5 October 2009

The Retail Traders' Association of Western Australia is pleased to present an exciting package of practical and inexpensive seminars that will bring you the frontline knowledge and know-how that is often lacking in business.  

Click here for further information.

The OSH legislative reform package, which is currently being drafted, will create a national OSH model with a number of provisions more onerous, prescriptive, detailed and resource intensive than current Western Australian occupational safety and health legislation. This session will provide you with an insight into what the final Bill will look like, and information on how to best prepare your workplace to ensure you remain compliant under the new regulations.

Click here for further information.

CCI invites members to gain insights into the past, present and future business landscape in China at the CCI International Traders Club Breakfast with guest speaker Clinton Dines, former President of BHP Billiton China.

Click here for further information.

Australia’s farm export earnings are forecast to fall marginally in 2009-10, after increasing strongly in 2008-09. This and other commodity forecasts for 2009-10 are contained in the September issue of Australian commodities, released last week by Dr Terry Sheales, Deputy Executive Director, Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics (ABARE).

“Although winter crop production is forecast to increase in 2009-10, an assumed higher average value of the Australian dollar is expected to lead to lower farm export earnings in the short term,” Dr Sheales said.

The value of farm exports is forecast to fall by 2.5 per cent to A$31.1 billion in 2009-10, following a significant rise of 16 per cent to A$31.9 billion in 2008-09.

The latest forecast of farm export earnings in 2009-10 is a downward revision from the A$32.5 billion released by ABARE in the June issue of Australian commodities. However, at a forecast A$31.1 billion, farm export earnings in 2009-10 will still be around 13 per cent higher than the A$27.5 billion recorded in 2007-08.

Agricultural commodities for which export earnings are forecast to rise in 2009-10 include barley, chickpeas, lupins, oats, peas, rice, sorghum, raw cotton and sugar. However, the effects are more than offset by forecast lower export earnings for wheat, canola, wine, livestock and livestock products.

Total earnings from Australia’s commodity exports are forecast to fall by 20 per cent to A$158 billion in 2009-10, following an estimated rise of 32 per cent to A$197 billion in 2008-09.

For energy and minerals, export earnings are forecast to fall by 23 per cent to A$123 billion in 2009-10, mainly a result of lower contract prices for bulk commodities, including coal and iron ore. This updated forecast for the export value of mineral resources represents a downward revision of about A$1 billion from the forecast in June.

“At a forecast A$123 billion, minerals and energy export earnings in 2009-10 will be the second highest on record,” Dr Sheales said.

The value of energy exports is forecast to fall by 36 per cent to around A$50 billion in 2009-10. For metals and other minerals, export earnings are forecast to decline by 12 per cent to around A$74 billion in 2009-10.

Australian mine production in 2009-10 is forecast to increase by 4.6 per cent, being underpinned by expected higher production of iron ore, gold, copper, liquefied natural gas and uranium.

Australia and Japan: A New Economic Partnership in Asia was written by Professor Peter Drysdale, Head of the East Asia Bureau of Economic Research at ANU and published by Austrade.

Austrade’s Tokyo-based Senior Trade Commissioner Elizabeth Masamune said the new report highlighted the potential for Australia to benefit from strong existing trade links and shared business culture with Japan to build partnerships with Japanese companies to win business in third markets.

“Japan is the world’s second largest economy and has been Australia’s largest export market for more than four decades, accepting A$53 billion of Australian goods and services in 2008,” Ms Masamune said.

“Professor Drysdale’s findings show that the strong trade links between our countries now extend well beyond traditional export and import business, and highlight the benefit of closer economic integration to enhance Australian trade across Asia.

“The report shows that Japan’s economy has rapidly diversified over the last two decades with one-third of all Japanese manufacturing now based offshore.

“The Japanese market is no longer confined to Japan itself. It is a large international market generated by Japanese business and investors, especially through production networks in Asia.

“Australia will continue to benefit from Japanese joint ventures and investment. Japanese foreign investment from Japan into Australia now totals nearly A$90 billion, making Japan our third largest foreign investment source.

“Japanese companies are well capitalised and are seeking to acquire not only assets but skills, creativity, and intellectual property. Japanese companies have always been innovators and are acutely aware of the need to develop, acquire or buy intellectual property.

“The financial crisis has provided the impetus for those companies to pursue opportunities globally. Australian companies with a comprehensive Asian business focus would be well placed to build and leverage partnerships with Japanese firms to win business across the region.

“Key issues affecting future trade opportunities are covered in the report, including food safety and security, energy technology and resources, infrastructure development, and the promotion of Australia’s clean, green brand in Asia,” Ms Masamune said.

Australia and Japan: A New Economic Partnership in Asia is available for download here.

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Tony Burke, has claimed in a media release that the Government continues to make progress on reforming Australia’s biosecurity system, following the detailed recommendations of the Beale Review.

The Minister reports that work is set to begin on planning for a comprehensive biosecurity IT upgrade to replace outdated systems, most of which are more than a decade old. He said the technology is increasingly unreliable and involves 75 different systems which need to be streamlined to reduce the potential impact on trade if systems fail.

The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry has advised the Minister that a failure in the current inefficient clearance system would halt quarantine processing of trade within days.

The Minister said the Government will also examine the current network of quarantine facilities for plants and animals entering Australia, to better plan for future needs. Leases for the current five sites expire in 2015 and a number can’t be renewed, meaning work must begin now to look at alternatives and ensure we maintain a rigorous biosecurity system.

Detailed drafting of new legislation to replace the century-old Quarantine Act is continuing.

A Biosecurity Advisory Council is expected to be established later this year as the key source of independent biosecurity advice to the Minister.

“Consistent with the Beale report, the Government has also moved from the previous system of Increased Quarantine Intervention, with inflexible targets, to a genuine risk management system and has maintained the National Sentinel Hive Program,” the Minister said.

On-going work on the planned IT upgrade, the network of quarantine facilities, legislation drafting and maintaining interim arrangements will be supported with A$14.7 million from within the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry budget.

The Beale Review report made 84 recommendations, which the Government accepted in-principle. It followed the Callinan Inquiry into the 2007 outbreak of equine influenza. The Minister said the Government is on-track or ahead of schedule on implementing the 38 Callinan Report recommendations.

The International Trade Centre at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Western Australia receives buy/sell offers and trade enquiries daily from overseas. A list of the latest offers and demands is available by clicking here.

Drive your business forward at The Brew Small Business Expo Perth

Most small business operators recognise that marketing should be at the beating heart of the business.

But not the old style marketing:  Not the chest beating “here we are...come and buy from us” style of marketing.  Not the big television commercial that is thrown out like a huge net hoping that a couple of fish are caught. 

That style of marketing is expensive, rarely efficient and it does not allow for the major shift that has occurred in the market place:  The shift from the business being in control of the sales process to the power now resting with the customer – a customer who is more savvy, more demanding, more in control of the marketing process than ever before.

Marketing is two way conversation.  You have to engage with potential customers, build a relationship and allow them to direct you as to what they want from the relationship.

To do that effectively and cost efficiently you need to understand your market - their values, their views - and then ‘talk with’, (rather than ‘to’) those customers - in a way that demonstrates that you recognise who they are and what they want.

Exhibitions are a cost effective and efficient medium for one-on-one, face-to-face marketing and incredibly valuable marketing tool for generating leads.

But of equal value to building a quality data-base of leads and generating awareness of your business is the feedback that your business receives – the opportunity to hear what the market has to say, to listen to your customers, to find out what they want and to start an authentic and sincere two way conversation.

Your business is dependent on customers. Exhibiting at business-to-business or business-to-consumer events is true two-way face-to-face engagement with your market:  effective and cost efficient marketing that is vital for the life of your business.

The Brew Small Business Expo Perth, VenuesWest, Challenge Stadium, Mt Claremont, is an opportunity for small businesses, and those targeting the sector, to engage with hundreds of new customers.

To participate in the event to promote your business, book your exhibition site at www.thebrew.com.au/perth_business_expo

Enquiries:  1300 55 32 35.

Solahart Industries Pty Ltd took out the Premier’s Award for Excellence at the 2009 Western Australian Industry and Export Awards, which were presented at a gala dinner at the Hyatt Regency Perth on Friday night.

Solahart began manufacturing solar hot water systems for domestic and commercial applications in Perth in 1953 and has since sold more than one million units in over 100 countries around the world.

Category winners were:

C.Y. O’Connor Award for Excellence in Engineering: Micromine Pty Ltd
With a client on every continent and 70 per cent of sales derived from overseas markets, Micromine supplies innovative software to the mining and exploration industry.    

Marketing & Design Excellence Award: The Perth Mint    
During the lat 23 years of its illustrious 110-year history, The Perth Mint has operated in the highly competitive global precious metals, numismatic and investment industries.

Innovation Excellence Award: Smart Burn Pty Ltd
Smart Burn has demonstrated sustainable environmental leadership by inventing the “unique” SmartBurn device that improves combustion efficiency in wood heaters, enabling the fire to burn up to 17 per cent hotter and reducing smoke emissions by up to 50 per cent.

Emerging Exporter Award: The Wine and Truffle Company
The Wine & Truffle Co (WTC) began cultivating truffles at Manjimup in 1997. Over13, 000 trees were planted making this the largest mainland truffiere in Australia. The first truffle was harvested in 2003. WTC truffles are destined for restaurants across Australia and 14 international markets.

Small Business Export Award: MetroCount
With clients in over 85 countries and headquarters in Fremantle, MetroCount is the world leader in traffic monitoring equipment and software.

Small to Medium Manufacturer Export Award: Peak Well Services Pty Ltd
Peak is an international company that designs and manufactures leading-edge down-hole products for the oil and gas industry.

Large Advanced Manufacturer Export Award: Solahart Industries Pty Ltd
Solahart has been manufacturing solar hot water systems for domestic and commercial applications in Australia since 1953.  Solahart has sold more than one million units in over 100 countries around the world.

Agribusiness Export Award: Grain Pool   
Grain Pool exports a range of grains from Australia to more than 20 export destinations around the globe, with the majority of grain shipped from Western Australia.

Information and Communication Technology Export Award: Embed International Pty Ltd
Embed is a worldwide supplier of revenue management systems for the amusement, entertainment and leisure industries. Embed focuses on enhancing site revenues through the use of cashless payment systems, value-added packages and guest loyalty programs.

Minerals and Energy Export Award: Alcoa of Australia     
Alcoa operates the world’s largest integrated bauxite mining, alumina refining, aluminium smelting and rolling system in Australia.  It produces almost 50 per cent of Australia’s alumina and 30 per cent of its aluminium. Alcoa is one of Australia’s leading exporters, contributing almost A$5 billion in exports each year, and accounting for around 5 per cent of Western Australia’s exports.

Services Export Award: Silverise Pty Ltd
Silverise is one of the two largest drilling consumable manufacturers globally. Utilising innovative technology, the export market has rewarded Silverise with exponential growth in sales, with exports in 2007-2998 roughly 1,132 per cent more than in 2006-2007.

Education and Training Export Award: Silver Trowel Trade Training Pty Ltd
Silver Trowel Trade Training is a leading provider of training in the building and construction industry encompassing courses in bricklaying, solid plastering and roof tiling as well as trade apprenticeship training in bricklaying, roof tiling and solid plastering; traineeships in concreting and general construction.

The winners of the export categories of the Awards will now go on to represent Western Australia at the Australian Export Awards later in the year.