The Hills & Districts Chamber of Commerce March eNewsletter

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MARCH 2020

eNEWSLETTER

Welcome to the Hills & District Chamber of Commerce - a friendly and supportive business group bridging the Ferny Hills, Arana Hills, Ferny Grove, Keperra, Mitchelton and surrounding districts. Established in 1992, our Chamber is not-for-profit and is affiliated with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland.
If you are involved in a business or community group and live or work in the Hills Districts, why not register for the next meeting - new members and visitors are always welcome.

Meet the Candidates Committee
Forum of Council Candidates

An update 10 Candidates + attending across MBRC & BCC
For any info call Brian on 0418 878 508

Book now!

Changes to Modern Awards (Australia Wide)

Research from Vanessa Petch HR Maximised 0418 190 106

Award Changes | Fair Work Aust. has recently released the first of 3 tranches of changes to Modern Awards (Australia wide) as part of their 4-year review. All in all, 113 awards are being updated, with only 36 being released at this first stage.

Most of the changes being released are to the language and layout, intended to make the awards simpler and easier. There hasn’t been any significant change to any of the awards in terms of rules or entitlements. You can read the full list awards and associated changes here.

Salaried Staff Changes | If you have salary staff, then you need to be aware of changes effective 1st March 2020, key changes to several awards Clerks, Private Sector, Mfg and Assoc. Industries, Banking, Finance and Insurance, Professional Services and Health Professionals’ awards amongst others.

Very briefly, the main changes are that the employer must advise the employee in writing:

how the salary has been calculated including any overtime and penalty assumptions used
which provisions of the award the salary satisfies (penalties, loadings, allowances etc)
what is the outer limit of hours an employee can work before penalty rates apply?
demonstrate how the salary is better off than the award.

Also, every 12 months the employer must calculate how much the employee would’ve been paid under the award and if it was more than what has been paid to them under the salary arrangement, then the employer must pay this shortfall within 14 days. This means employers must start recording start, break and finish times for salaried staff and performing a yearly Better Off Overall Test (BOOT).

If you have salaried employees, now is the time to review your arrangements to ensure you are compliant. I’m Vanessa from HR Maximised, a HR professional we’ve developed a free HR Audit for businesses to complete online that will evaluate their compliance with the Fair Work Act and provides an overview of areas that require attention.

Become a Member

Upcoming Events

Breakfast Meeting

President

Mary Di Marco

February passed quickly even though it is a leap year!

I attended on 27 February, together with Leonard, an economic development all day seminar put on by MBRIT and RDA. Attendees included CCIQ and other chambers in our Moreton Bay region.

At the seminar, Greg Chemello CEO of Moreton Bay stated he is committed to the growth of the Moreton Bay region involving all the chambers. Throughout the day many ideas were discussed with the consensus, that we needed to commit to an economic development plan across the whole region.

It was agreed that these meetings would be held on a twice yearly basis.

Colin Frunk CCIQ, noted that chambers which are influential advocates for local businesses have much larger memberships. This is evident in our chamber with the work which Brian Battersby and the Advocacy Committee have achieved. On 12 March 2020 the Advocacy Committee have organised a Meet the Candidates evening. Make a note to attend so that you can meet your local Council Member, ask questions and be informed when you make a choice at the ballot box.

There have been changes in our Executive Team, Leonard Whittaker has resigned as Secretary and Hayley Lingard will take up this role. Leonard has been a wonderful asset for all of us. There are vacancies on the executive team. If you feel you would like to become more involved in the running of the chamber, please let me know. Mary

Vice President

Donna Thistlethwaite

Last month I got the opportunity to represent the Chamber at a Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland (CCIQ) forum, alongside fellow exec Brian Battersby. It was an excellent experience with an opportunity to connect with the CCIQ team, members of industry and representatives from other chambers.

The overarching theme of our discussions was on how we need to see stronger leadership that will create policies and projects that will transform our state economy by developing and harnessing new opportunities. CCIQ are committed to consulting and representing industry to government and it felt that the forum was beneficial and productive.

As the Chair of the Hills Festival Committee, it’s been a busy month progressing plans for our men’s mental health event, “Mental Grease and Oil Change: Conversations with Men 4 Men”. The event will be held on the evening of Thursday 14 May 2020 at the Arana Leagues Club. It will be a fundraiser for RUOK? and will feature a panel of three men in a discussion facilitated by an MC. We have been fortunate enough to attract Usman Kawaja, Australian Cricketer; Josh Quarmby, founder of Blokepedia; and Justin Geange, RUOK? Community Ambassador and Mates in Construction Field Officer. Our MC will be Michael Atkinson, Nine News Queensland Sports Reporter.

You can find out more about the event on Hills Festival Committee page of the Chamber’s website. Tickets are just $10 and are now available via the event on the website. All proceeds go to RUOK? Donna

Treasurer

Stuart Jaeschke

Financial reports for the month ended 29 February 2020.

Secretary

Leonard Whittaker

Our February breakfast attracted 40 Registrations. Membership stands at 151 paid up members. Key Community Members were acknowledged; Matt Constance gave us local updates and Ingrid Moyle was presented with her Lifetime Membership Pin.

We acknowledged 3 New Members since the January meeting:

Simon Eales, Signet Consulting & Migration
Tony Newman, Mylestones Gaythorne (Cerebral Palsey)
Kyrie Padgett, Mylestones Gaythorne (Cerebral Palsey)

The Business card draw was won by:

No business draw due to operator error :-)

Committee Reports were presented by Chairs or their nominees:

Report from Kath Sibley on the Fire Fund raising event
Update on Showcases - Francis Cahill
Advocacy Committee (includes meet the Candidates) - Vanessa Petch and Brian Battersby
Awards Committee - No Report
Big Breakfast Committee - Michelle O’Hara
Commerce in Schools Committee - Eva Porter
Cultural Inclusiveness committee - Craig Shim - No report
Development Committee - Sheldon Morey - No report
Membership Committee - Vicki Buchanan for Anita Bird
Public Relations Committee - Kate Hewish
Regional partnerships Committee - Eva Porter - No Report
Website Committee - No Report
Women in Business - Molly Brumm
Hills Festival Committee- Donna Thistlethwaite

Our Member Speaker Patrick Boucoucis led us through how to create a client centric discussion instead of a traditional sales pitch. The Table Topic covered the building of the discussion format on how to implement them. The participation in the Shout outs was limited by time but enjoyed enthusiastic participation. The meeting closed at 8:30 am. Leonard

Advocacy Committee

Chair | Brian Battersby

CCIQ/Suncorp Pulse – Dec 2019 Qtr Business Report

Snapshot from over 440,00 businesses, but more so of 600 small to medium size ones. Business conditions lowest on record for the 2nd quarter 2019/20. Both revenue and confidence declined. 58% of business reported cost increases in rent, insurance, power and other utilities. Profitability over 50% reported a lack of economic demand and labour costs up. Capital purchases down mainly from slower economy, impacts from bushfires and ongoing drought. No mention of the Coronavirus in this quarter report yet. See the media release – www.cciq.com.au/mediareleases/

ecoBiz CCIQ working to promote ecoBiz which is a free program, funded by the Queensland Government, that helps businesses save money across their energy, water and waste bills. ecoBiz has been amazingly successful and worked with over 1,000 Queensland businesses. To date: Close to 100 businesses have achieved ecoBiz Star Partnership, cut their energy, water and waste bills by an average of 16%, and saved a total of $255,000. ecoBiz Star Partners have saved almost 7,350 tonnes of CO₂ - equivalent to 2,880 cars being taken off the road every year. Contact ecoBiz or Ph 1300 731 988 or Email.

The prediction for Interest Rates

A snippet from Morning Star Newsletters 20th & 22nd Feb 2020.
“We’re going to be in this world for a long period of time,” Lowe told an Australia-Canada forum. It’s as good as it gets says Reserve Bank Governor Philip Lowe referring to retirement savings. He also says Low interest rates could be around for years, possibly decades”. (Then another slight drop Tues 3/3/20)

Brian

Chamber Business Showcase Events
Coordinator | Frances Cahill

The countdown is on!

The new format for Business Showcases begins with the Chamber breakfast on 24 March 2020. As you walk into the room, you will notice some activity at the back of the room. This is the preparation for the Showcase directly after the breakfast.

Your speaker for March is the exuberant and indispensable Ingrid Moyle from Heart Harmony Communications.

Your Showcase host will be the generous and brave Sally Foley-Lewis. She will be highlighting the services she delivers in her business. Yes! This is just a bit of the answer to: 'What do you do, Sally?'

The showcase commences immediately:

after the breakfast
in the same room
you can't miss it!

We have a strict 9.00am finish so your time investment is no more than a quick chat and stroll through the display Sally has developed.

The July breakfast will be our next Showcase and the slot is already booked.

I invite new members particularly to consider booking a slot for your business showcase. We are currently planning 4/year. If there is an interest expressed we have room to expand the number of slots made available - still only one per breakfast. The next free slot is in October.

Sally who is piloting this new approach to showcasing will appreciate your support.

So will I! Any questions please call me 0411 537 957 or email lingo7@bigpond.com. Frances

Members Committee

Chair | Anita Bird

Save the Date

The 2020 Moreton Bay Region/North Brisbane Small Business Expo will be held on the 9th July.

Venue: Griffin State School, 19 Wesley Road, Griffin 4503
Time: 10am-4pm

There is a briefing on the 12th March 1pm-2.30pm at the venue for interested parties who would like to attend and have a stand on the day.

This year there will be the expo, plus an innovation hub and a jobs expo.

For further information contact Paula Brand email.

The Hills & Districts Chamber of Commerce will be supporting this event. We will have a Chamber Stand and I will be asking for members to help on the day. For those members who cannot afford to have a stand, the Chamber will be supplying Chamber Bags so that members can put their marketing material in. These bags will be given out on the day.

This event was a great success last year and well worth attending. Anita

Women in Biz Committee

Chair | Molly Brumm

We started 2020 with a bang. While we weren’t successful in securing a $3000 grant to run our event to coincide with the International Women’s Day and Queensland Women’s Week event we were successful…

How you may ask?

Well thanks to the dedication and support of Margaret Sims and Jess Ricketts, I as chair of WIB take joy in announcing our 2020 Workshop Event:

Leading with Compassion: What Women Bring to the Table
Friday 24th April
Sutton’s Beach Pavilion
1.30 pm - 4.30 pm

The Back Story
I’ve surveyed the women who regularly attend our WIB monthly lunches. They are unanimous in their desire to meet and network. From them grew our workshop inspired event. So book a table of 4 for $200: great value at $50/per person. Join us for our monthly WIB Lunch beforehand. Stay afterwards for Happy Hour and the Hills & District Social Drinks.

Our keynote presenter and workshop leader is Jen Barrkman, Women Transforming Leadership. Then we have a marketing workshop and social media workshop with the skilled and talented Michelle O’Hara and Jess Ricketts respectively. We wrap with Charmaine Reynaud’s Shift to Success.

Did I mention barista coffee?
Delicious platters of yummy things to eat?
Great contacts and new friends to be made???!!!

Support our event, support our Chamber, support Women Stepping UP, Stepping OUT and Leading. All are welcome but I warn you numbers are limited. Molly

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