December 2018Talking Business

X Sacyr to build $65 million composting plant at Dandenong SouthPage 04

X Thomas Street transformed for major film shoot Page 07

X The gift of givingPage 09

Cover image: Coffee House on 2/229 Thomas St. Owners, Chameen Senaratne and Bineel Krishna featured.

Paul’s CornerWelcome to the December edition of Talking Business, formerly Stakeholder, which has been refreshed to improve the readability and engagement level of our valued audience.

This business magazine has been published quarterly for over 15 years, and we hope this revamp will continue to ensure the publication remains relevant, succinct and topical.

For those of you who are unaware, we also have an e-edition of Talking Business that is distributed on a monthly basis to share more time-sensitive information and opportunities, so please be sure to subscribe at www.greaterdandenong.com/ talkingbusiness

We recognise the value in sharing local business updates and developments, it allows investors and existing businesses to recognise that they are in good company here in Greater Dandenong. We encourage you to let us tell your story. If you have something you would like to share, please contact our economic development unit via business@cgd.vic.gov.au

In this edition, we have a diverse range of articles covering everything from a major film shoot in Thomas Street to findings from a study conducted on the success of a four-day working week model for employees. Local businesses are encouraged to embrace the season through a Christmas decorations competition and a call to take up local volunteering opportunities. Enjoy this edition of Talking Business and have a great Christmas and a safe and happy New Year.

Paul Kearsley Group Manager, Greater Dandenong Business (Includes Economic Development, Team 11, SEBN and Activity Centre Revitalisation)

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FEATURES

Sacyr to build $65 million composting plant at Dandenong South

Thomas Street transformed for major film shoot

The proof is in the pudding for the Fine Foods

Forum participants

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06

Events calendar

The gift of giving

A new era for work arrangements

02

Get into the spirit of Christmas this festive season and light up your home or local business.

Following the success of a Christmas light competition last year, Council is again offering a prize to Greater Dandenong’s Best Dressed House and Best Dressed Business.

Take a leaf from the new owners of Coffee House (featured on the front page of the magazine), Chameen Senaratne and Bineel Krishna, at 2/229 Thomas Street and play your part in creating a thriving seasonal spirit.

“We really see the value in decorating your business. Customers definitely notice the effort you put in and it enhances their overall experience,” said Mr Senaratne.

“The aesthetic ‘vibe’ can sometimes be the reason a customer chooses your cafe for their morning coffee, and who knows that choice may become a habit beyond the festive season.”

Every year Council decorates its main activity centres in Noble Park, Dandenong and Springvale

for Christmas, and we know that many of our residents and business owners love to join in the festive spirit.

This year we invite our residents and businesses to submit photos of their own Christmas displays for a chance to share in $3000 of prizes awarded by the Mayor.

Entries open December 1. Visit greaterdandenong.com/christmascomp for more information and to find out how to enter.

Christmas competition

Greater Dandenong’s Tycab Australia Pty Ltd is an exemplary business that is meeting their growth demands in a smarter way, while considering and respecting their operating environment.

Producing copper rod and cable products for a range of industries, including mining, transport, food processing, residential housing and commercial property, Tycab Australia is one of the nation’s only vertically integrated copper smelting manufacturers.

The company is set to undertake a $5.48 million investment project to better manage its rising energy costs, which has been supplemented through grant funding made available by the Victorian Government. This investment will create four new jobs and will also see the company retain its 72 workers.

As part of the project, the company will purchase an advanced design casting machine, an automatic spooling line and robotic palletiser, and build a new copper rod

production facility with solar PV on the roof.

Now is the time for businesses to start viewing their growth needs through a sustainable lens, particularly given there are multiple Victorian Government programs that can help businesses manage and reduce their energy costs from all angles.

For further information visit www.business.vic.gov.au/marketing-and-sales/business-sustainability/managing-energy-costs

Tycab Australia meets rising energy costs with sustainable thinking

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Sacyr to build $65 million composting plant at Dandenong SouthAustralia’s waste recycling crisis is receiving much-needed attention with all levels of government implementing targeted strategies to combat this stifling problem, particularly the nation’s strong reliance on landfill for waste disposal.

The crisis has encouragingly incited an injection of funds into initiatives that will start changing the face of the future, and Greater Dandenong is set to play a key leadership role.

The recycling sector took a big hit in January when China stopped taking Australia’s excess recyclable plastics, forcing the nation to manage 600,000 tonnes of extra rubbish that it previously offloaded. China’s decision was greatly influenced by the quality of Australia’s plastic, which has been described as ‘contaminated,’ containing too many types of plastics recycled together with general rubbish.

Over half (51 per cent) of all Australian household waste is made up of recyclables, so this statistic certainly puts things into perspective. The crisis has been perpetuated by China reducing its acceptance of paper and cardboard for recycling.

Similarly, many domestic businesses believe that the collective disposal of recyclables and normal rubbish in landfill will reduce costs, but this short-sighted thinking delivers poor environmental outcomes and presents an unfavourable image from a public relations perspective. Lack of awareness and education has contributed to this problem.

In August 2018 however, the Victorian Government announced that Dandenong South would host a new $65 million composting plant that will service households in the municipalities of Bayside, Cardinia, Casey, Frankston, Greater Dandenong, Kingston and Monash.

Taking a united front in the southeast, the plant will reduce the unsustainable reliance on landfill, while taking a “close the loop

approach” to disposing of household garden waste and food organics.

The facility will have the capability to recycle about 120,000 tonnes of household waste from residents’ garden waste bins (containing food and organic waste) per year and produce 50,000 tonnes of compost for the councils’ gardens and parks.

Federal Environment Minister, Josh Frydenberg, said: “This facility alone, which will be the most advanced of its type in Victoria, can process around 12,000 truckloads of waste per year.”

Spanish waste management giant, Sacyr, will build the asset which has been partially financed with a $38 million loan from the Federal Government’s Clean Energy Finance Corporation.

From a private industry perspective, The Recycling Industry Transition Support fund is another initiative designed to boost Australia’s capacity to capture and reprocess

plastics, paper and cardboard waste to a commercial grade acceptable to local and international markets.

Greater Dandenong’s Australian Paper Recovery received $475,000 under this fund which will supplement a $1.2 million equipment upgrade that will include new waste paper sorting and compaction equipment.

The Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change, Lily D’Ambrosio, said: “We’re helping Victoria’s recycling sector adjust to changes in world recycling markets so that more material is diverted from landfill.”

Applications are now open for another industry program, where Research, Development and Demonstration Grants are available to support projects that increase the quantity of recycled products being sold in Victoria.

More information on how to apply can be found at sustainability.vic.gov. au/research-development-grants.

“We’re helping Victoria’s recycling sector adjust to changes in world recycling markets so

that more material is diverted from landfill.”

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Winners of the Food and Beverage Industry Awards A big congratulations is extended to local winners at the Food and Beverage Industry Awards. We are very proud of our reputation as the largest manufacturing sector in Victoria.

Best in Design Oji Fibre Solutions – Yatala packaging plant

Packaging InnovationResult Group – Grape n’ Go

Celebrating employment wins for Greater Dandenong Small Area Labour Market data recently released by the Department of Employment shows Greater Dandenong’s unemployment rate was at 10% as at June 2018. This figure shows we still have a long way to go, but when compared to June 2012 where unemployment sat at 12.3%, it indicates a positive and encouraging change in the labour market.

This downward trend in unemployment can, among other factors, be attributed to recent manufacturing wins for Dandenong South including:

BWX Ltd will transition segments of its USA manufacturing onshore to its Dandenong headquarters, creating 50 jobs over the next five years.

Bombardier is set to deliver another 10 E-Class trams, giving workers further certainty by maintaining production levels at Bombardier. The additional E-Class trams will support retention of around 100 direct jobs and 500 jobs in the local supply chain.

Aspen Australia have won the rights to manufacture Panadol products for Australia, South East Asia, the Middle east, North Africa and New Zealand, creating 85 new jobs in Dandenong.

Local tourism offer strengthens with new breweryGreater Dandenong has all things great when it comes to local manufacturing. Recently joining the enclave is Brick Lane Brewing Co and they are in good company with the region’s other growing tourism attractions.

The $10 million brewery opened its operation in August which will see the production of 10,000 bottles and 15,000 cans per hour, with a capacity of more than 10,000 pints of beer every day.

The brewery will also allow other breweries to use their facilities to create their own beers.

“We wanted to give breweries the opportunity to bring their wonderful beers to a wider national and international audience,” said Jon Seltin, Head Brewer.

“We are excited about working with some of the wonderful, talented and creative brewers to get more of their beers out there into the world.”

This brewery is like no other, with its state-of-the-art equipment fitout, including European technology never seen before in Australia.

BrauKon was the provider of the brewing and process equipment, and the facility has energy reduction, recovery and storage technologies implemented into the design. There is also a vapour condenser present, which reclaims energy from steam produced during the brewing process.

Brick Lane is the first Australian brewery to adopt cross-flow filtration technology from Pall, which will reduce energy and water usage, improve beer quality and eliminate

the need to use filtration aids including diatomaceous earth. The name is a nod to the London brewery street and Melbourne’s laneways.

Brick Lane Brewery will add to Dandenong’s local tourist attractions and will also be renowned for making world-class beer. The public will be able to visit the brewery one weekend each month where consumers can try tastings from a rotating roster of food trucks.

This investment will create about 30 jobs in the brew house and in hospitality positions. Located on 1.42 hectares at Jayco Drive, the brewery is well positioned for easy customer access and parking.

www.bricklanebrewing.com

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A four-day working week has been a dream that many of us harbor, but it has always been just that, a dream. For New Zealand company, Perpetual Guardian however, the four-day working week was a concept that warranted a trial to determine its effect on staff productivity and engagement levels.

The company asked its 240 office workers to work a four-day week (eight hour days) while still being paid their usual five-day salary. The program was declared a success with 78 percent of employees saying they were better able to manage the much desired work-life balance.

The man behind this innovative idea, Andrew Barnes, stated: “I have a philosophy where I want people in my organisation to be the best they can be in the office, but I also want them to be the best they can be outside of the office at home with their families.”

The idea was born after Mr Barnes read two international research papers on work productivity where the research suggested staff are only productive for an average of two to three hours in a working day.

“I felt given the pressures of modern life, if I could give a day back so you could do all those things that otherwise you were trying to juggle… I would get better focus during the work day (for my staff) and I would be making the work-life balance environment for my staff that much better.”

Mr Barnes does not deny that a four-day work week has its challenges and these were addressed through collaboration with staff in the nontraditional ‘bottom-up’ approach. This process saw teams collaborate with their managers to determine how they could complete their duties over four days instead of five.

“I have a philosophy where I want people in my organisation to be the best they can be in the office, but I also want them to be the best they can be outside of the office at home with their families.”Mr Barnes invited two independent research bodies, AUT and University of Auckland Business School, to follow the eight week trial and report on the findings.

The results found that employees:

• Believed a four-day work week showed how much their employer cared about their well-being

• Desired to retain their job position for longer

• Showed an increase in job satisfaction and engagement

• Showed an increase in teamwork and collaboration.

Mr Barnes hopes that by making the research and trial readily available it may open the door for other organisations to adapt their own flexible work arrangements with a focus on quality not quantity.

Mr Barnes hopes this trial is a catalyst for having a sensible, mature, informed debate between shareholders, management, employees and the wider community.

This flexible work arrangement case study is challenging businesses to take a risk to trust their employees and support them in a new approach to work in this modern era. After all, human resources are the driving force behind any business and it is important they have a working environment that is most conducive to productivity.

For further information visit www.4dayweek.co.nz/

A new era for work arrangements

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Thomas Street transformed for major film shoot

From a busy shopping precinct to a multi-million dollar film set, Thomas Street in Dandenong has been wearing two hats of late.

Whistleblower Productions – the same team behind award winning films Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and the Fast and Furious 7– were in Dandenong recently shooting a new $50 million dollar Chinese feature film.

Council has been assisting the production team for a number of months to bring this large scale film production to the streets of Dandenong.

Thomas Street was transformed into a busy streetscape in Malawi in Eastern Africa.

Scenes were also shot in Boyd Lane in central Dandenong.

More than 100 extras were used in the most recent film shoot and the majority of these were sourced locally from within the City of Greater Dandenong.

Whistleblower Productions Supervising Location Manager

Pia Emery said she spent quite a bit of time scouting locations for this shoot.

“We looked at about eight different locations for this shoot, but when I saw the bones of this location I knew it was perfect,” she said.

“It’s the open feel of Thomas Street, the plaza and the colours of Africa that really stood out for us.”

Ms Emery said Council and the broader Greater Dandenong community had been fantastic to work with.

“Council, local traders and the broader community have gone out of their way to make this film production happen and we would definitely consider Dandenong as a location for future projects.”

The film is due for release in China next year.

Greater Dandenong Council Chief Executive Officer John Bennie said Dandenong was gaining a reputation for being a fantastic location for film producers.

“The City of Greater Dandenong is officially recognised as a film friendly municipality by Film Victoria and is developing a reputation for being a viable, unique and welcoming location for film production,” Mr Bennie said.

“We are very proud to celebrate the vibrancy of our city and it is pleasing to see others recognising this vibrancy too.”

Council also recently partnered with filmmaker Charles Williams to produce the film All These Creatures which was shot almost entirely in the City of Greater Dandenong. The film was shortlisted for the Cannes Film Festival in France and went on to win the prestigious Palme D’Or for best short film at the festival.

All These Creatures is currently screening around the world and just won awards at film festivals in Melbourne and Mexico.

Other productions which have been shot in the City of Greater Dandenong include Neighbours and Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries.

“It’s the open feel of Thomas Street, the plaza and the colours of Africa that really stood out for us.”

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Vanrooy Machinery works with some of Australia’s finest chefs and largest food businesses to ensure they have the tools they need. Now celebrating its 40th year in business, the catering equipment supplier began as a commercial bakery in Dandenong.

“Vanrooy Machinery started with a single operator importing the first European rack ovens to Australia,” says David Van Rooy, Owner and Managing Director.

“For years the company was dealing in bakery ovens, which then expanded into other machines. This has grown into what we have today: Australia-wide coverage, over 20 employees, and a European product range that covers an array of food-industry categories.”

Vanrooy supplies food machinery for patisseries, processing lines and pizzerias and now works with Zumbo Patisserie, Laurent Bakery and B&P Sweet Studio among others.

Mr Van Rooy attributes the company’s success to building trust with its customers.

“Our service and 24/7 support is outstanding.”

Vanrooy’s 110 m2 test kitchen at its Dandenong South showroom enables customers to try their own recipes with the machinery they are interested in.

The company also attends food industry exhibitions, is active on social media and works with high-profile chefs, providing valuable exposure.

“We have mutually beneficial relationships with these personalities. At the recent Fine Foods exhibition we had Adriano Zumbo and Darren Purchese representing us,” says Mr Van Rooy.

Vanrooy Machinery’s growth has been exponential in recent years, building on relationships with clients like Woolworths, for which it now provides bakery equipment for every store in Australia. Mr Van Rooy says the company may outgrow its new location in the near future.

For its 40th anniversary celebrations, the company launched a new website and logo, held special events for suppliers and ran a Smeg Oven prize give-away for clients.

vanrooy.com.au

Designing success in software manufacturingMuch like the advanced technology it offers, NC CADCAM Systems (NCCS) is always a step ahead. The company organises the annual INNO3D event – the largest 3D CAD event in Australia – which it created four years ago.NCCS attributes its 20 year success to its high-level service and to providing efficient advanced manufacturing solutions. The company distributes SOLIDWORKS, a complete 3D Modelling Software and CAD product design solution.“It’s the widest-used platform in the world,” says NCCS Sales Manager Gary Garner. “No other company in Australia has both the SOLIDWORKS and CAMWorks products. “We work very closely with local manufacturing and design businesses to configure their CAM [computer-aided manufacturing] processes in the most optimal way. That may involve applying high-speed machining and optimum tool selection. “A lot of our business is assisting people to use the software specific to their company’s needs so they can improve quality and time to market.” Based in Keysborough, NCCS has 15 staff with backgrounds in engineering and mechanical design. The company recently held INNO3D to launch Solidworks 2019 and to provide a forum for innovation, inspiration and networking. More than 200 people attended including representatives from CNC machine dealers, 3D printing companies and those from reverse engineering and associated manufacturing industries. NCCS has a diverse customer base such as rail carriage designers and manufacturers of caravans, trailers and ute canopies. Mr Garner has observed a swing from companies using Chinese suppliers to buying local. “It’s centred around efficiency, quality and speed and if manufacturers today aren’t looking at that, they really should be,” he said.www.nccs.com.au

Catering for the masses

A QUICK HISTORY

Early 1970s

1980

1984

1995

1978

Late 80s

1992

2002

2017

John Van Rooy opens the Red Mill Cakes factory.

John buys a small Dandenong South factory and starts Vanrooy Machinery.

Vanrooy is a founding supplier for Bakers Delight.

John sells Red Mill Cakes to focus on the equipment side of the business.

Vanrooy begins supplying to Woolworths.

Vanrooy moves to a nearby factory and opens a Sydney showroom.

The company adds an additional warehouse.

John’s son David takes over the business, which has five employees.

Vanrooy moves to the Logis Estate with an impressive 1,500 m2 of space.

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Have you heard of the triple bottom line? Or perhaps in more recent times the phrase Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)? If you have not, it is time to listen up.

The Australian Human Rights Commission defines the concept of CSR as corporations having a degree of responsibility not only for the economic consequences of their activities, but also for the social and environmental implications.

Today, socially responsible business practices are becoming the norm rather than the exception. The devil is in the detail but for those who actively participate in CSR actions the results are abundant. One method is through volunteering. This activity is a chance for both individuals and organisations to give back to society and/or the environment. Volunteering can be a very rewarding experience and while it is a selfless act it is often attributed to increased levels of inner satisfaction and pride.

Volunteering Australia CEO, Adrienne Picone, said: “Volunteering plays a critical role in Australia’s national identity. It is essential to building strong and resilient communities, and encourages economic participation, mitigates isolation and loneliness, and increases social inclusion and community participation.”

The 2016 State of Volunteering report conducted by Volunteering Australia highlights that there are 5.8 million

Australians (31 per cent of the population) who engage in volunteering activities and programs, making an estimated annual economic and social contribution of $290 billion. The report found that 67 per cent of businesses who encouraged their staff to participate in volunteer work stated that staff brought back new insights into their organisation as a result.

With Christmas around the corner, corporate volunteering is a great way for staff to give back to their local community while also fulfilling an element of a company’s CSR strategy. Each year, Vision Australia’s Melbourne South East office, based in Dandenong, run a series of gift wrapping stations at major shopping centres.

These are staffed by community and corporate volunteers helping Christmas shoppers get prepared by wrapping their presents for a gold coin donation. The funds raised go towards supporting those who are blind or who have limited vision. Last year two corporate companies contributed to the gift wrapping stations, NAB and Grace Legal.

Volunteers gain valuable skills from their involvement, from both a personal and professional development perspective. Vision Australia’s Coordinator of Volunteers, Kath Struthers, said: “This year we will be running gift wrapping stations at the Parkmore Shopping Centre, Fountain Gate Shopping Centre, Casey Central and Somerville Central in the lead up to Christmas day.”

Other rewarding volunteering opportunities can be found by visiting sites such as Impact Volunteering, Volunteering Victoria or Volunteering Australia. The Greater Dandenong South East Volunteering Service, a joint initiative between the City of Greater Dandenong and South East Volunteers, is also another great place to find a rewarding role. To learn more phone 9562 0414.

If you would like to learn more about how to get involved with volunteering with Vision Australia email MelbourneSouthEast@visionaustralia.org or call (03) 8791 0201.Sources: https://www.volunteeringaustralia.org/ The ‘State of Volunteering’ report 2016

The gift of giving

“Volunteering plays a critical role in Australia’s national identity. It is essential to building strong and resilient communities, and encourages economic participation, mitigates isolation and loneliness, and increases social inclusion and community participation.”

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The proof is in the pudding for the Fine Foods Forum participants

The City of Greater Dandenong was proud to have a stand at the 2018 Fine Food Expo and showcase the fabulous businesses from our region.

The overwhelming consensus was a big thumbs up from the 21 Greater Dandenong participating exhibitionists, with one business providing feedback summarising it all: “I totally underestimated this Food Expo!”

Another participating local business commented: “I’m having meetings post Expo with contacts that I’ve been trying to get in front of for months!”

The Greater Dandenong exhibitionists included:

X Propharma X Dry Powder Specialists X My Lifestyle Protein X Moondarra Cheese X Uncle’s Smallgoods

X Future Bake X From Granny X Tamarix Poultry Farm X AG Bakehouse X Farm Pride Foods Ltd X South East Brewing Company X KAIJU! Beer X Golden Axe Cider X Gippsland Jersey X Paradise Gourmet Foods X Freedom Foods Dandenong X Harvest Box X Scorpio Foods Pty Ltd X Murray River Organics X Momentum Foods X Birubi Foods.

The four-day exhibition, which ran between 10-13 September at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition

Centre, showcased Australia’s best food, beverages, machinery and equipment on offer. The event provided a stage for businesses and entrepreneurs to network, share ideas, techniques and trends in the food industry.

There was a range of other opportunities including interaction with over 26,000 trade visitors who passed through the doors, opportunities to negotiate better supply and distribution deals and exclusive face-to-face meetings with leading industry suppliers.

Are you disappointed you missed out? Learn how you can take part in the next Food Expo by contacting Helen Beekmans, Food Enterprise and Tourism Officer, at helen.beekmans@cgd.vic.gov.au or call 8571 5373.

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New-look bowls club is an ‘absolute’ successLawn bowls is undergoing an all-round revamp at Dandenong Club, which has secured the premier division bowls final on 24 March 2019.

Over the past two years the club’s efforts in reviving bowls activity has seen its membership grow by 25 per cent. A heavy focus on casual bowls last summer season resulted in over 3,000 casual bowler visits. Initiatives included barefoot bowling, school programs and corporate events.

The Dandenong Club aims to have a year-round program of activity, in line with Bowls Australia’s vision “for all Australians to engage with bowls during their lifetime”.

The Club’s Board of Management and General Manager, Ross Dunlop, have worked to create a club that appeals to all ages, abilities and backgrounds.

Bowls Coordinator, Rob Sharpe, said: “Securing the grand final of Victoria’s premier bowls competition will be an excellent opportunity to showcase our facility, which underwent construction for five months this year.”

The upgraded facility, which re-opened in October, now boasts a roof over an artificial green, electronic scoreboards and video displays, redeveloped function areas, a new bowls office and retail shop.

The improvements, at an investment of $1.4 million, have also created jobs with a new operations manager

and shop assistant joining the Dandenong Club.

“The grass green and the Tiger Weave synthetic green – designed to provide a perfect roll – will meet a variety of needs. The latter surface runs at a speed suitable for any bowler, whether beginner or expert.

“Having a weather-proof green was instrumental in securing the Bowls Victoria final, while the new green-side café, bar and lounge areas will provide more opportunities for participants to relax and socialise,” Mr Sharpe said.

www.dandenongclub.com.au

Concept designs have been finalised for a unique canopy covering Post Office Lane, a highly used pedestrian route between Warwick Avenue carpark and Springvale Road’s popular shops and retail.

The City of Greater Dandenong commissioned leading Melbourne-based landscape and urban design group, ASPECT Studios, to develop concepts which would reflect Springvale’s character and appeal.

The design process also involved the community, in particular local students from St Joseph and Springvale Rise Primary Schools, to help identify some of the features the canopy design could include.

The result is a design which draws on Springvale’s multicultural attributes, utilising elements that symbolise vitality, prosperity and good luck. At night, the canopy will be lit, accentuating the canopy’s colour design and bound to make the laneway a 24/7 attraction.

Significant improvements have already been made to the laneway, including resurfacing, better drainage, an irrigation system, planter boxes, benches and tables.

Tenders will be called for the canopy’s manufacture ahead of its installation in early 2019.

Concept designs for a new canopy over Post Office Lane, by day and by night.

A splash of colour coming to Springvale’s Post Office Lane

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WHY NOT JOIN YOUR MANUFACTURING PEERS IN 2019Our approach to networking delivers a stronger, more resilient and globally engaged business community.

SEBN has been supporting women in business since 1999 and as their role and influence in business increases, so does the demand for relevant support.

SEBN provides an environment that encourages sharing of knowledge and expertise and supports their professional development which in turn increases personal confidence.

Life-changing challenge acceptedThe Kitchen Challenge is creating a fusion of the corporate world and local unemployed young people with incredible results.

City of Greater Dandenong is running the program with funding from VicHealth, designed to develop teamwork and leadership skills while improving mental health. United Kingdom (UK) Chef, Rob Rees, developed and delivered the Kitchen Challenge program which sees participants producing a restaurant-quality lunch for up to 50 guests after only seven days of training.

Alongside cooking skills and nutritional education, the group participates in a range of activities designed to build their confidence and emotional intelligence.

Having already had an interest in cooking and after hearing about the Kitchen Challenge concept, Christine Thompson, Quality Systems Manager at Fantech in Dandenong South, recently participated in the program.

“I was interested in working with the local unemployed young people from the community and learning in a

different way from other individuals,” says Ms Thompson.

“I attended each Friday on a personal basis but in hindsight, from a business perspective it teaches you an entirely different way of leading people. It’s about everyone being on the same level no matter who you are and where you come from. We learned that you can step back and be the first follower, and lead in that way.”

Ms Thompson was part of a team of 12 and the group shared personal experiences on the first day to help them connect.

“It gave me so much pleasure to see people grow throughout the program and in the end we served a four-course meal to 35 people with no dramas. You learn to trust the process, the team and yourself so you work together so well. Even in a small kitchen like we had, you ‘dance’ together, as Rob describes it. “It was a life-changing experience.”

For further information about the Kitchen Challenge program please contact the program founder Rob Rees MBE DL at info@robrees.com or visit kitchenchallenge.com.au.

The Netherlands – Gateway to

Business in the EU Time: 10am-1pm

May 2 2019To book email

sebn@cgd.vic.gov.au

SEBN Christmas Industry Breakfast

Time: 7am-9amDecember 6 2018

To book email sebn@cgd.vic.gov.au

Do not miss the 10th anniversary of the CGD-Industry ‘Take a Swing for Charity’ golf day.

To be held February 25 2019, the anniversary celebration will be held at Huntingdale Golf Club.

To book your place or team, register your interest now at sebn@cgd.vic.gov.au.

12 SEBN (South East Business Networks)

Changes in CoR laws – don’t get caughtGary Rowe, CEO of Safety Action, presented on the impacts of the new Chain of Responsibility (CoR) laws at a recent SEBN Workplace Health and Safety session, advising that the laws have been established to ensure all parties in the supply chain – not just the driver or operator – are to ensure safety in transport activities. Gary stated that the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) applies to vehicles with a gross mass (weight) greater than 4.5 tonnes – including the weight of both trailers and loads. New laws included the following:

• All parties within the chain have a primary duty to prevent a breach of the HVNL as far as reasonably practicable

• Increased penalty – for example category 1 breach involving recklessness has a maximum penalty of $300,000 for the individual, or 5 years imprisonment for the individual, or both imprisonment and $3 million for companies

• Executive officers – including a partner or management member (in the case of an unincorporated body) must exercise due diligence to prevent breaches in their co-operation etc.

Common breaches under HVNL include inducing drivers to overspeed, operating in a fatigued state, overloading (loads not properly restrained or overhanging dangerously), and breaching work rest requirements.

Parties that have CoR obligations include:

Consignors

Load packers

Employers and Executive Officers

Schedulers and& Load Manager

Consignees

Loaders

Operators

ContractorsArticle courtesy of Benedict Olih at Safety Action www.safetyaction.com.au

Ignite Greater Dandenong – the Dynamic World of StartupsNever was there a better time to start your own business with an array of support programs available. One exciting new initiative commenced Tuesday 23 October when the first Ignite Greater Dandenong startup activity was held – where more than 40 people from local business, community organisations and all walks of life were encouraged to get involved in exploring opportunities to create their own business.   

Keynote speaker Peter Dostis, CEO of Runway HQ, shared his experiences and model for developing business ideas and helped the audience to understand the language and phases of the startup world from setup to scaling-up – summarised in the ‘business phases’ diagram.

The enthusiastic audience fielded an interesting array of questions to Peter and a panel of experts including strategic futurist, Marcus Barber (Centre for Australian Foresight),

digital strategist, Judy Pridmore (Judy Pridmore Consulting), and Managing Director of the award-winning product development company Successful Endeavours, Ray Keefe.

Funded by LaunchVic, the aim of Ignite Greater Dandenong is to build a healthy startup ecosystem, bringing various activities and partners together from business and

access to capital to education and government. The Ignite program will incorporate mentoring, workshops and masterclasses, together with co-working space and hackathons.

If you have an entrepreneurial spirit and business idea that you would like to develop, please contact ignitegreaterdandenong@cgd.vic.gov.au.

Plan and Setup

business phasesExecution

and GrowthScale

All the activities involved with setting up a business before launch and generating revenue

Adding resources at the same rate that you are adding revenue

Adding revenue at an exponential rate while only adding resources at an incremental rate

13SEBN (South East Business Networks)

DECEMBER 2018 – FEBRUARY 2019Summer has arrived and with it comes the festive season. It is a great time to reflect on the year that was, begin to plan for 2019 and most importantly, wind down. The small business program will be taking a break over the summer season and will return in full swing from March 2019.

The economic development unit (EDU) would like to thank all businesses who have reached out with business enquiries, attended workshops or provided constructive

feedback. It is all appreciated and we hope to see you again in the new year to continue to celebrate and promote your business stories. Please keep an eye out on our website via www.greaterdandenong.com/smallbusinessworkshops for all the latest event news and updates.

The official February – June 2019 program will be launched in early 2019.

Have a wonderful summer. The EDU

Events calendarSmall group workshops given greenlight for 2019 The Greater Dandenong Chamber of Commerce (The Chamber) has been trialing a new event series for its members and thanks to a high level of engagement it is set to flow into 2019.

As businesses wind down, celebrate 2018 and look ahead to the New Year, there is a great opportunity to think about what lies ahead and the implications for your business plan.

How can you grow your business? What is on offer to assist you? Are there any training courses that you should complete? Are there any business connections that you need to reach out to?

The trial program provided topics of interest to members, presented by members. The Chamber confirmed results speak for themselves with sell-out success encouraging the expansion of the program into next year. In the past 12 months, the Chamber has seen an increase in attendance of over 30 per cent for all events.

Executive Officer, Tiffany Murray, said: “This year we saw a range of topics covered including ‘How to Network’ and ‘Professional and Personal Productivity.’ These sessions were free and exclusively for members.”

“It has been really exciting to give our members this new engagement platform and watch them thrive!”

The Chamber runs over 25 events a year in a variety of different formats.

If you are interested to learn more, or wish to become a member of the Chamber, please contact Tiffany Murray at tiffany@greaterdandenongchamber.com.au or call 9768 3283.

Greater Dandenong will come alive with Christmas cheer over this festive season, with roving entertainment organised at various times and locations in December. View the timetable below for details and be sure to come along – you may be surprised by who you might see!

LocationSaturday 8 December

Sunday 9 December

Thursday 20 December

Friday 21 December

Harmony Square and Lonsdale Street, Dandenong

11am-2pm 11am-2pm 11am-2pm 11am-2pm

Multi Cultural Place - Buckingham Avenue, Springvale

11am-2pm 11am-2pm

Douglas Street (between Frank and Leonard Streets), Noble Park

11am-2pm 11am-2pm

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Good online habits are increasingly important in our digital economy. Online safety at work can start at home and vice-versa. If the idea of vacuuming behind the lounge does not fill you with much joy, why not start with a clean-up of your digital life?

To help you get started, the Government in partnership with industry and the National Broadband Network (NBN) has published a new ‘how to’ guide for individuals, which contains easy to follow tips that you can implement at work to protect your family devices.

With the surge in popularity of flexible working arrangements, it is quite possible that your work laptop connects to your home network and the company intranet. So herein lies the double blow; an infection on a home device can affect the privacy

and integrity of your work data. When cyber-crime is estimated to cost Australians over one billion dollars per year, it hits home hard.

It gets more complicated when considering the myriad of objects (call them ‘things’) that can connect over the internet to make up the “Internet of Things” (IoT). For the 84 per cent of online small and medium businesses, the IoT includes just about anything connected together: printers, projectors, smart phones, tablets – the list goes on.

So how do we improve our digital security? Access more information on the Stay Smart Online website and follow the simple steps to spring clean your digital life.

Subscribe to the free Stay Smart Online Alert Service to receive regular updates about recent online

threats and scams, and advice on how to manage digital risks.

‘Like’ Stay Smart Online on Facebook and read the policies of the apps you frequent, and help spread the online security love to your family and colleagues, from the lounge room to the board room.

Many often use the same passwords and passphrases across multiple sites which is a great risk, so read up on password security to avoid simple security mistakes.

So go on, it is time to get tech savvy.

Cyber security resourceswww.staysmartonline.gov.auwww.staysmartonline.gov.au/alert_servicewww.facebook.com/staysmartonline

Sandran reinvigorates prominent Dandenong office buildingProperty investor, Sandran, has invested about $12 million in overhauling one of its largest suburban assets at 14-16 Mason Street, following the Australian Taxation Office’s (ATO) move from the 15,000 square metre building.

The ATO made a decision to relocate to a brand new A-grade building on a nearby site previously owned by Development Victoria. To attract quality tenants, the property investor enlisted Kymbal Dunne, Knight Frank Director of Client Solutions, to oversee the asset’s repositioning in the market.

Mr Dunne said the building needed added amenity as well as upgrading adding: “There was minimal good quality B grade space available in the area yet demand for affordable office space was strong.”

The result of the leasing campaign has seen a number of tenants sign

up at 14-16 Mason Street including Serco, Victoria Legal Aid and Regus with a number of leases currently under negotiation.

Greater Dandenong Mayor Councillor, Roz Blades, said: “Our mission is to revitalise and energise Dandenong and we see an evolution from Dandenong’s historic importance as an industrial hub to a thriving centre for business, retail and residents.”

Please contact Council’s economic development unit on 8571 1346 should you wish to make enquires about this project or require a contact for leasing enquiries.

Cyber safety – from the lounge room to the boardroom

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CONTACT

Greater Dandenong Business Dandenong Civic Centre 225 Lonsdale Street Dandenong, Victoria 3175 Ph: 8571 1550 www.greaterdandenong.com business@cgd.vic.gov.au

Catherine Cunningham Talking Business Editorial Ph: 8571 1455 business@cgd.vic.gov.au

Views expressed by individual contributors in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the City of Greater Dandenong.

Material from Talking Business, Greater Dandenong‘s business news, may be reproduced for non-commercial purposes provided the source is acknowledged, for example, ‘This material first appeared in the City of Greater Dandenong’s Talking Business publication, December 2018'.

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