My Westmead Retreats at Hawks Nest Program is a way for seriously ill patients undergoing medical treatment to spend precious time together with their families, to recharge before returning to continue their treatment or simply leave their arduous routine of hospital visits behind as they create new memories with their loved ones.

Last year, thanks to the generosity of our donors, Westmead Medical Research Foundation helped 16 families get away through our Hawks Nest Program.

The program has been running for nearly 15 years. It provides patients and their families with the opportunity to take time out and spend a week away at Hawks Nest on the mid-North Coast of NSW, at no cost. Some patients use the time at the retreat to say their goodbyes and others spend the days recharging before coming back to Hospital for further treatment.

Patients and their families are very thankful when they return from Hawks Nest. This is only an example of one of their thank you messages: “I am writing on behalf of my husband to thank you for the lovely week break at Hawks Nest. This enabled us to spend quality time with all the family. The unit was very comfortable and the weather was perfect. Would you kindly thank the owners on our behalf for this kind donation?”

This is a fantastic demonstration of community goodwill and ‘give back’, and with the demand for this service growing rapidly, the Foundation needs your support to continue to work closely with referring staff and our partner real estate to best facilitate the program and help as many families as possible.

“Going through a health crisis often means lower income for families, making difficult – and sometimes impossible – to be able to take a holiday or even a short break. The retreats are an extremely worthwhile service provided to families in their time of greatest need and a program that the Foundation is incredibly proud of,” said Jo Sabbouh, Hawks Nest program coordinator at My Westmead.

When donors support this program they are helping My Westmead to provide more families with food vouchers, petrol vouchers and even the fee for cleaning and maintaining the properties so more patients and their loved ones can enjoy this valuable time together.

To learn more or to make a donation towards our Hawks Nest Program call 1800 639 037 or email wmrf@wmrf.org.au

Novotel Sydney Parramatta is taking care of business. Book your 2017 conference by the 30th April 2017 and receive a $65 Day Delegate Package PLUS your choice of FREE upgrade.

The hotel features 11 versatile event spaces with Western Sydney’s largest pillar-less hotel ballroom which can cater for up to 550 people. Each event space has access to state of the art audio visual equipment. Our professional event planning and catering teams can help make your event successful.

ENQUIRE TODAY:

Email h8787-sb4@accor.com or call our friendly reservations team on (02) 9630 4999

Many people operate small businesses and many people are setting them up.

Here are a few simple but effective tips:

• It is well known that you should try and separate assets from business risk. That is why many people operate under a company structure. It follows that you should not use the trading company to acquire any assets, that is, other than the business itself. For example, premises should be purchased in another name and, if possible, any valuable assets such as intellectual property or even expensive equipment should be held in another name and licensed to the trading entity.

• If a husband and wife operate a business under a company structure there is no need for both to be directors (as opposed to shareholders). The role of director carries considerable personal risk and there is no need to expose all the couple’s personal assets to that risk.

• A small business owner will inevitably be required to provide personal guarantees to the bank, suppliers or a landlord. It is a good idea to keep a copy of any such personal guarantees in a safe, accessible spot.

• Similarly and particularly if you shop around for the best insurance deal from time to time you should keep a copy of your policies in one spot. This is very important for workers compensation policies where a claim would be handled by the insurer at the time of the injury and not the insurer at the time of the claim.

• If you operate from leased premises you should check that the lease term has not expired and that you have diarised the latest date to exercise any option to renew.

• Keep your company’s share register up to date and make sure all board and shareholder meetings are properly minuted. The minutes do not have to be extensive but they should clearly set out what was decided.

• Make sure your terms of trade are clear and comprehensive. They should be consistent with your quotes, order forms and invoices. In particular customers should be provided with your terms of trade before you enter into a contract with them.

These aspects are also important if you are thinking of selling your business, either by way of a sale of assets or a sale of shares. Often time is wasted and extra expense is incurred if things are not in order at this time.

Please think about these tips, act accordingly and then get on with running or setting up your business.

Phillip Brophy is a Senior Commercial Lawyer and practices extensively in the commercial and property areas. He can be contacted on 9806 7452 or phillipb@matthewsfolbigg.com.au for a friendly discussion.

Making Western Sydney Greater is an initiative of William Buck with the Western Sydney Business Connection, St. George Bank and Western Sydney University, and forms part of our long-term commitment to drive positive change in the region.

Our latest survey targeted to Western Sydney business owners and managers has been released.

In this edition, we focus on the benefits and obstacles of automation, and take a look at the growth and employment outlook for businesses in Western Sydney.

We invite you to share your views and insights by completing this short 10 minute online survey.

WSBC is partnering with TAFE NSW Western Sydney Institute to deliver FULLY GOVERNMENT SUBSIDISED courses to our members. Members will be able to register multiple staff in a number of carefully selected and fully certified courses across Western Sydney. The current course selection includes:

1. Deliver Memorable Presentations – Presentation Skills and Public Speaking

2. Negotiating for Success - Written and Oral Communications in the Workplace

3. Advanced Computer Applications and Social Media

4. Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA)

5. First Aid Course

6. Aspects of Aboriginal Culture - Aboriginal Cultural Awareness in the Workplace 

You will be receiving more information about this in the coming weeks. 

WSBC, in partnership with key Western Sydney stakeholders, has been working with the Department of industry to deliver the Western Sydney Procurement Initiative. The initiative aims to identify opportunities and enable Western Sydney SMEs to secure large government and non-government contracts.

The initiative delivered a series of Supply Chain and Tender Writing workshops across Western Sydney in 2016 as well as the Western Sydney Procurement Toolkit and Tender Guide.

The Western Sydney procurement initiative encourages a greater percentage of funds to be spent with local suppliers, therefore supporting local jobs, economic prosperity and social benefits.

More workshops will be rolled in 2017. Please stay tuned for further information or contact Amanda Brisot at abrisot@wsbc.org.au with any queries or to register your interest.

If you are not measuring employee engagement in your business, you are not only missing out on valuable data that can shape the culture of your business but you could be letting potential profits drain from your bottom-line.

Employee engagement is the fuel that drives your business’s market value!

In 1982, 62% of an organisation’s market value came from tangible assets. Things like machinery, inventory, facilities etc. Intangible assets, on the other hand, include intellectual property and the quality of the workforce. 20 years later, by 2002, The Brookings Institute found the source of value had completely flipped. Almost 80% of market value today comes from intangible. In today’s technological age, products can be copied, more facilities can be built but the quality of an organisation’s talent, passion and commitment is nearly impossible to duplicate.

Staff turnover costs your business a fortune!

A 2016 report by recruitment firm, Hudson, reported that 44% of employees surveyed were actively seeking new opportunities. Significantly up from 26% in 2015. A further 32% were open to hearing about new opportunities and only 24% were happy to stay put. The beneath-the-surface issue here isn’t their jobs, it’s their work. It’s lack of recognition, poor culture and rapidly declining engagement. Price Waterhouse Coopers estimate the cost of staff turnover in Australia to be $3.8 billion in lost productivity and $385 million in avoidable recruitment costs every year!!

FACT: The higher your level of employee engagement, the higher the performance of your business.

The impact of engagement on business performance is MASSIVE. For decades, it has been believed there’s a lack of evidence to suggest HR initiatives and investments make a positive impact on the performance of the business but everyday there is more and more evidence mounting from hundreds of studies that we can no longer deny. And this is not inconclusive research either… and it’s not limited to one country or industry.

An engagement survey is your ESSENTIAL tool to begin positive action in your business and stop the thousands (or even millions) of dollars draining from your bottom-line.

As a member of the WSBC community, Great Managers are offering a rare opportunity to have a FREE Engagement Survey conducted in your business, valued at over $12,000. All you need to do is click here to qualify.

There is a common ideology in business, success breeds success, and that is certainly the case when it comes to Nickaz Commercial Interiors.

In 2017 we will roll out an exciting new chapter in turn-key, cutting edge and innovative design and construction.

Last year we celebrated more than 20 years in business and our transformation of Nickaz Commercial Interiors to the centre of Sydney, where our second office now operates in Martin Place.

This year brings a new chapter for Nickaz Commercial Interiors, operating and servicing our customers from two locations, the greater west in Norwest Business Park and in Sydney’s CBD.

Excitingly our new Nickaz website has been launched, bursting with innovative current and completed projects, clients, case studies, our story, news, videos, photos and more. Take a look at www.nickaz.com.au.

The Hills Shire Mayor, Councillor Yvonne Keane said, “Behind every successful business is a wonderful story and Nickaz Commercial Interiors story is just that.

“Director Kazan Hadden’s success story isn’t one based on luck or being in the right place at the right time. His story is about hard work, dedication and having the drive to succeed. Although he has focused on reaching and attaining goals, he has never lost sight of the value of doing what you love every day.

“Every project provides an opportunity to tell a unique story and create an immersive experience for all to enjoy.

“It is leading designers like Nickaz who will add to the vibrancy of our region as we grow, helping us deliver world class precincts. I can’t wait to see what the next 20 years has to bring,” Mayor Keane said.

Nickaz Commercial Interiors has got lots in store and can’t wait to share it with you throughout 2017.

We’re coming for you!

Western Sydney careers specialists, Judy Holman and Scott Hinchliffe recently visited Cyient Australia Pty Ltd to meet up with some of the eleven students recruited by Cyient through the Western Sydney U Student Recruitment Service.

Cyient is a global company and an acknowledged leader of engineering, manufacturing, data analytics, networks and operations solutions, whose New South Wales office is located in Blacktown.

Internal Design Team Leader, Clarel Farla, has called the Western Sydney graduates: “Life-savers, who have hit the ground running and are always eager to learn new processes.”

Sravya Garlapati, Computer Science graduate, who majored in Software, explained that since starting at Cyient she has taken up front end designing, which she did not think she would ever be involved in, but finds this new technology and career path something she really loves.

The visit was organised by Anthony Laria, Senior Delivery Manager at Cyient who said: “The engagement with Western Sydney students has been highly successful. The university offer students of an exceptional standard.” Anthony, a member of the Western Sydney Alumni, is really pleased to give job opportunities back to graduates residing in Greater Western Sydney and to create strong ties with the local Western Sydney University. “The Western Sydney U Student Recruitment Service, located in the University Careers office, is not just a recruitment service to us, but offers Cyient a real partnership in our local community. We hope to maintain our connection with Western Sydney students and graduates through this service into the future as our business continues to grow rapidly”.

Click here for more information on the Student Recruitment Service or contact: 

 Judy Holman 

E: j.holman@westernsydney.com.au 

P: 02 4736 0388

We are pleased to provide you with the latest edition of the Pitcher Partners national publication - Property of Pitcher Partners. This publication provides insight and commentary on the Australian property market.

In this edition we cover:

• The Property Market Report including prime residential property market perspective, three themes for real estate investors and Sydney’s future as a co-living, co-functioning hub.

• Airbnb – The questions people want answered – Does it go in my tax return, can I claim it and what about taxes?

• Tenants and landlords – Commercial leases and the changes to lease accounting standards

• The AP energy case and the importance of market valuations

• Snapshot of recent tax changes affecting property transactions

• Margin scheme traps - Dot your I's and cross your T's

• Property sales in the federal government's crosshairs – New laws to claw back up to 10% of the sale price for real estate sold by foreign residents at $2m and above.

Click here to continue reading.

For further information, please contact your Pitcher Partners representative.

Contact

Scott McGill

Partner, Property Group

Pitcher Partners Sydney

T: +61 2 8236 7880

E: scott.mcgill@pitcher.com.au