| Regional Update - 21 July 2008 Your chance to have Input - NEW REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
The Area Consultative Committee (ACC) Network across Australia has been tasked by the Australian Government to consult with regional communities about a number of issues surrounding the future of regional development. The Government is looking at a number of new regional initiatives (including the transition of ACC’s to Regional Development Australia (RDA) on 1 January 2009) to ensure that investments in regional Australia promote sustainable economic growth, benefit the community as a whole and demonstrate their strong commitment to regional Australia. The WBBACC's community engagement strategy to undertake this task will include a number of measures including: 1) Face-to face meetings with key stakeholders and 2) public meetings in each of the 5 sub-regions (Bundaberg, Fraser Coast, Gympie, South and North Burnett). Everybody is invited to attend the public meetings and to provide input into our advice to the Australian Government. If you cannot get to one of the public meetings we invite you to download our questionnaire, complete it and email it back to our office at info@wbbacc.com.au by 31 July 2008. A copy of the questionnaire can be found at www.wbbacc.com.au/rda. The purpose of this questionnaire is to gather the views of regional stakeholders and provide advice to the Australian Government on: 1. improving the engagement of regional communities with the Australian Government; The WBBACC will be holding a series of Public Meetings across the Wide Bay Burnett region to consult with the community on 1) the transition from ACC's to Regional Development Australia and 2) the proposed new regional development funding program. The Public Meetings will be held as per the schedule below: Biggenden (Centeral Burnett) - 9.00am - Tuesday 29 July 2008 - Rose Gallery Coffee Shop - 23 George St These events are scheduled to be approximately 1 hour in duration and light refreshments will be provided. No RSVP required. Please just turn up if you would like to participate. If you have any questions in relation to matters raised herein, please contact the WBBACC Executive Officer Mr Cameron Bisley on 4121 7099 or at cameron@wbbacc.com.au. WBBACC and BIEDO Business Breakfasts/Dinners
Are you a local business owner or primary producer who would enjoy an excellent meal, a good laugh and the chance to network with other business owners and key stakeholders from your region? Then the BIEDO and WBBACC series of “Rural Business Dinners and Breakfasts” is for you! During July and August, BIEDO (the Burnett Inland Economic Development Organisation) and the WBBACC (Wide Bay Burnett Area Consultative Committee) will be holding a unique series of dinners and breakfasts in towns throughout the North and South Burnett to provide local business owners and primary producers the opportunity to learn about other business services in their region and how they can be accessed.
These events will showcase up to 6 key speakers and present a broad range of important information on available support services to businesses in the Burnett region. The business get togethers will also be held in Murgon (16 July), Proston (17 July), Kilkivan (31 July), Goomeri (1 August) and Kingaroy (15 August). The WBBACC will also use these events to consult with regional communities about a number of issues surrounding the future of regional development. WBBACC Chair Bill Trevor said the Australian Government is looking at a range of new regional initiatives including the transition of ACCs to Regional Development Australia (RDA) on 1 January 2009 and the BIEDO Business Events will assist this process to gain grassroots feedback from the people who live in our communities and are therefore best-placed to provide an accurate perspective on regional challenges, priorities and needs.” Is Exporting For You Seminar - Bundaberg
Please CLICK HERE to download an invitation to attend a Trade Queensland Introductory Seminar titled "Is Exporting For You?" to be held in the Bundaberg Regional Office on 6 August 2008, commencing at 10am and concluding at 11.30am If you would like to attend this course, please register by phoning 41 519700 or email ann.taig@sd.qld.gov.au. Improving Your Business Bottom Line Through ecoBiz
Improving Your Business Bottom Line Through ecoBiz ‐Tuesday 12 August ecoBiz can help your business to achieve cost savings and take advantage of improved environmental performancethough water, energy and material resource savings. Rebates are available for innovative and industry best practice projects. The Burnett Mary Regional Group for Natural Resource Management in partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency are holing a breakfast seminar to highlight the logistics and advantages of implementing the ecoBiz program in your business. Enquiries: Cheryl List, Burnett Mary Regional Group – telephone (07) 4181 2999 BIEDO Seminar - Supervise work routines and staff performance
Supervise work routines and staff performance Improve staff retention Wide Bay Burnett Ministerial Regional Community Forum - opportunities and challenges for regional volunteers
Wide Bay Burnett Ministerial Regional Community Forum welcomes your comments on the next Forum topic based on the opportunities and challenges for regional volunteers: There are now an estimated 700,000 not for profit community organisations in Australia and 5.2 million volunteers. Many of these bodies rely completely on their volunteers to operate. The Australian Government Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affair’s recent report Volunteering in Australia, Changing patterns in voluntary work 1995-2006,states “As well as the many social and welfare related benefits that volunteering provides to the community, its economic value has been estimated at around $42 billion per annum”. Unfortunately volunteering rates are beginning to suffer due to economic and social challenges. Rising cost in fuel, transport, clothing, other basic necessities as well as regulatory Police Checks is placing increasing expenses onto volunteers and as a result, volunteering is becoming less attractive. In particular forum members would like to hear about your personal experiences of volunteering and encourage you to complete a survey. Your community feedback will form the basis of a Regional Proposal that Forum Members will present to the State Government at Ministerial Regional Community Forum, scheduled for 2008 at a date and venue yet to be determined. Forum members encourage feedback in regard to developing solutions for change which can be given consideration by State Government. You are invited to submit written comments to Helen.hughes@dlgsr.qld.gov.au or PO Box 1939, Bundaberg 4670 for fax through on 4151 9750. Closing date for comment is Tuesday 5 August 2008. New arrangements for Small Business Assistance
Further to our previous articles in Regional Update and the email from Peter Gregory re the closure of the Small Business Field Officer program, we are pleased to advise that Small Businesses in our region have access to help through a variety of measures. Business Hotline Whether you're thinking about starting a business or you've already got one underway, the Business Hotline offers a range of services to meet your needs. For the cost of a local call* Business Hotline staff can provide you with information to help guide and assist you with your business planning, inform you of the government support available, and provide you with all the licences you need to start and operate your business. The Business Hotline is available during business hours and access to all services is available online 24 hours, 7 days a week. Don't run around, contact the Business Hotline on 1300 363 711 or access the full range of business services online. The online services can be accessed by going to http://www.smartsmallbusiness.qld.gov.au/. This website from the Department of Tourism, Regional Development & Industry contains comprehensive information on the following topics: Business planning Finance Managing people Marketing Operational management We are also pleased to advise that after discussion with Janey Webb from the Bundaberg Enterprise Centre, they to are very keen to help and offer assistance to small business in our region. Please contact either Janey Webb or Kristy Croft on 4153 2333 with any business related questions you may have. If you would like to check out their web site CLICK HERE. How to win that government contract or funding - an all you wanted to know workshop
Pathways Australia will be holding this excellent workshop entitled "How to win that government contract or funding - a skills building workshop" in Brisbane on Tuesday August 12 starting at 9.30am. If you want to win more government contracts or funding, want to understand the differences between good and bad submissions, want a better understanding of the decision making process and to learn how to write better submissions then this workshop is a must. It will help you start thinking like government and why some organisations keep winning. You will learn about tender briefing sessions, the importance of research and making your submission stand out and so much more. Past attendees have raved about these presentations. If you are a grant writer, fundraiser, CEO or just someone who wants to win a government contract, this workshop is for you. To find out more please CLICK HERE to go to the Pathways Australia web site and follow the link to "training & seminars" Managing Generation Y in the workforce
Commerce Queensland are pleased to announce these 2 exciting "Managing Generation Y in the workforce" workshops for Bundaberg 21 August and Maryborough 22 August. These 2 hour presentations will provide an introduction to the importance of managing Generation Y in the world we work and will be presented by Dr Danica Hooper an organisational psychologist and state manager of ITS People Solutions. Danica has worked with many private companies and government departments on how to "deal" with the issues associated with working with Gen Y people. The 2 hour sessions will be of great value to all employers and cost $35 for Commerce Queensland members and $45 for non members. To find out more and to download a flyer, CLICK HERE Grants - Grants - Grants
We have just received the latest EASYGRANTS Newsletter from Our Community which highlights a range of grants that are available to individuals, state and local government authorities and are certainly worth looking at. The list is extremely comprehensive and to large to show here , but below are some of the "highlighted" grants for this month. Many of you would also remember Our Community who has run many seminars for us throughout the region over the past 2 years. The great grant this month is - CARING FOR OUR COUNTRY OPEN GRANTS. This grant will provide funding for projects to protect Australia's unique natural enviroment and create a sustainable future for our country with $25 million being available in 2008-2009. Priority areas for funding include ** biodiversity and natural icons ** coastal environments and critical aquatic habitats ** sustainable farm practices. Anyone can apply as long as you are a legal entity and includes individuals. CLICK HERE and check out the website for further details. Other great grants this month are - the National Solar Schools Program (CLICK HERE) and the Solar Hot Water Rebate Program (CLICK HERE). Maybe you would like to nominate someone for AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR (CLICK HERE) or the LOCAL HERO award (CLICK HERE). Both of these awards recognise Australians with a consistant record of achievement or excellence and who have contributed in a significant way to our nation. If you are an organisation who is always looking for grant opportunities and want to be kept up to date on the latest grants available so as to help your community, log onto the Our Community web site (CLICK HERE) and then give them a call. This fantastic service is low cost and of great value. For additional information, why not contact Cameron Bisley at the ACC on 4121 7099 who can give you further details on the benefits Our Community has to offer. |
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