Imagine that you can buy electricity up to 40% cheaper than what’s on offer from the electricity retailers. At a fixed rate for 25 years – protecting your business from inevitable electricity price hikes.

And just think about all the acres of existing roof space – offices, factories, warehouses – stretching across the country that could be utilised to provide energy at the point of demand for business.  Clean, solar energy.

By now, I’m sure you’re thinking that there must be a catch – you have to go through the hassle of finding someone reputable to install the panels, pay for the installation and the ongoing maintenance of the panels for a pay-back that’s at least a decade away. It’s the reason so few large-scale solar projects exist in Australia. 

And it’s the very problem that inspired me to look at doing solar differently. Enter SolarCloud – it’s solar as it should be. No capex required, no ongoing maintenance.

You would be hard pressed to find anyone who truly believes solar electricity is a bad idea.

It’s free to generate, produces zero emissions and Australia has an abundance of the raw materials. And yet only 1.1% of Australia’s electrical energy is produced using solar PV technology.

Three years ago I started working on a concept where anyone, anywhere could share solar energy – regardless of whether they lived in a rental apartment or owned their own house.

There was no model for how I wanted it to work, so I decided to invent one.

I thought about the way telcos do business – offer the hardware at no cost and charge for the service – and how this could translate to the solar market.

With SolarCloud, in return for being able to use your rooftops to generate energy, SolarCloud will conduct a free energy audit of your business and provide and install LEDs and solar panels which SolarCloud will maintain for the life of the panel.

This style of arrangement - called a Power Purchase Agreement - has been working effectively in the US market for some time. Global business innovators such as Google and Apple have been investing heavily in these arrangements because they see the long-term financial and environmental benefits.

Our first installation of panels will be at Australian Technology Park in the heart of Sydney, and we are geared up to expand quickly.

We’d love to hear from you if you’re interested in being a part of this innovative and disruptive way to produce and purchase power.

Call us directly on (02) 8579 2008 or click here for more information and to register your interest.

John Kennedy is the founder and CEO of SolarCloud. The SolarCloud scheme is ASIC registered and complies with all Australian Financial Services License (AFSL) regulations.

Treat Mum on Mother's Day to something special with breakfast or lunch at Rebellion Bar & Grill – Novotel Sydney Norwest.

As a special gift, each Mum will receive a box of chocolates courtesy of Novotel Sydney Norwest.

This year there is no better way to say…”Thanks Mum!”

Our lunch buffet will delight her, offering gourmet delights including prawns, a variety of hot dishes, a selection of salads & delicious desserts.

Sunday 8^th  May 2016

Lunch Buffet: 12:30pm - 3:30pm

$68.00 per person: (16yrs +)

$30.00 per child: (5yrs to 15yrs)

Under 4 years of age: Complimentary

Members Offer: For all Western Sydney Business Connection members, receive a FREE glass of bubbles for mum with lunch bookings. Mention this offer when booking.

Reservations Essential

For reservations, please contact:

P: 02 9634 9600 

E: REBELLION@novotelnorwest.com.au

*Accor Plus benefits not applicable

New WSBC Gold Member Injury Treatment is delighted to announce that we have been selected as one of the providers, contracted by the NSW Government, to support workplaces to get healthy through a FREE workplace health service called Get Healthy at Work. 

This $12 million NSW Government initiative makes it easy for workplaces to support workers in making healthier food choices, becoming more physically active, maintaining a healthy body weight, quit smoking or reduce harmful alcohol use. 

Get Healthy at Work provides businesses with the opportunity to work with an accredited workplace health provider, such as Injury Treatment, to help identify their needs and then set some health goals supported by a simple action plan to run your workplace health and wellbeing program. 

As part of the service, workers at participating businesses are offered a confidential fifteen minute health check that assesses their risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. At-risk individuals are then provided with advice and referrals to set them on the path to better health. In addition, Get Healthy at Work’s website also provides interactive training tutorials, informative resources and user-friendly tools and templates to guide you through the program.

For more information on Get Healthy at Work visit www.gethealthyatwork.com.au

As a new Gold Member of the Western Sydney Business Connection, Injury Treatment are pleased to extend an invitation to our WSBC membership colleagues to come and meet our team in our new offices in Parramatta!

Now a Western Sydney success story, consistent growth over the past 11 years has seen operations expand and we are now right in the heart of the Western Sydney neighbourhood with a brand new office located in Parramatta.

Please join us on Tuesday 8^th March for a breakfast presentation on “Managing Psychological Barriers During a Return to Work”. The presentation will focus on psychological barriers which may adversely affect workers with physical or psychological injuries when returning to their pre-injury role.

Please see the attached invitation: GWS Office Opening.pdf

RSVPs to events@injurytreatment.com.au.

Injury Treatment is one of the innovative leaders within the occupational rehabilitation industry. We have an outstanding reputation and offer a broad range of services delivering exceptional and efficient outcomes.

PM Week, aimed at informing the community on issues surrounding poverty, homelessness and mental illness, billed a huge success.  

WSBC Charity Partner Parramatta Mission held a series of conferences, seminars, workshops and other events across Western Sydney in early February to launch their inaugural event, PM Week. 

At the centre of PM Week was Ash Wednesday, thus seeing the launch of Parramatta Mission’s Lenten appeal.  The appeal hopes to raise funds to feed the hungry, via Meal Plus – a food service which provides over 120,000 meals each year. 

The PM Week campaign will continue to accept donations until Easter. If you would like to make a donation, please click here.

Parramatta Mission would like to thank our partners, donors and stakeholders, who participated throughout the week. A special thanks to Grill’d and Baxter for making donations, and to Julie Owens MP for attending, providing the vote of thanks and closing PM Week. 

Reverend Keith Hamilton thanks Grill'd for their donation during PM Week

Parramatta Mission thank Baxter for their $25,000 donation.

Construction of the $21 million, four-level Macarthur Clinical School is underway, and is set to transform training for local medical students from Western Sydney University and the staff at Campbelltown Hospital.

The new state-of-the-art facility is a joint project of South Western Sydney Local Health District and Western Sydney University. It features a simulation laboratory, lecture theatre, offices, teaching spaces and a new patient clinic.

Professor Annemarie Hennessy AM, Dean of the School of Medicine, said the facility will provide innovative training opportunities for the future and current health workforce.

“Campbelltown is already a major training centre for doctors with the School of Medicine on the university campus, as well as the Schools of Health and Science and Nursing and Midwifery, and the new Macarthur Clinical School is only going to build on this already solid engagement”, said Prof Hennessy.

 “We have been working closely on this project with Campbelltown City Council and we look forward to sharing the benefits of the school with the wider community.”

 Campbelltown City Council General Manager, Lindy Deitz, said it was an exciting time for 

 the partnership between Council and the university.

 “We really value the contribution Western Sydney University makes to Campbelltown and 

 the wider Macarthur region, and I’m pleased to see that what were once just plans on  paper is now coming to life,” Mrs Deitz said.

 “Campbelltown is the hub of health and education services for south west Sydney, and we 

 will continue to work alongside the university and hospital to further expand this reputation 

 as our city continues to grow as an important metropolitan centre.”

 It is anticipated that the clinical school will be ready for the beginning of the 2017 academic year.

WSBC Platinum Partner NewsLocal offer some advice on their readership demographics to assist your business in connecting with the Western Sydney Community.

NewsLocal has formed a deep connection with our readers – in some cases, for over 100 years. Our trusted brands are an essential part of community life. We keep residents “in the know”, from where to shop, work, play, eat and socialise close to home. Local is at the heart of how we gather news, write our stories and inform our communities.

NewsLocal is starting more local conversations every day about matters that affect and change the community. Each brand is proud to provide a sense of belonging for the communities they serve, connect readers to their neighbours and help celebrate the diversity around them.

Our readers say advertising is one of the most important content in their local paper - they look to your advertising for solutions to help their busy lives.

Every month, more than two million people stay connected with our local content across Sydney and the Central Coast – whether that’s reading the print publication delivered to their homes and businesses, online or through our active social media updates. 

Our readers are a collective of passionate locals that rely on our local brands to keep them connected to their community.

They are a wide demographic of singles, young couples, families, to empty nesters.

NewsLocal is their trusted source for local news, information and issues that matter to them most. 

Reader Demo

Singles, No Kids (18-44)

Without the responsibility and expense of kids, our single readers have a higher disposable income to spend.

They are less price-conscious, are early adopters of new technologies and products, seek quality in their purchases, drink and eat out more and use social media and digital platforms to get their info.

They shop often and are more likely to be looking to buy a new home, but still love spending money on entertainment, going out and heading overseas. 

Couples, No Kids (18-44)

Career-focused, these readers are motivated and passionate. They care about their appearance, what they wear and are focused on their health.

They shop often and are more likely to be looking to buy a new place to live, but still love spending money on entertainment, going out and heading overseas. This group is all about their lifestyle.

Some are studying but most are career-driven and concentrating on their full-time jobs. 

Parents With Kids Under 18 Living At Home

Parents keen to stay connected with their community. These readers spend their dual income on childcare, baby goods and clothing, groceries and education.

This group are more likely to be established and price-conscious, they most likely have a mortgage and are continually striving to buy or change an existing home to better suit their family.

Parents With Kids Over 18 Living At Home

The kids may be grown-up, but these readers are still supporting them. They are interested in reading about council news and feel a sense of belonging in the community. They spend money on entertainment and, as proud homeowners, will invest in their property.

They can afford to buy what they want, but are still price-conscious. And as they look forward to living without children under their roof, they plan towards bigger holidays.  

Empty Nesters Or Retirees

With the kids out of the house, this group deeply value keeping connected with their community and are passionate about local issues.

They are more likely to be grandparents concerned about security and are quality-conscious. They are loyal to their brands, and expect better customer service and value for money. They’re more conservative shoppers than the younger age groups, though they are happy to spend on holidays and vehicles.

They may not be as tech savvy, but they still go online on a regular basis.

Working with the contingent workforce since 1999, WSBC Gold Member Entity Solutions has seen firsthand the fundamental shift in the local and global market towards project based work.  

The workforce in Australia and around the world is evolving.  Workplaces are becoming more diverse, and a strict 9 to 5 employment schedule no longer applies to an increasingly wired workforce.

If we challenge convention, what would happen?

Entity Solutions infographic below captures the contributing factors for the ‘New World of Work’.

New Word of Work Infographic.pdf

BREED is pleased to announce its Bottom Line Series Business Seminars are back again for 2016.

This year we will be collaborating with various business professionals who will be delivering seminars for small to medium and home-based businesses.

All seminars will focus on key topics to help you grow your business and focus on a range of business related issues.

To see the full program and download the calendar click here: 2016 BLS Calendar.pdf

For more information, please contact BREED on 9853 3200 or www.breed.org.au

  Novotel Sydney Parramatta is giving free wireless internet to every delegate in 2016! 

The NSW Department of Industry is holding free four-hour workshops for Supervisors of Apprentices and Trainees at their office in Parramatta. 

Workshop dates are as follows:

• Thursday 10th of March 2016: Supervisor_Workshop_Flyer_10Mar2016.pdf

• Friday 11th of March 2016: Supervisor_Workshop_Flyer_11Mar2016.pdf

The Supervising your apprentice or trainee workshop program has been designed to assist workplace supervisors in their role of supporting NSW apprentices and trainees to successfully complete their training and gain a nationally recognised qualification.

This purpose of this program is to:

• Achieve higher completion rates for apprentices and trainees
• Enhance skills and knowledge of workplace supervisors and/or employers
• Reduce occurrences of bullying and harassment
• Ensure safe work practices for apprentices or trainees, which impact on successful completion of apprenticeships and traineeships
• Foster development of productive relationships in the workplace between a supervisor and their apprentice or trainee.

This workshop will provide participants with increased knowledge and skills to enhance their role as supervisors and/or employers of apprentices and trainees through their ability to:

• Discuss on and off-the-job apprenticeship and traineeship regulations and training in NSW
• Identify the role and responsibilities of a workplace supervisor
• Articulate their expectations of their apprentice or trainee
• Understand support mechanisms that are available for apprentices or trainee, workplace supervisors and employers
• Identify the components of a comprehensive induction program
• Build on current knowledge of key generational characteristics and identify actions to overcome challenges in the workplace
• Establish ground rules for building a solid understanding between supervisors and apprentices or trainees of what is expected
• Use an effective on-the-job coaching model for informal training in the workplace
• Build awareness of harassment and bullying and what actions can and should be taken to address issues.

You can register your interest for the upcoming workshops with Fiona Buhler:

E: fiona.buhler@industry.nsw.gov.au

M: 0417 412 795

Places are limited for these workshops, so please ensure you register your interest by 3rd March. In the event that the workshops are full, the NSW Department of Industry will arrange for subsequent workshops to be held.