May 2016 Edition

Published on 01 May 2016

May 2016

Welcome to the May edition of Hobsons Bay Business e-Works

This month has kicked off with the announcement of the 2016-17 state and federal budgets, which will see a number of new programs and initiatives aimed at improving business and supporting workers in transition industries. The state budget has also committed additional funding for the Western Distributor, which will ease congestion on the Westgate Bridge and reduce the number of trucks on local roads.

Our series of free workshops and seminars continues to attract business owners from across Hobsons Bay and this month we have two sessions running, Financial Planning for Small Business and Serving Multicultural Customers. The ATO will also be hosting their popular Record Keeping for Small Business workshop in Altona as part of their Tax Basic program.

Also this month we have the BEC@Kangan returning to Hobsons Bay to run free small business consultations with local businesses and a range of other programs and funding opportunities available to local business owners.

If you have any questions about doing business in Hobsons Bay or how Council can assist in helping your business grow, please contact us on 03 9932 1285 or email business@hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au

State and Federal Budget Announcements

The release of the state and federal budgets in recent weeks has demonstrated a clear commitment across both levels of government to making it easier to do business in Australia, and for many small business owners the budget will deliver savings from 1 July 2016.

The federal government's National Innovation and Science Agenda forms a key element of the 2016-17 budget, with a strong commitment to supporting innovation, entrepreneurship and investment in Australian startups. Similarly, the Victorian budget places an emphasis on stimulating growth and creating more jobs for Victorians. Budget highlights for business owners include...


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Spotlight on�

Lighting upgrades at Landpower

Altona-based business Landpower is one of the largest privately owned farm machinery distributors in Australasia and enjoys brand partnerships with premium European and Canadian manufacturers including CLAAS, AMAZONE, Seed Hawk and Grimme.

Having operated locally for more than 35 years, Landpower is 100% family owned and delivers integrated machinery solutions including combine harvesters, potato harvesters, tractors, hay and forage equipment, spreaders, sprayers and tillage tools.

Through Hobsons Bay City Council’s Light$mart program, Landpower recently replaced over 350 lights throughout its offices, workshop and warehouse space with new, energy efficient LED lights reducing energy and maintenance costs and saving greenhouse gas emissions.

Following these upgrades, Landpower expects to save an additional $20,153 in energy and maintenance costs each year, as well as 79,239 kWh of electricity and 100 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions.

Funding is still available for businesses interested in undertaking a lighting assessment and upgrade. For more information click here.

*Funding is available for 10% of project costs up to $5,000 per business. Subsidy is calculated after all other discounts (e.g. VEET) have been applied. Funding is limited and only available until fully allocated or 30 June 2016.

Check-in to China

Hobsons Bay City Council works closely with Destination Melbourne to promote and advocate for the tourism industry, an important part of our economic landscape.

Building on the Chinese Free Trade Agreement which came into effect in December 2015, Destination Melbourne has developed Check-in to China, a six month program aimed at assisting business owners to gain first-hand, up-to-date insights into Chinese visitors and build a road map for their business to develop opportunities in the Chinese market.

By participating in the inaugural Check-in to China program, participants will:
> Gain the most up-to-date insights into the Chinese tourism market and an appreciation for the Chinese language through a tailored language program
> Take a first-hand practical trip to China to understand the modern Chinese visitors
> Walk in the shoes of the Chinese visitors to understand their pain points in Melbourne and their expectations
> Work with industry experts to develop a road map for your business to further develop opportunities in the China market.


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Industry Skills Fund

Delivered by the Australian Government, the Industry Skills Fund assists industry to invest in training and support services to help businesses achieve growth. The fund primarily targets Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), including micro businesses that can demonstrate their potential for growth.

Two types of funding are available and businesses can select one or both funding option.

Skills advice - an expert, independent skills advisor will help you identify the skills you need to achieve growth and provide you with a tailored report which includes training strategies.

Training grant - based on the outcomes of this skills advice, businesses can apply for funding to cover the costs of staff training.

The Industry Skills Fund is a great opportunity to access quality advice and training required to sustainably grow your business. For more information or to apply, visit www.business.gov.au

Upcoming Business Workshops

Financial Planning for Small Business – Wednesday 18 May
If you are like most small business owners, your personal and business lives are intertwined. That’s why it’s important for your personal financial planning to take into account the particular considerations of owning and operating a small business. Delivered by Deakin University professor David Arundell, this workshop will cover the essentials of financial planning and provide small business owners with the skills and knowledge they require to effectively manage their business.
Presenter: Deakin University
Date: Wednesday 18 May 2016
Venue: Hobsons Bay Civic Centre, 115 Civic Parade, Altona
Time: 6pm to 8pm
Cost: Free
Bookings: Book online


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Upcoming Events

> ATO Tax Basics Webinars - various dates
> Employee or Contractor Webinar - various dates
> Destination Melbourne Content Marketing Workshop - 19 May
> Evaluating the promise, perils and disruptive potential of digital credentials – 23 May

New Opportunities for Business

ATO Tax Workshop - Monday 16 May

This month, the Australian Taxation Officer (ATO) is running a free tax workshop, Record Keeping for Small Business in Hobsons Bay. The ATO tax workshops are aimed at new business owners and provide participants with useful information and practical tips to help them save time and money. Join us at Record Keeping for Small Business and learn how to keep good records, including tips and traps, how to complete statements and other forms, how to complete and record a stocktake and hear about case studies and examples of good record keeping. For more information on these workshops and other programs offered by the ATO, click here.

Free Business Consultations with the BEC@Kangan – Tuesday 24 May

The Business Enterprise Centre (BEC) at Kangan is returning to Hobsons Bay this month to offer FREE business consultations with an experiences business counsellor. These one-on-one sessions are free and confidential and are a great opportunity to discuss any issues or questions you have in regards to starting a business or improving the performance of your existing business. Appointments will be held on Tuesday 24 May at the Hobsons Bay Civic Centre, 115 Civic Parade, Altona but bookings are essential as places are limited. Call 03 9094 3008 for more information or to book your appointment today!

Family Business Australia (FBA) VIC Symposium – Monday 30 May

The rise of disruptive technologies has meant businesses are realising the need to implement digital strategies more than ever before. The year's FBS VIC State Symposium is a half-day conference that will give you the opportunity to hear from family business leaders and expert advisers that will focus on key issues pertinent to family business, including how to harness digital technologies for better business performance, the HR processes that will mitigate fraud, cyber security and more. Registration fees are $250 for members and $300 for non-members. For more information or to register, click here or email fbavic@fambiz.org.au

Free Trade Agreement (FTA) Portal

The FTA Portal enables businesses to explore how to benefit from Australia's Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with China, Japan and South Korea, while also accessing real life stories, case studies and investment information. Whether you are a first time importer or exporter or have a experience in importing and exporting, the FTA Portal will provide you will valuable information on free trade agreements and what opportunities they can bring to your business. For more information visit https://ftaportal.dfat.gov.au/

Demand Charge Tarrif for Powercor Customers

Powercor has announced a new way of measuring the demand component of network tarrifs for large electricity users. From 1 July 2016 they will move from a kW demand charge to a kVA demand charge. Businesses that have a demand charge on their electricity bills are encouraged to visit the Powercor website for more information.

Current Funding Programs

> Accelerating Commercialisation

> Certain Inputs to Manufacture (CIM)
> Entrepreneurs Programme
> Future Industries Manufacturing Program
> Future Industries Sector Growth Program
> Emissions Reduction Fund
> Enhanced Project By-law Scheme (EPBS)
> Grow Me the Money (VECCI)
> Industry Skills Fund
> Local Industry Fund for Transition (LIFT)
> New Energy Jobs Fund
> R & D Tax Incentive
> Sustainability Victoria Resource Assessment Grants
> Trade Mission Assistance Program
> Wage Subsidies

Hobsons Bay Business Excellence Awards

In each edition of Hobsons Bay e-Works, we showcase two winners from the 2015 Hobsons Bay Business Awards. This month includes the Retail and Hospitality and Trades and Construction categories and features two local businesses who are making their mark on the Hobsons Bay business community.

The Hobsons Bay Business Excellence Awards are the highlight of Council's business calendar every second year. If you would like more information, visit our website or email business@hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au.


Tourism - Seaworks Maritime Precinct Seaworks is a popular tourism destination, attracting more than 100,000 visitors each year. The precinct plays an important role in promoting the rich maritime history of Hobsons Bay and hosts a range of events each year. For more information, click here.	Home Based Business - Kun Communications Kun Communications is a boutique training and coaching firm which, since its establishment in 2012, has worked with some of the world's most high profile companies, both in Australia and overseas. For more information, click here.

Community Connection

100 Services in 100 Days

Hobsons Bay City Council has recently launched 100 Services in 100 Days, a social media campaign aimed at highlighting some of the many services that Council provides to the local community, while better connecting local residents with the services available to them.

The campaign has been developed by Council staff and only represents some of the many services provided by Council. The creative for the campaign has been made available to other councils across Victoria. Interested in the campaign? To find out more, like Hobsons Bay City Council’s Facebook page or follow us on Twitter.

Promoting Economic Participation for Refugee and Migrant Women Report Launch - Tuesday 17 May

A recent Women’s Health West and Victoria University research collaboration set out to better understand the barriers and enablers refugee and migrant women encounter when participating in the Australian economy. After months of research and consultations with women and service providers in Melbourne’s west, the final report, recommendations and resources are being launched.


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