NRBM Summer 2016

NORTHERN RIVERS

MAGAZINE

The Lismore
Prospectus
Key to future growth

Banking & Finance
Is Your Business Fit for
Summer?

Employment & Training
Avoid Fallout From
the Silly Season

Biz Tips

Ramp Up Your Sales 4 Easy Steps

Summer 2016
$6.95 inc GST

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Now up to 58
flights per week.
Ballina Byron Gateway Airport offers up to 7 flights a day with up to
58 flights per week travelling to Sydney, Newcastle and Melbourne.
There are daily services to Sydney plus regular direct flights to
Melbourne and Newcastle travelling on Jetstar, Virgin, Rex and
new airline partner, FlyPelican. So whether your trip is for fun or for
business, make Ballina Byron Gateway Airport your first choice and
support your local airport.
* the above times are indicative of a standard flight schedule and subject to change, details should be confirmed with the
airline partner. FlyPelican commence services early December 2015.

ballinabyronairport.com.au

Gateway Airport

Editor's Note
W

Our Experts

elcome to your Summer issue of NRBM.
The weather is hotting up and so to is the tourist season. In our beautiful region
this next financial quarter is the cornerstone of many businesses survival for the rest
of the year, we wish you all a busy and profitable season.
Our cover feature this issue is on Lismore where Lismore City Council have spent the past
few years consulting with the community to enable them to put together a cohesive plan for
the future. The Lismore Prospectus is part of that and will be a powerful tool for the economic
development of Lismore and surrounds. We look at a wide range of businesses old and new that
have made Lismore their base and find out how being in the heart of the region has helped them.
Our company profile this issue showcases Epic Assist, an organisation specialising in
employment and education of people who are disadvantaged or marginalised. We talk to Jock
McNamara about the business, the team and how they have become recognised as a leader in
disability recruitment.
I’d like to welcome Aaron Tapp from Colourworks, Stephen Moon from Coastal Voice and
Data and David Bailey from Eagle Insurance to our Experts Panel, bringing with them a vast
amount of knowledge to help businesses use technology to create efficiencies in their business
and make good business decisions.
Speaking of our experts I’d like to thank Jamie Cunningham and Clayton Oates who were part
of our Meet The Experts workshop in Lismore in November which was a great hit with attendees.
This is a program of events we are running in conjunction with Nortec where business owners and
managers get to workshop with a select panel of experts in a full morning session. Next event is
in March, more details will follow.
Enjoy this bumper issue and finally I’d like to wish a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New
Year to all our NRBM advertisers, suppliers and readers.

Moyra Burke-Smith
Editor NRBM
www.facebook.com/NorthernRiversBusinessMagazine
NRBM is and always has been proud to only use local suppliers.
Publisher

NRBM

Ashley Burke-Smith

T: 02 6685 7569
F: 02 6685 5430
W: www.nrbm.com.au
P: PO Box 1777, Byron Bay, NSW, 2481

Editor
Moyra Burke-Smith

Design
www.aguawebs.com
[email protected]
02 6676 2980

Contacts

Editorial Contributions:
[email protected]
Advertising Enquiries/Media Kit:
[email protected]
Subscriptions & General Enquiries:
[email protected]

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.

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.
Recognised as one of the Top 25 Global
Accounting Technology Thought Leaders,
the only Australian-based professional
to to be recognised with this honour.
Greg Arnold, Effective Workplace
Solutions has 30 years experience as
a workplace relations practitioner and
manager in a broad range of industries
including construction, engineering,
publishing, and hospitality. He helps business
to reduce the risk and exposure to costly
disputation, court cases and prosecution.
Aaron Tapp, Colourworks has 27 years
of experience in the office products/office
automation industry. Aaron has been
involved in some of the most innovative and
successful businesses in the sector. Now
GM at Colourworks (Canon) Nth Rivers
Aaron and the team provide excellence
in print management and business
process improvement automation.
Gail Fuller, Byron Coastal Real Estate
providing sound real estate advice in property
management, holiday rental revenue, selling
and buying property. Our team is focused
on increasing your profit and ensuring your
investment is maintained to a high standard.
Kate Cameron Rochdale Accounting
& Business Advisory - Kate started her
career with PWC Sydney and moved
to Lennox Head in 2005. A massive fan
of Xero she seriously enjoys working
closely with businesses to achieve results
and positive change. With experience
in both marketing and accountancy
Kate brings a lot extra to businesses.
Andrew Virtue, Newcastle Permanent
Building Society is Lismore’s home-grown
Branch Lending Manager. With more than
30 years of banking and finance experience,
he provides guidance on how customers can
make their banking products work better
for them and their families’ long term goals.
David Bailey, Eagle Insurance with
20 years’ experience specialising in
corporate, transport, construction and
manufacturing insurances David loves the
challenge of finding solutions for highly
technical insurance. He helps customers
get the insurance they actually need.
Stephen Moon Coastal Voice & Data,
supplying communication solutions to
local businesses for over 25 years. We
strive to provide our clients with the
highest standards of customer service,
value for money and the most innovative
products and solutions available.

The paper used to produce this magazine is manufactured by an ISO 14001 environmentally rated mill.

www.nrbm.com.au

Summer 2016

3

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care and a warm caring environment for patients from the
southern Gold Coast and northern New South Wales.
We recognise the integral role we play as part of the Tweed Heads/
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We assist patients with questions about Tweed Day Surgery and their
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Our surgical services include:
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General Surgery
Gynaecology
Maxillofacial Surgery
Oral & Dental Surgery
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Urology
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To discuss available consulting times or to
arrange a time to view the facility, please contact:
Ms Robyn Sheather
General Manager
Tweed Day Surgery

T: 0755995522
M: 0408162034
www.nrbm.com.au

Contents
12

16

18

17

Regulars

20-35

Cover Feature

News 6-7

The Lismore Prospectus

Keeping you up to date with news from the region, including
The Round Up – news from the region’s chambers.

Covering the issues that matter to your business: Biz Tips,
Banking & Finance, Employment & Training, Insurance, Real
Estate, Communications, Business Efficiency and Marketing.

Lismore has been kicking some big goals this year with
a number of major projects coming to completion, more
in the planning stages and winning a diverse number of
awards. In our feature this issue we look at The Lismore
Prospectus, a new guide for investment in the heart of the
Northern Rivers. The whole business community has come
together to showcase why Lismore is a great place to base
your business. Find out more on page 20.

Company Profile

Business Matters

Business Matters

8-19 & 36-37

28

This issue we talk to Employment Services Manager,
Jock McNamara and find out more about Epic Assist
and how they champion workplace diversity.

Pollies Points

20-35

Banking & Finance
38

Find out the key issues that your local pollie is fighting for you.

12-13

Is your business fit for Summer? Find out how
to make sure it is

Employment & Training

14-16

Prepare for the VUCA world and Tips for
the Christmas Party

Insurance

17

Invest time now to save future disaster

Business Efficiency

18

How to get closer to that Paperless Nirvana

www.nrbm.com.au

Summer 2016

05

news & events
Ballina Council Withdrawing
Investments From Fossil Fuel
Supporters
A Ballina councillor says the big
four banks could lose up to $40
million in investments under a
new policy adopted at a recent
meeting.
The council voted to gradually
withdraw its investments from
financial institutions aligned with
the fossil fuel industry.
Jeff Johnson said conditions
regarding a comparable rate of
interest and a prudent investment
policy should be easy to
accommodate.
"There are only certain
percentages that can be invested
with each individual institution,
and they have to have a credit
rating and be term deposits," he
said.
"There are about 50 different
banks and financial institutions
that do not fund new coal and
gas projects, so there are plenty
of institutions for the council to

choose from."
Cr Johnson said the
neighbouring Lismore and Byron
Shire councils have already
adopted a similar policy.
"There's quite a growing
campaign worldwide, not just in
Australia for institutions and local
government to put their money
where their values are," he said.
"Given Ballina and the north
coast, we're on a low lying coastal
flood plain area, climate change
will impact on us.
"The more we can do to
encourage the shift away from
these coal and gas projects the
better off our communities will be
in the future."

Ballina Byron Gateway New Flights,
New Record
FlyPelican has announced it will be
commencing air services between
Newcastle and Ballina Byron
Gateway on Monday 8th December.
CEO of FlyPelican, Paul Graham said: “FlyPelican is very excited to be
adding another route to its network. Newcastle to Ballina (Byron Bay)
is very well suited to our Jetstream 32 aircraft that seats 19 passengers.
The flight time is one hour and twenty minutes and we will be operating
a daily return service to start with and hopefully increase frequency as
the demand grows.
The airport has also just experienced the busiest October in its history
with more than 44,000 passengers flying into and out of the North
Coast, continuing the airport’s positive start to the 2015/16 financial
year.
The October total of 44,076 passengers was the second highest
month on record, finishing just behind the January 2015 total of 45,437.
The record month comes in addition to a record 113,515 passengers
in the first three months of the financial year, an 8.2% increase on the
previous year and the highest September quarter documented.
The Commonwealth Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and
Regional Economics (BITRE) data for September has also highlighted the
Ballina Byron Gateway Airport as among the fastest growing airports
in Australia.

06

Summer 2016

Plastic-Free Shopping? Yamba’s
Got It In The Bag
Yamba businesses are making leaps
in the effort to drastically reduce
Yamba's plastic footprint, with the
launch of the newest edition of the EcoBag.
Anti-plastic campaigner and local EcoBag representative Gina Lopez
said the third edition bags were thoroughly embraced by stores around
town when they were distributed last week.
It brings the total number of reusable bags distributed in Yamba up
to 60,000, and incredibly some people are still using bags from the first
edition.
"It makes me proud of the community; the people embracing
change and reducing the impact through really simple steps.” said Ms
Lopez.
"We don't need a lot of the stuff we consume. I'm proud of
everybody who is brave enough to recognise they have the power to
do something."
Since the plastic reduction campaigns were first introduced to Yamba,
a number of businesses have almost entirely cut back on plastic use.
Beachside Bargains has reduced its plastic bag consumption by about
80% and Caperberry has not bought any plastic bags at all. The Yamba
farmers' markets are also almost packaging free.
The behavioural change is so evident that Yamba is being used as a
case study all through the national plastic reduction community.
Yamba Chamber of Commerce president and Clarence Valley
councillor Sue Hughes said the Chamber had been proactive for years
about reducing the plastic footprint in and around Yamba.
"It's just fantastic to see so many local businesses support the huge
benefit of reducing plastic bags," she said.

Byron Scoops the Pool at NSW
Tourism Awards
Byron Bay has scooped the pool at the
annual New South Wales Tourism awards.
Bluesfest added to its growing collection
of gongs, being voted the state's best festival
or event.
Wollongbar campus of North Coast TAFE won the award for Tourism
Education and Training.
The Cape Byron State Conservation Area took home gold in the tourist
attraction category, while the associated Arakwal Dolphin Dreaming
program won top honours for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tourism.
Indigenous education officer, Delta Kay, said it was a proud moment.
"Byron's done really well this year," she said. "Last year we got silver
for Arakwal Dolphin Dreaming, so to be able to bring home the gold is
fantastic."
Ms Kay is a key player in the program and has taken the reigns from
her sister who started it some time ago.
"Dolphin Dreaming has been running for many, many years," she said.
"We teach our local Aboriginal culture through stories, song and
dance.
"It's a very hands-on program and we utilise the great outdoors of the
Cape Byron Conservation Area when we deliver the programs."

www.nrbm.com.au

the round up
Lismore Team Takes Top Honours
Lismore Chamber of Commerce
and Industry Inc. were awarded
Best Local Chamber of Commerce
in the Northern Rivers Regional
Business Awards at the Lismore
Workers Club on Saturday, 26
September.
With an audience of more
than 350 representatives from the regional business community, the gala
event sponsored by the NSW Business Chamber, presented awards for
excellence in 19 categories to businesses and leaders from the Tweed to
Grafton. The award for Best Local Chamber of Commerce was closely
contested between the regional chambers from Lismore, Ballina, Evans
Head, Kyogle, Murwillumbah, Tweed Heads and Yamba.
The Lismore Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc., recently
renamed to better represent the wider scope of businesses in 2480, paid
tribute to the hard work of the Board who have worked tirelessly to make
the chamber a strong voice for the business community and foster a
strong alliance with the Lismore Council and other regional organisations.
LCCI now moves on to represent the region at the State Awards
in Sydney.

Byron Pay Parking Machines Installed
Byron Bay's new pay parking machines are being installed in time to be
operational from the 17th December.
Council's transport and traffic officer Simon Bennett said 135 new
machines will be placed on the public footpaths and road reserves, within
the pay parking area.
The machines stand about 1.5 metres tall, are solar powered and will
be spaced between 30 to 50 metres apart.
Parking will cost $3 per hour or up to a maximum of $20 per day
depending on where you park.
For locals there is still an option to purchase a residents exemption
for $50 pa.
"If you are a resident, ratepayer or work within the pay parking area,
you can purchase an Exemption. The annual cost for a resident Exemption
is $50 and for a person who works within the pay parking area, but lives
outside of Byron Shire, the cost is $100," Mr Bennett said.
There is no cost for Byron Shire pensioners.
The new Byron Bay Pay Parking scheme is part of Council's Fit for the
Future improvement program.
"With over 900,000 plus day trippers coming into Byron Bay each year,
most of the pay parking revenue is expected to come from this group.
"It's anticipated that Council will raise over $2 million annually from
pay parking with the funds going back into improving Byron Shire's
infrastructure," Mr Bennett said.
Also changing the landscape in
Byron are the new CCTV cameras
and improved street lighting which
were installed in November. It is
hoped that these new additions
will help to deter anti-social
behaviour particularly over the
busy influx during Summer.

www.nrbm.com.au

Clarence Business Performance
Positive For 2015/16
Clarence Valley businesses responding to a recent confidence survey
are generally positive about the year ahead.
Clarence Valley Council sent the survey to a combined list of the
five chambers of commerce and selected businesses .
Mayor, Richie Williamson, said although the response was not as
high as they had hoped he expected that businesses were either too
busy to respond or were comfortable with the way things were going.
“You would expect to hear from more than that if things were
going badly,” he said. “The view from those who did respond was
they were pretty confident.
The business confidence survey is an initiative of the Clarence
Business Advisory Committee. It provides a snapshot to measure
ongoing business and industry confidence across the Clarence Valley.
Highlights include:
• 57% of respondents believed they would perform better in the
2015/16 financial year
• respondents viewed the outlook for the national economy as
remaining the same or moderately stronger. However, they saw
the Clarence outlook as being moderately or significantly stronger
• close to 40% of businesses reported a stronger return for the
2014/15 financial year and 35% remained the same
• limited impact on staffing numbers reported with 43% of
businesses saying they would remain the same
• more than half of businesses were intending to maintain their level
of capital investment for the year
• economic climate, policy and taxes are the key issues impacting on
Clarence business performance
• assistance is most needed in business new market options,
marketing and e-business solutions.
Cr Williamson said “Survey responses will help decision makers get
a collective view of business sentiment across the Clarence,” he said.
The next survey will be distributed in February.

Casino Reindeer Trail
Hello and a Merry Christmas to you all! Casino
Chamber is in full swing with our Christmas
promotion, the Casino Reindeer Trail.
This is our way of supporting our local economy.
Local businesses were invited to join in the promotion
where customers who spend $20 in 5 participating
stores go into a draw to win $2000 worth of
vouchers to spend in any of the participating stores.
We filmed a small introductory video that
gained almost 1000 views in one weekend. We then emailed out a
campaign to draw people to our facebook page which again boosted
momentum needed to give this promotion maximum exposure.
So far the project is going very well with people joining up and
keeping their dollars local.
We’ll have a full report at the end of the promotion in the
meantime we wish you all a busy selling season and look forward to
catching up at our next meeting!

Summer 2016

07

business matters

real estate

Lies Exposed One Home at a Time
Gail Fuller, Byron Coastal Real Estate

O

ne of the most wonderful aspects of working in this industry
is that you see a cross section of humanity and how they live.
Inside each home you feel and see how the occupants live
either in disregard or by way of caring for their environment at home.
What is very interesting as you get to meet the people behind
the homes is the way in which they portray themselves in life, is not
necessarily lived in their own home behind closed doors.
As you walk in you can see immediately if there is alcohol and/or
drug abuse happening, the unhappy relationships, and what I call
houses but not homes, many void of love.
Sadly only a small percentage feel like a real home, you can feel it
by the ease in which you walk around and the general good feeling
of the property.
It’s not about having a perfect showcase home either as that can
be just as lonely and empty as an untidy, dirty home.
Why do we take an image into the world whether in business, our
relationships, our friends that is not a reflection of how we are living?
How can we say we love someone when you can see clearly that you
are not living love in your own home. How does the business person
promote business skills and training when their own environment is
out of control and in disorder.
Real estate is about people not houses. It is about the way you
live in your home, and from this understanding we sell your property.
Many sales are made from one similar person to another. As agents
you get a feel of the person it may suit and their circumstances.
So how do we start living more true in the one common place
that every person in the world shares? Home. The place that we

8

return to every day should be our foundational place, nurturing and
supporting us as we live.
So often when people are selling they finally finish the house and
paint those last areas, fix the broken pieces, clean all the gardens
and look back and wonder why they did not do it earlier. How is it
that we don’t honor ourselves enough to want to live like this all the
time. Why do we make do and only complete it for someone else to
get more money than to do it naturally for ourselves?
These are the untruths and lies that I see as an agent, and yes
it is how we are which I accept and understand. But I still ask the
question why? Why pretend to be someone more than what you are.
Why not be honest and then maybe you have a starting point and a
reason to live more harmoniously.

www.nrbm.com.au

business matters

biz tips

Ramp Up Your Sales in 4 Key Steps
Jamie Cunningham

T

o make your sales grow, you need to invest in them. When
I say invest, I’m talking about investing your focus, time and
yes, sometimes money.
There is a law that states: “What you focus on grows.” Staring
at your sales figures won’t make them grow but below are four
things that, if you choose to give them your focus, will make your
sales grow. I guarantee it.
1. Be perceived as unique and valuable in the minds of your
customers, clients and prospects. The key word here is ‘perceived’.
The perception people have of you, and your company, is their reality.
Your customers and prospects have specific needs and concerns,
and they have to be convinced you are the person to help them.
That help must be ‘perceived’ as valuable and unique in comparison
to your competitors.
What is unique and valuable about you and your company? How
clear are you on that?
2. Know your HVAs - your High-Value Activities. Set yourself up so
you can spend the majority of your time doing these activities. Sales
all comes down to activities. If you are not doing them, then your
sales are not growing. If you are bogged down with LVAs (LowValue Activities), you need an assistant, or you need to delegate.
A great question to ask is “if I HAD to spend 3 days per week
doing my HVAs, how would I do it?” Resist defaulting to “it can’t
be done.” Really look at it as a challenge and get creative. Think
of it like someone is holding a gun to your head and you HAVE to
come up with some options.
3. Touch system - current research says it can take nine interactions
(or touches) with a prospect before they will buy. Most people give
up after less than five and in many cases less than two. Having
a system in place that can consistently put you in front of your
prospects is a game changer. Let's be clear, those interactions must
be valuable to your prospect - not nine instances of you trying to
flog your stuff.
Think about what they need and give it to them. It could be
relevant articles or news updates about their industry. It could be
connecting them with potential staff, customer or vendor contacts.
This system does not just apply to your prospects. Treating your
customers and clients, in the same way, builds loyalty and helps to
generate referrals.
An interaction should create perceived value in the mind of your
prospect or customer and make them feel positive about you and
your company.
To be able to execute on this consistently, you need a system
and a process.

10

4. Measurement and Accountability - What gets measured gets
managed. Too often we have the best of intentions but ‘other’
stuff comes up, and we lose our focus and momentum. Without
momentum, there is no power. Having a system of measurement,
reporting and accountability creates momentum and power. If you
are not doing this, you will not get results. Period.
Some things to measure: number of touches (it helps to be
specific here e.g. calls, f2f meetings, emails, etc.), the number of
new leads, conversion rate, the number of repeat transactions. Your
measurements must be simple to do and meaningful to read.
What I’ve listed here is not complex. However, it is also not easy.
When you are busy doing the multitude of things to run your business
it is easy to let this stuff slide. Which is why you’ll find businesses that
effectively grow and scale, are those who have a focus on sales and
have people dedicated to this stuff. It is near impossible to do this
part-time and do it successfully.
If you need some more detail or guidance on what I’ve written
here, email me at [email protected].

www.nrbm.com.au

business matters

communications

Technology Solutions Perfect
for Your Business
Stephen Moon, Coastal Voice and Data

A

s the business world is growing we are diversifying into the
world of solution selling, offering a wide range of business
needs including Phone Systems, Mobility/Apps and IT
managed solutions.
Being the only tier one Business Partner on the Northern Rivers
enables us to offer any solutions from a wide range of Telstra products.
One of the benefits of this is that it allows the products to be placed
on clients' existing Telstra account saving them initial upfront costs.
You also get peace of mind knowing that your provider is one that
is here for the long haul
Tailoring solutions is part of the skill set your communications
provider should be able to offer you as a client. Ensuring that
the solutions are tailored to the specific needs of the business in
communication, mobility solution and apps, managed networking
and cloud solutions. This is a much better outcome than trying to fit
into a pre-determined package.
As well as focusing on your business needs for the present you
also need to spend time on where you would like your business to
be in the future and what those future requirements will be.
New technology can increase your efficiency, save you money
and increase your security. Infrastructure As A Service (IAAS) is a
way businesses can access the latest technology by leasing an offsite
server, the technology is constantly upgraded without you having
to invest in an onsite server. A simple monthly contract, provides a
secure solution.

Software as a service is the
same process but for your business
apps such as docusign and accounts
software etc.
What Kind of Upgrade Do You Need?
A recent project we worked on was with a local company that
was looking at upgrading their existing server that was situated on
their premises.
After meeting with the customer and discussing their requirements
now and in the future we looked at their existing Telstra account and
came up with the following solution:
1: Remove the existing server on premises and provide an
Infrastructure As A Service (IAAS) where there intellectual data is
stored in a fully secured premises. This then allows the customer
to access their server from anywhere and use the dedicated
internet tail the server sits on.
2: Upgrade their existing ADSL service so they will have more
access to the IAAS server
3: Remove their Microsoft exchange server and install Office 365
3: Upgrade all the desktop devices
4: Upgrade their existing telephone system
The solution was implemented and placed on their Telstra account,
it not only saved upfront costs on buying hardware that quickly gets
superseded but also by upgrading their Telstra account we managed
to get some of the hardware paid for. A win win for all.

KEEPING YOU OPEN FOR BUSINESS

CVD has supplied communication solutions to local businesses for over 25 years. Our clients
receive the highest standards of customer service, value for money and the most innovative
products and solutions available.
Business Quality Communications
IT Solutions
Cloud Services

Mobility Solutions
Business Application Services
Private Network Solutions

For the Best Advice and Solution for Your Business, Call CVD Today:
www.cvd.net.au
1800 115 795
[email protected]

www.nrbm.com.au

11

business matters

banking & finance

Is Your Business Fit for Summer?
Kate Cameron, Rochdale Accounting and Business Advisory
ith this warm time of year comes a great amount of factors
to consider for small business in the Northern Rivers. There
are some great online business solutions to fit all businesses,
all with the aim of allowing you to do better business.
Trades are in their busiest time of year. Schedules are tight and
clients more demanding than ever. Managing your resources and
workflow is key to businesses maintaining momentum, optimising
cashflow and often provide the opportunity for a lot of business owners
to earn a well-earned break with family. Cloud based workforce and
job management products like simPRO and GeoOp are fantastic
for trade businesses. They allow seamless quoting, invoicing, staff
management, job management all the while integrating with Xero
accounting software. Your financials stay as up to date as your jobs do
and your cashflow can be managed from any device wherever you are.
This software allows productivity to be maximised, allowing business
owners more time in the crucial role of winning and completing jobs
and keeping clients happy.
Retail and hospitality businesses are gearing up for their busiest
time of year. Stock levels need to be optimised, costs of sales and
staffing resources need to be tightly controlled and managed.
Deputy is a great online Cloud software tool to take the stress out
of managing a casual workforce. Rosters and shifts can be planned,
managed and published to staff’s mobile devices. New shifts can be
created in seconds and staff notified with the opportunity to take a
shift that becomes available or needing to be filled. Casual workers
can clock on and off and shift times managed and integrated upon
approval into Xero at the press of a button – taking the headache out
of payroll function too. Online stock management can be completed

W

in a range of products such as Unleashed, Fishbowl, DEAR Inventory
and tradegecko.
Professional businesses are gearing up for Christmas breaks and
closures and usually a slower month in January with a lot of clients and
staff on family holidays. This period for these businesses often means
cashflow can get tighter and management of costs throughout this
time is key. As a professional practice, we use cloud based job and
staff management programs as well as run our financials in Xero. This
ensures I can review business results as they happen, act swiftly where
needed, plan for 2016, all from wherever I am over the holiday break.
We love helping clients implement solutions to improve the way
they do business. Anything that allows more efficient and better
business decision making is certainly a winner. To see how your
business could benefit from cloud solutions call 02 6620 0300.

Want more time to grow your business and
less time bookkeeping?

www.rochdalehouse.com.au
12

GOLD
PARTNER

02 6620 0300
www.nrbm.com.au

business matters

banking & finance

Have You Planned Your Exit?

Andrew Virtue, Newcastle Permanent Building Society

M

any business owners may view their
business as their superannuation fund,
meaning they don’t contribute to
superannuation or see the importance of
putting funds aside, instead planning
to sell their business to fund their
retirement.
This may be a good idea in theory,
however due to the dynamic nature
of modern business, things have
changed in more recent times and we
need to be mindful of the impact of
these changes. You only have to look
at the impacts of the GFC and how
the stability of a country can change
overnight, so having alternative options
in place should help mitigate some of the
unknowns.
Succession planning is about having a
realistic plan in place for when you want to exit
your business.
Some of the options available to business owners are to sell
or lease the business, appoint an employee to run the business or pass
the business on to a family member. It is important that business owners
ask themselves some important questions about each of these options.
If you plan to sell the business, is there someone willing and able to
purchase it from you? Can it be sold within your required time frame,
and at the price you need?

Is there someone who could lease your business if
that’s what you’re hoping to do? This approach
and selling the business both rely heavily on its
profitability, based on the financial accounts.
If you choose to appoint someone to
run the business for you, you will still
be reliant upon the profit from the
business to support your retirement.
Is the profit sustainable if you’re not
actively involved in the business’s
operations?
Be very careful if you are assuming
a family member will take over your
business, it’s not uncommon for the
family member not to realise this is
the expectation. Communication is key
so make sure you have this conversation
early on, keep a record of it and maintain
expectations of timing that work for both
parties, with a contingency plan in case their
circumstances change.
Succession planning is also important to ensure your
financial wellbeing in case something happens to you or another
stakeholder in the business at any time, so don’t leave it until you’re
planning retirement. Any business issues should be reviewed on a
regular basis using ‘what if’ scenarios, including back up plans should
things not go according to plan.
Now is always a good time to make a plan.

Want more time to grow your business and
less time bookkeeping?

Better value
banking,
year after year

After years of taking out awards from Smart Investor magazine, they’ve just
handed us the “Decade of Excellence” Financial Review Smart Investor Blue
Ribbon Award for 2015. And we’ve got to say this one means the most.
That’s because it shows that we can offer our customers a better way of
banking – where profits go back to providing more competitive rates and
lower fees. And it proves what our customers have known for over 110 years –
we have some of the best value banking products in the country.
So make the switch today.

13 19 87 newcastlepermanent.com.au/awards

GOLD
PARTNER

02 6620 0300

www.rochdalehouse.com.au
Terms and Conditions apply. Newcastle Permanent Building Society Limited ACN 087 651 992, Australian Financial Service Licence/Australian Credit Licence 238273.
www.nrbm.com.au

NPB3081 HP

13

business matters

employment & training

HVTC Wins Three Top State Awards

T

raining company HVTC has led the field again with two of its Nambucca Valley Care.
In April the Macksville High School Captain was named Schoolemployees taking out top honours at the NSW & ACT
based Apprentice/Trainee of the Year at the HVTC Excellence
Group Training Association (GTA) Awards and
Awards. He was also named Head Chef and won the Least
a host employer receiving accolades at the
Food Miles competition for sourcing local produce
NSW Training Awards.
in the 2014 Coffs Harbour Region’s Future Chef
At the GTA Awards in October,
Challenge.
engineering mechanical apprentice
Bale Defence Industries in Port Macquarie
Kyle Kruger beat nine other finalists
received state-wide recognition for its
to take out the Apprentice of the
commitment to skills development and training
Year award. Hospitality Schoolwhen the company received the prestigious
based trainee Harry Mitchell
NSW Training Award for Small Employer of
was one of three finalists in his
the Year in September.
category and named SchoolHVTC Manager Northern Regions, Grant
based Apprentice/Trainee of the
Reeves, said, “Bale Defence Industries has
Year.
supported the training and development of
The Apprentice of the Year
apprentices for many years, sharing a strong
award tops off a very successful
partnership with HVTC for over two decades.”
year for Mr Kruger. The 24 year old
Bale Defence Industries
Manager, Link Bale
HVTC CEO Sharon Smith congratulated HVTC’s
was also a finalist in the NSW Training
winners and finalists on their achievements. “This
Awards and he was named Overall
result is an absolute credit to our talented trainees,
Apprentice of the Year at the 2015 HVTC
apprentices and dedicated and experienced staff.”
Excellence Awards in April.
“Most importantly, these awards also reflect the significant role
Mr Kruger, who is based in the Illawarra, was employed
as an Engineering Mechanical apprentice before completing his our business and industry partners play in making sure our young
apprenticeship in order to take up a full time role with his host people secure quality employment outcomes,” Ms Smith said.
HVTC has offices across NSW from Northern Rivers to the
employer South32, formerly known as BHP Billiton Illawarra Coal.
Year 12 student Harry Mitchell from Macksville successfully South Coast. It was Australia’s first group training company and
completed a Hospitality Food and Beverage Stream Certificate has provided employment and training opportunities to more than
II while attending school and undertaking work placement at 20,000 people over the past 34 years.

You take care of business, we’ll take care of the rest
At HVTC we recruit, employ and arrange formal
training for your apprentice or trainee, leaving you
free to focus on productive work that boosts
your business.

Over 27 years’
experience in the
Northern Rivers

We take care of everything for you and are specialists
in recruitment, VET regulation, WHS and HR.

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You receive one weekly invoice... simple!

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Tweed, Northern Rivers, North Coast, North West, Mid Coast, Hunter, Hunter-V-Tec,
Sydney, Illawarra, Southern Tablelands, Shoalhaven, South Coast

14

02 6622 1363

hvtc.com.au

www.nrbm.com.au

business matters

employment & training

A New Way of Thinking
Adapted extract from a speech by Elizabeth McGregor, Institute Director, North Coast TAFE
Welcome to the ‘T-shaped’ learner and worker. The T-shape learner
here is enormous change going on in the world of work.
The military coined the acronym ‘VUCA’ to describe the and worker has (traditionally) skills, knowledge and competencies
environment in which we live and work: volatile, uncertain, with technical depth (the upright of the ‘T’) but also has broad ‘soft
skills’: good work ethic, an adaptive,
complex and ambiguous. Sound
enterprising nature and highly effective
familiar?
communication and social skills (the
Because evolving technologies
horizontal cross bar of the ‘T’).
and truly globalised markets are
The key challenge for individuals
disrupting many business models
to become and stay employed is to
and placing power into the hands
be constant learners and acquire
and minds of customers everywhere,
an holistic, malleable ‘T-shaped’
business has to adapt incredibly
skillset that expands, contracts and is
quickly to stay competitive.
reinvented as customer (and employer)
According to global research by
demand comes, goes and evolves.
McKinsey & Company, 40% of
This holistic skill set can’t be
employers around the world say they
Source: Enterprising
learnt
just in a classroom, or on the
can’t get people with the skills to
Futures: The changing
landscape and new
job,
or
online.
It can be learnt through
achieve the quick adaptation needed,
possibilities for further
education Gazelle Global
a collaborative approach in which learner/
while many millions of highly educated
workers are exposed early and almost in parallel
people remain unemployed.
to experiences in the workplace, in structured
So we all have to think differently about skilllearning environments and in the community that help
sets and learning for this new ‘VUCA’ world.
form the vertical and horizontal capabilities together.
Here on the North Coast of NSW, business
The key challenge for businesses, training providers and
is necessarily more dependent on networking,
job service providers is to achieve this ‘working in parallel’
entrepreneurialism and directly contacting customers
model together. It’s a new way of thinking about skills, capabilities
locally and globally to deliver goods and services to them.
Accordingly, businesses must find a way to ensure that current and and recruitment for your business.
It starts with a conversation – if you’re interested in exploring this
prospective employees have an agile set of capabilities centred on
with us, contact us on 1300 628 233.
finding - and keeping - customers for their lifetime.

T

www.nrbm.com.au

15

business matters

employment & training

They call It The Silly Season
Greg Arnold, Effective Workplace Solutions
ome tips to avoid the fallout from staff Christmas functions
Christmas functions are great for team-building and rewarding
staff, and a chance for staff and management to relax and un-wind
and celebrate the successes (or otherwise) of the past 12 months.
However, when staff and management ‘let their hair down’ in the
spirit of the season, especially when alcohol is involved, anything can
happen and, unfortunately often does! Here’s some advice to get
through the silly season unscathed.
Harassment and WH&S
Unfortunately employers can be held to be vicariously liable for
inappropriate statements and conduct that occurs at work-related
Christmas celebrations. Such conduct can amount to sexual harassment
or other forms of harassment (such as racial harassment). Particular
danger areas include ‘Kris Kringle’ gift giving, joke staff ‘awards’ and
skits/performances that may offend certain persons and groups.
Employers also have responsibilities to ensure the safety of all
employees at work-related Christmas functions, by taking steps to
prevent inappropriate conduct, including:
• ensuring responsible service and consumption of alcohol together
with the supply of appropriate quantities of food and non-alcoholic
beverages
• having a code of conduct and drug and alcohol policy in place
prior to Christmas functions and reminding employees of those
policies before the function
• training and advising employees and managers in relation to the
expectation and standard of conduct required at work functions;
• making appropriate transport arrangements if alcoholic beverages
are served

S

• having appropriate
monitoring and
supervision at the
party
• having a complaints process
• taking appropriate and timely action if issues arise.
These steps are designed to ensure compliance with WHS obligations,
and mitigate against workers compensation claims, breaches of WHS
obligations, and other harassment claims.
Clear policies
It is also important to have clear policies and procedures governing
the conduct, behaviour and expectations of employees at Christmas
functions (and indeed all staff social functions), to enable the employer
to take disciplinary action against non-complying employees in
appropriate cases.
Prepare
It is important for employers to prepare for Christmas functions
because it is easier to take appropriate steps before the function to
avoid Christmas party fiascos than having to deal with any aftermath.
Note: These steps and policies and procedures can be applied to
all staff and corporate functions, not just Christmas parties, and it is
highly recommended that a broad policy relating conduct at staff and
corporate functions that applies equally to management and staff be
included in your Staff Manual.
For further information about this issue, introducing appropriate
policies or Staff Manual, or you need advice on the fallout from a staff
party, please do not hesitate to contact Effective Workplace Solutions on
(02) 6676 3445 or email us at [email protected].

2016

Thurs 12th & 13th May 9.30am - 2.00pm
Goonellabah Sports & Aquatic Centre

THE REGION’S BIGGEST CAREERS EVENT

96 %

79%

72%

82%

Rated their Expo
Space as Good or
Excellent

Rated the Expo
as Very or Highly
Useful

Signed Clients at
the Expo

Said They Would
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2015

» Meet 1000s Of Career Focussed Individuals

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“

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Download your prospectus today from - www.nrcareersexpo.com.au
16

www.nrbm.com.au

business matters

insurance

Going the Extra Mile

I

f you’ve ever dealt with the staff at Eagle Insurance Brokers you’ll
notice one thing, they love their job. In an area that most of us
only think about because it’s necessary, Eagle really see their role
as ‘going the extra mile’ for you so you get the best combination
of policy and price.
Managing Director David Bailey explains the amount of
professional responsibility brokers have to their clients and why staff
education and qualifications combined with rigorous professional
standards make broking one of the most accountable occupations.
“Just like an accountant or solicitor, a broker works on their
client’s behalf. We represent our client to the insurance company
and do all the negotiating on their behalf. People are busy with their
own lives and businesses and some types of insurance packages or
situations are complicated. Our role is to identify what particular
policy requirements clients have and then approach the most
suitable insurance companies and submit the insurance request
to the market. One area of expertise we deal with is professional
indemnity, and as a company, we obviously have enormous legal
responsibility and professional indemnity obligations to our clients
as well.”
Eagle Insurance Brokers have access to more than 120 companies
in Australia and internationally, including Lloyds of London. The
choice of underwriter varies and is determined on what type of risks
you wish to insure against. The 28 strong Eagle team is spread over
four branch locations and with three representatives located outside
the branches, they cover the entire mid-north and far-north coast
across seven locations.
The latest staff recruitment is a dedicated claims manager, Jennifer
McPherson, who has a ten year background in handling insurance

claims and also holds a
BA Law. “We believe
it’s really important
to have one person
handling
your
case if you need
to make a claim.
Some claims can
be quite complex
and having a
highly trained and
experienced person
negotiating with the
insurers is the best way
to look after our clients.”
When asked what the
most common mistakes made
when buying insurance David commented:
“Firstly that they think will never use it so don’t invest time in
the purchase. We see first-hand in our local area the results of
storms, fires, burglaries and other issues. At any given time we have
a couple of hundred open claims in our business.
Secondly that it covers everything. Unfortunately insurance is one
of those things that is a ‘grudge purchase’. Nobody really wants to
pay for it but everybody expects to be covered for everything when
something goes wrong. So give your purchase the time it deserves,
it’s a major business expense for the year, so really understand what
you are buying and that you have the right cover. Brokers are here
to offer that service.”

Insurance you can
count on when
you need it most!
Why wait until you make a claim before finding out how good your insurance policy
is? Don’t risk it! Our insurance brokers are objective and can make sure that your
policy covers your businesses needs. At Eagle we can help you:
•
•
•
•
•

Make an informed decision
Avoid paying for what you don’t want
Access the full range of offers and products
Objectively assess what covers your business needs
Save time and focus on your business – let us shop around for you.

Our brokers live locally so you don’t have to speak to a call centre in another
state (or country!).

We know insurance so you don’t have to.
Call Eagle today for a no obligation, free assessment of your insurances.

BYRON BAY

BALLINA

SYDNEY

Freecall 1800 132 453
Freefax 1800 650 453
[email protected]
PO Box 2176, Byron Bay, NSW 2481

Phone 02 6681 5128
Freefax 1800 650 453
[email protected]
PO Box 2176, Byron Bay, NSW 2481

Phone 02 9797 9096
Freefax 1800 650 453
[email protected]
PO Box 85, Haberfield, NSW 2045

www.eagleinsurance.com.au
www.nrbm.com.au

17

business matters

business efficiency

Less Paper, More Efficiency
Clayton Oates, QA Business

T

here has been a long held belief that computers and
technology would eliminate the need for paper in
the office. Ironically the opposite has actually
occurred, over the past 20 years the volume of
paper used in businesses has more than doubled,
with the average office worker consuming more
than 10,000 sheets of paper per year, 45% of
which is discarded and much of the remainder
is locked up in filing cabinets never to be viewed
again.
Whilst we have been long dreaming of a total
Paperless Nirvana perhaps now is the time we
should awake from our slumber and focus on
chipping away at using Less Paper, by scrutinising
one business process at a time. So where do we
start?
One area that can be completely automated and paper
eliminated, is the process of Employee Expense Management.
For those of you that travel and the office is your mobile phone or
laptop, one of the first jobs when you return home from a business
trip is to empty your pockets of a myriad of travel receipts that
need to be unravelled, coded, annotated and entered into the
accounting system for claiming and reimbursing. Not to mention
that you probably will also need to photocopy most of the receipts
that will fade beyond recognition due to the fact they were
printed on thermal paper and the originals will fail to satisfy the
substantiation rules for a future GST audit by the ATO. In many cases
you will also need to match these receipts against the corporate

credit card statement when it arrives or fill
out a tedious, time consuming, Expense
Claim Re-imbursement Form (in Word
or Excel) in order to recover those out
of pocket expenses that you paid
for with your own cash.
Now imagine a scenario where
you simply take a photo of the
receipt on an App on your mobile
phone and you throw away the
receipt (or don’t even take it from
the supplier in the first place). The
system automatically scans and
interprets the document identifying
key information such as, Supplier
Name, ABN, Address, GST, Total and
even the General Ledger Code to allocate
the transaction to. This information is then
automatically “matched” against the credit card
transaction and is fed directly into your accounting system (all with
the ability to enable customisation of an optional approval process
that suits the way you do business). This entire process can occur
“Automagically” without any paper being retained and with low H.I.
(Human Interference).
This technology is available now and being used by savvy small
business owners and operators to drive efficiencies in their business
and just another example of how the use of carefully selected
applications can enable you to Buy Time from your business.

“Creating
Time for Moments
That Matter”

Business Efficiency
Specialists in Cloud
Based Business Solutions
Accounting, CRM,
Payroll, Consulting,
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(formerly referred to as QuickBooks in Australia)

– Check in with your business – anywhere / anytime

Call us for a complimentary assessment to determine if the cloud is right for your business
E: [email protected]
18

T:1300

289 846

W: www.qabusiness.com.au
www.nrbm.com.au

business matters

business efficiency

Start Working On Your Business Instead
Of In It
Aaron Tapp, Colourworks
ost small to medium business owners have made this comment
and others such as “how do I grow my business faster and
spend less time in my business?” or “how do we free up staff
time to work at more productive tasks that gain growth for the business?”
Unfortunately most business owners feel they are too busy to take the
time to solve them.
So what’s the solution and what’s available? You can empower staff
and streamline the business to automate and rid yourself of many pain
points around mundane, manual business administrative processes.
It’s about working with current systems, not replacing them.
There are a lot of ERPs (the software systems that run your business)
available to businesses. Most organisations have a good ERP in place and
systems and processes that work in with them.
The solution is not to replace these ERP systems but to find ways to
automate the manual processes, with your existing technologies.
There are solutions available that can integrate into most ERP systems
and accounting solutions from bespoke accounting software, MYOB,
Quickbooks, XERO etc.
It is in nearly every discussion with existing clients, prospective clients,
their advisers, staff and accountants they discover, through mapping
of existing processes, what is available to the business through a smart
automation solution. In most cases it results in a reduction of approximately
75% of staff time.
The solutions that are available are completely customised and
affordable for small to medium business. They allow business owners
and staff to:

M

• free up their time
• have a complete audit trail over work being completed on the
business, even remotely
• set tasks with time frames for completion
• provide a reduction in manual labour around tedious data entry and
administrative tasks
• have improved efficiency on average by 75%
Information can be automatically extracted from hard copy
documents, emails, and placed wherever it is required.
Is it for you?
It’s easy to identify if your business efficiencies can improve. Two
obvious signs are:
1. If you or your staff are keying data, scanning documents to files or
emails, you don’t have a system in place to have complete visibility
over your workflow in your business remotely and digitally.
2. If you are using in trays (hard copy or email) to have information
processed into your ERP system, then your business could do with a
health check to enable you and your staff to work on your business
instead of in it.
Data and document data content can flow easily and accurately
without the requirement for manual human intervention, the outcomes
are extremely powerful and most business stake holders are completely
amazed at the power that the solutions offer, how accurate and specific
they are in relation to integration into their business processes and systems
via customisation. For more information visit: www.colourworks.com.au
or www.go-paperless.com.au

SAVE MONEY - SAVE TIME - SAVE PAPER
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(02) 6621 9191
www.nrbm.com.au

www.colourworks.com.au | www.go-paperless.com.au
19

cover feature

The Lismore
Prospectus

L

ismore City Council has positioned itself
to lobby for big ticket public funding and
private investment with the development of
the new Lismore Prospectus. The document was
presented to local state and federal politicians
at a jam-packed breakfast launch on 8 October,
with the aim of the prospectus ending up on the
desks of cabinet ministers in Canberra, senior
civil servants in Macquarie Street and private
investors throughout Australia.
At the launch, NSW State MP Thomas George
said that he’d be able immediately to put the
prospectus to good use, whilst Federal MP Kevin
Hogan announced that he’d established a highpowered task force to maximise outcomes from
the document.
The 32-page Lismore Prospectus provides
a comprehensive guide to private sector
investment and public sector funding in a bid
to attract multi-million dollar investments and
projects to the city whilst promoting the benefits
of Lismore. These include the city’s role as

Mick McKinlay, Managing Director, North Coast Petroleum - “Factors such as the availability
of talented people to build our team, along with the cooperation we receive from Council and
local business houses, have all contributed greatly to the success of our business. I have the utmost
confidence in the economic future of Lismore.”

J
a
w
p

Dr. Austin Curtin, Surgeon, St Vincents Private Hospital - “The new infrastructure being built
on the Lismore Base Hospital site will lead to the development of clinical academic departments. I
predict that this will be the basis of a new explosion in medical services in Lismore.”

K
f
a
h

as
with MPs Thom
Jenny Dowell, nch of The Lismore
or
ay
M
e
or
Lism
e lau
vin Hogan at th
George and Ke
s.
Prospectu

the business centre of the Northern Rivers, a stable and skilled
workforce, the largest retail and professional services sector in the
region, a business-friendly council and excellent transport links to
Sydney and Brisbane.
How it came about
The prospectus is the brainchild of Lismore City Council’s
executive director for sustainable development Brent McAlister.
Brent explains that until the production of The Lismore Prospectus,
Council would tend to approach potential investors for specific
projects on an ad hoc basis: there was no single document
that encapsulated Lismore’s growth prospects and key offers to
potential private and public sector investors.
“Now we have the perfect tool to sell Lismore,“ enthuses
Brent. “Reaction to The Lismore Prospectus since the launch has

20

Summer 2016

been so positive we’ve had to organise two reprints and order
extra thumb drives for the e-version of the document.”
The Lismore advocates
As Lismore’s Mayor Cr. Jenny Dowell explains, “Before producing
The Lismore Prospectus we agreed that it was important to feature
one of our greatest strengths – the people who make the city
‘tick’ and who have achieved success in their respective fields. We
describe them as 'Lismore advocates' and their belief in the city's
prospects for growth is immediately apparent.”
The Lismore Advocates are from sectors such as health,
education, business, development, the arts and sport. A sampling
of these individual champions is included in this feature, along
with their (abridged) supportive comments which appear in the
prospectus.
Lismore’s role as the regional hub
Lismore City generates almost $2billion in GRP annually and the
Lismore LGA is host to some 4,000 businesses and over 20,000

y
d
st

t
I

cover feature
and the $6m refurbishment of Lismore City Hall.
Recent development at the South Lismore
Industrial Precinct has been matched by
significant investment in land for residential
housing by the Lismore Catholic Archdiocese
and private sector developers. These activities
have been complemented by the first stages of a
$270m expansion of Lismore Base Hospital.
Projected population increase

Julie Dickson, Founder & Managing Director, Black Sombrero - “As the epicentre of an
acknowledged clean, green food bowl, Lismore is superbly placed for a business like Black Sombrero:
we benefit from having top quality fresh produce at our fingertips and a Council that is on the ' warpath' to reduce red-tape for its business constituents.”

The Lismore Local Government Area’s current
population is 44,700 and is predicted to grow by
5,900 residents over the next 20 years. Lismore’s
population is growing at a sustainable level,
with the city’s residents maintaining the highest
household income for the region. The major
factor helping to generate population growth is
the employment opportunities contained within
the major economic growth sectors which
underpin Lismore’s position as the ‘heart of the
Northern Rivers’.
Key growth sectors in lismore

Karey Patterson, Founder , eReserve - “Lismore is an innovative and creative hub that provides
fertile ground for global ventures such as ours. The city punches above its weight in terms of services
and facilities and there is a large and well educated population of university graduates that seek work
here.”

jobs. The city is serviced by daily commuter flights to Sydney, with
easy access to international flights out of the Gold Coast and the
freeway to Brisbane. Health, education, community services and
retail trade are the dominant employment sectors in Lismore, with
construction, finance, insurance, property and business services
expanding significantly of late.
Lismore’s workforce has the highest level of bachelor degree
and post graduate qualified workers in the Northern Rivers and the
city also enjoys the highest level of vocationally trained workers
in the region. With an annual budget of $130m+ Lismore City
Council is also a key employer in the LGA, providing over 400
jobs directly.
In a reflection of Lismore's role as the regional hub, the city
has seen considerable construction and development activity of
late. Major projects completed recently include Southern Cross
University's $28m hi-tech Learning Centre, the $10m renovation of
the Woolworths Lismore Central shopping centre, the construction
of Council’s $15m Goonellabah Sports and Aquatic Centre, the
construction of the $6m Gateway Motel accommodation and
conference facility, the building of a brand new $10m Woolworths
supermarket and retail premises at Goonellabah shopping centre

www.nrbm.com.au

Health:
This sector cements the city’s strategic regional
importance and includes:
• The Lismore headquarters of the Northern NSW
Local Health District, with a staff of 3,600
• Lismore Base Hospital, with 985 employees
and currently undergoing massive changes,
including the staged expansion of the Lismore
Base Hospital and construction of a 520-vehicle
multi-story car park, at a total cost of $270m
• The Lismore Health Precinct, which is primed
for new medium density housing and other
development
• S t Vincents Private Hospital campus in East
Lismore: voted one of the top 10 private
hospitals in Australia in 2015
• Southern Cross University Health Clinic, which
is currently servicing 7,000 patients per quarter
and expanding rapidly.

Education:
Lismore contains important tertiary, secondary and other education
assets, including:
• Southern Cross University, which contributed $220.8m in gross
regional product, $135.1m in household income and 1652 fulltime equivalent jobs in the Lismore LGA in 2013
• The University Centre for Rural Health (North Coast).
Lismore is also the administrative centre for the North Coast
Institute of TAFE and home to the largest number of public and
private primary and secondary schools in the region.
Professional services:
Lismore has the greatest number and widest range of professional
service providers in the region, including:
• Major state and federal governmental institutions such as
health, justice and community services
• Accountants, legal practitioners, financial institutions and
investment advisors
• Town planners, surveyors and other specialist services linked
to building and development.

Summer 2016

21

cover feature
The city has the largest number of Real Estate
agencies in the region. Other significant economic
sectors and elements contributing to Lismore’s
current success and future growth prospects
include tourism, agriculture, the arts, residential
development, retail, transport, industrial services
and the ongoing revitalisation of the CBD and
nearby riverside recreational precinct.
A snapshot of investment opportunities in the
prospectus
Potential private investment opportunities
in Lismore include a medi-hotel and serviced
apartments for the medium-density health
precinct around Lismore Base Hospital; a large
transportation hub in South Lismore; a major
events and entertainment centre on the outskirts
of the city; and large greenfield developments to
provide housing for Lismore’s projected population
increase of just under 6000 people over the next
two decades.
Public sector funding opportunities include the
Lismore Quadrangle project that encompasses
relocation of the Lismore Regional Gallery;
Lismore Park being redeveloped as a 'destination'
recreational facility such as Hyde Park in Sydney;
and major infrastructure upgrades such as

Adam Gilchrist, Australian test cricketer - “I have fond memories of playing first grade cricket in
Lismore at the age of 14 as a student at Kadina High, and it is exciting to see the planned development
of Oakes Oval –the home of cricket in the Northern Rivers. I can think of no other regional sporting
hub in Australia with as much potential for so many sporting codes as Lismore."

Ben Lamont, CEO, North Coast Cabinets - “We made the move from Casino to the South Lismore
industrial estate to be close to many of our suppliers, and to establish a stronger presence for our current
and potential customers. Lismore has provided us with such strong growth in operations that we are
now planning to build our own greenfield factory here in the near future."
Real
t Commercial
of North Coas
D
M
y,
s.
rle
ctu
Ha
pe
Chris
the pros
also featured in
Estate, who is

point of contact for existing businesses that need support in such
areas as finding new markets, relocating to Lismore, or upskilling their
workforces.
Help for developers and business investors

a bridge over the Wilsons Rivers on the edge of the CBD, to service
North Lismore Plateau, and a major new road, the Goonellabah Link,
which is planned to alleviate traffic density on Ballina Road and the
Bruxner Highway.
Many more business and investment opportunities have been
identified. These are summarised on the 'at a glance' advertisement
on the accompanying page - and covered in more detail in the
document.
A business-friendly council
Lismore City Council has earned a reputation as a proactive
organisation with a proven track record of assisting partners
involved in major planning projects, developers and business in
general. Council's economic development manager is responsible for
significant procurement and partnering initiatives and is the single

22

Summer 2016

Council has a ‘can do’ approach in terms of new development;
routinely providing pre-lodgement meetings to ensure all issues and
information required from applicants are identified upfront. Council
employs an experienced strategic property development manager for
major developments, and the services of an in-house urban designer
are brought to bear on larger DAs. In regard to the future rezoning
of residential land, Council offers a fee-based and unique design
charrette service for larger rezoning projects.
The organisation is committed to making continuous improvements:
it conducts annual development industry satisfaction surveys and holds
regular focus group meetings to ensure that the assistance offered to
developers and business is relevant, consistent and effective.
To access The Lismore Prospectus in full visit www.lismore.nsw.
gov.au to view a pdf or emailable version; or contact Mark Batten,
Manager Economic Development, Lismore City Council.

n
nt
g

e
t
e

THE LISMORE PROSPECTUS AT A GLANCE
KEY

KEY

KEY

REGIONAL
STRATEGIC
ADVANTAGES

INVESTMENT
OFFERS –
PRIVATE SECTOR

INVESTMENT
OFFERS –
PUBLIC SECTOR

• Business centre of the
Northern Rivers

• Medi-hotel in the proposed
medium density zone of the
health precinct

• Lismore Quadrangle project –
relocation of the Lismore
Regional Gallery

• Serviced apartments for
professional staff (health,
justice, and financial sector)

• Lismore Park – major passive
recreation area

• Stable and highly
skilled workforce
• Vibrant CBD with largest retail
sector in the region
• Proactive and businessfriendly Council
• Health Precinct growth corridor
• Professional Services
(finance, justice and health)
• Rural residential
lifestyle housing
• Higher Education –
Southern Cross University
University Centre for Rural Health
• Centre of excellence for the
Creative Arts
• Sporting capital of the
Far North Coast
• Air/road links and proximity
to South East Queensland

• ‘A’ grade office space in CBD for
regional professional services and
Council relocation

• Infrastructure projects, including
new link road, bridges and sewage
pump stations

• Medium density housing in health
precinct growth corridor

• Oakes Oval and Crozier field –
major upgrades to football and
cricket facilities

• Establishment of large lot
transport hub in South Lismore

• Albert Park baseball
complex development

• Bulky goods retail in southern
growth corridor

• Hepburn Park hockey
fields upgrade

• Residential greenfield land
development

• Parks, walkways and
cycleways improvements

• Secondary dwellings and
modular construction (especially
1 to 2 bedrooms)

• Weatherproofing CBD
car parks (with option for solar)

• Greater CBD retail
expansion opportunities

• Equipping Lismore Showground
for increased exhibitions and
events activity

• Major events and
entertainment centre

• Improvements to safe driver
training facility for young people

• Council asset sales

• Restoration of historic Lismore
Wharf on the Wilsons River

• Lismore Regional Airport –
expanded uses including aviation
industry training
• CBD ‘shop top’ housing

For information on any aspect of investing
or doing business in Lismore please contact:

Mark Batten
Manager Economic Development
Lismore City Council
PO Box 23A, Lismore NSW 2480
43 Oliver Avenue Goonellabah, Lismore
T: +61 2 6625 0458 M: 0427 003 645
[email protected]

www.lismore.nsw.gov.au

cover feature

Lismore, The Heart for Business

T

he City of Lismore has had an award-winning year. Lismore Council
received 2 Green Globes, for Local Government Sustainability and
the Regional Sustainability, and won the NSW Local Government
Excellence Award in the ‘Partnerships for Growth’ category for its
innovative Lismore Health Precinct project.
This recognition follows several years of investment of time and money
into research and identifying a cohesive strategy to take Lismore into the
future with a sound economy and thriving community.
The key has been the involvement of
business, community and council working
together to achieve results across the
board. The Lismore Chamber of
Commerce also recently won the
award for best local chamber at the
Northern Rivers Regional Business
Awards.
The Imagine Lismore 10
Year Plan brought together the
community to look at the future
of not just the economy but also
the environment, community, sport,
youth and the arts.
The result is a new vigour about the
place, new building projects such as the
Lismore City Hall and Lismore Base Hospital
upgrades as well as new businesses opening in town
joining the already established, diverse, award winning, businesses.
This wealth of opportunity for businesses looking to establish or grow
in Lismore also offers an enviable lifestyle for all manner of business

Locally
Owned Since

2001

Winner of HIA Awards
Featured in Harper’s
Bazaar and Kitchen &
Bathroom Magazines

- Kitchens
- Bathrooms
- Domestic
- Commercial
T:
E:
W:
24

owners, workers and specialists wanting to swap the pressures of the
capital cities for a rewarding healthy and family life without sacrificing
strong financial returns.
This feature showcases a range of business services that make
Lismore tick: from property to petroleum and education to energy.
Many of Lismore’s businesses have been around for decades and even
generations, providing a sturdy platform to support new and growing
businesses throughout the region. Lismore is at the heart of everything.
North Coast Commercial Real Estate
North Coast Commercial Real Estate is a professional organisation
with experienced people working hard to achieve a premium
result for their clients.
They have expertise in property development and feasibility
analysis and have direct links to all the business banking
specialists and other critical players in the corporate arena.
No other active commercial agents on the North Coast
have more corporate real estate experience. Their office
has undergone rapid growth and they are well respected
for their specialist knowledge in Commercial and Industrial
property on the Far North Coast.
As well as a Lismore base they cover an area from
Murwillumbah to Grafton and beyond. Clients are both local
and national and very interested in the Far North Coast due to
the rapid expansion in population and coastal tourist destination
qualities.
Their network of clients is focussed on the facets of commercial and
industrial property, particularly in this growing region.
Chris Harley has a long established relationship dealing in commercial
real estate with an outstanding reputation for success and achieving high

Commercial Property Management / Sales
The leading commercial and industrial real estate specialists servicing
the North Coast of NSW.

From Concept to Design
to Building to Installation
We Make Sure Your
Cabinetry Exceeds
Your Expectations

02 6622 3644
[email protected]
northcoastcabinets.com.au

For all you commercial needs
including managing, leasing and
sales contact
Chris Harley 0412 758 830.

1300 721 816
www.northcoastcommercial.com.au
Lismore

cover feature
expectations for both sellers and buyers.
Southern Cross University
Southern Cross University offers a range
of undergraduate and postgraduate
business, information and technology
and tourism degrees, which can
be studied on-campus and by
distance education.
A key feature of the degrees
is the internships, which
provide valuable hands-on
skills and experience and can
provide a taste of the career
choices in the workplace.
Alexander Sexton is
Relationship Manager, Westpac
Commercial, based in Lismore.
He completed a Bachelor of
Business with majors in Accounting
and Finance, which he said provided
an enormous benefit in securing his job and in
providing banking advice for his customers.
“We are fortunate enough to look after the agricultural sector,
commercial property investments, property development, invoice finance,
cash flow lending, deposit management and specialist transactional
solutions for large businesses, which makes for a really interesting and
diverse career,” Alexander said.
“The most important thing with doing a university degree is that it
teaches you how to learn. When coming into a job like this you need to
be able to adapt and learn really quickly. I still use a lot of what I learnt in
that degree in conversations with my clients, for example when discussing
taxation, foreign exchange and hedging.”

Degrees in the School of Business and Tourism in 2016 include
Business, Business Administration, Information Technology and Tourism
and Hospitality Management. Applications for study on-campus can be
made via UAC or QTAC and online direct to Southern Cross University
for distance education.
For information on the full suite of courses visit scu.edu.au
Newton Denny Chapelle
Newton Denny Chapelle is a local integrated development
consultancy with offices in Lismore and Casino. They offer
clients an innovative combination of planning, engineering
and surveying services with more than 30 years experience
throughout the Northern Rivers.
They provide a complete service in land development and
have the expertise, associations and experience to take every
project from conception to completion. Key services include:
Town Planning
The planning team specialises in the fields of urban and rural
planning and can assist in the preparation of all forms of development
applications throughout NSW, including liaising with local and state
government authorities.
The team can provide full planning and application services in the
following areas:
• Residential, industrial, commercial & tourist developments
• Urban, rural, urban, industrial and commercial subdivisions
• Environmental Impact Statements
• Rezoning of land
• Expert witness reports
• Feasibility assessment reports
Civil Engineering
Being an integrated development consultancy they provide a “field
to finish” product. Their experienced Civil Engineering team offers the
Continued on page 30...

Fast track
your career
Newton Denny Chapelle provides
integrated development consultancy,
offering clients an innovative
combination of planning, surveying and
engineering services, for:

with a degree in Business,
IT or Tourism

• Development Applications
• All forms of Land Survey
• Engineering Civil Design
LISMORE Suite 1,
31 Carrington Street, Lismore

Ph: (02) 6622 1011
Cassino Court,
100 Barker Street, Casino
Ph: (02) 6662 5000

www.newtondennychapelle.com.au
www.nrbm.com.au

Apply now for 2016
Study on-campus and online.

15302

CASINO

It’s all aboutU

scu.edu.au/business
25

cover feature

North Coast Petroleum

N

orth Coast Petroleum (NCP) is a wholly Australian, family
owned company that began in Lismore in 1999
with a small retail network. Today, NCP has
expanded its operations to service the fuel and
oil needs of rural, commercial, industrial, and
retail customers from Sydney to Bundaberg
and out west to Brewarrina. We talk to the
man behind North Coast Petroleum, Mick
McKinlay
How did the business come about? The
major oil companies were closing down
regional facilities at the time and we were
having trouble getting reliable supply to
our own small retail service station sites. I
bought a truck, did the necessary training
and before long I had other independent
service stations knocking on the door to ask
if I could supply them as well.
What do you put your success down to?
Being fair and honest and giving people a fair go.
Sure, we have done long hours and continue to do
so, however, when I look back on it, some of our best
opportunities have come about by helping out other small
businesses when they have been doing it a bit tough.
How do you ensure such high quality customer service? Service
and flexibility have always been two of the biggest focus points
in our business. I also believe we have benefited by recruiting the
right people along with the development of specialised systems that
support our customer’s business needs. I think it mostly boils down

to the people in our business, every day I see them
go that extra mile to best serve our customers.
The team works hard and I think we have a
lot of fun at the same time.
As a team what sets you apart?
Focussed and dedicated people
that enjoy working at NCP and
a management focus on every
person in the business being just
as important as another.
Why do you find Lismore
a good base to do business
from? Excellent geographical
location and a good supply
of talented people to work in
our business. I am also grateful
to our community who have
certainly supported us, I think in
part because we are a local business.
On a personal note, I couldn’t think
Mick McKinlay
of a better place to bring up my family,
with wife Louise
particularly in regard to their education.
What has NCP got planned for the future?
Maintain our high standard of service and continually
improve our offer to the community; Invest in upgrading our local
facilities; New Lismore CBD head office (Plans are currently with
Council for approval) and continuing to support other local business
as much as possible. At the same time we are working on some
expansion into other regional areas. We’ve got a bit on!

North Coast Petroleum

Fast, quality, bulk fuel supplies by a local company
employing local people
• Bulk Fuels - Service Stations, On Farm, Earth Moving, Transport Operators, Industrial & Commercial
• Distributors of Valvoline, Gulf Western, Mobil & Shell Lubricants
• Suppliers of quality refuelling and lubrication equipment
• 24 hour account card available
• Weighbridge
• ADBLUE available at the pump
• Quality fuel guaranteed

CALL US on 02 6622 8229

Or visit 19-21 Kyogle St, South Lismore 2480
26

www.nrbm.com.au

Making
Things
Happen
At any time, there are countless issues
demanding your attention. They can
distract and slow you down, preventing
you from making things happen.
TNR has a team of over 70 skilled
professionals. We are smart,
down-to-earth people whose passion is
partnering with clients to help them
achieve their business dreams.
We're not simply accountants. We're
financial and business advisers - using our
knowledge and experience to provide
effective business solutions and ensure
your financial success.
For a team that can help you
make things happen, contact us.
02 6621 8544
31 Keen Street, Lismore
www.tnr.com.au

company profile: epic assist

business matters

biz tips

Jock McNamara with Ballina team members
Godston Ogbonna and Tony Bowden

EPIC Assist is a leading not-for-profit organisation. For over 25 years they have been
changing the lives of people who are disadvantaged or marginalised, through employment
and education. As a leader in disability recruitment, EPIC Assist prides itself on its ability to
match the right person to the right job to facilitate long-term outcomes for jobseekers and
employers. We spoke to Northern New South Wales Employment Services Manager, Jock
McNamara to find out more about the organisation championing workplace diversity.
How long have you been servicing the
community?
From our humble beginnings in Brisbane,
Queensland in 1990, EPIC Assist has grown
to over 300 staff and now operates from
approximately 50 service centres.
In 2005 we opened a small service centre in
Lismore with only 25 participants. In 2013 we
expanded across the Northern Rivers opening
full time centres at Grafton, Lismore, Ballina and
Tweed Heads with part time services at Yamba,
Byron Bay, Casino, Evans Head and Kyogle.
We now support over 400 participants with
180 or 45% of them currently working and still
receiving some support from us. Many others
have found work with our help and no longer
need our support.
What services do you offer?
As of 1 July 2015, EPIC Employment Service
relaunched as EPIC Assist, broadening its services
for people with disability and to encourage
disability confidence in the community and
workplace.
We are passionate about workplace diversity,
creating disability confident workplaces and
assisting jobseekers and employers to realise
what’s possible.
Our services include recruitment services
that provide employers access to the hidden
talent pool, disability employment services that
assist people with disability finding meaningful
employment and individual support services
(e.g. Your Life Your Choice and NDIS). As an RTO
we offer education and training for employers
and people with disability. As a registered BAS
Agent we provide professional outsourcing
services (e.g. bookkeeping).
What is the difference between EPIC and
other employment services?
• Person-centred approach: We cater to

28

Summer 2016

your individual needs, whether you are an
employer or person with disability and work
with everyone involved to ensure everyone’s
needs have been met.
• Care and kindness: We genuinely care for
our jobseekers and employers and do what’s
best for them, we do not treat them like a
number.
• Solution focussed: We remove barriers and
find the best possible employment solutions
for our jobseekers and employers.
• Local community relationships: We believe
through employment the whole community
benefits and therefore have a strong
community focus.
• Competitive Advantage: We aim to give
both businesses and jobseekers an ‘edge’.
Businesses have access to an untapped
hidden talent pool, while job seekers are
prepared for the competitive labour market.
• One stop shop: EPIC Assist has a number
of services jobseekers and businesses can
benefit from including education, training,
professional outsourcing/bookkeeping
services, disability employment and
recruitment.
• Experience: As an industry leader we have
been facilitating job matches between
jobseekers and employers for 25 years.
• Range of Services: We offer a variety of
services to suit businesses and individuals.
• Support: At all stages of the employment
process our staff provide individualised
support.
Have there been many success stories over
the years?
We are proud to have supported lots of
young people through school based traineeships
and apprenticeships and into trades.
One young person came to us isolated by

serious anxiety after being bullied at school.
At first he was too anxious to leave his house
to come to our office. Over a few months
we helped build his confidence, we found a
supportive employer he could work with one
on one, and he grew more confident. After six
months he was re-connected with friends, he
was totally comfortable when he came to the
office, and he chose to move to a new job and
a new life in Brisbane.
There are many stories like that with people
of all ages. It is great to see young people with
so much in front of them get a break, but we
also have many good stories of adults with long
work histories, who through illness or injury,
can no longer do their usual job. We work with
them to reach their goals, working through a
Job Plan to prepare them for the right job with
the right employer.
What drives you and your team?
Seeing the difference we make to individuals’
lives. It can be as little as connecting them with
the support needed to start the journey back
to being a fully participating member of their
community, or it can be seeing people make a
full recovery, get a job and no longer need our
support. We rely on employers being happy
with our service and ensure we give them
every support. We seek employers feedback
and it encourages us
to hear they trust
us to provide
them with
a valuable
employee
who will be
supported
as long as
John van Arendonk and Dell
it is needed.
Swift part of the Lismore team

cover feature
...Following on from page 25
following key design and project services;
• Urban Roads and Drainage
• Sewer
• Water Reticulation
• Rural Roads and Drainage
• Stormwater Management Plans
• Construction and Project Supervision
Surveying
Their survey and drafting staff use modern,
survey specific application equipment and
software to provide efficient accurate survey
computation service in the following services.
• Site Detail Surveys
• Subdivision Plans
• Lease Plans
• Community & Strata Titling
• Identification Survey
• Property Report
• Engineering and Construction Setout Survey
North Coast Cabinets
Ben Lamont started North Coast Cabinets in
2001 in Casino. Since then the business has grown
from strength to strength, they now employ a team of 9 staff

including tradesman, apprentices and administrative staff.
The business made the move to Lismore 5 years ago and hasn’t
looked back. Located in the South Lismore Industrial estate has
made it easier for them to build relationships with many of their
suppliers and build good relationships where they both give and
receive referral business. Being located near other suppliers means
that customers who are planning building projects can also visit their
local joinery experts while checking out plumbing supplies
and building materials.
North Coast Cabinets are known for their award
winning craftsmanship and expertise in getting
the job done. They are the joinery of choice
for many local builders and designers, and are
rightly proud of their excellent reputation, with
customers and builders alike.
Their joinery has featured in both Harper’s
Bazaar and Kitchen and Bathroom magazines.
Much of their work is on the coast and up
to Brisbane so the central location with good
transport links has made it easy for them to do
business.
Future plans include starting building their own
factory next year in Wilson Street South on a new flood
free site.

The Future for Business
Lismore City Council has placed great emphasis on creating and nurturing strong partnerships to improve planning and encourage sensible
development in the city. It is now recognised for turning what was a frustrating 'slow..no' procedure into a win-win 'let's go' approach. It offers
clear and consistent policies and development frameworks that provide certainty for private sector developers, investors and business entrepreneurs,
and which stimulate growth in new and existing businesses.
The future for Lismore is looking bright.

Overnight secure parking

Hire car desk

Free Wi-Fi in the terminal

Café at flight times

Morning and evening flights

Taxi’s available at terminal

Meeting room for hire

Links to aircraft and helicopter charter

Find out more at
www.lismore.nsw.gov.au
30

www.nrbm.com.au

cover feature

Empowering Our Communities With
Powerful Partnerships

H

ow empowered can we make our community? That is a question
that David Copperthwaite, Managing Director at Nickel
Energy, asks himself and his team every day. Since
2007 whether through utilising innovation, initiatives or
technology, Nickel Energy has been our region’s leader
in empowering homes and businesses with clean
energy, forging a national reputation for quality and
credibility in a volatile and fast-paced industry.
“Self-sufficient communities aren’t just about
how we can sustainably power our community with
solar energy or other renewable and clean energies,”
says David. “To me, empowering our community
demands that we encourage investment and social
opportunity in our region.”
Local empowerment has been the motivation behind
the creation of Nickel Power and the unique partnership
with AGL, one of Australia’s largest solar and energy
companies. Attracting investment and support in our region
from national giants such as AGL, says David, can only help
to strengthen our local economies through reduced energy
costs and greater local investment leading to jobs, improved
environmental education and the ability to empower our
communities today and into the future.
With access to AGL’s zero interest finance and strong buying power,
Nickel Power’s partnership with the national energy giant is a positive
step towards empowering homes and businesses across our region.

By reducing energy costs, freeing cash and reducing overheads at
home and in business, accessible and affordable solar can help to
encourage investment and social opportunities to empower
our communities and our region.
Nickel Power’s Director, Mark Willoughby, celebrated
the similar philosophies between the two organisations.
“Nickel has always been about finding the right
solution for homeowners and businesses. This is a very
comfortable fit with AGL’s dedication to solar done
right. We’re excited to be able to offer a nationally
guaranteed range of products and greater buying
power while still offering our personal, local service”.
With the highest take-up of rooftop solar in Australia,
the Northern Rivers is ideally positioned to benefit from
the strength of AGL’s national power combined with
the security of Nickel’s local expertise and outstanding
customer care.
With more than 9 megawatts of solar installed across
Northern NSW and Queensland, Nickel Power has proven itself
on the solar stage. When that local experience is combined
with the power of AGL’s 175 years of energy and a shared
dedication to putting customers first, our region is sure to benefit
from this new, powerful partnership.
To harness this power for your business and to be a part of
empowering your home, your business and our community, contact
Nickel Power and arrange a personal meeting with your solar advisor.

Confused about Solar?
Too many quotes?
Too many telemarketing calls?
Feed in Tariff offers?
There are many reasons why Nickel
Energy was chosen to install for
Lismore City Council,
Byron Shire Council,
Richmond Valley Council,
National Parks & Wildlife
Metroll - Lismore
as well as hundreds of families
and businesses throughout the
Northern Rivers.

Here are just a few:
• Honest, helpful and straight forward advice
• Local company and local staff members
• Professional installs with quality products
• Lismore Chamber Winner - Excellence in Sustainability 2015

Call today to book your FREE solar assessment
Level 1,124 Woodlark St|1300 722 527| www.nickelenergy.com.au
Lismore

Solar Power | Energy Storage | Off Grid Solutions

www.nrbm.com.au

31

cover feature

Hurfords, Part of Our History and
Our Future

University of Queensland Arts Museum

T

oday Lismore based Hurford group manufactures and
distributes a wide range of high quality native timber
appearance products for flooring, internal fitout, and exterior
cladding, and feature timbers from a diverse selection of Australian
hardwoods.
Their state of the art manufacturing facilities commitment to
quality assurance and in-house training program ensure that all
Hurford Hardwood timber products meet exacting standards. It is
the recognition of the consistently high quality of Hurford Hardwood
products which sees them specified in iconic projects such as Heston
Blumenthal’s new restaurant ‘Dinner’, the historic Royal Exhibition
Building in Melbourne, and the University of Queensland Arts
Museum.
The foundation of the Hurford Group of companies in 1932
occurred when Jim Hurford was stood down from his job as
a foreman/carpenter with the NSW Railways during the great
depression. Together with his brother he went into business
renovating and lifting houses in the Lismore region.
While he was purchasing timber from a sawmill for himself, he
noticed that a pile of rough-sawn boards had accumulated. With
a canny eye for business he bought these and paid the mill to run
them into tongue and groove flooring. His innovative approach of
value adding set a course for the Hurford name to grow steadily and
strongly in high value timber products over the next 80 years.
From these humble beginnings the facilities have been ever
expanded to rank solidly alongside both Australian and international
competitors. The Hurford Group now uniquely spans across multiple
tiers of industry being a primary producer, manufacturer and
wholesaler.
Hurfords products are distributed through their network of
warehouses in all major national cities and New Zealand, and further
afield through their overseas operations. Hurfords regularly work
with architects, specifiers and designers to deliver custom made
solutions to meet their specific timber requirements.
There are no wasted products in the Hurford value chain. Even
by-products such as sawdust and woodchip are highly prized and
utilised by the local horticulture industry and as biomass for the
production of renewable electricity.
Today the Hurford Group is a major local employer and is a
significant contributor to the regional economy.
Lexie Hurford comments: “Lismore provides an ideal base for our
regional manufacturing business due to the depth and diversity of
professional, engineering, planning, legal and accounting services
available. The relationships built up over time with our local suppliers
and subcontractors have undoubtedly contributed to our growth.”
This family business has evolved to become an icon in the business
community throughout the popular Northern Rivers region. They
support numerous local community events and charities, giving

32

Summer 2016

Hurford Forests

Tuncester Processing

back to the community they are part of.
The Future
Hurfords are focused on a vibrant active and sustainable future
for the forest and timber industries on the North Coast. A visionary
company, considered one of the region’s leaders in developing new
opportunities they are constantly investing in research to ensure the
sustainability of forests and Lismore provides the perfect base for
this.
Managing Director Andrew Hurford comments: “Hurfords values
highly the long-term relationship with Southern Cross University
which provides timber and forest research of the highest standing
to assist our sustainable harvesting and production activities. Having
a world-class research facility like this on our doorstep highlights the
connections which make Lismore attractive to business.”
Another world class business with its roots firmly entrenched in
Lismore and the Northern Rivers.

Royal Exhibition Building in Melbourne

Today the Hurford Group Consists of:
Hurford Hardwood
2 State-of-the-art dry mills value-adding facilities at Tuncester
via Lismore and Stapleton Queensland.
Hurford Forests
Owns and manages some 5000 acres of forested land.
Hurford Sawmilling Pty Ltd
4 Modern sawmills in Casino. Kyogle, Bulahdelah (NSW),
Chinchilla (QLD)
Hurford Wholesale
Wholesale and distribution warehouses in Brisbane, Sydney,
Melbourne, Adelaide and NZ. Overseas operations in Europe,
Asia and North America.

www.nrbm.com.au

cover feature

Lismore Lifestyle From Winten Group

O

ne of Australia’s leading boutique property groups is developing
an upmarket residential project within the North Lismore Plateau
land release area.
Sydney-based Winten Property Group, which has an $800 million
property portfolio across the Eastern Seaboard - is developing The Grange
Lismore – a 450-lot subdivision off Dunoon Road.
The group is taking expressions of interest in the initial land release of
the $95m project, with construction expected to start mid-2016.
Winten Group Managing Director Mr David Rothwell said with
Lismore’s population expected to increase in the next 20 years, the local
council was committed to creating further residential precincts to cater
for a growing community.
“Lismore is on the brink of a major growth spurt, it’s not only the
business hub for the Northern Rivers but it has a stable and skilled
workforce, the largest retail and professional services sector in the region
and connectivity to Sydney and Brisbane.
“Its geographical location makes it an ideal lifestyle choice for those
wanting to live in a tranquil yet accessible location,” he said.
Mr Rothwell said the 253-hectare Northern Lismore Plateau
development will incorporate two major residential projects, including
The Grange Lismore.
“The first precinct will comprise about 100 lots below the escarpment
to be released in two stages. The remainder of the estate will be developed
across the Plateau to meet market demand”.
“Lots will average between 500m2 and 600m2 and sell for between
$160,000 and $180,000,” said Mr Rothwell.
The 350 lots earmarked for the top of the Plateau will also average
around 500m2 to 600m2 with some medium density clusters being
considered.
He said The Grange Lismore will comprise of affordable yet quality
housing for local investors close to the Lismore CBD.
“Council’s vision is for the development at North Lismore Plateau
to ensure a residential precinct that encapsulates urban design,
integrated environmental
and sustainable landscape
management.
“We have a team of
highly-skilled and committed
staff and consultants to
ensure that the estate
achieves the highest
standards of environmental,
engineering and sustainability
outcomes,” he said.

34

Summer 2016

The North Lismore Plateau will offer a network of multiple transport
modes that will be safe to walk, cycle and play in, a neighbourhood
centre connected by paths and cycle ways to the residential areas and a
network of parks and open spaces.
The Winten Group has already been working with Council on the
draft comprehensive guidelines for the project that have been adopted
within the site specific Development Control Plan and Contributions Plan.
These guidelines will ensure that all safety, ecological, heritage,
servicing and connectivity objectives are implemented through practical
and workable design and management plans, said Mr Rothwell.
“As a company we are confident this will be a successful move into the
area. According to council, in the 2014/15 financial year property sales in
all sectors totalled $292m with residential property sales accounting for
$237m, or 81%of this figure,” he said.
Buyers are also set to benefit from the Federal Government’s Building
Better Regional Cities Program.
“Under the Lismore Housing Subsidy scheme applicants who meet the
criteria will be given a $20,000 cash grant towards the purchase price.
At this stage Winten has 76 lots that are eligible for purchase under
the scheme.
Mr Rothwell said Winten and several of the company’s technical
consultants has also been working closely with council to ensure The
Grange will be a quality residential project, comparable to the benchmark
standard the company has set throughout the Eastern Seaboard.
“Peter Egerton, from the RPS Group, has been liaising with Council
and our other technical consultants throughout the rezoning process.
“His expertise in urban design is acknowledged throughout the
industry and now he has brought that best practice and current innovation
to the table at Lismore,” he said.
“Peter and our team of consultants, headed by local planner Steve
Connelly (Planners North) have already met with Council’s assessment
staff to work through the many complex design issues that need to be
carefully woven together to produce an urban outcome that is ultimately
sustainable and, importantly, works as a living
and desirable residential community.”
Winten has won several national and
regional awards for quality and innovation in
residential estate development.
Their expertise extends to medium and high
density city-living projects in Sydney, where they
have won design and construction awards for
medium density and high-rise housing projects.
Expression of interests can be registered at
www.grangelismore.com.au

www.nrbm.com.au

Our Major Investment

= Savings For You

Lismore City Printery has
made a major investment in
two new digital presses. One is a
Fuji Xerox Nuvera 144 EA; a high
speed black and white digital
press. The other is a Fuji Xerox
Versant 2100; a fast, high quality,
colour digital press. These are
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digital presses in the market
today, bringing advantages
in both speed and even more
competitive pricing.
Joint
Managing
Directors,
Shaun and Paul McGuiness,
state “the new presses allow us
to offer customers unrivalled
quallity and service. Plus, we are
now the largest digital printer
between the Gold Coast and
Newcastle.” Shaun went on to
say, “David Officer and Brett
Thomas from Fuji Xerox Business
Centre Northern Rivers have
always given us sound advice on
solutions to help our business
grow. The excellent service
and support they provide is
essential to maintain the quality
edge and production speed that
these presses provide.”

Left to Right: Peter Harvey (Head digital printer), Brett Thomas (Fuji Xerox), David Officer (Fuji Xerox),
Shaun McGuiness (Managing Director LCP)

This investment will take Lismore City Printery
well into the future with the latest technology.

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Tel

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Fax 02 6622 1296
Email [email protected]
201 Union Street Lismore 2480

business matters

marketing

Get Out There – 5 Top Tips
Moyra Burke-Smith, Cool Promo

A

critical element to any successful small business is developing
an effective marketing plan.
While larger businesses have the ability to invest massive
amounts of resources into their marketing efforts, most small
businesses don't have that luxury. Smaller businesses need to figure
out how to get the most bang for their marketing buck.
The key in coming up with a good strategy is not being intimidated
by the marketing process.
Don’t try to figure out 'marketing' just focus on things that will
make you more visible to the people who want to be your customers,
then stuff will happen.
• Don't waste time doing the things you aren't good at. Implement
the things you feel comfortable doing, if you’re not a sales person
don’t try a telesales campaign. Devote your resources where you
feel comfortable like good, useful communications; weekly emails,
direct mailings and pay-per-click campaigns.
• Use promotions to make customers feel special. Things like
"steal a card" program. Every time you get a business card from
someone you meet — whether it’s a customer or at a networking
event — take down their information and send them something,
a newsletter, a small gift with your contact details on. Include a
note about how you might be able to help their business through
your products or services.
• Be a business leader. Get active in your local networking
organisations, such as BNI and your chamber of commerce.
Particularly for small businesses sitting within the four walls of your
office or shop and waiting for the next customer to find you is never

a good plan. You
need to become a
business leader in
your community,
put your hand up
to help out.
• Say thank you. One
way to gain repeat
customers is by always
saying thank you. Whether it’s
a thank you note in the mail or with
their order or an after sales email. Not only does it leave customers
with a good impression, but it also serves as a reminder to them
that there may be something else they want to order.
• Change what doesn't work. Don’t be afraid to change your plan
when something doesn’t work. You have to keep checking your
results, for example something that is giving you lots of new
prospects but no actual sales is not good for your business. Direct
those resources into another program. Your plan should constantly
evolve to give you the best results.
What small business owners need to remember about creating a
marketing plan is that it needs to revolve around making themselves
more visible to those they don't already know and keeping customers
in the fold after a sale is made. That's why a regular communication
and thank-you note program is so successful. It makes an impression
on customers that you carry on a dialogue after the transaction.

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36

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local government

pollies points

Shark Management, A
Way Forward

Embrace Mobile and
Internet Technology

Tamara Smith
Member for Ballina

Thomas George
Member for Lismore

I’d like to acknowledge the measured and proactive response
of leaders in my community and in Parliament to the terrible
shark encounters that have occurred on our beaches over the
past 18 months.
We have seen bravery and selflessness on the part of our
first responders; persistence and dedication on the part of our
community leaders to uncover the science and strategies to
keep people safe; and the Ministers for Primary Industries and
Lands and Water and the Premier taking action and responding
adequately to this crisis on our North Coast beaches.
I am very proud of my community as it has called for an
approach to shark management that seeks to both protect ocean
users and our marine biodiversity. It has been the persistence
and passion of my community that has supported the Premier
and the Minister to seek this balance.
Many stories have gone untold about the bravery and altruism
of members of my community and I thank them. There is no one
thing that will keep ocean users safe, however, trialling nonlethal strategies for shark mitigation over the next 18 months
will give us a way forward.
This may not be clever politics on my part but facing the
problems as a community honestly and without sugar coating is
the right thing to do.

There is a need for regional businesses to innovate and unlock their
full potential by embracing the digital age, be that through the
use of cloud based software, mobile apps, social media or a web
presence.
Small businesses and the economy generally, can realise
significant benefits by embracing mobile and internet technologies
to transform their operations. Businesses across a wide range of
industries and locations can benefit.
Small businesses that have high levels of digital engagement
have better business outcomes compared to those with lower
engagement, with some studies suggesting a 20% increase in
annual revenue.
New South Wales' small businesses can unlock an additional $16
billion of private sector output over the next ten years from better
use of internet and mobile technology; approximately $58,300 per
small business.
The NSW Government has delivered on its election commitment
to provide better mobile coverage to those living outside of major
cities. The Mobile Black Spot Program will deliver 144 mobile towers
across regional NSW, fixing 795 black spots covering more than
14,000 square kilometres. By partnering with the Commonwealth
& telecommunication providers we have secured $92 million worth
of investment in this critical infrastructure ($24m NSW). 14 towers
alone will be built in the Lismore Electorate.

!
s
g
n
i
t
e
e
r
G
s
Christma

We wish you a great Christmas and a prosperous New Year!
Please get in touch with us if we can help in any way.
Geoff Provest MP
Member for Tweed
Ph. 07 55234816

Ben Franklin MLC
Duty MLC for Ballina
Ph. 92303793

Thomas George MP
Member for Lismore
Ph. 66213624

Chris Gulaptis MP
Member for Clarence
Ph. 66431244

for Regional NSW
38

www.nrbm.com.au

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