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BUSINESS NEWS

CONTENTS

GEELONG BUSINESS NEWS FOR LOCAL BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS

3

Features 12 GREP - Heales Rd Revisited

Changing Geelong's industrial landscape

16 The Green Dream

Why we need a price on carbon

22 From Good to Great

Make your business event a success

CONTENTS 05 Biz News 10 Appointments 23 Biz Events 41 Gadgets 44 Arts 48 After Hours 51 What's On

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EDITOR

Gaddafi, Colonoscopies and Demeanor In my head, I am so much more erudite and poised than the figure I outwardly project on the world. I am clumsy, sadly gullible (actually fell off the sofa when my real estate agent called to say he was on his way for our open house – our house had sold that week, and yet, I literally fell for it!) and can often be found Googling words that the poised and erudite lady inside my head thinks I should already know.

Mondays are particularly bad days for the outward me, and are more often than not spent in disconsolate mourning for a less than productive (and by productive, I mean spent in totally blissful leisure) weekend. This Monday was a classic example. Having thrown myself together and deposited my much-more-togetherthan-me children, I was finally on the way to the office when I managed to skid on what I assumed was some spilt liquid (oddly enough, I couldn’t find any evidence of this immediately after…), performed an awkward splits and hobbled away painfully before anyone saw me.

Just when Mondayitis was threatening to cast its gloomy pall over the rest of the day, an ABC news broadcast brought a little ray of sunshine in the form of a mispronunciation. Leading the bulletin was a report on the situation in Libya (by the way: why we in the media feel the need to describe a humanitarian outrage on the scale of Libya as a ‘situation’ is both unfathomable and ridiculous, but also, it seems, a bloody hard habit to break!) The newsreader was obviously reading verbatim off the script, when she stumbled across Colonel (pronounced phonetically throughout the bulletin as ‘Colonal’) Gaddafi. This instantly brought to mind the Libyan dictator being subjected to a probing examination of his lower bowel, and I was immediately cheered up.

Then, adding to the cheer, was a wrong number message on my mobile that began with ‘Sorry Demeanor’… Having an unusual name means you get pretty used to all sorts of pronunciations, spellings and versions, but Demeanor was a new one, and pretty funny to boot. Although not up there with my favourite (a thank you letter a few years ago addressed to De Veena, still have the envelope tucked away at home), it did add to the lightened mood of a busy Monday arvo.

So, what does all of the above have to do with all of you, dear readers? Frankly, nothing. But I thought in these days of desperately sad and disturbing news, it might help to know that are always moments – albeit sometimes rather small and embarrassing, at least to someone – of joy.

May the world have many more of them…

Meanwhile, in this issue, we cut through the politicking and find out what a carbon tax would really mean for business energy customers. We ask the question: what would it mean if we don't establish a carbon price in the near future?

We also take a look at the Geelong Ring Road Employment Precinct (known in a less-interesting past as the Heales Road Industrial Estate). This large industrial development provides nothing short of an extraordinary opportunity for our city.

Find out how to make your next business event a roaring success and get up to date with developments in the Geelong CBD. New this month, we bring you a new-look Biz News section and a Q&A segment (p50), this month featuring AFL chief medico and local GP, Dr Hugh Seward innovation being ever the watch word here at GBN!

ISSUE 195 APRIL 2011 Geelong Business News, an Adcell Print Group publication, is mailed to more than 5000 businesses in the G21 region.

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BIZNEWS Not such a MadCap idea

In the Polls: The big political issue in Australia over the first quarter of 2011 has been the carbon tax.

Support for and opposition to the introduction of a carbon tax in Australia has been vehement from the opposing extremes, but reasonably elastic towards the middle of the argument.

According to a Morgan Poll conducted midMarch, opposition to the Gillard Governmentís proposed legislation had fallen, with a reduced majority of electors (54%) opposed to a price on carbon, and support for the carbon tax had risen to 38%.

Opinion remained divided on Opposition Leader Tony Abbottís promise to rescind the proposed carbon tax legislation if the Liberal Party is elected, with 44% supporting rescinding the legislation, while 46% opposed Abbottís promise to rescind the legislation.

The threat of a nuclear disaster in Japan following the devastating earthquake and tsunami has clarified the opposition of the majority of Australians to nuclear power in this country. In the first Morgan Poll following the disaster, 61% of respondents said they did not want nuclear power plants in Australia.

Interestingly, opposition to nuclear power has risen 26% over past thirty-odd years, when the question was polled in September 1979.

However, we are a nation well aware of the importance of export commodities to our economy, and a majority of Australians (59%) say Australia should export Uranium to other countries for peaceful purposes.

NEW ERA IN WATER RECYLING

The MadCap Café project, initially established in Melbourne as a social enterprise café assisting people with a mental illness into employment and training, will be expanded into Geelong.

Making the announcement, Minister for Employment Participation and Child Care, Kate Ellis, said the project would assist up to 150 people in Geelong.

"This project will establish the first franchised MadCap Café, creating a not-for-profit franchising model, which can be replicated to other areas with low employment for people struggling with mental illness."

Pathways Rehabilitation and Support Services Ltd will receive $667,000 from the Australian Governmentís Innovation Fund to run this project.

Minister for Mental Health and Ageing, Mark Butler said that initiatives like the MadCap Cafe are vital in assisting people with mental illness to get back into the workforce.

"Active involvement in work is a key component in ensuring good mental health as it aids recovery and has strong therapeutic value - even for those with chronic and persistent mental health conditions.

"The reality is that the benefits and dignity that come with having a good job are unparalleled," Minister Butler said.

Turning the first sod at the Northern Water Plant site.

Barwon Water Chairman Roger Lowrey, Federal Member for Corio Richard Marles, State Member for South Barwon Andrew Katos, Shell Geelong Refinery General Manager Mark Schubert and excavator operator Cameron McDowell.

Construction on the much-anticipated $94 million Northern Water Plant is underway, with Barwon Water Chairman, Roger Lowrey, saying the project represented a new era in water recycling.

The new plant will be located on industrial land off Station Street, Corio, and will be built, owned and operated by Barwon Water.

Completed late next year, the plant will treat sewage and trade waste from Geelong’s northern suburbs and produce Class A recycled water for Shell Geelong Refinery and nearby public sports grounds.

It is estimated that the plant will save 5 per cent of Geelong's drinking water, or the equivalent of the water used in 10,000 homes every year.

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BIZNEWS JAPAN - the economic aftershock The latest edition of the Australian Government Export Finance and Insurance Corporation (EFIC) newsletter, has examined the likely economic repercussions from the Japanese earthquake.

EFIC’s chief economist, Roger Donnelly, says in the newsletter that, ‘As horrifying as the death and destruction from the earthquake and tsunami have been, there were grounds initially for saying that the Japanese economy would quickly recover. There still are such grounds, but the escalating nuclear crisis has introduced more uncertainty to the outlook.’

Minimum wage decision must be sensible VECCI says the ACTU's minimum wage claim of up to $28 a week will severely impact businesses already being affected by sluggish retail sales, recent flooding and last year's 'catch-up' wage decision by Fair Work Australia.

Alexandra Marriott, VECCI Manager - Workplace Relations Policy, says Fair Work Australia's minimum wage decision must take these circumstances into consideration and be a sensible determination.

"VECCI's view is that the ACTU's claim does not take into consideration the current precarious situation of small businesses," said Ms Marriott.

"It's not just those businesses affected by recent flooding that are struggling. With regional towns experiencing an economic downturn as a result of flooding, many businesses are experiencing the knock-on effects and they still have overheads to meet as well as wages in some cases.

"Australia's two-speed economy must also be taken into consideration and many Victorian businesses are experiencing very different economic conditions than those benefiting from the country's mining boom."

Before the gravity of the damage at the Fukushima nuclear power plant became apparent, many analysts were taking the Kobe quake of 1995 as their benchmark for what could happen. That quake had little discernible impact on GDP, even though it cost 6000 lives and $120 billion in property damage.

The recent quake has been bigger, has affected a larger area, and has done more severe damage. Quite apart from whatever damage the nuclear incident inflicts, the quake has caused extensive damage to the national power and transport grids. As a result, rolling blackouts are expected at least till end April, hitting power supply to industry and affecting rail transport in surrounding regions, as well as resulting in nationwide reports of petrol shortages.

In addition, the recent quake has hit at a time when Japan's public debt is much more burdensome, and therefore, according to some analysts, the government has less 'fiscal space' to accomplish reconstruction. What is less remarked upon is the fact that Japan's net external assets have also risen markedly since 1995, and Japan remains the world's largest net external creditor.

‘Taking all of these factors into account, a consensus started to emerge’, Donnelly notes. ‘This said first that the short term hit to GDP from the recent quake would be larger than from Kobe.

Second, the economy could quickly bounce back as the economic disruption faded and reconstruction got underway.

Overall, there seemed to be little case for marking down pre-quake GDP forecasts for 2011 as a whole’.

‘But then the gravity of the nuclear situation began to escalate quickly. In rapid succession, various experts began to upgrade the incident from a Level 4 on the International Nuclear & Radiological Event Scale to a Level 5 or even 6.’ (The scale goes from 1-7, with 7 being the most serious. The 1985 Chernobyl incident was a 7.)

According to Donnelly, ‘If the nuclear crisis does escalate further, with radioactive material spreading widely across the country, the economic damage could also correspondingly rise’.

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FROM EYESORE TO ARTSCAPE

In a bid to increase understanding of mental health issues in the workplace, throughout 2011 Barwon Health will be offering short training courses developed by the Centre of Mental Health Research at the Australian National University: the adult Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) and Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA).

New National Disability Scheme

Barwon Health Operational Director, Mental Health, Drug & Alcohol Services, Philip Dunn, said the training is critical in being able to identify mental health issues early.

Northern bus stops have been given a splash of colour through a City of Greater Geelong aerosol art initiative.

"We'd like to see mental health first aid acknowledged as being equally important as physical first aid. Research shows course participants even improve their own self-management of mental health, such as anxiety."

The artwork was designed by the lead artist from the City Aerosol Network, Justin Whitcombe, who has already painted four bus stops on Bacchus Marsh Road. Justin has previously made presentations to students at Geelong schools discussing the dangers of graffiti and encouraging them to take part in legal public art through the City Aerosol Network.

The two-day courses provide information about depression, anxiety disorders, psychosis and substance use disorder. In addition, the youth course includes modules on eating disorders and non-suicidal selfinjury (self-harming behaviour).

Find out more about the course at: http://www.barwonhealth.org. au/services/mentalhealth

7

Two bus stops located on Princes Hwy and Thompsons Rd have been revamped with aerosol art, as well as a number of bus stops on Melbourne road between Cox Rd and Ford.

The City Aerosol Network is a council-run program that provides legal opportunities, training and development in the creation of Aerosol Art. The program aims to provide creative opportunities for young people as an alternative to illegal graffiti and tagging.

Community Development portfolio holder Cr Kylie Fisher said she was wrapt to see more bus stops painted.

“I really love this project because it benefits the community in so many ways,” she said. “The aerosol art not only makes the bus stops look better, but it also reduces the likelihood of these public spaces being targeted by vandals.”

The City of Greater Geelong Council last month voted to formally support the National Disability Insurance Scheme, and is advocating the local community to add support by signing an online petition at everyaustraliancounts.com.au Councillor Kylie Fisher, Council advocate for the scheme, said that if initiated, the scheme would be ‘a huge advantage’.

“Too many Australian families are struggling. A secure pool of funding for the care and support for the 1.6 million Australians with disabilities will make a positive difference to the quality of life of individuals and their families.”

The Productivity Commission is in the final stages of an inquiry into disability care and support, with The Commission’s interim report now out for public comment.

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COMPETITION

COMMENT

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Jumping on the virtual bandwagon The power of social media is undeniable and the impact can be devastating.

A teenager from NSW this week was forced to call the police after her Facebook birthday party invitation, which she inadvertently made public, reached some 175,000 people.

Numerous stories have emerged of people being sacked after bagging their boss on Facebook, spouses catching out their cheating partner and recently, the revelation that Facebook is cited in one out of five divorces in the US. But there are clear benefits for financial services businesses in using social media, particularly when reaching out to the younger generations.

The Big Four banks have all employed social media teams, competing for 'friends' on Facebook, and Westpac claiming the greatest amount of 'followers' on Twitter.

Meanwhile, Sunsuper has launched a social media campaign 'Dreams for a better world', which asked its Gen X and Y members to submit their altruistic dreams through a tailored website, then get their friends to vote for their dream on Facebook.

It's a worthwhile strategy for an industry that has traditionally struggled to engage its membership, particularly the under 30s.

If you consider the fact that friends and family are the third most commonly sought out information source for those who don't use financial advisers (behind financial websites and general newspapers), according to CoreData

research, social media is also an attractive path for planning businesses looking to grow their client base organically.

Had the company acted on the tweets, it may have been able to prevent the highly publicised fallout.

The key challenge though, as this week's latest social media victim learnt the hard way, is the lack of control.

Like it or loathe it, the world is changing and planners and super funds alike should jump on the virtual bandwagon.

Vodafone's CEO, Nigel Dews, has described social media as a 'humbling medium' after staff ignored feedback from customers through Twitter about network problems late last year and the company subsequently suffered the consequences.

This has been another article from the insightful minds at burningpants.com.au.

Burning Pants is a product of CoreData.

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APPOINTMENTS Retail

Dentistry

Barbara D'Angelo brings her specialist retail expertise to Volaré Concepts as their new Business Development Representative. Using her vast industry experience, Barbara will showcase Volaré Concept's expansive range of tiles, bathroom, kitchen and laundry products to builders, architects and developers both personally and via industry events planned for the coming months.

dentalspa.com is pleased to welcome Dr Mario Cordioli, a dentist with over 20 years of knowledge and experience.

Originating from Brazil, Mario has had a broad range of experience including a teaching position and being the principal of his own private practice in Londrina, Brazil. Mario has settled in Australia with his family where he will be practicing General Dentistry. Please join us in making Mario welcome.

Real Estate

Hospitality

Roncon Real Estate is pleased to announce that Andrew Baker has been appointed as the Department’s Investment Property Manager. With a strong background in customer service, Andrew is a prime example of where hard work, dedication and commitment to customer satisfaction can take you.

Andrew has 6 years of property management experience and understands the importance of communication and staying up to date with the industry.

Tyler Vakidis has been appointed as the Head Chef at Fishermen’s Pier restaurant in conjunction with new ownership. Tyler did his apprenticeship in two Melbourne restaurants: Live Bait and The Press Club. He has also worked for short stints at excellent restaurants in Melbourne to continue broadening his experience, including Taxi Dining Room, Movida, Grossi Florentino and La Luna Bistro. Now, Tyler has returned to Geelong (where he grew up and went to school) to share all his learnt with the Geelong dining public.

Health

Real Estate

Felicity Topp, former Director of Operations at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, has been appointed Executive Director of Medical Services at Barwon Health, commencing 21 March. Felicity has joined the Executive team as a result of the appointment of Sandy Morrison as Executive Director of Service Redesign and Innovation.

Growing up in Ocean Grove, Pip Pattison has a first hand knowledge of the benefits that are derived from living in this wonderful part of the world – the beaches, the community spirit and the relaxed coastal lifestyle. Pip has worked in real estate for a number of years and also has extensive experience working for a renowned development company in the Victorian snowfields. Pip has found her niche at Hayden Real Estate Ocean Grove and is always willing to go the extra mile for her clients.

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APPOINTMENTS

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Printing

Funeral

Snap Geelong is pleased to introduce new owners, husband and wife team Alvaro Revelo and Libby Pollard.

Originally from Ecuador in South America, Alvaro brings with him a strong background in the tourism industry and customer service. Alvaro is looking forward to the challenges of being a new business owner and continuing to deliver exciting, dynamic and innovative design and print solutions to businesses in the Geelong region.

Tuckers Funeral and Bereavement Service is delighted to welcome Kathy Osborne to the Bereavement and After Care Team. Kathy has been working in the Geelong region as a Registered Nurse/Midwife and Breast Care Nurse for over 30 years. Commencing as a Bereavement Care Consultant, her extensive experience in the health sector combined with her work as a nurse counsellor and her passion to deliver personal and professional care will significantly strengthen our services offered.

Printing

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The second half of Snap Geelong’s new ownership team, Libby Pollard is an experienced account and production manager within the design and print industry. Libby has over 10 years experience in managing design and print solutions for corporate and government clients both in Australia and the UK, including the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games. Having also recently moved to Geelong with two young children Libby is excited about meeting and working with people in the Geelong community.

We are extremely proud to announce that Nicholas Kelly is now partner in THE RK GROUP and has been appointed as the executive chef. Nick brings with him a wealth of knowledge, leadership skills and experience that will solidify and drive the RK GROUP corporate & event catering into the future as one of Geelong’s major caterers. Nick is excited and looking forward to catering your next event.

Publishing

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Adcell Group is pleased to announce the appointment of Trina Currie, who has joined the team as a Sales Executive. Trina has spent 7 years in media advertising sales in Geelong. She has exceptional skills in sales and account management, and is looking forward to working with existing and prospective clients on all of their printing and publishing needs.

Connect Tel is pleased to announce that Janine Nicholls has been appointed as Mobility Sales Manager for Business & Consumer. Janine has had extensive experience in all Telstra Products, specialising in mobility and management; she will be a welcome addition to ensure our clients are provided with the highest level of service. Janine has built up a strong following over 20 years in the Telecommunication Industry and she looks forward to offering our clients Telecommunication solutions.

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FEATURE

Build It And They Will Come It might be a kitsch line, ‘Build it and they will come’, but when it comes to the new industrial estate under construction on Geelong’s northern fringe, the potential for success is no pipe dream.

The Geelong Ring Road Employment Precinct, or GREP, is the new incarnation of the Heales Road Industrial Estate, encompassing roughly 500 hectares of prime land adjacent to the Geelong Ring Road and the Princess Freeway, with around 327 hectares available for greenfield development.

With freeway frontage, and the precinct’s close proximity to all modes of transport – road, rail, air and sea - the GREP development is a rare opportunity to attract investment from around Victoria, from around Australia, and from around the world. The precinct is also ideally situated for a number of developments planned to boost the region’s economic capacity. The Geelong Port is set for a major expansion, as is Avalon Airport, with its planned International Terminal. Businesses who develop in the site would also benefit from planned upgrades to Geelong’s access to the national rail network.

But perhaps the biggest advantage to the precinct could come from a proposed intermodal transport hub that would link transport modes in a site just a short distance up the road from the GREP site.

By road, the GREP is positioned 40 minutes from Melbourne via the Princes Freeway. For interstate road transport, the Western Ring Road is only 35 minutes away, and provides a road link (via the Calder and Hume Freeways) that is free of traffic lights between the GREP and New South Wales. The City will also be lobbying for the development of a direct onramp to the Geelong Ring Road, which runs adjacent to the site, to enable direct access to Colac, Ballarat, Hamilton and beyond, into Victoria’s agricultural centres to the north and west, and across the border to South Australia.

Industrial 1 zoned site. An extensive drainage system, incorporating a 115 cubic metre retarding basin, has been designed to floodproof the site. New purpose-built roads are being constructed and the site will also offer fibre connectivity in line with the planned National Broadband Network. This is a smart development and one that could bring in excess of 10,000 new jobs within the site, and an additional 12,000 downstream jobs.

In the past, Geelong has had a bit of a Sleepy Hollow reputation in Melbourne particularly, and we’re doing our best to change that. We are now a much smarter city than we used to be.

Bill Johnsen, a senior officer in the City’s Economic Development Unit, said the GREP development is the realisation of the long-held proposal for a new industrial estate in the City’s north.

“It’s been a project that’s been around for a long time,” he said. “People’s eyes used to glaze over when we started to talk about Heales Road.”

Now however, the GREP brand is well and truly out there. Physically, signage is up targeting passing freeway traffic, and on the web, the GREP website is up and running, with a marketing campaign targeting potential buyers

amongst business Australia.

and

industry

Deputy Mayor and Windermere Ward Councillor, Cameron Granger said, “In the past, Geelong has had a bit of a Sleepy Hollow reputation in Melbourne particularly, and we’re doing our best to change that. We are now a much smarter city than we used to be. This project has the potential to cater for 22,000 jobs and that will make this a major industrial centre, particularly in terms of 3214 Corio and Norlane, which is suffering from low socioeconomic status. This is a huge potential for them to revive, to come alive, this could be the economic powerplant that drives a renewal of Norlane and Corio,” Cr Granger said.

“These sites that we’re standing on here will be developed by the Council, ready to go for somebody to put a shed on. We will help them with that if they need it, and the sale of these blocks will fund further infrastructure developing in the Geelong Ring Road Employment Precinct.”

Cr Granger said the decision to develop the project in stages was a straight forward one.

“If we were to do the whole project in one go, the infrastructure in roads with drainage, it would cost $80 million. Obviously we can’t do that, that’s far too much money. So Council has decided to complete the project in stages.

“This is part of an overall plan that will include Avalon and the potential Intermodal Transport Hub, to make Geelong a real industrial heartland for Victoria. The proximity to the port means this is a real opportunity, not just for Geelong, but for the state.”

By rail, standard and broad gauge rail lines run directly past the GREP. North Geelong is a wellestablished major rail freight hub and a statewide campaign is underway to connect the standard gauge rail line to the National Interstate Network.

By sea, the Port of Geelong is a dedicated bulk handling facility currently handling over 12 million tonnes of trade each year. Corio Quay is situated 6kms from the GREP site.

By air, Avalon Airport is located 12kms to the north of the site. The Linfox owned airport has been earmarked as a future major international airfreight centre.

Construction is underway on the first stage of the GREP development, a 120-hectare

around

Cr Cameron Granger and CoGG's Bill Johnsen with plans for the GREP

FEATURE

Cr Granger said that at as of mid-March, there were around 20 interested parties in the Stage One sites.

Amongst those already operating on the site are Impact Fertilisers, Incitec Pivot Ltd., Hi Fert, The Australian Timber Sawmilling Company (Tasco), SNF Chemicals, Modern Olives, Boundary Bend Limited and Thornton Engineering.

One of the early success stories of the estate is RPC Technologies. Cr Granger explained how the reinforced plastic pipe manufacturing company moved its operations from South Australia into the GREP site. “That’s an interesting story and showcases how the City of Greater Geelong has become smart about this industrial estate. RPC came to see Leno Bisinella, who’s a local developer, and told him that they wanted a site. Leno has land in this estate and he told them that he’d build them a shed that they could lease back off him. That’s also what Hi-Fert do. Leno came to the City and the City said no, because there had to be a proper drainage scheme for the whole industrial estate before anything like that could be done. “We as Councillors then said that surely there must be some way we can hold that amount of water for a one in one hundred year flood on site and build a retarding basin. The City officers went away and looked at it, and said that yes, that could be done, and now we’ve got 110 jobs in Geelong from South Australia and the local developer’s happy to build the shed. If RPC ever moved, the shed would be used by someone else; so the City’s been smart and the developers have been smart,� he said.

We’re providing clean water to the RAMSAR wetlands, we’re providing sustainable transport, we’re providing fibre and we’re preserving grasslands – strange industrial estate we’re developing.

The first stage of the development to go on sale will be made up of Industrial 1 zoned sites, including sites with freeway frontage. These are sites that are being aimed primarily at commercial industrial concerns such as those situated along the Western Ring Road.

The second and third stages of the development will offer larger, Industrial 2 zoned lots, ranging from one hectare to five hectares and will incorporate a retarding basin double the size of that being constructed in stage one. “The third stage [of the estate] and what I suppose would be the last stage was an old residential zoned site from way back around 1914. There is no potential to develop it [for residential purposes] and we’ve put in for a restructure for it, to change the block sizes to 2000 square metres, change the structure of the streets and build another massive retarding basin to drain that side of the site,� Bill said. “Interestingly, there was a bloke back in the 1910s that apparently went from pub to pub selling these lots for a subdivision that was never going to happen. They’ve been handed

13

on to families, some of them have gone overseas and some of them we just don’t know where they are, so we’ve had to just go ahead and say that we’re going to rezone it and in terms of the ones that we can’t find, we’ll just have to compulsorily acquire some of the lots.

Let’s just get on with it. The land’s just sitting there; it’s never going to be used for residential uses but we can use it as industrial land.

As a greenfield – or undeveloped land – development, the GREP site is unencumbered by any constraints from previous developments.

This is a huge advantage for a new industrial estate, but that does not mean the site is without its challenges. The most significant of these is drainage. The area is flat, and while the soil will soak up plenty of water, the project managers have planned for one in a hundred year flood. To move the storm water, massive pipes have been put in that will effectively mean the water is pushed through the system, under the freeway, and eventually out into the Bay. “We’ll have pretty good water quality control as part of the drainage system we’re building. The storm water and all the runoff from the estate will go through a fairly intense water quality system,� Bill said. “Eight and a half kilometres downstream is the RAMSAR wetlands and Limeburners lagoons, so we’re making extra sure that our industrial estate delivers the cleanest water going out of the estate; in fact it will probably be cleaner when it leaves than when it comes in,� he said.

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14

FEATURE

“Another thing that we’re looking at, with Barwon Water, is aquifer storage and recovery. I haven’t seen the report yet, but early indications are that it will be feasible and that potentially, that could provide 90 per cent of the potable water replacement for the industrial estate.

“Aquifer storage and recovery means that we hold the water there for a while, pump it into an aquifer within the ground, and then pump it out as we need it,” Bill said.

The second retention basin is yet to go to Council, and Bill estimated construction on that stage of the estate would begin in a couple of year’s time.

“Another thing we’ve done is the native vegetation precinct plan,” said Bill. “About this time last year, we started doing a whole lot of investigation into native vegetation and we undertook to have ecology surveys done on the whole estate. They basically discovered that there’s virtually no native vegetation anywhere in the estate, except for a couple of small areas owned by Shell, and they are happy to keep them as Swampy Plains Grasslands.

“As part of the exercise, we also had a look at an adjacent site, another old inappropriate subdivision with absolutely no potential to develop, and we found some good native grasses in there, including one nationally endangered one. So we’re looking at the possibility of developing that area as a grassland area, which would mean this would be one of the only areas within the region where we are preserving volcanic plains grassland.

“That’s another one of those benefits of an industrial development – we’re providing clean water to the RAMSAR wetlands, we’re providing sustainable transport, we’re providing fibre and we’re preserving grasslands – strange industrial estate we’re developing,” he said with a laugh.

As with any project of this size, there are some curiously named elements. ‘Sustainable transport options’ is one such case, which translates from bureaucratic-speak as bike and walking paths. Despite the odd moniker, the inclusion of these paths is another example of the advantages of sensibly applied forethought.

Providing a 2.5 metre wide pedestrian and bike access path that connects to similar paths through Lara and through the city’s northern suburbs is a smart idea – particularly as it is anticipated that the development will provide job opportunities for people living in the city’s north.

Adding to the ‘smart development’ message is the installation of fibre conduits on each side of each road; so all sites in the GREP will be fibre ready.

“Each factory here can have their own provider, and by putting in those extra conduits, we’re

making it easier for them to be connected to the net. And we’ve done them on each side of the roads as a redundancy measure, so if someone is doing a bit of digging one day and cuts a conduit, they still have their internet service.”

The construction of the site is a big undertaking, and at the helm is CoGG Project Manager, Ron Hill. Standing on the site, overlooking the huge pit that will be the first retarding basin, Ron spoke about the progress on the site.

“On average, we’re using three excavators and have twelve trucks working a day, which is taking out about seven hundred truck movements a day.”

Usually on a job site of this size, trucks will be leaving the site to dump the soil being dug up.

On this site, through one of those simple yet significant pieces of forethought, Ron has had the soil from the retention basin dig moved to the other side of the site where it will be needed later as engineering fill. The trucks never leave the site, saving valuable time and money, and when it comes to working on the later stage of the project, the time and money needed to fill that area of the site will already have been saved. All this amounts to a cost saving to the project of $1.1 million.

“By June we should be out of here and the whole thing will be finished,” Ron said.

Ron Hill is a bloke who takes a lot of pride in doing the job right. He proudly pointed out the access road to the retention basin work site, McManus Road, which was built as part of the project, which despite the big rains we had earlier in the year and the constant heavy truck traffic, he said has yet to need to be graded.

“The reason being that Drapers spent a lot of time on it, because if the trucks can’t travel fast, we aren’t going to get the production here. The

trucks are all on hourly hire, so the contractor wants to be able to get the trucks in as close as he can.

He spoke with absolute confidence about the success of the project once it hits the market.

This is as you would expect from the project manager of a major project of this type, but with Ron, there is no spin involved, it’s just straight business.

Ron has worked all over the world, and Cr Granger was quick to point out that the City is lucky to have Ron here, working on the GREP, which he chose to do over managing a big project in Hong Kong.

Ron spent 45 years working overseas for the one of the world’s biggest engineering, construction and project management companies, Bechtel – the same company that built the Hoover Dam in the United States 75 years ago. With a scope of experience that includes building freeways, nuclear power plants (not the ones in Japan, he was quick to point out), new industrial cities and a host of other major projects, Ron’s experience has proved to be a huge asset for major projects around Geelong.

“At one stage, I ran projects for one of the biggest privately run construction companies in the world in Dubai, where we built the cities in Yanbu and Jubail and the road in between,” Ron said.

To put this into some sort of context, the Dubai project was a Royal Commission project chaired

by Prince Saud bin Abdullah bin Thunayan, quoted last month by MENAFN - Arab News as having attracted investments of SR676 billion (or AU$178.8 billion) so far. The Jubail Industrial City is the largest industrial complex of its kind in the world, with petrochemical plants, fertilizer plants, steel works, an industrial port and a huge number of support industries

FEATURE

15

“How many places in the world can you have freeway exposure literally 20 metres away,” he said.

“These are very saleable blocks because of the freeway just there, so there’s not going to be any problem selling them. We’ll really do them up with lawn, we’ll do the survey for the blocks, and paint the side entry fence so they all stand out and the whole thing will be ready to go. As you know, aesthetics are a big thing. In all the years I’ve worked in this industry, I’ve seen that even if the final product is brilliant, unless you can make it look brilliant, the impression is that it’s ordinary.

(source: Wikipedia). The city boasts the world’s largest seawater desalination plant and is also home to the largest petrochemical company in the Middle East (and the 4th largest in the world), SABIC. In 2009, the resident population was recorded at 150,367.

Connected by the newly built freeway, the city of Yanbu is 1,213kms away. Dating back at least 2500 years, Yanbu was once a staging point on the spice and incense route from Yemen to Egypt and beyond. Yanbu remained a small port town until 1975, when the Saudi government designated it along with Al Jubail as one of the country’s two new industrial centres.

Working for Bechtel, Ron spent 18 months as the manager of the Yanbu Jubail project.

So how did he end up in Geelong? According to him, “I came here for a month, that was about seven years ago, but geez you have long months down here. Bloody long months, and cold ones!”

regardless of other people not thinking that. On Mount Duneed Road we built four kilometres of road in sixty days, and that was a very quick job. We had to have it finished by Christmas Eve and we did. A lot of people, including people in our Council, said to me that it couldn’t be done, but we did it,” Ron said.

“I could go back to Hong Kong tomorrow morning and walk back into the job I had before I came here if I wanted to… You Geelongians aren’t bad people. Your football team’s not much good though,” he laughed.

Ron was raised in Darwin, which he describes as ‘God’s country’. He started his career as a labourer with Bechtel.

“The company I was working for seemed to think that I could add two and two, and they sent me to university in Texas. After I graduated, I worked for them for another 45 years.”

It was a big break for a young kid from Darwin, and Ron made the most of it.

Ron said it certainly wasn’t the sunny climate that originally brought him to Geelong.

For now, Ron said he’s happy to remain working in Australia.

“I’d come back from Singapore and I went into Darwin and someone said to me, ‘Do you want to go into Geelong? I had to ask, ‘Where’s Geelong?’

“I look at the world and I think I had a better life in my time when I was younger. When I did my travelling, you didn’t have any problems in the world of riots and [religious wars]. I worked in Indonesia, right up through all of Asia, across America, into Canada, across to Russia and down to South Africa. Now, it’s not so safe.

I think it’s sad that young people can’t enjoy what I enjoyed working overseas.”

Ron said he has witnessed big changes in the city since he first arrived.

“The first project I worked on was laying the pipeline down Moorabool Street. Then I worked on the drainage through Moolap. I brought the idea down here of buying concrete mattresses for lining the open drain in Moolap,” he said.

“It’s working very, very well,” added Cr Granger.

“We did the roundabout at Gheringhap Street, which I still think is a damn good thing,

Construction on the GREP site kicked off on 10 January 2011. After a very wet start, it has been a fast-moving project, with the site running 6 days a week.

Having built and seen so many major industrial developments around the world, I asked Ron how the GREP estate rates by comparison.

“If you’ve got a business that wants freeway exposure, that’s what we have here. There just aren’t a lot of opportunities like this one and that’s why we’re so proud of this. We’ve got out of the ‘gonna’ stage in Geelong, we’re doers, not gonnas.”

Cr Granger said the potential of the GREP estate is enormous and that is being recognised by companies looking to take advantage of the assets the site offers.

“The idea is to try to accommodate all the types of industrial usage on this site. From the really big stuff, that employs hundreds of people, right through to the smaller sheds that employ a couple of people.

“It could be anything, from a business that needs somewhere to store large items such as cars or big box stuff, right through to the heavy production of fiberglass pipes like we’ve got over at RPC Industries,” he said.

“Part of the global economy now is that people who sell over the internet just need a shed, they don’t need a shop front. We’ll look to accommodate that as well.”

Cr Granger said that as well as the direct advantages of the facilities the site will offer; future development of the Port, the Ring Road and Avalon Airport makes the GREP a unique opportunity.

“In some respects it’s just luck that Geelong is so well placed and that here, rail, road, sea and air all come together in one spot,” he said.

“We’re looking for the Regional Rail Link that the State Government is building to be another great opportunity for here. We’ll investigate whether we can actually have a spur come off into the Ring Road Employment Precinct.

“This area was all reserved as a buffer zone for the LPG terminal, so there’s a thousand metres between this and the housing growth in Lara.

Again, it’s just fortunate that this was here, so we can go ahead and do this type of project.”

Davina Montgomery

16

COVER STORY

The

Green

Dream

The proposed introduction of a carbon tax in Australia is a big issue. The shift to a low carbon economy is economic reform on the grandest of scales. It is also inevitable. Our country needs to make the shift, and many of our biggest businesses are calling for certainty on the issue of a carbon tax – not because they want to make a statement on the political debate around climate change, but because the schoolyard squabbling across the floor of parliament is holding back the investments that need to be made to meet emissions reduction targets.

Under the current carbon tax proposal, a fixed price on carbon would start on 1 July 2012, before moving to a cap and trade emissions trading scheme within five years. Under the proposal - on which we are yet to hear much of the essential details of price and compensation – a review would be conducted one year before the end of the fixed price period to consider any reasons for delaying moving to a cap and trade scheme.

But what is it all going to mean for all of us, sitting in our offices or at home, contemplating our rising bills? Tony Abbott described the proposed tax as ‘economic vandalism’ – saying that we will all bear the cost. And he is right. But we are all going to bear the cost anyway. Energy costs are rising, fuel costs are rising, food costs are rising, and none of them are going to go down. We have to move on emissions reduction and the only way to do that is to make clean energy generation more economically viable than traditional coal based power generation. It will take time, but the longer we wait, the more it will cost. And who will bear the cost then, our politicians? No, it will be all of us.

Leading international climate change lawyer, Andrew Hobley, has called climate change the “biggest business opportunity of the 21st century”.

Hobley, speaking to ALB Legal News, said uncertainty around the carbon tax is holding back investment.

“Everyone knows it’s going to be legislated at some point,” he said, adding the political debate around climate change is preventing companies from working with the government to create a market-based approach.

He said those companies moving towards a low carbon economy stand to reap the benefits. And it seems a growing list of Australian corporate giants agree, with the likes of Westpac Banking Corp, Origin Energy, Shell Australia and Qantas Airways voicing their support for a carbon tax, sooner rather than later.

BHP is one of the world's biggest coal producers, but BHP Billiton boss, Mario Kloppers, last year made the statement that Australia needs to move away from coal as its main source of power to

COVER STORY

avoid competitive disadvantage once a global price on carbon emerged.

particularly important in the initial stages of carbon pricing.

Momentum Energy is another of the big players that recognizes the need for certainty on climate change policy. Momentum is part of the Hydro Tasmania group of companies, the company that generates more renewable energy from water and wind than any other competitor, with total generation capacity from wind and water of 2615 megawatts, with assets worth $4.8 billion.

“Momentum supports the introduction of a carbon price on the condition that compensation is provided to households and businesses.”

Momentum Energy CEO, Camillo D’Alessandro, said that years ago, the electricity industry would have been seen as stagnant.

“It is interesting to see so much positive change and movement towards sustainability.”

He said that over the past five years, the market for ‘green’ energy has rapidly increased.

“The solution is a complement of solar, wind, geothermal, clean coal, hot rocks and hydro – the environmental benefits will be substantial, through the increase in sustainable clean energy.

“The economic impacts will be varied – local investment will stimulate the economy and provide jobs. Yes, the initial costs will be high, but over time, they will be diluted.

“I think it’s important that investment in new renewable energy assets continues despite economic downturn. Also, I think investment in infrastructure will be key,” he said.

As for the company’s position on a carbon tax, Momentum has the following to say: “Momentum supports the implementation of a carbon price as the basis of Australia’s longterm response to climate change. A carbon price will be vital to reduce Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions and to provide longterm certainty for investors in low and zero emissions technology.

“A price in carbon is essential to ensure Australia transitions to a lower carbon intensity economy as efficiently as possible.”

According to Momentum, the objective of a carbon price is to factor the cost of carbon throughout the economy and, in doing so, to shift consumption to less emissions intensive goods and encourage increased output from low and zero emission sources of production.

“By design, a carbon price will raise the cost of emissions intensive goods and services, including electricity. As a result, an important aspect of a well-designed carbon price is that revenue raised through the sale of emissions permits to be used to compensate households and businesses for increased costs. This is

Mr D’Alessandro said that in response to the Multi-Party Climate Change Model, released on 24 February this year, Momentum believes a market approach to carbon pricing is preferable, as it will allow companies to best manage their long-term carbon exposure and risk.

Origin Energy, a leading player in the Australian energy market, also welcomed the February proposal for a framework to price carbon from 1 July 2012.

In a release issued the same day as the framework announcement, Origin stated: “The sooner we start the transition toward a lower emission economy, the smoother and lower cost that transition will be. To drive a switch to lower carbon options in the electricity market, the fundamental requirements are a clear and credible long-term pricing framework and a carbon price that makes a real difference to investment decisions.

“Today’s announcement is a very positive start in defining a credible long-term framework and signalling a sense of urgency in addressing these issues.”

Origin declared its intent to work with the government on key issues such as the transition from the fixed to a floating price, the level of the fixed price itself and the mechanisms for supporting those electricity customers who experience difficulty paying their electricity bills.

As a big player in the natural gas fired power generation, Origin is supporting greater development of gas-fired facilities as a means of bridging the gap between emissions reductions and uninterrupted energy supply in Australia.

As of 2007-08 ABARE – Australian Energy Statistics, Australian power generation was dominated by coal, with black coal powering 57 per cent of the nation’s power generation, and brown coal powering a further 25 per cent.

Natural gas made up only 16 per cent of the country’s power generation, with a total of 52 alternative fuels making up the remaining 2 per cent of the market.

According to Origin Energy, in the absence of carbon policy, emissions are projected to grow to 45 per cent above 2000 levels by 2020. The Renewable Energy Target is projected to reduce emissions growth by 28 per cent by 2020.

17

“In the absence of a direct price on carbon, meeting the balance of emissions reduction will be a significant challenge, relying on mechanisms such as energy efficiency measures, substitution of gas for coal fired generation and a further increase in the RET. Origin believes that gas fired generation is well placed to provide both peaking capacity and lower emissions base load capacity.

“A carbon price in the range of $20-$40 per tonne would drive substantial fuel substitution for base load power generation,” the company declared at the 2010 Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association (APPEA) conference.

What does this mean? Effectively, at $20-$40 per tonne, a carbon price would make gas a more economically viable fuel for base load power generation, as it emits significantly lower levels of carbon compared to brown or black coal.

“The cost of reducing carbon through wind and peaking gas is in the order of $40 per tonne more expensive than substituting gas for coal.

“The greater potential is for LNG growth, whose potential overwhelms that of domestic power demand… Will the industry capture the opportunity this time around?” the company asked the conference delegates.

Locally, the Shell Refinery is one of the region’s largest CO2 emitters. Globally, Royal Dutch Shell is one the most vocal advocates for the development of a carbon trading scheme and real action on climate change. Long before climate change became a widely recognised issue, the global organisation was taking steps to limit its exposure to the impacts of climate change policies and reduce emissions at its refineries around the world.

Alcoa Australia is another carbon-exposed industry operating in our region. The company has maintained its position on the introduction of a carbon tax for many years, having called on the parliament to ‘amend and pass’ the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme in late 2009. Alcoa still supports an economy-wide response to the challenge of climate change.

Understandably, Alcoa has expressed concern that the Australian response to climate change does not diminish the international competitiveness of Australian industries, warning that such a move would lead to job losses the transfer of emissions to other countries.

The Climate Commission met with the local industry representatives of the Mayor of Geelong when it came to town on March 25, as the first stop on a national tour.

18

COVER STORY

Addressing the Commission, which is chaired

by Tim Flannery, the Mayor Cr John Mitchell, urged careful consideration of the impact of the proposed tax on manufacturing regions like Geelong.

“We acknowledge the reality of climate change and the need for Australia to act to reduce global emissions. But any action must be carefully crafted so that it doesn’t have a catastrophic effect on regions like Geelong,” Cr Mitchell said.

“Manufacturing is the lifeblood of Geelong. It accounts for close to half of all revenue generated by businesses in the Barwon region - a total of $13.8 billion.”

When the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) was proposed, the Mayor led a delegation to Canberra representing the most impacted industrial communities in Australia, including Central Queensland, Illawarra, Portland and Tasmania.

“Our position back then remains the same now: any policy needs to include strong support packages, including permit allocations, for all emissions intensive trade exposed industries,” the Mayor said.

“Also if an electricity allocation factor, similar to that which was proposed under the CPRS, is introduced Victorian industry must not be prejudiced given that our electricity is powered by brown coal, whereas less carbon intensive black coal is used in most other states.

“We recognise that action must be taken to address climate change, but it must allow our businesses to remain competitive on a global scale. We must ensure that products currently manufactured in Geelong don’t have to be produced elsewhere in the world with much more detrimental carbon emissions.”

So how does a tax on carbon work? A carbon tax is a tax on the carbon released through the burning of fossil fuels, proportionally taxed on the carbon content of the fuels. A carbon tax artificially raises the price of fossil fuels and increases the competitiveness of non-carbon and low-carbon technologies.

Reducing carbon emissions through a price mechanism such as a carbon tax is being debated around the world. Finland became the first country to introduce a carbon tax in 1990 and in 1991 Sweden introduced its carbon tax, which resulted in a 9 per cent cut in carbon pollution between 1990 and 2006. Norway also introduced a tax on carbon in 1991, however its carbon emissions increased by around 43 cubic metres per capita between 1991 and 2008. Denmark introduced its carbon tax in 1992 and recorded just a drop in CO2 emissions of just under 15 per cent between 1990 and 2005.

The Netherlands levies a general fuel tax on all fossil fuels, and India levies a tax on coal producers and importers. Switzerland introduced a carbon incentive tax in 2008, while Ireland introduced a tax on oil and gas in 2010.

But perhaps Costa Rica is closest to having the Green Dream scheme, having enacted carbon pollution tax in 1997 set at 3.5 per cent of the market value of fossil fuels. The revenue from the tax is placed in a national forest fund, which in turn pays indigenous communities for protecting the forests around them.

So why is there so much heated debate on the issue in Australia? With a hung parliament, virtually any issue could be the catalyst for political argument. Outside of politics, the Australian media has been largely reticent to treat carbon as a serious issue that demands even handed fact-based commentary. Pick up just about any tabloid paper or log onto tabloid news sites and you can find any number of stories glorying in the war of words playing out between the political parties. What you would struggle to find is any kind of concise explanation of the proposed policy, its potential impacts or advantages. If this kind of reasoned argument is what you are after, you need to look beyond populist news outlets.

proper planning and investment.” (Source: www.climatespectator.com.au The New Energy Order, March 28 2011) Politically, the carbon tax is a hot issue, and so contentious that it may yet force an early election. As one avid follower of politics in the GBN office pointed out, having three people – Independent MPs Rob Oakeshott and Tony Windsor, and Greens leader, Senator Bob Brown – effectively controlling the decision on an issue as momentous as the introduction of a carbon tax is ridiculous. But will the Labor Party risk losing power in order to gain a mandate to proceed with the carbon tax?

Davina Montgomery

What the pollies say: Prime Minister, Julia Gillard: “History teaches us that the countries and the economies who prosper at times of historic change are those who get in and shape and manage the changes. The time is right and the time is now… We can't afford not to move to a clean energy future” Opposition Leader, Tony Abbott: “An intelligent response to climate change

A case in point, Giles Parkinson in his piece The New Energy Order, published by climatespectator.com.au late last month, pointed out that electricity has always been expensive. Pointing out that according to AGL Energy data, Australian families were paying around 2.5 per cent of their average weekly earnings on electricity in 1967, compared to 1.8 per cent today.

means more trees, better soils and smarter

Parkinson pointed a report by international banking group, HSBC, which analyses world growth and energy consumption forecasts out to 2050:

pollution of the atmosphere."

“World output is expected to treble over this time, driven by massive growth in emerging economies. If there were no constraints, we’d consume more than twice as much oil as we do today so we could fuel an extra billion cars on the roads, we’d create a doubling in total energy demand, and a doubling in the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

pockets.”

Obviously, this can’t happen. And the notion that economic growth and energy consumption can continue to grow hand in hand is possibly little more than a fantasy,” he wrote.

for Australia, an outcome that will balance

“Governments are faced with the classic chicken and egg situation: low-carbon energy sources are unlikely to materialise without further upward pressure on fossil fuel pries, but the lead times for these new sources are long. It could be a painful transition without

technology. It doesn’t mean a great big new tax… It is economic vandalism.”

Greens Leader, Bob Brown: "It isn't just a matter

of

compensating

industry

-

particularly polluters. What we want to do is compensate those people who are suffering the outcome of long term carbon

Nationals Leader, Warren Truss: “Ordinary families will cop the brunt of Labor’s carbon tax hit squarely in their hip-

What we wish they’d say: “We understand that

Australia

thoroughly

needs

to

researched,

establish

a

economically

responsible framework for transitioning our nation to a low-carbon economy. We will work together to achieve the right outcome the needs of emissions reduction with the global competitiveness of our industries.

We will not act like children fighting over the last lollypop. We will attempt to act as though

we

understand

our

roles

in

parliament demand decorum and selfcontrol…” Hmm, a dream for another day perhaps!

BUSINESS OF THE MONTH

Advertising Feature

19

Introduction to ‘Social Media Marketing’ for Small Business Kylie Bartlett is a born and bred Geelong girl but she is better known these days as ‘The Web Celeb’. With audiences all around the world, her fame is rapidly rising as she shocks and wows with her revolutionary techniques on how to build your brand, propel your profits and connect with more customers on and off line with social media.

Kylie is about to complete a 6-month Australasian tour. To date, Kylie has presented her Facebook and Social Media Workshops to over 1,000 fans, across 18 cities and she thought it was only fitting that she finish her tour in her beautiful hometown of Geelong.

Welcome to the New Social Media Revolution!

Here’s an interesting statistic - 97% of all consumers go online to research products and services they intend to purchase and yet only 25% of all businesses have an online presence to cater for this huge demand. Are you one of these businesses?

Kylie Bartlett

The internet and social media have transformed the way companies, small and large, communicate with their customers. Customers now crave, real, authentic and transparent relationships with multiple-way dialogue. You’ve only got to look at the huge popularity of Facebook as proof of this. Facebook has 600 million users, and they’re smart, affluent, internet-savvy people whom marketers and businesses can no longer ignore.

A different kind of communication and marketing is now required in order to in build relationships with these influential players. The more crowded the global marketplace becomes the more challenging it is to dominate and own your industry niche. In order to stand out in the crowd you need to have social appeal. Although the ‘social media marketing’ game may seem daunting, it’s actually quite simple, anyone can do it and we’re going to show you how!

As part of our ‘Introduction to Social Media Marketing’ presentation, we will show you how to leverage the power of social media to build a personal link with your market. Forget old advertising tactics that work online.

We’ll teach you how to adopt the new rules and start a profitable relationship with your buyers and those who influence them!

As part of our presentation you’ll learn: • • • • • •

How you can engage with prospects and customers where they like to spend time online - whether it’s Facebook, Twitter, You Tube or any other social network How to choose the best tools that will help you build your brand and lay the foundation for new customers and stronger sales.

How to create a Facebook presence that drives traffic, leads and sales into your business.

How to avoid the biggest marketing mistakes on Facebook, 95% of businesses unknowingly do.

The crucial social media do’s and don’ts that can cost your business money, time and reputation.

How to manage and maintain your social media presence so you get a ‘positive’ ROI and achieve your marketing KPIs.

Here are the details: When:

Thursday 5th May 2010, 6:00pm (registration) for a 6:30pm start until 9:30pm

Where:

The Geelong Club, 74 Brougham Street, Geelong, Victoria 3220

Investment:

$35.00 per person includes presentation, nibbles and drinks afterwards

Book NOW to avoid disappointment.

Bookings close 2nd May 2011

Go to www.thewebceleb.tv and click on events.

If you have any questions you can contact our office on 1300 137 437 or email Kylie at: kylie@thewebceleb.tv

20

LEGAL

Who ya gonna trust?

The Property Law Act 1958 has long been a source of debate and confusion. The Act, in its current form, is difficult to navigate and interpret. Constraints in using the Act stem from its structure and language.

With its foundations on English property law, many provisions of the Act are unintelligible to all but property law specialists who have a detailed knowledge of legal terms, English common law principles and practices, thus constraining its applicability and workability.

Furthermore, the scope and purpose of many terms are obscure or ill-defined.

The Victorian Law Review Commission has submitted a review of the Act. The purpose being to ensure its legislation is transparent, accessible and supports an efficient and effective mechanism to protect property rights in Victoria.

Of the 58 recommendations proposed, the provisions relating to the formal requirements for creating and passing interests in land and personal property have received significant attention.

provision, and lack of necessity of a witness to the beneficiary's signature, raises the risk of fraudulent claims.

This risk is present in cases involving family property disputes, bankruptcy proceedings or the administration of a pension assets test, where it may be asserted that property vested in a party is held by the party as a trustee of a declaration of trust - the details of which may be the subject of closer scrutiny.

This issue arose in Dineen v Secretary, Department of Social Security, where it was asserted that the value of certain land cannot be taken into account for the purposes of pension assets test because the land was held in trust for the appellants son's since 1980, pursuant to a declaration of trust dated 1987.

written formalities for a declaration of trust of land, thereby providing better evidence of the terms, subject matter and date of the trust declaration.

If accepted into legislation, the practitioners involved in matters concerning bankruptcy, family law or the administration of government entitlements will need to take particular note.

Prospective purchasers should also consider their purchasing structures carefully with their accountants prior to entering into a Contract of Sale of land.

The Court disagreed and ruled that "the purported declaration is a self-serving document, deliberately created eight years after the alleged event, to assist the applicant in his claim for a pension".

In an effort to combat such scenarios, the review has called for a higher standard of

Currently, a declaration of trust in land may be 'manifested and proved' by a document, signed by the beneficiary, created at some time after the trust was created. The informality of the

Joanne Dorn, Property Lawyer

Acquisition results in growth at law firm Coulter Roache Lawyers, one of the region’s leading law firms, is pleased to announce the acquisition of Ainsworths Lawyers.

A boutique local firm, Ainsworths Lawyers provided advice on a comprehensive range of personal and business legal matters, with a particular focus on leases, wills and estates.

Ainsworths Lawyers was established more than 60 years ago by Bill Ainsworth, who later handed over the operations to his son Geoff.

The firm employs three staff who, in addition to a considerable portfolio of clients, will transition to Coulter Roache Lawyers’ operations this month.

Kevin Roache, Partner at Coulter Roache Lawyers, said the acquisition was based on distinct synergies between the two firms.

“Both Coulter Roache Lawyers and Ainsworths Lawyers share a long history of serving the people of the Geelong region, with the firms operating for a combined 130 years. Both firms genuinely care about achieving excellent outcomes for our clients, as well as being superior corporate citizens by contributing to

the local community wherever possible. A recent example of this was our support of the Run Geelong event, which raised money for Geelong Hospital Appeal Children's Ward Redevelopment.”

Continuing, Mr Roache said he and his staff are focused on ensuring the clients of Ainsworths Lawyers experience a friendly and trouble-free transition into his firm.

“We understand that changing law firms can be a time of uncertainty, particularly if you have developed a strong relationship with your previous lawyer. The benefits of the acquisition to Ainsworths Lawyers clients are substantial.

With the Ainsworth Lawyers legal team joining us, we now have a staff of 65, spread across our five branch offices in Geelong, Anglesea, Bannockburn, Portarlington and Barwon Heads.

“In particular, our expertise and capacity in the area of wills and estates and conveyancing has been strengthened by the addition of Helen St John and Leanne Gryfenberg, both long standing staff from Ainsworths. Our client service philosophy is one based on

understanding. We have an in-depth understanding of all aspects of the law and we develop an understanding of our clients’ needs.

We underpin this by building friendly, loyal and pro-active client relationships,” said Mr Roache.

“I can personally reassure all past and present Ainsworths Lawyers clients - as well as existing Coulter Roache clients - that they will continue to receive the high level of personal service they have come to expect. We look forward to familiarising ourselves with our new clients over coming months.”

Coulter Roache Lawyers offer a comprehensive range of advice to its diverse client base that includes commercial, public sector and individual clients. Services include commercial and property, wills and estates, commercial litigation and family law.

“This acquisition has proceeded smoothly and paves the way for more to come. We see the benefits we can bring to our clients in terms of improved economies of scale, greater depth and breadth of legal services and an expended team,” said Mr Roache.

HEALTH NEWS

21

An aspirin a day...

A common painkiller could prove to be the answer to living a longer and healthier life, according to a new multi-million dollar clinical trial, part of which is being conducted in Geelong.

The ASPREE (ASPirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly) trial will look at whether low- dose aspirin assists in delaying the onset of agerelated illnesses such as heart disease, stroke, dementia and some types of cancers in people aged 70 years and over.

Around 12,500 healthy men and women around the world will participate in the trial and around 2,000 of the participants will come from the Geelong region. Half of the participants will take daily low-dose aspirin and half will take a placebo tablet daily over a period of five years.

Head of the Monash School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Professor John McNeil, who is the study's principal investigator in Australia, said the health and wellbeing of older Australians was at the centre of the study.

"We want to look at the potential of aspirin to improve the health of older Australians, something that is increasingly important as the population ages. This age group has not previously been studied in sufficient numbers to inform health guidelines," said Professor McNeil.

"Doctors know that aspirin should help to prevent heart attacks and some forms of stroke and research indicates that aspirin may also prevent mental decline and some forms of cancer.

Locally, the trial is supported by Barwon Health and the GP Association of Geelong and is a collaborative project between universities, government and the community. Local icon, Frank Costa, has signed on as an ambassador for the trial.

"ASPREE is the largest prevention trial to be undertaken in Australia and its outcome will determine whether health practitioners in Australia and internationally should routinely recommend low-dose aspirin for their older patients.

The findings from the trial are set to offer valuable data to a number of research groups across Australia and internationally.

Professor McNeil also said the study follows increasing international debate about the role of aspirin for prevention of disease in healthy individuals.

Funded by America's National Institute on Aging, part of the National Institutes of Health (the peak health funding body in the United States), the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia and the Victorian Cancer Agency, the trial has earned the support of many in the field of health and research.

In Australia, the trial is coordinated by Monash University in collaboration with The University of Melbourne, The Menzies Research Institute and Australia National University. The Geelongbased clinical trial team will operate out of Geelong Hospital.

Anyone who wishes to participate in the trial should talk to their GP and see if they are eligible or phone 1800 728 745.

For further information about the ASPREE trial, visit www.aspree.org

Experience the difference...

Club Cats puts your next function in a memorable position. Surrounded by the beautiful parkland of Kardinia Park, Club Cats can cater for a vast range of functions, superb conference & seminar facilities, large formal dinners for up to 450 guests, cocktail parties, boardroom style meetings, small intimate dinners......and much more! Our function rooms host stunning views over skilled stadium and our Club Cats team is dedicated to ensuring your next function is a (stress free) success. With up to 10 rooms to choose from, the Geelong Club Cats is the only place for your next function.

for more information call our functions department today on 5225 2367 or email functions@gfc.com.au GEELONG CATS PO Box 461 Geelong 3220 gfc.com.au

club

22

FEATURE

The Main Event Many businesses of all shapes and sizes stage events of some sort, whether conferences, exhibitions, meetings, or corporate incentives.

If you’re planning an event for your business, big or small, how do you ensure it’s a memorable one that achieves what you want it to do?

According to “The Role of Business Events”, produced by Business Events Geelong (a division of Geelong Otway Tourism, which this year won the Regional Destination Marketing Organisation (2009/2010) category at the Victorian Meetings Industry Awards for the third time): “meetings, conferences and exhibitions can be held for business, scientific or professional development purposes, or all of these. They are well-recognised as effective mechanisms for sharing knowledge, research and expertise, or promoting commerce and business."

But while staging a successful event can leave you with a warm, fuzzy feeling of achievement and more tangible benefits, such as enhancing the reputation of your business, stimulating innovation and attracting investment, knowing where to start organising such an event can be daunting. The first step, according to local experts, is to know why you are holding an event.

“Behind every great event is a sound strategy,” says Simone Bellears, Account Director at Geelong’s Redstick Strategic Communications.

“Why have an event? What is it that you can sell/tell at an event that you can’t through another medium? Who is the event targeting? When is the best time to reach this target market?

“Don’t have an event for the sake of having an event: respect your clients’ and customers’ time. People are time poor these days and there are many creative strategies to get your message across that don’t rely on traditional events, including the innovative tools available through social media options.

“At RedStick, we regard an event as one tool in an overall strategy. Other factors, such as budget, venue [and] guest list all need to be considered in unison with that strategy to ensure overall success. Budget is important, yes, but the right venue and timing can decide whether or not your event has impact in the marketplace and with relevant media.”

Simone says businesses considering holding an event should first think about its purpose. Is it to create impact, attract patrons or sell a message or product? “The reasons are endless, but they are vital if you want to be able to measure success – how will the event impact positively on your business growth?” she asks.

Once you’ve decided that holding is an event is the way to go and why, you need to start planning, leaving yourself plenty of time for unexpected issues that may pop up. Andrew Hiebl, Convention Bureau Manager at Business Events Geelong, recommends preparing a timeline that outlines all tasks, from the decision to hold the event to the date of the event.

These tasks include deciding whether you’ll organise the event yourself or engage a professional event or conference planner; preparing budgets; choosing a venue and location; setting a theme and topics for the event; organising the event program; and catering. It’s also important to choose the date or dates of the event carefully.

“Make sure your dates don’t clash with any sporting, political or cultural events or holidays,” Andrew advises. “There can also be advantages if you are flexible on when your event can be staged, but don't have a flexible budget. Your Convention Bureau can help advise when the most cost effective time to hold a business event can be through avoiding otherwise busy peak periods, and taking advantage of special packages or value adds.”

Simone agrees. “Good event planning is in the detail – have a checklist and review it constantly. Have contingency plans in place for weather and other factors that can’t be controlled on the day. Ensure your venue has the amenities to cope with your audience size – car parking, wheelchair access, audio equipment and lighting. They are all crucial to the success of an event.”

Andrew says local businesses can access free assistance with locating a suitable conference venue, suppliers or activities through Business Events Geelong, which represents over 1,000 professional businesses in the tourism, meeting, incentive, exhibition and travel industries. “[An] important tip is that Convention Bureaux and tourist offices provide free services and advice to conference organisers when planning meetings in their region,” he adds. “These services not only save you money, but also valuable time through some of the systems they have in place.”

Another important consideration is how best to promote your event. “Do you have a captive audience through a database, for example? Is it a public event? This will determine the best mix of media to promote the event,” Simone says.

Andrew recommends implementing a promotional strategy that includes another timeline for promotional activity leading up to the event. “You should also think about what promotional material you’ll use to entice your

target audience to the meeting or event, for example direct mail, advertising or promotional opportunities at similar events. Will your promotional material be designed in house or by an agency? How will you print and distribute your material? Will your event require publicity kits and media releases?”

Once the big day arrives, how will you ensure your audience takes away the message you want them to hear? “The great thing about events is they can create impact en masse,” Simone points out. “That’s not to say events need to target a large number of people. If managed creatively and strategically, your message can have a lasting impact on your audience, no matter what its size.

“Decide on your key message and try not to overcrowd it with other branding and messages at the event. Provide your speakers with clear notes and a running sheet to keep everyone on brief and, [again], consider people’s time – lunchtime events can’t run all afternoon! Keep the message simple and provide material to explain in more detail your idea or product… this can have an element of fun and novelty about it or can be a call-to-action to refer back to another aspect of your business, such as a website or call centre for further information.

“At RedStick, our motto behind successful events is to: think strategically, consider impact, respect your audience and create an impression.”

Once the event is over, review it. What did you do well? What could be done better next time?

Did you stay within your budget? “Send acknowledgement letters to your speakers, presenters, suppliers, sponsors and exhibitors,” Andrew says. “Thank your staff! Take time off.

Then get ready for your next conference or event.”

It’s also important to remember that your business event could have a positive impact on your wider industry or region. “The Geelong region's largest market sector of business events is corporate meetings and conferences,” says Andrew.

“Conferences attracted to Geelong encourage investment opportunities, stimulate local innovation, enhance knowledge through professional development and directly add to the economy. The contribution of business events to Geelong and our region can't be underestimated or taken for granted.”

For more information on Convention Bureaux visit www.whatisthebureau.com.au/pages/what.html or www.aacb.org.au www.businesseventsgeelong.com.au www. redstick.com.au

Judy Baulch

in Geelong Do you organise meetings region? and the Great Ocean Road

Business Events Geelong is your Convention Bureau to Geelong and the Great Ocean Road.

Contact our award winning team for FREE venue finding services and event support when planning a meeting in Victoria’s leading events destination.

Visit BusinessEventsGeelong.com.au to: order a free Venues and Services Directory check out conference hot deals express interest in a hosted tour of the region request a proposal book a venue online search for suppliers

g.com.au

online at BusinessEventsGeelon Compare or book these conference HOT DEALS are for events held. and minimum numbers may apply. Validity dates ity

* Conditions apply, All bookings are subject to availabil

ort

Peppers the Sands Res Torquay Residential Conference Package*

$314

Geelong Conference Centre

19950

Residential $ Conference Package*

Valid until 30 June 2011

$199

Vue Grand, Queenscliff Residential Conference Package*

Valid until 31 May 2011

C O N V E N T I O N B U R E A U | G R E AT O C E A N R O A D

Residential Conference Package*

$200

$199

$280

Group Accommodation Package*

$145

Valid 1 April - 31 October 2011

Grand Pacific Hotel, Lorne Day Meeting Package*

Valid until 31 May 2011

e

Cumberland Conferenc Centre, Lorne

$65

Day Meeting Package*

Valid until 31 May 2011

Crowne Plaza Torquay

BIG4 Beacon Resort, Queenscliff Residential Conference Package*

Mantra Erskine Beach Resort, Lorne

Valid from 1 April 31 September 2011

Valid until 31 August 2011

Mercure Geelong

Valid until 31 May 2011

$55

Day Meeting Package*

Valid from 1 March 30 September 2011

Valid until 30 June 2011

Residential Conference Package*

The Pier Geelong

$45

Four Points by Sheraton Geelong Residential Conference Package*

$250

Valid until 31 December 2011

Barwon Heads Resort at 13th Beach Residential Conference Package*

$265

Valid until 31 August 2011

( & & - 0 / ( 5 ) & # & - - " 3 * / & 5 0 3 2 6 ": - 0 3 / &

24

BUSINESS EVENTS FEATURE

Bring your industry’s decision-makers and experts to you…

Why go anywhere else to access the latest information and establish new contacts for your industry? By hosting a meeting, conference or business exhibition in the Geelong Otway region, your organisation can bring industry leaders from across the state, nation, or the world to your doorstep. Host a conference in the Geelong Otway region.

Meetings, conferences and exhibitions can be held for business, scientific or professional development purposes, or all of these. They are wellrecognised as effective mechanisms for sharing knowledge, research and expertise, or promoting commerce and business.

It’s not surprising, then, that by hosting a business event there can be a lot of benefits to your industry sector and the people it serves. These include:

Investment

Knowledge & Performance

Encouraging investment by attracting an often influential audience of participants, which may include politicians. Making contacts of high strategic value can have a long-term impact on your industry.

Enhancing professional development by bringing key expertise into the community where it is accessible to local professionals.

Innovation

Promoting cultural exchange by providing forums for interaction between participants from your local area, Australia and possibly the world.

Stimulating local innovation by providing access to information, new technologies,latest research and developments within your industry sector.

Cultural Exchange

Supporting Community Injecting significant economic benefits into your local community through delegates’ expenditure on a range of facilities and services.

Hosting a conference in the Geelong Otway Region The Geelong Otway region is already a highly desirable conference destination. A large number of business events are held here each year attracted by local industry and commerce, as well as the world-renowned Great Ocean Road and other natural and cultural assets.

To host a conference in the region, the logistics are simple: you can choose from an extensive range of high quality conference facilities, professional event services and accommodation properties. Many venues are located in magnificent waterfront locations alongside thriving cafes and busy esplanades, or within luxury resorts in rugged coastal surrounds.

Pre- and post-tours can include trips to wineries, along the Great Ocean Road, playing golf, learning to surf, walking through rainforests - the list of options is enormous.

So how do you set about bidding for a conference?

Let Business Events Geelong do all the hard work for you.

Whether your business event involves 30 delegates or 1,000, Business Events Geelong can provide a range of FREE services to help you.

They include: • Production of professional bid documents

• Hosting site inspections and familiarisations of the region

• Presentation support and collateral

• Event services referrals and tourism support

• Venue selection and coordination of quotes

• Delegate welcome packs and initiatives to increase event attendance.

So don’t hesitate to contact us to discuss the meeting or conference requirements of your organisation or industry sector. We are here to assist you.

Contact: Business Events Geelong (a division of Geelong Otway Tourism) Level 1, 48 Brougham Street, Geelong VIC 3220 T: 03 5223 2588 E: info@businesseventsgeelong.com.au www.BusinessEventsGeelong.com.au

KEY DOT POINTS: Key motives and outcomes for business events in the Geelong Otway Region Motivations / Needs of your Industry

Industry Outcomes

Host destination benefits

• Develop and share ideas

• Cluster innovation

• Educate and inform

• Investment

•D irect delegate spend (up to $557 per delegate per day)*

• Promote

• Improved organisational performance

• Job creation

• Network / socialise

• Personal development

• Infrastructure investment

• Change attitudes / behaviours

• Increased productivity

• Profile

• Increase sales and trade

• Increased sales

• Community legacies

• Improve performance

• New skills and knowledge • Awareness and media profile

BUSINESS EVENTS FEATURE Geelong Racing Club

Music Workshop “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players”, but behind the scenes have always been the technical experts to allow the stage to be seen by an audience, and the words of those on the stage to be heard.

In Geelong, that behind the scenes technical expertise is drawn from Music Workshop. Established in 1980, three decades in the industry has seen Music Workshop become the go-to guys for installation and hire of sound and lighting equipment.

While the business has its origins in staging production for music tours – have worked on tours from the likes of Johnny O’Keefe, Suzie Quattro and John Farnham, to the subject of GBN’s March profile, Barry Crocker, Kamahl and a host of others, these days it is conferences and conventions, more so than concerts, that the business is focused on.

Music Workshop is the preferred supplier of audiovisual solutions to the Geelong Performing Arts Centre (GPAC) and the Geelong Conference Centre. When the City of Greater Geelong has a major event to be staged, you will more often than not find a crew from Music Workshop setting up sound and lighting. When Marcus Oldham College wanted to stage a gala event, Music Workshop provided the equipment and expertise to give the presentation real presence.

Music Workshop can supply, hire, install and maintain fixed and portable screens, the latest LCD projectors, sound systems and interactive whiteboards, as well as stage, drapes and special effect lighting.

From Warrnambool to Werribee, Greg says the business can install audiovisual equipment in just about any location, providing equipment for conferencing as well as for event production and even live sites. From a roll-in stage right through to a major set stage production; from cocktail parties to conferences; Music Workshop can bring the industry knowledge and experience, creativity, professionalism, reliability and value you need to ensure that your event is one to remember.

The Geelong Racing Club offers you a large selection of meeting, conference and seminar rooms which cater for anywhere between 20-350 guests. The Silks Room is situated on the upper level of the Briseis Stand and features a glass frontage with spectacular views over the track. This elegant room comfortably seats 150 guests with the option of opening the adjoining room to cater for 240 guests.

Our newest venue, the recently renovated Gargan Stand has 2 function rooms, the Media Puzzle Room which accommodates 140 guests, and the new Committee Room which overlooks the winning post and seats 90 guests.

The Dual Choice Café opens out to a relaxed grass courtyard, and is the perfect opportunity to create an alfresco feel to your next social event. This room will seat 300 for dinner. Perhaps you would like to consider a marquee for 600 guests?

You will find our staff creative, unobtrusive and completely dedicated and committed to ensuring quality service and meticulous attention to detail. We understand that your needs and requirements change for each type of function, so we take the time to listen and fully understand what you would like to achieve in holding your meeting or conference.

Our “can do” attitude and experienced team ensures that your every need is taken care of leaving you free to relax and participate. What better way to impress your delegates than by incorporating a race day to add to the excitement?

the perfect backdrop for your next function

Conference Equipment “Industry Leader for Audio Visual Equipment”

* SALES * HIRE * INSTALLATION Data Projectors

39 Fyans St

moorabool St

Kardinia Park

s MEETING ROOMS s 'ROUPS OF s 3PECTACULAR VIEWS s 3UPERB CATERING PACKAGES s !MPLE OFF STREET PARKING

Our "can do" attitude and experienced conference team ensures that your every need is taken care of during your conference.

Package Inclusions: s 2OOM HIRE s -ORNING TEA s 7ORKING LUNCH s !FTERNOON TEA s #ONFERENCE STATIONARY (pads, pens, water, mints) s 3TANDARD !6 EQUIPMENT s )NTERNET !CCESS

• Large Projection Screens • Electronic Whiteboards • PA Systems • Radio Microphones • Audio and Lighting

Sales & Hire Hitachi Data Projectors YAMAHA & JBL AUDIO SYSTEMS

Whether you are planning a large or small conference the Geelong Racing Club can assist you in making your conference or meeting a success.

Geelong Racing Club

Installation Specialists

•

25

39 Fyans St, South Geelong 3220 Ph: 5221 5844

Please contact Danine Bourke on 5229 4414 or email d.bourke@geelong.countryracing.com.au

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . FAX No . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

From Geelong Business News. Ph: 5221 4408 Fax: 5221 3322

26 NTS PROOF

BUSINESS O O EVENTS FEATURE

OK ALTER Signed . . o notification has been received, this advertisement will appear as shown.

High quality quality venue venue in in the the High heart of of the the city city heart Situatedininthe theheart heartof of Geelong’s Geelong’s arts arts and and cultural cultural precinct, Situated precinct, GeelongPerforming PerformingArts Arts Geelong

Centre(GPAC) (GPAC)isisthe the region’s region’s premier premier venue Centre venue for for concerts, concerts, conferences,theatre theatreproductions, productions, performances performances and and community community conferences, events. events.

populardestination destinationfor forartists artists and and audiences audiences alike, alike, GPAC AApopular GPAC is is able able caterfor forall allyour your meeting meeting and and conference conference requirements, totocater requirements, whether whether boardmeeting meetingfor for 10 10 or or a a conference it itisisaaboard conference for for 1500.

1500.

GPACboasts boaststwo twotheatres, theatres, four four conference conference and and event GPAC event spaces, spaces, aa restaurantand andaacafé. café.Among Among these these are: are: restaurant Deakin’sCosta CostaHall Hall Deakin’s

Geelong Conference Centre...

Naturally Geelong Conference Centre recently underwent a $2 million facelift, creating a first-class business and tourism facility in the heart of Eastern Park Gardens. The refurbishment has transformed the centre’s accommodation facilities to four-star standard, as well as providing state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment and modernising the facility’s public areas.

Set in 80 acres of parkland, the centre provides a tranquil and distraction-free environment that is conducive to learning. The gardens provide a stunning backdrop for any corporate or community event, large or small.

Thisgrand grand1500-seat 1500-seatspace spacelocated located at at Deakin Deakin University’s University’s This WaterfrontCampus Campusprovides providesGeelong Geelong with with aa venue venue capable Waterfront capable of of housinglarge-scale large-scaleconcerts, concerts,conferences, conferences, meetings meetings and and lectures. lectures. housing ThePlayhouse Playhouse The This800-seat 800-seatproscenium prosceniumarch archtheatre theatre is is currently currently undergoing undergoing aa This major refurbishment, refurbishment,due duefor for completion completion in in May. May. The major The updated updated and and improvedtheatre theatrewill willcontinue continue to to provide provide a a first-class improved first-class stage stage for for majorlocal, local,Australian Australianand andinternational international performers. performers. major

State-of-the-artfacilities facilitiesand andequipment, equipment, professional professional and and State-of-the-art knowledgeablestaff; staff;full fullin-house in-house catering; catering; day day packages packages knowledgeable available;nearby nearbycar car parking. parking. available; GPAC will ensure your conference or or event event runs GPAC will ensure your conference runs smoothly smoothly from from the the firstphone phonecall calltotothe thelast last cup cup of of coffee. coffee. first

This premier purpose-built residential venue offers the finest facilities, combining modern comfort with the very latest in technology, including wireless broadband internet and complete audio visual packages in every conference room.

Whether it is an intimate meeting or a conference for 200 delegates, Geelong Conference Centre has your every event need covered.

Discover the many benefits of this idyllic conference venue for yourself. Call Geelong Conference Centre today on 03 5226 2121 to arrange a tour of our facilities.

retreat . eat . meet

DramaTheatre Theatre Drama studio-styletheatre theatrewith withaacapacity capacity of of 325, 325, this this venue venue is AAstudio-style is as as pleasurablefor forperformers performersas as itit is is for for the the audience. audience. The pleasurable The theatre theatre isis anideal idealspace spacefor forintimate intimate theatre theatre performances, performances, acoustic an acoustic concerts,comedy, comedy,public publiclectures lecturesand and seminars. seminars. concerts, GPACalso alsooffers: offers: GPAC

n at u ra lly

Eastern Park Gardens East Geelong VIC Ph: (03) 5226 2121

www.gcc.net.au

BUSINESS EVENTS FEATURE St Laurence pushes towards building a resilient (Social Inclusion in) Geelong...

St Laurence Community Services believes the only way to find solutions to minimise social exclusion in Geelong is to be innovative.

The provision of adequate and appropriate social and community services is critical to the region’s and the nation’s future. Social inclusion is the glue that binds us together. If we are to build a stronger society, communities and those who deliver support must find new ways to address disadvantage so that all people can share in the nation’s prosperity.

In order to put social inclusion on Geelong’s map St Laurence continues its series of local conversations. These workshops aim to gain a commitment from business, government and the community sector on the strategies Geelong can use to decrease existing disadvantage.

Social inclusion has much to offer traditional community organisations, businesses and an increasingly overburdened government sector. The conversation aims to: • Understand what social inclusion means for Geelong • Promote cultural and organisational change • Enhance collaboration across the three sectors in Geelong • Develop a Plan of Action that participants will implement The first conference for 2011 will be held on 13 April 2011 from 10.30 – 3pm and builds on previous conferences held in 2010. If you are committed to action rather than attending another talkfest join us in a conversation and help us to help you be a driver of change in our community.

27

Escape to Torquay Embracing the classic Australian holiday attributes of sun, surf and sand - all wrapped in a premium golf resort environment - Peppers The Sands Resort is paradise found for sports enthusiasts and those that love to relax.

Perched on the northern headland of Torquay, the resort boasts modern architecture and first-class facilities, offering the perfect setting for a short break just 20 minutes from Geelong.

Peppers The Sands Resort offers a selection of spacious rooms featuring private balconies or terraces with stunning views of the surrounding 18-hole Championship golf course, coastal dunes and Surf Coast.

Aside from fabulous golfing, guests can also enjoy onsite leisure activities such as a refreshing swim in the heated indoor lap pool or work out in the state-of-the-art Health Club. Outside, there are tennis, netball and basketball courts nestled amongst the sand dunes.

The resort’s signature restaurant, Hanners Restaurant & Bar, is also one of the region’s most desired culinary experiences offering modern Australian cuisine and fabulous views.

Stroll along the sandy beach, venture into the town of Torquay or explore the region’s treasures such as the legendary Bells Beach, boutique wineries, restaurants, colourful cafes, galleries, fishing, surfing and scenic tours along the coast.

Peppers The Sands Resort also caters for conferences and events of all sizes, ranging from small meetings for 10 delegates to large scale events for 400 delegates theatre style.

Experience Peppers. Call 1300 987 600 or visit www.peppers.com.au

Participants at Social Inclusion Conference 2010

SOCIAL INCLUSION C O N F E R E N C E

An invitation to Board Directors, CEOs and Senior Managers

Social Inclusion:

Continuing the conversation This seminar will continue to facilitate a commitment to working together using social inclusion to strengthen the community sector and the way we engage government and business sectors.

We want to engage with leaders who are eager to exchange ideas, discuss topics, create collaborative partnerships and who have a commitment to build more socially inclusive partnerships.

Wednesday 13 April 2011, 10.30 – 3.00 pm Venue: Four Points Sheraton, 10–14 Eastern Beach Road, Geelong

RSVP: Honnie Tregenza Email: htregenza@stlaurence.org.au Ph: 03 5246 4504 www.stlaurence.org.au

It’s all about finding the perfect balance between work and play Perched on the northern headland of Torquay, Peppers The Sands Resort provides a stunning environment for escaping. Enjoy a round on the 18-hole championship golf course, savour the tastes of signature restaurant, Hanners Restaurant and Bar, or plan your next event in the state of the art conference centre with breathtaking views of the course. For business, leisure or a special occasion, rest assured, the Peppers team will make your entire experience all about you.

Experience Peppers. Call (03) 5264 3333 or visit peppers.com.au

28

BUSINESS EVENTS FEATURE

Conference Planning Tips.

If you are about to engage in the task of conference planning, here are some handy tips to keep in mind.

Tip #1 Never assume you can handle all the details yourself. Firstly assemble a planning committee of five to six people to put together your conference. The committee as a whole is more likely to address key aspects of the conference well in advance.

Tip #2 Begin making preparations as soon as possible. Conference planning experts often begin work on an event ten to eleven months in advance.

Tip #3 Assign members of the committee with specific tasks to accomplish. Prioritize and have a delivery date, with members each responsible for a specific set of tasks to complete before the next meeting.

Tip #4 Always get commitments in writing. You want written booking verification from the venue as well as detailed information on what the venue will provide in the way of conference rooms, dinners and accommodation.

Tip #5 If applicable, provide trade exhibitors for the event with detailed instructions and simple schematics which indicate where each exhibition booth can be set up at the conference.

Tip #6 Expect the unexpected. No matter how thoroughly you plan the event, there will always be a hiccup. Draw on the collective experience of your committee to identify some of the most common last-minute issues that could arise, and decide in advance how to handle them.

Tip #7 Our the friendly crew at Eagle Creative will help you with all your design, printing and display material. Eagle Creative in Pakington Street has been helping Geelong businesses create memorable conference display material for over 15 years.

Once the planning is done efficiently, your goal is really twofold in nature. You want the flow of the conference to be as even as possible. At the same time, you also want to make sure that any unforeseen issues can be addressed quickly and effectively. By planning ahead, delegating tasks to an able committee, and processing action items in a logical manner, you are sure to keep the conference planning process manageable and ultimately very successful.

Pullup Banners THE SPECIALISTS Eagle Creative is Geelong’s design and large format digital printing, laminating, pullup banner and display specialists.

Ask us about our range of conference promotion and marketing services.

Call our design team and we’ll help you prepare for your conference.

creative

9 Pakington Street Geelong West Phone: 5229 2022 www.eaglecreative.com.au

We make it easy for your event large or small to be a success. Book your next meeting or conference here and enjoy state-of-the-art facilities, personalised service and great rates.

Its simple at Four Points.

Day Event Packages from $50* Residential Event Packages from $250*

BUSINESS EVENTS FEATURE Function & Conference Room at The Sphinx Hotel.

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Resort to the unCONVENTIONal Cumberland Conference Centre, located on the Great Ocean Road in the heart of Lorne, combines outstanding conference and accommodation facilities. The purpose built Conference Centre offers 8 versatile meeting rooms, extensive recreation facilities and superb onsite dining options – making Cumberland Lorne Resort ideal for your next convention, conference, product launch or trade display.

The completely pillar-less Louttit Bay room is the perfect venue fro a large exhibition, product launch or trade show. Direct entry allows for easy access and set up – cars can be driven straight onto the meeting room floor. For smaller groups, Louttit Bay can be divided into two or three separate rooms, each seating up to 50 delegates classroom style. Each of the rooms connect directly to a foyer, bar and registration area.

The Cumberland Conference Centre auditorium accommodates up to 350 delegates comfortable fixed tiered seating, this venue is ideal for large corporate presentations and lectures.

For that special occasion whether it be a Conference, Wedding, Birthday, Anniversary or Xmas Party, the Luxor Lounge is the ideal venue. Set in warm, comfortable surrounds, you can’t beat the atmosphere this room has to offer. We can cater for any budget, whether it be a seated meal or cocktail party, our catering consultant can design a menu to suit, providing personalised professional service.

Horizons is an ideal private dining or meeting option, offered exclusively to conference delegates, private functions and weddings. Located on the top floor of the Conference Centre, Horizons features spacious privacy, full bar and a large balcony with sensational views over Louttit Bay.

The New Luxor lounge can cater for up to: • 500 guests standing cocktail style • 450 guests theatre/conference style • 300 guests seated with dancing • 350 guests seated without dancing • Catering for functions from 40-380 people

Cumberland Lorne Resort offers 92 beautifully appointed one and two bedroom and split level penthouse apartments. Each apartment is self contained featuring private balcony, spacious open living area with kitchen, laundry facilities and modern bathroom with luxurious corner spa. The master bedroom has a queen size bed and in the two bedroom apartment, the second bedroom has two king size single beds. Penthouse apartments offer the ultimate in luxury with two bedrooms, two balconies and two spa bathrooms. All apartments have a sofa bed in the lounge area.

If you would like somewhere to have a meeting or a smaller intimate room for your event, we have the Alexandra Room which caters from 40-100 people.

Activities provide a welcome break from conference schedules and enhance the team building experience, ensuring delegates are revitalised, refreshed and ready to concentrate. The Cumberland event team can arrange an extensive selection of indoor and outdoor activities to suit your conference requirements.

We can also arrange decorating and entertainment from a Juke Box, DJ or band.

Telephone (03) 5278 2911 for all enquiries or email julie@sphinxhotel.com.au for price list and menus.

From your first enquiry till the last guest leaves, we will make this the night of your dreams!!

For any conference and event or accommodation enquiries, please contact Cumberland Lorne Resort: 150 Mountjoy Parade, Lorne Victoria 3232.

Ph: 03 5289 4489 Email: events@cumberland.com.au www.cumberland.com.au

SPHINX HOTEL

349,)3( #/.&%2%.#% &5.#4)/. #%.42%

s Catering from 40-350 guests s Conferences s Weddings s Parties or any occasion. s Menu's to suit all requirements and budgets. s Full Bar Facilities. s Technical Facilities & Stage Area s Accommodation, Restaurant, Bar/Tab Free off Street Parking

Resort to the unCONVENTIONal at Cumberland Conference Centre

4HOMPSON 2OAD .ORTH 'EELONG 0H WWW SPHINXHOTEL COM AU INFO SPHINXHOTEL COM AU

150 Mountjoy Parade, Lorne VIC Phone: (03) 5289 4489 Email: events@cumberland.com.au www.cumberland.com.au

30

COMMENT

Time for certainty on carbon tax The big issue for large and small businesses alike in Australia at the moment is the Federal Government’s planned carbon tax; with a planned start date of July 2012.

The announcement however, beyond the commencement date for pricing carbon in Australia, contained precious little detail, and has only served to heighten the uncertainty businesses are experiencing about future costs, especially those relating to energy and transport. While at least we have a date that businesses can be prepared for, there’s no indication of what exactly they should be prepared for, come the middle of 2012.

The constant changing of positions from this Government, from the initially proposed emissions trading scheme (ETS), to the ill-fated citizens’ assembly, and now the carbon tax (which was ruled out in last year’s federal election campaign), which will run for a number of years before a transition to a market-based mechanism.

The feeling of annoyance and frustration among many businesses is palpable and extends across the spectrum from those who support carbon pricing to those who vehemently oppose it.

The delay in the ETS caused those in the gas and renewable energy sectors, and other businesses that stand to gain from a carbon price, to consider delaying investment themselves. Now they’re still none the wiser. In

a sense, the posturing of the past three years has produced the worst of both worlds.

Apart from a shared distaste for the emission trading issue being ruthlessly used as a political football, investment uncertainty has been massive, and power prices for small businesses and households have skyrocketed.

The Government’s current focus has been all stick and no carrot. Do we need a big new tax to deliver the objectives of emissions reductions, or a well-constructed incentive regime of tax cuts to encourage research, development and investment in new technologies?

Resource efficiency has also been seen as a poor cousin to taxation approaches, even though it produces win-wins. Optimal use of power not only helps the environment, but also saves money. Some believe that all that is needed is for the emissions externality to be priced and market forces will do the rest of the heavy lifting – sadly, this is not going to be true.

In Victoria, 6,000 megawatts (MW) of new capacity will be required to meet projected demand in 2030 (about two-thirds of the current fleet capacity), without a carbon price driving the retirement of the State’s existing brown coal generating fleet. Twelve thousand megawatts of new capacity is likely to be required by 2030 if the current fleet needs to be replaced. This represents an investment in new generation capacity in the order of $18

billion to $36 billion by 2030. Even with the greater use of gas, the investment in new capacity required to meet our future energy demands will not get us the emissions reductions governments are targeting.

Energy innovation is required across the whole energy system to ensure we can close the gap between what current technologies can provide and where we need to go.

Up to $10 billion could be required to upgrade the Victorian transmission system to get electricity from new power stations to the major load centres, and an additional $5 billion may be required to upgrade gas supply capacity to supply gas to new gas-fired power stations.

No silver bullet technology will transform Australia’s energy systems – the solution rests with a diverse mix of technologies that draw on the resource potential of the nation.

Innovation will be required in every part of our energy system, from resource processing to electricity generation and developing lowcarbon energy skills in our workforce.

The energy industry estimates at least $50 billion is required to drive smart transmission and distribution infrastructure Australia wide.

No silver bullet technology will transform Australia’s energy systems – the solution rests with a diverse mix of technologies that draw on the resource potential of the nation.

As the discussions continue, we hope there will be extensive consultation with and consideration of small businesses, which have been wrongfully left out of the picture so far.

Any carbon pricing arrangement must cater for the needs of small business and ensure that their trading conditions aren’t unnecessarily harmed and their costs don’t inflate to the extent where their operations are jeopardised.

With small business conditions extremely difficult at the moment, it’s imperative our politicians consider small business.

TAX

31

Tax planning – plan now for June 30 Businesses and investors should discuss tax planning issues with their accountant to achieve maximum results and minimise tax prior to the end of the financial year. Here are some strategies to consider: -A ny bad debts should be written off prior to 30 June and minutes prepared approving the write-off. This will also enable an adjustment for any GST charged on the original invoice.

-S hares must generally be held “at risk” for at least 45 days for entitlement to franking credits. Individuals and superannuation funds can receive a refund of excess imputation credits. Unutilised excess franking credits in a company are able to be carried forward as a revenue loss.

-N on-commercial loss provisions restrict the ability of an individual who carries on a ‘noncommercial’ business activity to offset that loss against other income earned in that income year. The provisions will not apply if certain tests are satisfied. There are exceptions for primary producers and artists.

-P AYG payment summaries must be provided to employees by 14 July 2011 and lodged with the ATO by 14 August 2011.

-T here are special rules about the tax treatment of Personal Services Income (PSI). The rules can apply to individuals, contractors and contracting entities by either: - limiting the deductions available; or - a ttributing personal services income derived by an entity to the individual.

-A n individual or personal services entity is subject to the PSI rules unless it can show the “results test” is satisfied; or it does not derive 80% or more of its income from one client and passes one of three other tests.

-O nly prepayments required by law (e.g. worker’s compensation insurance) and amounts of less than $1,000 are deductible as incurred.

- I f you or your “associates” borrowed money, received a benefit, or had debt forgiven from a private company during the year, the Division 7A rules may apply to treat such loans as unfranked dividends paid to you.

You are a Small Business Entity (SBE) if you carry on business and your aggregated turnover is less than $2 million or is likely to be less than $2 million. SBE’s can choose to access certain concessions including:

Superannuation contributions in respect of the quarter ending 30 June 2011 must be made before 30 June for a deduction to be available in the 2011 year. For family businesses, consider maximising concessional contributions for key individuals. Concessional contributions are limited to $25,000 up to the age of 50, and $50,000 over 50 years. Contributions above these caps are subject to tax at the top marginal tax rate.

Superannuation contributions in respect of the quarter ending 30 June 2011 must be made before 30 June for a deduction to be available in the 2011 year. For family businesses, consider maximising concessional contributions for key individuals. Concessional contributions are limited to $25,000 up to the age of 50, and $50,000 over 50 years. Contributions above these caps are subject to tax at the top marginal tax rate.

Trading stock can be valued at different individual methods for each item of stock: - Cost - Sales Value - Lower of Market Value or Replacement Cost.

- s implified depreciation and trading stock rules; -E ntrepreneurs tax offset of 25% available where turnover is lower than $75,000.

If you sell your business or the entity that carries on the business, or are considering selling your business in the future, please contact us prior to entering into any agreement, to discuss eligibility to these concessions.

Conduct a stocktake before year-end and identify obsolete items. Determine whether to conduct “sales” prior to 30 June 2011.

Consider issues associated with the timing of income close to year-end, such as: - the time of billing work in progress; - timing of sales income; and - the date of entering into a contract for the sale of CGT assets.

Maximising Allowable Deductions Expenses that are incurred before year end can reduce taxable income. Consider up and coming liabilities and the value in incurring them before year end. Allowable deductions can include: - paying directors’ fees or bonuses; - minor repairs on property and machinery; - pooling depreciating assets; - s crapping of obsolete or broken depreciating assets; and -d epreciation claim on your investment property. There is potential to increase by obtaining a quantity surveyor report Four specific small business concessions may apply to reduce capital gains from the sale of your business. These are: A 15 year exemption A 50% reduction for active assets

Wendy Maloney, Principal, Accounting and Business Advisory

$500,000 Retirement concession; and Replacement asset roll-over relief

- CGT concessions; - i mmediate deductions for certain prepaid expenditure;

If the 15 year exemption does not apply, you may apply one, two or all three of the remaining concessions.

Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation other than for the acts or omissions of financial services licensees. WHK Pty Ltd ABN 84 006 466 351

32

RECRUITMENT

On the move: global workforce mobility Australian HR and recruitment professionals must be prepared to think strategically about workforce mobility in order to recruit successfully over the next two decades, according to recruiting experts, Hays.

In its Hays Journal, the recruiter provides insight on how the pace of mobility and the supply of talent will test businesses. It looks at how taking a strategic approach to long-term talent supply can give you an edge in an increasingly competitive skills market.

operation. This includes managing tax, regulatory, relocation and immigration requirements, as well as systems, compensation and cultural issues. It also includes access to a strategic, globally focused recruitment service backed up by extensive international networks.

"The world we live and work in is changing at an ever-increasing rate. The ability to strategically manage global mobility will be the cornerstone of retaining a hard-won competitive edge in the decades to come."

"We live in an age when corporations and industry sectors are becoming borderless and there is an increasing need for talent to move, not only from city to city, but also from country to country," said Nigel Heap, Managing Director of Hays in Asia Pacific.

"At the same time, talent shortages will become one of the biggest challenges facing organisations over the next two decades. So, while organisations can attract and recruit from a much wider geography than ever before, which has obvious advantages when skills are in short supply, the global talent pipeline will also create serious new challenges for HR to navigate."

HR and recruitment professionals will need to actively manage, model and plan for the pressure points they are likely to face globally.

"For example, the challenge may be to manage or stem a flow away from an economy or region, creating a focus on retention and attraction. Or it may involve navigating within or around increasingly protectionist political climates, whether this involves legislation to limit inward skilled migration or more robust laws to protect 'local' jobs, or prevent the outward migration of local skilled labour," said Nigel.

"In addition, in the context of a global jobs market, whole regions, sectors or industries will need to work harder to position themselves as attractive to international professionals."

The answers: In a borderless hiring market, understanding what matters most to staff in different parts of the world is vital.

"Hiring managers will need to understand the flow of their talent pipeline and know why people move and what drives this movement of talent around the globe," Nigel said.

"Organisations will also need regionally tailored approaches. For example, they may need to focus on compensation and benefits in one area, but career development in another.

"Already, more organisations are recruiting global mobility managers to liaise between HR and line or senior managers to ensure the smooth flow of talent between their global

"Why take that risk, when instead hiring managers could match the experience of working at their organisation with what they sell during the recruitment process? By being honest, they'll attract the right type of candidate who shares the company's values and who is committed to what the company stands for.

They'll foster a much stronger employeremployee relationship.

"For example, an organisation might claim to support work/life balance or ongoing development, but they donít provide training, study leave or flexible rosters. In this case, the reality of the workplace doesn't match the promised values. Or they may claim to have an inclusive culture, but donít give staff the opportunity to provide feedback," he said.

But Grahame warns that the failure to deliver the communicated values extends beyond creating a detrimental employment relationship; it also has the potential to damage future attraction efforts.

Workplaces that fail to match the sales pitch Almost one in three employees say the reality of working for their organisation is nothing like they were expecting, according to a Hays survey.

In the survey of 900 people, 26 per cent said the experience of working for their current employer has been what they were expecting.

A further 42 per cent said that the experience has been, in some ways, what they were expecting, but in other ways not. Thirty-two per cent said the experience of working for their employer is nothing like they thought it would be.

"The expectations of what a company is like to work for are largely formed during the recruiting process," said Grahame Doyle, Director of Hays.

"Certainly, a candidate will apply for certain roles over others, based on their initial perceptions of the company and their research on the company, but for the most part they form more solid expectations of what it would be like to work there during face-to-face interviews and interactions with the hiring and direct managers.

"When an organisation communicates a certain message about what itís like as a place to work, but this message doesnít match the reality of their workplace, itís very disappointing and unsettling for the employee. It also creates a huge turnover risk for the company.

"We now operate in an employment market where social networking gives candidates the opportunity to share their employment experience with a global audience - and this includes future potential employees of a company. This could potentially have a crushing impact on an organisationís employment brand," he said.

What do you stand for?

"That's why we suggest that in any recruiting process, the hiring manager communicates the essence of what the company stands for, its culture and what makes it unique. In this way, they'll communicate honestly to potential employees what it is really like to work for the organisation and why long-term employees are retained.

"But this is more than just decorative sentences. What you communicate should represent the sum of the working experience at your company so you attract candidates that are the right 'fit'.

“Consistency is the key. Keep the messages consistent, not just during the recruitment process, but during every interaction your business makes. The impact of either not being consistent or not delivering what your values promised during the recruitment process will be seen in turnover levels,” Grahame said.

Hays, the worldís leading recruiting experts in qualified, professional and skilled people.

LEGAL

OH&S discrimination can prove costly A recent WorkSafe prosecution brought against a large stevedoring company, whose operations were based at the Geelong Port, has set a strong precedent in the area of discrimination and occupational health and safety in the workplace.

The Magistrates’ Court found that a unit manager had unlawfully discriminated against another employee (who also happened to be the elected health and safety representative) by suspending the experienced stevedore and threatening to sack him after the employee raised operational safety concerns.

The issue raised by the employee related to the implementation of a new lifting method for unloading steel from vessels docked at the wharf. The employee was concerned that he and fellow workers were unfamiliar with the new method, as well as the fact the company’s occupational health and safety committee had not been consulted prior to the new method’s implementation.

The Court found the company was in breach of section 76 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (Vic), which prohibits discrimination by an employer against an employee on grounds that relate to workplace health and safety. The company was convicted and fined $180,000.

Employers are liable for prosecution under this section of the Act if an employer dismisses, injures or alters the position of an employee’s employment to his or her detriment (or threatens to do so) if an employee raises an

issue or concern about workplace health and safety.

Companies convicted of breaching this provision of the Act face financial penalties of up to $300,000. Employers should always seek advice prior to taking any disciplinary action where health and safety issues are concerned. Employers should also ensure that detailed company policies are maintained, which deal with the treatment of occupational health and safety matters raised by employees.

Rohan Kux, Lawyer

Injuring an employee’s employment or altering the employee’s position to his or her detriment can include a wide range of factors, such as: • a demotion or wage reduction; • less flexible work hours; • fewer training opportunities; or • i solation or exclusion from organisational activities.

Liability of the employer under this provision will be proven if the dominant reason for detrimental action being taken by the employer was due to the employee raising a health and safety issue. Businesses should be aware that employers bear the onus of disproving this ‘dominant reason’ test.

Jim Rutherford, Principal and Accredited Specialist in Criminal Law and Workplace Relations Law

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34

ADVERTISING FEATURE

High standards set for the 'waste' industry Providing a range of asset, liquid waste and environmental solutions for Government and industry, the company established by Darren Bartlett in 1989 has grown from Bartlett’s Waste Management to the newly rebranded Bartlett’s Environmental - a name that says much about the company’s commitment to conserving the environment and the implementation of sustainable practices.

“Bartlett’s uses a range of innovative technology to reduce environmental impacts through reduced potable water use, waste minimisation techniques and more efficient transportation,” explains Darren.

“We’re constantly looking for ways to use technologies that offer new solutions for the future.”

The most recent of these technologies is Mobile Dewatering; a system developed in Europe that removes water from a variety of liquid wastes onsite and then returns the water to the source.

“Our Mobile Dewatering units eliminate the need to transport waste streams

containing water, consequently reducing the carbon emissions associated with the transportation of waste. It also increases the opportunity to reuse a valuable resource,” Darren says. “The technology is a first for Australia and we think it will revolutionise the management of waste and the recovery of waste resources.”

Bartlett’s uses a range of innovative technology to reduce environmental impacts through reduced potable water use, waste minimisation techniques and more efficient transportation...

In keeping with its commitment to sustainability, Bartlett's is currently undertaking a lifecycle mapping project in partnership with EPA Victoria and the University of NSW. “The project has helped our business and the EPA to understand the environmental impacts of each element within the Dewatering process, including raw

material extraction, processing, transportation, disposal and reuse of waste as a resource,” says Darren.

Mobile Dewatering is only the latest in a long list of ‘firsts’ for Bartlett’s and technology. In 2009, responding to the growing need to conserve water, the company purchased the ‘ReCycler’ combination unit, a first of its kind in Victoria. Specifically developed for drain and sewer cleaning jobs, the recycling system processes 785 litres per minute, ensuring continuous recycling of the jetting water and eliminating the need to use potable water.

The company was also the first in the Geelong region to take up hydro excavation, a non-destructive method of locating and excavating around underground assets, and has designed and built a patented spot spraying applicator for the treatment of tree roots in waste water systems. This innovative process uses up to 99% less chemical than traditional methods of root treatment.

New Name, New Outlook, Same Quality Service Asset, Liquid Waste & Environmental Solutions Environmental

Check out our New Website!

Grease Trap Management

Drain Cleaning

Liquid Waste Management

Hydro Excavation

Mobile Dewatering

CCTV Inspections

High Pressure Cleaning

Dredging

Asset Management

Vacuum Loading

Confined Space Entries

Project Management

(03) 5248 7955

24/7 Emergency Response

www.bartlettsenvironmental.com.au

ADVERTISING FEATURE

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Mobile Dewatering Technology

Advantages of the Mobile Dewatering System

The investment in Mobile Dewatering technology highlights Bartlett’s eagerness to embrace new technologies offering new solutions for a sustainable future.

•S ignificantly reduce CO2 emissions through more efficient transportation

Bartlett’s Mobile Dewatering units are providing a fresh approach to the sustainable management of wastes whilst considering changing environmental, customer and regulatory needs.

• I ncrease the opportunity to recover and reuse valuable resources

In comparison to traditional liquid waste tankers, the Dewatering Units bring about significant environmental benefits by reducing the volume of waste to be transported.

•R eclamation of water from the waste stream and a reduction in potable water use

Mobile Dewatering offers Bartlett’s customers benefits through improved waste management techniques, while at the same time providing significant environmental benefits through reduced fuel consumption.

• Suitable for a wide variety of liquid wastes • More responsible waste management

Special to Thanks to Bartlett's Environmental's Proud Proud Suppliers Special Thanks Bartlett’s Environmental’s Suppliers:

‘We Are selective About Our Meat’

AD&HM

Robertson have developed six distinct business activities.

Robertson’s Organic Recycling.

Irrigated Lucerne and hay.

Blended soil for landscaping and agriculture.

Andrew with lucerne hay produced using compost.

Flowers specialising in growing roses and lilliums.

Andrew Robertson inspectig a crop of Sorghum fertilised with recycled compost.

Nursery - potted plants, special occasion and wedding flower arrangements.

Retail outlet - Robertson’s Farmgate Flowers and Produce.

David turning compost at the recycling site.

For further details call Andrew Robertson 0407 522 053

Helen Robertson and daughter Kylie at ‘Robertson’s Farmgate Flowers and Produce’

Robertson’s Farmgate Flowers and Produce Surfcoast Hwy, Mount Duneed.

Call Kylie on 0408 313 343

ADVERTISING FEATURE

AD & HM Robertson Organic Waste Recylers

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The ReCycler Drain Cleaning Unit

AD & HM Robertson is a family business, which has been established for 30 years. The business is primarily involved in agriculture but over the past 20 years has innovated to develop a sustainable recycling waste management operation.

The business originally began recycling the waste product from wool left over from the scouring process. The product washed from the sheep’s back is primarily dirt, fertilizer wool and manure. This product was then put through a process and broken down over a number of years to return it to a valuable organic fertilizer, which was then mixed with loam to produce an organic blended soil. This earth product was then used back on the farm for agriculture including growing irrigated lucerne, roses and flowers on a commercial basis.

This product is also recycled through the nursery and garden supply business, which was developed as a natural progression to grow the business and complete the recycling loop. The creative solutions developed by Andrew Robertson to recycle had the effect of reducing the environmental impact of what was previously considered waste and disposed of through landfill.

From these early beginnings Robertson’s worked with the EPA and the CSIRO to develop processes to recycle other waste products and return them to a useful organic blended soil. In 1994 AD & HM Robertson received a Green award under the EPA’s Cleaner Production Program. Along the way the business has expanded and now works with many large organisations like Bartlett’s Environmental who are also committed to sustainable waste solutions.

Andrew has always had a passion for water, earth and growing things and has understood the cycle and importance of air and utilizing the energy in organic material. As a farmer he has learnt the importance of working with nature and

Bartlett’s purchased the ‘ReCycler’ combination unit in response to climatic conditions and the growing need to conserve water.

The ReCycler was especially developed for drain and sewer cleaning jobs in which the fully automatic cleaning process ensures continuous recycling of the jetting water.

Processing 785 litres per minute; this technology eliminates the need for the regions drinking water to be used and provides significant environmental and financial benefits.

By eliminating the need to refill this unit with water, the ReCycler also significantly improves onsite productivity.

has used this experience and expertise to return ‘earth back to earth’.

Following his lead, the Robertson family has been involved in various aspects of the agricultural and recycling business following simple and practical environmental principles.

AD & HM Robertson is proud of the technological advancements, which have been incorporated into the composting process in the past years. The organisation has a committed and skilled workforce with diverse skills from driving excavators to growing, irrigating and harvesting crops and herbs to growing roses and creating beautiful bouquets for elegant weddings.

Robertson’s support the vision of Bartlett’s ‘to focus on reducing environmental impacts by providing business solutions’ and have now worked with them for several years using cooperative and complementary business initiatives.

Robertson’s are committed to continually exploring new techniques and have significantly grown their business in recent years. Robertson’s are proud to be known for the recycling processes that have been developed in producing organic products and the contribution it has made to sustainable environmental solutions to organic waste management.

Advantages of the ReCycler Increase efficiency by up to 60% Significantly reduce potable water use Reduce CO2 emissions

38

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Our Mission

We will develop strategic relationships with our customers and business partners, and work collectively to deliver effective and efficient outcomes in liquid waste, hydro excavation, asset management and other environmental services.

We will utilise innovative methodology and technology to provide sustainable solutions and manage environmental risk.

Who is nem? How can nem help your business?

Non Executive Management (nem) was founded in 2001 by three former senior corporate executives who saw an opportunity to assist a wide range of organisations to accelerate the achievement of their business objectives.

Aimed primarily at private enterprise, nem developed a non-conventional approach to assisting businesses. This approach focused on establishing a clear understanding of the fundamental issues facing each business and identifying the blockages and obstacles that caused them. Critically, ensuring that management and all stakeholders understand what the barriers are, is vital to the client making a commitment to addressing them.

The nem approach has been extremely successful and can be applied by just about any business that is endeavoring to drive business improvement.

Known as the VALUE Encounter™ methodology, the nem approach of connecting with clients and effective networking has been proven to accelerate business development activity. Supported by research for which a doctorate has been awarded, the approach has been successfully applied to a wide range of industries and professional services firms. nem has grown to over 40 Partners operating nationally from six offices in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Geelong, Adelaide and Perth. nem is now arguably Australia’s largest boutique consulting firm, offering non executive management services to the SME market. In particular, nem focuses on the $2 million to $100 million annual turnover segment where the majority

of our referral networks also have most of their client activity. nem is an active and trusted advisor to such businesses. nem relies on the expertise of the individual Partners to undertake independent business reviews, to identify strategies and to document agreed implementation programs. They then work with the client’s internal resources and existing external service providers to guide, monitor and assess progress towards achieving key objectives. This contrasts significantly with a conventional consulting approach that relies on a team of staff, many of whom are commercially inexperienced, working independently of management.

All Partners of nem are past senior corporate executives or successful business owners. While they are commercially remunerated and focused, their primary driver is a genuine desire to assist and impart knowledge in a sector that is poorly serviced by conventional consultants. The firm only engages where value added outcomes can be achieved, has modest rates and does not operate a leveraged structure.

Following a referral from Enterprise Connect with whom nem has an excellent relationship, nem is currently very pleased to be working with Bartlett’s Environmental and being involved with management in helping to develop and implement their corporate growth strategy.

If you would like to know more about nem and how nem can help your business, please call Chris Mitchell 0414 885 026 or Andrew Jones 0404 480 527 for a confidential discussion.

With the help of advice from nem, the performance of your business will accelerate

For a confidential discussion please call: Chris Mitchell - 0414 885 026 Andrew Jones - 0404 480 527

nem Australasia Pty Ltd - Business Advisors Brisbane | Sydney | Melbourne | Geelong | Adelaide | Perth

40

EBIZ

How suite it is...

Adobe has been at the forefront of innovation for graphics, web design, vision design, document workflow and much more.

In a fast moving, global society of rapidly changing technology, keeping up with and surpassing the constant changes in computers and mobile devices that bombard us on a daily basis is a mammoth task which Adobe tackles with relish.

Now that Adobe has become the dominant force in these business categories it has created the workflow suite for all, and it is the Adobe CS (Creative Suite) 5 Master Collection.

This software package has your essentials like Photoshop, In Design, Illustrator, Flash Builder, Acrobat 9 Pro, Fireworks, Premier Pro and Dreamweaver, just to name a few.

Adobe Creative Suite Master Collection is the motherload of graphic design tools and, regardless of your field of expertise and whether or not you use Creative Suite 5's apps alone or together, you'll grow to love the ease at which you can move images, videos, flash files and documents around the mega factory.

Adobe gives us a complete suite in an entire business category with a complete workflow that empowers creation, assembly, analysis, distribution and monitoring of work that simply leap frogs over whatever combination of tools you may be using now.

Find out more at adobe.com.au.

Mobile Devices vs The World Anyone who believes we're nearing some sort of saturation point with mobile phones or iPad style tablet devices ought to check out this latest data from investment bank RBC Capital Markets.

It shows an estimated 394 million people already possess one of these newfangled gadgets and while the world's population may not be a relevant metric here, it does stagger the brain to know that the tally of

mobile subscribers worldwide stands at just over five billion and dwarfs every other form of communication or computing.

The total of nearly 1.3 billion PCs should also be encouraging for companies seeking a market for their tablets and you can expect many more to hit our shores before Christmas.

GADGETS

41

Flashes of brilliance No bones about it

Throw a little light on it

X-rays were discovered in 1896, and recently, a team of researchers at Maastricht University Medical Centre in Holland pulled a 1896 X-Ray machine off the shelf to compare it with the here and now. The first devices pumped out around 1,500 times more radiation than new equipment in order to produce its results. That aside, whilst they are less sharp and detailed than modern X-rays, for snaps taken 115 years ago, they still look pretty good if you ask me.

Regular readers will know of my fascination with the James Bond style Keyport for real men, (and women). If you haven’t already rushed out and procured one, there’s now an LED-tipped insert so you can more easily unlock poorly lit keyholes everywhere. It sure beats the flashlightin-mouth method (on a number of fronts).

USB Cufflinks

Lunchbox for Nerds Ever wanted to tell your significant other, how grateful (or ungrateful) you are for your packed lunch, but not keen on having an awkward face-toface dialog about it? Well, now you can. A research group in Japan hacked up a nerdy lunch box - consisting of a Creative webcam and a mini tablet device just for this purpose. When the lunchbox is opened initially, the webcam will start recording the box being prepared at home; and when it's opened again at work, it automatically starts playing back the preparation footage while simultaneously recording the diner munching away. Obviously, you can throw in the occasional ‘wow, this is great’ while you're at it. Sounds like the perfect gift for the school kids.

Who’d have guessed that wearable storage would look so darn dapper.

Not only are these handmade cuffs downright beautiful, they're also pretty useful as each features an 8GB flash storage chip with the utterly ubiquitous USB connector attached. What may stop you in your tracks as you reach for your wallet is the $225 one will have to pay to sport this unique pair of hand-carved, walnut-enclosed memory sticks. Any takers?

42

SMALL BIZ

A thought experiment This story is pure speculation and it is written as a thought exercise. The value will come to you from thinking about your version of the actions that would need to be taken.

In recent weeks we have been able to read about the struggle that Borders have been experiencing, and I am glad that the Geelong store will survive. But this exercise is not about Borders so much as this store is well known and an excellent model to use as a base for business development.

So, for this exercise, I would like you to imagine that you won the lotto and you were able to purchase the Geelong Borders outlet and re-branded it (Your Name or favourite brand).

It might take a few months to make the transition, but in our imagination, we could drive by the wonderful store and now see your name up high as the new shop logo. But, let’s continue our thought exercise now with this new business that you lead.

When we start a business, we have to be clear about what we are selling. The obvious trap that we won’t fall into is to think that we are selling books. To understand what this new business is selling, you need to walk around and talk to some customers. Over there is a delightfully dressed grey haired lady; she is reaching up for a travel book. She may purchase the book, but what is she buying?

The book is the medium that gives her the value, but it isn’t the value that she is wanting.

Imagine that you went and spoke to her and found that she was thinking of going on a group holiday, but was concerned about the risks in Amsterdam.

Then, over in another section, a young man is browsing in the IT section. Again, through a simple chat, you find that he wants to develop his career in IT but can’t seem to get through the interview process; in desperation he plans to increase his technical skills. Let us drift to the fiction section and we can see a middle aged woman picking up book after book, reading the blurb, but not purchasing. She stays for 40 minutes and leaves without purchase. Why? The first step in a business development process is to understand what the customers perceive your business is about. We need to forget that customers are buying a product or service, as that is a distraction. We need to think about the utility the customer gets from our product or services – how do they use it, where do they use it, who are they with at the time of use, and on and on the drill goes.

Eventually, we have a thorough knowledge of the customer and their application. This is the tactical information; without good tactical information we can’t build a useful strategy.

Error Number One - senior management often builds a strategy because of the business needs, rather than seeking the tactical requirements of the customer and work from the customer upwards. Okay, so by spending time with the customer we have skirted that trap – but wait there is more!

For the next part of the gedenken (Thought experiment), we need to borrow and adapt a Chinese philosophy that says, ‘keep your friends close and your enemies’ even closer’ – Keep your compliments close, but you can’t

progress until you personalise your criticisms by owning them.

From general reading of the book market, we can see that there is a fear that runs through some retailers who struggle because of the reduction in trade through the recent GFC (and no, that’s not referring to the football club). Or similarly, there is a reduction in local trade because some customers are buying books online or purchasing e-books off the internet.

At first view these things are troubling, but if you have been in business for a while, you will know that ALL markets are dynamic, to think otherwise is to suffer from myopia. Imagine that a senior manager offers an excuse that books sales have diminished because of the global financial meltdown? It will serve no purpose to offer such excuses until they are held close and accepted. In your mind’s eye, can you think of a manager saying: “I predict that the customers are going to move across to e-books, so I am going to study what is going on with our customers to find out what direct actions I can take to retain a valuable position in the information, education and entertainment channels that are being used by our customers”; or at least something like that?

Error Number Two - Pushing an excuse away is a business sin, as excuses are not actionable until they are owned.

Now, because this is a short article, I am going to jump a few steps and move to the Medici principle. In any market, there are control points where a small influence is leveraged to achieve a significant effect. With the limited resources of a small business, it is impossible

COMMUNITY

43

A magical sailing experience Employee volunteering is a great option for businesses wanting to contribute to their community in a meaningful way. A ‘hands on’ volunteer experience provides staff with an opportunity to personally be involved at a grass roots level, so they can see the difference they are making, as well as realise the personal and professional benefits volunteering can bring.

A recent example saw BacLinks pair employee volunteers from health care provider GMHBA and Karingal program members to enjoy a magical sailing experience together out on the Bay. The Project was part of GMHBA’s ongoing employee volunteering program and the provider’s genuine commitment to our local community.

Mr Tim Boyd, GMHBA Executive Manager of Human Resources, explained that the GMHBA staff members were excited to take part in this challenging volunteering opportunity.

“We look out for opportunities where staff can make a difference and experience something new with local people who have a different life experience to theirs. Being a part of something like Sailability was important to us and we hope that our contribution and participation was of some benefit to the program,” Mr Boyd said.

The project was carried out with the assistance of KABLE, Karingal’s Adventure Based Learning Experiences Program, which aims to provide outdoor experiences to people with disabilities that will enhance their lives and abilities.

For program members, the sailing experience with the volunteers offered a wonderful opportunity to take on new challenges, gain confidence, develop personal skills and make new friends. On a practical level they learnt how to turn, adjust sails and read wind patterns, and by the end of the day most could instruct others on the correct sailing technique whilst sailing with them in a two-person boat.

Light winds, calm water and warm autumn sunshine set the scene for an ideal day of sailing.

“I had an awesome time,” one participant was heard saying. “It was really exciting and I learnt a lot about sailing”.

Another went on to say, “The GMHBA crew were unreal. I can’t wait for them to come back and do it again sometime.”

Rob Rees, Development Manager-Youth Programs, was thrilled to open program members up to this new experience along with the GMHBA volunteers.

“The Sailability program fits our mission and vision perfectly and we were excited to bring corporate volunteers into the mix to add an extra dynamic to the experience,” he added.

The Royal Geelong Yacht Club’s Sailability Program is a unique program that provides safe, inexpensive sailing experiences, both competitive and recreational, for everyone.

Regardless of age or ability, anyone can enjoy the freedom of the water in a supervised, cordoned off area in ‘unsinkable’ catamarans.

Small Biz continued from page 42 to dominate every aspect of the market. As a consequence, we need to use our resources in an intelligent and efficient manner. Through experience gained over time, the control point becomes obvious, but when a business is new to a market, or the market has gone through rapid changes, the control points are difficult to find. Enter stage left: the Medici principle. The story goes that the Medici family introduced a number of pursuits to Europe, for example: their interest in art, education, architecture and banking came together and this mixture was one of the critical drivers of the Renaissance.

In business, we look for the intersections in the market and often the control points are contiguous.

Back to your wonderful but imaginary business; we know the market is going through a dynamic period of rapid change, so we look for intersections. Even with a cursory market survey, we see little pockets of people who have common interests; they tend to aggregate

around media channels. (You may analyse the market and see other features, but as an example, this simple idea will suffice). We have the bloggers, the facebookers, the gamers, and so on. In a world of information, these groups are like little communities. Without spending the time explaining why, I will jump to a conclusion and say the task with your new business is to build communities, and when you have an active product, you can sell product to the community. Let’s give an example.

Go back to the lady who was interested in travel. Every Wednesday afternoon, we have an in-store travel show. Perhaps showcasing a region, and co-sponsored by a travel company.

They could have people that have recently come back from the Netherlands, complete with photos and you can guess the books, explaining and highlighting the salient points of interest. On Tuesdays, there is a guest author or an in-house writing workshop of how to

publish an e-book. What we are trying to do is build the amalgam of attraction and make our business the place to be. Some of the community building ideas won’t work (I think that if you succeed with 30% you would be doing great), but you can see there are many opportunities to add value to the group if you know what motivates them. In the end, the business will morph. As the community’s needs drift, you can follow, and the specific products or services that you offer will always be in demand. The alternative is slowly losing touch with your customers and becoming irrelevant.

Now the sad part; you probably didn’t win the lotto and our thought experiment has to be folded up and put away. And now I can go back to my favourite bookstore, knowing that I can discover more knowledge that lays hidden in their many shelves.

Clint Jennings Australian Business Development Centre www.abdc.com.au

44

ARTS

Netting the World Wide Web outside of hours, which he views as an exercise of paramount importance to creating a business presence and generating new work.

The Geelong-born and raised Sam discovered that approaching people and presenting his services to the clubs and businesses outside of hours boosted incoming work by about half.

“I just don’t think you give yourself much of a chance if you’re just staying in the office and trying to get through the work; the work’s got to be there before you can sit there and toil with it.

Sam Walshe’s practical approach to running a business saw him get off to a triumphant start when he decided to become a superior web designer.

Like many businesses, the first 12 months were an interesting time financially, explained Sam, who attended the NEIS (Newstart Enterprise Incentive Scheme) program, which he added, “definitely helps to give you some piece of mind during the fun, but also crucial make-orbreak period. Like any business of a similar nature, it can be hard not knowing where the next job is coming from. As sites are generally built for a client to maintain in-house, new business is crucial.”

Six years on and he has managed to make his Web design business, Get Pixel, thrive, thanks to the solid business plan he delineated from the outset. “[The plan] was really to become a quality focused web designer doing good-looking sites that represented businesses well. I never wanted to be a millionaire or anything, just to be able to make a living and live comfortable and enjoy what I do.

“Within the second to third year I would say was the time when it all started to come together and I was getting a good quantity of decent projects that would keep me busy enough to not have any down time and continue working through on each of those,” Sam recalled.

However, not everything went according to plan; there was a minor hiccup along the way, which resulted in an eventual decision to operate solo, after having started with venture with a business partner.

Sam did quickly learn that one must assume several roles in addition to fulfilling client

needs, including the active role of sustaining business.

“For anyone starting a new business, and probably one thing I did find overwhelming at the beginning but have got more used to it now, is that having gone into a business thinking that I’m going be a web designer and design websites, the reality is the actual time you spend doing the work is very comparable to the amount of time you spend running the business, doing the invoices, marketing, getting new clients, having client meetings and working through different problems and issues that need to be dealt with,” he said.

“In the first year — and that’s what my business partner may have found as well — it’s one thing to be able to do the work, it’s another to be able to do the work and run a business as a whole profitable business and keep it moving forward.”

In order to move forward, Sam spent time presenting to rotary clubs and other businesses

“It comes back to what I was saying before; you spend so much time running the business, dealing with phones calls and meetings, and that’s what you do,” he said. “It’s not until after hours, when it’s nice and quiet, that I put some music on and work from 8.30pm until 1.30am in the morning and get a good solid five hours done on something.”

With the constancy of handling and working with hundreds of computer files, as web designers often do, Sam, who is pedantic about an orderly system of going about his work, can’t stress enough that strong organisation skills is key.

“If you’re not organised, you’re not going to last very long,” he warned. “I have to be so organised; I might get a call from somebody whose website I might’ve done five years ago, if they suddenly want to update something, I need to make sure I’ve got all my original files there so that it can be done. I need to able to locate them and modify them efficiently and get them back up there, because you certainly don’t want to have to rebuild everything just to update something simple like the opening hours.”

Terry Broun Jr

ART

45

Be uplifted by Breast Wishes GPAC’s 2011 Alcoa Theatre Season gets a boost in April with Breast Wishes, an uplifting new Australian musical about life, love, family and silicone. In the spirit of Menopause: The Musical, Breast Wishes is a sophisticated and hilarious glimpse of cleavage and beyond that promises to make your heart sing!

Meet four women: sisters, Lyn & Carol; Mum, Helen & cousin Sal; add a fumbling boyfriend, a well meaning husband and a bra-fitter who’s seen it all and you will be taken on a witty and heart-warming journey through laughter to triumph.

A celebration of breasts and those who support them, Breast Wishes is written by some of Australia's most respected

comedic and dramatic writers, including Merridy Eastman, Jonathan Gavin, Richard Glover, Wendy Harmer, Sheridan Jobbins, James Millar and Debra Oswald, with music and lyrics by Bruce Brown and original concept by Anne Looby.

Breast Wishes has show stopping numbers and a dazzling cast, including Octavia Barron-Martin (The 39 Steps), Suzanne Dudley (Neighbours), Angela Kennedy (Mamma Mia), Meghan O’Shea (The Rocky Horror Show) and Berynn Schwerdt (West Side Story). Director Jason Langley leads a stellar creative team, with musical direction by Michael Tyack, and choreography by Nathan Wright.

Breast Wishes appears in The Playhouse at GPAC from April 6 – 9 as part of the 2011 Alcoa Theatre Season. Tickets are available on 5225 1200 or online at www. gpac.org.au To truly get into the spirit of Breast Wishes, GPAC is holding a ‘Bra Decorating Competition’, with three great prize packs up for grabs and the winners to be chosen by the show’s cast. Simply bring your decorated bra into GPAC, where all contributions will be on display in the foyer during the show’s run of performances. Check out the Geelong Performing Arts Centre’s Facebook page for more information and the list of fantastic prizes.

46

WINE

Buy Bye Blends From the moment the human race discovered (or perhaps accidently produced) the first wine, we’ve been involved in the trial and error of various manufacturing techniques. Processes such as barrel maturation, wild yeast versus cultured yeasts and ferment temperatures, just to name a few.

One of the most successful discoveries was the blending of varieties to produce what was perceived to be a better wine. This has been embraced around the world for hundreds of years, but in Australia the popularity of blended wines seems to be on the slide.

This is very much a trial and error process and can take hours, as there could be any number of base wines to choose from. I’ve been involved with wines that have contained as many as 20 different components.

In France, they don’t tell you what varieties and how much, all you get is the region. One thing to remember when choosing a local blended wine is that the varieties are listed on the label

in order of volume. Cabernet Merlot means the wine has more Cabernet than Merlot. By law we don’t have to list a variety if it contributes less than 15 per cent of the total blend.

Blended wines have been an integral part of the Australian wine industry from the beginning.

Pioneered by such greats as Wolf Blass, old world blends have been drunk by generations of Australians.

We even have our own signature blend, not found anywhere else in the world, of Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz. These are two varieties from distinctly different regions never blended in their country of origin, France.

Some of the great wines of the world are a blend of many varieties. In Bordeaux, both the signature red and white wines contain several varieties in different ratios.

There seems to be a perception that blended wine is an inferior wine, blended as an afterthought rather than a purposeful improvement. There are many cheaper blended wines made with leftover bits and pieces, but premium wines such as Penfolds Bin 389 show blends can be amongst the best wines available.

Although there are appellation laws that dictate what varieties can be grown and where, the individuality of each producer is measured by their specific blend.

Most keep their blend a secret, and it may change slightly from year to year if the producer believes that will improve the quality of the finished wine. Bordeaux reds may contain; Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Malbec, Merlot and Petit Verdot. The whites consist of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon.

Sales of lesser-known blended wines are decreasing and wineries are being forced to produce only straight varietals. I believe there is a place for both, so next time you see a label with two of your favourite varieties on the label, give it a try, it might be twice as good.

The art of blending is a complicated process, with all the various components lined up on the bench in the winery. Then a measuring flask is filled and adjusted until the panel of tasters is happy that the best possible wine has been achieved.

Adrian Marchiaro When not immersed in his work as Winemaker’s Assistant and jack-of-all-trades at the award-winning Witchmount Winery, Adrian presents wine tasting evenings at Lamby’s Restaurant + Bar.

eVeRY FRIDaY FROM 5pm Free Entry, Free Wine Tasting, Free Gourmet Platters For Patrons, Free Live Entertainment Each Week.

8th April – Lush wines from Langhorne Creek Wines from the much-respected Langhorne Creek region Entertainment: Warm Sands

Thursday 21st April – Chocoholic choices Wines to enjoy this Easter Entertainment: Andy Pobjoy

15th April – The not so secret agents from Argentina Try some superb imported Argentinian wines Entertainment: Chic

Thursday 28th April - ANZAC wine parade A great selection of Australian and New Zealand wines Entertainment: Chic

BOLLIES

47

Making wishes come true Since The Starlight Children’s Foundation commenced as a charity in 1988, via its diverse programs the foundation has reached 156,000 seriously ill and disabled children Australiawide, while also alleviating the stress on the families of children with serious health issues.

Starlight programs are aimed specifically to work in tandem with physical recovery, which highlights the importance of how lifting the spirits of sick children burdened with constancy of disease, disadvantage and treatment is paramount.

Much of a seriously ill child’s life can be filled with pain and isolation and, often due to sickness and chronic disease, these children miss out on every day activities a healthy child commonly experiences. Through the Starlight in hospital and out of hospital programs, the organisation helps relieve the most difficult of times in a sick child’s life and provides an upbeat diversion when most needed.

In Geelong, 29 families accessed the foundation’s Wishgranting or escape program, while many other children in hospital have experienced the Captain Starlight hospital visits.

The foundation relies on non-government funding and support to deliver its groundbreaking programs across Australia. The programs are approved by and in conjunction with the help of healthcare specialists. However, only qualified health professionals can refer children to Starlight.

The foundation is part of the Australian Children’s Charities Forum, a group of national children’s charities devoted to directly assisting acutely ill, disabled or underprivileged children.

Starlight programs include the Starlight Express Room, which has 10 rooms set up in major paediatric hospitals across Australia. Time spent in these rooms provides respite from hospital and treatment for children, and their siblings too, who have access to the latest in music, films, electronic games and crafts.

Nine-year-old Felicity from Geelong, and mum Simone, are familiar with the good work Starlight does. Ill from birth, doctors found Felicity had two holes in her heart, as well as lung disease. Her condition was discovered during a regular ultrasound when Simone was sixteen weeks pregnant. Felicity has been in and out of hospital all her life and in effect she didn’t come home from hospital until she was two years old, recalls Simone.

Simone has nothing but praise for Starlight who granted Felicity’s wish to meet The Wiggles. For years, Felicity has been a huge fan and enjoying their music, which Simone says has cheered her daughter during her most trying days. Ever since Starlight granted Felicity’s wish last December, says Simone, Felicity hasn’t stopped talking about the experience and her face always lights up when the Starlight Captains makes their rounds at the Geelong Hospital each Tuesday. Simone also notes the lasting impact on her daughter has proved an immensely positive one.

“She (Felicity) still talks about it now,” says Simone. “She has been so much happier since she met The Wiggles and just the smile she

had that day was just beautiful. It was her wish and she got it.

“They’ve been great with us,” says Simone.

Not only did Starlight grant Felicity’s wish, they also put-up Simone and her four children in a hotel apartment in Melbourne for three days, which is something Simone and her family would otherwise never get the chance to experience.

“They even make it easy on the parents; they’re very friendly,” says Simone, adding that Starlight keep in contact with her family.

Felicity McMahon, the head of programs at the Foundation says, “The Starlight Children’s Foundation aims to brighten the lives all children impacted by serious illness and disability. Our programs, including the Starlight Express Room, Captain Starlights, Starlight Wishgranting, Livewire and the Starlight Express Vans, are designed to distract children from the pain and stress of their condition, allowing them to laugh, have fun and enjoy life like all kids should.

“To be able to brighten the life of children like Felicity is incredibly rewarding. We at Starlight are hugely thankful to anyone who offers support to our cause, whether it be through volunteering in our Starlight Express rooms, raising money, assisting to grant a Starlight wish, or as simple as donating regularly. Even the simplest act can help put a smile on the faces of thousands of seriously ill children.

“We are calling for more people to help keep Starlight’s doors open to children around the country by volunteering or donating this Starlight Day the 6th of May. A Starlight wish can help children dealing with serious illness to forget the monotony of hospitals, the pain of treatment, and enjoy life like all kids should,” she said.

Anyone wishing to help the Starlight Children’s Foundation continue delivering smiles and laughter to ill children can visit www.starlight. org.au or phone 1300 727 827.

Terry Broun Jr

48

AFTER HOURS

A new era facing the Cats Guests at the March Geelong Business Network event were given the opportunity to meet the new President of the Geelong Football Club, Colin Carter, and hear from Carter and GFC CEO, Brian Cook, about the new era facing the Cats.

Colin and Brian reviewed the major sporting and organisational challenges – which are many and varied with the departure of Frank Costa and appointment of Colin Carter as President, a new Coach, superstar Gary Ablett Jr having departed, new players coming on board, and the stadium set to receive another major upgrade. The Club President and CEO gave their personal views on the work to be done and their aspirations for the 2011 season and beyond.

The breakfast was held at the Barwon Edge Boathouse on March 10.

Event Sponsor Jim Rutherford (Principal Harwood Brian Cook (Geelong CATS CEO) and Cr John & Andrews).

Mitchell.

Event Sponsor Keith Fagg Director Faggs Mitre 10.

Ian Sweet (Partner Davidsons Accountants) and David Hosking (Director Sandbah Cafe).

Snap Geelong’s owner has changed.

Your local Snap Geelong is now under new management, and there is no doubting their enthusiasm to continue delivering exciting, dynamic and innovative solutions to your business.

We look forward to providing a level of service that is out of this world.

T: 03 5223 3600 geelong@snap.com.au www.geelong.snap.com.au

We do more

AFTER HOURS

49

Targeting a better future in the north Gforce Employment Solutions publicly launched the Target 100 program at Corio Shopping Centre last month.

The program has been developed to assist young people from Geelong's northern suburbs to take control of their future by becoming apprentices or trainees. Successful scholarship candidates will be employed by Gforce as an apprentice or trainee and placed with a host employer. Gforce will provide pre-entry literacy and numeracy skills if needed, as well as postplacement support, will pay trade school fees and at the end of a successful first year, will pay the apprentice or trainee a scholarhip of $1000. Gforce is putting $100,000 per annum over the table for the next two years to get the program up and running.

Mayor John Mitchell.

Right: Richard Marles MP; Vaz Juchima GForce Chair of Directors; Peter Dorling.

Deputy Mayor Cameron Granger.

Mayor John Mitchell; Former Cr Lou Brazier; Richard Marles MP & daughter Georgia; Sue DeGilio (GForce CEO).

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50

Q&A

The Footy Doctor

Dr Hugh Seward is the Executive Officer of the AFL Medical Officer's Association, was President of the association for 15 years until his retirement as a club doctor, and is a member of the AFL Research Board.

He was the club doctor at the Geelong Football Club for 25 years and is now a GFC Board Director and a Cats life member. Hugh continues to practice as a sports physician and general practitioner.

Photo by Terry Brown Jr

• What single piece of sports medicine advice what you give to a parent about junior footy?

• What made you first get involved in sports medicine in what was then the VFL? I started in general practice in Geelong in 1980, and I thought that I'd like to have an area of special interest within general practice that would provide some additional interest and stimulation. Sports medicine was in its embryonic days at that stage, so it was very much a part-time interest. Now, of course, for many of those involved in sports medicine they are working as sports physicians full-time.

• What would you say are the biggest advantages that sports medicine has brought to the AFL? Over the period of time that I’ve been involved, I think the increased understanding of sports medicine, in all its many facets, has enabled the players to avoid a lot of injuries though injury prevention programs, but also to have a high level of injury management, which has enabled them to return back to footy, not just faster, but in better condition to avoid recurring problems with that injury.

• What are the key areas that you believe need improvement in AFL medical programs?

The injury surveillance identifies the most common injuries as hamstring injuries, groin injuries, and then other lower leg muscle strains. Hamstring injuries continue to be at the top of that list. We still can’t solve the dilemma of preventing hamstring injuries and we still can’t get the players back any faster. So the improvements we need is to have more understanding of hamstring injuries and being able to prevent or treat them better than we do now.

• Of which programs are you the most proud from your time with the AFL? The injury surveillance systems and injury research have been a favourite area of my interest. In the early 1980s, I tried to run some injury surveys in what was then the VFL, but it was quite difficult to get people interested and keen. We started again in the mid-90s and developed an injury surveillance system that we can now proudly boast is the best and the longest running publicly released injury surveillance system in any professional sport in the world that is released publicly.

The only competition we have is from injury surveys in the NFL in America, but they’ve never publicly released them.

Don’t be afraid to let them play football. I’m concerned that there are many parents, and particularly mothers, who worry that playing a sport like AFL is going to get their kids injured. In fact, the injury potential rates in junior footy are very, very low. It’s a very safe activity, particularly with the modified rules that the young children start off with. Both boys and girls can play and they love playing footy and it’s a great activity.

Parents should not be afraid of injuries and prevent their kids from having a lot of fun and a lot of social interaction, combined with good general skill development from a neuromuscular point of view.

• The AFL has a program developing Aussie Rules in South Africa, what role have you played in that program?

I travelled to South Africa with the AFL’s programs for junior indigenous footballers of the ages of 15 and 16. We’ve been to South Africa several times, and seen the program the AFL is developing there grow from a few hundred players to now having, I think, approaching 20,000 boys and girls playing AFL footy. They’ve concentrated on the younger children, hoping to follow them through and build on their early exposure to AFL, so that they continue to play through their adolescent years and build a strong competition base within that country. I think it’s also worth adding that with this same group I’ve travelled to New Guinea and last year to Tonga, and the AFL efforts to develop Australian football across the pacific is also very strong.

• From a medical stand point; what are the benefits to these communities of the AFL program?

Particularly in South Africa, where the program has been concentrated in the black townships, where there is very little for the children to do, they’re extremely poor and sport provides them with a healthy activity.

Through the funding and support of the AFL, who provide equipment and training and leadership, the children can engage in a sport in a safe environment and get all the benefits of that physical activity.

• What is your most treasured piece of GFC memorabilia?

I’m not really into memorabilia in any great way and I haven’t collected a lot, but one of my most cherished possessions is the framed signed football jumper that I was presented with by Tom Harley when I retired as a club doctor, and I’m proud to hang it in my surgery.

• What is your most memorable footy moment?

My most memorable moments, without doubt, happened after I retired, and they relate firstly to the 2007 Premiership, which even though it was the year after my retirement, was just a great joy. Then to follow the disappointment of 2008 with the Premiership in 2009 was just fantastic. They are without doubt my most memorable moments.

• And how do you think the Cats are going to go this year?

I think we will surprise a lot of the pundits that suggest that we are in for a rapid decline. I think the new coach, and the support staff and coaching staff around him, are of fantastic quality and I think they will enable those Geelong players, both old and new, to get a great amount out of themselves and rise to great heights again.

,,

WHATS ON 9 - 23 APRIL 2011 Papunya Tula Artists Paintings from the Western Desert In association with Papunya Tula Artists, Metropolis Gallery is proud to present an exciting selection of recent paintings that reflect the strong Papunya Tula style, derived from the artists' knowledge of traditional body and sand painting associated with ceremony. Papunya Tula Artists has been entirely owned and directed by Aboriginal people from the Western Desert since its establishment in 1972. Where: Metropolis Gallery.

Details: www.metropolisgallery.com.au

15 April Social Media the Emerging Force for SME Marketing – One-day beginners course for businesses using social media. Where: Geelong Conference Centre. Details: www.vecci.org.au

16 – 17 April Geelong Region Heritage Festival – Where: Various locations.

Details: www.nattrust.com.au Heritage Week Special Guided Walk – Discover how Daniel Bunce created the Botanic Gardens on a dry, bare hill. Where: Geelong Botanic Gardens. Details: www.friendsgbg.com

17 April Save Time Researching your Family Tree – Megan Gibson presents 2 free one-hour seminars. Where: Geelong Heritage Centre. Details: www.geelongaustralia.com.au/heritage

20 – 21 April Julie Anthony in Concert with Kevin Hocking – Musical Mornings. Where: The Playhouse. Details: www.gpac.org.au

23 April Cartoon Network’s BEN 10 Live: Time Machine – Where: The Playhouse. Details: www.gpac.org.au Minya: Wizard and Oz – Andrew Farrell & Dave McMillan’s piano and guitar duo. Where: Minya Winery and Vineyard. Details: www.gpac.org.au

23 – 24 April

Ningura Napurrula Wirrulnga 2008 Acrylic on linen 153 x 122 cm

To 17 April

Geelong Artists – featured works from a diverse group of local artists. Where: Geelong Gallery. Details: www.geelonggallery. org.au

08 – 16 April

The King and I – Where: Queenscliff Town Hall. Details: www. gpac.org.au

08 – 30 April

I Do Not Like Thee Dr Fell – Where: Woodbin Theatre. Details: www.gpac.org.au

Easter Art Show – The Rotary Club of Drysdale’s 35th Annual Easter Arts Show benefiting the Andrew Love Cancer Research Centre. Where: Leopold Indoor Neighbourhood Centre. Details: www.drysdalerotary.org.au/artshow 20th Australian Street Rod Nationals – Where: Geelong Showgrounds. Details: www.geelongaustralia.com.au 2011 Australian Canoe Marathon Championships – Where: Moorabool Street Bridge. Details: www.bdhsolutions.com.au

25 April Anzac Day Geelong – Pre Dawn Service at the Johnstone Park Peace Memorial followed by Anzac Day march and commemorative services. Details: www.geelongaustralia.com. au Anzac Day Barwon Heads – Anzac Day march. Where: Hitchcock Avenue.

09 April

28 – 30 April

10 April

A Commercial Farce - Peter Houghton's new hilarious take on theatrical farce a time-honoured tradition of the theatre. Where: The Playhouse. Details: www.gpac.org.au

AKMAL The Life of Akmal – Comedian Akmal brings his new show to GPAC. Where: Drama Theatre. Details: www.gpac.org.au MG Car Club of Geelong Classic Car Display – Classic Mgs dating back to the 1940’s. Where: Steam Packet Gardens.

Details: www.geelongaustralia.com.au Geelong Cats vs Port Adelaide Power – Where: Skilled Stadium.

Details: www.gfc.com.au

12 April

Carbon Management 101 Briefing (Free) – Get up to date on international developments towards a low carbon economy and explore the challenges and opportunities they present. Where: Geelong Conference Centre. Details: www.vecci.org.au

01 May David Campbell: Broadway & Beyond 2011 – Where: The Playhouse. Details: www.gpac.org.au

07 May Geelong Classic Dancesport Festival – Ballroom dancing competition. Where: Collosseo Room, Club Italia. Details: www. geelongaustralia.com.au

To publicise your event in GBN’s What’s On in May email: editor@geelongbusiness.com.au

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