Business Times - November

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DepartmentsNews 3,4Busy Bites 7Networking 8 Appointments 10Business Directory 23

ColumnsPlanning: Megan Schutz 5Networking: Ivan Misner 10Markets: Richard Campbell 18Health: Mike Ellis 19Managing: Hamish Petrie 22

WESTERN MEDICINE MAY BE IN NEED OF A HEALTH CHECK: P19

Features10 TRACKING ADVICE:

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‘Privileges’ probe on MPOMBUDSMAN George Brouwer has found Frankston Liberal MP Geoff Shaw used and allowed employees to use his taxpayer-funded car for his hardware business.

Mr Brouwer also found Mr Shaw had used a parliamentary fuel card to pay for petrol for a private vehicle.

Premier Ted Baillieu continued to support Mr Shaw and said it was up to parliament’s privileges committee to determine whether the Frankston MP was in contempt of parliament or has breached parliamentary privilege.

Because of its one-seat majority in the Victorian parliament, the coalition’s hold on power relies on Mr Shaw’s vote.

Meanwhile, the Victorian opposition has asked police to investigate Mr Shaw.

Opposition leader Daniel Andrews said it was the job of Victorian police to determine if a crime had been committed.

“We don’t think a parliamentary committee of Geoff Shaw’s mates ought

to be determining whether he’s committed a crime,” he said.

The Age editorial on October 10 stated: … “the Premier endorses Mr Shaw as “a good local member. Good local members do not rip off taxpayers to profit their own businesses”.

“They do not make false logbook entries under their name. They do not lie under oath. That is the view of Mr Shaw’s conduct that emerges from the Ombudsman’s report ...”

Shire spends $5m on shop centreMORNINGTON Peninsula Shire Council has paid $5.1 million for Rosebud Central Shopping Centre and immediately flagged it as a possible alternative site for its controversial foreshore pool project.

Council had not disclosed its interest in the property which was bought through a third party.

CEO Dr Michael Kennedy described the Wannaeue Place centre as being “of significant strategic value to the shire in

the redevelopment of the Rosebud activity centre.

The shire also bought adjoining property 9-11 Ninth Av. for $770,000.

Rosebud Central was originally advertised at $6.1 million

Council had authorised Dr Kennedy to pay up to $5.2 million for the property which houses a Ritchies IGA supermarket and specialist shops.

The deal will be financed through the sale of property no longer required by the shire.

$6.8 million brewery planCOMPUTERSHARE founder Chris Morris has successfully applied for a planning permit to build a $6.8 million boutique brewery, restaurant, function centre and organic farm, close to the Bass Strait coast. Mr Morris said the project would create jobs and tourism opportuni-ties. The multimillionaire businessman also received approval for a caretaker’s residence and plant nursery at the

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Frankston / Mornington Peninsula / Dandenong | November 2012

site, 275 Cape Schanck Rd The brewery near Cape Schanck lighthouse at-tracted objections about its impact on native animals, vegetation and po-tential odours from beer-making.

Mr Morris’ company, Colonial Leisure Group, owns Melbourne and Perth pub restaurants, including the Botanical in South Yarra, Colling-wood’s Robert Burns Hotel, Lamaro’s in South Melbourne, Half Moon in Brighton and the Print Hall in Perth.

Colonial Leisure recently took full ownership of Portsea Hotel.

Mr Morris also owns a boutique brewery in Western Australia’s Margaret River region called the Colonial Brewing Company.

It operates in a similar farmland setting to the proposed Cape Schanck brewery, making five types of craft beer that are stocked in Mr Morris’ network of pubs and in other outlets.

About 64 objections were lodged

against the Cape Schanck proposal before it went to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal where it was approved in late August.

But VCAT appears to have placed some prohibitive restrictions on the use of the land including limiting the brewery to using hops grown exclusively on the surrounding farm unless it gets prior approval from the local council.

Colonial Leisure Group director Lawrence Dowd said that when complete, the company’s east coast brewery at Cape Schanck would be bigger than its WA operation.

The restaurant and organic farm were likely to attract tourists to the area, already a popular seaside and wine-tasting destination with Melbourne day trippers.

Produce from the farm and brewery would be used in the group’s Melbourne pubs and restaurants.

“The jobs it is going to create on Cape Schanck are quite significant,’’ Mr Dowd said.

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Super clips city financesA RISE in general rates and recurrent grants saw Frankston City Council’s total operating income increase by just over $6 million in 2012.

The city’s annual report showed that income rose from $110 million in 2011 to nearly $120 million in the year ended June 30.

Expenses increased from $115 million to $124.2 million, mainly due to a superannua-tion defined benefits call-up of $7 million compared with a $1.4 million call-up in 2011.

The net operating result, before capital income and asset items, was a shortfall of $4.3 million.

‘Heart’ of the south-eastGREATER Dandenong’s new $63.5 million civic precinct will act as the heart of Melbourne’s south-east, ac-cording to mayor Cr Youhorn Chea.

The new civic centre, on the corner of Lonsdale and Walker Sts, will feature a regional library and an outdoor com-munity space “designed in the spirit of Melbourne’s Federation Square. It is due for completion in 2014.

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by Megan Schutz*Planning lawyer

The government’s rationale for the reforms focus on modernising Victo-ria’s planning zones, returning balance to the planning system and ensuring the state can grow and prosper while also responding to community expecta-tions and desires by providing clarity and protection to Victoria’s built form.

The proposed reforms delete nine existing zones, amend 12 zones and establish five new zones. The existing business 1-5 zones are replaced with the commercial 1 and 2 zones. The exist-ing residential 1-3 zones are replaced with the Residential Growth Zone,

General Residential Zone, and the Neigh-bourhood Residential Zone. The Low Density Residential Zone is retained but amended. Amendments are also pro-

Government moves to ‘return balance’ to planningThe state government’s planning zone reforms evoke strong opinions from all quarters. Planning has always been controversial, attempting to strike the right balance between private interests and the public good.

posed to the industrial and rural zones. Perhaps the most controversial

of the proposed reforms is increas-ing the range of uses allowed within Melbourne’s Green Wedges.

While the restrictions on subdivision are retained, there is greater flexibility in using Green Wedge land for tourism, education, group accommodation and rural uses. Other topical changes include allowing commercial uses within residen-tial areas within 100m of a commercial area, office space in industrial zones, and supermarkets in Industrial 3 Zones.

Mornington Peninsula Shire Council and Frankston City Council have made submissions against the reforms.

Mornington CEO, Dr Michael Kennedy wrote to Minister Guy on 21 Septem-ber stating: “Fundamentally…. council…. considers that many of the current pro-posals will be counterproductive, increas-ing uncertainty, discouraging productive investment in activity centres and under-mining the rural character and role of

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Perhaps the most controversial of the proposed reforms is increasing the range of uses allowed within Melbourne’s Green Wedges.


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the Mornington Peninsula Green Wedge.” “….Council’s key recommendation is that the reformed zone provisions be redesigned to enable local variations to address spe-cific circumstances and that, in particular, changes to the Green Wedge Zone are not introduced on the peninsula until the Mornington Peninsula Planning Statement, and an associated policy and implementa-tion framework are completed.”

Frankston City Council says changes to the Frankston Planning Scheme should only occur in consultation with Frankston com-munity and with the approval of council. The proposed reforms would slow down decision-making and waste limited valuable resources in processing applications and at appeal. The community requires more certainty in planning rather than greater flexibility and discretion with a permit. The timing of the consultation and proposed decision time frame in adopting these changes is particularly unfortunate given the caretaker period and council elections.

Planning academics such as Michael Buxton from RMIT, and Dr Alan Marsh from the University of Melbourne criticise the reforms. Buxton (The Age, 15 July 2012) warns of large-scale commercial development in Green Wedges, and Marsh (The Age, 21 September 2012) says the

changes will result in fewer rights of appeal, fewer things will require a permit, and a greater range and intensity of uses will be able to occur in more places.

On the other hand, the Property Council of Australia’s Victorian executive direc-tor told The Age (23 July 2012) that the proposed reforms would breathe new life into Victoria’s other retail and commercial hubs. The Victorian Employers’ Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s (VECCI) chief executive says the reforms simplify arrange-ments and allow a broader range of activi-ties to be considered in the planning process.

Minister Guy’s response to his critics (The Age, 27 September) states the reform is about encouraging the right development in the right location. Allegations that the reforms will result in the “carving up” of Melbourne’s green wedges for rampant development are misinformed. An advisory committee has been appointed by Mr Guy to review all submissions received on the proposed planning zone reforms and pro-vide advice to the government by 30 Novem-ber. On 26 October, Minister Guy released further planning changes in the form of a discussion paper about the new Metropoli-tan Planning Strategy for Melbourne. The Minister wants the strategy to be a 40-year plan for Melbourne to be the most liveable and affordable place to live and do business

in Australia. All Victorians are invited to join the conversations on how this can be achieved. The paper presents concepts such as “Living locally – a ‘20 minute’ city” and the need to be globally competitive with ‘city shaping’ investment such as improved transport services, an expanded freight and logistics network, new employment clusters, and provision of high quality health and educational facilities. So what is to be made of all these reforms? Will they achieve streamlined planning decisions that honour community interests while also facilitating economic growth?

Or is this an utopian dream in a democra-cy? Who is the true community in relation to a planning decision anyway?

Most planning decisions appear to be political decisions based on the perspectives of the decision-maker of the day – either council or the Minister for Planning. Or in the case of VCAT or court made planning decisions, based on expert professional opinions as to the meaning of the Planning Scheme and the law.

To put it succinctly, the Planning Zone Reforms and the Metropolitan Planning Strategy open up the issue of what is the right balance to be struck between private rights and the public good. At the end of the day, we all want to maintain a certain standard of living which requires a planning system that supports economic development that is globally competitive.

Megan Schutz is director of Schutz Consulting, providing planning and legal advice on development projects. Call +61418888894; or email [email protected] Megan was previously Principal Planning Lawyer in the State Government’s Department of Planning and Community Development.

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BusinessTimes | 7November 2012 | Frankston / Mornington Peninsula / Dandenong |

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Best Bites winsMORNINGTON Penin-sula Shire Council has won a national award for its Best Bites Food Guide Program.The Best Bites Program as-sesses, certifies and promotes the shire’s food businesses that use safe, healthy and sustainable food practices. It is the first program of its kind introduced by a Victorian council.The award was made to Alex Atkins, the shire’s sustain-able environment manager, at the International Economic Development Conference National Excellence Awards. The driving force behind Best Bites was Peter O’Brien, the shire’s senior environ-mental health officer.

Lawyer for market postDANDENONG lawyer Bruce Fletcher has been appointed a director of Dandenong Market Pty Ltd for a three-year term.Mr Fletcher is a former partner at Macpherson and Kelly law firm in Dandenong. He has specialised in property, busi-ness and finance law. He remains a director of RMBL Investments Pty Ltd.Mr Fletcher has had a lifetime association with the Dande-nong commercial sector.The new director will be paid a fee of $20,000 a year.

PEOPLE living in Melbourne’s Zone 1 are more likely to have used public transport in the last month than people living in Melbourne’s Zone 2, according to a recent report released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

More than half (57 per cent) of people living in Melbourne Metropolitan Transport Zone 1 used public transport in the last month, significantly higher than the proportion of people living in Zone 2 (29 per cent). The report found that over half (51 per cent) of people aged 18 to 34 used public transport in the last month, compared with a third (32 per cent) of people aged 35 years and over.

While a similar number of people in Zone 1 and Zone 2 used public transport three to seven days per week, Zone 1 patrons were more likely than Zone 2 patrons to use public transport one to two days a week (28 per cent and 16 per cent respectively).

Zone 2 patrons (21 per cent) were more likely to be low frequency users - less than once a month – than Zone 1 patrons (7 per cent).

Workers on the move

Confidence risingEMPLOYEE confidence in Australia’s engineering and construction sector is on the rise, with 34 per cent reporting greater security in their role than 12 months ago, according to a new report by specialist recruitment and human resources services company, Randstad.

The 2011 World of Work report, an annual investigation into the working lives of more than 3000 Australians, found 55 per cent of engineer-ing and construction workers are satisfied or very satisfied with their current roles, with only 18 per cent dissatisfied.

Randstad Group Director, Nick Elsdon, says high confidence among workers often leads to increased mobility, which is symptomatic of a labour market experiencing heightened skill shortages.

The report found that in the coming year, or-ganisations will look to hire more extensively from these diverse groups while adopting complementary strategies to strengthen their workforce.

Retail sales jumpAUGUST retail figures released early October show a jump of almost seven per cent after a fall in September.

Australian Bureau of Statistics released retail figures showing a 0.2 per cent increase in retail trade in August.

Australian National Retailers Association (ANRA) CEO, Margy Osmond said department stores have borne the brunt of a consumer unwilling to spend, wanting to pay down debt and demanding a bar-gain – a difficult combination for any discretionary retailer to work with.

“Despite this there is some brightness on the horizon, the 6.9 per cent jump is the biggest leap for department stores since March 2009 and they are up 2.1 per cent so far in 2012.

“Aussies have embraced the winter sales season, cooled their heels as winter came to a close and were back in store to check out the new season’s stock as the weather turned thoughts from coats to frocks.

“Now we want to see banks move so all Austra-lians can feel confident to get back in and shop, or face another challenging Christmas for the sector,” she said.


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1. MENZIES caring for kids held is annual grand final luncheon at Mornington Golf Club on 27 September. From left are former Melbourne star and St Kilda coach Stan Alves, Menzies board member Kevin Johnson and Craig Leo, Ray White Rosebud, who was the auctioneer.2. Menzies guests (from left) Steve Pallas, of Sports Community, Phil Jones, manager Frankston International, Mick Duyvestyn, of Sports Community, and Peter Simpson, of Marsh.3. Menzies lunch guests Pat Thorpe, Rhonda Demaine and Cath Vine.4. KEVIN meets the coaches: Kevin Dale, of Cruiseco, which donated the major raffle prize of a Vietnam cruise, is flanked by former AFL coaches Stan Alves (left). of St Kilda, and Chris Connelly, of Fremantle Dockers and now Melbourne’s assistant coach and football manager.5. MAKING the most out of the internet was the theme of a presentation at Frankston Interna-tional on 25 September run by Gerald Richards of 3x5x7 and Chris Nimos, of Rapid Click. Guests included Bev Aitken and Juan Valdes, of Rocket Sports Trucks.6. Menzies Caring for Kids CEO Holly Reid at a breakfast meeting on 25 September with carer David Power (left) and guest speaker Bruce Billson, MHR for Dunkley.

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7. Lisa McInnes-Smith (right) with Business Times’ sales director Marg Harrison at Sales and Marketing Super Conference at The Hilton, Melbourne, on 4 October. McInnes-Smith spoke about positive mind sets. 8. Brad Tonini, of Entrepreneurs Alliance Inner Circle, which arranged the conference at the Hilton, with Shafeek Yousuf, new owner BarterCard, Mornington.9. Smart Networking Forum’s Frankston branch met at The Grand Hotel, Mornington, on 11 October. From left are Nancy Robinson, of Smart New Brand, Sandy Ewing, of Life Coaching, Melbourne, and Teri Klos, of Bodhi Tree Therapies.10. Smart Networking Forum Sandringham met at Sandringham Hotel on 12 October. From left are Claire Halliday, of Copy Queens, Helen Ronnenbergh, of Ambitious Minds, Andrew Gill, of Loan Market, Tara Bulum, of Business Blockbusters, and Arena Nilsson, a stylist and image consultant.11. Action Coaches ran a seminar on developing referral databases at Milano’s Brighton on 16 October, from left are Ken Warburton, of Interim Executive Management, and Tina Eling, of Extreme Networks12. Action Coaches’ guests James Kydas, of P2 Group, and Rick Frietag, of Biz Education.13. Winners of the Frankston Business Chamber’s golf day held on Friday at Settlers Run Cranbourne sponsored by Wignall Ford: Robert Brand, of Alpine Foods, James Miller, of Sports Injury Clinic and Kim Michael.

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KELSI Goldsworthy is the newest addition to The Schaefer Group team. With a marketing degree from Monash University, Kelsi brings a well developed set of analysis and marketing skills.In her new role as account coordinator, Kelsi willplan, organise, and execute marketing activities for a variety of clients across many different industries. With experience spanning retail, hospitality, and non-profit industries, Kelsi has a broad understanding of effective marketing tools to help clients grow their business.

JENNIFER Spencer has been appointed a business relationships consultant at the MEGT Cranbourne office which services Frankston and the Mornington Peninsula.MEGT is involved with employment, education and training, helping access up to $4000 (eligibility criteria applies) for traineeships or apprenticeships. Jennifer is available to discuss appren-ticeships Call 0404 824 586 or email: [email protected]

LISA Bedin is a family member of Peninsula Curtains & Blinds, with the local family business servicing the Mornington Peninsula and Melbourne regions for more than 32 years. Peninsula Curtains & Blinds has endless experience in all areas of internal and external window furnishings, specialising in automation, maintaining the highest quality and in-house manufacturing capabilities in the Industry. Visit their showroom at 51 Yuilles Road, Mornington to see for yourself or call 5975 4665 for a shop-at-home service.

JASMINE Murray is the newly appointed area manager for the Southern Peninsula News, a Mornington Peninsula News Group publication. Jasmine has over three decades experience in sales, marketing and print media. One of her proudest moments was being awarded the Rotary International Pride of Workmanship for charity work while living in the Northern Territory. Jasmine loves the lifestyle that comes with living and working on the Mornington Peninsula. She can be contacted on 0411 821 626 or [email protected]

NIRAJ Akhil, who has joined Mornington Telstra Business Centre, has a background in marketing and owned and operated a retail business for 10 years before joining Telstra Business at Collins Street, Melbourne. Niraj has more than eight years of experience in Telstra business products and services, and has been providing business solutions for clients in relation to mobiles, landlines, internet, phone systems, mobile and broadband.

Sure, the primary reason you’re networking is to get referrals, but you also gain access to professionals in almost every type of business.

Every good network can actually become a type of “mastermind” group that you can utilise to gain more information and knowledge. We all need advice at one time or another, and seeking advice from your network can be a win-win situation.

By inviting your network members to talk, you can get better acquainted with their knowledge, decision-making abilities, and attitudes. Receiving someone’s advice also gives you a perfect reason to contact them again, thank them and let them know what you plan to do. This is a great way to keep your resources informed and, of course, to get their opinions about what you are doing.

Here’s a story about how a simple request for advice led to much more…

An owner of a small creative services firm relocated across country. She wanted to move her business entity to the new

Dr lvan Misner*Networking specialist

have you ever sought advice from people who are in a network you belong to? If not, you are missing out on one of the secondary benefits of being involved in a networking group.

Advice in the network

state, as it was a more favorable business climate.

However, the complexities of her business set-up in her former state caused her plans to stop moving forward. Frustrated from her lack of success in trying to communicate with government entities in another state and two time zones away, her plans for business development in her new state literally came to a standstill.

The business owner decided to approach a CPA who had recently joined her networking group. She sat with the CPA briefly after the networking meeting,

and gave a brief overview of the situation. The CPA turned out to be very knowl-edgeable in inter-state business, and in one or two sentences identified the very crux of the problem and what needed to be done for the business owner to move forward in her new state.

That sounds like a happy ending … but it doesn’t end there.

Because the CPA proved to be so knowledgeable, the business owner enlisted the services of the CPA, who was able to take care of the problem in less than two weeks.

Incredibly relieved of this burden, the business owner then transferred all of her financial and record keeping functions to the CPA’s firm, and referred at least three other business owners to that CPA, based on the wonderful help she had received. As an added bonus, the CPA, learning about what types of services offered by the business owner, referred her someone who ended up purchasing an array of services over a long period of time.

And all of this happened from one single request for a bit of expert advice from one member of a networking group to another.

Dr Ivan Misner is a New York Times bestselling author. He is the founder and Chairman of BNI, the world’s largest business networking organisation. Dr Misner is also the senior partner for the Referral Institute, an international referral training company.

Receiving someone’s advice also gives you a perfect reason to contact them again, thank them and let them know what you plan to do.


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Seven tips for Facebook business marketingFacebook is one of the quickest and easiest ways of marketing your business, but it is not without it’s pitfalls. This is a quick checklist as an introduction on how you can increase the effectiveness of your online marketing. 1. Is Facebook right for your business? Facebook is great for viral marketing, but if you don’t have product that is interesting and engaging, Facebook will be a lot more work for much less return. In some industries it is almost mandatory, such as hospitality and for others it is very difficult. how many people are likely to like a Law firm’s Facebook page?

2. Have the right content? Some businesses use Facebook to update customers on new products only. It is hard to build engagement when it is only product news. People like to know what is going on, but also like to be challenged and like a laugh, so posts that help build the conversation are great.

3. Images. Photos are much more likely to get shared and liked than text. This photo took 15 minutes to arrange. We chose the blueberry cheesecake and chocolate milkshake specifically because they would photograph well and rearranged furniture to get the lighting and background just right. The result – 197 likes, 10 comments and 17 shares. Not bad for a quick photo.

4. Timing is everything. experiment with when you post you information. We have found that for most of our customers 7pm – 9pm is the best time. When you have a great post that is going viral, you can literally see the new likes every 30 seconds. Great photos can make a big difference with Facebook.

5. Cross Promote. every time you send out an email or someone goes to your website, you should try to promote your Facebook page. By making sure there is unique content on Facebook, people are more likely to like it. emails with a like button embedded to your customers and prospects can be a great way to gain traction. You should link all of your blog articles (You have a blog don’t you?) to Facebook because it gives people a reason to ‘like’ your page.

6. Paid Facebook Marketing? Don’t forget that you can run paid campaigns. With the right content and the right message, the Return on Investment can be very high. They are quick and easy to set up, but be careful as Facebook tinkers regularly with the way campaigns run, so what worked last month may not work this month.

7. Keep it fresh and keep at it. Try to post twice a week and check each day to see if someone has posted a question or

comment. The first 100 likes are the hardest, but once you reach 500 you start to get traction.

Extreme Networks provides social media and online marketing strategy, services and education. We manage multiple Facebook pages for businesses, some with thousands of likes, along with email campaigns that go out to over 20,000 customers so if you need help with email, social or other online marketing activities, give the Team at Extreme a call. We are one of the few IT companies with a dedicated marketing team, helping our customers bring all of the activities together. We are planning on running a Facebook marketing seminar in early February, so email [email protected] if you would like to be kept informed about our Facebook education series.

There was a lot to like about this photo we posted on our Facebook page.


cover storY: PETER HOROBIN SADDLERY

Horses take comfort in new line of trees

STEAM trains and the horseless carriage (motor cars) lessened our reliance on four hoofed feet as a means of transport, but not our fascination with the equine brand.

Horses continue to run courses (ask any gambler) and run families (ask any parents of horse-mad children).

Peter Horobin’s family is no exception. The Mornington-based saddler is a former jockey, the son of a

jockey and has a brother (Mark) who is still light enough to continue as a jockey.

Horses are in the Horobin blood. In 1970 Peter Horobin’s father Keith suffered a broken neck

in a coal mine collapse on the New South Wales south coast. He recovered, decided “life was too short”, and took his wife and young family off to England hoping to pursue his passion for riding.

No longer suited for the gallops, Keith Horobin was able to find rides on steeplechasers.

After two years in the United Kingdom he took his family to Germany where there were more opportunities on the jumps track.

Finding success, the Horobins stayed seven years, with the then 15-year-old Peter becoming a jockey and apprentice saddler at Passier & Son.

“I was making saddles while also riding,” Horobin says while sitting in his Mornington factory. “It’s definitely given me an advantage, because not many saddlers have been riders.”

When the Horobins returned to Australia Peter was 19 and his father was still riding steeplechasers.

Then living on the Mornington Peninsula, Peter Horobin too was still riding horses but gave up being a jockey at 22 after “getting too heavy and a few falls”.

He was also too busy making racing saddles for other jockeys, first from a tin shed at home in Balnarring, then a garage, followed by a double garage and then a factory in Mornington. He moved to his present saddlery in Watt Rd 12 years ago.

His son Rhys is a saddler, daughter Marlee makes fine leather handbags under the Marlee May label and wife Julie runs the office. Besides the family, there five other staff working at Peter Horobin Saddlery.

Father Keith, now 71, still trains horses and gave up trackwork just two years ago. A couple of years ago Horobin took a fresh look at saddle design, which he says has remained relatively unchanged for nearly a century.

Drawing on his knowledge of riding and discussions with a horse vet Horobin worked out a new design for the saddle tree, the shaped inner part of the saddle which spreads the load across a horse’s back. The stirrups are also attached to the tree.

Horobin says his saddle tree minimises any impediment to the

MOST of us can appreciate the interaction between horse and rider. Our history reinforces the special relationship between animals and civilisation. We’re supposed to be best of friends with dogs, while horses have carried us and our belongings across continents.

WORDS & PICTURES BY KEITh PlaTT horse’s shoulder blades. His patented tree, made from nylon and strengthened with metal to allow maximum flex, is now being incorporated in racing and exercise saddles.

“The tree allows horses to stride free, which is especially important in dressage,” Horobin says.

“The rider has got to be comfortable for the horse, which then moves freely and naturally.


“I’m swinging back to racing [after years concentrating on dressage] with these new saddles and tree,” Horobin says.

He is also about to get into the saddle, riding trackwork on an unnamed horse (known as Evie) in which he has a half share.

Up every day at 5am, Horobin takes the horse from Kelvin Southey’s Shandion Lodge stables to Mornington racecourse.

After a swim and a run the four-year-old nuzzles up to Horobin as he leads her back to her stall.

“If she runs as good as she looks I’ll be happy,” he says, giving her a pat on the nose. “But, she’s just one of a million horses that’s been bred.”

Horse power: Peter Horobin with the saddle tree that forms the basis for his new breed of racing and dressage saddles.

Horses take comfort in new line of trees

It also resulted in the design of a new girth which, according to Bowers, “should be developed with the new [Peter Horobin} saddle”.

“Therefore, we are looking for a venture capitalist with long arms and deep pockets. People involved would be Professor Ron Slocombe - who I did my masters work with - Peter Horobin, contacts at CSIRO textiles and me.”

Bowers says the basis of Horobin’s saddle tree design is sound.“Current trees have two points at each end facing downwards

so, if you think about it, when the muscles along the back are contracting and coupled with the weight of the rider forces are being placed more over four points ventrally.

“Peter’s tree should reduce point compression and distribute weight more evenly.

“It would appear that Peter’s design will have less interference with the long muscles along the back and around the top of the shoulder. However, the proposition that it will improve the spine and lead to less problems with certain types of spondolytis is uncertain.”

A vet’s viewMT MARTHA-based equine vet Dr John Bowers (right) works with racehorses, mares and foals, competition horses ponies and hacks.

Research for his masters degree looked at the affects of a tight girth on the performance of racehorses.

horse’s shoulder blades. His patented tree, made from nylon and strengthened with metal to allow maximum flex, is now being incorporated in racing and exercise saddles.

“The tree allows horses to stride free, which is especially important in dressage,” Horobin says.

“The rider has got to be comfortable for the horse, which then moves freely and naturally.

“Other trees have corners which press through the saddle padding into the horse’s back.

“No one before seems to have considered the comfort of the horse.“The trees worked really well in dressage so I thought, why not for

racing?”Jockeys in France using the new “stride free” saddles for trackwork

reported they had made a positive difference. The horses “felt a lot lighter”.

Small hand made racing saddles can weigh as little as 400gms and cost $400-$700. The first batch of 10 racing saddles with the new tree has been made for stables near the famous Chantilly racecourse at Oise, France.

Australian trainer Gai Waterhouse has ordered 15 of the exercise model. Other exercise saddles are being used by Mornington trainer Pat Carey and Cranbourne trainer Michael Kent for the French import Tac De Boistron.

In the 1990s, Horobin’s handiwork provided winning seats for such track luminaries as Greg Hall, Darren Gauchi and Damien Oliver. Steven King had three different-sized Horobin saddles which he used when winning trifecta of the Melbourne and Caulfield cups and Mackinnon Stakes aboard Let’s Elope in 1991.

14 | BusinessTimes

retaILInG


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revealed two-thirds of 1000 smartphone users surveyed have reported they’re more likely to buy from a mobile-friendly site.

“Half of the respondents said a bad mobile experience would make them less likely to engage with a company. The reality is people are using their smartphones more and more to access the net on the go, and that includes accessing shopping websites.

“We want our retailers – who have been struggling immensely with the current tough economic conditions – to realise the potential of being able to offer online sales.”

Mr Wilson said online retail is booming and allows a business to operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

WITH less than 65 days until Christmas, e-commerce solution provider DBG Technologies is encouraging retailers to sell their goods on the internet ahead of the silly season.

The Adelaide-based company with an office in Victoria has recognised the opportunity to provide retailers with more links to their customers by offering affordable e-commerce solutions.

Following the Reserve Bank of Australia’s decision to cut interest rates by a quarter of a per cent at the start of October, the team at DBG wants retailers to start offering their wares on the internet to consumers who might have a few extra dollars in their pockets.

“The rate reduction – while it hasn’t yet been passed onto all home owners – is welcome to the retail sector as we quickly approach Christmas,” DBG Managing Director Daniel Wilson said.

“That little bit of extra money we might have in our pockets will likely go towards presents, food, cards, gift wrap and

alcohol – all those items we tend to stock up on in the festive season.

“What we’re trying to do is show retailers the benefits of selling their wares online by offering affordable and simple e-commerce template packages before the rush starts.”

DBG’s basic online store templates are being offered for $7000 plus GST or $270 plus GST on finance. Also available in the deal is a free mobile website.

“We’ve recognised that organising an e-commerce website is a difficult task – and it’s a big investment. What we’ve designed is clean, clear, simple and integrated with PayPal and Australia Post,” Mr Wilson said.

“Some recent data from Google

Christmas gives retailers an online opportunity

BusinessTimes | 15

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GREATER Dandenong Council’s operating revenue for 2011–2012 was $145.32 million ($135.56 million in 2010-2011) including rates and charges revenue ($89.61 million), operating grants ($32.32 million), and fees and charges ($17.49 million).

Council’s non-operating revenue for 2011–2012 was $24.46 million ($24.32 million in 2010-2011) including capital grants ($5.82 million), capital contri-

Dandenong operating revenue rises

butions ($2.16 million) gain on sale of assets ($3.08 million) and contributions of non-monetary assets, mainly from sub division activity ($13.41 million).

Operational grant revenue comprises a general purpose grant of $13.23 million (which included $1.57 million for local

Contribution of $10.57 million to the unfunded superannuation liability has been excluded.

roads), and tied grants of $19.74 million which were essentially for community care and community wellbeing services. Capital grants received were $5.82 million. These grants are expended on these services in addition to the funds allocated by council from other sources of revenue.

Cash contributions of $2.16 million received were mainly for public open space development.

Non-monetary contributions of $13.41 million were mainly from “gifted” assets from developer activity.

Fees, charges and fines • Dandenong Market stall income $4.88 million• Hire of council facilities $1.74 million• Aged care services $1.61 million• Parking fees and fines $3.57 million• Statutory and other fees (building permits, infringements, infringement court recoveries,

etc.) were $17.49 million for the year ($19.42 million in 2010-11)

Other income ($5.25 million) essentially relates to fees for provision of valuation data to State Revenue Office, interest received on investments and other sundry income.

Total operating expenditure for 2011–2012 including depreciation was $135.92 million ($130.22 million in 2010-2011). Council’s contribution of $10.57 million to the unfunded superannua-tion liability has been excluded.

Council’s borrowing at 30 June 2012 was $36.04 million, which is 40.22 per cent of rate revenue (Government prudential limit is 80 per cent). $33.10 million of further borrowings are planned in 2012-2013 for the Municipal Building Project. Loan repayments of $18.80 million are planned over the next five years under council’s borrowing strategy.

Council intends to retire these debts through cash flows generated from operations.

– Greater Dandenong Council Annual Report.


weBsItes20

68

WHEN planning a website layout, following some simple rules will increase visitors’ comfort levels and ultimately lead to more calls.

We humans are designed to appreciate creativity and structure together. This may sound like an oxymoron, but nowhere is this more true than in nature. Every leaf is unique but there is a sense of consistency between them. The veins, stem, and overall shape gives us a feeling of familiarity.

This analogy translates to the web. Every website is different, yet if the designer has followed some consistent conventions, the visitor feels familiar and comfortable.

It is important to consider the subconscious reactions of your visitors because when a decision to choose you over your competitor is down to one click or three to five seconds, that initial appeal becomes very important.

Just like in other forms of advertising, you make people feel comfortable when conventions are followed. Studies show that when presented with something new we are less likely to make a decision. However, we also know that good design makes people feel good and comfortable. Bad design has the opposite effect, although many can’t seem to describe it. It may be just the placing and spacing around a logo.

After 20 years we have realised people expect to see certain information in certain places. When you go to log into a site you will find the login link top right corner. Search is usually ether centered or right. Logos are always top left or centered. Not very often do we see these elements in different places. This is no coincidence: it is responding to human behaviour

Try this if you are a local business targeting local customers: the logo should always be top left, phone number top right and a contact form on every page.

This will make potential customers feel comfortable and it will lead to more calls.

Follow conventions and create comfort

Builder of the year award RYE-based builder DC Construction has been named residential Master Builder of the Year for a home in Merricks North.

Robert Rolls from Mornington-based First Impressions Projects Pty Ltd was awarded Young Builder of the Year.

MBA Executive Director Brian Welch said: “DC Construc-tion are a worthy winner for a stunning home. This six bedroom property is unusually striking because of the curvaceous, rammed earth walls which form the structure spine and sleek theme for the home.”

“This is a complex house where the precisely executed details exceeded the clients’ expectations.”

Mr Welch also congratulated Mr Rolls: “Robert has his own building company, First Impressions Projects, which has been operating for 15 years. The judges were impressed with his professionalism in the way he manages his business and his clients.”

“Robert’s enthusiasm, motivations, grasp and management of a wide range of technical and complex issues of a project make him a worthy winner.”

To book your Christmas function or for further information contact the Sales team today. Call (03) 9257 7100 or visit www.melbourneracingclub.net.au

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2080


To book your Christmas function or for further information contact the Sales team today. Call (03) 9257 7100 or visit www.melbourneracingclub.net.au

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2080


MarKets

Richard Campbell*Stock analyst

Credit Suisse in its latest Global Wealth also says the Asia-Pacific region will grow significantly richer adding $41 trillion in purchasing power in just the next five years. This figure seems to take no account of the current relatively severe Chinese slow-down, but, broadly, wealthier Asians will eat more food of better quality and type.

It is also the case that grain yields in Asia have generally stalled after three decades of improved hybrids and farming practices. The FOA predicts a 50 per cent increase in demand for grains in the next 30 years and a 60-70 per cent increase in meat consump-tion. That raises a question: where will all this food come from?

Investors like Jim Rogers repeat continu-ously that food and agriculture is the place to be. He’s right, but finding reliable entry points is a different matter. Apart from Graincorp (covered last month) there are very few examples of large, well managed listed food supply companies. AACo has 600,000 head of grazing Brahmans and crops for its feed-lots, but hasn’t paid a dividend in seven years. Elders lost the plot some time ago and is not investment grade. Incitec Pivot has possibilities but its fertilis-er supply is only one part of the story as the same ammonium nitrate is sold as explosives at a time when coal mining is on the wane as volumes, prices and profits fall. Prime Agri-

Where will all the food come from?

culture tried the route of mixed farming, but after drought and flood and actually pretty good results considering, has put itself up for sale as the corporate overheads are too high and interest was low.

Select Harvest is in a different category. It is our second largest almond producer (after Olam, the big Singapore food group). It has paid a dividends each year for 15 years and has expanded its orchards threefold in the past two years, but the interesting aspect is that 70 per cent of its planted trees after this expansion are still to mature. Once mature, tree life is 18-20 years. One off-putting aspect is that Californian growers supply 80 per cent of the global market, but the almond market is almost unique: while

volumes have been expanding eight per cent a year for a decade, the price has been firm. The other big fact is that almonds are so full of protein and vitamin oils they go off. Fresh Australian almonds are available when Cali-fornian and Spanish almonds are not.

While our domestic producers don’t have cheap Mexican labour, they do have much cheaper land. Prices in the San Joaquin Valley where about 40 per cent of the USA’s fruit, vegetables, grapes and nuts come from, can be 20 times higher than our land as the outer suburbs of Los Angeles spread. The other problem Californians have is water. California is a dry place as early legislation like the Desert Land Act indicates. Water prices have been escalating as the population grows and the snows on the Sierra Nevada shrink by the decade.

After too little and then too much rain, Select has come through a trough, taken some write downs and is hoping for period like 2005 and 2006 when profit allowed a two dividends of 66c and 56c. The price hit $14. Now at $1.20 it is paying a lowly eight cents but that is still over six per cent fully franked. Whether agriculture in any shape or form suits a particular investor is of course a different matter.

Commodity prices may rise in the future as water supply becomes less reliable or at least more volatile but if prices are too high, they self-correct. No one has to buy almonds to live. On the other hand, some 300 million Asians are moving to the middle rank of purchasing power in the next 10-15 years and almonds are integral to Indian and Middle East cuisine and, for that matter, they are very big in China.

*Richard Campbell is Executive Director of Peninsula Capital Management, Tel. 9642 0545.

aS the world population rises by another billion to 1930 billion, one thing seems reasonably clear: food demand will not only rise in volume, but in quantity, price and variety.

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No one has to buy almonds to live. On the other hand, some

300 million asians are moving to the middle rank of purchasing

power in the next 10-15 years and almonds are integral to Indian and

Middle east cuisine ...

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heaLth

But sometimes I wonder whether we put medicine on too high a pedestal.

Our finest minds, those brightest of kids with their Enter scores of 99.95 and an aptitude for chemistry go to medical college filled with zeal and optimism and the expec-tation that they are going to do lifesaving work, dedicate their lives to a high ideal and make lasting contributions in the worthiest of fields (plus make some extraordinarily good coin).

And they go with our admiration. We hold doctors in the highest regard. We admire their dedication, knowledge, ethics. At some point, our lives will be in their hands. TV studios make programs in which they are stars of the show as they solve medical mysteries and perform heroic surgery.

Really, in our world, the doctor is god. It’s a pedestal, all right. But taking the field as a whole, how is medical science faring? How are these finest of intellects peering down their microscopes testing and researching this or that biochemical marker doing at solving our health issues?

Because we’ve got a few. I’d hardly be exaggerating to say that our health system is not coping with the rates of diabetes, heart disease, cancer – not to mention the other scourges of auto-immune disorders, dementia and so on.

And how about our kids? They are over-

Health and its causesBeCauSe I work in alternative medicine, people assume that I am “anti” Western medicine. I tell them I’m not but, to be honest, I probably am.apart from when I need it of course – such as when I gashed my eyebrow in a surfing mishap – at which time I was not the slightest bit “anti” but 100 per cent appreciative.

weight, over-indulged, suffering allergies, asthma and anxiety and learning disorders, and are destined to be the first genera-tion with shorter life expectancy than their parents.

The diagnosis of mental illness has escalated to an all-time high, in all age groups. On these measures, we’re not doing great, and the graphs are trending up, not down.

Are they actually even researching the right things? Because if we are expecting medical science to provide the solutions to these fundamental issues of health and happiness, we may be headed for disap-pointment. A few years back, with great fanfare, medical science announced it had successfully mapped the human genome, and that this breathtaking task opened up new vistas of possibilities for curing the previously incurable.

My admittedly cynical advice is, don’t be holding your breath on that.

I really think that when it comes to health, medical science has got way too focused on the detail and misses the big pictures.

In fact, for all its tremendous skill at surgery, its ability to scan inside the body

right down to our genetic fabric, Western medicine has still contributed next to nothing to our understanding of health and its causes. I mean that. The biochemi-cal perspective of human physiology tells us nothing about health. Why do some people get sick and some not? I think that is where our research effort should be directed: not at the causes of disease but the causes of health. Medicine and its foundation “germ theory” has led us to the misapprehension that disease is something that happens to us randomly. Chinese medicine has news for you. Disease is not pre-ordained (in most cases) nor is it random.

The West is so focused on attacking disease – killing the germ, cutting out the malfunctioning part – that it misses this essential point. As Louis Pasteur, the father of germ theory, said: “The germ is nothing, the milieu is everything.”

Most people – worrying about their weight, and cholesterol, and blood pressure, and mental health – have no idea why they got unwell or what to do about it.

Most are randomly trying things – restric-tive diets, exercise regimes, supplements, this or that therapy – most of it based on suggestions from friends, or some screwball segment they saw on Today Tonight, or a whim while passing the “health food” shop, or an internet search, but equally often it’s acting on general medical advice that turns out to be based on flawed assumptions or outdated or applicable for some people in some circumstances but not everyone.

Yes, it’s chaos out there. That’s why I think Western medicine needs a health check.

* Michael Ellis is a registered Chinese herbalist in Mt Eliza. Visit www.mtelizaherbal.com

Stock Analyst

Treat the team this Christmas at RACV Cape Schanck ResortYour team have worked hard – reward them with an extra special Christmas this year with dinner and an overnight stay on the Peninsula.

Enjoy a two course Christmas dinner, one nights’ accommodation in an ocean view room, plus a full buffet breakfast from only $135 per person*.

To book call Relly Bruce on 5950 8029*All offers are valid Sunday – Thursday from 1 November - 21 December 2012. Twin share rate per person, based on two sharing. Terms and conditions apply, see racv.com.au/venues for details.

2067

Michael Ellis*Chinese Herbalist


MotorInG

By DereK oGDenA FOUR-cylinder Falcon, eh? Sounds like the ‘big bird’ has had its wings clipped. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

The much loved traditional Aussie large family ‘six’ has been fitted with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder motor as part of Ford’s world-wide roll-out of its EcoBoost family of high-tech, low-emission power plants.

The new Falcon engine combines common-rail direct fuel injection, turbo-charging and variable valve timing to produce the best performance and

torque while improving fuel economy and cutting carbon dioxide emissions.

The Falcon becomes the first rear-wheel drive vehicle to be fitted with Ford’s global high-tech EcoBoost engine which will be available on Falcon XT, G6 and G6E at no additional cost.

The EcoBoost engine continues to provide Falcon drivers with the performance they demand from a big car. Official power and torque figures claimed are 179 kW at 5500 rpm and a substantial 353 Nm between a low 2000 to 4000 rpm.

Built in Valencia, Spain, the engine when fitted to a Falcon XT has consumption of just 8.1 litres per 100 km on the combined urban/highway cycle, an 18 per cent improvement over the standard in-line six-cylinder engine. Falcon G6 and G6E are also given a boost with fuel consumption of 8.5 L/100km - a 14 per cent improvement - while CO2 emissions are bettered by 14.8 per cent to just 201 g/km compared

New World Falcondoes not disappoint

The new Ford Falcon EcoBoost provides performance with economy.

to the 4.0-litre in-line six-cylinder. Ford is also working on the introduction of engine stop-start technology aimed at cutting the motor when the vehicle is stationary, for example, at traffic lights, thus saving even more fuel.

Further efficiencies are obtained through weight savings. The new engine is down a substantial 74 kg over the six-cylinder XT. Improved aerodynamics by way of an engine undertray are another factor in the decrease in fuel consumption, as is the fitting 16-inch low rolling resistance tyres to the Falcon XT.

The cabin is quieter thanks to an acoustic windscreen, inner and outer dashboard insulation, an under-bonnet sound absorber, improved engine and transmission mounts and insulated transmission tunnel.

Ride and handling are what we have come to expect from an Aussie car with local engineering input. Cold weather and altitude testing were conducted at Mount Hotham, with Falcon EcoBoost sedans also being used in towing tests.

The suspension has been upgraded, with spring and damper rates tuned for both XT and G6 models, while the XT enjoys a 13 mm lower ride height.

On a race track straight-line sprint from a standing start during the Falcon EcoBoost launch, the XT hit 100 km/h around the seven second mark. On the road it was hard to tell - apart from a rather pleasant turbo whoosh – the power plant was a four-cylin-der force-fed unit, not a bigger ‘six’.

Pedal response when overtaking was as

good as a ‘six’, with negligible turbo lag.On the down side, Ford says towing

should be maximised at 1600 kg as opposed to 2300 kg with the bigger capacity engine.

Like the rest of the FG Falcon MkII range, the Falcon EcoBoost takes advantage of an upgrade of features that includes a new 8-inch colour touch screen with integrated audio and phone functions as well as satellite navigation on the G6E series.

The Falcon MkII also carries a compre-hensive occupant protection and security package that includes dual front, side thorax and curtain airbags, Dynamic Stability Control, rear parking sensors and driver fatigue warning system.

Apart from Ford’s 2.0-litre direct-injection four cylinder in the Falcon and 1.0-litre three-cylinder, set to appear Down Under in the EcoSport sports utility vehicle in 2013, the EcoBoost family also includes a 1.6-litre I-4 and 3.5-litre V6.

Plans call for an EcoBoost engine to be available in more than 90 per cent of the company’s global nameplates by 2013.

The Falcon EcoBoost joins the Kuga TE and Ranger PX 4x2 and 4x4 in Ford’s capped price servicing and 12 months myFord standard roadside assistance.

Details are available on the Ford website that provides customers with the maximum price they will pay for a standard A or B logbook service for an eligible vehicle at participating Ford dealers.

How will the Falcon ‘four’ be taken up by rusted-on six-cylinder large family car enthusiasts? Get their bums on seats in the EcoBoost-powered Falcon; drive them around and spend the petrol-pump savings on them. Job done.

Ford Falcon EcoBoost range:FG Falcon Mk II EcoBoost XT: $37,235FG Falcon Mk II EcoBoost G6: $40,835FG Falcon Mk II EcoBoost G6E: $46,735Note: These prices do not include government or dealer delivery charges.

^Set of four. When specifi ed, the vehicle will be fi tted with Luxury Performance Suspension. *Ford has an arrangement to provide the Suna Traffi c Channel broadcast for a minimum of 5 years from the time of vehicle manufacture. Coverage includes Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Gold Coast metropolitan areas. Refer to www.sunatraffi c.com.au for full details. ^^EcoBoost available Q1 2012. °The estimated drive away price is based on a vehicle being garaged in postcode listed and on the owner being a ‘rating one’ driver aged 40 with a good driving record. The estimated drive away price includes 12 months registration, 12 months compulsory third party insurance (CTP), an estimated Dealer delivery charge, stamp duty and other applicable statutory charges. Your actual drive away price may diff er depending on your individual circumstances or choice of insurer. Statutory charges are current as at May 2012. Please consult Frankston Ford to confi rm a price that is specifi c to you. #Bluetooth® is a registered trademark of Bluetooth SIG Inc., and is used under licence. Customers should consult Frankston Ford on the ability of their mobile phone handset to integrate with the Bluetooth® system prior to making a purchase decision. ~iPod is a trademark of Apple Inc. Off er ends 30.11.12. LCMT11035 YPA4896-FP

www.wignallford.com.au

Part of Australia’s Largest Motoring Group www.ahg.com.au

Since 1979

FORDFRANKSTON

20-22 Overton Rd 03 9008 7463

AT WIGNALL FORD.

I GOT ALOT OFCAR FORMY MONEY

FALCON G6E ECOBOOST• 2.0L turbo petrol engine • ZF 6 speed automatic • 18” Alloy wheels^ • Premium audio system • Leather seat inserts • Reverse camera • Front LED position lamps & Perimeter alarm • Projector headlamps • Dual zone climate control • Satellite navigation system with Traffi c Message Channel (TMC)* • Bluetooth# with iPod~ and USB connectivity

$41,990 DRIVEAWAY˚

^^

4 8 9 6 - F P _ F O R D . p d f P a g e 1 3 0 / 1 0 / 1 2 , 4 : 5 2 : 4 4 P M A E D T


^Set of four. When specifi ed, the vehicle will be fi tted with Luxury Performance Suspension. *Ford has an arrangement to provide the Suna Traffi c Channel broadcast for a minimum of 5 years from the time of vehicle manufacture. Coverage includes Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Gold Coast metropolitan areas. Refer to www.sunatraffi c.com.au for full details. ^^EcoBoost available Q1 2012. °The estimated drive away price is based on a vehicle being garaged in postcode listed and on the owner being a ‘rating one’ driver aged 40 with a good driving record. The estimated drive away price includes 12 months registration, 12 months compulsory third party insurance (CTP), an estimated Dealer delivery charge, stamp duty and other applicable statutory charges. Your actual drive away price may diff er depending on your individual circumstances or choice of insurer. Statutory charges are current as at May 2012. Please consult Frankston Ford to confi rm a price that is specifi c to you. #Bluetooth® is a registered trademark of Bluetooth SIG Inc., and is used under licence. Customers should consult Frankston Ford on the ability of their mobile phone handset to integrate with the Bluetooth® system prior to making a purchase decision. ~iPod is a trademark of Apple Inc. Off er ends 30.11.12. LCMT11035 YPA4896-FP

www.wignallford.com.au

Part of Australia’s Largest Motoring Group www.ahg.com.au

Since 1979

FORDFRANKSTON

20-22 Overton Rd 03 9008 7463

AT WIGNALL FORD.

I GOT ALOT OFCAR FORMY MONEY

FALCON G6E ECOBOOST• 2.0L turbo petrol engine • ZF 6 speed automatic • 18” Alloy wheels^ • Premium audio system • Leather seat inserts • Reverse camera • Front LED position lamps & Perimeter alarm • Projector headlamps • Dual zone climate control • Satellite navigation system with Traffi c Message Channel (TMC)* • Bluetooth# with iPod~ and USB connectivity

$41,990 DRIVEAWAY˚

^^

4 8 9 6 - F P _ F O R D . p d f P a g e 1 3 0 / 1 0 / 1 2 , 4 : 5 2 : 4 4 P M A E D T

22 | BusinessTimes

ManaGInG


Humans are very interesting characters. One side of our personality seeks comfort, where we feel low levels of stress because our surroundings are familiar, our physical and mental states are relaxed and we have confidence in the future. This is our comfort zone.

By definition, when we face a risk situation that forces us to move outside our comfort zone, our stress levels rise, we start to feel tense physically and our mind becomes more alert. In this state, adrenaline flow increases as we prepare to react to any warning signs that may herald danger.

Once we handle the situation, then we relax again and head back into our comfort zone. The great thing is that the next time we experience this risk situation, we feel much more comfortable because we have handled it beforehand. This is the learning process where we have to get outside our comfort zone if we are to learn something new.

This same dichotomy is important to business leaders. On one hand, they usually work hard to set up their business with predictable processes and results so that they can feel comfortable with their performance and their future. On the other hand, business leaders need to drive positive change in their organisation by getting their team outside its comfort zone. This challenge is particularly difficult for small business because of the closeness of the personal relationships with a small team.

On the comfort side, you need to have people that you trust, people that can operate the business when you are away, people that understand your whole system from suppliers to customers. Building this is usually the principle focus of a business leader, where the maximum time will be invested, appropriately, to build the whole organisation’s comfort zone.

Once you have this side of business under control, then it is time to change it

by making the team uncomfortable again. Sometimes, this drive for change will come from outside your business.

Things like the GFC, new competitors, technology change, new products, will all contribute to force you outside your comfort zone. These outside factors are often enough on their own, but effective business leaders identify areas of their business that need to improve. Examples include speeding up the supply system, improving the cost base or quality, and tackling long-standing inefficien-cies.

Often the business leader has to be unreasonable in creating targets for change in order for their team to look for novel solutions. It may mean targeting a 50 per cent change in a business dimension rather than just a small change. Creating and managing the tension that this creates within the organisation is an important judgement for the business leader.

It has been shown that one of the most effective ways for adults to learn is to just do it. “Learning by doing” is very different to the classic teaching method, which usually focuses on increasing knowledge by telling the student how to do something. “Learning by doing” is a discovery process where the student actually has to complete tasks that are relevant to their learning objective. This means that the students are forced outside their comfort zone, have to stumble through, make errors, sweat a little and finally have success.

The quality of learning is so much enhanced by this actual physical process that the learning is likely to be permanent. There are dual benefits here as the student gains both the specific knowledge from doing the task, but also learns that this “learning by doing” process, while uncomfortable

at the start, is one that will bring them success. Hence, their appetite for learning improves as they find that they enjoy the physical stimulation as their comfort zone increases. Taken to the extreme, people can become “adrenaline junkies” where they routinely push themselves well outside their comfort zone because they love the physical and mental rush that comes from doing something that is very risky.

In small businesses, each job often has very specific accountabilities with substantial and necessary training. Moving a work interface between people or even job rotation can be great techniques to help your team learn, even though they will be uncomfortable for a while. During this time, the business leader’s role is to observe and manage the risks that are inherent in changing how work is done. This may include actual physical injury risks or risks to your products or customers where inter-ventions are needed to ensure that these risks are stopped before they manifest themselves.

In my experience, the most successful people in senior executive roles are the ones with a real appetite to learn. This meant that they spent a lot of their life outside their comfort zones to the extent that they really enjoy being uncomfortable.

In small businesses, it is critical for the business leader to show by example that they understand the importance of being uncomfortable by getting outside their personal comfort zone and showing their team that they can create a better business by being uncomfortable.Action Planning Questions: 1. Do you have a personal learning goal to expand your comfort zone every week by trying something new and challenging? 2. Have you identified areas of your business where radical change is needed and challenged the appropriate people to step outside their comfort zone? 3. Have you identified work redesign or job rotations that will help your people learn new improved work methods? 4. Have you shown your team that you understand the importance of being uncom-fortable by your personal example?

*Hamish Petrie had a 37-year corporate career including 25 with Alcoa Inc. His latest position was VP People and Communications for the Global Alcoa Corporation based in New York. He can be contacted at [email protected] or on 0404345103. © Hamish Petrie 2012

The importance of being uncomfortableOSCaR Wilde wrote a play about “the Importance of being earnest” in which his lead character had to be earnest in order to be successful in love. In business, however, the lead character - the owner- needs to understand the importance of being uncomfortable for the business to succeed.

Hamish Petrie*Business Consultant

BusinessTimes | 23

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