Tasmanian Business Reporter October 2016
Tasmanian Business Reporter October 2016
Tasmanian Business Reporter October 2016
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OCTOBER <strong>2016</strong><br />
TASMANIA’S LEADING BUSINESS PUBLICATION. CIRCULATION 17,000 MONTHLY<br />
$100m stimulus package for struggling region<br />
Northern economic boost<br />
Launceston is set to benefit from a $100m Northern Economic Stimulus Package on top of private investment over the next two years.<br />
Picture: City of Launceston<br />
By Tom O’Meara<br />
THE State Government is injecting<br />
$100 million, including $60<br />
million in interest free loans to<br />
Local Government, to create more<br />
than 800 jobs and move the North<br />
out of the economic slow lane.<br />
The package will bring forward<br />
and fast-track a series of planned<br />
projects, such as upgrading<br />
schools, 27 units for affordable<br />
housing, support for a $100 million<br />
black pellet plan in the Tamar<br />
Valley, $8.7 million to repair<br />
flood-damaged roads and bridges<br />
and $15 million to progress the<br />
Cradle Mountain vision.<br />
While funding is not an issue<br />
for the $300m UTAS campus relocation<br />
to Inveresk, construction<br />
work probably won’t start until<br />
the end of 2017.<br />
Both Premier Will Hodgman<br />
and Treasurer Peter Gutwein recognised<br />
that the need for stimulus<br />
is now.<br />
“The UTAS project will change<br />
the face of Launceston but with<br />
the 18-month to two-year gap,<br />
we are bringing forward projects<br />
which were budgeted two years<br />
out, to start in the next couple of<br />
months,” Mr Gutwein said.<br />
“We have to fast-track these<br />
projects and create even more<br />
projects through Local Government<br />
Capital Works with up to<br />
$60 million interest free.<br />
“Some will be new projects,<br />
others will be brought forward.<br />
Clearly we need<br />
to do more<br />
and this is why<br />
we have created<br />
the Northern<br />
Economic<br />
Stimulus Package<br />
Premier<br />
Will Hodgman<br />
“It’s a free kick for local government.<br />
It’s not for government<br />
to nominate, or approve the projects,<br />
that’s up councils who understand<br />
their community needs.<br />
“What I can say is — first in<br />
best dressed,” Mr Gutwein said.<br />
The Premier acknowledged that<br />
the North was not rebounding as<br />
quickly as Hobart, or even the<br />
North West, with the recent regional<br />
unemployment confirming<br />
the North was struggling.<br />
“Clearly we need to do more<br />
and this is why we have created<br />
the Northern Economic Stimulus<br />
Package,” he said.<br />
“We are also working with the<br />
Commonwealth to quickly prioritise<br />
the Coalition’s <strong>Tasmanian</strong><br />
election commitments to ensure<br />
funding flows quickly.<br />
The announcement was made<br />
at a packed breakfast at Peppers<br />
Seaport, organised by the <strong>Tasmanian</strong><br />
Chamber of Commerce and<br />
Industry.<br />
It follows positive economic development<br />
news with Launceston<br />
to attract $100 million in private<br />
sector investment over the next<br />
two years — including the $20<br />
million Silos Hotel and $40 million<br />
multi-storey TRC Hotel redevelopment<br />
overlooking the Tamar<br />
River.<br />
The TCCI has been advocating<br />
for a Northern package and applauded<br />
the government’s decision.<br />
The Treasurer thanked the TCCI<br />
and said it was great to be working<br />
with the chamber to help bring the<br />
package together in a reasonably<br />
short time.<br />
“It’s a terrific outcome to fasttrack<br />
a budget for the North and<br />
the $60 million non-interest loans<br />
available for council works should<br />
be snapped up,” TCCI CEO Michael<br />
Bailey said.<br />
“They already have projects<br />
on their books so we are calling<br />
on councils to get the works under<br />
way for the betterment of the<br />
economy and the communities.<br />
“We also have projects of $300-<br />
$500 million on the books of Tas-<br />
Water for the next couple of years,<br />
so add this to the Northern Stimulus<br />
Package and the private enterprise<br />
investment will certainly<br />
boost job creation.”<br />
BOOK NOW!<br />
Ph: 1300 559 122<br />
or www.tcci.com.au<br />
You’re invited to the<br />
Premier’s<br />
Cocktail<br />
Party<br />
9 November <strong>2016</strong><br />
Henry Jones Art Hotel,<br />
Hobart<br />
proudly supported by
2 <strong>Tasmanian</strong> <strong>Business</strong> <strong>Reporter</strong> - OCTOBER <strong>2016</strong><br />
NEWS<br />
Tasmania leads nation in red tape reduction efforts<br />
TASMANIA is leading the nation in<br />
red tape reduction, with a new Federal-State<br />
Government agreement to<br />
abolish duplication and save billions<br />
on top of the almost $5 billion already<br />
saved.<br />
The agreement to implement the<br />
legislation was signed off in Launceston<br />
by the Federal Small <strong>Business</strong><br />
Minister Michael McCormack<br />
and <strong>Tasmanian</strong> Parliamentary Secretary<br />
for Small <strong>Business</strong> and Red<br />
Tape Reduction Roger Jaensch.<br />
Also on hand to support the agreement<br />
was the Australian Chamber of<br />
Commerce and Industry CEO James<br />
Pearson, along with TCCI chair Susan<br />
Parr and CEO Michael Bailey.<br />
It adds to the State Government’s<br />
attack on red tape which has seen<br />
114 Acts repealed, 40 statutory Rules<br />
and Regulations rescinded and 77<br />
Proclamations and Order revoked<br />
— with 230 red tape redundancies in<br />
total and a significant contribution to<br />
the national savings of $4.8 billion.<br />
The new red tape reduction agreement<br />
will deliver further savings,<br />
estimated in the billions of dollars,<br />
by ending multiple layers of Federal,<br />
State and Local government compliance<br />
requirements — where paper<br />
work takes huge chunks of business<br />
time to be compliant.<br />
A former small business owner<br />
and editor of the Wagga Wagga local<br />
newspaper, Mr McCormack has<br />
first hand experience of the red tape<br />
syndrome impacting <strong>Tasmanian</strong><br />
small business.<br />
“Our plans to cut taxes and red<br />
tape are important confidence boosters<br />
for local small business, which<br />
allow them to expand and grow opportunities<br />
in Tassie’s North,” Mr<br />
McCormack said .<br />
Mr Jaensch said it built on the<br />
Liberal State Government’s major<br />
planning and building reforms,which<br />
have seen more than<br />
70 other areas identified through<br />
consultation.<br />
The government has introduced<br />
several macro red tape reforms including<br />
the development of the<br />
single statewide planning scheme<br />
which is faster, fairer, simpler and<br />
cheaper.<br />
The overhauled Building Act also<br />
streamlines building and plumbing<br />
approvals for lower risk development.<br />
A quirky example of micro<br />
changes was a change to maritime<br />
qualification requirements, which<br />
previously demanded the coxswain<br />
for a lake fishing business — taking<br />
fishermen in a dunghy — to have<br />
qualifications in-line with the captain<br />
of a cruise liner.<br />
TASMANIA’S LEADING BUSINESS PUBLICATION. CIRCULATION 17,000 MONTHLY<br />
e dition<br />
<strong>Tasmanian</strong> <strong>Business</strong> <strong>Reporter</strong> can now be delivered directly to your inbox. With our 12,000-strong monthly print<br />
readership, our new up-to-date digital distribution will keep <strong>Tasmanian</strong>s abreast of the all latest in local business<br />
news. From this month we will distribute electronic editions of the <strong>Tasmanian</strong> <strong>Business</strong> <strong>Reporter</strong> as we go to print.<br />
To confirm your copy sign up to our mailing list via<br />
tbreditorial@fontpr.com.au<br />
Ponting bowls<br />
B School over<br />
TASMANIA’S LEADING BUSINESS PUBLICATION. CIRCULATION 17,000 MONTHLY<br />
Tasmania’s business newspaper is published<br />
monthly by the <strong>Tasmanian</strong> Chamber of Commerce<br />
and Industry. It is distributed to businesses in<br />
Tasmania as well as key decision-makers.<br />
Circulation: 12,000<br />
Managing Editor: Tom O’Meara<br />
Ph: 0418 135 822<br />
Editor: Becher Townshend<br />
Ph: 0418 370 661<br />
Advertising: 0401 252 586<br />
www.tasmanianbusinessreporter.com.au<br />
Editorial email:<br />
TBReditorial@fontpr.com.au<br />
Advertising email:<br />
TBRadvertising@fontpr.com.au<br />
Publisher:<br />
<strong>Tasmanian</strong> Chamber of Commerce<br />
and Industry<br />
309 Liverpool St, Hobart, TAS 7000<br />
Level 1, 26 Elizabeth St, Launceston TAS 7250<br />
Ph: 6236 3600 Fax: 6231 1278<br />
Production:<br />
aldridge.media<br />
aldridge.media@iinet.net.au<br />
Printer: The Mercury<br />
Level 1, 2 Salamanca Square, Hobart, 7000<br />
THE Australian B<br />
School has launched a<br />
world-class education<br />
program in Tasmania<br />
targeting aspiring business<br />
leaders from across<br />
Australia and the world,<br />
including India.<br />
Ambassador for Tasmania<br />
Ricky Ponting<br />
will be one of the mentors.<br />
The former Australian<br />
cricket captain told<br />
education agents at<br />
the launch in Mumbai,<br />
during Tasmania’s recent<br />
trade mission, that<br />
he was passionate about<br />
passing on his leadership<br />
skills.<br />
``B School’s quality<br />
leadership development<br />
program will help Australian<br />
and Indian executives<br />
broaden their<br />
experience through<br />
first-hand on-the-ground<br />
mentoring from some of<br />
Australia’s most noted<br />
leaders,’’ Mr Ponting<br />
said.<br />
``My experience is<br />
unique and I can provide<br />
valuable lessons and insights<br />
through the program.’’<br />
B School managing<br />
director Ryan Trainor<br />
said Tasmania presented<br />
the perfect location to<br />
Lincoln Trainor of B School, left, Premier Will Hodgman, Ricky<br />
Ponting and Ryan Trainor of BSchool in Mumbai during the<br />
<strong>Tasmanian</strong> Asian trade mission.<br />
base the leadership program.<br />
“Tasmania’s mix of<br />
focused education and<br />
learning, diverse economy,<br />
growth opportunities<br />
and high quality<br />
facilities made the decision<br />
easy for us,’’ Mr<br />
Trainor said.<br />
India was the second<br />
largest source country<br />
for international students<br />
at the University<br />
of Tasmania and numbers<br />
were on the rise.<br />
The government said<br />
the B School had worked<br />
closely with Coordinator-General<br />
John Perry<br />
to establish a footprint<br />
in Tasmania, and complement<br />
Tasmania’s educational<br />
offering while<br />
adding another dimension<br />
to the state’s dynamic<br />
visitor economy.
<strong>Tasmanian</strong> <strong>Business</strong> <strong>Reporter</strong> - OCTOBER <strong>2016</strong> 3<br />
Runway boost clear for takeoff<br />
By Masika Morris<br />
WORK is under way on the<br />
runway extension at Hobart<br />
Airport to enable international<br />
flights to land in Hobart<br />
and advance links to Antarctica.<br />
Preliminary traffic diversion<br />
works on Grueber<br />
Avenue will pave the way for<br />
the 500-metre extension of<br />
the Hobart Airport runway,<br />
which is planned to start<br />
during summer.<br />
Approved in April this<br />
year, the Hobart Airport<br />
Runway Major Development<br />
Plan is scheduled to be completed<br />
by March 2018.<br />
The 500-metre extension<br />
has been enabled through<br />
funding assistance of $38<br />
million from the Australian<br />
Government and an additional<br />
$2 million from Hobart<br />
International Airport Pty Ltd.<br />
Liberal Senator Eric Abetz<br />
said the project would show<br />
the world Tasmania was<br />
ready for business, through<br />
facilitating tourism, agricultural<br />
and Antarctic endeavors.<br />
“We need to ensure that we<br />
are ready for the opportunities<br />
as they present themselves”<br />
Senator Abetz said.<br />
“Our Antarctic endeavours,<br />
our agricultural endeavours<br />
and our tourism endeavours<br />
will all be able to leverage<br />
off this venture.”<br />
Senator Abetz said the<br />
projects would improve Tasmania’s<br />
concerning unemployment<br />
rate.<br />
“These projects are so<br />
important because they lend<br />
themselves to being able to<br />
Hobart<br />
Airport CEO<br />
Rod Parry,<br />
left, and<br />
Liberal<br />
Senator Eric<br />
Abetz<br />
announce<br />
the runway<br />
extension<br />
plans to the<br />
media.<br />
NEWS<br />
Welcome boost at Woolmers Fonterra heads right whey<br />
CONSTRUCTION of a $5.3<br />
million visitor centre at Woolmers<br />
Estate near Longford is<br />
expected to boost the attraction<br />
status as a World Heritage<br />
tourism icon to rival Port Arthur.<br />
Private Melbourne donor<br />
Nigel Peck AM – a descendant<br />
of the estate’s original occupants,<br />
the Archer family – has<br />
funded the centre, with the<br />
provide more jobs for our<br />
fellow <strong>Tasmanian</strong>s.”<br />
help of a $1.75 million contribution<br />
from the State Government.<br />
The site, famous for its<br />
world-renowned rose garden,<br />
would also become a linchpin<br />
for a proposed heritage circuit,<br />
featuring nearby Brickendon,<br />
the National Trust’s Clarendon<br />
property and heritage buildings<br />
at Evandale and Longford.<br />
Commercial Project Delivery<br />
is overseeing the development,<br />
one of the $115<br />
million-worth of construction<br />
projects it is involved with<br />
across the state.<br />
“The team is excited to play<br />
a key role in the development,’’<br />
manager Sam Tucker<br />
said.<br />
“This facility will be a great<br />
destination for tourists and locals,’’<br />
he said.<br />
FONTERRA Australia will<br />
invest $4.3 million to boost<br />
cheese and whey capacity at<br />
its Wynyard plant.<br />
The investment will increase<br />
the plant’s cheese making<br />
capacity by 8000 MT per<br />
annum.<br />
Fonterra Australia Regional<br />
Operations Manager South<br />
Steve Taylor said the Wynyard<br />
factory was a key part of Fon-<br />
Hobart Airport CEO Rod<br />
Parry said the runway extension<br />
was set to transform Tasmania’s<br />
busiest gateway and<br />
Fonterra<br />
employee,<br />
Mikhael<br />
Noviks-<br />
Hardy in<br />
the cheese<br />
plant.<br />
terra’s global multi-hub strategy.<br />
“Tasmania is an important<br />
region for Fonterra and our<br />
build international interest in<br />
Hobart.<br />
“The runway extension is<br />
an important infrastructure<br />
project for Hobart Airport<br />
and the state of Tasmania,”<br />
Mr Parry said.<br />
“It will enable direct flights<br />
between Hobart and South<br />
East Asia and will greatly<br />
enhance Hobart’s role as a<br />
gateway to the East Antarctic<br />
by increasing capacity to take<br />
heavier planes.”<br />
Further Hobart Airport redevelopment<br />
projects include<br />
an extensive $25 million<br />
revamp of the airport’s passenger<br />
terminal, offering a<br />
range of exciting new retail<br />
and dining spaces.<br />
As part of the terminal redevelopment,<br />
the new arrivals<br />
area is due for completion<br />
in <strong>October</strong> this year.<br />
multi-hub strategy, and we<br />
continue to invest here for<br />
the long-term. We’re a major<br />
regional employer and we’re<br />
proud of the work we do and<br />
our involvement in the local<br />
communities.<br />
Braddon Labor MHR Justine<br />
Keay said the announcement<br />
was welcome news for<br />
North West Tasmania’s dairy<br />
farmers.
4 <strong>Tasmanian</strong> <strong>Business</strong> <strong>Reporter</strong> - OCTOBER <strong>2016</strong><br />
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP<br />
www.tcci.com.au<br />
Time for restoration rescue<br />
THE business sector and a large<br />
number of state political minds<br />
have agreed with the TCCI’s view<br />
that the time is right to restore Parliament’s<br />
Lower House back to 35<br />
members.<br />
I have made it clear in recent<br />
weeks that the TCCI is a firm believer<br />
in the much-needed reform<br />
and it appears the majority of people<br />
agree that Tasmania’s Parliament is<br />
burdened by the House of Assembly’s<br />
size of 25.<br />
Our Ministers are struggling<br />
against an ever-growing volume of<br />
work and their influence and power<br />
has been reduced — with unelected<br />
department heads filling the gaps.<br />
It is disappointing that the Liberal<br />
Party hasn’t reopened the door to<br />
discuss this important reform, given<br />
they had previously stated they<br />
would when the Budget situation<br />
had improved.<br />
Well, that time is now — before<br />
the next election due in March 2018.<br />
While Premier Will Hodgman<br />
says it is not a priority, feedback I<br />
have received since putting this topic<br />
back on the agenda has been very<br />
positive — from the business com-<br />
Michael<br />
Bailey<br />
TCCI Chief Executive<br />
At the end of the day<br />
it is all about better<br />
democracy<br />
munity, Labor and the Greens —<br />
and, to an extent, from many Liberals<br />
‘behind the scenes’.<br />
Actually turning that desire into<br />
a tangible policy the Government<br />
is willing to champion publicly is a<br />
different story.<br />
In 1998, then-Liberal Premier<br />
Tony Rundle led the charge for a<br />
reduction of the Legislative Council<br />
from 19 to 15 members, and the<br />
House of Assembly from 35 to 25<br />
members — the purpose of which<br />
being “antagonism to the Greens’’.<br />
Respected political scientist Richard<br />
Herr noted the move had “performed<br />
radical reduction surgery on<br />
an institution that was already at the<br />
limits of sustainability’’.<br />
The TCCI has no problem with<br />
the status quo in the Legislative<br />
Council — the 15 member model<br />
works well. In fact, back in 2010,<br />
the Upper House voted against increasing<br />
its size back to 19.<br />
Enough said.<br />
However, the engine room of the<br />
Parliament needs a rapid-fire dose<br />
of new blood — one that can only<br />
come with an increase in representation<br />
from each electorate from five<br />
members to seven.<br />
It would ensure a robust backbench<br />
and give new politicians time<br />
to cut their teeth.<br />
At the end of the day, it’s all about<br />
better democracy.<br />
The argument that the move to<br />
35 will further increase the ratio of<br />
elected politicians to electors is one<br />
that can’t be avoided but explaining<br />
the rationale for change in a clear<br />
and constructive manner should allay<br />
concerns.<br />
Opening a dialogue on the matter<br />
Picture: TOM WAKEFIELD<br />
will no doubt also lead to discussion<br />
about reducing the number of<br />
local government representatives as<br />
a trade off — something the TCCI<br />
will back.<br />
And for those questioning the<br />
cost, estimated to be around $3 million<br />
recurrent — can a price tag be<br />
attached to a better system of governance,<br />
given we are heading back<br />
into the black as a result of strong<br />
economic management?<br />
The better system would mean<br />
fewer highly paid advisers which<br />
would well and truly offset the cost.<br />
China and US top targets for Oz exporters<br />
THERE are some very<br />
interesting findings in<br />
Australia’s International<br />
<strong>Business</strong> Survey<br />
(AIBS) <strong>2016</strong>.<br />
More than 90 per cent<br />
of the respondents were<br />
SMEs.<br />
Seventeen per cent<br />
earned revenue from<br />
one international market,<br />
12 per cent from<br />
two international markets,<br />
11 per cent from<br />
three international markets,<br />
and 10 per cent<br />
from four international<br />
markets.<br />
Twenty eight per cent<br />
earned revenue from ten<br />
or more international<br />
markets.<br />
The top markets for<br />
revenue earned were<br />
China, US, New Zealand,<br />
UK, Japan, Sin-<br />
gapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia,<br />
Malaysia and<br />
India.<br />
The most popular initial<br />
overseas markets<br />
for AIBS <strong>2016</strong> participants<br />
were the US, China,<br />
New Zealand and the<br />
UK.<br />
Participants reported<br />
that building a reputation<br />
for dependability,<br />
reliability, honesty and<br />
trustworthiness are the<br />
most important factors<br />
for ensuring success in<br />
international business.<br />
Respondents said the<br />
factors that helped them<br />
target their current most<br />
important market were:<br />
• the need to understand<br />
market compliance<br />
and risk;<br />
• the role played by export<br />
market development<br />
grants (EMDG) and similar<br />
grant programs; and<br />
• access to general information<br />
on local customs,<br />
border procedures,<br />
business taxes and regulations.<br />
Twenty two per<br />
cent of respondents undertake<br />
export activities<br />
only, 24 per cent export<br />
and import, and six per<br />
cent undertake export,<br />
import and investment<br />
activities.<br />
The top markets for<br />
inward investment into<br />
Australia were China,<br />
US, Singapore and the<br />
UK and the top markets<br />
for outward investment<br />
from Australia to other<br />
countries were China,<br />
the US, UK and Singapore.<br />
About 18 per cent of<br />
respondents have bid<br />
for a foreign government<br />
tender in the past<br />
China was<br />
the top<br />
market for<br />
revenue<br />
earned<br />
according<br />
to the latest<br />
International<br />
<strong>Business</strong><br />
Survey.<br />
Picture:<br />
Forbes<br />
two years. In the next<br />
two years the most popular<br />
target market is China,<br />
followed by the US,<br />
India, UK, Indonesia,<br />
South Korea, Singapore,<br />
Japan, Brazil and the<br />
UAE.<br />
Respondents cited<br />
adverse exchange rate<br />
movements, high domestic<br />
costs in Australia,<br />
increased international<br />
competition and<br />
financial or economic<br />
crisis in their top international<br />
markets as the<br />
key risks facing their<br />
organisations over the<br />
next three-to-five years.<br />
Individual survey results<br />
for Tasmania, plus<br />
market and industry<br />
specific information, is<br />
on the Austrade website.<br />
For international<br />
trade and investment<br />
assistance<br />
contact TCCI Trade-<br />
Start adviser, Sally<br />
Chandler, at sally.<br />
chandler@tcci.com.<br />
au or phone 1300<br />
559 122.<br />
Low-down on long service<br />
WE have just completed<br />
Hot Topics sessions on<br />
the Long Service Leave<br />
Act 1976 in Devonport,<br />
Launceston and Hobart.<br />
There was a great<br />
turnout for the sessions<br />
and I hope those who<br />
attended found the sessions<br />
useful.<br />
Some issues covered<br />
were:<br />
• entitlement to long<br />
service leave (8 2 /3 weeks<br />
for 10 years of continuous<br />
employment and 4<br />
1<br />
/3 weeks for each additional<br />
five years of continuous<br />
employment);<br />
• how absences and<br />
interruptions (such as<br />
annual leave or long service<br />
leave, public holidays,<br />
any absence due to<br />
illness or injury, maternity/paternity<br />
leave and<br />
stand down or termination<br />
due to slackness of<br />
trade interact with continuous<br />
employment:<br />
• transfer of employment<br />
or if an employee<br />
works for more than one<br />
employer;<br />
• how long service is<br />
paid (can’t be taken in<br />
advance of the entitlement<br />
being accrued but<br />
it can be cashed in);<br />
• what is considered<br />
to be ordinary pay – that<br />
is, what is paid when an<br />
employee takes long service<br />
leave;<br />
• pro-rata long service<br />
leave and when it is paid<br />
(i.e. illness, incapacity,<br />
domestic or other pressing<br />
necessity or termination<br />
by the employer);<br />
and<br />
• the practicalities of<br />
managing long service<br />
leave entitlements.<br />
We always invite<br />
feedback as to any<br />
topics or information<br />
that would benefit<br />
businesses<br />
and if you are<br />
unsure about long<br />
service leave, or any<br />
other employmentrelated<br />
matter,<br />
businesses can<br />
contact the Helpline<br />
on 1300 765 123 or<br />
the TCCI on<br />
1300 59 122 or<br />
workplacerelations@<br />
tcci.com.au
<strong>Tasmanian</strong> <strong>Business</strong> <strong>Reporter</strong> - OCTOBER <strong>2016</strong> 5<br />
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP<br />
www.tcci.com.au<br />
Drugs testing workplace health Risks in not<br />
By Craig Hortle<br />
CRYSTAL methamphetamine,<br />
“ice”, is a stimulant<br />
drug that speeds up<br />
the messages travelling<br />
between the brain and<br />
the body.<br />
It’s stronger and more<br />
addictive, and therefore<br />
has more harmful side<br />
effects, than the powder<br />
form of methamphetamine<br />
known as speed.<br />
More than 270,000<br />
people are reportedly on<br />
methamphetamine and<br />
81 per cent, or 220,000<br />
of that group, are employed.<br />
Statistically, in some<br />
states of Australia, more<br />
than 7000 people could<br />
be in a workplace affected<br />
by ice or other drugs.<br />
Employers can manage<br />
the potential of employees<br />
being affected<br />
by drugs in the workplace<br />
with a drug and<br />
alcohol policy, which<br />
would include;<br />
• Your overriding position.<br />
Explicitly stating<br />
that drug use in the<br />
workplace and drug-affected<br />
behaviour have<br />
no place in your business<br />
is an excellent starting<br />
point for your drug and<br />
alcohol policy.<br />
Make it clear this is<br />
not about meeting legislative<br />
requirements but<br />
part of your core business.<br />
• Drug testing. If being<br />
drug tested in any capacity<br />
is a condition of employment,<br />
this should be<br />
made very clear to employees<br />
up front – not<br />
just in the fine print.<br />
• Framework. You<br />
must outline the manner<br />
in which drug and/<br />
Ice is more addictive than speed.<br />
or alcohol testing will be<br />
carried out (eg random,<br />
weekly, monthly).<br />
• Targets. You must<br />
outline the specific drugs<br />
that may be tested for<br />
(eg illicit, prescription,<br />
synthetic)<br />
• Methods. Clearly detail<br />
the type of testing<br />
that will occur (ie oral<br />
fluid, urine or both).<br />
• Your business’s impairment<br />
cut-off limits.<br />
• Processes for managing<br />
positive/non-negative<br />
test results.<br />
• Duty of care. Spell<br />
out both your duty of<br />
care as an employer and<br />
also your employees’<br />
duty of care.<br />
• Workplace support.<br />
Incorporating addiction<br />
education into your business’s<br />
safety approach<br />
may prove a worthwhile<br />
investment - nceta.<br />
flinders.edu.au has good<br />
information.<br />
• Further treatment.<br />
Society’s response to<br />
drug use can’t be only<br />
punitive. Many addicts<br />
can recover with support.<br />
The TCCI is running<br />
some hot topic sessions<br />
on this subject in Burnie,<br />
Launceston and Hobart -<br />
please check the website<br />
for times and dates.<br />
For more information<br />
on this topic or<br />
any other safety<br />
concern contact<br />
Craig Hortle or<br />
Janelle Whitehouse<br />
at the TCCI on 1300<br />
559 122 or via<br />
safety@TCCI.com.au<br />
Shipping fees set<br />
to rise this summer<br />
reviewing<br />
insurance<br />
DIRECTOR,<br />
INSURANCE SOLUTIONS<br />
WHEN was the last time you reviewed your<br />
business insurance program in its entirety?<br />
Policies are often spread throughout the year<br />
and although each policy is reviewed individually,<br />
it’s important to look at your portfolio as a<br />
whole, to identify gaps or double-ups.<br />
This isn’t necessarily a cost cutting exercise –<br />
insurance is a fine example of getting what you<br />
pay for.<br />
Have you had insurance valuations done to<br />
make sure you’ve insured your property for its<br />
full replacement value?<br />
Most commercial insurance policies penalise<br />
for underinsurance, and with extra costs to<br />
comply with new regulations, your sum insured<br />
could well be too low to rebuild in the event of<br />
a major loss.<br />
What about business interruption insurance –<br />
do you even have it?<br />
Most businesses have fire, theft and liability<br />
insurance, but up to 40 per cent of small enterprises<br />
don’t have business interruption insurance.<br />
Could your business survive 12 to 18 months<br />
while you rebuild? How would you pay your<br />
wages, rent or your business loans?<br />
Risk management and insurance is a complex<br />
but vital aspect of running a business.<br />
It can be the difference between surviving a<br />
major claim, or going broke – yet it is often dealt<br />
with summarily.<br />
Touch base with your broker and arrange a review<br />
now. If you don’t have a broker, it’s well<br />
worth considering. A good broker is one point of<br />
contact for advice and expertise.<br />
They ensure your package covers all your<br />
risks. They can offer you premium funding<br />
options to spread your payments and help your<br />
cash flow.<br />
And most importantly, they can help you manage<br />
your claims.<br />
Sally Bevis is a director at Insurance<br />
Solutions Tasmania Pty Ltd (AFSL<br />
315540) — brokers for the TCCI. Information<br />
is general in nature. For details<br />
contact Sally, sbevis@inssoltas.com.au<br />
The demise of South Korean company Hanjin may inadvertently have an impact on summer<br />
shipping costs in Tasmania.<br />
j<br />
HANJIN Line was the<br />
seventh largest shipping<br />
line in the world until it<br />
went broke a few weeks<br />
ago.<br />
While Hanjin has not<br />
traditionally serviced<br />
<strong>Tasmanian</strong> companies,<br />
it should be a canary in<br />
the mine for international<br />
traders.<br />
How does the seventh<br />
largest shipping line on<br />
the planet stop being a<br />
viable option?<br />
One of the reasons is<br />
that freight rates are the<br />
lowest they have been<br />
for many years. The volumes<br />
moving around the<br />
world do not equate to<br />
the space that is available<br />
to carry the cargo.<br />
Just about every<br />
month now there is a notice<br />
from shipping lines<br />
announcing a General<br />
Rate Increase.<br />
The rate increase<br />
sticks for about one day<br />
before one of the lines<br />
drops their rates to secure<br />
volume – then the<br />
We are entering the<br />
peak season of imports<br />
and as such less space.<br />
dominos all fall and on<br />
occasion the rates drop<br />
below the starting price.<br />
Ships still have costs –<br />
crew, fuel, charter costs,<br />
port costs, insurance etc.<br />
It is simple mathematics<br />
really.<br />
The canary is that with<br />
t<br />
t<br />
Hanjin leaving, the number<br />
of container slots<br />
ex-popular ports drops<br />
by around 700 container<br />
slots per week.<br />
We are entering the<br />
peak season of imports<br />
and as such less space.<br />
We are already getting<br />
notices from shipping<br />
lines that they want<br />
to increase import rates<br />
around US$500.00 per<br />
TEU.<br />
While they have failed<br />
in the past to achieve<br />
such increases, it may be<br />
that if importers want to<br />
secure space for Christmas<br />
stock then they may<br />
be forced to pay some of<br />
these rate increases.<br />
My prediction is that it<br />
will happen this time.<br />
The Inaugural<br />
WorkSafe Tasmania Conference <strong>2016</strong><br />
Leadership, Culture and Organisational Safety:<br />
Safe and well everyday<br />
27 – 28 <strong>October</strong> <strong>2016</strong><br />
Hotel Grand Chancellor, Launceston<br />
Don’t miss this excellent two day opportunity to hear<br />
from key international, national and local experts on<br />
aspects relating to:<br />
• psychosocial hazards in the workplace<br />
• absenteeism, presenteeism, personality and job design<br />
• emotional intelligence and safety leadership<br />
• performance management and WHS risk<br />
For more information, go to www.worksafe.tas.gov.au
6 <strong>Tasmanian</strong> <strong>Business</strong> <strong>Reporter</strong> - OCTOBER <strong>2016</strong><br />
FOCUS ON BUSINESS<br />
Conference centre’s record year<br />
Wrest Point Conference and Entertainment Centre, built in 1984, was Australia’s first dedicated conference<br />
centre —one of many firsts that Wrest Point can lay claim to<br />
THE original Wrest Point Riviera<br />
Hotel, which opened in 1939, was<br />
the first luxury resort-style hotel<br />
of its kind in Australia. Prior to<br />
that time hotels in Australia were<br />
very much in the English style,<br />
with small rooms and very traditional<br />
furnishings.<br />
Wrest Point is owned by Federal<br />
Group, a family-run company<br />
that has been investing in<br />
Tasmania’s tourism industry for<br />
60 years. The purchase of the<br />
Wrest Point Riviera hotel in 1956<br />
marked Federal Group’s first<br />
commitment to Tasmania.<br />
The iconic Wrest Point tower,<br />
housing Australia’s first casino,<br />
was added to the site in 1973.<br />
The concept of introducing a casino<br />
was unanimously supported by<br />
the then <strong>Tasmanian</strong> government and also endorsed at<br />
the 1968 referendum by the majority of the <strong>Tasmanian</strong><br />
people.<br />
Wrest Point Conference and Entertainment Centre,<br />
adjacent to the tower, is going from strength to<br />
strength with 2015-16 being a record year for the<br />
Conference Centre, hosting more than 500 events<br />
and attracting 6700 delegates.<br />
Wrest Point general manager Dominic Baker attributes<br />
the growth to a significant program of capital<br />
works, undertaken last year.<br />
“My predecessor conducted a review of our conference<br />
facilities and decided on a strategy of completely<br />
revamping the offering,’’ Mr Baker said.<br />
“We have given the place a facelift and are now<br />
Wrest Point general manager<br />
Dominic Baker<br />
really focussed on the overall<br />
experience for our event delegates.<br />
Wrest Point is recognised<br />
as a gateway to Tasmania and this<br />
is reflected in the demand for our<br />
conference and event facilities.”<br />
With its own jetty and helipad,<br />
and parking for 1000 cars, Wrest<br />
Point is attracting many national<br />
and international business events,<br />
including next year’s national<br />
Lions conference with 1600 delegates<br />
expected to attend.<br />
It is set to be the largest conference<br />
event held in Tasmania.<br />
Since its first investment in<br />
Wrest Point, Federal Group has<br />
continued to heavily invest in<br />
Tasmania.<br />
In addition to Wrest Point,<br />
Federal Group also operates the<br />
award-winning properties Saffire Freycinet, The<br />
Henry Jones Art Hotel and Country Club Tasmania.<br />
The latest addition to the group is the 114-room<br />
MACq01 hotel on the Hobart waterfront, which is<br />
due to open mid-next year. The company has also<br />
announced plans for the construction of a luxury<br />
Port Arthur resort, which will be a sister-property to<br />
Saffire.<br />
Having just completed the refurbishment of its<br />
Conference Centre, Wrest Point is now turning its<br />
attention to a major overhaul of its iconic Tower.<br />
Work is scheduled to start in May 2017 on a complete<br />
upgrade to the accommodation, ensuring that it<br />
remains an attractive option for national and international<br />
conferences.<br />
Wrest Point’s Conference and Event Centre set up for a function, top,<br />
and, above, the centre’s theatre.<br />
CONFERENCE AND EVENT CENTRE<br />
Tasmania’s premier<br />
business event venue<br />
• World-class waterfront location<br />
• Major refurbishment completed in <strong>2016</strong><br />
• 15 different event spaces, catering to<br />
groups of 10 up to 1650<br />
• State of the art in-house AV<br />
• 5 restaurants and 4 bars<br />
• 269 accommodation rooms<br />
• Ferry access to Mona and other spots on<br />
the Derwent River<br />
• Free shuttle to CBD/Salamanca Place<br />
www.wrestpoint.com.au/conference<br />
(03) 6221 1712
<strong>Tasmanian</strong> <strong>Business</strong> <strong>Reporter</strong> - OCTOBER <strong>2016</strong> 7<br />
FOCUS ON BUSINESS<br />
Putting the XS in success<br />
Employers often find themselves frustrated searching for reliable employees who genuinely want to work.<br />
RECRUITMENT and labour hire<br />
company, Workforce XS Launceston,<br />
managing director Jason Reed<br />
hears stories of frustration all the<br />
time from employers across the<br />
region.<br />
“Tasmania has the highest jobless<br />
rate in the country and still employers<br />
are complaining that they can’t<br />
find suitable, quality employees<br />
who want to stay in a job,” he said.<br />
This is where Jason and his professional<br />
recruitment team can step<br />
in.<br />
Jason is an accredited recruiter<br />
with 10 years’ experience and has<br />
found that the secret of finding the<br />
right person is about not settling for<br />
mediocrity. Instead, it is about effectively<br />
communicating the needs<br />
of the business to jobseekers.<br />
Time and again he hears of businesses<br />
promising the world and<br />
under-delivering, leaving employees<br />
disappointed and uninspired in<br />
their job roles.<br />
“A realistic expectation of the<br />
day-to-day tasks required for the job<br />
helps lead to greater job satisfaction<br />
and improved long-term employment<br />
outcomes for jobseekers,” he<br />
said.<br />
Jason and his team are passionate<br />
about supporting local small-to-medium<br />
business operators to find<br />
the right temporary or permanent<br />
employee for the role. His firm<br />
operates from Launceston but regularly<br />
services Hobart and the North<br />
West Coast.<br />
In 2015, Jason started his own<br />
recruitment agency backed by a<br />
nationally-operated recruitment<br />
franchisor, WorkforceXS.<br />
Since the business opened in September<br />
2015, Jason has achieved<br />
month-on-month strong growth,<br />
fostered by his commitment to finding<br />
the right person for the job.<br />
To celebrate his first successful<br />
year as a recruitment business<br />
owner, he is offering all <strong>Tasmanian</strong><br />
<strong>Business</strong> <strong>Reporter</strong> readers a flat-fee<br />
structure for permanent placements<br />
at 5 per cent salary plus GST (non<br />
executive appointments only).<br />
This also includes a replacement<br />
guarantee period of three months<br />
from start date.<br />
No up-front payments are required,<br />
which allows business<br />
owners and HR managers some<br />
peace-of-mind when finding the<br />
right candidate for their workplace.<br />
Jason and his team are also fully<br />
certified for quality control recruitment<br />
processes and occupational<br />
health and safety procedures.<br />
Their 24/7 approach to customer<br />
satisfaction ensures that all employers<br />
see the benefit of outsourcing<br />
HR and recruitment hassles.<br />
Tasmania has the<br />
highest jobless rate<br />
in the country and<br />
still employers are<br />
complaining that<br />
they can’t find<br />
suitable, quality<br />
employees who<br />
want to stay<br />
in a job
8 <strong>Tasmanian</strong> <strong>Business</strong> <strong>Reporter</strong> - OCTOBER <strong>2016</strong><br />
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP<br />
www.tcci.com.au<br />
State goes on the defensive<br />
IT WAS my pleasure to<br />
work alongside <strong>Tasmanian</strong><br />
businesses at the<br />
recent Land Forces <strong>2016</strong><br />
expo in Adelaide.<br />
Land Forces is the nation’s<br />
premier land defence<br />
exhibition and forum.<br />
This was the first time<br />
Tasmania had been represented<br />
at Land Forces<br />
and we took the opportunity<br />
to introduce ourselves<br />
by showcasing<br />
the capabilities of a cross<br />
section of our most innovative<br />
manufacturers.<br />
The <strong>Tasmanian</strong> stand<br />
was fully-funded by the<br />
State Government.<br />
Experienced delegates<br />
were surprised to see the<br />
<strong>Tasmanian</strong> brand alongside<br />
big defence names<br />
such as Boeing and Lockheed<br />
Martin, but defence<br />
is built on highly-specialised,<br />
high-quality<br />
and high-value components<br />
– the sort of work<br />
that small, focused and<br />
nimble <strong>Tasmanian</strong> businesses<br />
have always been<br />
good at.<br />
The nine <strong>Tasmanian</strong><br />
exhibitors on our stand<br />
were Aquatruck PFG<br />
Group (HDPE watercraft),<br />
Penguin Composites<br />
(fibreglass), Elphinstone<br />
(heavy vehicle<br />
manufacturing), CBG<br />
Systems (IR signature<br />
management), Direct<br />
Edge (sheetmetal), Jayben<br />
Australia (drive<br />
shafts), Forager Foods<br />
(freeze dried rations),<br />
Blundstone Australia<br />
(footwear), and Moonraker<br />
Australia (antennae<br />
systems).<br />
They demonstrate the<br />
diversity of <strong>Tasmanian</strong><br />
innovation and the scope<br />
of defence procurement.<br />
All came away with<br />
new contacts and a bet-<br />
ter understanding of their<br />
product may fit within the<br />
world of defence.<br />
Read more at www.<br />
stategrowth.tas.gov.au/<br />
home/sectors/defence.<br />
The Department of Defence<br />
will soon be travelling<br />
the country with a<br />
“roadshow” presenting<br />
defence industry opportunities<br />
to a broader business<br />
audience, and discussing<br />
the importance of<br />
collaborative defence-industry<br />
relationships.<br />
Details of the <strong>Tasmanian</strong><br />
leg will be advertised<br />
through the <strong>Business</strong><br />
Tasmania Service.<br />
Visit www.business.<br />
tas.gov.au and sign up<br />
for the e-newsletter to receive<br />
details about business<br />
opportunities.<br />
Roger Jaensch, centre, with Kim Evans from the Department of State<br />
Growth, left, and Javier Herbon of <strong>Tasmanian</strong> company CBG Systems.<br />
Infrastructure investment vital for the future<br />
IT IS becoming increasingly<br />
clear that Tasmania<br />
has some significant<br />
infrastructure challenges<br />
that need to be addressed.<br />
Excerpts from an internal<br />
Hydro engineering<br />
report published in the<br />
media make for concerning<br />
reading.<br />
They outline the huge<br />
task of maintaining Hydro’s<br />
energy generation<br />
assets and reveal that<br />
about 30 per cent of<br />
the infrastructure can’t<br />
be properly maintained<br />
within the current budget.<br />
The energy crisis<br />
showed how vigilant we<br />
need to be when it comes<br />
to energy security and<br />
the Hydro report should<br />
be a wake-up call when<br />
it comes to investing in<br />
infrastructure.<br />
If we are going to see<br />
substantial growth in<br />
areas like tourism, we<br />
must have the water and<br />
sewerage infrastructure<br />
A failure to properly<br />
manage our energy assets<br />
now could hold us<br />
back in the long-term.<br />
There’s no use talking<br />
about a second Bass<br />
Strait interconnector if<br />
we’re not prepared to retain<br />
100 per cent of our<br />
energy generating assets.<br />
The same importance<br />
needs to be put on investing<br />
in the state’s water<br />
and sewerage infrastructure.<br />
This needs to be a<br />
combined effort of local,<br />
state and federal government<br />
intervention.<br />
TasWater has rightly<br />
set goals to eliminate<br />
the need for boiled-water<br />
alerts across Tasmania.<br />
It is critical that visitors<br />
have access to first-world<br />
services as they travel all<br />
over the state.<br />
To realise TasWater’s<br />
target there needs to a<br />
significant increase in investment<br />
and a concerted<br />
effort from all tiers of<br />
government.<br />
If we are going to see<br />
substantial growth in areas<br />
like tourism, we must<br />
have the water and sewerage<br />
infrastructure to back<br />
it up.<br />
Investments now will<br />
pay dividends for future<br />
generations.<br />
The Treasurer has<br />
flagged he will be announcing<br />
plans to try and<br />
stimulate the economy<br />
soon.<br />
Labor argues intervention<br />
is well-overdue<br />
but we are hoping to see<br />
significant long-term investments<br />
that will set<br />
Tasmania up for decades<br />
to come.<br />
Whether it’s Hydro’s<br />
energy assets,or critical<br />
water and sewerage infrastructure<br />
– tackling<br />
the challenges now could<br />
avoid even bigger headaches<br />
later.<br />
Thinking of selling or<br />
buying a business?<br />
Australia’s largest specialist<br />
business broker network is<br />
now in Tasmania.<br />
Call Dean Demeyer on<br />
0419 382 359 for a FREE, no<br />
obligation assessment<br />
of your business.<br />
www.finnbusinesssales.com.au<br />
Brokers help dodge many<br />
pitfalls in selling a business<br />
SELLING a business is<br />
a very complex process<br />
with many pitfalls that<br />
can cause a business<br />
owner to get much less<br />
than they expected for<br />
the business.<br />
The additional stress<br />
of handling the many<br />
buyer enquiries, many<br />
from non-genuine buyers,<br />
and maintaining financial<br />
confidentiality<br />
is a recipe for a neglected<br />
business that ultimately<br />
gets devalued.<br />
A professional business<br />
broker can negotiate<br />
a higher sale price,<br />
and achieve settlement<br />
in the shortest possible<br />
time.<br />
Here are a few benefits.<br />
Maintaining<br />
confidentiality<br />
Screening buyer enquiries<br />
ensures only<br />
genuine, appropriate<br />
buyers are involved in<br />
the process. All buyers<br />
must sign Confidential-<br />
Dean<br />
Demeyer<br />
Demeyer Consulting<br />
ity Agreements before a<br />
broker provides business<br />
information. Shielding<br />
employees, suppliers<br />
and customers from the<br />
sale process requires<br />
professional discretion.<br />
Presentation<br />
A broker will present<br />
the business professionally<br />
to a broad audience<br />
and attract buyer<br />
enquiries. When those<br />
A professional business<br />
broker can negotiate a<br />
higher sale price<br />
enquiries show up, the<br />
business due diligence<br />
documentation must be<br />
complete with everything<br />
disclosed to satisfy<br />
the buyer’s accountant<br />
and bankers.<br />
Expertise<br />
<strong>Business</strong> brokers’ experience<br />
allows them to<br />
deal with all the variables,<br />
complications,<br />
and various interested<br />
parties to achieve a<br />
smooth settlement to the<br />
right buyer.<br />
With nearly half of<br />
signed sale contracts incomplete,<br />
a steady hand<br />
to project manage the<br />
whole process is essential.<br />
Appropriate price<br />
In a competitive market,<br />
a business must be<br />
priced correctly. Brokers<br />
understand what<br />
the market wants and<br />
expects and will take the<br />
time to understand your<br />
business to determine an<br />
appropriate price.<br />
Resources<br />
<strong>Business</strong> brokers have<br />
a number of resources<br />
such as databases of buyers<br />
that business owners<br />
just don’t have access to,<br />
allowing them to screen<br />
for those buyers that are<br />
most likely to purchase.<br />
Screening buyers can<br />
often make the process<br />
faster while also achieving<br />
the desired price.
<strong>Tasmanian</strong> <strong>Business</strong> <strong>Reporter</strong> - OCTOBER <strong>2016</strong> 9<br />
FOCUS ON BUSINESS<br />
Quality assured<br />
at Best Western<br />
Best Western Hobart and Best Western Plus Launceston<br />
joined the Best Western family in August 2013, and have both<br />
undergone a series of refurbishments.<br />
EVERY Best Western hotel provides the same value<br />
and quality associated with the Best Western brand<br />
– a name you can rely on for accommodation and<br />
business meetings, conferences and events.<br />
Both hotels are ideally located in the heart of each<br />
city’s CBD precincts and offer a range of function<br />
rooms perfectly suited to every style of function,<br />
effortlessly combined with that well-known warm<br />
welcome.<br />
The team of events professionals pride themselves<br />
on providing the highest standard of service available<br />
in order to ensure that your convention, conference<br />
or event runs smoothly and successfully.<br />
Best Western Hobart is a 140-room hotel, including<br />
six fully refurbished meeting rooms that can be<br />
configured to cater for events of varying sizes.<br />
The hotel spaces can be set to host board room<br />
meetings, cocktail and theatre style events, banquets,<br />
and classroom/lecture style meetings.<br />
Keeping guests well fed is easy with an impressive<br />
range of options, from a build-your-own customised<br />
sandwich bar, scrumptious wood fired pizzas, right<br />
through to a gourmet hot lunch.<br />
With a dedicated events team on site, they ensure<br />
each meeting or event runs seamlessly.<br />
Best Western Plus Launceston has 116 guest rooms<br />
and five fully equipped function rooms.<br />
Featuring natural light, ceiling hung data projectors,<br />
electronic projection screens and sound systems,<br />
the conference rooms at Best Western Plus Launceston<br />
provide an easy choice for business events.<br />
The iconic Great Northern Bar can also be secured<br />
for exclusive use for that all-important networking<br />
event after the business sessions are done.<br />
Both hotels are offering an outstanding special to<br />
<strong>Tasmanian</strong> <strong>Business</strong> <strong>Reporter</strong> readers.<br />
When enquiring about a full-day conference anytime<br />
up to November 30, just mention the ad below<br />
to take advantage of this offer.<br />
Both special packages include tea and coffee<br />
awaiting delegates on arrival, morning and afternoon<br />
tea, a working lunch and private room hire. The<br />
essential data projector and screen plus a whiteboard<br />
and flipchart are all included as well. The facilitator<br />
will be looked after on arrival with complimentary<br />
car parking and an espresso coffee to get the day<br />
underway.<br />
If delegates or presenters are from interstate, ask<br />
about special accommodation rates and this can be<br />
taken care of for you all under one roof.<br />
Considering the central locations, car parking,<br />
complimentary high speed Wi-Fi, and a host dedicated<br />
to your event, the choice of Best Western Hobart<br />
or Best Western Plus Launceston is simple.<br />
At Best Western in Hobart and Launceston a day in the well-equipoed<br />
conference centre, top, starts with an excellent breakfast, below.
10 <strong>Tasmanian</strong> <strong>Business</strong> <strong>Reporter</strong> - OCTOBER <strong>2016</strong><br />
NEWS<br />
TasTAFE success at training awards<br />
THREE TasTAFE-trained<br />
students and one<br />
TasTAFE teacher will<br />
represent the state at<br />
the Australian Training<br />
Awards in November<br />
after winning <strong>Tasmanian</strong><br />
Training Awards.<br />
TasTAFE outdoor<br />
recreation teacher Nate<br />
Welch was named VET<br />
teacher of the year. Nate<br />
has been the coordinator<br />
of the Outdoor<br />
Recreation program at<br />
TasTAFE for two years<br />
and currently teaches<br />
Certificate IV in Outdoor<br />
Recreation.<br />
Before TasTAFE, he<br />
worked as an outdoor<br />
instructor for schools<br />
across Australia and<br />
has also been a guide,<br />
trainer and operations<br />
manager for businesses<br />
in Australia and Africa.<br />
Nate has re-written<br />
the program for the outdoor<br />
recreation course<br />
and has developed a<br />
student assessment<br />
booklet that is the first<br />
of its kind in the outdoor<br />
recreation training<br />
sector.<br />
Accepting his award<br />
Nate said that while he<br />
had never planned to be<br />
a teacher, he found it<br />
rewarding.<br />
“Until you do it I<br />
don’t think you can really<br />
relate to the connection<br />
that you have with<br />
students and the difference<br />
you can make in a<br />
student’s life by some<br />
of the stuff that you do.<br />
I think that’s been one<br />
of the most rewarding<br />
things of my journey in<br />
this field,” Nate said.<br />
Vocational Student of<br />
the Year Carla Wilcox,<br />
completed a Certificate<br />
III in Disability at Tas-<br />
TAFE in 2015.<br />
She was hesitant<br />
to return to study but<br />
thrived in the course and<br />
found paid employment<br />
with Coastal Residential<br />
Services. She is now undertaking<br />
the Certificate<br />
IV course and wants to<br />
Vocational Student of the Year Carla Wilcox and Aboriginal Student of the<br />
Year Jarrod Edwards.<br />
Picture: Tony McKendrick, Photomakers<br />
build her qualifications,<br />
job skills and knowledge<br />
so that she can eventually<br />
move into management<br />
in the sector.<br />
Accepting her award<br />
Carla said she had fallen<br />
into an industry she had<br />
nothing but passion for.<br />
“I really want to<br />
create opportunities to<br />
validate and empower<br />
people with disability,”<br />
Carla said.<br />
Aboriginal Student of<br />
the Year Jarrod Edwards<br />
is employed at the<br />
<strong>Tasmanian</strong> Aboriginal<br />
Centre as a land management<br />
supervisor and<br />
completed Certificates<br />
III and IV in Conservation<br />
and Land Management<br />
at TasTAFE.<br />
He chose this area<br />
of study because of his<br />
Aboriginal heritage, his<br />
love of nature and his<br />
desire to conserve the<br />
environment.<br />
Nation-leading building reforms target jobs growth<br />
Industry welcomes change<br />
By Guy Barnett<br />
THE State Government’s<br />
nation-leading building<br />
legislation will make it<br />
fairer, faster, simpler and<br />
cheaper to build in Tasmania,<br />
the industry says.<br />
Creating an environment<br />
welcoming of<br />
investment is how governments<br />
can work to<br />
encourage jobs growth.<br />
This is particularly<br />
important in our critical<br />
building and construction<br />
industries, which<br />
employ close to 20,000<br />
people.<br />
Overly burdensome or<br />
unnecessary regulation<br />
– red tape – imposed by<br />
governments at all levels<br />
is one of the greatest<br />
complaints of people<br />
wanting to develop property.<br />
Whether the client is a<br />
company planning a new<br />
commercial building or a<br />
family wanting to build<br />
a new home, gaining all<br />
the necessary approvals<br />
can add significant costs<br />
and result in long delays.<br />
The adverse impact of<br />
red tape can be the straw<br />
that breaks the camel’s<br />
back, causing development<br />
to be deferred,<br />
scaled back or shelved<br />
altogether.<br />
For companies, it can<br />
see their investment directed<br />
elsewhere, in other<br />
states, while for families<br />
it can make their dream<br />
home more of a nightmare.<br />
But that is all about to<br />
change with the Building<br />
Bill having passed Parliament<br />
and set to come into<br />
effect on January 1, 2017,<br />
leading a package of<br />
legislative reforms. The<br />
legislation will remove<br />
the need for building<br />
and plumbing permits<br />
for many projects, up to<br />
and including a two-storey<br />
house, where they are<br />
undertaken by accredited<br />
practitioners.<br />
The Bill includes appropriate<br />
safeguards for<br />
consumers, practitioners<br />
and the community.<br />
Our reforms are the result<br />
of extensive consultation<br />
with the building<br />
and construction industry,<br />
which is reflected in<br />
their own words.<br />
Housing Industry Association<br />
of Tasmania<br />
executive director Rick<br />
Sassin said it would deliver<br />
a “win-win for all<br />
stakeholders.”<br />
Master Builders Association<br />
executive director<br />
Michael Kerschbaum<br />
said the reforms were nation-leading.<br />
Our new building laws<br />
have not been developed<br />
in isolation, but are part<br />
Jarrod’s TasTAFE<br />
qualifications complement<br />
his university studies<br />
where he is undertaking<br />
a Bachelor of Arts<br />
with a double major in<br />
History, Geography and<br />
Environmental Studies.<br />
Drew Charlton, who<br />
completed a Certificate<br />
III in Carpentry at<br />
TasTAFE in 2015 was<br />
named Apprentice of the<br />
Year.<br />
Drew did his apprenticeship<br />
at Hobart building<br />
firm Cordwell Lane<br />
where he now mentors<br />
and works closely with<br />
other apprentices and<br />
shows potential to be not<br />
only a leader in his field,<br />
but a great mentor and<br />
trainer for apprentices.<br />
TasTAFE’s Manager,<br />
Centre of Vocational<br />
Preparation and English<br />
Language Services, Jon<br />
Grant was also recognised,<br />
receiving the<br />
Trevor Leo medal for<br />
outstanding services to<br />
vocational education and<br />
training (VET).<br />
of the Government’s<br />
wider agenda of cutting<br />
red tape and backing<br />
business.<br />
The Liberal Government<br />
created the ministerial<br />
portfolio of Building<br />
and Construction earlier<br />
this year demonstrating<br />
that we recognise the<br />
critical role building and<br />
construction plays and<br />
the opportunities that exist<br />
to grow this sector.<br />
We are also doubling<br />
the First Home Builders<br />
Grant to $20,000 and are<br />
providing 941 new<br />
homes for vulnerable<br />
<strong>Tasmanian</strong>s with the $60<br />
million Affordable Housing<br />
Action Plan.<br />
Forum<br />
nurtures<br />
safety<br />
culture<br />
WORK health and safety<br />
should be a strong part of<br />
every workplace’s culture,<br />
no matter how big<br />
or small.<br />
The <strong>2016</strong> Inaugural<br />
WorkSafe Tasmania<br />
Conference at the Hotel<br />
Grand Chancellor in<br />
Launceston on <strong>October</strong><br />
27 and 28 can help<br />
achieve that.<br />
The conference theme<br />
“Leadership, culture and<br />
organisational safety”<br />
and the focus of the program<br />
is ensuring every<br />
one is safe and well every<br />
day.<br />
It explores the importance<br />
of intelligent, innovative<br />
leadership for<br />
creating workplaces that<br />
nurture people to be engaged<br />
in safe, productive<br />
and meaningful work.<br />
Local, Australian and<br />
international experts will<br />
deliver topics focussing<br />
on:<br />
• workplace bullying,<br />
complementing the new<br />
workplace guidance on<br />
this psychosocial hazard,<br />
produced by WorkSafe<br />
Tasmania;<br />
• absenteeism, presenteeism,<br />
personality and<br />
job design;<br />
• emotional intelligence<br />
and safety leadership;<br />
and<br />
• performance management<br />
and WHS risk.<br />
The conference closes<br />
with the presentation dinner<br />
for the <strong>2016</strong> Work-<br />
Safe Awards at the hotel.<br />
The awards celebrate<br />
the outstanding achievements<br />
of workplaces and<br />
individuals who lead the<br />
way in raising the standards<br />
of work health and<br />
safety, health and wellbeing,<br />
and return to work.<br />
For more information,<br />
go to www.worksafe.<br />
tas.gov.au/<br />
Small<br />
business<br />
forum<br />
TO HELP small business<br />
operators cope with<br />
hurdles such as compliance<br />
and mandatory<br />
lodgements, the Governance<br />
Institute of Australia<br />
is offering a complimentary<br />
session for<br />
small business owners<br />
on Tuesday, <strong>October</strong> 18<br />
from 11am, concluding<br />
with a networking lunch,<br />
at Henry Jones Art Hotel.<br />
A half-day Governance<br />
Forum will then cover<br />
issues such as managing<br />
risk, the board’s role<br />
in governance when in a<br />
crisis and business continuity<br />
insurance.<br />
Contact 03 9620 2488.
APPOINTMENTS<br />
Hogg to lead<br />
<strong>Tasmanian</strong> Irrigation<br />
SAMANTHA Hogg (pictured) has<br />
been appointed the new chair of <strong>Tasmanian</strong><br />
Irrigation.<br />
Ms Hogg has been a Chief Financial<br />
Officer for ASX Top 20 company<br />
Transurban Limited, and has worked<br />
overseas in Canada and China. Ms<br />
Hogg is also a non-executive director<br />
for Hydro Tasmania, Tasrail and MaxiTrans<br />
Industries Limited.<br />
She replaces the inaugural chairman<br />
of Tasmania Irrigation, John Lord,<br />
who is retiring after eight years.<br />
Professional network<br />
DOCTORAL candidate and UTAS<br />
undergraduate business class lecturer<br />
Joey Crawford, pictured, has been<br />
appointed as secretary of the Northern<br />
Young Professionals Network.<br />
Also recently elected as the <strong>Tasmanian</strong><br />
University Union Postgraduate<br />
President, Mr Crawford said he was<br />
excited to be part of NYPN because it<br />
enabled like-minded professionals to<br />
network and develop.<br />
AMC Board<br />
changes<br />
New Australian Maritime Colleg<br />
Board members Allan Gray, left,<br />
and Tom Black.<br />
THE Australian Maritime College has<br />
appointed two new board members<br />
with diverse backgrounds.<br />
Captain Allan Gray spent 20 years<br />
trading on international vessels before<br />
moving ashore. On land he managed<br />
marine incidents and systems development<br />
for the Australian Maritime<br />
Safety Authority (AMSA) and Maritime<br />
Safety Queensland before moving<br />
to Marine Management at Perkins<br />
Shipping in Darwin.<br />
Captain Gray is currently the Harbour<br />
Master and General Manager,<br />
Port Operations, at Fremantle Port.<br />
Launceston’s Tom Black spent 14<br />
years focused on regional and economic<br />
development issues in Tasmania.<br />
He is also the chair of the <strong>Tasmanian</strong><br />
Committee of Regional Development<br />
Australia (RDA).<br />
<strong>Tasmanian</strong> <strong>Business</strong> <strong>Reporter</strong> - OCTOBER <strong>2016</strong> 11<br />
State accountants to meet national standards<br />
NEWS<br />
Level playing field<br />
for professionals<br />
CHARTERED Accountants Australia<br />
New Zealand has welcomed<br />
the tabling in the <strong>Tasmanian</strong> Parliament<br />
of the Professional Standards<br />
Amendment Bill <strong>2016</strong>.<br />
This Bill will ensure Tasmania<br />
will now align with the rest of the<br />
nation, by ensuring members of<br />
professional associations will be<br />
on a level playing field with their<br />
interstate counterparts.<br />
Head of leadership and advocacy,<br />
Rob Ward AM, said professional<br />
standards legislation was<br />
introduced nationally in the wake<br />
of the HIH collapse in 2001, which<br />
saw some insurance, such as professional<br />
indemnity cover, become<br />
almost impossible to secure for<br />
professionals.<br />
“The aim of the legislation was<br />
to limit the liability of the professionals<br />
who belong to a professional<br />
association leading to lower indemnity<br />
premiums,’’ Mr Ward said.<br />
“In return for this limit on liability,<br />
members of professional associations<br />
would be subject to higher<br />
standards of practice which it was<br />
hoped would in turn reduce cases<br />
of poor practice.<br />
“However, an anomaly saw<br />
the <strong>Tasmanian</strong> Act out of step<br />
Rob Ward<br />
with the rest of the nation in that<br />
Section 27 (c) required the professional<br />
association to agree to<br />
increase the cap on liability if requested<br />
by a member, whereas<br />
interstate the association had the<br />
right to accept or refuse the cap.<br />
“This anomaly meant that CA<br />
ANZ did not apply for a scheme<br />
in Tasmania.<br />
“A professional standard scheme<br />
means that consumers have protection<br />
and can take comfort that<br />
...consumers<br />
have<br />
protection and<br />
can take<br />
comfort that<br />
high standards<br />
will be upheld.<br />
high standards will be upheld. It<br />
also means better business practices,’’<br />
he said.<br />
“The result of this outcome will<br />
mean consumer protection will be<br />
there for <strong>Tasmanian</strong>s. Communities<br />
and professionals will be regulated<br />
and will have to use high<br />
levels of conduct.<br />
“After many years of dialogue<br />
and advocacy it is great to see that<br />
the <strong>Tasmanian</strong> Government has<br />
recognised the need to reform this<br />
bill,’’ Mr Ward said.<br />
AGGRESSIVE<br />
ASSISTANT<br />
This position requires a self-motivated person with<br />
a “cannot-do” attitude. You will treat your workmates<br />
with utter contempt. You will be quick thinking and devious,<br />
with the flexibility to change your story at a moment’s<br />
notice. A willingness to create conflict is vital. People<br />
with empathy and compassion need not apply.<br />
Bullying is a workplace hazard. If you’re an employer,<br />
it’s up to you to prevent it or manage it. If you’re a worker<br />
who is experiencing repeated and unreasonable behaviour,<br />
it’s up to you to report it.<br />
Get practical information on psychosocial hazards and<br />
workplace bullying from www.worksafe.tas.gov.au/bullying<br />
or call the Helpline on 1300 366 322.<br />
DEJU17318rj
TASMANIA’S LEADING BUSINESS PUBLICATION. CIRCULATION 17,000 MONTHLY<br />
12 <strong>Tasmanian</strong> <strong>Business</strong> <strong>Reporter</strong> - OCTOBER <strong>2016</strong><br />
EVENTS<br />
EVENT:<br />
RACT<br />
Insurance<br />
<strong>Tasmanian</strong><br />
Portraiture Prize<br />
Opening<br />
LOCATION:<br />
Salamanca Arts<br />
Centre Long<br />
Gallery, Hobart.<br />
DATE:<br />
September 16,<br />
<strong>2016</strong>.<br />
Lee Cole, left, of <strong>Tasmanian</strong> Regional Arts and Trent Sayers of<br />
RACT Insurance.<br />
ABOVE: Al Roberts, left, and James MacGyver of Metal Urges. BELOW:<br />
Christina Scott of Henry Jones Art Hotel, left, and Yvette Watt and Svenja<br />
Kratz of UTAS.<br />
ABOVE: Luke<br />
Conroy, left, of<br />
Don College,<br />
Sam Mansfield<br />
of Glenorchy<br />
Primary School<br />
and Michelle<br />
Carswell of<br />
Ghanda Clothing.<br />
Artist Liam James,<br />
left, and Steve<br />
Cox of Arts<br />
Tasmania.<br />
LEFT:<br />
Allison Wilson,<br />
left, of OMD<br />
Tasmania and<br />
Mark Hepburn of<br />
Condense<br />
RIGHT:<br />
Artists Betty<br />
Russ, left, and<br />
Amber Perez-<br />
Wright.<br />
H O T E L<br />
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