Winter 2014

$6.95 inc GST

MAGAZINE
NORTHERN RIVERS
How to Hire Superstar Employees
To Merge or Not to Merge?
Make Your Business a Lean
Fighting Machine
Biz tips
Banking & Finance

IT
If balancing work and lifestyle is a priority then investing time in getting to
know the Tweed Valley in northern New South Wales could return a handsome
dividend, personally and professionally. This picturesque region is a perfect
base for manufacturing, agriculture, professional services, and tourism related
industries. And when youre not at work, you can make yourself at home in one
of Australias most spectacular hinterlands or beside some of the countrys most
expansive coastlines. For more information visit tweedbusiness.com.au
business@destinationtweed.com.au | Call 02 6672 4955 | tweedbusiness.com.au
INVEST IN A
BETTER LIFESTYLE
Business Mag FP_v2.indd 2 3/06/13 9:42 PM
Innovation, The Key to
Economic Development
Lismore City
Council Means
Business
Daily direct Melbourne fights
prepare for landing
Get to Ballina
and Byron
quicker
Get to Ballina
and Byron
quicker
The Ballina Byron Gateway Airport.
Take 20 minutes off your travel time to Byron.
Only 5 mins away from the Ballina CBD and under 30 mins from Byron, the Ballina Byron Gateway
Airport has up to 52 direct flights per week to and from Sydney, Melbourne and Newcastle.
So whether you are visiting the region to relax, enjoy some waves or catch up with family and friends,
Ballina Byron Gateway Airport will help you start your holiday sooner.
Gateway Ai rport
www.ballinabyronairport.com.au
C
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BAP_078 BEACH PRESS-1.pdf 1 28/08/13 4:03 PM
Gateway Ai rport www.ballinabyronairport.com.au
5 days a week in August, daily during July and daily
from September 1st, thats how often you can fy direct to
Melbourne from Ballina Byron Gateway Airport with Jetstar.
For work, rest or play - get to know Melbourne
and your local airport more often.
Book your ticket now on jetstar.com and visit
ballinabyronairport.com.au for more information.
This issue marks NRBMs 7th birthday and wed like to say a big thank you to all our
readers, columnists, advertisers and the team who make NRBM possible. Its important
for our regional economy to have a business publication covering issues that impact on our Northern
Rivers business community and their success.
At this time of year business owners are even more focussed on nance than ever with the end
of the nancial year. Our Banking and Finance section is full of expert advice ranging from how to
make the most of your line of credit, planning the future of your business and considering mergers.
Our feature this issue is on Lismore City Council, things are really changing for this city and their
recent success in the NSW Business Chamber awards reects this. The award for Excellence in
Innovation is a result of a turnaround in council interaction with business and community. Their Buy
Local Project is a prime example; a huge online noticeboard that enables government departments
to easily source products and services locally. Its an Australian rst, a regional procurement portal.
Find out just how they have reinvented themselves.
Business Matters is a feast of business information and ideas including Green Biz, where you
can save money whilst helping the planet. In Communication, nd your way through the maze of
harnessing ADSL and in Biz Tips we welcome one of our newest contributors Jamie Cunningham,
our expert business consultant, who will help you to get your business working smoothly. Also
entering our stable of experts is John Bryant from Southern Cross Credit Union who will be bringing
his nancial expertise to our Banking and Finance section.
Also, very soon youll no doubt be sitting down with your accountant to assess this years gures.
We hope theyre as good as you need them to be and that you enjoy this issue of NRBM.
Until next time
www.nrbm.com.au
MAGAZINE
NORTHERN RIVERS
Publisher
Ashley Burke-Smith
Editor
Moyra Burke-Smith
Design
www.aguawebs.com
info@aguawebs.com
02 6676 2980

Contacts
Editorial Contributions:
editor@nrbm.com.au
Advertising Enquiries/Media Kit:
sales@nrbm.com.au
Subscriptions & General Enquiries:
admin@nrbm.com.au

NRBM
T: 02 6685 4516
F: 02 6685 4518
W: www.nrbm.com.au
P: PO Box 130, Suffolk Park, NSW, 2481
The Small Print :
Notice: While every effort has been made to ensure
the accuracy of the information in this publication
the publisher accepts no responsibility or liability
for any errors, omissions or resultant consequences,
including any loss or damage arising from the
reliance on information in this publication. The views
expressed in Northern Rivers Business Magazine are
not necessarily endorsed by the editor or publisher.
No part of this publication may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any
form, or by any means electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording, internet or otherwise,
without the prior written permission of the publisher.
MAGAZINE
NORTHERN RIVERS
Winter 2014
Moyra Burke-Smith
Editor
NRBM
NRBM is and always has been proud to only use local suppliers.
Special Contributors
The paper used to produce this magazine is manufactured by an ISO 14001 environmentally rated mill.
David Copperthwaite, Nickel Energy, David says working
in the solar industry is the best job hes ever had. His aim?
For Nickel Energy to be a regional leader in renewable
energy based on honesty, openness and value for clients.
Meg Nichols, General Manager EnviTE Inc, providing
advice on the Northern Rivers employment market,
recruitment, industry trends and best practice.
Scott Hales, Barefoot Telecom, has been in the
telecommunications industry for 14 years, he is passionate
about providing exceptional customer service and
building long standing relationships with his clientele.
Leo Senese, Morgans, with 17 years of experience in the
financial markets with Westpac, Goldman Sachs JB and RBS
Morgans he is a specialist in income investments. His primary
focus is to generate tax effective enhanced income solutions.
Brad Lane, Crystaltec, has been in the IT industry for
over 10 years. The team at Crystaltec provide a range of IT
services tailored to suit the needs of business of the Northern
Rivers. They are the leading provider in the area Windows
Servers as well as Network and Systems Management.
Jamie Cunningham has worked with 300+ business
owners around the world. One key result of his work
is helping owners to attract and hire top talent, saving
them time and stress in their businesses and their lives.
Clayton Oates, QA Business, our Channel 7 business
efficiency guru cuts through the red tape and helps you
streamline your business to make things happen.
Adam Bradfield, CA is a Partner at Thomas Noble
& Russell in the Audit & Assurance division. TNR
has 10 Partners and approximately 80 staff who are
able to assist you with a large range of accounting,
auditing and business advisory services.
John Bryant , John is a Business Development Officer
at Southern Cross Credit Union and has more than
40 years experience in the finance industry. John is
dedicated to helping people achieve their dreams
of home ownership and business success.
www.nrbm.com.au
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CPA Australia Top 40 Young Business Leaders
Award Winner 2012 and 2013
23
Winter 2014 www.nrbm.com.au
27
21 13
16-20
Banking & Finance 11-15
Is your line of credit working for you?
Considering a merger to build your business?
Pensions and investments, make the most
of what you have.
IT 21
Make sure your IT is working for you not against you.
Communications 23
Having problems getting ADSL connected?
Find out how to avoid common pitfalls.
Biz Tips 27
Find out how you can attract superstar
employees into your business.
News 6-7
Keeping you up to date with news from the region, including The
Round Up news from the regions chambers.
Business Matters 8-15 & 21-29
Covering the issues that matter to your business: Biz Tips, Banking
& Finance, IT, Green Biz, Employment & Training, Communications,
Business Efciency, Marketing and Canberra Comments.
Pollies Points 30
Find out the key issues that your local pollie is ghting for you.
Lismore City Council
Means Business 16-20
In the last 5 years Lismore City Council has turned around
its approach to business and the results are evident in
the citys growth. The implementation of a Best Practice
Planning Review was the beginning of transforming into a
business-friendly Council. With community involvement and
an innovative approach there is a great future ahead for
Lismore.
THE ROUND UP
06 Winter 2014 www.nrbm.com.au
NEWS & EVENTS
Yamba Business Wins International
Maritime Contract
Page MP Kevin Hogan says a new contract from Papua New Guinea
shows the private sector is taking a real interest in Yamba's marine
precinct.
Yamba Welders has signed a two million dollar contract to build
two new barges for a P-N-G operation.
The expansion of Yamba's marine industry has been pushed by
local, state and federal governments in recent years.
Mr Hogan says he is trying to encourage as many government
contracts into the area as possible but the precinct is starting to
gather its own momentum.
"The Clarence is a very special river, they don't call it the mighty
Clarence for nothing," he said.
"There's obviously businesses and industry that we can develop
around it, and we have a couple there already. Anything we can do
to support local industry and support local jobs, we'll do."
Mr Hogan says he is still looking to get more Federal Government
agencies, including Defence, interested in the area.
"Well obviously the State Government have given them a contract
to build some of their marine rescue vehicles," he said. "We've had
the Defence Minister through as well, who obviously looks at navy
vessels. So we're certainly promoting our local businesses to federal
government ministers."
This year's festival will once again
feature incredible performing
artists, from Australian bands
with international reputations to
local musicians with breathtaking
talent; plus street performers,
buskers, an ocean-themed kids'
activity area and parade, fantastic
local food, crafts, art and fabulous
community spirit. As a family-
friendly, alcohol-free outdoor
event, Surng The Coldstream
Festival is Yambas most popular
free and fully inclusive music and
arts celebration.
Scheduled for Saturday
18 October 2014, the festival
will be officially launched in
early July. This popular event
attracts thousands of visitors to
Yamba and increases overnight
stays. Festival sponsorship
allows businesses to reach
new customers and to build
loyalty among existing ones
through association with this
high-profile event. To receive
festival updates and to enquire
about sponsor packages,
please contact Phil Nicholas at
liveprawnproductions@gmail.
com or ring 0418 302 465.
Byron Film Festival Hailed Innovative
at Vivid Awards
During Sydneys Vivid
Festival, NSW Deputy
Premier the Honourable
Dr Andrew Stoner MP,
announced that Byron
Bay International Film
Festival won special
commendation in the Inaugural NSW Creative Laureate & NSW
Emerging Creative Talent Awards for its demonstrated leadership in
originality and innovation and positively impacting on raising the global
prole of NSW creative industries.
The Judging Panel determined that The Byron Bay International
Film Festival has innovatively capitalised on the location and the heavy
concentration of lmmakers in the Northern Rivers region and, since
its foundation in 2005, is steadily increasing the global prole of NSW
creative industries, through a regional area.
Film Festival Director Skippon-Volke commented: The beauty of lm
and television is that its a creative medium that employs people across
many elds: sound, makeup, music, actors, writers, set photographers.
Once a big job comes in it can hire lots of people that have lots of skills
bases and that makes it quite unique.
Regional Development Australia supported Byrons presence at Vivid
Sydney, and CEO Kimmaree Thompson said: By showcasing the work
of our creative professionals to the people in Sydney, our region can
attract more national and international clients for our local businesses.
We are working on a number of projects that will link creative businesses
in our region with sources of work from corporates and startups across
Australia.
Whales Boost Winter Tourism
Winter tourism is being given a boost with the launch of the new
Legendery Pacic Coast Whale Trail. The trail plots the 50 best
locations to spot gigantic humpbacks on their annual pilgrimage
along the NSW coast on land and sea.
The trail highlights many lookouts from Northern Rivers including
Yamba, Ballina, Lennox Head, Byron Bay, Fingal Head, Kingscliff and
Tweed Heads
Whale watchers can also be exposed to various species of whales
such as Minkes, Southern Right, Sei and Brydes whales, along with other
marine life.
Legendary Pacic Coast (North Coast Destination Network) Executive
Ofcer, Ms Belinda Novicky, said a new Whale Trail website at http://
paciccoast.com.au/trails-and-itineraries/the-whale-trail provides details
of locations and tour operators, as well as their relevant contact details
and information about whale watching season.
Destination Tweed's Marketing Manager Emma Cao said the Tweed
was popular for whale watching as the region gave spectators twice the
opportunity to see whales frolicking in the waters off the Coast.
"People can see whales travelling both north and south on their
annual migration. Whale season provides a unique boost for tourism in
our destination during the quieter winter months." Ms Cao said.
Surfing The Coldstream
THE ROUND UP
07 Winter 2014 www.nrbm.com.au
NEWS & EVENTS
Lismore Business Excellence
Lismore Chamber of Commerce
are proud to coordinate the annual
Business Excellence Awards to
showcase the calibre of business
trading in 2480 and we value the
opportunity to recognise local
business achievements. Award
nominations are now open.
The entry process is very
strai ghtforward and we
encourage you to take this opportunity to put your business name
up in lights. You all deserve recognition for the risks you take and
signicant investments you make in establishing and growing your
businesses and in turn our local economy.
2014 Business Awards categories include: Best New Business,
Retail Business, Home Based Business, Manufacturing & Innovation
Service, Professional Services, Tourism & Hospitality, Sustainable
Business, Darcy Goodwin Community Service, Customer Service,
People's Choice and CROWE HORWATH Business of the Year. We
also have 2 new categories for 2014 which are Community & Social
Services and Hair, Beauty & Wellbeing.
To download the nomination pack visit: www.lismorechamber.
com.au
Love Lennox Carnival
On Saturday 7th June, locals and visitors alike came out in their
hundreds to celebrate the onset of winter at the 2nd Annual
Love Lennox Carnival. The event was a huge success and a
great testament to the creative, entrepreneurial spirit of our
community.
On behalf of the Lennox Head Chamber of Commerce, I want
to take this opportunity to say thank you to a few important
people who made the event possible:
To our major sponsors, North Coast Holiday Parks and our
media sponsor The Lennox Wave - without your enthusiasm
and nancial support the event would never have succeeded.
To the members of the Love Lennox Organising Committee,
who gave up hundreds of hours of their spare time to bring
the event to life. Thanks for everything you do to support your
local community. Your contribution does not go unnoticed!
To all of our local businesses and community groups who
supported the event and got involved on the day to bring the
Carnival to life.
To everyone who came out on the day and braved the
(occasional) wind, rain and cold to celebrate everything that
we love about our community.
The Love Lennox Carnival has now become a xture on the
Lennox Head community calendar and we are looking forward
to planning an even bigger and better event in 2015.
Yamba Building Business
The Yamba Chamber of Commerce has been busily updating
signage to attract tourists to visit our beautiful town.
Especially the highway signs North & South of the Harwood
Bridge, which show Our beaches are Better.
Others will be. A mural and mozaic at the Chamber Park
Garden toilet block, a directional sign at our Iluka/Yamba Ferry
Terminal and new banner pole banners. We share these poles free
of charge with other upcoming events and attractions, like the
Yamba Museum, Yambas Relay for Life 2015 etc. so if you have
an event youd like to promote, get in touch.
The Chamber sponsor a number of events on the Clarence
which include:
The inaugural Yamba Writers Festival - May 31 June 1, 2014
Clarence Valley Business Excellence Awards - 20th September,
2014
Yamba Coldstream Festival 18th October, 2014
Yambas Rod Run in November each year.
The Yamba Chamber has its own website www.yambansw.
com.au we encourage all businesses to have a look, join up and
support your town.
Let me start with a big thank
you to all those who attended
the last Business After Hours
at the Byron Bay English
Language School. I met some
great people and made a
valuable contact - one of the
main objectives of our Business
After Hours. Special thanks to
our sponsors - Byron Hot Bread
Kitchen, Stone and Wood, and
Go Sea Kayak Byron Bay who
all donated towards the event.
The next Business After Hours
is scheduled for 31 July.
Splendour in the Grass have
kindly donated 2 exclusive
three day VIP Gold Bar tickets
for our major 2014 fundraiser
- these tickets are not even
available to the general public -
big thanks to Splendour! We're
giving people the chance to
win these exclusive Splendour
tickets plus breakfast for two
at The Balcony each morning
of the festival. Tickets for the
draw are $5 and the prize is
priceless, to buy tickets go to:
www.byrontickets.com.au.
Connecting Business
in Byron
Neutral, and Friends of the Earth Australia.
Add to this quality of service and competitive pricing and they
certainly tick all the boxes. Ethan comments "Generally speaking,
service levels in our industry are quite low, and most Australians are
sick of it. Our aim is to attract SMEs by offering them cost savings,
a greater level of personal service and a bonus of knowing that
they are dealing with a company that cares about our
environment and community."
The company owes much of its success to the team
of talented staff members who know the ins and outs
of telecommunications specically and operations in
general, which, in turn, gives TelcoGreens clients
complete condence that they are being taken care
of by professionals.
Also nominated as a finalist in the Young
Entrepreneur category was TelcoGreen CFO, Angela
Tchoulak.
TelcoGreen Pty Ltd (2007) is an independent
B2B not-only-for-prot boutique mobile, landline
& Internet service provider, which provides services
Australia-wide on the biggest telecommunications
networks in an efcient, honest, reliable and friendly
manner. They are committed to delivering the
promise of the company to enable its clients in any given situation
to better communicate, collaborate and create with others. The
company continuously works on strengthening its networks and
procedures with an emphasis on innovation and quality of service,
which are the pillars of its growth. For more information go to:
www.telcogreen.com.au.
M
ullumbimby based TelcoGreen has just been awarded
Excellence in Business Ethics at the NSW Business Chamber
Awards, Northern Rivers Region, 2014.
The NSW Business Chamber Business Awards celebrate and
recognise business excellence from members across New South
Wales. Winners were announced at a cocktail function on Friday,
13 June, and now proceed as nalists to the NSW
Business Chamber State Awards.
The Northern Rivers region encompasses members
in the seven Local Government Areas of Tweed Shire,
Byron Shire, Ballina Shire, Lismore City, Richmond
Valley, Kyogle and Clarence Valley.
"It is an honour and a pleasure to accept this
award and to represent Mullumbimby" said Ethan
Timor, Managing Director. We look forward to
representing the entire Northern Rivers region in the
state awards.
The award is expected to help the company to
strengthen its market position and awareness,
internally motivate the team members as well as
attracting new clients and talents.
So what sets them apart? TelcoGreen holds
a Green as we can policy, which delivers to the
community by planting a tree for every service added, encourages
staff to work from home to reduce carbon emissions from
commuting, and reduces electronic waste. Additionally, at least 10%
of TelcoGreens net earnings are donated to health, youth, saving the
planet and freedom of information, through organisations such as
Nature Conservation Council of NSW, Byron Youth Service, Carbon
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BUSINESS MATTERS
GREEN BIZ
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Get the TelcoGreen PLUS Advantage
Personal Service delivered by an executive Account Manager
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Unique Flexible / No ongoing contracts & customised plans
Sustainable - Green as we can Policy & donating
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SPECIAL OFFER
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If your telecommunications bill is over $500 p/m and we cant beat it,
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To take advantage of our Special Offer contact us today
hello@telcogreen.com.au 1800 669 887 www.telcogreen.com.au
MOBILE * LANDLINE * INTERNET
* Conditions Apply.
Want an Affordable, Award Winning, Ethical & Sustainable Telecommunications Service Provider?
Winning Team from TelcoGreen
Ethan Timor, with his Award
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BUSINESS MATTERS
GREEN BIZ
09 www.nrbm.com.au
David Copperthwaite, Nickel Energy
Saving The Planet And Helping His Bottom Line.
At Nickel Energy we love helping local businesses save money and
power and along the way, achieve the right balance in their businesss
bottom line. Its our way of helping you get to the Triple Bottom Line.
Its good for the environment but even better for profts. As part
of our comprehensive, value-based service, we will develop a true
understanding of your energy use and then apply the right system
confguration to maximise your savings.
Add to that our industry-beating seven year warranty and youll have
complete peace of mind that your energy solution will save money for
your business and lower your environmental impact.
Its all about People, Planet, Proft.
Hes an Environmental Warrior.
Phone: 1300 722 527
www.nickelenergy.com.au
Solar Power Solar Hot Water Air-Conditioning
Fishing and Running a Business...
Sometimes it's all the Same.
I
love shing. I catch and release the beautiful freshwater
bass that live in our local rivers. I don't eat what I catch,
but I love the challenge of tracking, catching and then
releasing the sh to go off and grow and develop.
It occurred to me recently that bass shing is like running a
business: sometimes it all seems to fall into place - everything
is sunshine and there are plenty of bites and opportunities.
Sometimes it's the opposite... rainy, bleary times when all the
opportunities seem to dive into the deep water and out of reach.
In fact, the metaphor goes beyond whats in the water even
the mosquitoes can be like those little annoying problems that
keep buzzing in your ear until you HAVE to pay attention to them.
Often you have to go off the beaten track to nd opportunities and
success.
The solar industry is an exciting one to work in. With all the
challenges, threats and surprises come fantastic rewards for both
our clients and our staff. Its exciting to work in an industry that
is reaching economic AND environmental achievements its one
of those few industries that has the best of both worlds. (Just ask
Lismore City Council - their newly installed 100 kilowatt solar system
at the Multipurpose Recovery Facility for Lismore City Council is
providing immediate reductions in environmental impacts and
nancial costs and will provide economic benets for decades to
come).
As a young industry, its still nding new paths in regards to
successful and
sustai nabl e busi ness
models and industry framework. Its an
exciting time as innovative, successful and creative
people and entrepreneurs develop new ways of doing things. But
its also a challenging time as it is for many businesses - as external
factors and changes affect and inuence our businesses and our
industry.
Regardless of these challenges or perhaps because of them
- the solar industrys future looks positive. Were a committed
bunch and were keen to make it happen. The solar industry has
grown exponentially and will continue to develop into the future
as technological and market changes make the business case for
residential and commercial solar even more attractive.
Its getting bigger all the time and will just keep growing but
this time its not just a shermans tale of the big one. Its a fact and
its not getting away.
Solar Rebate Might End
T
he Abbott Government has announced a major
review of the impact of clean energy on
retail power prices. It'll be headed by self-
confessed global warming sceptic, businessman
Dick Warburton who led the charge against
the carbon tax.
It's widely expected to result in a decision
to wind back the current Renewable Energy
Target, which aims to ensure that 20% of
Australia's power comes from renewable
sources, like wind and solar, by the year
2020. Industry groups are lobbying for the
target to be abolished or cut. Among them
is the Australian Chamber of Commerce
and Industry, and its Chief Economist,
Burchell Wilson who is also on the review
panel.
Burchell Wilson stated on ABC news
recently that he was hopeful that the scale of
the Renewable Energy Target would be scaled
back and provisions made for phasing it out over
time.
Recent analysis by the REC Agents Association
(RAA), industry body representing companies that trade in
renewable energy certicates, states the scheme has been very
successful.
The Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme deserves a gold
medal, said Fiona OHehir, Vice-President of RAA. It has helped
5 million Australians cut their power bills by installing
solar and has created 15,000 jobs and will do so at
zero cost to households or the Federal Budget.
That is an extraordinary achievement.
By lowering the RET the STCs (Small Scale
Technology Certicates) or the solar rebate
could decrease in value due to the supply
and demand of the STCs generated. In the
last month the STCs have been trading
around $38.50, in the past we have seen
them trade as low as $17.00. If the STCs
were to drop to this level again the price
of a 6kw solar system would increase by
$2,666.00, if the STCs were removed
altogether the system would increase by a
massive $4,774.00.
Commercial properties have the same
problem but on a larger scale, the STC
rebate for a 99.75kw system at the moment
is $87,537.35, as a commercial property owner
this is a saving that you would not want to miss
out on.
If youve considered a solar system for your business
or residential property and put it on the back burner, now
could be a good time to get it back on the table and make the
decision sooner rather than later.
If you would like further information on how you can secure
these massive savings please call SAE Group on 1300 18 20 50.
10
BUSINESS MATTERS
GREEN BIZ
www.nrbm.com.au www.nrbm.com.au
Safety, Quality, Reliability
1300 18 20 50
www.saegroup.com.au
System Size *Rebate At Stake
1.5kW $1,193.50
3kW $2,387.00
5kW $3,965.50
10kW $7,969.50
20kW $15,939.00
50kW $39,886.00
99.75kW $79,579.50
*Rebate value based on STC price @ $38.50 (Excl. GST)
Your Solar Energy Experts
I am a sceptic that
man-made carbon
dioxide is creating
global warming.
- Dick Warburton (Heading RET
Review 2014 - Quoted By The
Australian - Feb 18, 2014)
Solar Rebate Might End!!
Here Is What You Could Miss Out On...
John Bryant, Southern Cross Credit Union
B
eing able to access a line of credit offers your business exibility,
control and value. Usually issued for reasons such as business
expansion, capital investment or to assist with management of
cash ow, a line of credit gives you access to funds when you need
it without having to renegotiate terms with your nancial institution.
Flexibility
A line of credit is a exible drawdown facility that is convenient
for capital purchases, business investment or for managing your cash
ow and working capital. Interest is only charged on the funds you
have accessed.
Control
While a line of credit can help you to maintain your
working capital or purchase new assets for your business,
it is also important to keep control over what you are
spending and how much credit you have accessed.
A line of credit is an additional business debt and as
such requires careful planning and budgeting to make sure
things are balanced and your funds in and out are manageable.
Growth & Investment
By having pre-approved access to additional funds, purchases
and investments that will contribute to the growth of your
business can be made quickly without the need
to apply for funds or wait for a decision
from your nancial institution.
If you have been thinking about applying for a line of credit for
your business, it is a great idea to get some advice and make a careful
assessment of how much credit you need access to while remaining
nancially prudent. It could actually simplify the way your credit and
overdraft accounts are set up, saving you time and money.
Take this example; a local manufacturer of large ticket items that
took some months to manufacture had various loans for plant and
equipment, as well as a medium size overdraft to meet typical working
capital requirements. This often resulted in the business having large
credit funds in short term investments, but having to shift money
around between the different accounts when the funds were
required to meet the cash ow needs of the next production run.
By combining all loans and overdraft requirements into a
Business Line Of Credit, and banking all sales takings into
this account, the member was able to not only reduce
their overall net interest costs, but also saved time by not
regularly transferring funds back
and forth between the at call type
investments and overdraft facility.
Southern Cross Credit Union is a
customer owned, nancial cooperative with 10
branches located throughout the Northern Rivers.
You can speak to us about your business banking
needs by calling 0422 589 469.
Are You Making the Most of
Your Line of Credit?
11 www.nrbm.com.au
BUSINESS MATTERS
BANKING & FINANCE
Thomas Noble & Russell
31 Keen & 26 Bounty Streets
LISMORE NSW 2480
www.tnr.com.au
Keen St Phone: (02) 6621 8544
Bounty St Phone: (02) 6626 3000
Audit & Assurance
Taxation & Business Services
Information Technology
Due Diligence & Corporate
Governance
Adam Bradfield, TNR Chartered Accountants
A
re you experiencing an increasing cost of compliance or
doing business? Are you contemplating a merger or
acquisition? Do you need to revise your strategic direction?
To merge or not to merge? that is the question. Lets look at all
the pros and cons.
We are seeing an increasing number of businesses and not-
for-profit organisations looking to remain competitive and viable
by exploring a merger or acquisition. In the commercial sphere,
a merger or acquisition may be motivated by owners seeking
to vertically integrate supply chains or horizontally integrate
competitors and like-minded businesses. In the not-for-profit
sphere, a merger or acquisition is usually motivated by the
increasing cost of compliance or service delivery and the need
to achieve strategic outcomes cost-effectively.
Organisations often need assistance in a number of areas
including:
Independent facilitation of pre and post-merger discussions at
Board, Management and Employee level
Conducting of due diligence activities on behalf of either or both
parties
Sustainability considerations (does the organisation need to merge
or can it stand alone by rening existing practices?)
Independent advice in relation to Memorandum of Understanding
considerations
If youre considering a merger or acquisition you need to
identify your thought processes around:
Strategic fit for both organisations (how do the organisations
align strategically or is it occurring simply because the
opportunity presents itself? Do you need a facilitated
Strategic Planning Workshop to revise your strategies?)
Cost Vs Benefit analysis (do the numbers stack up?)
Impact on customers and employees (have you considered
everything?)
Memorandum of Understanding (does it adequately address
the needs of the less-dominant merger partner?)
Reviewing the sustainability of your organisation and
considerations for standing alone or seeking a merger
In relation to not-for profit entities, you should be aware of
the Good Governance Project which focuses on:
Panel of Experts delivering 10 support packages on Good
Governance
Professional Board Member Development Courses
Disability Sector Leadership Program
Its Your Business (ADHC) resources on Fraud Prevention and
Controls, Probity in Employment, Partnerships and Quality
Management
Resources for Boards and Management Committees
If your organisation is a member of NDS or ADHC, you may
be eligible for a subsidy in relation to the above.
If youre considering a merger or acquisition in either a
commercial or not-for-profit environment, please contact your
TNR Partner or Adam Bradfield (02) 6626 3000 or 0407 219603
for more information
TNR is an organisational member of National Disability
Services (NDS) NSW and is the only local organisation on the
NDS NSW Panel of Experts for the Good Governance Project.
To Merge or Not to Merge?
12 www.nrbm.com.au
BUSINESS MATTERS
BANKING & FINANCE
Kicking Financial Goals
For over 25 years
For more than 25 years we have been helping our
clients achieve their personal goals and fnancial objectives.
Let us help you with:
Accumulating wealth
Planning for retirement
Tax effective debt
Managing risk
PJ Wealth Creation Pty Ltd ABN 41 184 559 805 T/A Australian Financial Advisers Authorised Representative of GWM Adviser
Services Limited ABN 96 002 071 749 T/A MLC Financial Planning an Australian Financial Services Licensee with its registered
offce at 105-153 Miller St North Sydney NSW 2060.
Call AFA Byron Bay today on 0424 141 882
byronbay@afanet.com.au
PROUD
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BRISBANE
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S
ome of the world's best investors have developed a number of
highly successful investment strategies in decades past. These
investors started out with as little as $100 and today boast
fortunes worth billions.
Lets take a look at a lesson from one of the world's most
successful investors; Warren Buffet, and see how it can be put into
practice locally.
It's fair to say that Buffett was born to invest. Known as The
Oracle of Omaha', after the Nebraskan city where he was born.
Buffet is one of the best known names in the investment world
today. He started out with just US$100 to invest in 1954 and today is
worth $39 billion. Buffetts company, Berkshire Hathaway, has $372
billion in assets.
His Lesson: "Be fearful when others are greedy and greedy only
when others are fearful." Source: Berkshire Hathaway 2004 Chairman's Letter
Many people start investing when there's a lot of hype around
markets going up. This usually coincides with investments being
overvalued and possibly at an all-time high. In relation to the share
market, the last time we saw this occur was 2006 2007, when
investors made decisions based on greed and unfortunately once
greed takes over, all logic is thrown out the window. This led to an
overpriced share market which initially corrected then inevitably fell
due to fearful investors selling at a loss.
We see similar decisions being made in the property market,
as investors often make decisions based on a fear of missing
out and get overwhelmed in the greed involved in attempting
to make a quick dollar in a
rising market. Unfortunately
the coastal properties of
the Northern Rivers attract
interstate and international
investors, creating a volatile
market with extreme price
uctuations. This has a direct
impact on local home owners and
investors, creating confusion about
the true value of property and clouding
investment decisions.
So, Buffet suggests we make decisions when others are too
fearful to do so. The questions should be posed then; how do YOU
make investment decisions?
Do you get caught up and follow the masses? Do you have a
fear of missing out, thereby making impulsive decisions? Are you
wanting to make money quickly and nd yourself getting caught
up in greed? Or do you make investment decisions based on logic
and calculation?
If youd like to more information on managing your investments
and making good quality investment decisions, speak to Adam
Wade at Australian Financial Advisers on 0424 141 882 or go to:
ByronBay@afanet.com.au
This is general commentary and does not constitute nancial
advice.
What Does Warren Buffett Know
About the Northern Rivers?
13 www.nrbm.com.au
BUSINESS MATTERS
BANKING & FINANCE
Morgans is one of Australias largest national full-service
stockbroking and wealth management networks, assisting our
clients with over $54 billion in funds under advice.
The Northern Rivers ofce of Morgans, located in Ballina,
has been servicing the region for over 20 Years. We believe in
the value of long term relationships built on trust and it is our
committment to deliver expert nancial and investment advice
with personalised service.
Stockbroking
Self Managed Super Funds
Fixed Interest and Bonds
Financial Planning
New Floats
Superannuation Advice
Portfolio Administration
Retirement Planning
Wealth Protection
Cash & Term Deposits
Morgans and CIMB Please visit www.morgans.com.au to
understand the products and services within our alliance.
Morgans Financial Limited ABN 49 010 669 726 AFSL 235410 A Participant of ASX Group
A Professional Partner of the Financial Planning Association of Australia
To change
your future,
shift your
perspective
Call us or visit our website to speak to one of our experienced advisers.
02 6686 4144 | www.morgans.com.au/ballina-byronbay
Ballina Ad_184x134.FA.indd 1 12/03/2014 4:06:30 PM
Kai Hansen, Morgans
F
rom 1 January 2015 the social security deeming rules will apply
to account based income streams (including Transition to
Retirement pensions). This could result in a lower age pension
entitlement for some individuals, depending on their circumstances.
The current treatment of account based pensions (ABPs), which
uses a life expectancy formula to calculate the amount of income
which is disregarded by Centrelink each year, will be grandfathered
for people who have both an existing account based pension in
place and are in receipt of a social security benet as at 31 December
2014.
That is, existing ABPs commenced prior to 1 January 2015 will
continue to be treated under the existing Deductible Income Test
as long as the member is in receipt of Centrelink benets when the
new rules take effect.
Unfortunately, existing ABPs may not receive grandfathered
status where the member is not in receipt, or does not qualify for,
Centrelink benets prior to 1 January 2015. Grandfathering may
also not apply if the ABP is commenced prior to 1 January 2015 and
a benet is not paid to the member prior to this date.
If a pre-January 15 ABP is subsequently commuted to a new
provider after 1 January 2015, the grandfathered status will be
lost. Automatic reversionary pensions will retain grandfathered
status where the original pensioner dies after 01.01.15 and the ABP
automatically reverts to the spouse.
How a person may be affected under these new rules will depend
on what the deeming rates are at 1 January
2015 and beyond, and what level of assets
that person holds in superannuation when
commencing a new ABP. Our analysis shows
a lower superannuation balance will likely result
in a reduced age pension payment compared to what the member
may have received under the existing Income Test.
Commonwealth Seniors Health Care Card (CSHC)
In addition to the changes noted above for Superannuaiton
pensions, the Government has announced that from September
2014, the current income limits for the CSHC will be indexed
annually by CPI.
Untaxed superannuation income will be included in the
assessment of income to determine eligibility for the CSHC from 1
January 2015.
The assessment of superannuation income will be the same
for CSHC holders as for Age Pension recipients and will align with
the 2013-14 Budget measure to deem the balances of account-
based superannuation of pensioners from 1 January 2015. All
superannuation account-based income streams held by CSHC
holders before the implementation date will be grandfathered under
the existing rules. It is important that if you are nearing retirement
age that you consider your plans in light of these changes.
If you or someone you know require advice in this area, please
contact Morgans on 02 6686 4144.
Planning on Retiring Soon? Time to
Review Your Plans.
14 www.nrbm.com.au
BUSINESS MATTERS
BANKING & FINANCE
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Winter 2014 www.nrbm.com.au
L
ismore City Council has radically changed the way it does business
in the last ve years. So much so, people are now taking notice.
On 13 June, Lismore City Council won the Excellence in Innovation
gong at the Northern Rivers Business Awards for a project that could
potentially be worth millions of dollars to local businesses.
The awards are run by the NSW Business Chamber to celebrate and
recognise business excellence and Lismore City Council is now in the
running for the state award, which will be announced in November.
The Buy Local Project is a partnership between Council, the Northern
NSW Local Health District and the University Centre for Rural Health. In
essence, the Buy Local Project is a huge online noticeboard that enables
government departments to easily source products and services locally.
Businesses that have signed up are automatically notied of tenders via
email, and local suppliers are often able to eclipse out-of-town suppliers
on things like freight costs.
The online portal is powered by the Industry Capability Network (ICN),
a not-for-prot service that connects business online. The Buy Local
Project is the rst time in ICNs 30-year history that big purchasers have
teamed up to create a regional procurement portal. It is an Australasian
rst and its free for local businesses to be involved and sign up.
In the last month alone, 50 work packages with an expected contract
value of $30 to $50 million have been released for tender as part of the
Lismore Base Hospital upgrade.
Councils Economic Development Manager Mark Batten, who
spearheaded the project, is justiably proud. He is also excited by the
fact two new partners have just come on board St Vincents Private
Hospital and Medicare Local signicantly increasing opportunities for
local businesses.
We have broken new ground with this project because our local
leaders decided to think outside the square and work together, Mark
explained.
16
The award is an amazing afrmation of the extraordinary lengths
this Council has gone to in order to change the way it approaches
business in every sense. It also challenges us to keep being innovative
and take risks to redene what we are as a local government authority.
The future of our business is not business as usual. Our future is
building partnerships in our community with other agencies and business
so our city can continue to grow and prosper in its own unique way. This
award shows we have worked hard to stretch ourselves and demonstrate
we can be as good as the best of the private sector.
Mark said in the last ve years Council has turned around its approach
to business and the results are evident in the citys growth. He said the
implementation in 2009 of a Best Practice Planning Review was the
beginning of transforming into a business-friendly Council.
Waiting times for development applications were slashed and over
the years, condence has returned in Councils processes, timeframes
and, most importantly, attitude, Mark said.
The rst seven months of the 2013/14 year were phenomenal.
Development & Compliance gures showed more than $50 million
worth of commercial and industrial development approved.
Mark said a commitment to helping businesses and developers wade
through red tape was paying off.
We have re-invented ourselves in that sphere, Mark said. But that
does not mean a business and growth at all costs approach either. We
have conducted the biggest community consultation in our 134-year
history and people told us what growth they want to see and where. They
gave us a picture of their ideal future and so now we have a blueprint to
create the sustainable, planned growth our community wants.
When you align your economic goals with the social goals of your
community, you create an environment where prosperity can happen
because everybodys on the same page.
Mark cited the recent approval of the North Lismore Plateau as a
COVER FEATURE
Lismore City Council Means Business
Launching the Buy Local Project
Northern Rivers last year were
(l-r) Lismore Mayor Jenny
Dowell, Northern NSW Local
Health District Chief Executive
Chris Crawford, Lismore MP
Thomas George, LCC Economic
Development Manager Mark
Batten and General Manager
Gary Murphy, NSW Business
Chamber John Murray, ICN
Deputy Director Peter Webster
and University Centre for Rural
Health Director, Professor Lesley
Barclay AO.
Winter 2014
COVER FEATURE
17 www.nrbm.com.au
watershed moment for Council. He said after 20 years on the drawing
board, the development is nally underway. It took a new approach to
the planning and a lot of man hours, but three years of hard work got
it across the line.
It will result in an extra 1500 dwellings for North Lismore and an inux
of 3600 people, which will pour millions into the CBD each year.
Mark said another standout example of Councils extraordinary
turnaround is the new Section 64 and 94 Contributions Discount Policy,
which goes to Council for adoption in August.
The new policy provides signicant discounts to Section 64 and 94
charges to promote growth in the CBD and encourage residential granny
ats and other secondary dwellings. In essence, it will enable people
to build additional accommodation on their existing land at no cost.
For homeowners, investors or developers, it represents savings worth
thousands of dollars.
The policy also proposes that, within Lismores city centre, charges
will not apply to new businesses or existing businesses changing location
or varying their operations. This could represent potential savings of
between $1500 and $50,000 depending on the nature and size of the
business.
The proof of this approach working is in the proverbial pudding or
in this case, enchilada.
Black Sombrero is a humming new restaurant in the Lismore CBD
thats brimming with customers thanks to its funky ambience and
exceptional food and cocktails. But the owner, Julie Dickson, almost set
up shop somewhere else when she discovered the Council fees.
Thanks to Marks intervention, who saw Lismore was about to lose
a terric new business, they have been able to take advantage of the
proposed Section 64 and 94 discounts. They are set to save around
$50,000 and with this knowledge were able to open their doors.
Thats the point of my role to make sure business has an advocate
within Council so people can invest or open a business successfully while
meeting their responsibilities. In the bad old days they simply would have
been turned away and we would have lost as a city, Mark said.
Theres a buzz around Black Sombrero and thats what we want to
see more of. That kind of entrepreneurial approach and commitment to
making Lismore come alive. When you get the right business in the right
If youre thinking of investing or starting a business
in Lismore, start a conversation with Mark Batten
today. P: 02 6625 0458, M: 0427 003 645,
E: mark.batten@lismore.nsw.gov.au
www.lismore.nsw.gov.au.
community, everyone wins.
The new approach continues throughout Councils operations, with
streamlining the name of the game. That includes universal development
applications, a new-look website with online documents and electronic
lodgement to facilitate faster approvals, a new Outdoor Dining Policy to
streamline al fresco dining applications, and soon changes to Councils
events and market policies.
Council also began a Developer Focus Group in 2012 to understand
where Council could improve its services. The most recent survey results
in 2013 showed there was a greater than 90% satisfaction rate among
the respondents. Many of the changes have been simple process issues
but they have made a huge difference to the customer experience.
A tree always puts down deep roots. Our goal is to build strong
foundations so our business and industry can grow and ourish, he
said.
Mark explained that educating businesses about their rights and
responsibilities was also part of his role, with guidance and support from
staff through the planning process.
You cant just whack people around the ears no-one learns or
grows in that space, Mark said.
We have put signicant resources into making sure businesses know
what they need to do in order to obtain swift approvals. The planning
team continues to improve processes all the time. We support businesses
that do the right thing. We expect that from businesses, developers and
investors and they respect that.
Mark said the collective feeling in the business and investment
community is that things are changing and Lismore is growing again.
He said often economic development is about perception and the tide
is beginning to turn.
You cant attract good investment when youre not attractive. Its
that simple. But its like bees to a honeypot; once youre attractive you
dont have to do anything the bees just nd you, Mark said.
Were starting to see that turnaround; were starting to see people
noticing that Lismore is a dynamic place to invest and do business. Weve
helped facilitate that by working with people; by changing our attitude
and as a result changing others. Lismore is going places and people
know it.
New restaurant Black Sombrero, Lismore
18 www.nrbm.com.au
contract print, they run print jobs exclusively on
their presses paying attention to colour control -
giving customers the best results possible.
They offer complete bindery solutions with book binding
machinery, folding equipment, celloglazers and collator-sticher-
trimmer. Their equipment also includes a fully computerised guillotine
for trimming to a tenth of a millimetre.
Their general motto is tell us what you want and well deliver,
giving you the best quality at the best price, customer satisfaction is
our sole aim.
Shaun comments: We supply the whole of the Northern NSW
with print, our logistic supply and despatch department offers the
best for the smallest of businesses right through to major companies
and government departments. We look forward to expanding well
into the future and have plans to make major plant and equipment
purchases in the near future to keep us at the top of print technology.
E
stablished in 1950 Lismore City printery has been under the
McGuiness family name since its inception. Throughout 3
generations the business has thrived, current Directors Shaun
and Paul McGuiness manage the business day to day and have
welcomed to the team Shauns 2 sons Chris and Ryan.
The business has steadily grown over the past 60 years with the
biggest priority being on updating the technology in all aspects
of the business. As well as being the most technically advanced
printer in the region they are also the regions biggest employer
from the print sector, employing 18 full time staff. The staff
comes from all over the region from Murwillumbah in the
North to Kyogle in the West and Ballina to the East, a true
regional printer.
All their services are done in house which includes their stable
of 6 Heidelberg Presses, 3 Xerox digital presses plus many nishing
and binding machines. Lismore City Printery runs some of the most
sought after printing presses in Australia - so their customers get the
benets of city technology at regional prices.
Their customer service is second to none with 2 full time sales reps
and 4 internal sales support staff.
The prepress area has state of the art facilities both in hardware
and software. They can create your job and take it right through to
plate in a seamless and efcient manner.
This constantly updated technology allows them to produce error
free, quality jobs in less time - getting the job nished sooner and with
less hassle. Using the latest technology they can convert any customer
les and produce high quality business cards, full colour brochures,
magazine, invoice books, basically all your printing needs.
They pride themselves on producing the best, they dont sub
Print to Perfection
More than just a great place to shop, Lismore city is the thriving
commercial heart of the vibrant Northern Rivers region.
It ticks all of the practical boxes
as a sound place to invest, relocate or start up a business.
It also ofers something that you might just be a little short on...
...a life!
lismore.nsw.gov.au
02 6625 0458
If you think you might be interested
in investing in your business and your life,
give Lismore City Councils Economic Development Manager,
Mark Batten, a call and start a conversation about
what Lismore can do for you.
the conversation
in
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ccm008_fp_business_conversation.indd 1 17/06/2014 2:05 pm
Corporate Investigation Services
Including but not limited to:
Skip tracing/background checks
Information gathering for dispute/complaint
resolution
Staff conduct complaints
Safety/Near miss investigations
Fraud and internal theft investigations
Surveillance of worksites, regular absenteeism,
bullying incidents
Workplace injury investigations
All private services
The key to excellence in decision making is good
information which is gathered in an ethical,
professional manner and independently recorded.
Licenced to conduct business in NSW and QLD
4 Rivers
For details contact:
info@4riversinvestigators.com.au
www.4riversinvestigators.com.au
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PRINT
Paul McGuiness and Shaun McGuiness with sons Ryan and Chris
More than just a great place to shop, Lismore city is the thriving
commercial heart of the vibrant Northern Rivers region.
It ticks all of the practical boxes
as a sound place to invest, relocate or start up a business.
It also ofers something that you might just be a little short on...
...a life!
lismore.nsw.gov.au
02 6625 0458
If you think you might be interested
in investing in your business and your life,
give Lismore City Councils Economic Development Manager,
Mark Batten, a call and start a conversation about
what Lismore can do for you.
the conversation
in
v
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m
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ccm008_fp_business_conversation.indd 1 17/06/2014 2:05 pm
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To nd out more please contact Crystal Tec: info@crystaltec.
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reparing your annual budget and
what proportion of your capital
expenditure should be invested in
IT can be a daunting process. To add to
confusion, there are a number of hidden
costs associated with your IT. Here are a
few pointers to help you identify and eliminate them.
1. Servers Onsite vs Offsite
Onsite - what are you spending on power to run it and any
associated cooling system required for it? How much ofce space
does it take up? What proportion of your annual rental bill does
that space represent? Do you need to pay an in house technician
or a contractor to monitor and maintain it? Its worth investigating
and comparing these onsite vs offsite server costs if you havent
already done so or you havent done so in a while.
2. Consolidate, consolidate, consolidate!
Growing businesses usually arrive at a point where all the ad-hoc
solutions pieced together during the building and growth phase
dont work well in tandem. This causes frustration for staff and
inefciencies as a result of processing data in multiple applications.
Get advice about how you can consolidate the hardware and
software you currently have, how they might work in tandem with
a new, streamlined database tailored to your business, and free
your systems of unnecessary applications. Harness the talent and
productivity of your staff by ensuring that everything is working
Determining Your Annual IT
Expenditure
Brad lane, Crystal Tec
22 www.nrbm.com.au
N
ow before you start screaming at the page, with an answer
that seems blindingly obvious - lets take a moment to
explore this question a little deeper.
Like many small business owners and operators your accountant
was possibly the one who suggested your current accounting
software solution to you, which in many cases has proven to be
a perfectly suitable recommendation.
However there is a dilemma facing accounting rms in
working out how far they go in recommending, consulting in and
ultimately supporting specic software solutions and many rms
are currently assessing their role in this entire process.
Whilst many see this as a totally appropriate service for our
accountants to be offering, there is the issue that it requires a
commitment of resources to a totally new business division.
Accountants (and I am one so will hopefully get away with
this comment) have been traditionally viewed as Someone who
knows a little about a lot of things! - a generalist, who has some
broad knowledge in the various components of business (there
are a lot of components and thank goodness someone takes on
this role). So perhaps its a tad unreasonable of us to expect our
accountant to know all about Accounting Software Solutions,
even though they may have recommended it to us in the rst
place.
I am not suggesting that your accountant doesnt have a role to
play in your software selection process they certainly do, its likely
they have had some exposure to many of the commercially available
software products
(both Desktop and
Cloud) and can be an
important piece in the
puzzle of choosing an
appropriate solution
for your busi ness.
But dont expect your
accountant to be the
absolute authority on all
available software solutions,
that would be unfair.
Most accountants would certainly view your business software
as a necessary tool and its an advantage if they have a strong
working knowledge on how to use it, but just like driving a car
there are not many of us who know exactly how the engine really
works. Just like your vehicle when it needs some repairs we dont
always take it back to the salesman who sold us the car, especially
if the best mechanic in town is located somewhere else.
So with the current transition to Cloud Computing we see
accounting rms having to make a fundamental business decision
- either commit to building a Software Consulting Division or
partnering with trusted specialists who already provide this service.
Either way this is just another example of how your accountant
continues to be one of your most trusted advisors and a vital cog
in the wheel of business.
Should Accountants Know
Accounting Software?
Business Efciency Specialists in
Cloud Based Business Solutions
Accounting, CRM, Payroll, POS
Management Reporting
Consulting, Training & Support
E: info@qabusiness.com.au T:1300 289 846 W: www.qabusiness.com.au
Your Business
Is On
Hand With
The Cloud
Call us for a complimentary assessment to determine if the cloud is right for your business
Check in with your business anywhere / anytime
(formerly referred to as QuickBooks in Australia)
BUSINESS MATTERS
BUSINESS EFFICIENCY
Clayton Oates, QA Business
R
ecently Ive met a number of people who have had nothing
but issues trying to get ADSL connected. So just why is it so
difcult?
In one case a gentleman, lets call him Bob, had been trying to
get ADSL2 connected to his house for 5 months. Thats right, 5
months! By the time he called me, he had spoken to a number of
providers and they all said the same thing; we can denitely get
you ADSL2 only to be told they cant supply ADSL2 and he wont
be able to get ADSL at all. Being a logical bloke, he reasoned that if
all his neighbours had ADSL2 he should be able to get it or at least
ADSL1. What Bob didnt know was that the rst request to connect
the ADSL was still being processed and every subsequent request
had failed as a result. It actually had nothing to do with his phone
line or location; it was all because of a technical bottleneck on the
network. I was able to nd this out within an hour of talking to Bob
and we are now in the process of working around the issue and
should have ADSL1 connected up at the end of the week.
There are many factors that can affect your ability to get ADSL
(either 1 or 2), many of which are out of any service providers hands.
There may be no ports available at the exchange for new ADSL
connections, the phone line the ADSL is being connected to may have
an incompatible technology associated with it or may be too far from
the exchange. In Bob's case he had inadvertently made his problem
worse as every time he requested a connection from another service
provider it stopped the initial request from being cancelled correctly
and all the other requests subsequently failed (the network will only
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Scott Hales, Barefoot Telecom
BUSINESS MATTERS
COMMUNICATIONS
23 www.nrbm.com.au
process one order at
a time, if there is an
outstanding order on
the line, then all other
orders will be rejected
until the original
order is completed
or cancelled). The
only way we were
able to get around
this issue was to
di sconnect hi s
phone line and
reconnect a new
line to connect
the ADSL. Bob
was astounded
that no-one had
explained this to
him while he was talking
to the various different service providers.
The moral of the story; if a service provider says you cant get
ADSL ask them to explain why. If they cant give you a satisfactory
answer call Barefoot Telecom! We may not always be able to get
the ADSL connected for you but we will tell you why and what we
have done to try and get around the issue.
24 www.nrbm.com.au
ON-Q can be the solution to your employment needs.
DONT HAVE THE LUXURY OF A F/T HR SUPPORT?
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Performance Management
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Recruitment and selection
Induction and on boarding
Performance reviews
Employee Manuals
Call ON-Q today for your FREE HR Health Check
or to enquire about Public Training.
Call 1800 761 561 or email info@onqhr.com.au to fnd out how
ON-Q can be the fexible solution to your HR needs.
Specialised HR Solutions. Works for me!
Stay ahead
of HR matters
with our new
training
courses
Meg Nichols, EnviTE Employment
BUSINESS MATTERS
EMPLOYMENT & TRAINING
25 www.nrbm.com.au
Getting it Right
EnviTE Employment is helping local business
www.envite.org.au

Matt Wilson, Owner, Torakina Caf
Phone 1300 989 369
E-mail: employment@envite.org.au
Brunswick Heads Byron Bay
Ballina Lismore Casino
We build a trusting partnership with you by:
Developing an understanding of your
business and needs
Providing consistently high quality
service
Appreciating the value of your time
Placing jobseekers who are prepared,
trained and appropriate for the job
Providing you with effective post
placement support to reduce staff
Its all happened so smoothly. Eric from EnviTE
approached us at just the right tme, as we needed
to employ some staf. They created an introducton
to Loki. We were so impressed we took him on for a
paid trial and then employed him.
I
ts not unusual to hear negative stories from employers going through the sometimes painful process of employing staff. Whether they do
it themselves or use an agency there are a huge number of pitfalls. Its great to hear a good experience where the employer, job services
agency and candidate all work in synergy to bring about a successful result.
Daniel Shead, Dominic DAgostino (Lismore
Workers Club) and Kain McGarry ( EnviTE )
Torakina Caf Case Study
When Matt and Brenda Wilson rst opened the Torakina Caf in Brunswick Heads they were approached by Eric
Annarino of EnviTE Employment to check if their stafng was fully covered or if they were looking to recruit staff.
It was a good call for both parties.
Matt comments: Its all been a bit of blur really, its all happened so smoothly. Eric approached us at just the right
time, as we needed to employ some staff. In particular they created an introduction to Loki who we had in for a chat
and were so impressed we took him on for a paid trial and then employed. Hes a great kid, enthusiastic and keen
to learn. We gave him some on the job training and hes become an integral part of the team.
EnviTE Team Leader Lee Sherman said: This is the kind of proactive approach we pride ourselves on to help our
job seeking clients nd employment and help our employer clients nd the right people. Its been a fantastic result.
Loki himself is also very happy in his position: Matt and Brenda are really supportive, they run a great business. Its a really friendly work
environment, the team are always there to help if I need assistance. My favourite part of the job is the interaction with the customers.
EnviTE Employment has been helping people move into paid work in the Northern Rivers for over 20 years. During that time, they have
assisted over 17,000 job seekers in a sometimes very difcult economic situation with low employment levels.
The team always strive to develop strong, mutually benecial relationships with employers; there are many local good news stories like
Torakina Cafe. Such as the establishment of the Lismore, Ballina and Byron Green Corp Crews, which provide practical work experience for
disadvantaged, long-term unemployed and early school leavers. Or the six indigenous jobseekers placed with the Ballina Aboriginal Child
and Family Centre construction project at Porter Park. The placements provided the practical component for the Certicate II in Construction
award which each jobseeker had been studying.
With success stories like these EnviTE could be the answer for all your employment needs, for more information call: 1300 989 369.
Matt & Brenda Wilson
Trust Me, Im in Marketing
when it contains verification
from named sources.
Sharing and Discovery
69% of the consumers
surveyed said a company's
educational information is
more credible when discovered
through a friend or family
member.
Asked how often a
company's educational content
comes up while searching for topics related to a particular problem or
need, 27% report it happens often; 57%, sometimes; 11%, hardly ever;
and 5%, never.
Demographic Differences
Women are 11% more trusting of content marketing than men, and
they trust content shared by friends and family members 20% more
than men do.
60+ year-olds are 17% more trusting than 18-29-year-olds, but the
same 60+ age bracket is 14% less trusting of content passed through
friends and family members than the 18-29 age group.
So one of the key things to take from this research is that if a business
goes to the trouble of producing educational content do it professionally.
If youre going to quote research, make sure its relevant and professionally
recognised research. Its common sense, like most marketing, but its
amazing how many businesses are way off the mark
About the research: The report was based on data from an online
survey of 325 US adults (age 18+) conducted in May 2014.
I
n an environment where consumers are constantly bombarded
with advertising messages and information how can businesses get
their message to cut through all the rest and be heard and, more
importantly, believed?
In recent research by international software specialist Kentico they
found that consumers are more likely to connect with a company that
has open and honest communications of an educational nature rather
than 30 or 60 second hard sell adverts.
The majority of consumers surveyed (74%) said they generally trust
educational material from a business as long as it seems objective and
doesn't explicitly try to sell a product/service.
However, trust is extremely fragile: Even just adding a product pitch
to the end of an otherwise objective blog post or newsletter brings the
credibility level down signicantly, with only 45% of consumers saying
they trust such content.
Thats a drop of nearly 30% so marketers should beware the hard
sell when using newsletters, the objective of such vehicles is to keep
consumers informed and positioning the business as an industry expert
rather than a sales outt.
Other factors that make consumers sceptical about content from
marketers include referencing things that can't be veried with other
sources (46% say this prevents them from trusting information),
leaving out/not addressing different perspectives (17%), and presenting
information in a way that hides it is coming from a company (15%).
Corroboration
49% of respondents said they would generally trust what a company
says about a particular topic but will also corroborate with other sources.
57% say educational information from a company is more credible
BUSINESS MATTERS
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26 www.nrbm.com.au
Moyra Burke-Smith, AM Marketing
27 www.nrbm.com.au
BUSINESS MATTERS
BIZ TIPS
T
heres a lot involved in getting you superstar employee and these
5 tips will help you ensure you get the best for your business.
1. Dont be boring most employment ads look the same. If
you want to attract great people then you have to stand out from
the crowd. Be different.
Your ad is the rst impression, the A player is going to be more
tempted to apply if the ad speaks to them and creates an image
of a business that stands above the rest.
2. The WHO matters if you want to hire a superstar you need to
clearly dene what that superstar looks like. Their values and skills,
background, what characteristics and demographics will make
them ideal? If youre not clear on who you are trying to attract
then you wont nd them.
3. Mega Lead Sources You are marketing for the ideal employee
just like you would market for your ideal customer. Hiring great
people is the best investment you can make.
There are lots of resources available to get the word out, so make
sure you are utilising all of them. Too many owners skimp or look
for ways to hire efciently because they see it as a cost.
4. Unique Process when I work with my clients, we design the hiring
process to mirror the culture of the company. We build this on the
back of a proven process that also serves the specic purpose of
allowing candidates to deselect themselves. This de-selection
allows the best to make it through the process and rise to the top.
Traditional hiring methods of resumes, interviews and reference
checks dont work.
You know you have a good process when A class candidates
positively comment on it.
5. A Kick Ass Culture and Compelling Vision Great people want to
work for great companies so you need to be a great company.
This doesnt mean you need to be the best in your industry but it
does mean you need to want to be the best.
You need to have a strong culture that Superstars will thrive on
and you need to know what your company stands for and where
it is going.
Superstars dont want to stand still. They want to be a part of
something. Make you and your business worthy of them.
How-to Hire Superstar Employees
Jamie Cunningham
Case Study.
T
o give you a taste of how this works in real life, Ill share
with you my experience hiring Melina, my Client Care and
Marketing Manager. Melina is extremely (maybe over)
qualied and actually took a pay cut for this position, she is an
absolute asset to growing my business. So how did I get her?
I had to get it right the rst time, after living and working in
Canada for 11 years it was time to move back home to the land of
sun and surf. My previous Manager had a family crisis and had to
quit leaving me 2 months to nd a replacement. The new hire was
critical for maintaining the North American side of the business.
So off I went, writing an awesome Ad (I know it was awesome
because it got me Melina if youd like a copy, email me), put it
out there in every conceivable lead source I could nd (10 in total). I
got 126 applications. I know, who has time to go through all those.
But wait
Each applicant applied by email; they got an automated email
asking them to call a phone number and answer 5 questions.
Only 31 did this; very effective de-selection. Of those 31 I was able
to quickly produce a short list of 8 based on how they sounded,

how well they followed instructions and based on their answers to
the questions.
Those 8 then received another email linking to 3 videos. The rst
video explained how the hiring process was going to work moving
forward. The second was about my company, its culture, history
and its future, designed to aim at the heart and get the right person
excited. It was 100% authentic and off the cuff so they could see
the real me unscripted. The nal video outlined 3 tests I wanted
them to complete in 4 days.
Of the 8, 7 submitted the tests. From here it was crystal clear
who were the top 2, they were sent interview invitations and a link
to an online prole assessment. The interviews lasted approx. 30
minutes and the questions were partly guided from what I learned
in the prole results.
To this day I still have 2 of the applicants staying in touch making
sure Melina worked out OK. Im pleased to say she is absolutely
tremendous.
For more detail, templates or examples, go to: http://www.
hiringsuperstars.com.au.
Winter 2014
Keep Toasty Warm Safely This Winter
House res are generally more prevalent in winter, so its
extremely important to take all possible precautions to reduce
the risk of such an event, Brendon said.
Keep heaters at least one metre away from ammable items
like furniture, bedding, clothing, curtains or rugs and supervise
young children at all times near appliances to prevent burns.
Essential Energy recommends checking the condition of
electrical appliances before use, particularly if they have been in
storage for some time.
Some of the signs of electrical wear and tear include loose
plugs, frayed leads or exposed wires, mechanisms not working as
they should, broken power points or switches and unsafe wiring.
Using a vacuum or dry cloth to clear any dust from appliances
can also improve safety, however, if youre unsure about the
condition of an appliance they recommend having it tested by
an authorised electrical repairer.
Take particular care with electric blankets never fold them
in storage as it can damage the wiring and always switch the
blankets off before going to bed or leaving the house.
When choosing new appliances, be sure to consider all the
safety and energy efciency variables for different types of
equipment.
If youre looking for a new heater, make sure to choose a
model that has an automatic cut-off switch that activates if the
heater is accidentally knocked over, Brendon said.
Always switch off heaters and other electrical appliances
before you leave the room or go to sleep and make sure your
re alarms are working correctly as an extra precaution.
A
s the mercury drops and winter sets in, Essential Energy is
reminding householders and businesses to stay safe with
electricity and heating appliances.
Regional General Manager North Coast, Brendon Neyland, said
a few simple precautionary steps could help reduce the risk of
electrical res in the colder months.
Businesses should take the time to make sure all their re
equipment such as, smoke alarms, re extinguishers, sand
buckets, re blankets etc are in good working condition and that
their safety checks are up to date.
BUSINESS MATTERS
ENERGY
This harvest season, make safety a habit.
> When using high farm machinery, check access roads for overhead powerlines and mark them at ground level
> Know the extended and lowered height of your farm machinery so you can maintain safe clearance distances
from powerlines
> Check for possible low hanging wires before commencing work in paddocks, especially in hot weather
> Ensure all machinery is lowered fully before moving off.
For more on farm safety visit essentialenergy.com.au/safety
Look up
and live
E
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28 www.nrbm.com.au
Quick Checklist:
All electrical power extension cables
both on site and those taken off site for
presentations, Expos etc need to be checked
annually. Do you have an up to date safety
cert?
Are switchboards, electrical equipment in a
safe condition?
Is portable electrical equipment protected by
safety switches?
Are all power points, light ttings and
switches in a safe place and free of obvious defects? (Check if they
are mounted securely, there are no loose covers or wires, broken
or damaged ttings, or signs of overheating).
Are main and isolating switches clearly labelled and accessible?
Have you had a re drill recently? Check your evacuation capability.
www.nrbm.com.au www.nrbm.com.au
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
CANBERRA COMMENTS
29
Visit www.kevinhogan.com.au or call 6621 4044 for the latest business news
ADVERTISEMENT
Authorised by K Hogan, 63 Molesworth St, Lismore
3 Axing the Carbon Tax
3 Two Free-Trade deals
3 Slashing red tape
3 Fixing mobile blackspots
3 Helping business create jobs
3 Delivering a sustainable budget
Kevin Hogan MP
Getting on with the Job
W
hen Australians went to the polls last September, rst and
foremost on most peoples mind was the dire state of the
nations nances.
We promised to x the decit and put the budget back on a
sustainable footing because we recognise that the role of Government
is to provide the best possible economic framework for businesses to
do what they do best create wealth and jobs.
While some aspects of the budget have proved more controversial
than others, what the government has done is start to address the
structural problems in the nations nances. Imagine running a business
when you have no expectation, in the foreseeable future, of your outlays
being less than your revenue.
At its core, this budget and what the government has done since
September, including the unwinding of Red and Green Tape, goes
back to something I mentioned in my maiden speech providing the
opportunity and freedom for people and businesses to have a go.
I was particularly happy with the announcement that Page would
benet from a massive increase in infrastructure spending that will give
our businesses better access to markets.
Its a truism that as a regional area our businesses suffer from the
tyranny of distance, but the budgets massive infrastructure works will
improve those crucial links that will allow our products and services nd
more buyers.
There is the $5.6 billion put aside in the budget to complete the
duplication of the Pacic Highway between Ballina and Woolgoolga.
The $1 billion National Stronger Regions Fund, which will be up
and running next year, and will target infrastructure projects to support
local and regional development, while the $314 million Community
Development Grants Programme
will support key community
infrastructure by investing in
almost 300 local projects across
the country.
The budget also includes
$2.5 billion for local roads
under the Roads to Recovery
Programme including an extra
$350 million to provide double
the funding in 2015-2016. In local
terms this means the ve council
areas within Page can expect about $19
million over the next ve years.
There is also $100 million to ll in black spots in the regional mobile
phone network, and importantly the $300 million Bridges Renewal
Programme to upgrade our deteriorating wooden bridges to improve
safety, productivity and community access.
All of these programmes are designed to build the infrastructure of
the 21st Century to grow regional businesses, which in turn will create
jobs for our children.
On another note, may I congratulate Norco which is showing the
way in nding new and innovative ways of entering new markets. This
119-year-old dairy co-operative have recently announced a successful
trial shipment of fresh milk to the booming Chinese market. The
importance of this for the 650 people employed by Norco and the
farmers who own it and supply milk to it, cannot be overstated as it
opens the possibility of supplying millions of litres of milk.
Infrastructure to Support Business
Kevin Hogan, Federal Member for Page
30 www.nrbm.com.au
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LOCAL GOVERNMENT
POLLIES POINTS
Don Page
Member for Ballina
Rail Trail Makes
Economic Sense
The Northern Rivers Rail Trail proposal is one I strongly support and
have been lobbying my State Ministerial and Federal colleagues to
support. The former NSW Labor Government closed the Casino
to Murwillumbah rail line in 2004 and the infrastructure has been
sitting idle and deteriorating for ten years now. The concept of
a rail trail for cyclists, walkers and possibly horse riders, was rst
mooted a couple of years ago and I could immediately see the
enormous benets it would bring to our region.
This valuable asset meanders through 130km of some of the
most scenic countryside in Australia from Casino to Murwillumbah.
The rail corridor remains in public hands in the event that the
return of the train became viable in the future. Rail trails have been
very successful, particularly in the United States and New Zealand.
With the Northern Rivers attracting approximately 2.2million
visitors annually there is even greater potential for a Northern
Rivers Rail Trail, especially as our rail trail would be open all year
round whereas Queenstown has to close in the winter months
due to snow.
I believe a rail trail would bring enormous economic, health
and social benets to our region. The direct construction costs of
a rail trail are estimated at around $52 million and I believe this
Northern Rivers Rail Trail from Casino to Murwillumbah via Byron
Bay and another seven villages is a very worthwhile project that
should be funded by both the NSW and Federal Governments
because the benets to the region are enormous.
Small business is the backbone of the NSW economy, an estimated
680,000 small businesses in NSW employ approximately 50% of
the workforce in this State. We see this sector as a major driver of
the growth recovery in this State and are determined to support
small business, where we can, or simply remove red tape and allow
small business owners to get on with being the driving force of the
economy.
Our achievements to date include;
o Independent Ofce of the Small Business Commissioner.
o Cutting Red Tape estimated saving up to $750 million.
o Requiring Government agencies to pay recognised small business
invoices within 30 days. (95% success rate since inception).
o One On, Two Off rule for new regulations and commitment to
20% reduction by June 2015. In 2011/12 NSW Liberal & Nationals
Government repealed 189 legislative instruments and introduced
27 ( a ratio of 7:1, well ahead of target).
o Making Business Licensing Easier.
o Consultation, regular seminars with Ministers allowing small
business owners to provide regular direct feedback on how to
make doing business in NSW more competitive.
The recent opening of the Lismore ServiceNSW Service Centre
is another example of making things easier, having a number of
Government departments under one roof.
There remains more work to be done and I intend to continue my
representation of your interests.
Make Doing
Business Simple
Thomas George
Member for Lismore
Daily direct Melbourne fights
prepare for landing
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and Byron
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Get to Ballina
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The Ballina Byron Gateway Airport.
Take 20 minutes off your travel time to Byron.
Only 5 mins away from the Ballina CBD and under 30 mins from Byron, the Ballina Byron Gateway
Airport has up to 52 direct flights per week to and from Sydney, Melbourne and Newcastle.
So whether you are visiting the region to relax, enjoy some waves or catch up with family and friends,
Ballina Byron Gateway Airport will help you start your holiday sooner.
Gateway Ai rport
www.ballinabyronairport.com.au
C
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BAP_078 BEACH PRESS-1.pdf 1 28/08/13 4:03 PM
Gateway Ai rport www.ballinabyronairport.com.au
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Uniforms
If balancing work and lifestyle is a priority then investing time in getting to
know the Tweed Valley in northern New South Wales could return a handsome
dividend, personally and professionally. This picturesque region is a perfect
base for manufacturing, agriculture, professional services, and tourism related
industries. And when youre not at work, you can make yourself at home in one
of Australias most spectacular hinterlands or beside some of the countrys most
expansive coastlines. For more information visit tweedbusiness.com.au
business@destinationtweed.com.au | Call 02 6672 4955 | tweedbusiness.com.au
INVEST IN A
BETTER LIFESTYLE
Business Mag FP_v2.indd 2 3/06/13 9:42 PM