B2B Issue 98 October 2014

B2BMAGAZINE.COM.AU

OCTOBER 2014

FOCUSING ON ABILIT Y DARRYL’S DEN

Redundancy payments KNOW THE TA X IMPLICATIONS

Rent or hire?

IT'S PPSA OR PERISH

estate litigation ON THE RISE $4.95 inc. GST

MTAA Super CELEBRATES 25 YEARS

98

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CONTENTS

PUBLISHER'S NOTE

Man the barricades: paid parking in the Parliamentary Triangle

Photo: Andrew Sikorski

Paid parking has been introduced into the Parliamentary Triangle in TIM Canberra - and about bloody BENSON time too. I am sick to death Publisher of the bleating of public servants who have benefited from free parking for the past 100 years that they should now have to pay for parking like any other employee or citizen in the ACT. As a frequent visitor to our national institutions, such as the Australian National Gallery, National Portrait Gallery and the Museum of Democracy at Old Parliament House and the Australian National Library, I have frequently marvelled at how many cars they attract to their car parks at 9.00am on a weekday. In fact they were nearly full … of public servants cars - most of them driven in with a sole driver and then parked for free in parking that is for visitors to the ACT to visit their national institutions. I was pleasantly surprised on the first day of paid parking to visit OPH at 9.15am and find half of the car parks available. I gladly paid the parking fee.

Send all comments to editorial@b2bmagazine.com.au WIN FREE TICKETS TO VOICES IN THE FOREST Love opera then don’t miss the chance to win one of two double passes to hear three of the world’s most beautiful voices in a once only concert on 30th November at the National Arboretum. Just answer the following question: Where is the Voices in the Forest concert held?

Email your response to: comp@b2bmagazine.com.au The first two correct responses will win the tickets.

Publishers decision is final.

12 COVER STORY DARRYL'S DEN ACTIVITY CENTRE FOCUSING ON ABILITY

2014 CANBERRA BUSINESSPOINT AWARDS 4

THURSDAY 25 SEPTEMBER 2014 National Portrait Gallery 6.00pm - 9.00pm CONTACT US ON 1300 648 641 OR VISIT

www.canberrabusinesspoint.com.au

BOO YOU K TICK R E TOD TS AY!

PROGRAM DELIVERED BY:

PROGRAM DELIVERED BY:

C ANBE RR A BUSINESS COUNCIL

AN ACT GOVERNMENT INITIATIVE

AN INITIATIVE OF

CONTENTS

FEATURE

26 FINANCIAL PLANNING Voluntary redundancies for government employees

by Dragonfly Financial Services

05 Challenging preconceptions Goodwin Aged Care

26 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY Competition policy review: will it affect you?

by Arete Group

06 The rise and rise of estate litigation Dobinson Davey Clifford Simpson Lawyers

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08 Managing a sustainable workplace OPC IT

28 PROPERTY INVESTING Buying property with a fine-tooth comb

by Hatch Property Australia

10 MTAA Super celebrates 25 years MTAA Super 16 ANZ Mobile Lending celebrates opening of new office in Weston ANZ Mobile Lending

30 WEBSITES Convert more through better landing pages

by Synapse Worldwide

COVER STORY 12 Darryl's Den: focusing on ability RSM Bird Cameron Chartered Accountants

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20 ACCOUNTING Tax implications of redundancy payments

by RSM Bird Cameron Chartered Accountants

22 BOOKKEEPING Why outsourced bookkeeping is a good return on investment

by Tailored Accounts

LEGAL NOTICE

36 CANBERRA BUSINESS COUNCIL Government decision to delay new convention centre beyond belief

Then let’

37 ACT & REGION CHAMBER OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY Workplace bullying – issues for employees

Talk to ou you focus

38 ACT EXPORTERS Greater support for ACT exporters

35 B2B @ official opening of new Mercedes Benz dealership Fyshwick

36 B2B @ MTAA Super 25th anniversay celebration National Arboretum

24 CORPORATE GOVERNANCE Performance reviews: no longer just for CEOs

by Australian Institute of Company Directors

ISSN 1833-8232

35 MINISTER'S MESSAGE City to the Lake project update

BUSINESS NETWORKING

22 BUSINESS ADVISORY Rent or hire? It's PPSA or perish!

by Vincents Chartered Accountants 24 BUSINESS LAW Brand protection: overcoming hurdles to registering a trademark

by Bradley Allen Love Lawyers

32

INTER

A2B: ASSOCIATIONS TO BUSINESS

19 ADVICE FROM THE EXPERTS

20 BANKING Granny flats on the comeback

by ANZ Mobile Lending

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28 RECRUITMENT Welcome aboard – getting your new hires productive

by Hays Recruiting

25 FAMILY LAW Delaying your property settlement is risky business

by Dobinson Davey Clifford Simpson Lawyers

DISPLAY

37 B2B @ Canberra BusinessPoint Awards National Portrait Gallery

Wednesda or by appo

38 B2B @ Bradley Allen Love Sweatworking® University of Canberra

EDITOR

PUBLISHED BY

ADVERTISING

Liz Lang editorial@b2bmagazine.com.au 0408 952 341 02 6161 2751

Man Bites Dog Public Relations ABN 30 932 483 322 PO Box 4106 Ainslie ACT 2602 b2bmagazine.com.au

Tim Benson advertising@b2bmagazine.com.au 0402 900 402 02 6161 2751

PUBLISHER

DESIGN

PHOTOGRAPHY

Tim Benson Intern: Marshall Jones

Manuel Galaktidis evendots.com.au

Andrew Sikorski art-atelier.com.au

20 Galore

Man Bites Dog Public Relations (‘MBD’) owns the copyright in this publication. Except for any fair dealing as permitted by the Copyright Act 1968 (Cwth), no part of this publication may be reproduced without the prior written permission of MBD. MBD has been careful in preparing this publication, however: it is not able to, and does not warrant that the publication is free from errors and omissions; and it is not able to verify, and has not verified the accuracy of the information and opinions contained or expressed in, or which may be conveyed to readers by any advertisement or other publication content. MBD advises that it accepts all contributed material and advertisements contained in this publication in good faith, and relies on various warranties and permissions provided to it by the persons who contribute material and/or place advertisements. Those warranties and permissions include that neither the material and/or advertisements are misleading, deceptive or defamatory, and that their use, adaptation or publication does not infringe the rights of any third party, or any relevant laws. Further, MBD notifies readers that it does not, nor should it be understood to endorse, adopt, approve or otherwise associate MBD with any representations made in contributions and/or advertisements contained in the publication. MBD makes no representation or warranty as to the qualifications of any contributor or advertiser or persons associated with them, and advises readers that they must rely solely on their own enquiries in relation to such qualifications, and be satisfied from those enquiries that persons with whom they deal as a result of reading any material or advertisement have the necessary licences and professional qualifications relating to the goods and services offered. To the maximum extent permitted by law, MBD excludes all liabilities in contract, tort (including negligence) and/or statute for loss, damage, costs and expenses of any kind to any person arising directly or indirectly from any material or advertisement contained in this publication, whether arising from an error, omission, misrepresentation or any other cause.

You’ll get more out of life at

RESTED?

F E AT U R E

Challenging preconceptions

N ur sales team today to find out how The Central can let

’s get things rolling!

on the good things in life.

Introducing The Central – Goodwin’s newest innovation.

From its high quality apartments, townhouses, and penthouses through to its Lifestyle Club and location in the heart of Crace, The Central offers a sophisticated way of life that’s perfect for active and independent Australians aged 60 and over.

APARTMENT NOW OPEN

ew apartment-living options for over 60s enable active, social living for retirees who fear losing the daily interactions of the workplace.

For many of us, the workplace is a source of daily interaction, social connection and mental stimulation that we will miss upon retirement – even if we’re counting the days.

There’s a preconception that losing the daily stimulation of the workplace represents the beginning of a protracted slow-down.

The reality is that new apartment complexes for over-60s, like The Central, challenge preconceptions about retirement living. Rather than adjusting your lifestyle to “suit your age”, it is about adjusting your accommodation to suit the active, full lifestyle you desire.

“The physical design of The Central consists of shared courtyard gardens plus a residents’ club lounge and gym, that will provide ample opportunity to meet neighbours or share a quiet drink,” said Jim Purcell, Goodwin’s Executive Manager, Retirement Living.

“We also have an onsite Lifestyle Officer whose role it is to fill a creative social calendar for residents every week.

“Many of our first residents are older singles, who’ve been attracted by the social aspects.”

“I tell people this is a community of like-minded people over 60, who don’t want to bother maintaining their large homes anymore, and they just want a lifestyle that suits them,” said Jenny Weire, an incoming resident of The Central.

“My kids love it here too. It’s a beautiful place for families to socialise, there are lots of places around Crace you can go,” Jenny said. Crace was recently awarded the Best Master Planned Community in the National Property Council of Australia Awards.

Alongside local volunteering work and an active social life including local walking groups, Jenny leads travel groups through Europe. “I can just take off,” Jenny said. “I don’t have to worry about the maintenance of a house or garden, there’s someone to collect my mail or anything I need.”

“Downsizing in this case,” Jim adds, “is about facilitating the travel you can do now that you’re not tied to a job”.

ay 11am-1pm and Saturdays 10am-2pm ointment.

INTERESTED? Then let’s get things rolling!

Talk to our sales team today to find out how The Central can let you focus on the good things in life.

Street, Crace | (02) 6175 5057 | centralbygoodwin.org.a DISPLAY APARTMENT NOW OPEN

Wednesday 11am-1pm and Saturdays 10am-2pm or by appointment.

20 Galore Street, Crace | (02) 6175 5057 | centralbygoodwin.org.au

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The rise and

rise of estate litigation

By Phillip Davey

O

ne only has to Google ‘estate dispute’ or ‘estate litigation’ to see the plethora of legal firms actively engaged in this area of law. The sad reality is that there is an increasing number of disputes and court cases involving deceased estates.

The disputes and resulting litigation range across a wide variety of issues including: • challenges to the validity of a Will; • challenges to the capacity of the Will maker to make a valid Will; • challenges where a beneficiary has been involved in preparing the Will; • challenges in relation to the interpretation of the provisions of a particular Will; and • an exponential increase in the number of claims by children, spouses and in some cases grandchildren claiming a share of the estate in circumstances where they have either been left out of a Will or believe that they have been inadequately provided for. This category of cases is more commonly referred to as family provisions claims.

The increase in the number of family provision claims closely tracks changes in family dynamics which have occurred over the past 20-30 years. During this period, we have seen a significant increase in divorce rates and second marriages or subsequent defacto relationships. Upon the death of a party to a second relationship it is not uncommon for there to be tension between the second

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While careful planning and communication are generally the keys to avoiding or minimising the risk and scope of such disputes, it is not possible to prevent a disgruntled family member from making a claim. partner, the children of the first relationship and/or children of the second relationship.

Unless careful planning has taken place, there is potential for an almost perfect storm.

While careful planning and communication are generally the keys to avoiding or minimising the risk and scope of such disputes, it is not possible to prevent a disgruntled family member from making a claim. In those circumstances it is important to get the right advice, whether as a potential claimant, as the executor of the estate or one of the other beneficiaries.

Dealing with estate disputes requires particular expertise and skill sets. DDCS has a dedicated team skilled in the area of estate litigation and dispute resolution. The DDCS estate litigation team comprises Phil Davey, who is an Accredited Mediator and has more than 30 years litigation experience, Rebecca Tetlow, the only Accredited Specialist in Wills and Estates Law in the Canberra region and Brendan Cockerill who has 15 years of

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experience advising in estate planning and business succession.

Succession law is a complex area that involves specialised technical knowledge.

In addition, because most estate disputes involve families at odds with one another, a thorough knowledge and appreciation of family systems and a sensitive and pragmatic approach to problem solving is essential.

DDCS has the necessary skills and expertise to deliver the best outcomes for clients in all aspects of estate disputes.

If you or one of your clients requires advice or assistance in relation to an estate dispute, contact a member of our team for an appointment on (02) 62127600.

Phillip Davey, is a Partner of the firm.

18 Kendall Lane, New Acton, Canberra phone (02) 6212 7600 mail@ddcslawyers.com.au, www.ddcslawyers.com.au

NOT-FOR-PROFIT GOVERNANCE AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT EXPERTS RSM Bird Cameron’s team has helped Darryl’s Den transition to the NDIS with expert governance and financial management advice.

With a proven track record, RSM Bird Cameron is the accounting and advisory practice of choice for Canberra’s not-for-profit sector.

Our experienced advisors provide financial clarity and strategic support to allow organisations to focus on day to day activities and achieving their core purpose.

Darryl’s Den is a not-for-profit organisation that provides a range of services to people with disabilities ranging from art and craft, to specialised massage and physical activities at its premises at the Community Hub in Holt ACT. L-R: Cheryle Parkes, Darryl’s Den, Billy Kang, David Bresnik, RSM Bird Cameron & Julie Grehan, Darryl’s Den

Get Connected Billy Kang P 02 6217 0310 E billy.kang@rsmi.com.au rsmi.com.au

Bird Cameron

Chartered Accountants

With RSM Bird Cameron you really are… Connected for Success.

F E AT U R E

L-R: Michael Allen, Executive General Manager, Corporate Services, Engineers Australia, Evan Williams, Chief Technology Officer, OPC, Barry Goodwin National Manager, ICT, Engineers Australia, Foreground: Brett Norton, Managing Director, OPC. Photography: Andrew Finch

Managing a sustainable workplace

C

limate change has the potential to affect all aspects of our society from the delivery of essential services to the environment in which we live. For a future with a more challenging climate, we need to be well prepared.

A key challenge for the engineering profession is to ensure that as the climate changes, policies and infrastructure continue

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to support and enhance healthy and sustainable lifestyles in a cost effective and sustainable manner.

As part of Convention 2014, the inaugural engineering conference hosted by Engineers Australia later this year, the third Practical Reponses to Climate Change Conference and the Business Enterprise Sustainability Forum will take place. These two events provide an opportunity for engineers, policy

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makers, scientists, planners, academics, other professionals and interested members of the public to present, discuss and debate the latest research and practice relating to the mitigation of and adaptation to climate change. Additionally, the idea that business enterprise needs to be sustainable in order to prosper, in terms of social and human capital, and in the context of the environment and economy will be a key topic of discussion.

F E AT U R E

Engineers Australia is very committed to reducing our carbon footprint in all areas of the business and we see the introduction of the Dell solution provided by OPC will play an active role in lowering our reliance on finite resources.

Barry Goodwin National Manager, ICT, Engineers Australia

High profile national and international speakers will come together with delegates from around Australia and the world. A series of plenary lectures, contributed papers and posters will ensure a vibrant and interesting program. The half-day workshops also allows a forum for debate of key issues, learn new techniques and plan for new directions for practical responses to climate change.

As part of actively promoting sustainable environmental practices and reducing their impact on surrounding resources Engineers Australia wanted to incorporate key principles into their recent IT infrastructure refresh. The idea of reducing the amount of equipment through consolidation and

convergence and a subsequent reduction in both energy and cooling requirements whilst still being able to maintain the resiliency and scalability necessary for future growth resonated with Barry Goodwin, National Manager ICT and Michael Allen, Executive General Manager, Corporate Services.

OPC, as a 30 year trusted advisor and long term provider of managed IT services to Engineers Australia, leveraged the strength of the Dell datacentre product suite to build a platform that met the requirements and delivered the efficiencies Engineers Australia were looking for. Through the utilisation of the Dell 12th Generation servers, Dell EqualLogic storage and Dell Networking equipment Engineers Australia saw a 66% reduction in the number of servers and storage appliances required to run key business critical systems. Combined with Dell’s Fresh Air Cooling technology allowing datacentre equipment to operate in much higher temperatures, ongoing cooling requirements have been further reduced.

On the floor, Dell PCs and laptops that incorporate the latest generation Intel processors deliver better performance at

a lower power consumption than their predecessors. Proactive system management policies implemented by OPC ensure all workstations are powered down overnight further minimising Engineers Australia’s energy consumption.

“Engineers Australia is very committed to reducing our carbon footprint in all areas of the business and we see the introduction of the Dell solution provided by OPC will play an active role in lowering our reliance on finite resources,” Barry Goodwin said.

Dell is committed to helping customers compute more while consuming less and are designing next-generation solutions that make a positive impact on the environment.

With ongoing efficiency development in every stage of their product lifecycle, from the development of bamboo and mushroom based packaging, to recovering over one hundred thousand tons of electronic waste in 2014 alone, Dell have made significant contributions to minimising carbon footprints and ensuring their customers can meet their own sustainability goals.

Engineers Australia, OPC IT and Dell, working together to build a sustainable workplace.

OPC offers end-to-end IT support!

• Fully Managed IT Services • Project Management & Consulting • VMware Server & Desktop Virtualisation • Helpdesk & Service Desk Support • Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery • Procurement Services • Dell Server & Storage Solutions • Desktop, Laptop and Mobile devices • Website Design & Development • Custom Drupal Development • Panoptic Monitoring & Website Hosting • Accessibility Compliance Testing.

For more information on how OPC can revolutionise your business, contact the team on 1300 788 616 31-37 Townshend Street, Phillip ACT 2606 www.opc.com.au

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121 Marcus Clarke Street, Canberra

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Photos 1, 2 & 3: Honor Luckhurst

MTA A SUPER CELEBRATES 25 YEARS IN A VERY GOOD POSITION WITH OVER 265,000 MEMBERS AND MORE THAN $7.5 BILLION IN FUNDS UNDER MANAGEMENT.

F E AT U R E

MTAA Super celebrates 25 years

T

his year MTAA Super reaches a significant milestone - the celebration of its 25th anniversary.

The quarter century milestone provides an opportunity for the Fund to reflect on the story so far, which includes a strong historical return over 25 years of 7.5% per annum.

The growth and success of MTAA Super can be attributed largely to two factors according to CEO, Leeanne Turner: an ethos of innovation in responding to members’ needs, and a strong and instinctive alignment to the automotive industry.

MTAA Super was established in 1989, four years following the National Wage Case when the ACTU secured a 3% employer superannuation contribution to be paid into an industry fund.

At the time of the National Wage Case, only around 40 per cent of all Australian employees were covered by superannuation and they were predominantly white collar workers. Everyone else had to fund their own retirement, often through products with high fees and little flexibility.

By 1989 when MTAA Super began, the number of workers with super had almost doubled, laying the foundations of the growth that was to follow.

Fast forward 25 years and most people retiring today have accumulated savings for the majority of their working lives. This is an extraordinary and transformational achievement, and being one of the first Industry Super Funds to be established, MTAA Super is part of that story.

In fact, MTAA Super is proud to boast a number of firsts. It was among the first funds to give members investment choice, and one of the first industry funds to adopt a board structure of three employer, three member, and three independent directors, and in doing so rising to industry best practice and greatly strengthening governance and accountability.

The numerous reforms put in place by the Fund in the last few years have started

to yield results, results that are winning industry recognition.

MTAA Super has been recognised by its peers with three prestigious awards in the past year: • Fund Executive of the Year awarded to CEO Leeanne Turner • AIST Trustee of the Year awarded to Chair John Brumby, and • AIST Super Investment Award for Excellence awarded to Executive Manager Investments – Philip Brown.

There is no doubt the Fund has had its ups and downs, particularly in the last five years, but MTAA Super celebrates 25 years in a very good position with over 265,000 members and more than $7.5 billion in funds under management.

According to Ms Turner, “one of the great things about super is that people’s savings are invested long term by super funds in jobcreating infrastructure and property. These are assets that generate economic growth for Australia and jobs for Australians. Investment in infrastructure is critical and MTAA Super has been an industry leader in this with its holdings in assets such as the RG Casey Building and 121 Marcus Clarke Street, and Sydney and Brisbane Airports”.

The Fund is particularly proud of its close relationship with and support for the automotive industry. It grew out of this industry and retains a very close partnership with it to this day.

The combined impacts of globalization and rapid technology advances, together with changing skill requirements and shifting consumer behaviours are re-shaping the automotive industry.

There are now over 50 different professions in the automotive industry and many face skills shortages. In the 2013/14 financial year MTAA Super launched its Pathways program, a unique program designed to celebrate and educate the broader public about the many and varied career paths available in the automotive industry.

Initiatives like sponsorship of the V8 Supercar series and the Apprentice of the Year Awards are aimed at encouraging young people to understand the vast array of opportunities that exist in the automotive industry. While the flagship ‘readthesigns’ program with Lifeline Australia is aimed at reducing the impact of mental illness and suicide within the industry.

“It is critical that we strongly support and promote our industry as it undergoes major changes, both the difficult changes that have come with the winding down of car manufacturing in Australia, as well as the positive opportunities that exist in an industry that is being transformed by technology and innovation” said Ms Turner.

“We proudly support industry programs in a number of ways, as well as supporting employers in the industry to manage legislative change and reduce the burden on administering super for our industry’s small businesses”.

“As the Australian superannuation system has grown to rival the size of the banks, it has become a major player. There is a wealth of opportunity to further connect superannuation savings and investment in infrastructure and to make some huge inroads in addressing our infrastructure backlog.”

“MTAA Super is part of that story, and we can all be proud of what we have achieved not just in the last few years, but for a quarter of a century for our members, employers and the industry”.

Contact MTAA Super Phone 1300 362 415 from 8am-7pm EST Monday-Friday Fax 1300 365 142

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DARRYL’S DEN: FOCUSING ON ABILIT Y WORKING WITH RSM BIRD CAMERON TO PREPARE FOR THE NDIS

D

arryl’s Den is a small not-forprofit organisation locally based in Holt, ACT. Run by volunteers, the organisation was named after local man, Darryl Hulin, who suffered an Acquired Brain Injury in a motorcycle accident.

Darryl’s Den has been operating for more than 10 years thanks to an initial donation from Darryl’s father, Reg Hulin. In his Letter of Support, Reg stated,”…unfortunately my injured son Darryl passed away before I’d met these great workers. I know my son’s last years would have been much happier had he been able to spend time with them.”

Darryl’s Den was created by Julie Grehan, who has worked for three decades to support people with disabilities, and Cheryle Parkes, a qualified therapist experienced in working with a wide range of conditions relating to children and adults with disabilities. Together, they set up Darryl’s Den as an activity centre for people with disabilities: a place where people could go to find out just how much they could achieve, rather than what they couldn’t. It provides a valuable opportunity for people who are often isolated to join in

a range of activities that build self-esteem, confidence and a sense of purpose.

As a not-for-profit, community service organisation, Darryl’s Den only receives nominal attendance fees and relies on the support of donations and passionate people who give their time for free. The centre hosts classes in craftwork, woodwork, life skills, health and wellbeing services (which includes access to a gym and massage therapy), cooking, gardening and more. The centre is open three days per week and participants can attend for a half-day or a full day.

Cheryle Parkes said, “After starting with half a dozen members, Darryl’s Den has expanded to include between 50 and 60 members at any one time. We charge a nominal daily attendance fee to each participant that doesn’t quite cover the costs of the materials we use in our activities, so we are always looking for additional funding.

“There is nothing like this service anywhere else. We are completely focused on our clients and helping them to achieve things they never thought possible. They get to have a go at everything here; there are no limitations

beyond the obvious safety regulations. If our clients normally have a carer, then they bring their carer with them who is responsible for them while they’re at Darryl’s Den. “People with disabilities come to Darryl’s Den to be in an environment that is buzzing and positive. They learn new skills and make new friends and, most importantly, they have a lot of fun.”

The NDIS creates opportunities Darryl’s Den has grown fast under the stewardship of Julie Grehan, Cheryle Parkes and other volunteers. The team had never used a business advisor in the past, but the advent of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) created funding opportunities that could not be ignored.

The NDIS funds what it terms ‘reasonable and necessary supports that help a participant to reach their goals, objectives and aspirations, and to undertake activities to enable the participant’s social and economic participation’.

Cheryle Parkes said, “We want to expand the services that Darryl’s Den provides. We’d

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ideally like to be open five days per week and even extend our opening hours each day.

We’d also like to offer additional programs, outings and events but each of these things requires funding.

“For Darryl’s Den the NDIS provides an opportunity to secure that additional funding to help offer more services to our clients.

However, in order to take advantage of the NDIS, we will need to make some significant changes to our systems and processes so that we can properly account for the work we’re doing and the people we’re doing it for.”

Darryl’s Den’s team has been managing its administration and accounting duties with the help of a bookkeeper and volunteers.

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Trusted business advisor To prepare for the NDIS, Darryl’s Den needed a trusted business advisor. Darryl’s Den applied for and received funding from the government to get professional assistance.

The organisation chose to work with RSM Bird Cameron.

There are four key orders of business for RSM Bird Cameron. The first is to plan for the transition to the NDIS through a workshop and stakeholder consultation, including the physical preparation of an action plan. The second is to conduct a funding and cost analysis, developing forecast and modelling for potential NDIS revenue and associated costs to deliver services. Third, the team needs to conduct a financial management system and process review and redesign to make sure bookkeeping, invoicing and other procedures

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are compatible with NDIS requirements and to improve process efficiency. The fourth and final task is to develop organisational policies and procedures that will support Darryl’s Den as it grows.

Cheryle Parkes said, “The RSM Bird Cameron team could relate to us and they were down-to-earth people who understood very clearly what we were trying to achieve.

We are not accountants and were quite worried about how to get the organisation ready for the NDIS, so it was a relief when RSM Bird Cameron came in to help us.”

RSM Bird Cameron identified some of the key challenges and opportunities for Darryl’s Den in their journey to become ready for the NDIS. Tony Grieves, the principal consultant from RSM Bird Cameron, said, “There are

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quite a few challenges in getting ready for the NDIS but in reality, these are opportunities for Darryl’s Den. Previously the organisation received minimal funding. Now they will be able to access more funding and potentially expand their services to support more people, operate longer hours and offer a greater range of activities.”

“A key challenge is that the NDIS is a brand new scheme that completely changes how disability support is funded. We can help Darryl’s Den negotiate the ins and outs of government requirements and funding. We know that the NDIS will require particular types of reporting and processes in order to provide funding, so that gives Darryl’s Den an opportunity to refine their own systems and put measures in place to maximise the use of the funds they have.”

RSM Bird Cameron started by getting a sense of where Darryl’s Den currently sits and where management would like it to be in the next few years. The team then investigated how much funding would be required to achieve these goals, which could include bringing in paid staff members for certain roles.

Tony Grieves said, “The process has built a lot of clarity around what Darryl’s Den is doing. They’re already doing fantastic work but this gives everyone a full understanding of what they’ve achieved and how they can achieve more with the roll out of the NDIS.” Improved financial management RSM Bird Cameron has been reviewing Darryl’s Den’s current financial processes to see how they can be changed in preparation for the NDIS.

Billy Kang, Senior Manager - Business Advisory of RSM Bird Cameron said, “The NDIS program includes requirements for things like keeping track of the time spent on certain activities. Darryl’s Den will need to record time and put in place a process for invoicing for that time. The organisation also needs a better way to record and manage debtors, which is not something they’ve had to worry about in the past. Time capturing and billing can be laborious, especially when there are certain rules you must follow, so we will put in place a system to make it as easy as possible for Darryl’s Den to get NDIS payments.”

As systems become more important, Darryl’s Den will rely more on computers. The older office computer was not suitable, so RSM Bird Cameron sourced a replacement.

Tony Grieves said, “Through our business contacts and resources, we can sometimes find out about ways to help Darryl’s Den at minimal or even no cost. That was the case when it came time to replace their computer.

We knew an organisation with excess computers that was more than willing to donate one to Darryl’s Den. “RSM Bird Cameron is also working to find a Chartered Accountant to volunteer to join the board of Darryl’s Den as Treasurer. Darryl’s Den depends entirely on volunteers and donations so anything we can do to help will make a difference.”

Marketing is another key component of Darryl’s Den’s move to become ready for the NDIS. The more NDIS-eligible clients the organisation can attract, the more funding it can receive and the more activities it can offer.

Although the organisation was aware that

marketing would be beneficial, no one was certain how to go about it.

Cheryle Parkes said, “It’s important for people to understand the work we’re doing at Darryl’s Den and to understand the potential of what can be offered in the future. We want to help as many people as we can but of course we are limited by what we can achieve with the funds we have. RSM Bird Cameron has helped us understand how we can start raising awareness of what we do.

“Having a trusted advisor like RSM Bird Cameron on board to guide us through the NDIS preparation gives us peace of mind. We can’t do it without them and we know we’re in safe hands.”

Call for help As an organisation led by volunteers, Darryl’s Den requires additional resources to implement changes and to deliver better services to disadvantaged people living in our community. If you share their passion and would like to donate money or time to Darryl’s Den, please contact Julie or Cheryle on 02 6156 2358.

Bird Cameron

Chartered Accountants

Tel: (02) 6217 0300 Lvl 1, 103 – 105 Northbourne Avenue www.rsmi.com.au

With RSM Bird Cameron you really are…

Connected for Success.

Photography Andrew Sikorski & Manuel Galaktidis

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F E AT U R E

ANZ Mobile Lending celebrates opening of new office in Weston

A

NZ Mobile Lending Canberra Southside and Weston Creek recently celebrated the opening of its new office located in Weston in the ACT. Members of Canberra’s business community joined in the celebration including real estate agents, solicitors, media, and ANZ local representatives as well as Luke Symons (Head of ANZ Mobile Lending) and Vito Benforte (ANZ Mobile Lending Regional Manager).

Director Tania Vidovic started the business in 2005 and has worked extensively over the past 11 months to create a new light-filled and inviting office space of which she has every right to be proud.

While getting the new office up and running, Tania has experienced rapid expansion of her business and grown her team

to manage the increase in demand for home loans in Canberra’s Southside and Weston Creek region.

Tania’s team includes experienced mobile lenders Donna Remkes, Layton Mills and Jay Zhang, business development manager, Alison Slocum and administration manager, Jamii Delahunty.

ANZ Mobile Lending Canberra Southside and Weston Creek is one of three mobile lending offices in Canberra along with ANZ Mobile Lending Belconnen and Gungahlin, directed by Kylie Peden and ANZ Mobile Lending Canberra Inner South & Queanbeyan / Jerrabomberra, directed by Paul Lanzon.

“As local ANZ Mobile Lenders, we can assist Canberra and Queanbeyan residents with all their home finance needs,” Tania said. “If you’re looking to invest in property, upgrade to a

new home, renovate or refinance your existing loan/s to make the most of your equity — we can help you find the most suitable solution from the comfort of your own home. Best of all, as mobile lenders, we come to you, wherever, whenever.”

Luke Symons and Tania Vidovic. Hot Shots Photography

Unit 22, 41-43 Liardet Street Weston M: 0437 131 314 T: 02 6293 3333 | F: 02 6293 3311 E: tania.vidovic@anzmortgagesolutions.com

ANZ Buy Ready. ™

Be ready to make y ur move.

With ANZ Buy Ready™ our team of mobile lenders can give you the knowledge and tools you need.

To arrange a meeting at a time and a place that suits you, contact us today.

Wherever, whenever. We come to you.

Tania Vidovic 0437 131 314

Kylie Peden 0400 131 314

Paul Lanzon 0422 007 005

ANZ can provide Approval in Principle to eligible customers who apply for an ANZ home loan and complete an application form. An Approval in Principle is an approval for a loan subject to conditions being met, including that security is satisfactory to ANZ. All applications for credit are subject to ANZ’s normal credit approval criteria. Terms and conditions, fees and charges apply. ANZ has been awarded ‘Home Lender of the Year’ by Money magazine in 2014. These Mobile Lenders operate as ANZ Mortgage Solutions independently operated franchisee’s of Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited (ANZ) ABN 11 005 357 522.™ANZ Buy Ready is a trade mark of Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited (ANZ) ABN 11 005 357 522. Australian Credit Licence Number 234527. ANZ’s colour blue is a trade mark of ANZ. Item No. 90590 09.2014 W408570

408570_ANZ MOBILE LENDING PRESS AD - BUY READY 115 X 186MM (3 HEADSHOTS)_90590.indd 1

2/09/2014 11:34 am

A Magnificent Musical Showcase ESAOTN GS R E AT E! L A S

Simon O’Neill

Inessa Galante

Peter Coleman-Wright

VOICES IN THE FOREST

30th NOVEMBER 2014

4.45PM – 8.30PM | GATES OPEN 1.30PM NATIONAL ARBORETUM CANBERRA

World-Renowned Performers

Enjoy superb performances by three of the world’s most beautiful voices. Starring Latvian soprano Inessa Galante, who is known for her voluminously warm and resonant voice and depth of expression. The superb voices of tenor Simon O’Neill and baritone Peter Coleman-Wright will perform famous male duets such as the Pearl Fishers Duet for the first time at the Voices in the Forest concert.

“Peter Coleman-Wright brings great humanity to music. He is one of our great actors on the stage”. Brett Dean, composer “Simon O’Neill is the most complete Otello since Placido Domingo — his grandest passages are deeply stirring”.

Michael Tanner, BBC Music Magazine

Sit back and enjoy an unsurpassed late afternoon’s entertainment provided by a superb program of famous arias and Broadway love songs.

MAJOR SPONSOR

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Dinner after the show

Continue your evening with dinner after the show in the spectacular, award-winning Village Centre. The dinner is a seated 2-course meal including wines, beer and soft drinks. Tickets are $75 per head in additional to the purchase of a concert ticket.

Why not book a group package Want to entertain friends and family? Want to do something different for your Christmas office function or entertain staff and clients at a unique event? In a stunning location? Overlooking fabulous views? And with a relaxed vibe?

Group packages include 10 A Reserve concert tickets (preferential seating), tickets to dinner after the show and parking vouchers. Cost is $2100 (including gst) for a package of 10 tickets. Packages can be purchased for any number of tickets of 10 or more. Visit the website to download a booking form or email the event organiser, dami@voicesintheforest.com.au BRONZE SPONSORS

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O C T O B E R 2 014

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ADVICE 20 20 22 22 24 24 25 26 26 28 28 30

ACCOUNTING

Tax implications of redundancy payments

by Thiru Kandiah, RSM Bird Cameron Chartered Accountants

BANKING

Granny flats on the comeback

by Kylie Peden, ANZ Mobile Lending

BOOKKEEPING

Why outsourced bookkeeping is a good return on investment

by Harry Hoang, Tailored Accounts

BUSINESS ADVISORY

Rent or hire? It's PPSA or perish!

by Tony Lane, Vincents Chartered Accountants

BUSINESS LAW

Brand protection: overcoming hurdles to registering a trademark

by Mark Love, Bradley Allen Love Lawyers

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

Performance reviews: no longer just for CEOs

by Phil Butler, Australian Institute of Company Directors

FAMILY LAW

Delaying your property settlement is risky business

by Lois Clifford, Dobinson Davey Clifford Simpson Lawyers

FINANCIAL PLANNING

Voluntary redundancies for government employees

by Luke Smith, Dragonfly Financial Services

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

Competition policy review: Will it affect you?

by Shaun Creighton, Arete Group

PROPERTY INVESTING

Buying property with a fine-tooth comb

by Julie Cumming, Hatch Property Australia

RECRUITMENT

Welcome aboard – getting your new hires productive

by Jim Roy, Hays Recruiting

WEBSITES

Convert more through better landing pages

by Sam Gupta, Synapse Worldwide

B2B M AGA ZIN E

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19

ACCOUNTING

BANKING

Tax implications of redundancy payments

by Thiru Kandiah

While redundancy was once considered an unwelcome sign of the times, the new corporate reality means it is becoming more likely that at some stage during your career you will be made redundant.

Getting the right tax advice can help you make the most from a redundancy payment as you move into a new job. If you are thinking of taking a break between jobs, you will need to structure your finances to make your money last.

But first, let’s look at the redundancy payments, what types there are and how tax might affect you.

Components of a redundancy payment There are several components to redundancy payments: • Payments in lieu of notice, • A golden handshake (severance payment), and • Unused annual leave, sick leave or unused rostered days off.

Redundancy payments vary, to confirm what entitlements may be available to you it’s important to check your employment contract or refer to your award.

Tax-free redundancy payments If you are under 65, a payment in lieu of notice and/or a golden handshake will have a tax-free component which includes a base amount plus an extra amount for each completed year of service. If you worked for your employer prior to 1983, the amount of payment relating to this period will be tax-free.

The tax-free component is indexed each year. Any payment over the tax-free component is taxed as an Eligible Termination Payment (ETP). If you are 65 or over, the entire redundancy payment is taxed as an ETP. The ETP must be paid as lump sum, unless you meet transitional rules to allow the payment to be rolled over to a superfund.

Tax treatment of a redundancy ETP If you are 55 or older during the financial year you’re made redundant, all amounts up to the ETP cap are taxed at 17%. Employees under 55 will be taxed at 32% up to the ETP cap.

For all employees, the balance in excess of the ETP cap is taxed at 47%. All tax rates include a Medicare Levy of 2%.

The ETP cap is indexed every financial year and is set at $185,000 in the 2014/15 financial year.

Tax treatment of unused leave Payments in respect of unused leave are fully assessable and taxed at 32%.

As home owners look for ways to maximise their investment, granny flats have seen a rise in popularity1. Classified as a ‘secondary dwelling,’ they sit separately to the main structure on a block and are self-contained, enabling the flat to be rented out independently for additional income.

There are several considerations on whether a granny flat is suitable for either your existing or investment property, and it’s important that you consider both the positives and negatives.

Worth the investment? Granny flats for your rental property Building a granny flat could help provide additional income for your investment property, and turn a negatively geared house into a positive one almost overnight2. Tenants often like granny flats as they are usually cheaper to rent than other apartments, and offer other amenities, such as a yard, that they might not otherwise have access to. That being said, granny flats attached to investment properties are often harder to fill with tenants, and long periods of vacancy could cut into your profits.

You might also have to drop the rent on the main house to ensure both remain occupied at the same time.

Right at home? Granny flats for where you live Depending on the cost of installation and your rental income, there could be potential for earning a rental income from your granny flat1.

You could utilise tenants to help with maintenance around the house, gain the security of knowing somebody is around when you’re not, and the added bonus of them looking after pets if you’re ever away. On the downside, you’re now essentially sharing a property and you could run into uncomfortable situations with tenants regarding issues such as noise or rent increases.

From little things…

Not every property is suitable for a granny flat, so it’s important that you do your homework and establish if adding an additional dwelling is right for you. Different states have different laws and regulations regarding the building of a granny flat, so it’s imperative that you consult your council before starting to build. However, if your property ticks all the boxes, a granny flat could be a simple way to provide additional income and increase the value of your property.

If you are facing redundancy, or know someone who is, it pays to be aware of the taxation implications of receiving a redundancy payment.

1. ‘A Clever Trick You Didn’t Know Could Triple Your Rents’, yourinvestmentpropertymag.com.au, 7 April 2014.

2. ‘Rewards and Risks of Granny Flats’, switzer.com.au, 7 April 2014.

Bird Cameron

Chartered Accountants

If you would like to discuss your situation, please contact Thiru Kandiah, Senior Manager at RSM Bird Cameron, on 02 6217 0300 or thiru.kandiah@rsmi.com.au

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By Kylie Peden

Granny flats on the comeback

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Disclaimer: The information is in summary form and does not purport to be complete.

It is intended as a general guide only and is not a substitute for professional advice. The information does not take into account your personal needs and financial circumstances and you should consider whether it is appropriate for you.

Sources:

For more information, contact Kylie Peden, ANZ Mobile Lender, M: 0400 131 314 E: pedenk@anzmortgagesolutions.com This Mobile Lender operates as ANZ Mortgage Solutions Belconnen & Gungahlin, ABN 39 142 445 725 an independently operated franchise of Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited (ANZ) ABN 11 005 357 522. Australian Credit Licence Number 234527.

ANZ’s colour blue is a trade mark of ANZ. Terms and Conditions, fees and charges apply.

Thank you Canberra If only there was enough space on this page to fully evoke our heartfelt gratitude.

After 26 years of providing Italian cuisine, La Scala Restaurant will be closing its door at the end of December. Between now and then we will be bringing back some of our favourite dishes on an encore specials menu.

We want to thank you for being part of our family. Ciao

The Academy of Italian Cuisine 2012 – Admitted to the Academy.

2014 – Awarded the Academy’s highest Award, the “PIATTO d’Argento”.

Centre Cinema Building Bunda Street Canberra City 2601 Ph: 02 6248 8338 / Fax: 02 6248 8551

Email: la-scala@iimetro.com.au Web: www.lascala.net.au B2B M AGA ZIN E

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21

BOOKKEEPING

By Harry Hoang

BUSINESS ADVISORY

Why outsourced bookkeeping is a good return on investment

Outsourced bookkeeping and back-office accounting have become our primary means of engagement with small-and-medium businesses.

While there are advantages and disadvantages to outsourced bookkeeping, this article solely considers the financial benefits for firms which have shifted from hiring part-time bookkeepers to outsourcing their bookkeeping and accounting functions. After all, a firm’s bottom line is all about cost savings.

Based on a simple calculation, an outsourced bookkeeper (as opposed to an in-house part-time bookkeeper) has given firms a saving of at least 40%. Following is a simple comparison I have made (The figures are based on Tailored Accounts’ internal data, other businesses in different industries might have different cost bases): Cost comparison between an in-house part-time bookkeeper and outsourced bookkeeper In-house part-time bookkeeper • Base salary (Approximately 5 hours per week at $35 per hour) $9,100.00 per annum • Superannuation (9.5% of base salary) $864.50 • Leave loading (25% of base salary) $2,275.00 • Costs associated with recruitment (Approx. once a year) $1,500.00 • Workers’ compensation (0.9% of base salary) $81.90 • Costs associated with payroll compliance and processing (Approx.

10 minutes per week) $300.00 • Training costs (e.g., software update) $350.00 • Other overhead costs (e.g., utilities, stationery, administrative, etc.)

For a business with $50,000 per annum overhead and approx. 3–5 employees) – $3,000.00 • Total costs per annum: $17,471.40.

Outsourced bookkeeper • Monthly bookkeeping fee (Tailored Accounts’ average fee is $700.00 per month) $8,400.00 per annum • Total costs per annum $8,400.00 • Savings per annum $9,071.40 (51.92%).

Outsourced bookkeeping provides significant cost savings by reducing overhead costs and business liabilities. It allows businesses to gain access to a pool of qualified bookkeepers with low hourly fees and no additional overhead costs, and ensures that the books are prepared with greater accuracy.

At Tailored Accounts, I can guarantee you a good return on investment with our value-added bookkeeping and back-office accounting services.

Harry Hoang is Tailored Accounts Executive Director Glebe Park Apartment, Ground Floor - 186/15 Coranderrk St, Canberra T: 02 6169 6763 | M: 0434 196 607 E: info@tailoredaccounts.com.au | www.tailoredaccounts.com.au

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By Tony Lane

Rent or hire?

It’s PPSA or perish!

The Personal Property Securities Act 2009 (PPSA) continues to bite sectors of the business community that have historically had little need for engagement in formal business arrangements. Recently, this firm has been involved in a number of matters relating to rental, hire or bailment of goods to companies that have become insolvent.

The unfortunate outcome for the providers of the goods in each case was to quickly learn that it made no difference whether or not they ‘owned’ the goods – the PPSA may find that the goods are able to be legally sold by the liquidator without any recourse for the apparent ‘owner’.

You might ask “How is this possible?!” The simple explanation is as follows: • The PPSA provides that goods subject to hire, rental or bailment (where access is granted subject to a fee, or connected with some other commercial arrangement), create ‘security interests’ that must be documented (i.e. in writing); • Depending on the type of goods and the duration of the term of hire, rent or bailment, the security interests need to be ‘registered’ on the Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) - www.ppsr.gov.au; • Once correctly registered, the security interest is said to be ‘perfected’; and • Generally, only perfected security interests can be enforced against a liquidator or bankruptcy trustee.

Our experience, where this has not happened, includes: • A hirer of arcade-style amusement machines did not have a written hire agreement in place and the arrangement was deemed to be a PPS Lease. The undocumented alleged security interest could not be enforced against the Liquidators, who took possession of the machines; • A hirer of vending machines was deemed to be exposed to a PPS Lease for the placement of his machines in the Company’s premises.

The arrangement was not documented or registered on the PPSR. The Liquidator was able to successfully sell the machines at auction; • A soft drink supplier provided a branded refrigerator as part of a commercial arrangement under which a Company was obliged to buy drinks exclusively from that supplier. The supply of the fridge was deemed a bailment for value and therefore a PPS Lease. No registration on the PPSR was made for the fridge and the Liquidators took possession and sold the fridge at auction.

This area of the law will continue to affect businesses who choose to ignore it. As always, early, trusted advice can help reduce risk and consequential loss.

Tony Lane is a Senior Manager at Vincents Chartered Accountants and provides specialist advice to clients in the areas of insolvency, business risk and financial conflict and dispute resolution.

Level 7, 1 Hobart Place, Canberra City. T: 6274 3400 F: 6274 3499 E: tlane@vincents.com.au | www.vincents.com.au

We’re as local as local gets.

With a network of offices across the ACT, we always think locally.

Every business has different insurance needs, ask how we can help tailor a policy that really works for you, at your locally owned NRMA ACT offices.

We have local staff with local knowledge providing Insurance solutions for Business, Home, Motor, CTP Greenslip, Boat and Caravan Insurance needs.

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Business Insurance issued by Insurance Australia Limited trading as NRMA Insurance. When making decisions about the product you should consider the Product Disclosure Statement available from NRMA Insurance. Insurance is issued by Insurance Australia Limited ABN 11 000 016 722 trading as NRMA Insurance.

B2B M AGA ZIN E O C T O B E R 2 014 23

BUSINESS LAW

by Mark Love

24

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

Brand protection: overcoming hurdles to registering a trademark

by Phil Butler

Performance reviews: no longer just for CEOs

Our firm hosts an annual not-for-profit networking event called “Sweatworking™”. The term “Sweatworking” was created by our Director, Susan Proctor in 2012. Given our firm’s considerable investment in the event, we sought to protect that investment by applying for a trade mark of the word “Sweatworking”.

Adverse report Once a trade mark application is lodged, it is reviewed by a Trade Mark Examiner who determines whether the application is acceptable or whether there are grounds for rejection. Our application received an “Adverse Report” stating that, in that Examiner’s opinion, our trade mark conflicted with an existing registered trade mark (s44 of the Trade Marks Act 1995 (Cth)) because it was substantially identical or deceptively similar to an existing trade mark of the word “Sweat”.

Actions taken & successful outcome achieved Receiving an Adverse Report is problematic but not fatal to an application.

Steps can be taken to overcome s44 objections raised by the Examiner, including: making submissions that the marks are not substantially identical/ deceptively similar; demonstrating prior or honest concurrent use; and/or seeking consent from the owner of the existing mark. Given the charitable nature of the event, we sought consent from the owner of the existing mark to allow our mark to be registered. The owner refused to grant that consent.

We then proceeded to make submissions to the Examiner, setting out evidence demonstrating that the marks were not substantially identical/ deceptively similar and that there were no conflicting goods/services.

Those submissions included that: • the word “Sweat” should not have been registered in a class of services relating to the fitness industry as other traders should legitimately be permitted to use it; • there are 67 other existing registered trademarks incorporating the word “Sweat”; • “Sweatworking” is not a real word but a made-up portmanteau, noting the long history of portmanteaus as trade marks (i.e.

Microsoft, Intel, Compaq, Pinterest, Wikipedia); • the appearance, spelling, sound and meaning of the marks are sufficiently different that they could not be substantially identical/ deceptively similar; • the descriptions of services were sufficiently different that they could not be conflicting; and • offering to amend our description of services covered by the trade mark.

Our submissions to the Examiner were ultimately successful and our trade mark was registered.

If you are considering taking steps to protect your corporate brand, intending to lodge a trade mark application or have lodged an application but received an adverse report, we can assist you.

The recent article regarding the Prime Minister, Mr Tony Abbott, holding annual performance reviews with his ministers prompted me to think about how commonplace formalised evaluations have become across our society.

While once it was the preserve of CEOs to undergo performance reviews, it’s now commonplace for junior staff right through to the CEO and increasingly the board to complete performance reviews.

The fact that evaluations and reviews are more commonplace does not mean that they are necessarily done well nor are the outcomes particularly successful. There is a range of factors that can determine the success or otherwise of any review, including board performance evaluations.

Why are you evaluating the board and directors?

As board reviews are still relatively early in their widespread use, many directors (particularly those volunteer, NFP directors) may be surprised that their individual contribution as well as that of the board itself is being reviewed. Any introduction of a board review process needs to be carefully implemented so that directors understand the potential benefits of the process.

A successful board evaluation can get to the heart of matters that would not emerge through everyday board discussions. The evaluation, for example, can identify individual directors skill sets on specific issues (eg. strategy, risk, financials) and identify potential issues between the chair and the board or issues around the interaction between individual directors.

What and who are you evaluating?

Board evaluations will generally evaluate individual directors, the specific role of the chair, and the performance of the board as a whole.

However the organisation may determine that its first review would focus on the board as a whole to ensure that the directors are comfortable with the process before moving on to individual director reviews.

The Governance Analysis Tool implemented recently by Company Directors enables the evaluation to be done in 4 different quadrants, each with a unique set of questions. These quadrants include individual, board, organisational and stakeholder, with the combination of these segments providing a whole of organisation perspective.

What do we do with the results?

Perhaps the most difficult question is what to do with the results of a board review. The review is generally not used to point the finger at individual director’s performance, but rather to use it as a way to identify future development needs of an individual or whole of board. A well facilitated review will explore specific issues for improvement and also build on areas in which the board is very successful.

Most importantly, a review that is professionally implemented can lead to a board which is confident in implementing the organisation’s mission while also recognising its weaknesses and areas for improvement.

Mark Love, Legal Director, Business Law 9th Floor, Canberra House, 40 Marcus Clarke Street, Canberra ACT 2601 E: mark.love@bradleyallenlove.com.au T: 02 6274 0810 | www.bradleyallenlove.com.au

Phil Butler is Manager - NFP, Public Sector & ACT at the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Level 3 54 Marcus Clarke Street Canberra T: 02 6132 3200 | www.companydirectors.com.au

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FAMILY LAW

by Lois Clifford

Delaying your property settlement is risky business

For many people, the end of a relationship is a time of change and upheaval. One of the many things to think about after separating from your partner is how to divide property and finances. You may feel reluctant to begin that process. This is understandable, but delay in doing something about dividing your property may cause unexpected, and sometimes unfair, outcomes in an eventual property settlement.

What’s the problem with delay?

Basically, it is that life goes on. The longer you delay your property settlement after separation, the more likely it is that your financial circumstances will change. For example, someone might purchase a new home, or accumulate significant superannuation entitlements. It is also not uncommon for a party to receive an inheritance after separation.

How will delay impact my property settlement?

The difficulty is that all property owned by each party to the relationship is taken into account at the time of the settlement negotiation or at the time of a Court hearing. This is even if those assets did not exist at separation. It can unnecessarily complicate settlement negotiations. You will first need to reach agreement about whether or not the property or assets acquired after separation should be treated or divided differently to the property acquired before or during the relationship.

A case study In a 2014 decision, the Full Court of the Family Court highlighted the risks of delay in achieving a property settlement. In that case, the Court considered a property settlement for a couple that had separated 10 years earlier. They had been married for 21 years and had 3 children.

The Husband was the sole income earner during the marriage and by the time of the hearing, his income was substantial. After separation, the Husband applied his income to accumulate significant property and superannuation.

The Full Court stated that the Wife’s role as the homemaker during the relationship assisted the Husband’s income earning capacity, and further, that the Wife had contributed indirectly to the property acquired by the Husband after separation.

Generally, and especially if you are intending or expecting to acquire new property after separation, you should take steps to progress a property settlement without delay. You should obtain legal advice as soon as possible after separation to receive tailored advice about the specific risks for your situation.

Play tennis this summer It’s a fun way to get fit and improve your tennis!

• Learn a game you can play for life • Play at Barton or Dickson • It’s a great way to reduce stress after work.

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Delivered by Qualified Tennis Coaches & Sport Science University Graduates Mention the B2B Cardio Tennis Special when booking online in June and receive Six Cardio Tennis Sessions for $60 (normally $90).

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Bookings www.healthyidentity.com.au/cardio-tennis Phone: 0423 366 014

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Lois Clifford is a Partner of the firm.

18 Kendall Lane, New Acton Canberra City ACT 2601 T: (02) 6212 7600 E: mail@ddcslawyers.com.au www.ddcslawyers.com.au

Phone: 0423 366 014 Email: play@tenniscanberra.com.au Twitter: @TennisCBR #GetOnCourtCBR www.tenniscanberra.com.au B2B M AGA ZIN E

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FINANCIAL PLANNING

by Luke Smith

Voluntary redundancies for government employees

When an offer on voluntary redundancy (VR) is made to an employee, it can raise several questions and considerations. It is recommended that an offer is not accepted without careful consideration of the financial and emotional impacts of a VR. Some considerations are outlined below.

Firstly, look at the offer in segments. The actual redundancy is a calculation made on your number of years of service and is calculated as 2 weeks for every year of service. This benefit has the tax free component attached to it. In addition, you generally receive up to 5 weeks’ pay in lieu of notice (this is fully taxable).

The portion of the redundancy benefit that is tax free for this financial year is: • $9,514 plus $4,758 for each completed year of service.

Secondly, your VR offer should have an indication of the Annual Leave & Long Service Leave entitlements you will receive. These are your entitlements whether you take the VR offer or not as they are benefits you have accumulated during your years of service. However, under a VR offer, the tax rates are reduced as follows: • Annual Leave - 30% plus Medicare levy • Long Service Leave pre 15/8/78 - 5% & post is 30% plus Medicare.

Remember, taking a VR means that your Long Service Leave starts from zero once you commence employment in a different role or with a new organisation, rather than continuing to accrue.

Thirdly, you need to consider the impact of the VR on Superannuation.

Both the CSS & PSS Schemes are defined benefits. Taking a VR may impact on your ability to manage your superannuation position in these funds. It may not be an issue for the PSSap, being an accumulation fund. However, you need to be mindful that the Australian Government as an employer generally contributes up to 15.4% of salary, whereas in the private sector, it may only be 9.5%.

Lastly, take some time to consider the security & emotional issues surrounding a redundancy. These intangible issues are as important as the financial implications as they can have an impact on your emotional wellbeing and may impact your loved ones.

If you would like additional information on VR’s or you are ready to review your current financial position please contact us at Dragonfly Financial Services.

General Advice Warning:

The information provided in this document is general information only and does not constitute personal advice. It has been prepared without taking into account any of your individual objectives, financial solutions or needs. Before acting on this information you should consider its appropriateness, having regard to your own objectives, financial situation and needs. You should read the relevant Product Disclosure Statements and seek personal advice from a qualified financial adviser.

Luke Smith, Director AFSL No: 237590 T: 02 6273 3118 F: 02 6273 1118 E: luke@dragonflyfs.com.au M: 0413 311 999 GPO Box 1961 Canberra ACT 2601 www.dragonflyfs.com.au

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INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

by Shaun Creighton

Competition policy review: will it affect you?

The Australian Government has commissioned a review into competition policy as it stands in Australia as of 2014. After considering 318 non-confidential submissions, the Competition Policy Review Panel released a draft report on 22 September 2014, which provided multiple draft recommendations that are likely to affect Australian business.

Submissions regarding the draft report and recommendations are open until 17 November 2014.While not intending to cover the considerable breadth of the full competition policy review, we have highlighted some of the more progressive recommendations for Australian businesses below.

Repeal of statutory IP licencing exemptions in the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth) (“the CCA”) Currently, certain commercial transactions involving Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs), including the licencing and transferring of those rights, are exempt from the application of the CCA (with the exception of the clauses dealing with misuse of market power, including in trans-Tasman markets, and resale price maintenance).

The report recommends that the exemption be repealed in full, on the basis that IPRs can potentially be used in a manner that harms competition.

The application of the full CCA to these transactions would mean that any IPR licencing agreement in Australia would need to consider the effect of Part IV of the CCA being Restrictive Trade Practices to ensure the parties are not committing an offence (with the notable exception of Cartel Conduct still being exempted). This is likely to increase the regulatory cost on individual parties to these IPR transactions through additional legal and policy review and adaptation.

Repeal of statutory prohibitions on parallel importation The limitations on parallel importation have been slowly phased out over the past two decades with only a few prohibitions on parallel importation contained in various legislative instruments remaining, most notably against some parallel importation of books in the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth).

Owners and licenced users of trade marks also have common law protection against the importation of goods which use trade marks in certain circumstances. Similarly, authorised distributors of goods in Australia have a vested business interest in limiting the available of parallel imports, though there may be no legislative limitations. The review recommends the removal of all final limitations on parallel importation to increase competition in Australia.

CCA applying to government procurement processes Another recommendation of the review is for all Government activities in trade or commerce to be subject to the CCA, whether Federal, State, Territory or Local Government.

Comments regarding the state of intellectual property legislation The report recommends that Australia’s IPRs regime be a priority area for legislative review so as to allow IP law to work in a pro-competition manner for Australian’s, especially when considering Australia’s position in regional free trade agreements.

P: GPO Box 579, Canberra ACT 2601 E: shaun.creighton@aretegroup.com.au shaun.creighton@aretegroup.com.au T: 02 6162 1639 | M: 0430 22 78 62 www.aretegroup.com.au

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PROPERTY INVESTING

by Julie Cumming

RECRUITMENT

Buying property with a fine-tooth comb

Have you ever visited a display unit where they’re selling great looking apartments or homes off the plan? Have you been given loads of supporting documentation and financial cash flows, along with inclusion lists and all the lifestyle promotion that has left you dreaming of living there or thinking that this could be the one that provides you with the type of wealth you would want in retirement?

After the initial excitement you look at the marketing material and wonder if it’s telling the story realistically. How can you be sure the property will deliver all its promises? How do you know that this opportunity is really good… good enough to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars investing in, be it to live in or invest in?

We regularly assist clients, some who have gone so far as to place a holding deposit on a property and are on the verge of signing the contract when something just doesn’t feel right so they seek professional advice.

When looking through a property presentation and particularly the financial cash flow projections, it’s critical to look at the assumptions that have been made. What interest rate is being used, what rental income is being forecast, what vacancy rate has been taken into account?

Has a cash deposit been applied or are the assumptions based on a fully geared investment and borrowing the associated costs like stamp duty, loan costs and solicitors fees. What are the weekly average outof-pocket expenses to the purchaser, assuming the assumptions are correct? Are variations on the assumptions given to indicate what will happen if interest rates go up or if there is extended vacancy and the rental is not achieved??

What growth rates is being assumed, what rental expenses have been included- management costs, rates, body corporate expenses, maintenance and insurance costs? What depreciation allowances have been taken into account?

Another essential step before you start is to find out how much you can borrow. Surprisingly, many people proceed as far as to sign contracts and then seek finance advice.

At Hatch Property Australia we regularly look at opportunities and assess the critical elements of a property on behalf of our clients to either give them the confidence to proceed, being better informed and understanding of the bigger picture, or alternatively, they may decide to pass on the opportunity and investigate another property which better suits their needs.

Getting impartial quality property advice is essential and certainly creates peace of mind and reduces the associated risks.

Julie M Cumming, Director, Hatch Property Australia M: 0404 453 397 E: julie@hatchproperty.com.au www.hatchproperty.com.au

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QUALIFIED PROPERTY INVESTMENT ADVISER

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QPIA

by Jim Roy

Welcome aboard – getting your new hires productive

It’s an easy mistake to make to think the main part of hiring new talent is the initial candidate attraction phase, followed by the job acceptance process. To many people, that’s it. Job done, wait for the new recruit to show up and expect that they will magically be up to speed, fit in and be productive on Day 1. The missing ingredient though, and one I would argue is of equally significant importance, is the onboarding of new recruits – a process that can start as early as the interview stage and end weeks after a start date.

Done well, the successful onboarding of new hires helps them embed themselves in your organisation as smoothly and effortlessly as possible and can make a huge difference to them and your business.

Remember, they will be excited at having been offered the job in the first place but will no doubt be a little apprehensive at how things might be once they turn up. Making them feel welcome before that day is important. New hires who are supported, guided and well-informed become genuine ‘insiders’ before they start work and are therefore effective much more quickly.

It’s my belief that the single biggest cause of a recruitment failure is a poor cultural fit between the individual and the organisation, so an effective onboarding strategy should seek to fast-track that socialisation process.

So, what are the key considerations when creating a successful onboarding strategy for your business?

First, onboarding has to be seen as an integral part of the recruitment process, and managed professionally for all roles. While you may have an established process for onboarding regular hires, do you have one for non-typical or senior ones? Interestingly, the effective onboarding of senior hires is often not given much attention in many organisations, certainly compared to junior or mid-tier roles. Senior people are often assumed to know exactly what to do and how to be on Day 1, as if by telepathy. This might be one area to reappraise in your organisation.

Second, approach the onboarding process as a team-building exercise prior to the new hire’s first day (as opposed to a PowerPoint briefing once they have walked through the door). Encourage informal meetings to take place with an HR representative or mentor in the business so that they can share with the new joiner an insight into the organisational culture.

Third, don’t treat onboarding as a one-off event. Keep lines of communication open to secure on-going feedback from your new hires so that you can constantly improve your company onboarding processes.

A well-structured onboarding programme is an investment. Think of it as a type of recruitment insurance. You’ve already invested a lot to get your new hire to the offer stage, so why not spend a little more time to ensure that they can achieve their full potential?

Jim Roy, Regional Director 5th Floor, 54 Marcus Clarke Street, Canberra T 02 6112 7663 | F 02 6257 6377 E canberra@hays.com.au

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WEBSITES

by Sam Gupta

Convert more through better landing pages

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The goal of any online marketing our advertising is conversion.

Small businesses spend hundreds and thousands of dollars on online advertisements to promote their products and services. Many of those adverts direct potential clients to the main website or a generic web page. The result is, poor lead conversion. Valuable leads are lost because of poor quality landing pages.

Here are some tips on how to improve your conversion rates using better quality landing pages.

Technically, a landing page is any web page that a visitor lands on after clicking through your search engine result or advertisement.

Optimising those landing page to ensure that a visitor converts into a lead is called landing page optimisation.

A good landing page is generally a dedicated web page focused on promoting a certain offer or campaign, with some kind of ‘call to action’ buttons and minimum escape links.

The idea is to let people know about your product or service and then encourage them to make a purchase or submit an enquiry.

Landing pages are generally two type —click through pages and lead generation pages.

Lead generation landing pages Lead generation pages are the most common type of landing pages designed to generate leads. They are ideal for lead generation for near future or future sales. They will help you get visitors to the top tier of the sales funnel. You could use these for subscriber registrations, free trial/service/sample/download product launch etc. in essence, good landing pages present a pitch to visitors in order to persuade them to make an enquiry or a purchase. Ensure there is a measurable ‘call to action’ on each landing page and use Google Analytics or a similar tool to track performance.

If you are looking to optimise your web pages to better your conversion rate, opt for our free 1 hour consultation to get started.

Click through landing pages Click throughs are landing pages that are placed just before the key conversion action page. You could use these to break the conversion cycle in two stages. They are ideal for ‘warming up’ the visitors to encourage them to proceed to the next or final stage of the sales life cycle. You could also use them for high-ticket products or services where you don’t want to intimidate your visitors at first with a ‘buy now’ button. This way you will have a better chance of conversion, after generated enough interest. These pages will help you get visitors in the bottom tier of the sales funnel.

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Sam would love to hear your thoughts on this advice column.

Please contact him on 1300 785 230 or admin@synapseworldwide.com

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EDITORIAL@B2BMAGAZINE.COM.AU 0R 6161 2751

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MINISTER’S MESSAGE

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City to the Lake project update

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he City to the Lake project is one of Australia’s largest and most exciting urban renewal projects and will be developed over a ten to fifteen year period starting in 2015-16. It is a world class project being undertaken by the ACT Government that will transform Canberra’s city centre and enhance its significance as the national capital.

The priority in the next five years is the development of the West Basin Public Waterfront including boardwalks, footpaths, cycle paths, recreation spaces, and the new city pool.

In order to bring the City to the Lake project and its various elements to the market, government is working to progress the whole project to investment ready status. This will provide government with the flexibility to progress individual elements or the whole project, including key infrastructure elements, in a timely manner in order to maximise public benefit.

The Government recently announced that some of the individual projects that make up the City to the Lake development may have to be delayed to allow for the $300 million clean-up bill for Canberra’s Mr Fluffy asbestos homes.

A new city sports stadium remains part of the project but the new stadium cannot be built until the new city pool is built and the timing of this is subject to future Budget considerations and private sector investor interest.

The Government has also committed to progress the Australia Forum to investment ready stage – that is, tender documentation for the development is complete and ready for advertising to market.

Westside at Action Park, a ‘pop-up’ village at West Basin which is due to open in October this year, is the first step in the ACT Government’s activation of the City to the Lake project.

Westside pop-up village will dramatically change the way Canberrans engage with public spaces featuring an events space, a stage, retail outlets, bars, restaurants, cafes and free public wi-fi.

The City to the Lake project will deliver a waterfront precinct that provides a unique offering.

It will be a great new destination where the everyday life of the city meets the water and where all Australians can visit or participate in cultural and sporting events, festivals and major celebrations.

Awards showcase local business excellence I was pleased to recognise several of Canberra’s leading businesses at the presentation of the annual Canberra BusinessPoint Awards held on Thursday 25 September.

The six award categories showcased the range and depth of successful businesses operating in the region. Together with the number and quality of businesses nominated, this is testament to both the ACT’s business community and the interest shown in this year’s Awards.

The winners of each category are: • Imagine Team, Innovation in web or mobile applications award • Pure Pod, Clean and green award • Capital Self Storage, Bricks and mortar award • Tatts On Tatts Off, Creative and Design award • Canberra Region Premium Tour, Micro-Enterprise award • Red Robot, High Growth award I congratulate all the finalists and in particular the 2014 Canberra BusinessPoint category winners and this year’s inaugural Business of the Year, Red Robot.

The Awards are a fitting acknowledgement of the services delivered by Canberra BusinessPoint and the opportunities it provides to many in Canberra’s business community.

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ANDREW BARR

ACT DEPUTY CHIEF MINISTER TREASURER MINISTER FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

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Government decision to delay new convention centre beyond belief CHRIS FA U L K S

CEO CANBERRA BUSINESS COUNCIL

CANBE RR A BUSINESS COUNCIL AFFILIATED WITH

T

he Canberra business community is deeply disappointed and perplexed by the ACT Government’s decision to further delay, until after 2020, the development of a new convention centre for the Nation’s Capital.

As recently as 3 June 2014 the ACT Government committed $1.5 million to the next phase of the Australia Forum project to include the preparation of a detailed business case and a call for the Expressions of Interest for the ‘reference design’.

An additional future provision of up to $8 million was also flagged to further progress work on the Australia Forum in the out years, when funding partners come on board.

At the time the Chief Minister said the Australia Forum had the potential to provide a truly world class convention facility that will allow the ACT grow its economy. Minister Barr said that the Australia Forum would allow us to attract more national and international business tourism to Canberra. This is just one of several key infrastructure projects that will transform our city in its second century.

In the light of these trends and the near unanimous support for a new convention centre from the private sector, the decision to delay investment in a new convention centre for a further 6-10 years is beyond comprehension.

Principal Members ACTEW Water, BluePackets Brookfield Johnson Controls, Canberra International Airport, CanPrint Communications Pty Limited, Cantlie, Cre8ive, Custom Security Services, Elite Sound & Lighting, Ernst & Young, eWAY, Hindmarsh, ISIS, KPMG, Master Builders Association (ACT), National Australia Bank Limited, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Staging Connections (ACT), The Village Building Co, Toshiba (Australia) Pty Limited, TransACT Communications, Westpac Banking Corporation

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Business organisations, universities, research and learning institutes, cultural institutions and industry in the ACT and surrounding region have been unified and consistent in their support for a new convention centre as the top infrastructure priority for the ACT. The business community, including Canberra Business Council and the Canberra Convention Bureau, has continued to work closely with the ACT Government on this project throughout the last year. There have been extensive consultations and workshops with key project stakeholders to ensure that the project delivers the standard, function and capacity to make it a world-class convention facility.

The need for investment in tourism infrastructure like the convention centre has been

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recently highlighted by the massive slump in the amount of time people are staying in Canberra for business as reported in the recent National Visitors Survey for the year ending June 2014. This survey showed that, while the total number of domestic visitors to the ACT is largely unchanged from a year ago, travellers are spending less and staying fewer nights overall. Figures from Tourism Research Australia showed that international visitor nights were down 12 per cent and trip expenditure dropped 6 per cent for the year to June 2014.

In addition, the Australian Hotels Association is tracking occupancy levels at around 65 per cent for Canberra hotels, which is well down on previous years.

There is no doubt that the Federal Government’s cutbacks on travel and the end of the multimillion dollar budget to promote the Centenary of Canberra are having an impact on local tourism.

The real issue however is that, without serious investment, the local business tourism industry is likely to continue to struggle, as other cities build new or upgrade their current facilities.

While at first glance it is encouraging that the ACT Government has committed to meeting its commitment under the Labor Party-Greens Parliamentary Agreement to have the Australia Forum investment ready by the end of this financial year, the fact is that all of the money being spent now to refine the business case and progress the ‘reference design’ will be wasted if the convention centre is not going to be built until after 2020. The design of convention centres around the world – everything from technology to functionality – is changing so rapidly that anything designed now will have to be re-designed and the business case re-done in five years time. In addition the private sector will be reluctant to invest in designing a project now that will not be built for another six years or more.

In the light of these trends and the near unanimous support for a new convention centre from the private sector, the decision to delay investment in a new convention centre for a further 6-10 years is beyond comprehension. Particularly as it comes on top of the previous 7-10 years of procrastination.

A S S O C I AT I O N S T O B U S I N E S S

A2B

Workplace bullying – issues for employers

W

orkplace bullying and harassment are matters that should be taken seriously by all employers. In the Australian Capital Territory, the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 clearly sets out a requirement for a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) to take all reasonably practicable steps to provide “a work environment without risks to health and safety…”, as well as a number of other obligations.

In the context of managing workplace bullying, employers should have in place a clear policy on what constitutes acceptable behaviour, and what behaviour is unacceptable. A workplace Code of Conduct or some other guide to behaviour would be a good place to start. To be effective, this policy must be made known to all employees, and enforced by management. Employers should also develop procedures for responding to allegations of bullying, including a process for investigation of complaints.

The ACT Government has issued an enforceable Code of Practice under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 dealing with these issues. The Work Health and Safety (Preventing and Responding to Bullying) Code of Practice 2012 (No 1) is available through the WorkSafe ACT website, and PCBUs are required to adopt the procedures set out in the Code, or other equally effective measures, in order to demonstrate that they have taken all reasonably practicable steps to ensure that the workplace is free from bullying.

In addition, recent changes to the Fair Work Act 2009 now see bullying being treated as a workplace relations issue as well as a health and safety issue.

Since January 2014, the Fair Work Commission has had new powers to hear applications from workers who allege that they have been bullied at work. After assessing the evidence, the Fair Work Commission may make any order it considers appropriate or necessary to prevent a worker from being further bullied. Such orders may be directed at the relevant employer and/or the person responsible for a particular workplace – or at coworkers or other parties. However it appears likely that employers will bear the main responsibility for ensuring that FWC orders are carried out in the workplace.

Fewer bullying cases than expected have been heard by the Commission, so there are still uncertainties about how some aspects of this new jurisdiction will work in practice. However, the Commission has put out some signposts. For example, “reasonable management action carried out in a reasonable manner” is not considered to be bullying – and a significant FWC decision included the following guidance: “Determining whether management action is reasonable requires an objective assessment of the action in the context of the circumstances and knowledge of those involved at the time…. The test is whether the management action was reasonable, not whether it could have been undertaken in a manner that was ‘more reasonable’ or ‘more acceptable’ ”. The Commission went on to say “management actions do not need to be perfect or ideal to be considered reasonable;” and “a course of action may still be ‘reasonable action’ even if particular steps are not”.

Thus far, the FWC has been careful not to unduly intrude into workplace arrangements, although some anti-bullying orders have been issued. However, employers who do not have robust work health and safety policies in place for their workplace, including a policy on preventing, identifying and responding to bullying, would be well advised to seek relevant support and to implement such policies without delay.

GREG SCHMIDT

DIRECTOR, WORKPLACE RELATIONS

Corporate Sponsors ActewAGL TransACT The Canberra Times The Good Guys Tuggeranong Synapse

For more information on your options as an employer Contact the Chamber today Tel: 02 6283 5200 or visit www.actchamber.com.au.

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Greater support for ACT exporters

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anberra Business Council was recently appointed as the ACT and surrounding region’s arm of Austrade’s TradeStart Network.

The prime objective of Austrade’s TradeStart network is to assist small and medium sized exporters to achieve long-term success in international markets. It offers exporters the combined resources of Austrade and Canberra Business Council, providing local assistance and a direct link to overseas networks.

Being part of the TradeStart network is a good fit for the Canberra Business Council and will dovetail nicely with the ACT Exporters’ Network which provides a forum for exporters to network, share knowledge and expand their export activities.

Upcoming initiatives of the ACT Exporters’ Network include: • Introduction to exporting workshops • Informative Workshops and Forums for existing exporters • Networking events.

An exciting additional service to exporters will be the availability of Export Documentation and Certification at 216 Nortthbourne Ave, Braddon.

To stay up to date with upcoming events and exporting news, subscribe to the ACT Exporters’ Network Newsletter: actexportersnetwork.com.au Spotlight on eWAY’s success story Aussie ecommerce merchant eWAY is an example of a world class company born right here in Canberra and expanding rapidly into Asia.

For more information on the ACT Exporters’ Network, contact Dean Seeley 02 6247 4199 or dean.seeley@canberrabusinesscouncil .com.au

The ACT Exporters’ Network is an initiative of Canberra Business Council.

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Following our successful Trade Mission with the CBC and the ACT Government we have established operations in Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong.

We already have clients that are active and transacting. It’s very exciting. eWAY CEO Matt Bullock Described as Australia’s leading e-commerce merchant and payment solutions platform, eWAY processes more than 110 million transactions worth $15 billion for over 16,000 active businesses in

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Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, and is set to ramp this up across Asia with services now available in Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysia.

The company will also leverage its global relationship with accounting software provider Netsuite for online payments within large enterprises. eWAY has been actively nurtured by the Canberra Business Council over many years, and their attendance on the recent Singapore Trade mission was directly through the relationship with the Council’s ACT Exporters’ Network.

The move to grow their footprint in Asia is also a direct result of the collaboration between eWAY, the Canberra Business Council and the Exporters’ Network and the ACT Government working together to encourage and support businesses on their export journey.

“Following our successful Trade Mission with the CBC and the ACT Government we have established operations in Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong,” eWAY CEO Matt Bullock said. “We already have clients that are active and transacting.

It’s very exciting.”

Matt also said that “the Singapore Trade Mission was very successful and demonstrated how an organisation like eWAY, an association like Canberra Business Council and government can work together to support exporters in their endeavours at home and abroad, to grow exports and promote Australian business overseas”.

“The potential is huge for Australian businesses to move into the Asian market,” Matt said.

“E-commerce in Asia is growing at a phenomenal rate, and merchants need better options. Everyone is looking for convenience, self-service or a person to help them through the process for online commerce, depending on their needs. eWAY provides all these options and more for merchants.”

UPCOMING EVENTS 28 October 2014 Taking Your Business Global – An introduction to EXPORTING http://www.canberrabusinesscouncil.com.au/ events/event/616/

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PHOTOGRAPHY: HONOR LUCKHURST

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