Aussie Painting Contractor April 2017

The Hidden Tidal Wave For Subcontractors What could new changes to Insolvency Laws do to your business?

‘You’re Cured’ The best outcome from a frightening diagnosis

National Skills Shortage How did we get here and where to now?

Three Steps to Achieving Goals Plan your success now!

www.aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au

CONTRIBUTORS • Angela Smith • Caroline Miall • Christine Delongte • Daniel Wurm • Jim Baker • Leo Babauta • Les Williams • Lyle Beaton • Monroe Porter • Robert Bauman • Shane Moore

EDITOR Nigel Gorman EXECUTIVE EDITOR Caroline Miall

From the Editor Hi Everyone,

Welcome to the 65th edition of the Aussie Painting Contractor Magazine!

This month we welcome HALT (Hope Assistance Local Tradies) to our list of contributors. This is an important program set up by a fellow painter, Jeremy Forbes, whose focus is suicide prevention and breaking down the stigma surrounding mental health issues like suicide, depression and anxiety. The idea came following tragedy, and two friends asked themselves, what can we do to support our mates, our families and our partners in the trades who just aren’t coping? HALT are not counsellors, but provide a connection between our tradies and the services that can help. If you know someone who could use this sort of support, perhaps share this edition with them.

The final consultation session for the Queensland Building Plan was held in Toowoomba last month and we went along to have a say on behalf of the painting industry once again. We’re hopeful that the powers-that-be have listened to what we’ve had to say at each of the meetings we’ve participated in. So far, indications are reasonably good that they are. We’ll continue to keep you informed as more comes to hand, and hopefully report what your support has enabled us to achieve.

Over the last couple of weeks, the Painters Training Wheels has traversed Queensland again as far north as Hervey Bay and as far south as Nerang.

Next week we are off west to Toowoomba. If you are in the area pop in and see us at the Toowoomba Dulux Trade Centre.

We’re pleased to say that in addition to our usual member services and support we provide Painters, we’ve recently made a huge difference to some, who have had major headaches getting paid for completed work.

Aussie Painters Network is happy to assist you with this issue if you are a Member or if you become one. We’ve assisted numerous businesses to recover more than $40,000 of non-payments in the last couple of months; many for earnings they’d given up hope of ever seeing. If you require any assistance, feel free to contact us.

Until next month,

GRAPHIC DESIGNER J. Anne Delgado

Happy Painting!!

Nigel Gorman

nigel@aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au

07 3555 8010

Contents Simple Financial Mistakes Contractors Should Avoid Commencement of the remaining amendments

6 9

Construction Contracts Act 2004 Supercharge your Profitability… Before You Sell Your Business Achieving Your Goals Is A 3-STEP PROCESS The Hidden Tidal Wave for Subcontractors

10

13 16

20 A Mindful Guide to Email in 20 Minutes a Day HALT Hope Assistance Local Tradies ‘You’re Cured’

23 25

Glossary of Paint & Painting Terms

30

Paint life into your LIVING ROOM

33

National Skills Shortage

37

Where have all the Tradies gone

Australia’s Outback PAINTING HERITAGE

40

Industry Idiots

44

Important Contacts

45

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.

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SIMPLE FINANCIAL

MISTAKES

Contractors Should Avoid Many contractors do not have a strong financial background and do not like accounting. However, there are simple procedures and financial logics that can help contractors avoid negative financial situations. This article is designed to identify simple errors contractors may make.

Worrying too much about cash.

How much cash is in the bank can be a misleading factor when studying the health of a business. Cash makes us feel good and is deeply ingrained in our psyche. As a kid, if you made a few bucks mowing a yard or running an errand, it was great. You had money to spend. Business does not exactly work this way. Just because we have cash on hand does not mean the business is making money at that moment.

Every business needs cash. However, cash is more of a business tool than an actual measurement of success. You need cash to pay your bills and keep the business going but it is not necessarily a measure of profit. A good example of this is when contractors gear up in the spring. The business is making money but much of the actual cash is being eaten away by payroll, material bills, etc. Where in the fall, many contractors gear down for the winter. They may actually lose money in December but have plenty

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of cash on hand because they are collecting receivables from past work with no money going out.

Cash on hand might be compared to pulling a trailer. If you are doing everything right, it is always following you. If you charge the right price, make a profit and collect your money, cash follows your business effort.

You can pay taxes on a cash statement if that is what your accountant advises but use an accrual statement for financial review. An accrual statement shows all costs including accounts receivable and accounts payable to show a true profit. A cash statement only shows what you have paid and collected.

On that note, enter accounts payable into your accounting system as the bills come in. Even if you do not have enough money to pay the bill, it still is there to show a true profit or loss. Don’t merely use your accounting system as a checkbook and only make entries when paying bills. Try to keep your financial records as current as possible.

Don’t put customer deposits into sales when you put deposits into the bank. Show them as a negative receivable or a liability. Deposits represent money you owe the customer until work is performed.

This is a little complicated but vital to creating an accurate statement.

You also don’t want to spend your customer’s money and then not have the money left to do their job.

If you do repairs, you must either price them time and material with a minimum charge or if quoted, build enough into the repair quote to cover sales cost. No matter how you calculate sales expense, it costs a minimum of $100 to run a sales call. ($50 an hour times two hours is $100). So how can you quote a 100 repair? You can’t. And this gets even more complicated. Suppose, you only sell 50% of the repairs you estimate.

Now you need $200 to recover the job you won and the job you lost. If you must give estimates, make sure you build something into the quote to cover sales costs.

Internal theft continues to be a problem with contractors. Through the years, we have found that over 10% of our customers had embezzlement and less than 1% a fire.

Yet most contractors are insured for fire but not theft. The cost of this insurance varies greatly from state to state and you may want to “bond” your bookkeeper or office manager but bonding only applies

to the person you have bonded.

You want to talk with your insurance person about what options are available in your state.

Most banks today do not want to send you a copy of the checks. Pay more for this service and have the banking and credit card statements sent to your house. There are lots of ways for employees to steal but writing checks and charging items to your credit card is the easiest way to take advantage of you.

Look to crew size and don’t over staff jobs. A few years ago, we had a customer roof identical apartment buildings and track costs. The only

factor that impacted production costs was crew size. The smaller the crew, the fewer hours it took to roof the job. We have contractors who join our networking groups that have 6 or 7 people in an install crew. We tell them to drop one person and the production tends to take the same amount of time.

Have a monthly financial meeting each and every month. At the meeting review a profit and loss statement, a balance sheet, your accounts payable, your accounts receivable, your sales, closing ratios and your backlog. Want better accounting records? Then use them. As you ask questions and ex-

plore the data, it will become more and more accurate.

Financial discipline and understanding is imperative to running a business. Just because you don’t like to do something, don’t have an excuse not to do it. I don’t like to go to the dentist but I still go.

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

2017 April Issue | 7

Do you have an

APPRENTICE?

Commencement of the remaining amendments to the

Construction Contracts Act 2004 Principals, contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers working in the building and construction industry should be aware that the remaining sections 7 and 20 of the Construction Contracts Amendment Act 2016 will commence operation on Monday 3 April 2017.

From 3 April 2017, the Construction Contracts Act 2004 (the Act) will prohibit terms in construction contracts requiring payment to be made after 42 days. Section 10 of the Act will now provide that any provision in a construction contract that purports to require a payment to be made more than 42 days after it is claimed is to be read as being amended to require payment within 42 days after it is claimed. Section 10 of the Act previously prohibited terms in construction contracts requiring payment to made after 50 days.

The term days in section 10 of the Act is measured in calendar days.

The changes to section 10 of the Act will only apply to construction contracts entered into after 3 April 2017.

If the construction contract was in operation prior to this date, the prohibition in the previous section 10 of the Act will continue to apply for the life of that contract.

Where payment is not made under a construction contract entered into after 3 April 2017 within 42 days, the contractor, subcontractor or supplier can seek rapid adjudication of the payment claim. The application for

rapid adjudication must be lodged within 90 business days from the conclusion of the 42-day maximum payment term prescribed by the Act, regardless of any longer term that is stated in the contract.

Contractors, subcontractors and suppliers who believe they may be covered by the Act should seek their own professional advice if needed.

Information about the Act, including how to make a payment claim and the rapid adjudication process, can be found on the Building Commission website at www.commerce.wa.gov.au/building-commission/construction-contracts-act, or phone 1300 489 099, or email cca@commerce.wa.gov.au.

An online seminar about the recent changes to the Act, including those to section 10, is also available on the Building Commission website at www.commerce.wa.gov.

au/buildingcommission/changes-and-reforms-construction-contracts-act.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Building Commission | Department of Commerce Level 1, 303 Sevenoaks Street, Cannington WA 6107 P: Locked Bag 14, Cloisters Square WA 6850 T: 1300 489 099 | F: 08 6251 1501 E: BCinfo@commerce.wa.gov.au W: www.commerce.wa.gov.au/building-commission

DISCLAIMER

The information contained in this bulletin is provided as general information only and should not be relied upon as legal advice or as an accurate statement of the relevant legislation provisions. If you are uncertain as to your legal obligations you should obtain independent legal advice.

2017 April Issue | 9

Supercharge your

PROFITABILITY…

Before You Sell Your Business In our article last month we looked at when might be the best time to sell your business, what you need to have in place to make your business attractive to a buyer, and whether you and your business were actually ready for the sale.

The reasons to sell their business can be different for each business owner. However, they all have the same objective, and that is to get the highest possible return from the sale of an enterprise they’ve put their heart and soul into.

Over the next few editions we will talk about how to get your business ready for a sale. The main areas we’ll be focusing on for this are your profitability, competitive edge, sustainability, scalability and staff culture.

Show your business profitability While profitability has many components, the most important thing that shows a prospective buyer or business broker how profitable your business is, is an annual budget & expenditure document that includes expected growth figures and how

10 | Aussie Painters Network

they measure up with your actual figures. Your budget shows the nuts and bolts of how your business is working, how your cashflow is going and how big your profit margins are on your various products or services, and how much it costs you to operate the business. Any experienced accountant and business broker will read these figures like a book, so they better stack up, too.

They will know instantly, if you’re hovering around the breakeven point, where your business neither makes a profit nor a loss. You can imagine that this would not be a good start to negotiating a business sale. They are looking for healthy net profit margins, and in the end, figures are what counts in selling your business.

Believe me, profit and cash flow are not the same thing. You can still go broke whilst making a healthy gross profit, if you don’t have the cash flow you need to meet your commitments. Your net profit margin is therefore one of the most reliable factors for your business success.

Go through your financials, get on top of your numbers and firmly take control of your business’ profitabil-

ity. Talk to your accountant, if you need some help to work out strategies to increase your net profit and net margins. It might be easier than you think.

Make the most of tax minimisation strategies The other thing any buyer will want to know is your tax situation. Have you got tax minimisation strategies in place to help maximise your profitability?

Right now is a good time to revisit the tax saving strategies you’ve used last year. The tax environment has changed a bit since then so it pays to check, if you have done all you can to minimise your tax bill. For some tips on how you can save on tax visit the Resources page on our website www.straighttalkat.com.au and download our free eBook “How to Slash Your Tax Legally”.

No matter if you want to sell your business in the near future or not, this is a MUST for all business owners because it can have a significant effect on both your business profitability and your retirement plan.

You should also make a personal tax minimisation plan for the sale of the business, so that the tax man doesn’t get half your sales profits. That’s why along with an accountant and solicitor wellversed in business sales and acquisitions, you also might want to talk to a financial planner. They can look at your personal tax situation and the best way to minimise the tax that can be levied on the business sale. Our business clients come to us whenever they think about money, because they know we combine accounting and financial planning services under one roof.

Save on costs

brokers when looking at scalability potential. More on that though in the next article.

indirect costs are, so they also need to be itemised in your budget.

Undertake a business review and identify any areas where you could save costs. Sometimes it is not the obvious solution that will help you to do that, but all options should be on the table. Utilising the latest technology for your business needs and building efficiencies into your operations may seem daunting at first, but it will serve a double purpose when it comes to selling your business. Good systems and operational processes are very important for business buyers or

Showing that you have a good handle on your business costs is just as important as showing high profitability. A buyer or business broker would want to know what your direct and

In the meantime, we’re happy to help you with any questions on how you could increase your profitability. If you have questions on effective ways to create a Business Exit Strategy, feel free to arrange a FREE No-Obligation Meeting. Visit our new website at www.straighttalkat.com.au and complete your details on our Home page to request an appointment.

Copyright © 2017 Robert Bauman.

Call Us: (07) 3399 8844

Trace My Business Keep a record of ALL your clients • • • •

•

Where the referral came from

The quote success and failure rates

•

Suburb comparisons

The different advertising campaigns

•

(what (wh 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

Written and Developed by Jim Baker

2017 April Issue | 11

www.aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au 12 | Aussie Painters Network

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infor@aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au

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1800 355 344 / 07 3555 8010

Achieving Your Goals Is A

3-STEP PROCESS

AND I Bet You’ve Skipped Step 2 We’re constantly chatting with painters who’re sick and tired of achieving average results.

These painters have a vision for their business and life. They have clear-as-day clarity on the goals they need to achieve BUT, when it comes to actually accomplishing these goals, they keep falling short and don’t quite understand WHY.

The thing is, achieving goals is a 3-Step process; STEP 1: You set your goals STEP 2: You plan how you’ll achieve these goals STEP 3: You Implement your plan This may seem obvious, however you’d be surprised at how many skip Step 2 – planning. Planning is the most vital step. Without planning you can wave “goodbye” to your business potential, and say “hello” to the comforts of average results.

Planning exactly HOW you will achieve your goals is like mapping out a road trip from destination A to destination B. Fail to map out your road trip? You’ll end up at the wrong destination.

You’ll poorly prioritise, forget things and inefficiently work towards goals with no clear direction. Basically, you’ll end up everywhere BUT where you want to be.

There are 3 types of plans ALL business owners should complete;

1) Life Plan

Create the best version of yourself and your life with a Life Plan. Your relationship with family, self, money, friendships, community, business, fitness, health and hobbies, all

determine your wellbeing so why not strive for more.

To build your life plan, assess what you have NOW verse what you want in the FUTURE. Then, plan out WHEN and most importantly HOW you will reach these “future” goals.

Make time to look after your wellbeing. At the end of the day, it’s what matters most – you can’t run a business or look after your family to the best of your abilities without it.

2017 April Issue | 13

2) Business Plan Achieve business clarity and certainty with a Business Plan.

A business plan enables you to make strategic business decisions based on facts rather than “hunches”. This comes with understanding your financial situation.

Through planning and assessing business goals, visions, finances, business history and industry scope, you’ll get a realistic idea of where your business is NOW thus effectively plan for improvement.

3) Marketing Plan

Without marketing it’s difficult to get constant work, but the wrong marketing is wasted money. This is why a Marketing Plan is essential.

Marketing plans help direct how much money you spend on marketing and what you’re spending it on. More importantly WHO you are spending it on.

Painters need to get new customers but also to encourage repeat business. Repeat customers in our trade business spend 3x more that new customers.

If you’re unsure of what marketing activities to include in your marketing plan to attract both new and existing customers, check out our 6 low cost marketing ideas in The Tradie Show Episode 7 HERE. At the end of the day, it’s great to have goals. But, it’s impossible to put them into action properly without planning.

The portable, inexpensive method to prevent paint waste-water polluting the environment.

14 | Aussie Painters Network

If you’re guilty of skipping step 2, change your way You’ll be surprised at the difference it’ll make.

----------------------------------------------

Angela Smith

www.futuretradie.com.au

2017 April Issue | 15

SUBCONTRACTORS ALLIANCE

THE HIDDEN TIDAL WAVE

FOR SUBCONTRACTORS An industry has been allowed to be built around manufacturing the demise of building companies to avoid debt. That is morally wrong ---- Qld Housing Minister Mick de Brenni

16 | Aussie Painters Network

CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY SUBCONTRACTORS We need to talk about insolvency.

A dry, boring subject that unless you are affected, you would not spend a second to think about. Isn’t that right?

There is change coming later this year on 01 September 2017 that will drastically affect the welfare of subcontractors across Australia.

Under the guise of “National Science & Innovation Agenda” the federal government has recently legislated to reform ipso facto & safe harbour clauses by amending the Corporations Act. In the age of Start-ups these changes will inspire Directors to become entrepreneurial, take greater risks in raising capital and investment without fear of failure.

Below is the government’s actual case study example How will this work in practice?

Minivit Pty Ltd produces multivitamins. In light of the growing demand for its products, the company buys new machinery to upgrade its factory and expand its production capacity. Unfortunately, the ship due to carry the new machinery has technical difficulties and is delayed by nine months. The company develops an acute but temporary cash flow problem.

The directors are concerned that they may breach the insolvent trading rules.

Scenario under existing law The directors are so concerned

about personal liability and reputational damage from breaching the law they place the company in voluntary administration. A key supplier terminates a contract exercising an ipso facto clause, effectively destroying the company’s business and resulting in liquidation.

Scenario after new measures introduced The company arranges new credit facilities to address the temporary cash flow problem, and restructures the company to focus on online sales. There is protection for directors because of the safe harbour and because ipso facto clauses are unenforceable. Minivit is able to continue its business successfully.

It all sounds very inspiring, but what does this have to do with construction industry Subcontractors?

Firstly, you need to understand the language and then apply it to some real life scenarios.

[1] Ipso-facto clauses – are in every construction contract, it allows the client to terminate the contract if the builder is insolvent. Often the clause is used when a company is going through a voluntary administration.

[2] Safe Harbour- protection for the director/s whilst they restructure the affairs of the company Protection from trading whilst insolvent actions from creditors [3] Corporate Restructure- the process of dealing with assets and liabilities of a Company in distress or insolvent.

All this will be enshrined into the Corporations Act for the Insolvency Practitioners [who are appointed by the company director and his corporate advisors] to administer under the new reforms.

Again, how does this affect construction industry subcontractors?

Like the government’s case study on the previous page, let’s apply it to another hypothetical scenario: Let’s call the Director Walt Craigon.

Mr Craigon is the Director of a large building company. His turnover is about $360m per year or $30m/ month – 80% payable to his subcontractors. In the past 20 years he has successfully built up a blue ribbon clientele that includes State Governments and ASX listed companies.

Late last year, his estimating team had underestimated some large projects that made losses, further compounded by the delays and cost overruns on what seemed to be at the start profitable projects.

Cash flow became tightJust like Multivit.

Seeing the forecast cash flow crisis, Mr Craigon decides to seek a facility from the BAN bank to ease the cash flow crisis.

Seeing the forecast cash flow crisis, Mr Craigon decides to seek a facility from the BAN bank to ease the cash flow crisis.

However, the BAN bank will only extend a facility if Mr Craigon agrees to restructure the company (just like Multivit).

2017 April Issue | 17

He tenders for as many projects as he can at below market rate. He wins an extra $50m of work and knows that he will never be able to pay all the subcontractors engaged on the projects.

But rest assure he will be using the “safe harbour” protections under the new laws to defend himself against Insolvent trading claims from creditors (subcontractors just like you).

At the request of BAN bank, he meets with some corporate advisors behind closed doors. Mr Craigon decides to set up a new company called Lontanta.

He knows under the new laws he can continue projects under Lontanta because the clients can’t terminate under ipso fact clauses.

The net result is that Mr Craigon’s company will willingly go into liquidation like clockwork owing $10’s of millions of dollars to subcontractors from their work built in the projects.

Lontanta will take over the contracts (ipso facto) and not be liable to any subcontractor for previous works on those same projects.

This process will be not only be legal, it’s encouraged by the Turnbull government as entrepreneurial innovation Builders using the same laws can lose $ Hundreds of millions of subcontractor’s money for basically no consequence. Do you recognise this model - of course you do - it is happening with monotonous regularity with devastating results for subcontractors.

From the Government website2 ---

18 | Aussie Painters Network

We need to encourage Australians to take a risk, leave behind the fear of failure and be more innovative and ambitious.

What is changing? -- We’re striking a better balance between encouraging entrepreneurship and protecting creditors by: • Reducing the current default bankruptcy period from three years to one year.

• Introducing a ‘safe harbour’ for directors from personal liability for insolvent trading if the company is undertaking a restructure.

• Making ‘ipso facto’ clauses, which allow contracts to be terminated solely due to an insolvency event, unenforceable if a company is undertaking a restructure.

This is the green light to every builder and construction company to phoenix their company with the support and approval of the federal government – just donate then legislate A 2015 senate inquiry report has already identified that subcontractors are burdened by $3 billion annually from the effects of prepackaged liquidation. The same report indicated the taxpayer was burdened by a further $1 billion annually in lost tax receipts and the misuse of the FEG scheme.

There are 351,890 construction industry small businesses that account for under 20% of Australia’s small business network; they employ in excess of 2,000,000 Australians and undertake between 80 and 85% of all building work in an industry that generates on average $300 billion per annum. Their significant

unsecured revenue is the target but obviously nobody gives a rats arse.

The senate report indicated construction industry insolvencies are not the result of market forces they are pre-packaged [pre-planned] liquidations aimed at stealing the significant sums of unsecured money owed to subcontractors and from home builders deposits accumulated in the bank account of Big Builder Bob that he gets to keep when he embarks on his phoenix fly-out.

Big Bob will then tell the media “I feel so sorry for the subcontractors and home buyers – this is the worst day of my life” which of course is complete bullshit. Did anybody, when contemplating these changes to the Corps Act, consider the adverse findings set-out in the senate committee’s report or the severe financial impact on subcontractors - Probably not – the report was over one page long.

Company directors, liquidators, construction lawyers, accountants, turnaround specialists and financial advisors are laughing all the way to the Cayman Islands – why work for it when you can steal it from innocent hardworking small businesses.

Currently all we hear about in the media in terms of industry are sugar cane farmers, dairy farmers and restoring the rule of law to the construction industry but little mention of the $18 billion per year being ripped from the bank accounts of subcontractors from Perth to Darwin via Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Cairns The amount stolen from construction industry small business is $2 billion more than the combined revenue generated by both the dairy and sugar industries.

We don’t hear either about the broken and shattered lives and ruined small businesses caused by the severe financial impact of this $3 billion annual illegal feast on the revenue of subcontractors. This is Australia’s greatest hidden shame and this amendment to the Corp’s Act is set to make it worse. Subcontractors Australia’s expendables or grist for the corporate mill In QLD currently, updating the list of innocent subcontractor victims of pre-packaged construction company insolvencies is akin to watching the ever changing electronic arrivals and departures board at Central Railway station but nobody appears to give a rat’s arse about that either.

The federal government needs to promote entrepreneurs and innovation – we get that - however a start-up might fail and lose $50k of speculative investor’s funds - with little consequence.

With a start-up speculative investors know the pitfalls when investing.

Australian construction industry small businesses [85,000 in QLD] are not speculative investors – they have been constantly denied proper security of payment and they have no choice but to extend unlimited credit monthly [hundreds of thousands of dollars] to construction companies – all TOTALLY UNSECURED. This amendment to the Corps Act supports and encourages fraud In the case study of Minivit – how did the creditors get paid? They didn’t. Just like you won’t

THIS IS WORSE THAN MORALLY WRONG - IT IS APPALLING

Les Williams

www.subbiesunited.com.au

2017 April Issue | 19

A Mindful Guide to Email in 20 Minutes a Day I recently did a challenge with my friend Jesse of Samovar Tea: check email just twice a day (at 10am and 4pm) for 30 minutes a session.

In addition, we couldn’t check email in the morning unless we did an hour on a specific project that morning. It ended up that on most mornings, I couldn’t do an hour of that project, so I only checked email in the afternoons.

What amazed me is that I only needed about 20 minutes a day to process email, if I focused and worked efficiently. I’d like to share how to do that, if you’re interested.

(I’m continuing the challenge for at least another week, btw.)

To start with, this isn’t about being hyper-efficient. It’s not about optimizing our life or becoming productivity masters. It’s not about rushing through things.

It’s about limiting our distractions (for me, email is one of my go-to distractions) and when we do allow them, it is purposefully. And with focus and mindfulness.

Email is necessary in my life, so I don’t want to cut it out. I do want to keep it to a minimum, so it doesn’t expand to fill my day, or become something I run to.

OK, with that clear, let’s dive into the “how to.”

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How to Limit Email Checking It used to be that I would check email first thing in the morning, before getting out of bed. But I realized that this was a procrastination method that felt productive, that was a way for me to postpone meditating and important work.

Email also was something I’d check whenever I was bored, didn’t want to work on something hard (but still wanted to feel productive), or just had an itch to see what people were writing to me about.

other person $1,000 (!). That was a ridiculous amount for such a trivial thing, so it was guaranteed that we wouldn’t check email.

There was a small caveat: if you needed to send an email (to get a report to someone, for example), you could send the email only, but would have to pay $1,000 if you checked any other emails.

But Jesse asked me a good question: What would happen if you didn’t check email for a week? (My projects would fall behind and customers would think I’m unresponsive.) What would happen if you just checked once a day? (Nothing bad, probably.)

So I recommend a similar challenge.

Try it for a week. Find an accountability partner, promise to pay a really big amount, set specific terms, and see if you can limit your email checking. This won’t work for people in customer service, for example, who need to check email all day long to do their job, but for most of us, email just seems like something we need to check often, but nothing bad happens if we don’t.

So we made a challenge: just check twice a day, at specific times. If you messed up, you’d have to pay the

Try it, see if you can limit yourself to twice a day. Or be bold, and do once a day!

How to Process Email in 20 Minutes

The “20 minutes” is actually relative to whatever volume of email you need to process, of course. Some people will need 30 minutes.

But most people can do it in less, and if you find yourself going beyond 30 minutes, it’s possible you need to do a couple things: 1. Unsubscribe from as many newsletters, promotional emails, notifications and other fluff as you can (if it has an unsubscribe link at the bottom of the email, use it). Get those out of your inbox, so you can just focus on the important stuff.

2. Decide that you’re not going to get to everything today, just the important ones that you can do in 20-30 minutes. Let go of the rest — getting to empty isn’t more important than other things you need to do.

OK, with those two key ideas in mind, here’s how to process your email in 20 minutes: 1. Set a timer for 20 minutes. Set your container, and work within it.

2. Process email top down, and completely deal with each email. One email at a time. Deal with it completely (see next two items) before you allow yourself to move on to the next. Don’t put it off, don’t say, “I’ll deal with that later.”

3. Take one of three actions. You only have three choices: a) delete (or archive), b) reply right now (and/or take care of the task it requires right now) if it will take 2 minutes or less, c) put it on your to-do list or calendar if it will take longer (see next item) and file in a “to-do” email folder.

Basically, do what it takes to get the email out of your inbox. And again, unsubscribe whenever you can.

4. Put longer tasks on your to-do list. If it will take longer than 2 minutes, put the item on your to-do list. Or if it’s a link that you need to read, put it on a read-later list. Sometimes I’ll reply to the person to let them know I’ll try to work on it today (or by a certain date), and then put it on my to-do list or calendar.

5. Be mindful as you work. It’s easy to get into the “do this as quickly as I can” mode. But there’s also a mindfulness you can bring to the activity. As you send this email, are you being helpful, kind, clear, truthful, compassionate? How is your body feeling? Are you sitting upright? Can you smile and appreciate this beautiful moment?

When the timer goes off, find gratitude that you had that time to communicate and take care of important tasks. Let go of the rest (for now), close your email, and resist the urge to check it again later. Refocus yourself on something important.

Breathe, and meet the rest of your day with joy.

Leo Babauta

a successful ‘simplicity’ blogger and author from California, the creator of top 25 Blog, ZEN HABITS

2017 April Issue | 21

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2017 April Issue | 23

We are Painters working with Painters to improve the industry. You receive informa�on designed to assist in advancing your business prac�ces and maintaining a high degree of professionalism. We keep pain�ng businesses up to date on the latest government legisla�ve changes whilst assis�ng you in running your business with �ps and tricks to

SAVE YOU MONEY!

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‘You’re Cured’ Anyone diagnosed with a potential life-threatening disease and receiving treatment for it, would love to eventually hear these two words.

Well a few weeks ago my specialist told me these very ‘two words’ and that it was not necessary to see him again.

For the people who have only been receiving this magazine within the last 12 months, in August 2013, a simple routine blood test to check my cholesterol, showed a PSA reading (Prostate Specific Antigen) of 3.8 which was a little over normal. This was the first sign of having the disease of ‘Prostate Cancer’. A few tests in the following weeks confirmed it. Although I was devastated at the time, I was extremely lucky it was detected in its early stage, as proof shows now, I am fully ‘cured’ and there is no sign of cancer at all. So I would like to share an article I wrote soon after being diagnosed, as I want to again, express the importance of (men) having yearly blood checks as early diagnosis can be a life saver.

Prostate Cancer

(Information and images sourced from the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia) www.prostate.org.au/

‘Every year, around 18,700 Australian men are diagnosed with prostate cancer and more than 3,000 die of the disease, making it the second largest cause of male cancer deaths,

after lung cancer. Almost one man in eleven will develop prostate cancer during his lifetime.

Too many of us avoid the subject and are afraid to talk about it. We should have regular checks just as women do for breast cancer. Caught in its early stages whilst still confined to the prostate gland, prostate cancer can be cured. If you have symptoms, it doesn’t necessarily mean you have Prostate Cancer. It could be a number of things that can be easily treated.

There are four main disorders of the prostate, causing general inflammation, enlargement and pain; Prostatitis, Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH), Prostatodynia and Prostate Cancer.

There are four main disorders of the prostate, causing general inflammation, enlargement and pain; Prostatitis, Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH), Prostatodynia and Prostate Cancer.

All can have similar symptoms, which may include one or more of the following: • Waking frequently at night to urinate • Sudden or urgent need to urinate • Difficulty in starting to urinate • Slow flow of urine and difficulty in stopping • Discomfort when urinating • Painful ejaculation • Blood in the urine or semen

Firstly: What is a Prostate?

The Prostate is an organ forming part of the male reproductive system. It is located immediately below the bladder and just in front of the bowel.

Its main function is to produce fluid which protects and enriches sperm.

In younger men the prostate is about the size of a walnut. It is doughnut shaped as it surrounds the beginning of the urethra, the tube that conveys urine from the bladder to the penis.

The nerves that control erections also surround the prostate.

• Decrease in libido (sex urge) • Reduced ability to get an erection

Most men tend to accept the onset of one or more of these symptoms as being a natural consequence of ageing. However, anyone experiencing any of the above symptoms is advised to consult a doctor without delay. Early expert diagnosis and treatment is important and may avert potentially serious health consequences.

2017 April Issue | 25

prostate cells. The presence of an elevated PSA does not necessarily mean prostate cancer is present as there are other medical conditions that can lead to a PSA result outside the normal range.

Prostate cancer

Prostate Cancer is the only one of the four disorders that is potentially life-threatening. One of the most worrying aspects is that many prostate cancers develop without men experiencing ANY SYMPTOMS. Prostate cancer occurs when some of the cells of the prostate reproduce far more rapidly than in a normal prostate, causing a swelling or tumour. However, unlike BPH, prostate cancer cells eventually break out of the prostate and invade distant parts of the body, particularly the bones and lymph nodes, producing secondary tumours, a process known as metastasis.

Once the cancer escapes from the prostate, treatment is possible but “cure” becomes impossible.

Prostate cancer is usually one of the slower growing cancers. In the past, it was most frequently encountered in men over 70, and many of those men died of other causes before their prostate cancercould kill them. This led to the old saying “most men die with, not of, prostate cancer”. However, that certainly is not true today. Three developments have changed things considerably:

26 | Aussie Painters Network

• Men are living longer, giving the cancer more time to spread beyond the prostate, with potentially fatal consequences.

• More men in their early sixties, fifties and even forties are being detected with prostate cancer.

Earlier on-set, combined with the greater male life expectancy, means those cancers have more time to spread and become life-threatening unless diagnosed and treated.

• Prostate cancer in younger men often tends to be more aggressive and hence more life-threatening within a shorter time.

All men should be aware of their risk of the disease and consider being tested for it regularly from age 50 onwards, or from 40 onwards if there is a family history of prostate cancer.

Testing through a Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) blood test and Digital Rectal Examination (DRE) and subsequent prostate biopsy is currently the best available way to detect the presence of cancer.

What does PSA testing do?

The PSA blood test looks for the presence in the blood of a protein that is produced specifically by

The result of a PSA test needs expert evaluation by an experienced doctor.

As a general rule, the higher the PSA result the greater the chance that prostate cancer is present. Where cancer is present, the PSA can predict the volume of disease. Where the PSA is less than 10, the cancer is commonly confined to the prostate. If the PSA is above 30, it is likely the cancer has spread beyond the prostate and is therefore less likely to be curable.

If your test reveals a slightly elevated PSA, your doctor may recommend the test be repeated from time to time to establish the rate of change, if any, before recommending a biopsy.

Men should make an individual informed decision about testing based on the latest available evidence on the benefits and potential harms of testing and subsequent treatment for prostate cancer, however It can be life threatening to wait for symptoms to appear before seeking assessment.’

Us ‘Men’ may think we’re invincible but I can assure you we are not.’

Get a full health check while you’re there also! Feel free to call me if you’re going through this yourself and would like a chat.

Remember: It can be life threatening to wait for symptoms to appear before seeking assessment.

Jim Baker www.mytools4business.com

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2017 April Issue | 29

Glossary of Paint & Painting Terms BARRIER COAT

A coat used to isolate subsequent coats from the preceding coats of substrate to prevent adverse physical or chemical interaction.

BASECOAT

The first decorative coat of a multicoat coating system.

BINDER

The non-volatile portion of the vehicle of a coating material that binds the pigment particles together and the film as a whole to its substrate.

BIOCIDAL WASH

A solution containing fungicides and/or algicides that is applied to a substrate before painting to kill existing fungal or algal contamination or to prevent their development.

BITTINESS

The presence of particles of gel, flocculated material or foreign matter in a coating material.

BITUMEN

A viscous liquid or a solid, consisting essentially hydrocarbons and their derivatives, which is soluble in aliphatic solvents and is substantially non-volatile and softens gradually when heated.

BLEACHING

The total loss of colour of a coating usually as a result of weathering or chemical attack.

BLOCKING

Undesirable adhesion between two painted surfaces or between paint and weather stripping. The paint sticks to itself or to the weather stripping when a window or door is opened and usually leaves bare patches of substrate.

BLOOM

A deposit resembling the bloom on a grape that sometimes forms on the gloss film of a coating, causing loss of gloss and dulling of colour.

BLUSHING

A milky opalescence that sometimes develops as a film of lacquer dries and is due to the deposition of moisture from the air and/or precipitation of one or more of the solid constituents of the lacquer; usually confined to lacquers that dry solely by evaporation of solvent.

BODY

The thickness or viscosity of a fluid.

BOXING

Mixing paint by pouring from one container to another several times to ensure thorough mixing.

BREATHING

The ability of a paint film to permit the passage of moisture vapor without causing blistering, cracking, or peeling.+

BRIDGING

Undercoat staining through the topcoat.

The covering over of an unfilled gap such as a crack or corner with the film of a coating material. This introduces a weakness in the coat that may lead to an eventual cracking of the dried paint.

BLISTERING

BROKEN COLOUR

BLEEDING

Formation of dome-shaped projections in paints or varnish films resulting from local loss of adhesion and liftingof the film from the underlying surface.

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The general multi-coloured effect brought about by the automatic merging of wet paints of various colours or by manipulation that produces random effects.

BRUSH MARKS

CHEESY

BUBBLING

CHIPPING

BUILD

CISSING

Ridges remaining in a dry paint film after brush application.

The appearance of temporary or permanent bubbles of air or solvent vapour or both in the applied film.

Thickness of dried paint film.

BURNING OFF

Bb

A state of dry intermediate between surfaces dry and hard dry.

The removal of paint and surface contaminants from a substrate by means of impact from a sharpened tool.

The recession of a wet paint film from a surface leaving small areas uncoated.

The removal of paint by a process in which the paint is softened by heat, such as from a flame, and then scraped off while still soft.

COAT

BURNISHING

COATING MATERIAL

Cc

COATING SYSTEM

Shiny or lustrous spots on a paint surface caused by rubbing.

CATALYST

A substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction, but that remains chemically unchanged at the end of the reaction.

CAULK FAILURE

Formation of a powder on the surface of a paint film caused by disintegration of the binder during weathering. Can be affected by the choice of pigment or binder.

CHALKING

The formation of a loose powder or the surface of paint after exposure to the elements.

A continuous layer of a coating material that results from a single application.

A film-forming material used to cover a substrate for protective or decorative purposes.

A coating material or sequence of coating materials applied in a specified number of coats to impart protective, decorative or other properties to a substrate.

COHESION

The forces that bind together into a coherent whole the particles of film.

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Any Terms that are identified within the painting & decorating industry as “defects”, images; possible cause; solution and prevention methods are provided.

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More of “C” next month...

Glossary of Paint & Painting Terms 2017 April Issue | 31

Do you have an

APPRENTICE?

Paint life into your

LIVING ROOM

Adding colour to the living room is a perfect way to impress your guests. It will enable you to personalise the space within your budget.

Before you buy paint and start the painting work, learn about a few painting ideas that will create magic in the living room.

Want to create the right impression for your guests? Want your neighbours to know about your eclectic taste? Well, you need not undertake the expenditure of painting the entire

home. You can customise the living room, make it unique and use it as a canvas to showcase your vibrant style and personality.

Do not worry about the budget.

Paint is a resourceful way that can add magic to your home without creating a financial burden on you.

It has the potential to make the living room alive and fun. Here are a few painting ideas to help you create MAGIC in the living room:

M – Mural Want a one-of-a-kind work of art for the living room? Well, you can hire mural artists to conceptualise and create a mural on the wall. You can give your creative ideas and make it to show your personality. You can choose contemporary styles or classic ones. If you are nature lover, ask the artist to paint a floral theme, botanical prints, animal theme, etc. You can even opt for a calming beach mural to give a peaceful vibe to the room.

2017 April Issue | 33

A – Accent Walls Are you ready for a bold colour in the living room? But, do you think it would be too much for the entertaining area of your home? Well, you have an option in the form of an accent wall. It can be the focal point for the living room and a centre of attraction for the guests. If you are a colour-lover, you can use multiple colours on the accent wall.

Think of stripes or blocked patters to create a beautiful accent wall. You can also consider wooden pallets or wallpaper for the accent wall.

G – Geometric Patterns Geometric patterns never go out of style! If you want to add a splash of colour to the living room, a geometric pattern is the best way to do it.

Either choose a wall for the pattern or just a part of the wall and create a perfect conversation piece in the living room. You do not have to stick to simple lines. You can make a bold statement with geometric patterns. Choose a dark colour with a subdued colour to make a subtle but strong statement. On the other hand, you can go all out with bright colours for a geometric pattern to make it look modern and quirky.

I – Innovative Options Do you want something as unique as your personal style? Why not consider the following innovative painting options for the living room?

1. A customised message can become a perfect way to make a bold statement.

2. Choose a typographical design for the living room and paint a large monogram on the wall to give it a personalised look.

34 | Aussie Painters Network

3. You can blur the boundaries between the ceiling and the walls with the help of ombre effect.

4. Faux molding and faux wood patterns can create an elegant look in the living room without the need of an exorbitant budget.

5. Paint the room in stripes of different width. You can select bold colours to emphasise the vibrant ambience. Also, consider chevron print.

C – Colour the Ceiling; Colour the Floor When it comes to the living room, think more than the walls. You can paint the ceiling as well as the floor in beautiful colours to welcome the guests with a riot of colours.

For the ceiling, you can consider a sky-theme. You can even paint the ceiling in a bright shade and choose lighter shades of the same colour for the walls. Also, stripes or free-hand patterns for the ceiling are trendy.

Painting the floor is the simplest way of giving a make-over to the living room. If you have a concrete floor, you can paint it in a solid colour or create a checkerboard look to make the living room fun. Alternatively, you can go for free-hand design or stencil design for a beautiful looking floor. You can stain the concrete for a wooden effect or a natural stone effect.

Painting the living room is a huge investment. Not only you will spend money on it, you will also put your reputation on the line. If you commit a mistake, you will end up ruining the look of the room. So, make sure that you consider several ideas and talk to different painting contractors before making a decision.

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Christine Delongte

http://www.articlesfactory.com/articles/ home-repair/living-room-painting-ideasmake-it-alive-with-magic.html

2017 April Issue | 35

36 | Aussie Painters Network

www.lead.org.au

National Skills Shortage Where have all the Tradies gone?

For generations, where job security and future-prospects were concerned, there’s been an attitude present in middle class Australia that insisted young people must work hard and finish school, so they can get into university and ensure themselves a good career. This sort of thinking ignores any understanding of an individual’s strengths or fit for personality, but is also not at all in line with what is taking place any more. Quickly fading is the old idea of battling wage earning, blue collar proletariat worker who relied upon their labour each day to eke out their living. The laws of supply and demand, as the most basic of economic principles, will see a rather different more prosperous story emerge. It has long been reported that we are heading for, or are already amidst, a shortage of professional tradespeople. Why is it that we seemed to have done such a shoddy job of attracting young people to the trades?

So, where have we failed, what are Sure, a positive for those pursuing the potential consequences and the trades as they are better posihow can we fix it? tioned to demand higher prices for a job, and can enjoy greater options There are obviously complex fac- and job security. In addition to pushtors that brought us to this point, in ing up wages and trade prices, housaddition to the stigma placed upon ing affordability and cost of creating honest manual labour, there’s the essential infrastructure become a switch from publicly funded univer- huge issue. Reliance on foreign lasity education. The ‘user pays’ sys- bour becomes necessary, in a climate tem saw the removal of quotas for where immigration is a political hot university courses. It was a lot eas- potato. The government maintains a ier to gain entry to a lot of degrees; Skills Shortage List which presumably meaning that many who went to informs the Skilled Occupations List, university, probably shouldn’t have! (SOL) identifying occupations that Faced with the certainty of a large Having worked in university ad- would benefit from skilled migration HECs debt, with no guarantee of a ministration for some years, I can to meet the medium to long-term job to pay it back with, you would tell you that a great number of the skill needs of the Australian econothink that anyone who wasn’t other- students who continually failed to my. We may then be relying on indiwise decided on their path would commit to studying, or simply didn’t viduals who have not been trained be flocking to the trades as a pas- have the aptitude for it (often still to Australian standards. Additionally, sage to financial surety. But around accruing the same debt regardless), greater foreign involvement has seen the country there continues to be would have been far better off in an a rise in the importation of cheaper, concern that there are not enough apprenticeship where they had the non-compliant building materials beskilled construction trades people opportunity to earn early and set ing used. The long term fall out of this being trained to replace retiring themselves up. is potential for a serious lack safety workers and meet the demand not only in the workplace but for the for new labour of a growing, aging The consequences of this problem public also. population. are such that they impact everyone.

2017 April Issue | 37

38 | Aussie Painters Network

The Department of Employment carries out research to identify skill shortages in the Australian labour market. The research results provide information about skill shortages at the state, territory and/or national level.

There are challenges that must be addressed to provide a better future for our young people. First is this perception among some parents, employers and among young people themselves that vocational education is a second-class option.

As far as potential for a financial stability and job security, there are plenty of success stories that need to be highlighted to school leavers as role models and examples of what they can achieve through adopting a trade. The government has been making some inroads in this way through programs like the Australian Apprenticeships Ambassadors. Take a look at the program’s Real Opportunities video for example. The video features several Australian Apprenticeships Ambassadors and covers a range of industries including plumbing, hospitality, electrotechnology and veterinary nursing.

Also, the Australian Apprenticeship Support Network which is providing support for those entering, and also employers considering taking on apprentices; “The Australian Government is investing up to $190 million annually in the Apprenticeship Network to make it easier for employers to recruit, train and retain apprentices and better support individuals to succeed in the proven earning and learning pathway apprenticeships provide.” https:// www.australianapprenticeships. gov.au/australian-apprenticeshipsupport-network

New pre-commencement services including screening, testing and job-matching will be available to targeted clients to get the right apprentice in the right apprenticeship with the right employer. Targeted in-training support services, such as mentoring, will help apprentices and employers at-risk of not completing the apprenticeship arrangement to work through issues and difficulties.

Hopefully such programs will address the other issue which is the lack of information available to young people in their last years at school about the vocational paths that are available and how to access them.

For those who find university is not for them, the push for a degree for all has failed them with many falling through the cracks.

In May 2016, the Government committed $3 million for a new and contemporary National Career Education Strategy to support students to be prepared for life beyond school, including the jobs of today and into the future. This includes Vocational Education Training Reform, which hopefully will help address the shortage, whilst safeguarding tax payers money from fraudulent course providers taking advantage of the dollars on offer, which we’ve seen time and again over recent years.

If they do what they set out to achieve, these programs will help inform students of these valuable options for establishing a rewarding career, as well as address the decline in employers willing to take on apprentices. More than monetary incentives, it is hoped that there is a desperately needed cultural shift whereby people realise it is an admirable undertaking to support, mould and educate our young people, and

that doing this in your own business helps you and the student towards a prosperous future.

So, in a nutshell, we have to attract youth to the trades, encourage employers to commit to them, then we need to figure out how to keep them! Retention and apprenticeship completion rates are just as complex a problem to solve. Support available for those taking this path should be reviewed, and individuals who leave should be asked why, so we can do better for the next cohort.

Finally, it must be said that in today’s world, young people are likely to change their career path more than once. Who really knows what they want of their working life at the age of 17?? Starting out in a trade is an excellent way to establish an income from the beginning and then, regardless what different careers a person may pursue, they would always have solid skills to return to should they find it necessary.

There is now a refreshing blur between the lines of ‘blue’ and ‘white’ collar, with technology blending the two in many fields. Education in both vocational and academic areas have been transformed by emerging methods of learning and course delivery, and hundreds of occupations that our young people will be undertaking in decades to come don’t even exist yet! As a society, we need to recognise the impact of the constant changes we are experiencing, and adapt to provide the brighter future that the next generation deserves, as well as maintaining a solid industry on which to rely and grow.

Caroline Miall

caroline@aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au

2017 April Issue | 39

Australia’s Outback

PAINTING HERITAGE

On a recent trip to Broken Hill in far western New South Wales, I had the opportunity to discover some of our painting industry history.

Broken Hill lies 600 kilometres from Adelaide, 300 kilometres from its nearest neighbour Mildura, 1400 kilometres from Sydney, and is truly an outback icon. So iconic is its architecture and landscape it has been featured in several movies, including Mad Max, and Priscilla Queen of the Desert.

It’s history dates back to 1883 when the world’s largest deposit of silver was discovered in the area, and entire towns were moved or built to sustain the new mining industry. It is the birthplace of BHP, the world’s largest mining company, and of one of Australia’s most influential trade union movements.

In 1905 the Trades Hall was built, and to this day visitors can see the original union offices, including where the Painters Union was based. Over the years this magnificent heritage building was repainted and ‘modernised’, but in 1988 it was restored to its former glory to celebrate Australia’s bicentenary.

In the 1930s a Croatian immigrant named Kolinac arrived in Australia. A highly skilled painter and decorator, he established a painting company in Adelaide, later moving to Broken Hill.

His three sons followed him into the

40 | Aussie Painters Network

trade, learning the traditional skills with their father, and the family became one of Australia’s biggest and most respected painting companies, employing dozens of painters.

The oldest son, Ivan, was invited to teach at TAFE. “Back in the 1960s there wasn’t really a standardised curriculum, so Ultimo TAFE in Sydney brought together all the TAFE teachers and we put together the first learning materials”, says Ivan. “We mostly recycled British painting manuals and adapted them to Australian conditions. In those days all apprenticeship assessment papers from all over Australia were marked by Ultimo TAFE in Sydney. It standardised all the assessment”.

The family used recipes from Europe to create traditional timber oils and fillers for use on heritage buildings.

They kept the recipes a secret, and to this day the brothers refuse to divulge the ingredients.

In 1987 the Commonwealth granted Broken Hill funds to restore the Trades Hall building and the brothers worked tirelessly for over a year to restore the detailed stenciling and lining work on the main hall.

“In the end they ran out of money, but we just kept going and finished the job because we were passionate about the legacy of our town and what we do.”

After that project the brothers became the ‘go-to’ team for government heritage building restorations. These days Broken hill is increasingly a tourist destination with converted heritage buildings housing works from famous artists like Pro Hart and Sydney Nolan.

At the age of 65, Brian; and at the age of 75, Ivan; run the only paint shop in town, and young local painters benefit from their experience.

Nicky Turner, a 28 year-old painter who has worked her way all over the Queensland and New South Wales outback. Now in Broken hill, she is completing her qualification using the Painters Institute’s e-learning system.

“I love the fact that I can log in and connect with my trainer even though I live 600kms from the nearest TAFE”, she says. “Everyone here is very old school. It’s tough being a female tradie in this town, but I’m really looking forward to getting qualified and starting my own business.

The Kolinac brothers have been a big help and support too. I want to learn the old techniques so I can maintain the buildings here.”

Daniel Wurm

Trainer with Masters in Building Training, and CEO of the National Painting and Decorating Institute

www.painters.edu.au

2017 April Issue | 41

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42 | Aussie Painters Network

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2017 April Issue | 43

The Industry

Idiots

44 | Aussie Painters Network

Important Contacts Aussie Painters Network www.aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au

Ph. 0430 399 800

National Institute for Painting and Decorating www.painters.edu.au

Ph. 1300 319 790

Australian Tax Office www.ato.gov.au

Ph. 13 72 26 / Ph. 13 28 65

Award Rates www.fairwork.gov.au

Ph. 13 13 94

Fair Work Building & Construction www.fwbc.gov.au

Ph. 1800 003 338

Mates In Construction www.matesinconstruction.com.au

Ph. 1300 642 111

Workplace Health and Safety Contacts Comcare WorkSafe ACT Workplace Health and Safety QLD Victorian WorkCover Authority WorkCover NSW SafeWork SA WorkSafe WA NT WorkSafe WorkSafe Tasmania

www.comcare.gov.au www.worksafe.act.gov.au www.worksafe.qld.gov.au www.vwa.vic.gov.au www.workcover.nsw.gov.au www.safework.sa.gov.au www.commerce.wa.gov.au/WorkSafe/ www.worksafe.nt.gov.au www.worksafe.tas.gov.au

1300 366 979 02 6207 3000 1300 362 128 1800 136 089 13 10 50 1300 365 255 1300 307 877 1800 019 115 1300 366 322

www.actcancer.org www.cancercouncil.com.au www.cancercouncilnt.com.au www.cancerqld.org.au www.cancersa.org.au www.cancervic.org.au www.cancerwa.asn.au

(02) 6257 9999 (02) 9334 1900 (08) 8927 4888 (07) 3634 5100 (08) 8291 4111 (03) 9635 5000 (08) 9212 4333

Cancer Council Australia ACT NSW NT QLD SA VIC WA

2017 April Issue | 45