Aussie Painting Contractor Sept 2015

The TRUTH about NSW Licensing Changes Ministers misled on facts

Law suit launched against school for

Lead Paint Poisoning Happy Fathers Day! Be the parent you aspire to be

What’s the deal with

Pollies and their Perks?

www.aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au

From the Editor Hi all, Welcome to our Fourth Anniversary Edition!

Yes, can you believe it; that’s 48 Magazines in 48 months. And you can see ALL of them here http://aussiepaintingcontractor.com.au From our rough first attempts, tinkering with a publication on a word document, to what you see now - The leading publication for the industry in Australia. We hope you like it.

You’ll find some fascinating news inside this month, as we take a closer look at some documentation surrounding the deregulation of NSW licensing. Sometimes it’s a real eye opener to look over how decisions are made, and by whom. We also ask a few questions about rorting of the public purse that seems endemic to the governing of the country. It’s in the news so much lately, we thought we’d add our two cents.

We have also spoken with the family of Scott Robert’s, the young painter who was tragically killed on the road last month. We are hoping that we can provide some meaningful support to his family.

Aussie Painters Network is donating a portion of August and September’s Membership fees. If you can just give a few dollars to help it will be greatly appreciated. (see inside for details on how).

We are moving forward with some big plans here at Aussie Painters Network. Our training facility in Queensland is currently being built and we can hardly wait to show it to you all. We still offer assistance to all the other states and territories but currently we are only training apprentices in Queensland. If you are in another state or territory and want to use the same online and onsite model we use, contact us and we will assist you.

EDITOR Nigel Gorman EXECUTIVE EDITOR Caroline Miall CONTRIBUTORS • Anne-Maree Russell • Caroline Miall • Daniel Wurm • Jack Josephsen • Jim Baker • Justin Barlow • Leo Babauta • Monroe Porter • Nigel Gorman • Robert Bauman

Until then,

Happy Painting Nigel Gorman

nigel@aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au

07 3555 8010

GRAPHIC DESIGNER J. Anne Delgado

Contents What is it with Pollies and their Perks?

9

In memory of Scott Roberts Understanding Financials

6

12 15

Level Up to Lose Weight

The Best & Less-than-Best

18

Motivations for Learning Sham Contracting –

23

Vibrant Vignettes Do you know your numbers?

Personality

26 29

Painters Licensing

42

Law suit launched against school for

32

Lead Paint Poisoning

45

Epoxy Secrets Revealed

My best tip for running a successful business

Domestic Violence –

41

Fair Trading Misleads Minister Over

35

Environmentally Friendly Epoxies or “Greenwash”?

46

The Parent I aspire to be

We can ALL help to stop it

38

Preventing Skin Cancer for Tradies

The Industry Idiots Important Contacts

48 49

Scourge of the Industry

Opinions and viewpoints expressed in the Aussie Painting Contractor Magazine do not necessarily represent those of the editor, staff or publisher or any Aussie Painters Network’s staff or related parties. The publisher, Aussie Painters Network and Aussie Painting Contractor Magazine personnel are not liable for any mistake, misprint or omission. Information contained in the Aussie Painting Contractor Magazine is intended to inform and illustrate and should not be taken as financial, legal or accounting advice. You should seek professional advice before making business related decisions. We are not liable for any losses you may incur directly or indirectly as a result of reading Aussie Painting Contractor Magazine. Reproduction of any material or contents of the magazine without written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited.

Just-In Hi Good people, Goodbye winter and hello spring, all of our fellow painters and decorators living in the colder climates will be happy to see the warmer weather on its way :) Last month, Aussie Painters Network entered our very first WorldSkills Competitor Jacob Baker. Jacob won the silver medal at the Gold Coast Regional competition. This was an awesome result as Jacob is just 18 months into his painting apprenticeship. Well done for such a highly commendable effort!

With Aussie Painters Network now training apprentices all over Queensland, my training schedule has recently taken me to Charleville, Toowoomba, Warwick, Hervey Bay, Bundaberg and the Sunshine Coast. Our unique training model for painting and decorating is proving to be popular with the regional areas. I also look forward to my first onsite training visits to our apprentices in Far North Queensland in the near future.

It’s quite amazing to think the distance between Brisbane and Cairns is the equivalent of London to Belgrade, Serbia (almost the distance from one side of Europe to the other!). Then to think in Europe you would cross 7-8 different countries and here, you haven’t even left the state. I’m sure tradespeople in other countries would be surprised at the vast distances we travel when conducting trainings for our painting and decorating apprentices.

September 6 is Father’s Day. We’d like to wish all our Dads, Grandads, Step Dads etc, a very happy day and our thoughts are with of all of those who might not have their Dads with them anymore. Enjoy our special Father’s Day article about the kind of parent we might aspire to be, on page 46.

Justin Barlow 07 3555 8010 / 0433 724 794 justin@aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au

What is it with

Pollies and their Perks?

In the seventies, Prime Minister Gough Whitlam is recorded to have said the following after controversially cutting entitlements: ‘I travel economy and I am a great man. I could travel economy for the rest of my life and I would still be a great man. But most of the people around this table’ - and that was the cabinet - ‘are pissants and they could travel first class for the rest of their life and they would still be pissants’.

What a guy!

While many of us work hard and some still struggle to keep the bills paid and food on the table, we hear almost daily about the people we pay to represent us, relentlessly squandering our money on poor planning, and all too often, simply on themselves! Australians are disgusted with their leaders. I’m sure Joey Hockey touted not long ago that the Age of Entitlement was over? How did we get here? Politicians have granted themselves so many excessive benefits. Of course we understand that they need to travel a lot, there are allowances to move their families around too.

Without taking advantage, they are more than taken care of. How did it ever become the norm that they rort their already inflated budgets?

I gasp when I hear about the ones that they deem fair, and then just feel ill when I hear about the overtly fraudulent ones.

I don’t follow politics too closely anymore because my head would explode in frustration, but I cannot

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help think that when completing a travel claim in the past, working for quasi government office, it was pretty clear to me what was and wasn’t fair to claim. A plane trip to my colleagues wedding and family holidays were pretty much a no no.

The rules don’t seem to apply to politicians and we don’t quite understand why. Personally I don’t think that being elected to office should come with a magic wand for granting themselves their every wish.

It’s most like they’re dizzy with their power and have a bottomless pit of money (which… they do; OURS!).

Since dear old Bronwyn Bishop was exposed for taking choppers like they were taxis, to liberal party fundraisers, it is sadly not an isolated lapse of judgement and is probably more indicative of the norm, rather than an unfortunate exception to the rule. Not surprisingly, both sides of government seem to have gone

a little quiet over entitlements for fears of who will wear the most mud.

So what now? It would be naïve of me to think that the current scrutiny will change much. Even when shocking truths are revealed, they seem to rarely be punished, or even paid back for the admission of guilt that suggests. Will we have an expensive investigation costing us even more money? Well, Tony says we’ll start by forming a Committee – that always works!

It is such a shame that public office attracts these individuals who believe that they are entitle to dip into the public purse for inflated personal expenses. The solution is simply accountability and personal responsibility, and hey! What about a bit of honesty!? Is it so difficult?

How they live with themselves I’ll never know. Revolution, I say.

Caroline Miall

caroline@aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au

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2015 September Issue | 7

4 /1311 Ipswich Rd, Rocklea, Queensland, Australia 4106 1800 355 344 info@aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au

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If you read our regular emails, you may be aware of the sad loss of one of Brisbane’s painting community.

Scott Roberts, 27year old Painter from Beaudesert; a Husband and Father of two boys aged 1 and 6 lost his life in a car crash in the early hours of Tuesday 11th August 2015.

Scott worked for one of our Members, Wayne Antcliff Painting, for the past six years. The community is now rallying to support his little boys and their mother as they come to terms with their immense loss.

Scott’s family wished to share some of their thoughts and memories of him with us this month. We are honoured to be able to help them to celebrate and farewell the life of Scott, taken from them so suddenly and tragically.

When Scott got his first job he saved up to buy his first motorbike.

He and his Dad shared a great love for it, and would go riding together.

The whole family would go to bike rides held on private properties. They would take a gazebo and chairs and would sit there watching the boys coming back and forward. Scott also bought and sold many bikes. They lost count in the end. Many will know him for his great love of golf, motorbikes, camping, fishing but, most of all, his family; parents Jamie and Liz, sister Tiffany with whom he shared a special bond, and his wife Karlee, and two boys Riley and Clayton.

Scott’s Mum told us of his beautiful personality. He was kind generous and most of the time growing up he was happy.

He started working as a painter in 2004 when he was just 15 years old.

His first boss was Kerry Gwynne who he worked with for about 6 years.

In memory of

Scott Roberts

Joining Wayne Antcliff in 2009, he broke his arm motorcycling after a week of work! He was back soon after, using his non dominant hand to get the job done.

Scott and Wayne spent a lot of time together and he really came to look to Wayne as more than just a boss, but also a great friend and confidant. In 2007 Scott married Karlee Edwards, who was sister to one of his best friends, and they welcomed sons Riley and Clayton in 09 and 14.

He loved his boys very much and didn’t mind changing dirty nappies.

He got up to the boys through the night, even if he had to go to work the next day. Scott had just bought Riley his first motorbike and all the gear to go with it and was teaching him to ride.

Scott loved his chosen path of painting and never considered doing anything else. He loved to look back at his work and see the finished product. Karlee once asked Scott why he liked painting and wondered if he found it boring. His response was “When I walk into a house, whether it be new or a re-paint, it looks rundown or unfinished but when I walk out I’m so proud because it looks brilliant!”

Over the years painting with Kerry Joe and Wayne, although being so very different, he leant his unique talent from each of them, enabling him be the brilliant painter he was.

Scott’s family wished to thank everyone for their incredible support and warm wishes during this time.

The donation page that has been set up for industry to contribute has raised an amazing $ 4,830.

In particular they wanted to highlight the seriousness of having contingencies in place should your family ever have to face such a tragedy. Sadly, Scott, like many younger people in the workforce, didn’t have life insurance established to relieve the pressure for his family, should the unthinkable happen. As the accident resulted in the writing off of Scott and Karlee’s only decent car, it’s hoped that the industry that Scott loved, can come together and at least cover the cost of a safe, reliable vehicle for Karlee and the boys.

So, if you have a moment and a few dollars to spare, please go to

https://www.mycause.com.au/page/108836/ industry-help-in-memory-of-scott-roberts

so that we can help to make a difference for Scott’s family.

2015 September Issue | 9

Haymes Ecocare

Wash-up Treatment System “Keep your site clean and Green with Haymes Ecocare�

Haymes Paint has recently launched an environmental solution to avoid paint waste water contamination on site.

Designed for Trade painters the Ecocare system is a multi-function system compatible with water-based paints that provides an environmentally responsible way for painters to wash up their painting equipment after use. The wash-up water is then treated with a specially designed powder that separates the water from the solids allowing clean water to be drained from the unit leaving the solids which can be disposed of through general waste collection.

The Ecocare unit is compact and portable catering for a wide variety of painters such as residential sites, new homes or maintenance projects. The system requires very little attention making it very efficient to use.

With close attention from government bodies to ensure responsible site management plans are in place, the Ecocare system provides the perfect solution to comply with EPA guidelines.

Available exclusively from Haymes Paint outlets. For your nearest store visit www.haymespaint.com.au or Phone 1800 033 431

2015 September Issue | 11

Understanding Financials As a whole, contractors do not understand or are not very interested in accounting. Sadly, understanding financial information is not all that complicated if your data is recorded in a useful format. Many of the statements we receive from contractors are in jumbled accounting formats. To make matters worse a family member or office person does the books but they receive little input from the owner. All too frequently they are just chucking numbers into a chart of accounts.

Estimating is much harder than accounting. Estimating is predicting cost and requires multiplication and production rates. Accounting is merely addition and subtraction and is the actual tally of expenses after they have occurred. To have a profit and loss statement that makes sense, you should use a format that matches your estimating logic. For example, do you record superintendent cost with field labor or as part of overhead. The correct answer depends on where you included that cost when you bid the job. If it was included in field labor, you should record the cost in field labor. If you included it in your fixed overhead markup, it should be included in fixed overhead.

There are two kinds of cost and six categories within those two types. These two types are overhead and direct costs.

Overhead or Indirect Costs: These are the costs that are difficult to charge to a given job such as office rent, admin costs, gasoline, vehicle maintenance, depreciation, telephone, etc.

There are two kinds of overhead costs: Fixed Overhead: Is the cost that is fixed regardless of the amount of work you do. For example, your rent stays the same regardless of the number of jobs you are performing. You can change your rent by moving to a larger or smaller building but that is not quickly or easily done.

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Variable Overhead: Is cost that cannot easily be tied to jobs but fluctuates directly to the amount of volume you are doing. For example, the more work you do the more gasoline and tools you need.

Direct Costs: Are job costs or items that can be charged directly to a given job. Below four broad categories are listed but you can have multiple accounts in each category.

Field Labor: This is for labor that is performed in the field to install jobs. It should also include payroll taxes and workers comp. While labor as a direct post can be hard to assign to a given job, both are a percentage of labor and are applied as labor burden when a contractor bids work. Field labor should not include admin salaries as they are part of fixed overhead. If your field workers are paid in the winter or on a rainy day, that should be charged to fixed overhead as downtime and budgeted each year.

Subcontractors: Subcontractors merely take the place of field labor.

Material: Is the material that is left on the job with the customer? Is it part of the actual job?

Special Job Costs: These are onetime expenses such as equipment rental or travel pay which should be charged to that job. If you did not have the job, you would not need the expense.

Profit and loss statements tell you if you are making or losing money. Balance sheets tell you where the money is located. Profit and loss statements look like checkbooks but are not checkbooks. Just because your business made 100k does not mean that 100k is in the bank. It might be tied up in accounts receivable or a piece of equipment you purchased.

Balance sheets seem confusing because they say your assets must add up to your liabilities and equity.

This can be a little baffling at first but balance sheets really read much like a mortgage.

Assets are what you own.

Liabilities are what you owe.

Equity is the balance or what you own minus what you owe.

Suppose your house is an asset and worth $300,000.

Your liability is your mortgage, suppose your owe $200,000, then your equity is $100,000. So what you owe on your house plus the equity in your house adds up to the total value of your house.

If your balance sheet shows a negative equity that might mean you have been losing money and taking loans out to cover those losses. Or you might be taking distributions out of your business which are more than the actual profit or equity of the business In other words, your business owes more than is worth.

Just like if you had a house mortgage that was more than the value of the actual house. Why is this important? Well to some degree you are building a pyramid scheme. Eventually this is going to catch up with you and you are going to go broke.

Don’t let your accountant lose you in technical jargon.

Ask questions and dig into your financials. The only way to understand them is to ask questions and work at it. Too many contractors have snow blindness when it comes to financials. They look at them and say I can’t understand this and they never do. You never will if you don’t try and it really is not all that hard.

Monroe Porter is president of PROOF Management a firm that teaches seminars and runs networking groups for painting contractors. Several Aussie painting contractors travel to the US each year to participate in his programs.

www.proofman.com 2015 September Issue | 13

Trace MY Business Written and Developed by Jim Baker

Trace My Business will keep a record of ALL your clients.

It collects the basic information like their contact details, job description and client notes but the beauty of this program is that it also tracks

• Where the referral came from • The quote success and failure rates • Suburb comparisons • The different advertising campaigns (what works and what doesn’t)

• First projects vs repeat business • New vs existing revenue and projects • Yearly and overall client revenue • Growth analysis • Projects, who referred them, and the referrals they subsequently provided

This is a brand new online product and like my other programmes, it is accessible on any computer or smart phone just by using your email address and password.

I am offering this to you on a 90 day ‘Trial Before You Commit’ price of $1.00. After the trial period and you like the product, the cost on a monthly subscription will only be $14.50.

So for the low cost of $14.50 a month, you will be able to access all your clients and where they found you, monitor what advertising campaigns are working and what are not, but best of all, have these records available to a new purchaser when you want to sell your business.

www.mytools4business.com/tracemybusiness 14 | Aussie Painters Network

LEVEL UP TO

Lose Weight I know a lot of people who want to lose weight but are stuck, like I was in 2005.

Only progress past this level after you’ve successfully done it for a week.

They want to get healthy and fit, but can’t seem to stick to a diet or exercise plan. They start, and then fail, and then feel bad about it.

Level 2

The secret lies in levelling up.

Like a video game, the way to changing your health habits is by starting out at the first level, and only going to the next level after you’ve beaten the one before that.

The problem is that most people start at Level 10 and fail, and wonder what happened. Most of us want to skip several levels, but we’re just not ready.

So the secret is to start at Level 1, and only advance once you’re done with that level. One level at a time, you’ll master the game of losing weight and getting healthy.

Here’s my guide to levelling up.

Level 1

Please, for goodness sake, don’t make the mistake of skipping this level because it sounds too easy. The easy levels are where you gain your skills.

You need to do two very easy things in this level: 1. Start walking just for a few minutes every day.

2. Reduce your eating by a little bit. A very little bit.

The walking should be as simple as walking around the block a couple times, or going to a nearby park for just 5-10 minutes. It should seem so easy that you feel a little dumb not doing more.

Why should it be so easy? Because you’re not ready for higher levels yet. You might think you are, but if you haven’t been regularly exercising for awhile, you aren’t.

The eating could just be as simple as putting a little less on your plate at dinner, or having one less soda a day.

Make it almost unnoticeable.

Remember, don’t go to this level until you’ve had a streak of 7 days of doing Level 1.

Here are the two things to do in this level: 1. Walk every day for a few minutes more. If you’ve been going around the block twice, make it three times.

Or add 5 minutes to your walking.

2. Eat a little less than in the previous level. Just a little less — not really noticeable.

You’ll slowly adjust to the new levels of walking and eating.

Do this for another week before going to the next level.

Level 3

If you’ve successfully done Level 2 for another week, you’re ready to add more: 1. Walk a little more.

2. Eat/drink less of something that’s empty calories — less soda, sugar, bread, pastries, sweet coffee drink, chips, cookies, pizza. Don’t drop any of these completely, just eat less of it.

Slowly, you’re adapting to a new level. Again, spend a week here.

Level 4

Now we’re going to change things up a little!

1. Add a minute of faster walking to your walks. Just one or two intervals of walking at a pace that makes it harder to have a conversation. So walk for 5 minutes at conversational pace, then speed it up for a minute, then back to the regular pace. You can repeat that a couple times if you feel like it.

2. Add some veggies to your food. Just a little, and something you might like. Greens are the best, but if you’d rather eat carrots or cauliflower, go for it. Don’t make it a lot, just a little.

Spend a week at this level.

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Level 5

Basically, this is a repeat of Level 4 — add a little more fast walking to your daily walks, and add another veggie to one of your meals.

You can repeat this adding each week for 2-3 weeks.

You’re getting the idea by now: basically, you started out by eating a little less each week (barely noticeable) and then adding some vegetables to your diet.

You started out by walking just a little each day, slowly adding more, then adding some faster intervals. Keep increasing this progress slowly, one week at a time.

Level 6

Now we’re going to add some harder challenges: 1. Add some hills or stairs to your walking routine. Find a hill to walk up for at least a few minutes, or if you have stairs in your building, do a few flights at the end of your regular walk. Don’t make this too hard!

2. Try finding and making a new healthy recipe online each week.

Stay at this level for 2-3 weeks, until it seems easy.

Level 7

Do this level once the previous level seems really easy!

1. Add some pushups. Just 2-3 sets of less pushups than you think you can do.

2. Find a healthy breakfast and eat that.

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Other Levels

By now, you’ve been walking, doing walk intervals, added some stairs/hills, and some pushups. You’re in much better shape than before.

That’s a major shift in your diet and exercise habits, and you did it slowly, barely challenging yourself at each level. You didn’t rush it.

Now that you understand how this levelling system works, you can create your own levels beyond Level 7.

Some ideas for higher levels — but be sure not to make any of the levels too difficult: • Add more bodyweight exercises • Add a little bit of running to your walks if you want • Try some pullups • Try some dumbbell weight exercises • Eventually try some basic barbell weight training (squats, deadlifts, bench) • Do a few yoga poses on some days • Eat more veggies • Reduce empty carbs • Add whole grains • Eat less junk food • Slowly eliminate fast food If you can slowly change your diet and exercise to include these levels, I can almost guarantee you’ll have weight loss over time, and most importantly, you’ll be much healthier over the long run.

Levelling up isn’t easy if you’re impatient, but it’s the smartest way to change, and it works.

Leo Babauta, a successful ‘simplicity’ blogger & author from California, is the creator of top 25 Blog, Zen Habits, chronicling his insights from acting significant changes in his personal and working life.

2015 September Issue | 17

The Best & Less-than-Best

Motivations for Learning We all go through dips in motivation sometimes. The key is to figure out a better motivator, and adjust your plan.

Today I’d like to talk about a few common motivations that don’t work that well, and then share what I’ve found to be the best motivations for learning — ones that keep you going strong even after a month or two.

Let’s start with some Less-than-Best Motivations: 1. A big goal. People are often very motivated in the beginning of any challenge by setting a big goal for themselves, and there’s nothing wrong with this at all. However, I’ve found that without other motivation, you can lose steam after a week or two. Why? Because you don’t achieve the big goal in a week or two, and in fact if it’s a long ways away, after a couple of weeks you might not be much closer. So go ahead and set a big goal, but have

18 | Aussie Painters Network

something else that will motivate you in the short term.

2. Wanting to make quick progress. This is something I’ve experienced, and I’m not alone — we want to make a lot of progress in a short amount of time, and it can be frustrating and disappointing when we don’t make the quick progress we’d like. The truth is that any real progress takes time, and while you might get a quick spurt of learning done here and there, most often it comes with dedication and months of work. That said, if you have realistic expectations, seeing yourself make modest progress can be very motivating.

3. It sounds nice. Lots of times we take on a challenge because we think it would be cool to complete it. I think it would be cool to be able to do some amazing magic tricks, for example. But in the end, I’m not that motivated to put in the hard work required to do some really skilled magic tricks. That takes

hours and hours of practice, weeks and weeks even, and I don’t care that much about it. I just think it would be cool. If you don’t care that much about the learning goal, you’ll quit when things get hard.

4. Creating your ideal self. Often we have a list of things we’d like to learn or improve, because we want to reach an ideal we have for ourselves. We want to be fit, healthy, mindful, talented, multi-lingual, accomplished and more. And while there’s nothing wrong with having these ideals, the truth is that you lose motivation after a week or two if this is your primary driver. Why? Because at some point, you stop caring about the ideal. You feel that it’s not worth the effort. You’re already pretty cool as you are, without needing to improve.

OK, these common motivators don’t work so well … but what does work?

Let’s talk about the things I’ve found to be good long-term motivators.

The Best Motivations

These five things are great motivators that can last beyond a week or two, in my experience: 1. Curiosity. This is my favorite motivator! When I take on a new learning challenge, it works best if I’m genuinely curious about something. If something is mildly interesting to me, I probably won’t stick with it for long. But if I want to go deeper and deeper, and learn everything I can about something, I will stick with it. So try to examine how much curiosity you have for the thing you’re learning. You can spark the curiosity sometimes, but other times it’s better to scrap what you’re learning and find something that really gets you curious.

2. Exploring something new. For me, it’s often not about accomplishing something cool or reaching some ideal or goal … and more

about exploring. This is obviously very related to curiosity, but for me, allowing myself to explore in a less disciplined way is often the more sustainable method of learning. I let myself play, let my curiosity lead me, let the discovery be the goal.

Try loosening up on your learning and allow yourself to have fun discovering.

care that much about creating an ideal self, or reaching big long-term goals. So what do we care about?

That’s a question we have to ask ourselves, and if you have an answer, that’s a great thing to devote yourself to learning. If you don’t have an answer, then devote yourself to exploring that question by learning different things.

3. Doing it with someone else. I love this method — often I’ll take on a challenge with Eva or a friend, or one of my kids. It’s fun doing something with someone else, and often if one person loses motivation, the other person will help keep you both on track. I also am very motivated by wanting to help the other person, and while doing something for myself is also a great goal, doing it for someone else helps a lot.

5. To prove that you can take on difficult things. For years, I quit when the learning got difficult.

But that’s when real learning happens — when things are difficult and you push through, when you are failing and wanting to quit. We learn by pushing ourselves into uncomfortable areas, and if we always quit, we’ll never get very deep into anything. So my best motivation recently is to prove to myself that I can stick to difficult learning challenges. So far, I am proving myself right.

4. Caring deeply about it. As I mentioned above, we sometimes don’t

Looking for improvements in your business?

“How To Become AReally Successful Painter” can really help you.

A copy of my book is available online jimbaker@notjustapainter.com.au

Watch Business Management for Painters http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OczJfZH8M4I

2015 September Issue | 19

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2015 September Issue | 21

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Sham Contracting – Scourge of the Industry Sham contracting is rife in our industry, and so common that many painters don’t realise they are breaking the law.

I want to preface this article by mentioning that up until a few years ago, I was guilty of sham contracting myself; but like most painters, it was because I was ignorant. Because sham contracting is so common in our industry, I didn’t realise it is illegal. I wanted to do the right thing by my employees, but it was often difficult to get good information.

Why is Sham Contracting so bad?

It’s bad for subbies because it means they are not covered by Workcover insurance, and don’t get superannuation. There are thousands of painters who have no insurance to protect their livelihood should they have an accident. Because of sham contracting, tens of thousands of painters have no superannuation.

In case you haven’t heard, in the not too distant future, the government will be expecting all of us to live off our superannuation upon retirement. So if you think you don’t need superannuation, and would rather get paid as a subbie, you could be setting yourself up for a miserable retirement.

Being a ‘subbie’ also means that you cannot access government

subsidised training, because in most states, government funded courses are only available for training staff.

So if you are an employee make sure you get qualified before you start a business as a contractor.

Sham contracting is also bad for employers. It might seem attractive because it seems to mean less responsibility in the short term. However, there are heavy fines for sham contracting. In addition, government funded training is usually only available for employees. If your employees are ‘subbying’, you could be missing out on valuable training and government incentives.

If you are an employer who uses ‘subbies’, make sure they really are ‘sub-contracting’ to you, otherwise the government will still view you as the employer, and will hold you

responsible for safety, WorkCover insurance and superannuation. To be classed as a ‘sub-contractor’, the worker must have their own business, and there must be some sort of ‘contract’ between you and them, for every job. This means a quote, at a minimum. Just asking them to give you an invoice does not make them a sub-contractor.

Neither does them merely having an ABN, having a business name, or working for more than one employer.

So, what should you do if you discover that you are actually operating illegally? Talk to your accountant about how to put on your workers as casual employees. This gives you all the flexibility of a ‘subbie’, but it’s legal, and won’t cost you any more.

2015 September Issue | 23

If you are an unqualified subbie, talk to your employer about putting you on as a casual employee. You might have a little less money in your hand at the end of the week, but you will have savings in the form of superannuation, and you will have insurance in the case of an accident. You will also be eligible for subsidised training to help you get qualified.

If you are a qualified subbie and don’t want to work as an employee, make sure you run your business properly. Get yourself some self-managed superannuation, and organise public liability and income protection insurance. Sub-contracting means exactly that; contracting your business to another business. If you want to be treated as a business, then act like one. Make sure you have a written contract for each and every job, even if the principle contractor is your mate. Shit happens, even between mates. If you live in WA, SA, NSW or QLD, make sure you get licensed or registered, because being a sub-contractor means the buck stops with you!

Sham contracting is exactly what it sounds like; contracting without a contract. It’s a sham, and it’s illegal.

If you are sub-contracting then you need to have everything in writing, and run your business professionally.

• • • • • • • for more details, visit our website!

www.paintershrpolicies.com

24 | Aussie Painters Network

If that sounds like too much hassle, then maybe subcontracting is not for you!

Australian Taxation Office https://www.ato.gov.au/business/building-and-construction/employee-or-contractor/ National Institute of Painting and Decorating http://www.painters.edu.au/Business-Development/ Starting-a-Business.htm Author: Daniel Wurm teaches business management for painting contractors at Masters in Building Training, and conducts training for WA Painters Registration, QBCC licensing, and Department of Fair Trading NSW Home Building licensing. He is NSW Trainer of the Year 2015, South Sydney region.

Daniel Wurm VIBER: +61 402312234 SKYPE: daniel-wurm

Do you like working outside? Wouldn’t it be good to be out in an office or not on the same site 48 weeks of the year?!

With today’s apprenticeships you can even do your theory without going into a classroom situation by enrolling in the E-Learning course so you do all your theory part of an apprenticeship in front of a computer.

The videos show how the new method of online learning for the theory component of Painting and Decorating Trade can give employers more flexibility when it comes to training.

Components of Paint

Paint Colour Theory

2015 September Issue | 25

Vibrant Vignettes In Interior Design speak, a Vignette is the display of an array of items around your home in a considered way, to highlight a space or create a focal point pleasing to the eye, or just showcase some beautiful, interesting or meaningful items. Vignettes are like little ‘still lifes’ that make you stop and appreciate space and detail. By creating vignettes in your home, you can endow spaces with character that helps describe you, make a room feel homely, or as a vehicle for a particular colour and design style.

To style some bare spaces in your home this way, use bits and pieces you already have, like favourite vases, mirrors, plants, photos or unusual items to create a mood. You can make a vignette on top of any flat surface: a dresser, table, bookshelf, countertop or window ledge. To make a room look more polished and designed using vignettes, consider these tips: Build your vignette around a light source. Pick a lit corner so your arrangement will be seen, or arrange your vignette with a decorative lamp.

Use colour in your vignette to coordinate with a room.

Assemble items that complement the dominant colour scheme of the room, or match it with pops of the same palette. Bright vintage items, or ceramics are a great feature.

Display objects in odd numbers. Items of similar shape, size and colour grouped together in odd num-

26 | Aussie Painters Network

bers make for bigger impact. Groups of three or five work particularly well and are stronger visually than a group of two or four.

Vary the height of the objects. Use small pedestals to elevate items. Try stacking books to create a platform for smaller objects.

Adopt a theme or tell a story. By using items that have a narrative, you can find a place for your memories, or beloved possessions.

Vary the textures of objects. Mix hard and shiny accessories with rough and natural. Use weathered wood or iron architectural elements to introduce an unexpected texture. Some of the most unusual objects can find a good home in a well designed vignette!

Vignettes are also a great design tool for presenting a home at its most desirable for market; drawing a buyer in, and helping them to envisage a more personal side of the home. Here is a collection from our regular contributor, Anne-Maree Russell from Cape Cod Residential, from a home she sold in inner Brisbane.

This is how it’s done… It’s all in the details!

Caroline Miall caroline@aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au

Find out how an App can BENEFIT your business!

Contact Us Phone: 1300 494 188 Email: info@aussieappstore.com.au

www.aussieappstore.com.au 28 | Aussie Painters Network

Do you know

YOUR NUMBERS?

If you don’t know your numbers in business you might as well play roulette! Do you feel a little confronted by my statement? Then let me explain… knowing how your business performs financially is at the front and centre of your business success.

You might be going from job to job and you are so busy that you can’t scratch yourself, and you feel that things are going well because you’re busy.

Yet, a lot of business owners I talk to in my accounting practice, operate in this way, are hanging on by a thread because they don’t have a real understanding how their business is doing financially. Are you one of those business owners? If you don’t know the answer to this question, the following questions might help you to know where you stand.

Do you know how much it costs you to open your doors?

Your business numbers will tell you if you’re only just breaking even or if you’re making a profit. If your business remains at the breakeven point for too long, and you’re not aware of the reasons why, then you’re flying blind. You could end up being out there working hard, just like you would on a tread mill. You’re running the miles, but staying in one place while you’re getting more and more exhausted.

Can you hire new staff?

When your business is at a point where you and your staff are run off your feet and clearly have too much

on your hands to manage the day to day work load, you may think that the answer is to hire more staff. In order to do that without jeopardising the status quo, you’ll need to know how much your business is turning over in profit, and not just for a short period where your business is experiencing work overload.

You’ll want to be sure that you can cover the payroll for the extra staff not just during this pressure cooker time, but also into the future. Hiring extra staff can allow you lighten the load and to take on more business to make more money, but it only makes sense if you know you can actually pay for it.

Can you afford to move business premises?

Say your business has outgrown the premises where you operate from and you’re thinking of getting a bigger place to have room for your business expansion. Maybe you want to move premises because a different location could give you access to more customers. If you have a proper business budget that shows your overheads, you can

do some easy modelling to check whether your business can absorb higher costs for new premises.

Is enough cash coming in?

Knowing how much cash is coming in on a weekly basis is critical. Cashflow is the lifeblood of business and if you have no control over it, you could be between a rock and a hard place soon. Just consider this: You’ve landed the next job, but you haven’t got the means to purchase the materials, because you have customers who haven’t paid their bills. At the same time you’ve extended your credit with suppliers to the limit and can’t stretch them anymore. There’s only so much lenience your suppliers will afford you – after all, they have a business to run, too, and need to make sure that their cashflow is steady. I know many business owners who have been hamstrung by similar scenarios and feel the pressure to deliver against the odds. If you can avoid this type of scenario, I can guarantee you that you’ll sleep better.

2015 September Issue | 29

Do you know how to fix cashflow problems?

The answer to this question is so easy that it’s often overlooked: Review once a week what goes in and what goes out! While most business owners get caught up in service or product delivery, they tend to ignore the most important aspect of their business - managing their business financials.

Here’s what I suggest you do on a weekly basis: Make sure you review which of your invoices remain outstanding by the due date. Develop a debt recovery system that kicks in the moment one of your debtors has failed to pay you on time. A simple reminder might be enough for some, but others may need a bit more attention. For a complete debt management system including templates, you can visit the Resource Centre on our website www.adhamilton.com.au, where you can download our free eBook “Company Finances and Debt Collection”.

Check your bank statements every week. You’ll be amazed how this simple procedure can help you stay on top of your cashflow and finances. Many business owners use a business credit card and increasingly so, invoice payments could be made by your customers using online banking technology.

30 | Aussie Painters Network

Unless you check your bank statements, you can easily forget what you’ve booked up on your credit card.

The same applies to online payments. Unless you check your statements you won’t know what has been paid and what hasn’t.

Once you’ve set up a routine, it will quickly become second nature. Systems and regular processes will also allow you to stop wasting time on responding to ad hoc enquiries. When your customer or supplier asks you about an invoice, you can simply tell them that you’ll be reviewing this, say next Friday or whichever day you decide to do it, and then get back to them or pay the supplier invoice.

These simple strategies to improve your current financial management practices could be the make or break of your business. Yet, in my experience the strategy most business owners rely on is hope – and more often than not, it doesn’t work.

A D Hamilton & Associates www.adhamilton.com.au Copyright © 2015 Robert Bauman

2015 September Issue | 31

PERSONALITY My best tip for running a successful business I was going to make a list of my top recommendations to running a business but when it came down to it, one stood out from all of them; Personality. If you don’t utilize this correctly, you have decreased your chances of winning the job, even though you may have ticked all other boxes relating to a successful outcome. So I found it necessary to expand on this particular tip and explain why I feel it is one of the main factors in running a business.

When personality first came to my mind, I instantly remembered a song I liked from my earlier years. Most of you young’uns wouldn’t know the American black singer, Lloyd Price.

He co-wrote the song ‘Personality’ which became a top hit in 1959. An interesting fact when I was Googling, ‘People With Money’ magazine reported he is the highest-paid singer in the world, earning $46 million between July 2014 and July 2015.

The reason for mentioning the song is the significance of the lyrics in the chorus, as they are based around five personalities:

Walk; Talk; Smile; Charm; and Love.

Let me break these down and I’ll explain the importance (to me) of each.

1. When you go to a client’s house and meet them for the first time, what message are you sending out?

How is your body positioned? Are you standing up straight or slumped

32 | Aussie Painters Network

over, disinterested and wishing you were somewhere else? Do you approach with confidence and have eye contact with them? Do you give a formal greeting with a handshake?

People can gather information about you from your body language before a word is spoken? We all do it without even thinking about it. Our poise and posture reflect our mood and our confidence level. It can also show if we’re apprehensive or outgoing, relaxed or aggressive.

2. Being confident in your mind about the product and what you are selling is one thing, but it takes skill to verbally relay this without fault or hesitation. It’s not just the paint job you are offering them but your professional service, this is what you have to get through to the customer with confidence in your voice.

In most cases the end price is not what sways the customer into accepting a quote. For job acceptance they need to know that you know, what you a talking about.

Being hesitant or indifferent in your approach is not a good sign for them.

If the client has a question, you need to have the answer straight away.

If you ‘umm’ and ‘ahh’ it’s showing a lack of knowledge on your part.

3. A good smile can break the ice on any meeting but unfortunately this isn’t happening enough in today’s society. Be genuine though, or at least try to look that way, as there is nothing worse than a fake smile.

A sincere smile portrays friendliness and trust. You may be working on their site for days or weeks, so if you look unhappy it can form an uncomfortable environment.

4. A bit of charm doesn’t hurt and is another good way to build good will in a relationship between you and a client. Listen to what they are saying and expand on it. For instance, if they mention they have just come back from a holiday, be honestly interested and ask questions about it. People love to talk about their experiences and it can ease any tension between you. (A word of warning though; don’t overdo the charm, or pry as it could backfire on you).

5. A big part of your personality is love. You need to love yourself, love what you are doing, love life and love living. If you can’t do this then you are missing out on so much, and your customer will too.

All these traits make up your personality and I believe it helps you to be a better person, tradesman and owner.

Not only that, it helps you in business and helps you win jobs. The added advantage too is if a client likes you they will more likely pay you on time, be less difficult to work for and (maybe) overlook some of the minor faults in your workmanship. It’s a win-win situation.

Jim Baker www.mytools4business.com

Developed by Jim Baker 2013

For $35.90

it’s money well spent!

‘My Costing Guide’ is a fully automated program where all you have to do is add or change the variables and the total price will appear in an instant. It is simple to use and can be personalised to your own business.

www.mytools4business.com/mycostingguide 2015 September Issue | 33

www.consolidatedi .com.au Phone: +61 7 3292 1100 | Fax: +61 7 3292 1110 Email: contactus@consolidatedi.com.au I just wanted to say a BIG THANK YOU for referring me to Consolidated Insurance Pty Ltd. I spoke to Scott about our Business Insurance and with little time, Scott emailed me back a comprehensive package for our Business and we saved over $1,000.00. Thanks again Aussie Painters Network for the great referral and all your ongoing help.

Sonya Baker www.bakerbrosmasterpainters.com.au

Domestic Violence – We can ALL help to stop it

A year ago, there was research in Queensland that reported half of all domestic violence incidences on the Gold Coast were perpetrated by Tradies. It could be a red herring statistic because perhaps half of the males of the population are tradies, or perhaps their partners are more likely to report it… but in any case, it’s totally unacceptable. What I want to know is who is still keeping silent and who is still doing this to their loved ones without the realisation they need help to stop it ever, ever happening again?

As I put the pieces together – of statistics, personal stories like that of Rosie Batty, and my own knowledge of friend’s ongoing cries for help, I start to see the origins of the problem; and along with those who offend, we’re all responsible. The policy makers, the neighbours, the mates of those who do it…

I am heartened by the fact that our society is finally talking more openly about domestic violence. This silent epidemic is gaining a voice at last, though there is a lot of work to do yet. We frequently see startling examples of perpetrators among our elite sportsmen and other public figures, and the attitudes of some in Office and the public eye giving themselves away as the very reason for the culture that allows the scourge to continue. I speak particularly and reluctantly of people like Mark Latham, whose ignorance is palpable, but still has written for supposedly prestigious publications like the Financial Review for eight long years! But, back to that later.

It’s crucial to remember that this is a problem that occurs across our whole society, regardless of culture (though sadly indigenous women are over-represented in the statistics), age, social or financial status, or even gender (noting this is an issue in straight and gay couples). We throw money and huge wads of attention to other issues that kill far fewer people. What criminologists call “intimate partner homicide” sees the deaths of one or two women per week in Australia. And while the numbers are growing, and the population increases, very few further resources are added to match demand.

Have you ever heard fighting, crying, things being thrown in a neighbour’s home? Did you report it to the police? No? Then you are allowing this to happen. You are responsible too.

Has a mate ever mentioned the good ‘clip over the ear’ he gave his missus because of something or other she did? Did you tell them it isn’t ok? Did you report it to the police? No? Then you too are part of the problem.

A very good friend of mine has struggled with her ex for years. His offences have been largely threats and so she hasn’t been able to have much happen to prevent what she fears most. She once was granted a Domestic Violence Order and the police officer asked if she could deliver it to him herself! I’m sure I’m not the only one left aghast at this request. Do you see how the attitudes to this problem are so inadequate?

It’s also important to recognise that the term Domestic Violence is inadequate.

2015 September Issue | 35

It isn’t always violence, but often threats, intimidation, controlling, constant criticism… they all impact on the victim, (not to mention any children present) and they can all lead to the worst possible outcome. (Luke Batty’s Father had never hurt his son before murdering him in that vengeful act..)

With so much stacked up against this shocking issue, we then read something like this from Mr Latham about Rosie Batty last week; poorly written, factually incorrect, with a message enough to make you physically ill: (His appalling article can be found at: http://

www.afr.com/opinion/columnists/mark-latham-argues-we-areputting-women-in-danger-20150624-ghw6dx#ixzz3j8M0hTQv)

“There is something badly wrong when a victim of horrific domestic violence is wheeled out at business functions as a paid celebrity speaker… to retell the story of her son’s murder in February 2014. Seemingly, there’s nothing left in the relationship between people that can’t be commercialised and cashed out as “entertainment... Yet now, it’s not unusual for real-life atrocities to be promoted as on-stage spectaculars. Why do we have such a macabre interest in the private woes of others?

It’s called “Awareness” Mr Latham. Not to give the man’s attitudes anymore oxygen, but it must be said that his comments about someone who has been through a hell that most of us simply cannot imagine, demonstrates such a profound misunderstanding of the essence of the problem, that it disturbs me no end that this man once could have become our Prime Minister. (Though, sadly I think our current PM’s attitudes towards women aren’t much better).

The foundation Rosie Batty has established is currently campaigning for compulsory respectful relationships

programs in schools. This is a woman who has used her unthinkable tragedy to make a difference to our flawed culture. She still needs to eat and pay her bills, so why would she not be remunerated on the speaker circuit?

I can imagine for every hour she is paid for her efforts to spread her message, there are another slavish hundred, unpaid.

BuzzFeed, an American internet news media company describing itself as the “social news and entertainment company”, published confirmed links between Latham and the twitter account that had been abusing women like Rosie Batty and other high profile women http://

www.buzzfeed.com/markdistefano/7-simple-steps-to-findout-who-someone-is-on-twitter#.cgB7dvJNzy

And we’re paying this man a lifetime pension to tinker with twitter, write his inflammatory columns, maintain his garden and cook his family gourmet meals. Thank goodness he’s quit the Fin Review now (before they sacked him I suppose).

So I guess my point is, that for this blight to happen, we all in some way perpetuate an environment which enables it. At every opportunity we come across to stop it, we must all act. Have you ever experienced a moment when you could have done more??

Here’s an opportunity to do something. Go and sign the Never Alone petition and tell your Education Minister what we can do to help. Education is usually the key so let’s start with our children in our schools: http://www.neveralone.com.au/email_minister

Caroline Miall

caroline@aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au

from $45.00 2015 September Issue | 37

Preventing SKIN CANCER

for Tradies

With the warmer weather on its way, and the feeling of summer already in the air in some places, we thought it was a good time to raise the issue of skin cancer awareness again. We all know what to do! Some of us just aren’t very good at remembering and being consistent.

Tradies, you are especially vulnerable! Take steps to protect yourself this summer! Starting now.

Australia has the highest rates of skin cancer in the world. At least two in every three Australians will be diagnosed with skin cancer before they reach the age of 70. Even during winter and on cloudy days UV radiation can be strong enough to damage unprotected skin and eyes. Working outdoors for most or part of the day can put you at greater risk of skin cancer, including melanoma.

Sun related injuries are quite common amongst outdoor tradies who sustain a higher risk of developing skin cancer. Outdoor workers are at an above average risk of skin cancer due to high levels of direct sunlight exposure over long periods of time and they generally receive 5 to 10 times more UVR exposure per year than indoor workers (Safe Work Australia, 2010). During 2000-2009, 1360 workers’ compensation claims and $38.4 Million in payouts were made related to sun related injuries at work (Cancer Council Australia, 2011). http://www.spotscreen.net.au/ All skin types can be damaged by UV radiation. Damage is permanent and irreversible and increases with each exposure. Therefore, the more sun exposure you receive over the course of time, the greater your risk of developing skin cancer. Whenever you are working outdoors it is important to protect your skin and eyes.

Cancer Council Queensland recommends the following tips to reduce your risk of skin cancer: Slip – Slip on sun protective clothing that covers as much skin as possible. Choose work shirts with collars and longer sleeves. Clothing that is lightweight, loose fitting and has an ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) of 50+ is best.

38 | Aussie Painters Network

Slop – Slop on SPF 30+ sunscreen 20 minutes before starting work and reapply every two hours. Protect your lips with SPF 30+ lip balm. Never rely on sunscreen alone as your only protection from the sun.

Slap – slap on a broad-brimmed hat that covers the face, neck and ears. Caps offer limited protection and are not a good choice.

Seek – seek shade where possible. If you can, work under a portable shade structure and take your breaks in the shade. Try to work outdoors before 10am and after 3pm and indoors during the middle of the day when UV radiation is at its strongest.

Slide – Slide on sunglasses to protect your eyes. Close fitting wrap-around styles are best. Choose sunglasses that have an eye protection factor (EPF) of 10 and state on the tag: AS/NZS 1067:2003 to ensure that they conform to the Australian Standards.

Skin cancer can be successfully treated if found early, however it can be fatal if left untreated. Keep an eye on your skin and be aware of what is normal for you.

Every three months, check your skin from head to toe.

Use a mirror or ask a family member to help you check hard to see places such as the back or scalp. If you have any concerns about skin cancer or there are any changes to your skin, talk to your doctor especially if you notice the following: A new spot, or a spot that is different from the ones around it.

A spot that itches or bleeds, like a sore that doesn’t heal.

A spot or mole that changes in size shape or colour.

Caroline Miall caroline@aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au

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40 | Aussie Painters Network

The truth behind NSW licensing changes

Fair Trading Misleads Minister Over

PAINTERS LICENSING

The Department of Fair Trading misled the Minister for Fair Trading over changes to Home Building Regulations, and has continued to cover up the dangers of lead paint and asbestos to NSW consumers, according to documents obtained by the National Institute of Painting and Decorating. There’s an evidence that Fair Trading staff even falsified figures presented to the commissioner. National Institute of Painting and Decorating obtained the internal government documents related to this issue under the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009.

According to Fair Trading, ‘air conditioning’ is considered a ‘specialist work’, but identifying, sanding and preparing deadly asbestos and lead paint is not. Fair Trading ignored the licensing models in WA, SA, and QLD, but instead chose to model its regulations on the Victorian Building Regulations, in which the Victorian Auditor-General’s Office recently reported that it found ‘critical weaknesses’ in the state’s consumer protection framework for building industry regulation and that it ‘does not provide adequate consumer protection’.

In a report to the Commissioner of 11 March 2015, Fair Trading claims that “Fair Trading does not have any evidence to support the claim that using a licensed tradesperson over other unqualified workers will increase the risk of exposure for consumers”. This is completely false. The National Institute of Painting and Decorating substantiated its claims in its correspondence to Fair Trading and the Minister on March 2nd 2015, with references to studies published in the Journal of Health Politics, information published by the World Health Organisation, the Department of Environment, Safe Work Australia, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, and the Department of Health.

The Department of Fair Trading also ignored a letter from WorkCover NSW, which recommended to Fair Trading that it “identify training courses or units of competency that could be used by painters and industry in terms of minimum acceptable training qualifications”.

The Department of Fair Trading claimed that internal paintwork is ‘low-risk work’ and ‘straight-forward’, despite having evidence to the contrary. The Minister claimed that the decision to remove the requirement for internal paintwork to be carried out by licensed painters was made through an ‘extensive consultation’ process, documents show that the Department of Fair Trading did not receive any input from the painting industry at all, and did not include the policy in the draft Regulation and Regulatory Impact Statement in July 2014, or in any of Fair Trading’s ‘Foundation’ E-newsletters.

The Queensland Building and Construction Commission and the Department of Industry were included as two of only four ‘stakeholders’ who supported the reforms.

The question is now raised about how a government department from Queensland was considered a ‘stakeholder’ in the NSW building industry.

“The documents reveal that Fair Trading were completely ignorant of the dangers of lead paint and asbestos to consumers when formulating policy, and that they have completely disregarded the information presented to them since”, says NIPD Manager Daniel Wurm. We even have one email from a policy advisor where she scoffs at the dangers of lead paint, and says “what in the world does asbestos have to do with painting?”

The Department of Fair Trading is now engaged in a massive cover up, and has banned the National Institute of Painting and Decorating from posting on its Facebook page. Internal emails show that Fair Trading is scared because our posts ‘contests the reforms and frames them as detrimental to consumer safety’ - an argument that many who like [the] page may, on the surface, perceive as valid’.

The National Institute of Painting and Decorating is now working with the Shadow Minister for Innovation and Better Regulation to make sure our industry continues to require the high standards we have fought for.

Daniel Wurm VIBER: +61 402312234 | SKYPE: daniel-wurm

www.painters.edu.au

2015 September Issue | 41

Law suit launched against school for

Lead Paint Poisoning Lead paint poisoning hits the news again, following a law suit filed against a Victorian school for toxic exposure to a student during renovations in 2008. Back then Ross Vinson’s lead levels were found to be almost double those considered safe by the World Health Organisation after the Seaford Primary School student ingested flakes of paint during remodelling. Parents claim there was too little supervision of the child, and that the buildings should have been off limits to children.

Ross, now 15, is autistic and it was reported then that he suffers from Pica; which compels a person to eat nonnutritive substances, (which in this case was apparently paint flakes), peeling off and lying around the playground during building. His Mother told the Herald Sun last week that he hadn’t been the same child after the exposure when he was 8, and they have been struggling with visual difficulties, violent outbursts, and sleep issues. The impact on the family in stress and medical expense has been profound. Back in 2008, Ross’ father told the Herald that the Education Department stonewalling the family, refusing them access to the school’s lead-paint risk assessment findings.

Whilst this case is a particularly complex one, it highlights the potential for disaster due to the fact that any Australian school built pre-1970s is a possible source of lead-based paints. If a school building is being renovated and it has lead-based paint, then the risk of breathing in the dust for every child who is nearby is very real. Sadly, this incident from 2008 probably won’t be the last like it that we hear of.

Caroline Miall

caroline@aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au

42 | Aussie Painters Network

2015 September Issue | 43

44 | Aussie Painters Network

www.mytools4business.com/myhourlyratecalculator

EPOXY SECRETS REVEALED Environmentally Friendly Epoxies or “Greenwash”?

With environmentally friendly attached to so many products these days, I can’t help but wonder whether it’s become just another meaningless buzz word for marketers.

Taking a step back, green products aren’t about feel-good “tree hugging” in my opinion. There’s absolutely no point making an oven cleaner that doesn’t clean your oven, so I see the green product movement as the search for better performance while being safer for both man and environment. With numerous raw materials and manufacturing practices proven undesirable in this regard, the epoxy industry is the perfect candidate for a push toward environmentally friendly products and momentum has been slowly gathering.

The environmentally friendly response In response to trends like this, you find that coating manufacturers tend to do one of two things. Some go for Option 1, which is to spend their time and money developing new technology, in this case environmentally friendly epoxies, aimed at the future market.

When the surge in demand inevitably comes, these manufacturers have proven, genuine technology ready to offer a hungry market. On the other hand, some go for Option 2. These manufacturers see an opportunity to cash in immediately on the budding trend by promoting their existing products as compliant in any way they possibly can. This is called Greenwash and it’s a problem we need to look at.

What Greenwash looks like Greenwash occurs because, to put it bluntly, some companies take the easy way and just make their products sound green. For example, I recall a manufacturer that reduced their solvent content from 20% to 10% and pumped it up as environmentally friendly. Another did a similar thing to gain green certification with one product, yet sneakily promoted their entire range fell into line. These might be steps in the right direction, but a joke if you’re serious about making green products that are safer for both man and environment.

What makes that kind of practice even worse is the fact these “green products” only address higher profile dangers like solvents. There are all sorts of unpleasant chemicals and wasteful manufacturing processes that conveniently get ignored when the easy option is taken.

These all have an impact on the environment and have to be considered in order to offer genuine environmentally friendly epoxies.

In addition to all that, we’ve also learnt from exposure to asbestos that it’s pointless just looking at the front end of product usage. We need to measure the entire lifecycle, including removal, recycling and/or disposal.

How to avoid Greenwash So, how can you tip-toe through the marketing to find genuine environmentally friendly epoxies? The answer is the same with any form of marketing: don’t believe popular product perceptions or the manufacturer’s spiel unless the claims can be fully supported. One way to do this is to look for green products that have been independently audited under an internationally recognised standard. Even then, it pays to do a bit of research on what the standard is about because they’re not all equal as far as testing is concerned. Failing that, you could even ask the manufacturer if they have an environmental disclosure statement, but, once again, look for those that have been independently verified.

Good Environmental Choice Australia is an Example of a program that certifies green products

Jack Josephsen epoxyschool.com | 0408 877 256 2015 September Issue | 45

46 | Aussie Painters Network

It’s nearly Father’s Day, and that always causes me to reflect on what kind of father I am. I think I’m pretty decent, though I’m not where I’d like to be.

The good things I do: I try to inspire my kids, I do projects with them like programming and chess and website building, I read to the younger ones, I do outdoor things with them, I teach them about responsibility and compassion, I try to set a good example for them.

But there’s always more I can do, always. Actually, it’s not that I can do more, it’s that I can be with them in a different way.

This is the father I aspire to be: I want to drop my expectations of them, and be more accepting of who they already are.

I want to be less controlling, and let them be.

I want to be less strict, and just be with them.

I want my actions around them to be less driven by fears, and to let them make more mistakes and have more freedom.

I want to be less focused on their future selves, and more grateful for their present selves.

I want to be the example for them: to be happy, inspired, mindful, peaceful, loving, accepting, grateful.

In the end, I will never be the perfect parent. I aspire to be better, but I will never reach that ideal state. I still think the aspiration is a worthy activity, if only because it causes me to reflect on my actions and see if they’re aligned with my best values.

In the end, it won’t matter if I’m perfect as a dad. It will only matter if I am there for them, and if I love them, which I do with all of the depths of my heart.

Leo Babauta, a successful ‘simplicity’ blogger & author from California, is the creator of top 25 Blog, Zen Habits, chronicling his insights from acting significant changes in his personal and working life.

2015 September Issue | 47

The Industry

Idiots

48 | Aussie Painters Network

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2015 September Issue | 49

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