Next Wednesday, Western Sydney University will be launching its Future Directions report. This report is a comprehensive evaluation of the direction of the economies of the Central City District, an assessment of the impacts of COVID-19, and an appraisal of the options for the future success of these economies.

The launch event will feature:

• An address by Ms Jackie Taranto, Economic Commissioner, Greater Sydney Commission
• Illustrated talks by Professor Phillip O’Neill (report co-author) and Mr Rob Hall, senior economist from the data analysts .id 
• Participation by key economic and strategic planners from local government and state government agencies, planning consultancies, and Westpac (project funder)
• Q and A, chaired by Associate Professor Kathy Tannous (report co-author)

Launch Details

Date: Wednesday 4 August 2021

Time: Waiting room opens at 9.50am; Proceedings from 10.00 am to 11.30am

RSVP: Please notify Professor Phillip O’Neill of your attendance at p.oneill@westernsydney.edu.au

Zoom Meeting Link: https://uws.zoom.us/j/84504928828?pwd=cGF1alJFQ3lsdSt1ZWp3TDdLbDdwdz09

Meeting ID: 845 0492 8828 Password: 786985

The Report

Click here to download a copy of the report. 

The Western Sydney Business Connection (WSBC) is delighted to welcome Efficiency Works as its newest Platinum Partner.

Efficiency Works partners with organisations and individuals throughout Australia and beyond that are striving to enhance performance and maximise results.

They are practical, action oriented, highly experienced business improvement trainers and consultants, with an approach that brings immediate efficiency to teams and organisations.

Proudly Australian owned and operated since 2007, Efficiency Works facilitates business transformation through consultancy and training, focusing on people and process. Their goal is to provide you with the diagnostics and framework to achieve operational excellence.

INTRODUCTORY OFFER

Until 31st August 2021, Efficiency Works are offering the WSBC community a 50% reduction on the following non-certified online courses:

• Project Management
• Agile
• Lean Six Sigma Belts

To redeem this special offer enter the promo code – WSBC or click here to get in contact with Efficiency Works.  

As Jeans for Genes Day approaches on August 6th, everyone in Western Sydney is being encouraged to stay home, stay safe and support this Westmead-based charity online!

Jeans for Genes is always celebrated on the first Friday in August and is a major fundraiser for the scientists who are still working hard in the labs at Children’s Medical Research Institute.

For the second year in a row, they won’t have volunteers on local streets selling badges and seeking donations – but there are plenty of ways to support them online.

You can get fit and take part in Sofa to 6km, or if you’d prefer something more indulgent, then organise a Bake it Blue or Wear Jeans online event– or simply sign up to fundraise and get all your friends to support you through social media.

Children’s Medical Research Institute Director, Professor Roger Reddel, said the pandemic had really brought home to Australians why research is so important.

"What everyone has seen during this pandemic is researchers around the world rallying to develop vaccines,’’ Professor Reddel said. “What I see on a daily basis at Children's Medical Research Institute is world-leading research that has the ability to change the lives of the 1 in 20 children with other serious illnesses.

"What constantly amazes me is how generous Australians are in supporting medical research, even in uncertain and difficult times.

"For many people, the experience of living through a pandemic during the last 18 months has really opened their eyes to the power of research to change the world. Now we are asking Australians to see the potential of our research to change the world for children living with genetic diseases.

"This Jeans for Genes Day is the second year in a row that we can’t have volunteers on the streets in every capital city as we have had for more than 26 years. So, we are asking instead that that people go online to donate."

Visit Jeansforgenes.org.au

Successful transformation projects are grounded on the premise that in an era of accelerated change and disruption, stronger performance will hinge on having the right mindset and behaviours to drive alignment, change and growth.

Sadly, engagement surveys and qualitative culture assessments can tell only part of the story.

Join Efficiency Works and Industry Partners Australia for a free webinar at 10am on Thursday 19th August, and learn how to link people and culture to your P&L for top-line growth and bottom-line profitability!

During this webinar, participants will learn how to:

• Link people and culture to profits, performance and growth
• Quantify change readiness and measure return on investment in people
• Manage constraints to growth, alignment and success
• Link change readiness to the bottom line
• Validate gut feelings about readiness for change
• Apply new insights and practical tips to change management activities

Who Should Attend?

CEO's, General Managers and Professionals responsible for change within their organisations.

Click here to learn more or to register your virtual seat.

Laser Wizard is excited to be awarded the opportunity to supply Sheetmetal components for Transport for NSW’s $2.6b Sydney Gateway project.

The project, which is being delivered by the John Holland/Seymour Whyte Joint Venture, will support thousands of jobs and cut travel times for commuters using Sydney roads. 

After being introduced at Western Sydney Business Connection’s Meet the Buyer event, Seymour Whyte was impressed with Laser Wizard’s capability and invited them to tender.

“We were looking for a local manufacturer who we were confident could deliver on such a critical project and Laser Wizard ticked all the boxes," said Tim Grigg from Seymour Whyte.

Supplying Sheetmetal components for such an important project provides Laser Wizard the opportunity to demonstrate their vast array of advanced manufacturing capabilities, all of which are achieved from their local St Marys facility.

Laser Wizard is proud to be associated with such an amazing project and they look forward to many more future opportunities.

“In 2026 I will be able to say, ‘I helped build that’,” said Design Trainee Samantha Salkeld, one of four local trainees learning new skills at Western Sydney Airport (WSA).

The recent school leavers and Western Sydney locals are taking part in a new 12-month program which includes splitting their time with hands-on experience on the site of the Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport, while completing further study at TAFE NSW.

The trainees are studying to become the next generation of airport leaders and are working in various functions across the organisation including in Corporate Affairs, Technology, Design, and Commercial and Delivery.

The program is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity designed to kick-start their careers and support WSA’s commitment to developing current and future skills, with a focus on developing capability.

Find out more about Samantha’s journey at WSA by checking out the short video below. You can also find videos on all the trainees here.

The NSW Government has provided further detail on the 2021 COVID-19 Business Grant including greater clarity around the eligibility requirements and the documentation required for application.

The program provides grants of between $7,500 and $15,000 to eligible businesses with annual Australian wages up to $10 million.

Read More

Scott Morrison, Gladys Berejiklian and Dominic Perrottet have jointly announced a raft of new support measures for the state of NSW in response to the prolonged lockdown in Greater Sydney.

The Federal and NSW Governments will jointly fund a new Small and Medium Business Support Payments for eligible NSW businesses. In addition, the NSW Government has expanded the previously announced grants and introduced some additional support measures for businesses.

In his announcement, the Prime Minister declared that these support packages would be available to any state or territory that experienced an extended lockdown.

William Buck have summarised the support available to businesses and how you can access it.

Matthews Folbigg Lawyers has been providing quality legal advice for nearly 60 year and is one of the largest law firms outside the Sydney CBD. They take pride in their work and in the role they play in helping their clients to succeed by finding solutions, resolving disputes, minimising risk, seizing opportunities and creating and protecting enterprise value and personal wealth.

Matthews Folbigg offers a full range of commercial law services through a large team of experienced and practical lawyers and their clients benefit from FREE legal updates and access to informative webcasts. 

Click here to find out more. 

With the commencement of a new financial year, it brings with it important changes and new rates which will apply from 1 July 2021.

NEW! High Income Threshold (HIT)

With the HIT:

• it increases to $158,500
• it impacts:

(a) who can make a claim for unfair dismissal (for those not covered by a Modern Award or to whom an enterprise agreement does not apply)

(b) the maximum amount of compensation payable in an unfair dismissal claim

(c) those on a 'guarantee of annual earnings' (a Modern Award does not apply to an employee whenever this guarantee is in place provided it continues to meet the relevant legislative requirements)

NEW! Changes to Casual Employment

These amendments to the Fair Work Act commenced on 27 March 2021 and include:

• a statutory definition of a ‘casual employee’ for the first time
• a requirement for an employer to issue a Casual Employment Information Statement
• an entitlement to convert to full-time or part-time employment when certain conditions are met

NEW! Modern Award Increases

With Modern Awards (including enterprise awards):

• minimum wages increase by 2.5%
• the date this increase takes effect from is:

(a) for Group 1 Modern Awards, from the start of the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2021

(b) for the General Retail Industry Award 2020, from the start of the first full pay period on or after 1 September 2021

(c) for Group 3 Modern Awards, from the start of the first full pay period on or after 1 November 2021

• absorption of wage increases into over-award payments remain permissible (subject to the terms of the relevant employment agreement and what other amounts are being absorbed into any annualised wage)
• increases to the minimum wages of junior workers, apprentices, trainees, piece workers and employees on the supported wage system will occur
• expense-related allowances in Modern Awards will increase as set out in the Modern Award (eg, by the applicable CPI index figure)
• annualised wage arrangements will need to be reviewed to ensure they can still properly absorb/include all relevant minimum Modern Award amounts and that they continue to meet technical notification and reconciliation requirements previously introduced into several Modern Awards

NEW! National Minimum Wage (NMW)

With the NMW:

• this is applicable to employees to whom neither a Modern Award or enterprise agreement applies
• the NMW increases to become $772.60 (gross) per week or $20.33 (gross) per hour
• the increase takes effect from the start of the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2021 (unlike the staggered increase applying to the Modern Awards)
• in addition:

(a) special NMW rates apply to employees with disabilities, junior employees, apprentices, and those on training arrangements

(b) the minimum casual loading remains unchanged at 25%

NEW! Impact on Enterprise Agreements

With enterprise agreements:

• they must always meet or exceed the minimum wage of:

(a) the relevant Modern Award (ie, the Modern Award that would have applied had the enterprise agreement not been in existence)

(b) the NMW (ie, where a Modern Award would not apply even if the enterprise agreement was not in existence)

• thus, pay rates in enterprise agreements may need to be increased (even if the enterprise agreement has its own wage increase regime)

NEW! The Sting

Be mindful that wage increases may have flow-on effects such as increasing:

• the value of leave loading, penalty rates, overtime and superannuation contributions
• the value of accrued leave entitlements
• the cost of wage related expenses such as payroll tax and workers compensation premiums

NEW! Redundancy

The tax-free component of a genuine redundancy payment increases to be:

• a base amount of $11,341
• an additional amount of $5,672 for each completed year of service

NEW! Superannuation Contributions Base

With superannuation:

• the superannuation guarantee rate will increase to 10% from 1 July 2021
• the maximum superannuation contribution base increases to $58,920 per quarter ($235,680 per annum)
• an employer is not required to make superannuation contributions on behalf of employees on earnings in excess of that maximum contribution base

REMINDER! Annualised Wage Arrangements

As the annualised wage arrangements in several Modern Awards have changed, it is critical that employers:

• check whether the applicable Modern Award(s) contain such a clause
• ensure they comply with the terms of the annualised wage clause
• adjust relevant clauses within the employee’s employment agreement (by consent) and any template employment agreements in order to meet those requirements

REMINDER! 2020 Modern Awards

Employers need to:

• ensure they are using the correct (and current) version of the applicable Modern Award(s) as, over time, the 2010 editions have been replaced by 2020 versions (and even the 2020 versions are updated from time to time)
• adjust relevant clauses within the employee’s employment agreement (by consent) and any template employment agreements in order to meet Modern Award requirements

More Information

With the industrial landscape constantly changing and the interaction between various sources of rights and obligations often complex, please contact us if you require any legal advice or assistance in respect of your workplace.

Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation. This article is provided to readers for their general information and on a complimentary basis. It contains a brief summary only and should not be relied upon or used as a definitive or complete statement of the relevant law.