FAMILY
MEET PETER
WORDS PETER SUTTON
IS IT ‘…A SEETHING SWAMP OF VITRIOL…? ‘If ever we needed proof that Twitter was a seething swamp of vitriol and abuse, this appears to be it’...
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his was the retort from Sydney Morning Herald journalist Hannah Francis (@han_francisco) – http://bit. ly/1RpGKHQ. Her line was in response to Microsoft’s Artificial Intelligence chat bot experiment, Tay. An experiment which managed to scoop-up the ugly side of social media! Let us be in no doubt, social media has a very ugly, dark side. Elements so ugly they should be outed for what they are—destructive! Social media is now a reflector of
life with no filter. It mirrors life for what it is and this presents new challenges. How could it not, with 2.307 billion active users across the world. A space where the masses mash the polarities of #thinspiration, #terror, #politics, the indulgent #selfie with your next #goodfeed or the lastest share of your #kidsachievements! What you choose to consume, create and share is your choice but it does not always have to be destructive. Nor as black and white as the opening quote.
MONEY WORDS BY DENISE MILLS
ORANGE BEST
TO INVEST Big city investors hone in on Orange as the best place to invest in real estate.
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ccording to local real estate agents, Orange has become an investor hot-spot, with a notable increase in the number of city-dwelling investors purchasing properties with the intention to use the properties as rentals. Paul Neich from Williams Machin Real estate states the rise in investment in Orange real estate is due to the higher yield Orange investment properties receive. ‘Yield’ refers to the future income on an investment, based on the asset’s cost. “Basically, if you had a property in Sydney that sold for $600,000, you’d expect a return of $600 per week rent,” Paul explained. “While here in Orange for the same price, you could get two properties, and you’d be expecting rent of around $800 per week. 44
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“There’s been an increase in buyer activity since September 2016, and a lot of that is from Sydney investors. It’s not uncommon for some of the cheaper homes between $200 000 to $300 000 to be sold within their first week on the market.” Gary Blowes from Blowes Real Estate added that in addition to the higher yield, most city-investors simply have no choice but to take their funds further west. “If you buy in Orange, you get a better return and in 20 years you’ll own it. In Sydney, you can’t even afford the deposit let alone pay it off! A lot of people will never be able to afford a property in Sydney.” For savvy investors who are seeking to maximise their cash flow, Orange is the perfect place to purchase a rental property.
So where is the good amongst the commentary of the ugly? They are online as well and it is time for us to #pushpositives. Let us ‘out’ the many wonderful role models and balance the negative skew which dominates the commentary of social media. In my work, schools are the perfect place to to see positivity in action. A school with the ‘right’ approach can quickly position itself to bring down the walls of negative parent perception and build inclusive, celebratory communities.
I see schools with ‘tough’ reputations respond beautifully with dynamic, safe, inclusive online communities. Authentic in their approach boring holes through the dinner party commentary of, ‘I’m not sending my kids there it is full of ‘housos’, ‘druggos’ and ‘white trash’! Social media is dynamic and open to all! So let us ‘square the ledger’, find a good news story, #pushpositivity, as all online is not, ‘…a seething swamp of vitriol and abuse…’
Peter Sutton founded Kai Ming Consulting in 2010 with a belief that social media could be used for social good; a philosophy that is not only refreshing but one that has proven extremely effective in his work to open communication channels, celebrate success and reinvigorate digital brands in Australia and across Southeast Asia. His work in schools saw him named in ‘The Educator’s Hot List 2016’ as one of Australia’s top 50 influencers in the sector. With his rich education background, Peter uses his experience in change management, learning and leadership to work with clients. His pragmatic nature and thorough approach provides organisations with the highest possible opportunity to incorporate social media strategies that build community. For further information, visit Kai Ming Consulting, Social Remediation or contact Peter directly at the details below. www.kaiming.net.au www.socialremediation.com e: peter.sutton@kaiming.net.au p: 0426 874 757