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Hire&Rental
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
AUGUST 2022
Adelaide proves its as big a draw as any state capital
President’s message
BY MARK BURTON HRIA PRESIDENT
What a fantastic Convention we had at HIRE22. I’d like to say a big thank you to the 1100 delegates, 26 sponsors and all the suppliers who attended to help make this one of the best conventions ever. We had one of the largest attendances to an Event division lunch and workshop at HIRE22. Networking was in high demand, with tickets selling out in record time. This was an encouraging sign for companies and staff who have suffered disruptions and uncertainty because of the pandemic. For hire industry delegates and visitors to make a commitment to attend was a good indication that the HRIA’s Convention was hitting the mark with the right balance of exhibitors, expert advice and speaker content. Increasingly we’re told that the HRIA convention is an event that remains a permanent fixture in their annual calendar. Capped off with two of the best speakers we’ve had in many years, in Mark Wales an SAS and Survivor expert and Dr Richard Harris, a humble hero from Adelaide who rescued the Thai soccer team trapped in a flooded cave and was awarded Australian of the year. Congratulations to the winners at our Hire Industry Excellence Awards. The standard of entrants was extremely high, and the acceptance speeches showed how passionate the winners were. I am enormously proud, following such a tough couple of years, to have an incredible turn out in my hometown Adelaide. In my last year as HRIA President what an awesome way to finish off my 5-year tenure. A huge thank you to everyone for getting behind the Association at the Convention, as well as state meetings and events and for your support during my time as President.
Some house keeping
With the new financial year and a rise in the minimum wage now in place, it is important to take time to assess wages to ensure staff are being rewarded appropriately in line with Awards and Enterprise Agreements. Retraining good staff is critical in the current
market and the cost of recruiting to replace them, should they choose to leave, is a high one, not to mention the loss of knowledge and experience. With wages, fuel, electricity, interest rates and insurance costs rising, all of this and more will have an impact on your business. So now is a good time to be reviewing your hire rates to ensure they are sustainable when considering the increased cost of doing business. As an Association member, you have access to expert support and guidance to help you navigate the complexities of business, so please contact one of our many business partners who can help with any enquiries on the subjects mentioned above.
Members Survey HRIA Strategic Plan
Responses to this year’s member survey give us a better understanding of how the HRIA can support members. The HRIA Board of Directors is always looking for new ways to be able to help members, and by using the member survey as a key performance indicator, we can measure the impact and success of the benefits we offer as well as implement improvements and new ideas based on your feedback. Please feel free to contact the National office at any time, if you have any feedback to offer.
“Don’t talk yourself down. Talk yourself through.”
