mark said.

For more information: www.letsbemates.com.au.

WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS ACCESS MARCH 2021

WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS ACCESS MARCH 2021

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$242M logistics dream project ESTERN Sydney will secure up to 1,650 new jobs and $242M in economic investment following NSW Government approval of a new warehouse and distribution hub in Kemps Creek.

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Rob Stokes said the approved new Kemps Creek Warehouse, Logistics and Industrial Facilities Hub will help combat the economic impacts of COVID-19 by delivering investment and new job opportunities for Western Sydney.

“This development will create 700 construction jobs and 950 operational jobs while injecting $242M into the Western Sydney economy,” Mr Stokes said.

“The approval means we can get shovels in the ground faster. This government is committed to fast-tracking planning assessments to help stimulate the economy during the pandemic.”

The new development is a joint venture between Frasers Property Partners and Altis Bulky Retail. The hub will include major global retailers, e-commerce providers, health and pharmaceutical industries, warehousing and logistics operators, light manufacturing and data centres.

Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney Stuart Ayres said the investment was a vote of confidence in the future Aerotropolis.

“Creating jobs and boosting business is a priority for the NSW Government and this Hub means work for hundreds of people, during both construction and when the warehouse becomes operational,” Mr Ayres said.

Member for Mulgoa Tanya Davies said that the development will contribute to Western Sydney’s growing employment force and benefit from its prime location

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close to the Western Sydney Airport.

“Western Sydney is establishing itself as a strong industrial and employment growth area. The construction of a new warehouse and logistics hub is going to substantially add to this growing reputation and attract more investment that will benefit our western Sydney community,” Mrs Davies said.

“Once fully complete, the entire hub could support up to 2,000 operational jobs.”

This approval will allow for the construction of eight buildings as well as earthworks to be carried out and infrastructure built across the entire hub. The development of the rest of the hub will be subject to future development applications.

Construction is expected to begin this year and will be undertaken in stages with the first building to be completed within 12 months.

Artist impressions of the p;roject.

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LIGHTS ON PENRITH 2021 – SPECIAL EVENT

Opportunity to explore growth, development HE Lights on Penrith 2021 Growth Summit will be held on Friday, March 26 at the Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre in High Street, Penrith.

Presented by the Penrith Valley Chamber of Commerce, the Summit is an opportunity for businesses, government, and the community to discuss the significant growth and development planned for the region in the next few years.

Australia’s leading regional business newspaper, Western Sydney Business Access is media partner for this ground-breaking event.

Over 130 years ago, Belmore Street in Penrith was chosen as the location for the first electric light station in Sydney, with thousands of residents turning out to celebrate when the power was switched on for the first time.

Known then as one of the most progressive and innovative towns in New South Wales, the local business community of today has the chance to retain that position with a rapidly growing population and over $3B of investment capital already mobilized in pipeline projects across the region.

The Lights on Penrith 2021 Summit will help to identify where potential investment opportunities and jobs growth will occur around the region, as well as the most appropriate ways for businesses in all industry sectors to leverage those opportunities.

Kate Rafton, President of the Penrith Valley Chamber of Commerce believes that the half day conference will showcase unprecedented opportunities for business growth: “The Summit will give our local businesses the chance to connect with developers, investors and other key stakeholders. They will hear first-hand what the plans are for the

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region and how they can ‘piggyback’ those plans and build their own business around them. They simply can’t afford to miss this!”

Among the key industry sectors investing resources into the region are manufac-

turing, technology, tourism, and hospitality.

Leveraging interest and opportunities created by the development of Western Sydney Airport, these sectors will be a strong source of business growth and employment

moving forward. In recognition of this, the Hon Stuart Ayres MP, Member for Penrith and NSW Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney, will deliver the opening address: “I am delighted to be able to support the Lights on Penrith 2021 Growth Summit.

The NSW government is committed to driving growth across the Western Sydney region and this is an ideal opportunity for key stakeholders to meet, connect and collaborate on some of the most exciting projects we have seen in a long time!”

The Summit will be hosted by leading journalist and media personality Paul Barry and include a keynote presentation about Western Sydney Airport along with a panel discussion comprising industry leaders and government representatives.

Flagship Sponsors of the event Nepean Business Park (NBP) and Coleman Greig Lawyers are excited to be a part of the Growth Summit, believing that it will help further improve the local economy, create more jobs in the region and improve sustainability in the Nepean. Other sponsors supporting the event include Penrith City Council, Celestino (developers of the Sydney Science Park), KPMG, Macquarie Commercial, Hix Group, Optus Business Centre Western Sydney, St Mary’s Freight Hub, Complete Recruitment Solutions, Raine & Horne Commercial Penrith and Uphire Equipment Specialists.

Event partner Business Western Sydney will also launch their ‘Closer to Home Report’ at the Summit.

Bookings for the Lights on Penrith 2021 Growth Summit are now open. To find out more, or to purchase your ticket, visit www.lightsonpenrith.com.au

INTRODUCING WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS CONNECTION’S

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15/02/2021 10:23:20 AM

Property

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Buyers at Melrose Park.

Melrose Park sets sale benchmark RBAN renewal project Melrose Park North has continued to set sales benchmarks for off-the-plan apartments in Sydney, with 103 selling on Saturday at the launch of the latest stage, Melrose Park Village.

The AJ+C designed Melrose Park Village includes six buildings and 411apartmentsoverlooking a 4000-square metre private park, along with a small-format supermarket.

Melrose Park Village also features health and wellness services, including gym, yoga room and infrared sauna, along with a work from home business hub.

More than 600 apartments were sold in the first three stages located at 659 Victoria Road, despite the previously sluggish property market.

Sekisui House Australia Project Director Simon Adams said the strong sales reflects the demand for well-designed and planned projects.

“Melrose Park Village is the landmark stage and particularly attractive to buyers given the retail, large park and wellness facilities,” he said.

The first stage, known as One Melrose is complete, with residents moving in last year, while the second stage, The Residences is due for completion in the third quarter this year and work has started on the third stage Pulse &Pavilion.

Late last year, Sekisui House Australia increased its investment in Melrose Park North taking sole ownership and development commitments for the first phase of the project, including Melrose Park Village.

Sekisui House and PAYCE are continuing to work as Joint Venture partners on the second phase of the urban renewal on the adjoining 25-hectare site which will include approximately 5000 apartments, parks, community facilities and a town centre.

Boston Marketing Director Rhys Morgan, who is selling the project on behalf of Sekisui House, said the Melrose Park Village sales launch had exceeded expectations.

“We knew there was a lot of interest in Melrose Park Village apartments, but the sales result is beyond our expectations.”

“Everything you need to live a balanced life is at your door-step and the convenience of retail services close by is a big plus.’’

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Artist impression of the concept.

Buyer feedback also included the following key attributes: • Opportunity to buy early into Sydney’s biggest urban renewal project.

• A developer with a proven, longterm track record in delivering high-quality projects.

• Award-winning design by architects AJ+C. • Affordably priced apartments.

• A location benefiting from significant infrastructure investment.

Work on Melrose Park Village is expected to commence in late 2021, with completion scheduled for late 2023.

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With David Pring

Welcome Six cyber security predictions for 2021 Welcome to KPMG Family Business feature articles. If you would like to discuss these articles or how KPMG can help with your business please feel free to contact me on 9455 9996 or davidpring@kpmg.com.au

chain resiliency, strength of the second line challenge capability and assurance over the quality evidence of third parties will be among the key areas of focus. Organisations are also rethinking how they share security information with clients, keeping better track of which clients have access to what data outside their environments.

 GORDON ARCHIBALD YBER-attacks by criminal and foreign entities have now become a real and present threat, capable of endangering the survival of organisations in Australia. 2020 saw major cyber-attacks and breaches affect Australian companies and governments – magnified by the impacts of COVID-19 on business IT systems.

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5. Rampaging ransomware Ransomware continues to be one of the fastest growing threats facing Australian businesses. For organisations in today’s hyper-connected, digitally enabled world, cybersecurity attacks are no longer a question of “if”, but “when”. During the past 12 months there has been an escalation in the use of ransomware in sophisticated, targeted attacks not only with small/medium business but also major Australian organisations and governments.

The disruptions caused by COVID-19 and the installation of weaker system security, due to the quick adoption of solutions, to enable remote working means companies are even more at risk of a cyber security incident. There will continue to be a rise in ransomware as a key attack vector in 2021 with major Australian business and government agencies impacted.

1. Growing cyber-risk appetite culture Current approaches to assessing and reporting cyber risk and exposure are manual, dated and based on technology-based controls, measurements and metrics. These do little to help management understand the effectiveness of deployed cyber controls and which cyber controls contribute more than others to reducing certain cyber risk exposures. As such, they don’t help decision-makers understand the true level of cyber risk exposure.

Globally, boards are now looking to executive teams to provide better visibility of incidents through enriched, risk driven reporting. With growing investment in cyber security and accountability placed on boards and executives, managers are looking to implement Cyber Risk Appetite programs and reporting that identifies critical systems and data. The aim is to demonstrate the effectiveness of controls in place to protect and reduce risk, as well as identifying when an organisation is operating outside its risk tolerance. This will help leaders ensure they are focusing their resources on the areas of biggest “bang-for-buck”.

2. Cyber-confidence a priority The antidote for attacks is Cyber Confidence: embracing security as a business enabler to build customer trust. This means building operational resilience – and getting the basics right: patching critical systems, access management, policy hardening, and updating anti-virus software.

Many organisations have already invested in enterprise cyber controls, but 2021 will see the movement towards assurance of cyber resilience. More mature businesses will deploy technologies like AI and machine learning to build real-time continuous visibility into the effectiveness of cyber defences and controls.

The perennial issues of identity management and third-party security will continue to play an important role. The

6. Operational resilience accelerated trend to the cloud and digital transformation means that organisations will need to carefully decide which critical applications can and can’t move.

3. Stricter regulatory scrutiny 2021 will bring a reckoning for cyber and the way organisations deal with it.

Regulators have already acted: APRA has brought in Prudential Standard CPS 234, and issued guidance that the financial services industry needs to do more.

To date APRA hasn’t been prescriptive on the security it wishes to see, apart from the CPG 234 guide. This will change with a set of “non-negotiable cyber practices”.

APRA has advised that starting next year, it will be asking boards to engage an external audit firm to conduct a thorough review of their CPS 234 compliance and report back to both APRA and the board.

The Reserve Bank of Australia has also released the CORIE framework, based on a UK regulatory framework that emphasises the requirements for banks to be cyber-resilient.

WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS ACCESS MARCH 2021

There will be increased focus and scrutiny towards protecting Australia’s critical infrastructure with increasing demands and new government powers to direct owners and operators to provide regular cyber reporting and specified interventions in response to a cyber security incident. In certain circumstances they will be able to directly intervene.

4. Scrutiny of third-party security Cracks are emerging in traditional approaches to third-party security. Increasing complexity and integration within digital systems has exposed a variety of limitations, such as inconsistent standards and varied approaches to control evaluation. Australian businesses are suffering from third party risk assessment fatigue which will result in a move towards automation through Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) and Third-Party Risk Management (TPRM) platforms.

Regulators will become increasingly stringent in their approach to overseeing third-party security programs. Supply

The disruptions and volatility of the past year have increased awareness of the need for operational resilience. Organisations need to be able to effectively manage a major incident or crisis, such as a protracted outage, asset loss, or cyber-attack. This means having a plan to respond to a crisis and including how to integrate with third parties (such as suppliers and industry bodies) to manage a shared issues.

Organisations need to be able to adapt and respond rapidly to fast-changing circumstance, including adverse situations.

They will need assurance that suppliers can maintain their business through major shocks, as well as how customers will respond to supply issues. Will they wait for service to resume, or go elsewhere?

As cyber threats increase, all organisations’ leadership, mental toughness, tolerance of additional demands and community support must be equipped to deal with a major incident.

First published by Gordon Archibald, Partner, National Lead, Cyber Security Services KPMG Australia on KPMG Newsroom on 10 February 2021.

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Family Business

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Dr Brendan Rynne, KPMG Chief Economist comments on the ABS payroll data HIS week’s labour force data from the ABS represent a stark reminder of how virus outbreaks and subsequent lockdowns impact the recovery in Australia’s labour market.

Today’s employment figures show there was no employment growth in New South Wales, and virtually none in Queensland, while Victoria achieved a relatively strong increase in the number of people employed; a result that closely mirrors the stringency of government policies adopted during January in response to the virus outbreak in Sydney.

ATO payroll data released by the ABS earlier this week suggests that Victorian businesses, particularly those in the front line of the services sector, have developed processes over the past 12 months to be able to “turn-down” and “turn-up” their operations quickly – both in terms of shedding staff and hiring staff – in response to Government imposed restrictions.

This would suggest that while the Victorian lockdown just ended is likely to have an impact on the labour market in the state.

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Overall, the ABS labour force data indicates that the Australian economy is recovering well from the worst of the COVID-19 induced recession, despite the effects of the Sydney ‘Northern Beaches’ lockdowns that occurred in the first month of 2021.

The unemployment rate fell to 6.4% in January, down from 6.6% in December 2020, with nearly 30,000 finding work during the month.

But the number of people classified as unemployed (ie actively seeking work and unable to find any) fell by slightly more, due to the participation rate also notching down by 0.1% during the month – this probably reflects the fact that workers lost a bit of faith in being able to secure employment during another lockdown.

This fall in the number of unemployed was particularly noticeable in WA – 0.8%, higher than any other state – and in the ACT. We can only speculate but it might be that the WA border closure had an effect on that state.

Underemployment fell by 0.4% between December 2020 and January 2021 which

will be a further boost to the momentum of Australia’s economic recovery. K PMG is anticipating the unemployment rate to fluctuate during the remainder of this year once government support programs, like JobKeeper, are stopped and businesses re-assess their ongoing short term viability.

Overall however we still anticipate the unemployment rate to hover around mid-6%’s for the next couple of quarters before falling relatively rapidly to mid-5%’s in the early- to mid- part of 2022.

The ATO data shows the Australian labour market, and hence the Australian economy, took a slight pause in its recovery during January in response to the additional lockdown procedures implemented over Christmas.

The challenge in analysing the ATO data is that it is in its ‘original’ form, meaning the normal seasonal fluctuations haven’t been adjusted for.

Nonetheless what it shows that the pickup in the labour market that usually happens as each week of January progresses was not as strong as last year – recognising that last

year much of the eastern seaboard in Australia was dealing with the bushfire disasters.

Change in ATO Payroll Index from Start to End of January Jan-20

Jan-21

New South Wales 5.60%

5.20%

Victoria

6.20%

4.60%

Queensland

6.10%

6.80%

Australia

5.70%

5.50%

When the ATO payroll data is analysed over the past year – with lockdowns highlighted – it shows Victoria’s labour market has shown a propensity to adjust more rapidly in times of shutdowns. This would suggest that Victorian businesses have adapted to uncertainty that lockdowns bring and have learned to adjust their demand for labour almost immediately.

First published Dr Brendan Rynne Chief Economist, KPMG Australia on KPMG Newsroom on 17 February 2021

Breaking glass ceilings: How women are gaining influence in family business  JO FEDY HE road to leadership has been a long and winding one for many women in business. And for women in family businesses, that road has had its own unique twists and turns.

The important role that women play has not been in question, particularly their stabilizing influence within the family and their ability to perpetuate the family’s values and traditions.

However, while these roles are important for creating harmony and extending the family’s legacy, their contributions have often been quietly hidden inside the family business.

KPMG Private Enterprise wanted to gain some firsthand insights into the dynamics of today’s family business environment.

To this end, KPMG Private Enterprise and the STEP Project Global Consortium collaborated on a global family business survey among more than 1,800 family business leaders globally.

The survey was then followed by indepth interviews with members of selected family businesses to gain their practical insights on the ways in which changing demographics are influencing their family business practices.

These insights on topics such as succession, governance and legacy are being published in a series of co-authored articles dedicated to empowering the future of family business, which can be found on the KPMG Private Enterprise website.

KPMG Private Enterprise and the STEP Project Global Consortium were particularly interested in hearing about the impact that different generations of family members might be having on the strategic direction, mindset and leadership approach of their family firms.

During several discussions on this topic with family business leaders and their families, a recurring theme appeared: there is a new generation of women who are expanding their roles in many family businesses and many are changing their firms’ trajectories.

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The next leadership revolution Whether in the home or in business, segregating roles on the basis of gender has a long history, going as far back as the Industrial Revolution. I would suggest that a very different and reformative revolution is underway today, and it demonstrates the powerful influence that women in family businesses are having.

There is recognition that society is changing, as is education and children’s upbringing, and GenX and Millennial women are stepping up in family businesses, including those in traditionally male-dominated industries. For example, young Millennial women like Jodi Bloomer, Cofounder of Canadian Fiber Optics, are playing instrumental roles in setting this new direction. “In this case, being a woman has had advantages because the men around me don’t need to try to intimidate me,” she told us, “I am not challenging to them. I acknowledge that they know more than me in their own special areas; that I am here to learn, and I need their expertise and input to make good decisions for our compa-

ny. There is a mutual appreciation for what each of us does well.”

Gaining a fresh perspective on the future Because of societal bias and cultural or family traditions in some areas of the world, women have often been consigned to the role of ‘chief emotional officer’ in their family firms. In this hidden ‘CEO’ role, they take care of the emotional needs of the family, keeping the family together and perpetuating the family’s values and traditions across the generations.

Men have traditionally been associated with traits such as independence, autonomy and achievement, while women have generally been classified as nurturing and caring.

However, traditional feminine characteristics such as loyalty, concern, sensitivity to the needs of others, problem-solving and conflict resolution represent a holistic and constructive leadership style for both women and men. In a family business, this leadership style can be an asset because it combines loyalty to the firm and the family

with a sensitivity to individuals’ needs, as well as a collaborative decision-making approach that is based on instinct, intuition and evidence.

In fact, encouraging a diversity of views and approaches can have tremendous power in helping to move family businesses toward more interesting and prosperous futures.

And women and men have an opportunity to strengthen their family businesses by embracing their differences rather than fighting against them; in benefitting from the talent, knowledge and skills that each can contribute.

While the glass ceiling may not yet be shattered, I believe that there is a new generation of women in family business who are blazing their own trail. They are too busy looking forward to look up at the ceiling, and they are likely to be the role models for many female and male family business leaders of the future.

First published by Mary Jo Fedy, National Enterprise Leader, KPMG in Canada on KPMG.com

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15

Riverstone Fish Farm

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He may found a game changer….

Riverstone scientist’s fast grow solution  ELIZABETH FRIAS RIVERSTONE scientist’s invention of fertiliser derived from barramundi fish excrement has been declared a success by experts and consumers – especially when it comes to growing crops in drought.

With testimonials from experts such as horticulturist Jeremy Critchley of Green Gallery nursery in Dural and approval by the NSW Department of Primary Industries, Swift Grow is set to be a game-changer in domestic and commercial agriculture.

Microbiologist Joseph Ayoub experimented over 12 years on his aquaculture farm in Riverstone to come up with Swift Grow.

“Generally, there is nothing to grow on depleted soil but after testing it, it turned out into something beneficial for anyone who needs fertiliser,” Mr Critchley told The Blacktown News.

“I’ve become more confident using it being an organic product, it has a low effect on carbon footprint and it’s encouraging to see bees swarming on flowers. I think we’re making good results.”

Mr Critchley’s 10-acre flower farm was among Swift Grow’s trial sites where shoots came out on the second week.

He said the “test plants started to show measurable difference” and by the fourth week, the plants had “taller stem with vigorous branching” and “flower bulbs were significantly more with richer and deep colours.”

The test was conducted amid the drought in 2019 as temperatures reached 47 degrees Celsius, but the plants grew better than others though watered much less, Mr Critchley said.

The fertiliser was also tested on Lynwood’s 230-acre golf range in Pitt Town while suffering from drought. On 4000 square metres patch of the fairways, manager Matthew Bailey said test results after the second application of Swift Grow evidenced “improvement in colour, vigour and drought hardiness” on the lawn grass.

“Staff commented on the healthy colour of the turf. Since using Swift Grow, we no longer required application of additional nutrition or soil wetters,” Mr Bailey said.

The rainfall over six months period in the summer of 2019 only averaged 40mm.

Lynwood had to cut water usage by almost half yet the turf remained healthy – attributed to Swift Grow being able to tolerate drought.

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Riverstone microbiologist Joseph Ayoub.

He left his full time research JOB Mr Ayoub, who left a fulltime research lab job in 2007, discovered the fertiliser from manure of the barramundi fish he was commercially growing on his aquaculture business.

The fish feeds he was initially using contained toxic heavy metals causing the barramundi to lose natural flavour thus Mr Ayoub began the experiment on growing the “best tasting barramundi” by concocting “clean and organic” fish feed.

He would throw away the fish manure on fruit trees and vegetables growing on the farm, and later noticed healthy yields, larger sizes of fruits, including the bright colours, and natural smell of fruits.

“It was amazing to see the much bigger sizes of fruits, the nutritional goodness of the vegetables and the biomass of the fruit’s flesh increased by 50 per cent,” Mr Ayoub said.

The enormous yield on finger limes came as a surprise, too, including the speed of seeds germinating during the experiment.

The DPI certification was issued last year stating that Swift Grow is safe to use in soils in NSW and elsewhere and its components bring out healthy soil and help control the growth of harmful micro-organisms and pathogens.

The Riverstone Farm marketing manager, Emil Isaac, said Swift Grow will be showcased as a unique Australian product in a Dubai Expo.

He recently entered the product in the prestigious Earthshot Prize that was initiated by the foundation established by Prince William and his wife Kate Middleton to find five science-based innovations from across the globe that will tackle the world’s environmental challenges.

Last year, Swift Grow won the 2020 City of Parramatta Excellence in Innovation Award following successful results as hundreds of mums and dads’ gardeners gave the fertiliser a thumping thumbs up.

Swift Grow is sold online at www.swiftgrow.com. au or at local nurseries.

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SWIFT GROW For extraordinary growth results 6ZLIW JURZ LV WKH RQO\ ¿VK IHUWLOLVHU SURGXFHG ORFDOO\ DW RXU VXVWDLQDEOH $XVWUDOLDQ EDUUDPXQGL ¿VK IDUP 6ZLIW *URZ LV D QDWXUDO VXSHU IRRG IRU \RXU SODQWV ,W LV DQ RUJDQLF VROXWLRQ ULFK LQ PDFURQXWULHQWV ERWK SULPDU\ DQG VHFRQGDU\ DV ZHOO DV PLFURQXWULHQWV 7KH SULPDU\ PDFURQXWULHQWV DUH 1LWURJHQ 3KRVSKRUXV DQG 3RWDVVLXP 1 3 . <RX PD\ EH PRVW IDPLOLDU ZLWK WKHVH WKUHH QXWULHQWV EHFDXVH WKH\ DUH UHTXLUHG LQ ODUJHU TXDQWLWLHV WKDQ RWKHU QXWULHQWV 7KH VHFRQGDU\ PDFURQXWULHQWV 6XOSKXU 0DJQHVLXP &DUERQ DQG &DOFLXP $OWKRXJK WKH\ DUH FDOOHG VHFRQGDU\ WKHVH HOHPHQWV DUH QRW QHFHVVDULO\ QHHGHG E\ SODQWV LQ VPDOOHU TXDQWLWLHV 7KH PLFURQXWULHQWV QXWULHQWV DOVR NQRZQ DV HVVHQWLDO HOHPHQWV DUH UHTXLUHG LQ YHU\ VPDOO TXDQWLWLHV ,I DQ\ PLFURQXWULHQW LV GH¿FLHQW WKH JURZWK RI WKH HQWLUH SODQW ZLOO QRW UHDFK PD[LPXP \LHOG

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Viewpoint

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2021: will you thrive, survive or dive?

“

Whether you will thrive, survive or dive in 2021 is highly influenced by your leadership mindset, business strategy and actions.”

– Eric Tjoeng  ERIC TJOENG HILST there were countless success stories of businesses doing exceptionally well during the height of the COVID period, through both great strategy and good fortune, many businesses are still feeling the downturn effects on trading with their owners are feeling jaded and considering their future.

Many businesses had to completely change their business model to survive and ultimately thrive post-COVID. With government subsidies soon ending and many businesses still struggling from the loss of revenue, staff, even their primary products or services, many small business owners are keen to keep moving forward

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and looking for ways to build more resilience into their businesses for a successful 2021.

Whether you will thrive, survive or dive in 2021 is highly influenced by your leadership mindset, business strategy and actions.

Leadership mindset As leaders, we need to be innovative, adaptable, agile and make conscious choices: • We must focus on how to react to uncertainties whilst being empowered by our response to these uncertainties: “We have a choice in how we think about any situation we face. Even if you weren’t born an optimist, you can still learn to think like one. Radical optimism is the notion that there’s an upside to everything. Even a global pandemic and worldwide health crisis.” Dr Natalie Dattilo, Clinical Psychologist • We must focus on what we can control; by doing this, we will feel more empowered and be able to direct actions to produce outstanding outcomes.

• We need to surround ourselves with the right people who can energise you and provide the necessary knowledge, experience and advice to succeed.

Business strategy and actions The post COVID period for some businesses requires re-inventing the business model by revisiting the business sustainability and growth strategies, and taking actions to achieve desired outcomes in 2021; this includes reviewing, crafting and implementing the required strategy and steps to cater for: • Understanding and focusing on the right target market and value proposition.

WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS ACCESS MARCH 2021

• Understanding the changing customer needs.

• Understanding and mapping into changing customer buying behaviours.

• Providing the right products/services at the right price.

• Marketing strategy and channel to communicate with your target market.

• Having an effective sales process.

• Having an efficient and effective product/service fulfilment.

• Adopting empathetic customer service.

• Fine tuning human resources, having the right people on the bus and the wrong people off the bus.

• Having a projection for viable financial requirements and outcomes.

Finally get expert assistance when required.

Eric Tjoeng is CEO, Business Growth and Exit Specialists. Visit: www.bges.co

19

Business Champions Awards

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Scenes from this year’s gala event.

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Business Champions Awards

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Scenes from this year’s gala event.

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Crosswords/Games

Solutions page 30

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CROSSWORD ACROSS 1. Point on the earth's surface directly above the focus of an earthquake 6. The man who invented the cube that became a world hit, Hungarian designer, Erno ...

9. First person to circumnavigate the world in a balloon, ... Fossett 10. New York World Series baseball team 11. China's ... Zedong 12. West African republic with Conakry as its capital and chief Atlantic port 13. Sweet sparkling wine from the Piedmont area of northern Italy 15. Soviet statesman, ... Gorbachev 16. Wave-riding 18. Geothermal springs 20. Moving ice mass (Aletsch is Europe's largest) 21. US president's country home, ... David 23. London monument that stands close to the site of the Tyburn gallows, ... Arch 24. Flightless Australian bird 27. An ancient Greek one would have competed naked!

28. UAE sheikhdom, Abu ...

29. Tennis champion, Monica ...

30. Jazz legend, Duke ...

DOWN 1. English racing town or sort of salts used as a purgative 2. Fast and furious sport involving a puck (3,6) 3. Florida swamp region 4. World champion ice dancers, Jayne ... and Christopher Dean 5. Paris boulevard leading to the Arc de Triomphe, Champs ...

6. Cricket scores 7. Dutch word for 'farmers' used to denote Afrikaans-speaking South Africans 8. American statesman noted for his efforts in establishing a cease-fire in Vietnam in 1973, Henry ...

14. Final battle at the end of the world or the movie starring Liv Tyler and Bruce Willis 15. CS Lewis Narnia tale, The ... Nephew (8'1) 17. Door-to-door (hawker) 19. Term for conjoined twins first used to describe Chang and Eng Bunker 20. Archangel generally depicted in art blowing the trumpet that will announce the second coming 22. Mausoleum Shah Jahan built to commemorate his wife, the Taj ...

25. Workers' body formed to safeguard salaries and conditions 26. Followers of Judaism

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CMRC

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2021 International Women’s Day Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world  PRISCELLA MABOR HE global UN Women’s theme for International Women’s Day (IWD) 2021 is “Women in Leadership This theme celebrates the tremendous efforts by women and girls around the world in shaping a more equal future.

The Community Migrant Resource Centre (CMRC) has navigated many waves to arrive in this new COVID-19 world.

As an essential service CMRC remained open for business throughout COVID, supporting refugees and migrants through resettlement, arm in arm with a global pandemic.

Women were clearly identified early on, as cornerstones to the COVID journey and recovery as frontline workforce impacted were predominantly women; as key decision makers in supporting health measures to combat the pandemic, as home school parents and as micro-peak bodies within the home, when forming key health decisions related to vaccinations.

So IWD on March 8 focuses once again on where do women sit in leadership roles, inside and outside the home. Two of CMRC’s frontline staff have been reflecting on this.

Manal Abzakh arrived in Australia from Jordan in 1989 and discovered straight away that family values instilled in her the power of leadership, but that this would mean a move away from the family business.

“Back home, I was a pharmacist because there was no choice. It was our family business, and I did it as a favour to my father.

But arriving here, I realized it was not my passion,” Manal said.

So, Manal enrolled at TAFE and pursued a career in the community sector. But it was her mother, who provided the ballast to her desire to pursue higher aspirations. “My mother shaped who I am. She was always a positive and responsible person. My attitude and values are from her.”

Parastoo Khosronejad remembers her tears at Tehran Airport as a 24-year-old young woman, standing with her parents waiting for the plane to take to them to Australia.

“I never wanted to come. It was my parents who wanted to come here. I was an accountant, I had a good job, I had a boyfriend and friends.”

But of course, upon arriving here, Parastoo was surprised to see the freedoms allowed here.

“My mother and I grew up where we all had to be covered but one of the first things

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Manal Abzakh and Parastoo Khosronejad.

we learnt was, we didn’t need to wear our headscarf here, and keep ourselves totally covered. This was so new for us,” she said.

Learning about career choices Parastoo also learnt that there were career choices for women here.

“In Iran there was no choice. I had good grades, so as a female there were not many courses you could study. So that is why I went into accountancy. But I love counselling and that is what I pursued in Australia.”

Manal and Parastoo support newly arrived women from Syria, Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan as they navigate the cultural, language, social isolation and financial hurdles of resettlement in a new country.

Since their own arrival, they have seen the impacts of what happens when women do break the glass ceiling and have a seat at the table, in decision making roles.

Manal said: “I would like to access leadership within my community and professionally through my career. Now we don’t have equal opportunity for women from Arabic-speaking backgrounds. For example, there is a lack of female leaders, there are gender stereotypes and sexism still. There needs to be more women mentors. Society expectations are still based on gender roles.“ Parastoo agrees: “Dduring COVID everywhere we went you could see women are the frontline workers in the community sector, and in the hospitals. But often these same women are not recognized as leaders.

Many of them are also mothers, and they can be called on more to educate families and societies during a pandemic. Where is more recognition for these women.”

PRISCELLA MABOR is Inclusion Strategy & Innovations Manager at the Community Migrant Resource Centre.

“

In Iran there was no choice. I had good grades, so as a female there were not many courses you could study. So that is why I went into accountancy.

But I love counselling and that is what I pursued in Australia.”

– Parastoo Khosronejad.

Community Migrant Resource Centre (CMRC) is a not-for-profit, charitable organisation established in 1996.

CMRC is a leader in the provision of specialised support services to newly arrived migrants, refugees and humanitarian entrants.

CMRC works within a community capacity building framework to encourage individuals and multicultural communities to identify and address their own issues.

It works in collaborative partnerships with a great number of agencies to provide services which have both an immediate and long term benefit for the community.

CMRC employs over 60 full time, part-time and casual multi-lingual staff.

Paramatta office Level 4, 1 Horwood Place Parramatta, NSW 2150 Ph: (02) 9687 9901 Monday – Friday: 9AM – 5PM

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Community Hub Castle Towers Level 3, 6-14 Castle Street, Castle Hill, NSW 2154 Northern Region office

Shop 3030 Top Ryde City CNR Devlin And Blaxland Rd RYDE NSW 2112

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Films

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Boss Level – 3 Stars Boss Level is a hell of a lot of fun.

OY Pulver (Frank Grillo) is stuck in a time loop. Every morning, he wakes up and fights off a series of assassins sent by the dastardly Colonel Clive Ventor (Mel Gibson) to kill him. No matter what he does, though, he always dies. In many respects, Roy doesn’t care.

You see, his wife, Jemma (Naomi Watts) was killed the day before, so he has no reason to live. That is, until he finds out that maybe there’s a way to save her. No longer intent on either resigning himself to being assassinated, or methodically despatching hitmen, Roy is now single-minded in saving his family.

Boss Level, directed by Joe Carnahan, is a hell of a lot of fun. Cheesy, ultra-violent, and frequently very funny, the film knows exactly what it is and hits it out of the park in that respect. The jokes are dry, well-timed and well-written. The script is tight, and the dialogue believable in the context of the film.

One of the most impressive things in the film is the acting. This cast is stacked to the brim with incredible talent, from Naomi Watts to Annabelle Wallis, Ken Jeong and Mel Gibson. Gibson, who we’ve seen recently in a number of 2020 and 2021 releases, really levels up his performance here, and delivers a character that feels suitably fun and evil at the same time.

The real star of the show though is Grillo. Reportedly, Carnahan developed this idea 8 years ago, and wouldn’t make the movie without Grillo as the star – and thank god he fought for that casting choice, because Grillo is note perfect in every scene of this movie. Whether he’s cracking one-liners, looking like an action star, looking like a

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drunk, pulling his own teeth out or delivering a tender moment with his son, every second of his performance is exactly what this movie needs.

The action is tight, varied and violent. A mix of widely vicious kills – from harpoon guns to samurai swords, gunshots and car crashes – leads to a continued engagement with the by nature repeated story beats infused throughout the film.

In many respects, this film won’t surprise you. Largely, the plot is pretty self-explan-

atory, with barely explained mcguffins and a series of reveals we have seen before in movies like Palm Springs and Groundhog Day (albeit with a lot more action, blood and fun here).

The colour grade, too, feels cheap and desaturated, which is interesting given the stunts, CGI and staging all nod towards the films significant budget. What is surprising, though, is that you are actually driven to care about these characters in this film.

Some of the work between Frank Grillo and

his on-screen son is really powerful, and genuine emotion wells.

In the end, this movie isn’t going to blow your mind, the box office or the award season. But there’s no denying – it is incredibly fun. Boss Level is perfect for what it intends to be. An incredibly fun, funny and action-packed time at the cinema.

Reviews by Jacob Richardson Creative Director | Film Focus www.filmfocusau.com

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News Films

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Judas and the Black Messiah – 5 Stars A blistering, emotive and utterly engaging movie.

ILL O’Neal (LaKeith Stanfield) is a car thief, caught by the FBI. He strikes a deal with FBI Agent Mitchell ( Jesse Plemons) and J. Edgar Hoover (Martin Sheen) to keep himself out of prison – in return for his freedom, he is tasked with infiltrating the Black Panther Party, and specifically getting close to Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya), a man described by Hoover as a Black Messiah figure. As Hampton ascends in popularity and influence, uniting other disaffected groups in his wake and falling for a fellow revolutionary in the process, a battle wages for O’Neal’s soul.

Judas and The Black Messiah shines a light on a figure that isn’t as prevalent in the social conscious as that of other Black revolutionaries (like Martin Luther King or Malcolm X). Fred Hampton’s tale is a heartbreaking one, and a compelling one.

However, director Shaka King correctly recognises that while, as a figure, Hampton is an incredible human who served the cause well, the real complexity in the story comes from Bill O’Neal – a man who ultimately sold out his friend, his race and the cause.

The film intersperses towards the end some footage of the real O’Neal maintaining that he was a Panther and part of the cause right up until the release of a PBC documentary highlighting his betrayal, and in many respects one almost believes him.

He is a complex character, who will betraying that same cause also aided it immensely. By focusing on Bill, as opposed to Fred, we are both grounded in a more complex tale, and given an outsider’s perspective on Fred’s magnetism.

The film is perfectly paced – never feeling overly long, or outstaying its welcome. Right from the off, with Bill dressed

B

Bogart-esque as he runs a scam on some bar-goers, the film sucks you in, and it never lets you go.

Whether it’s the romance between Fred and Deborah, the bromance between Bill and Fred, or the sinister relationship between Bill and Agent Mitchell, the movie grips you from the very first minute, and is as entertaining and interesting as they get.

It’s also a beautifully shot movie. DOP Sean Bobbitt (who has also done films like 12 Years A Slave, Hunger, Shame, The Place Beyond The Pines, and OldBoy) knocks it out of the park with this one. The colour palette is gritty yet romantic, and there are a number of standout shots – O’Neal fleeing the Panther stronghold springs to mind, as

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does the opening sequence and Hampton’s speech post his prison stint (more on that later).

The supporting cast is uniformly spectacular, withPlemmons, Sheen and Dominique Fishback all giving compelling performances. LaKeith Stanfield in the lead role captures the duality of this character’s nature with aplomb, delivering an outstanding performance that is grimy, ratty, heroic and intriguing all in one. He is both hateable and lovable at the same time.

The real standout, though, is Daniel Kaluuya. Kaluuya delivers a real powerhouse of a performance. Every second on screen is immersive and incredible. In particular, the scene where he returns to

his congregation post his brief incarceration, and delivers his ‘I am a revolutionary’ speech, is incredible. Coupled with the up close cinematography, and the shots between Plemmons and Stanfield, Kaluuya’s performance is utterly hair-raising and inspiring. It’s a scene that will stay with you for a long, long time.

This is a tale that needs to be told, listened to and understood, and it’s told in a way that is not only admirable, but utterly inspiring. This is unmissable cinema.

Reviews by Jacob Richardson Creative Director | Film Focus www.filmfocusau.com

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New-generation Renault Captur small SUV brings a $6,200 entry price hike  CALLUM HUNTER ENAULT Australia has revealed the pricing and specification of its second-generation Captur small SUV with the range starting from $28,190 plus on-road costs for the entry-level Life.

Armed with an updated look, an all-new platform and more standard equipment than ever, the new Captur has risen significantly in price compared to its first-gen predecessor which used to start from $21,990 for the manual, or $25,990 for an automatic.

With first deliveries expected to commence in April, the new Captur is just the second model from the brand to be underpinned by the new Alliance-developed CMF-B platform which Renault says has resulted in an increase in space and practicality.

Compared to the old model, the new one offers a claimed 17mm more rear legroom as well as an extra 81 litres of cargo space (now 536L), no doubt thanks to the 110mm of extra body length (now 4227mm) and the sliding second row (160mm of adjustment).

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Three variants will be offered Down Under, all powered by the same turbocharged 1.3-litre four-cylinder petrol engine good for 113kW/270Nm sent exclusively to the front wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission – fuel consumption is pegged at 6.6 litres per 100km on the combined cycle while emitting 149g of CO2 per kilometre.

Opening up the range is the previously mentioned $28,190 Life which comes with a 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system, Bluetooth connectivity, DAB+ digital radio, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, 17-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, paddle shifters and power adjustable door mirrors.

Spending an extra $2600 and opting for the Zen ($30,790) meanwhile adds a heated leather steering wheel to the equation along with climate control, keyless entry, rain-sensing wipers and wireless phone charging.

At the top of the range, the $35,790 Intens brings a marked improvement in standard equipment, boasting a bigger 9.3inch infotainment screen paired with a Bose premium sound system, power adjustable driver’s seat, heated front seats, electric park brake, LED cabin lighting, ‘flying’ centre console, auto-dimming rearview mirror, 360-degree camera, illuminated vanity mirrors, 7.0-inch digital driver display, three drive modes, satellite navigation, black leather upholstery, chrome exterior highlights, privacy glass and 18-inch alloy wheels.

Standard safety equipment on all models includes emergency brake assist, autonomous emergency braking, hill start assist, dusk-sensing lights, rearview camera, front and rear parking sensors, tyre pressure monitoring, forward collision warning, traffic sign recognition, lane departure warning and lane-keep assist with other features including rear cross-traffic alert and blind spot monitoring offered on the higher-grade variants.

Renault says it is opening its order books for the new model from the beginning of March.

2021 Renault Captur pricing* Life (a) Zen (a) Intens (a)

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$28,190 $30,790 $35,790 *Excludes on-road costs

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News Auto

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The Taycan Cross Turismo is Porsche’s attempt at a BEV performance crossover  CALLUM HUNTER UST when it was looking like every motoring niche was being catered for, Porsche has formally confirmed its high-riding Taycan Cross Turismo EV performance wagon is under development.

Described by Porsche executives as an “all-electric cross utility vehicle”, the Taycan Cross Turismo is based on the Mission E Cross Turismo Concept of 2018 with the design brief being to “offer a little bit more space, a little more flexibility and versatility” than a regular Taycan, according to model line chief Stefan Weckbach.

While the finished product is yet to be revealed or even detailed, Porsche has begun drip-feeding the media with the design elements and images of lightly camouflaged images as the new model enters its final stages of development.

From the front it looks exactly how you would expect a jacked-up Taycan with roof rails to look, featuring the same quad light signature, thin wide lower grille and narrow front fascia.

Things vary a fair bit compared to the regular Taycan when looking from the side however, with a roofline and silhouette reminiscent of the Panamera Sport Turismo, albeit with chunkier rear haunches and more ground clearance.

“We developed a completely new roofline, fitted with roof rails, a more generous second row and bigger trunk, all to make a car that is perfect for an active lifestyle,” Mr Weckbach said.

“A car that is perfect for both an urban environment and the countryside.”

Such is Porsche’s commitment to the active lifestyle market, it has even developed its own bespoke bike rack which has been both aerodynamically and structurally optimised to match the Taycan Cross Turismo’s design and capabilities.

Speaking of capabilities, the brand has also developed a new CUV (cross utility vehicle) specific driving mode and optimised the raised suspension to handle “light off-roading and gravel roads” as well as performance driving.

Given the Cross Turismo bares ‘Taycan’ at the beginning of its name, it should come as no surprise to find much of the new model’s development has been carried out at the Nurburgring and Hockenheim racetracks as well as the Nardo test track and Pyrenees mountains.

“The Cross Turismo has to be capable of high performance on the race track and must also be able to handle scree, mud and gravel,” Mr Weckbach said.

“The Cross Turismo is not a hardcore off-road vehicle, but specialises in unpaved and dirt roads. It’s like a type of Swiss army knife on up to 21-inch wheels.”

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It remains to be seen how many Cross Turismo variants emerge when the car is revealed in full in the coming months, however we expect it to follow a similar approach to the sedan-style Taycan, of which three – 4S, Turbo and Turbo S – are currently offered.

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As for powertrains, our money is on the Cross Turismo launching with a similar line-up as the Taycan, perhaps with a smaller range of variants as with the Panamera and its Sport Turismo wagon counterpart.

GoAuto has contacted Porsche Cars Australia (PCA) to gauge local interest in

the niche electric crossover, however given the brand’s popularity Down Under, a local introduction is almost certain.

PCA has sold 402 new vehicles so far this year ending January, down just eight units on the 410 it shifted over the same period last year.

27

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SOBERLIFE DETECTS ALCOHOL ON STAFF

End of big nights out or boozy lunches

 DALLAS SHERRINGAHM URNING up for work under the weather after a big night out may be a thing of the past thanks to new technology developed to detect alcohol and link it to facial ID. The new Soberlive FRX unit has facial ID to provide secure entry for your workplace.

Soberlive conducts automatic alcohol breath test and facial recognition check to authorise entry, including remotely.

As a new contactless and automatic device with facial recognition, it can become an organisation’s first line of defense in restricting employees and visitors who are under the influence of alcohol or are not authorised.

Developed by Andatech, the unit comes with an online data management system that is ideal for live monitoring of a workplace or organisation’s alcohol testing policy and provides solid record-keeping with photographic evidence of every alcohol breath test of employees, patients or visitors.

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Andatech’s new Soberlive FRX can be connected to any access control system, including a gate control, providing the results in less than 10 seconds.

The unit also can double as an employee time attendance system logging the employee’s ID, blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and time of entry.

The new device can even operate when people are wearing masks, although the mask does need to be slipped down when doing the breath test.

“The Soberlive FRX saves valuable time, eliminates direct physical contact and reduces the need for additional staff for the screening,” Andatech’s workplace specialist Jaka Exstrada said.

“The wall-mounted unit is highly accurate and designed to protect the health and safety of an organisation’s employees.

I expect it will become an integral part of not only offices and workplaces, but also construction sites, airlines and logistics companies where alcohol testing is conducted daily and employers are after a fast, efficient and cohesive system,” he said.

Sober buddy won’t work To prevent a sober buddy taking an alcohol test on someone’s behalf, the Soberlive FRX utilises facial verification three times: once before the test, once during the test when it snaps a photo of the testee, and once more after the test.

The new Andatech unit has a large internal memory with the ability to store 10,000 registered faces and 2000 test results. This can be increased to 20,000 faces and 5000 test records per device with cloud-based storage and connection through Andalink software, which bridges the Soberlive FRX with a state-of-the-art traceability system.

Andalink and the cloud storage is secured via SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) and link encryption, so everything is safely stored and available for future reference.

Administrators can access the platform anywhere at any time. Multiple devices from multiple locations can be synchronised, making it ideal for remote sites as employees can take their own test

without the need for someone else to administer the test.

The Soberlive FRX links every test result to the registered face/user.

Jaka said the Soberlive FRX could be set up using three methods of connection: Ethernet, Wi-Fi and 4G for remote sites.

Highly durable, the Soberlive FRX can be used in extreme temperatures ranging from -10 to 50 degrees Celsius.

“Because results from tests are recorded instantly and synched with the Andalink account, administrators can conduct live monitoring of a workplace’s screening and alcohol testing policy. This provides solid record-keeping with photographic evidence of every test taken by employees and visitors,” he said.

Only available from Andatech, the Soberlive FRX comes with a one-year warranty. The device has an FxCell3 fuel cell sensor for high accuracy, which can easily be replaced when required.

Details: www.andatech.com.au

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