Fremantle was Australia's fastest growing container port in January 2008, recording a 13.7 per cent increase in box traffic for the month, Lloyd's List DCN reported.

The report, based on consolidated port corporation statistics compiled by Macquarie Research, said trade through Australia's top four container ports was up 7.7 per cent in January, less than the overall growth of 9.1 per cent so far in 2007/08.

Container trade through Brisbane grew 10.9 per cent in the seven months to January, bouncing back 18.7 per cent in January, after poor results in the November/December period.

Employment Law Fundamentals
17 April 2008

This program will provide you with current information on employment contracts, legislation, awards and agreements as well as other employee entitlements.  It will also help you identify the current legal obligations of employers towards employees and will provide you with practical strategies for ensuring your company adheres to these legal requirements in the development, execution and termination of employment contracts.

Click for further information.

Effective Recruitment and Selection
29 April 2008

People are the greatest asset to any business, but finding the right person for the job is not always easy. In today’s business environment, ensuring your recruitment procedures comply with legal requirements and basic HR principles is just as important as finding the right person.  This program will improve your knowledge and understanding of recommended methods for recruitment and selection.

Click for further information.

Customer Service Skills to Meet Frontline Challenges
15 April

This interactive workshop will assist people in any role to develop better relationships with their customers and meet their organisation's goal of being a customer driven company.  This course will be very useful for counter staff, receptionists, truck drivers, tradesmen, installers and anyone who deals with customers face to face.

Click for further information.

Workshop 1 - Refining and defining a positive service culture

Tuesday 22 April 2008
Sutherland Room, City West Reception Centre,
45 Plaistowe Mews, West Perth
7.00am - 10.00am

Looks at the cornerstones of company culture; the best means to recruit, induct, train and retain the best service providers; as well as the most effective leadership initiatives to establish and maintain service and performance standards

Members Pricing $275

Workshop 2 - Delivering the promise

Wednesday 30 April 2008
CCI Building, 180 Hay St, East Perth
7.00am - 10.00am

An embracing presentation of the nature and importance of 'store ambience' and the 'shopping experience' to customers and retail staff members. 

Members Pricing $259

Sponsored by SBDC, The West Australian, CCI & RTA.  Group Bookings available (eight).  Non-Member pricing available.  Contact the RTA on (08) 9365 7695 for details and bookings.

Falling export prices and rising production costs are severely pressuring China's iron and steel industry, according to an article published by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council.

Based on China Iron and Steel Association statistics, the article reports that, since April 2007, new policies on lowering export rebates and raising export duties have started taking effect, and the high growth trend of iron and steel exports has changed. Export of iron and steel surged 179.6 per cent in the first half of 2007 compared with the same period of 2006; however the situation changed in the second half of last year with net exports of crude 23.9 million tons, down 22.5 per cent.

The export growth slowed to 1.22 per cent in the second half and crude steel export registered negative growth in the fourth quarter of last year, dropping 3.3 million tons or 24.4 per cent. The negative growth of exports is expected to continue into 2008. Due to the high growth in the first half, China's exports of steel billet and steel products reached 72.5 million tons converted in crude steel - a record high.

According to statistics from the association, China's output of crude steel reached 489.2 million tons in 2007, rising 66.2 million tons or 15.6 per cent over the previous year, 2.6 percentage points lower than the growth in 2006; and output of pig iron was 469.4 million tons, increasing 61.8 million tons or 15.1 per cent, down 4.8 percentage points. Output demonstrated a strong growth last year. Of the total, output of stainless steel reached 7.2 million tons, 25 per cent of the world total, and ranking first in the world.

The International Iron and Steel Institute (IISI), headquartered in Brussels, says China now ranks first in production of crude steel, with the output hitting 489 million tons in 2007. China's output of crude steel exceeded the total of those ranking from second to eight, accounting for 36.4 per cent of the world total in 2007, which was 33.8 per cent of the total in 2006, 31 per cent in 2005, and 26.2 per cent in 2004, showing a gradual increase year by year. While global production of crude steel has started slowing down with the 7.5 per cent growth lower than 8.8 per cent in 2006, China's 15.7 per cent growth was still lower than the 18.8 per cent in 2006 and 26.8 per cent in 2005.

China’s production costs have risen sharply due to increased prices of iron ore, shipping, coal and electricity. The average costs for China's large and midsize steel enterprises stood at RMB1, 179.2 per ton, increasing RMB571.8 or 94.1 per cent year-on-year. Statistics indicate that production costs of large and mid-size enterprises jumped 31.05 per cent in December 2007 as compared with the same period of last year. Because of these cost increases, profit margins of enterprises have dropped month-on-month. The average sales-profit ratio of large and midsize enterprises stood at 9.6 per cent in March 2007, which dropped to 6.04 per cent in October, and further down to 5.6 per cent in December - a fresh low in the year.

As negotiations on iron ore will enter the second round of formal talks, many from the sector predict the price of iron ore will rise further in 2008, and the shipping price is unlikely to go down either, creating a gloomy picture for iron and steel enterprises.

Click here to register

Customer Service Skills to Meet Frontline Challenges

What does it take to provide consistently high standards of service day after day?

How can some people stay pleasant and positive and turn around even the most difficult of situations? What are the tips and techniques that can make a difference no matter what your customer service role? Attend this course and you will find out.

Outcomes

This interactive workshop will assist people in any role to develop better relationships with their customers and meet their organisation's goal of being a customer driven company.

Content

• what we mean by good customer service
• your attitude and the customers attitude
• taking a customer focused approach
• is the customer always right?
• communicating effectively with your customers
• questioning and listening skills
• do these skills work with internal customers?
• an Australian case study on video
• handling customer problems

Who should attend?

This course is for counter staff, receptionists, truck drivers, tradesmen, installers and anyone who deals with customers face to face.

Duration: One day

Dates: 15 April 2008

Course times: 8.30am - 4.30pm (8.15am registration)

Program fee: $363 members; $495 non-members (Prices include GST)

Click here to register

This course will assist you in determining the practical impact of your awards and agreements and to understand their interaction with other legislation.

Outcomes

Through the use of practical exercises and real life examples, this program will help you understand the application of your specific award or registered agreement and its interaction with legislation, including the impact of amendments to the Federal Workplace Relations system. It will show you how to interpret essential award principles and how to identify and avoid common problems associated with the interpretation of awards and agreements.

Content

• contracts of employment
• industrial awards/ notional agreements preserving state awards
• respondency
• area
• scope
• agreements
• hours and overtime
• minimum employee entitlements 
• leave entitlements 
• contract of service, termination and redundancy

Who should attend?

Managers, Supervisors, Payroll Administrators and Human Resource Professionals

Note: It is important that attendees to this course bring a copy of their applicable award or agreement.

Duration: One day

Date: 2 May 2008

Course times: 8.30am - 4.30pm (8.15am registration)

Program fee: $363 members; $495 non-members (Prices include GST on lunch component only)

Click here to register

Measuring consistent performance to required standards is a key requirement in quality assured workplaces. This course is designed to provide you with the skills and knowledge to plan, organise and gather quality evidence to accurately assess on–the-job skills performance.

The course aims to up-skill people who have responsibility for the delivery of structured training, recognising current competencies, assessing on-the-job skills competence, reporting outcomes and providing effective feedback. If you are currently performing these roles, this course will help you to further expand your knowledge and skills to evaluate and monitor improved demonstration of work skills to agreed benchmarks.

Content

• develop and implement actions to ensure the safety of learners
• determine focus of assessment tools
• prepare the assessment plan
• identify OSH responsibilities / identify hazards and risks
• contextualise and review the assessment plan
• design; develop review and trial assessment tools
• organise assessment requirements
• establish and maintain the assessment environment
• gather quality of evidence
• support the candidate
• make the decision
• communicate the decision
• record and review the assessment process
• participate in assessment validation

Employability Skills

• communicate ideas and information
• work with others and in teams
• solve problems and demonstrate innovative solutions
• use technology effectively
• collect, analyse and organise information
• plan and organise assessment activities
• apply initiative and enterprise
• manage self
• learn new or improve skills - observation, questioning, recording performance

Duration: Three days

Dates: 7-9 May 2008

Course times: 8.30am – 4.30pm (8.15am registration)

Program fee: $880 members; $1088 non-members (Prices include GST on lunch component only)

Click here to register

Learn more about the purpose and application of common trade terms and become more successful in conducting international transactions involving the sale and purchase of goods.

Outcomes

This program will help you understand why trade terms are used to specify the terms and conditions of international trade contracts. It will also introduce you to the most commonly used trade terms (e.g. FOB, CIF) and to understand the universally accepted definitions of those terms – Incoterms.

Participants will learn how to apply Incoterms to international trade transactions.

Content

• trade terms - why use them?
• incoterms - how to use them
• negotiating the export/import transaction
• choice of terms eg. EXW, FOB, FCA, CFR, CIF, CIP, DDP etc.
• buyer and seller obligations under each term

Duration: Half day

Date: 21 April 2008

Course times: 8.30am - 12.00pm (8.15am registration)

Program fee: $250 members; $300 non-members (Includes a comprehensive reference book)

Click here to register

People are the greatest asset to any business, but finding the right person for the job is not always easy. In today’s business environment, ensuring your recruitment procedures comply with legal requirements and basic HR principles is just as important as finding the right person.

Outcomes

This program will improve your knowledge and understanding of recommended methods for recruitment and selection. If applied correctly these methods will help you avoid distressing and costly mistakes.

Content

• discrimination legislation 
• recruiting during the skills shortage
• strategic recruitment
• drafting performance standards and selection criteria
• preparing a good job advertisement 
• using appropriate selection tools
• conducting an effective interview
• preparing and commencing the contract
• the importance of a good induction

Who should attend?

Managers, Recruitment Consultants and Human Resources Officers and Managers

Duration: One day

Dates: 29 April 2008

Course times: 8.30am - 4.30pm (8.15am registration)

Program fee: $363 members; $495 non-members  (Prices include GST on lunch component only)

Commonsense has prevailed with the state's largest regional centre becoming the latest community to recognise the benefits of providing choice and competition to consumers in the local retail sector.

The City of Bunbury is the latest community to recognise the need to overhaul the state’s trading laws which impede choice, competition and innovation in the retail sector.

The state's peak business organisation, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, congratulates the City of Bunbury for listening and acting upon the wishes of its residents by seeking state government exemption from the current archaic trading arrangements.

Deregulating shopping hours in Bunbury serves as further evidence that public opinion on the issue has turned. A recent survey conducted by the Bunbury City Council revealed a majority of the local community favour longer and more flexible shopping hours.

The decision paves the way for Bunbury to further grow and prosper while enhancing its reputation as the economic and retail powerhouse of the state's south west.

This is a monumental decision for local businesses and the community as it will remove unnecessary layers of government red tape and regulation.

It is also pleasing that the erroneous arguments put forward by a small group of local retailers with a vested interest in keeping their competitors closed were ignored.

While CCI congratulates the Bunbury community for embracing a competitive and flexible retail sector, the campaign will continue across the state to ensure all retailers and consumers benefit.

CCI welcomes the Premier Alan Carpenter's pledge to deregulate the state’s trading hours and calls on the State Opposition to declare their support.

An appropriate decision which is not followed up can inevitably turn into being a bad decision.  Conversely, what on reflection may be deemed to have been an inappropriate decision can be converted into a good decision by follow-up and astute refinement.  Often it is a matter of follow-up or foul-up.

Therefore, the making of a decision is the commencement of a journey not a destination.  So many people are intimidated by the need to make a decision, fearing the consequences and being sensitive to the broader possible ramifications.

In an imperfect world, with imperfect information it is improbable that the right decisions will be a matter of consequence and the outcome of contemplation, risk evaluation and deep analysis of all the facts.

Seldom does a single decision have its impact and relevance limited solely to its maker.  Accordingly, communication of the decision, its consequences, implications, advantages and benefits need to be conveyed to other stakeholders, who have been advantaged and impacted by decisions.

Decision Tree Graphs

Documenting a decision tree can be challenging, complex and insightful.  Considerable advantages accrue from the effort.  It highlights the intricate web of relationships which evolve from the initial making of a decision.  The nature and importance of relationships are graphically depicted.  No decision or person operates in a vacuum.

When the axes of time and people are introduced on a graph, a greater sense and awareness of our interdependence is underscored in those graphics.

The resultant “spider web” of consequential follow-up actions necessary for the original intent to be achieved and fulfilled are in stark contrast to a single blank sheet of paper.

The documentation of a decision tree involves thought, time and detail.  Most, if not all decisions justify and often are improved with an investment of time and dedication.

The Filters

A lack of clear, comprehended communication, cultural differences, resistance, and differing stakeholder self interest can influence the consequences.  In business, as in war and on the sporting arena, the determination of a strategy and related tactics can be a small play in a much bigger game (plan).

In contemporary business, countless decisions are made, documented and communicated by email.  A lack of follow-up to ensure that the communication has been received, understood, accepted and implemented can result in lost opportunities, failure and have subsequent downside consequences.

The relevance, appropriateness and timeliness of the decision made may be an optimal frozen point in time.  Without follow-up, the risk tolerance for a lack of success increases, often exponentially.

Thus, success for a decision will often be determined not by what is done and made, but rather by what actions follow the actual decision making.

In a time-poor society doing it right, doing it once, and doing it now, is a widely held philosophy.  However, at all times one needs to value the dimension of time.

Communication Channels

The channelling of decisions made through and to specific people is inadequate in itself.  Too many managers fill their days and nights channelling communication, demands and decisions between senior management, business owners and subordinate staff members.  The channel can extend to and involve suppliers, associates, spheres of influence, clients and customers.  A true measure of the veracity of a decision is whether it is challenged, revered and possibly refined as it progresses through a channel or network.

Few decisions warrant unquestioning adherence.  Middle managers should have the delegated authority and responsibility to initiate actions, to ensure optimal performance.  That will require subsequent, subordinate and complementary decision making.  It is a chain reaction. 

Disturbingly, it seems that little appreciation and tolerance is given to the need for reality of following actions and decisions which flow from the original decision.

That is a major contributing factor to the lack of comprehension, commitment and adherence to decisions made about the corporate culture, philosophy and mission statements determined by boards of directors, senior management and business owners.  Attractively packaged and framed signs declaring and detailing such decisions too often gather dust and are not read.

The scenarios are not restricted to internal company situations.  Suppliers, governments, consultants and strategic alliance partners need to be sensitive to the role, importance and cascading consequences of follow-up in the successful implementation of a decision.

The ability of successful leaders to make decisions cannot be lauded without an appreciation of their capacity, record and intent to follow-up.  Otherwise, images of elephants, crockery shops and mirrors come readily to mind.

In conclusion, it is true that arriving at a decision is the starting line in a journey to an often indeterminable finish line.  However, clearly, with a decision made there is a race on to follow it up.

Now seems to be a good time to make a decision about what one intends to do (and follow-up) as a consequence of having read this text.

SOURCE: Excerpt from The making of a decision, written by Barry Urquhart

LIMITED OFFER! RTA EXCLUSIVE!

SWITCH ON to Energy Savings!

Do you want to save energy, save money and become an active participant in reducing Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions?

What is the Small Business Climate Change Action Initiative?

The initiative aims to:

• assist business to reduce costs and environmental impacts by identifying opportunities for the management of greenhouse gas emissions and energy use;
• assist the Australian Government to understand small business greenhouse gas emissions and energy use behaviours, and;
• build an ongoing relationship with a cross section of small businesses nationally.

How can I participate?

The Australian Government is inviting 55 small businesses in Perth to take part in stage one of the Small Business Climate Change Action Initiative.

The targeted businesses are those with less than 20 employees who are not part of a chain or franchise and are not home businesses.  The business needs to have 12 months worth of energy bills available.

Deadlines are extremely tight on this exercise with assessments starting 12 May 2008. Hence, it is first come first served.  Be quick!

These businesses will receive a free greenhouse assessment that provides:

• one-on-one expert energy advice;
• an overview of their energy use and key sources of greenhouse gas emissions, and;
• a tailored action plan identifying opportunities for emissions reductions and cost savings.

Information from the program will shape the advice and tools provided to the business world to help fight climate change.

Your assessment will be carried out by Energetics.  Energetics is a specialist energy and environmental management company that has been selected to deliver this Small Business Climate Change Action Initiative on behalf of the Government.

Energetics is currently seeking expressions of interest from small businesses located here in Perth. 

To register, call the number provided or register online.

Telephone 1800 42 67 61
Website: www.energetics.com.au/climate500 
Email: Climate500@energetics.com.au

Start accelerating your sales with a Loyalty club “Renovation”

In today’s retail environment, customer loyalty clubs are creating two distinctly different results. Whilst a small number of loyalty programs are extremely successful in creating increased customer retention, greater spend frequency and referrals, the vast majority are adding absolutely no value to the customer or the company’s bottom line.

In the 80s and early 90s when loyalty programs were still novel and unique, almost any business could set up a loyalty club and see immediate growth in customer spending. Those times have changed, as customers are drowning in a sea of loyalty clubs – they just don’t make purses and wallets big enough for all those cards!

Does this mean the loyalty programs don’t work today? Not at all, in fact a well planned and executed customer club can still drive sales through the roof - you just need to know the steps to make it stand out from the crowd. You may just need a Loyalty Club “Renovation”.

One great example of a recent Loyalty Club renovation is a single store pharmacy called Nightingales in Kalamunda. Whilst their previous loyalty club was moderately successful and had all the perceived boxes ticked (such as; database, card, good benefits and birthday gift), their results were just a drop in the ocean of their club’s potential.

Here is what proprietor Simone Jackson had to say;

“Our loyalty program was always successful to a point, and whilst certain customers really valued it and responded to our communications, the majority seemed a little apathetic (which included many of our staff that failed to promote the club).

After undertaking a marketing workshop and consulting with Response Marketing Solutions, we completely overhauled our club. This included creating a new card, changing it from a single discount to seven different VIP benefits, new in-store signage and entry form pads, staff training & bonuses on forms completed, VIP welcome letters, birthday cards and a host of regular communications.

 The results have been amazing. Within one year, all staff are actively promoting the club, customers really value the program, retention and spending frequency has increased, the number of active members has more than doubled and most importantly, we’ve increased our sales by over $1 million, which is a massive increase for an individual pharmacy.”      

Whether you are considering setting up or already have a reward points, value add (for example; buy five and get sixth free), or discount based loyalty program, you too can see an immediate lift in sales through several small but powerful changes.

Nine Ways to Maximise Your Sales through Loyalty Clubs

1. Ensure all staff consistently offer/remind every customer of the Loyalty Club/Discount

This simple step is absolutely vital as customers will not fill out the entry form unless the club is really promoted at point of sale by staff. Ensure your staff believe in the club and its benefits, and give token bonuses to each staff member based on numbers of new club members joined in each month.

2. Give the club/card multiple benefits

Don’t just have a one dimensional card with a single offer or discount; promote multiple benefits (such as; free samples/services, birthday gifts, exclusive VIP offers, first notification of sales, product launch invites and VIP member nights). This helps sign up more people plus prioritises your club above most others - increasing your customers’ frequency.

3. KISS (Keep it Simple and Stupid)

Intricate reward points systems tend to confuse most customers and create immediate disbelief in the attainability of the reward, so keep it simple (for example; one point per dollar spend, $5 rebate/discount per 100 points). The simplest programs are understood and believed, which is why Value Add Offers or Stamp Cards (for example; buy five get sixth free) are popular with customers (not suitable to all retailers though).

4. Ensure an early benefit is received  

Differentiate your loyalty club from the masses by giving an immediate gift/discount on or just after sign up. This sets customers up to expect benefits from your club and to prioritise and keep your card.

5. Be relatively generous

Don’t be stingy with the primary offer as customers just won’t bother. Depending on your profit margins, a 3-10 per cent discount/rebate for products (a little more for services) is usually enough to keep people motivated to visit you consistently with the increase in sales per customer more than increasing your total gross profit per customer

6.  Make the Card look fantastic & summarise benefits on the back – A substandard looking card will be lost or tossed. Make it look great and they’ll keep and value it. Summarise the offers and benefits on the card; don’t expect them to remember it from a letter or an entry form.

7. Follow up registration with mailout Welcome letter

Once again, differentiate your loyalty program from the masses with a welcome letter within a month of their joining. You can use this letter to fully inform them of all your company’s services and club benefits, and promote a welcome offer/gift to get them back in the door 

8. Personalise your communications

“Dear Valued Client” is an oxymoron; they can’t be too valued if you don’t know their name. Increase response rate to all your promotions by ensuring you have the database and “mail merge” skills to provide letters & emails to a person’s first name.

9. Develop a Calendar of Communications

Tie in all your client marketing to your member base and frequently promote products, services, member events and sales. Regular contact will not only substantially increase sales from members during those promotions; you’ll also increase the percentage that buy from you exclusively.

Apply these simple steps as part of your Loyalty Club “Renovation” and get ready to watch your sales climb to new heights.

Brett Williams is a speaker, consultant and managing director of Response Marketing Solutions. The RTA is sponsoring Brett’s 9 Step Business Growth System Seminar and has free tickets (normally $40pp) available to the upcoming two and a half hour evening seminar on March 13.  Call the RTA on (08) 9365 7695 to register. There is a limit of two tickets per caller.

The RTA has accepted an invitation to promote an ambitious long-term project being undertaken by researchers from Curtin University, CBS School of Management to benchmark small businesses in Western Australia. We have identified this as an opportunity to provide a value added service to you.

The benchmarking exercise seeks to develop norms (normal or average performance) and best practice indicators specifically for our industry/region, amongst others. The value and accuracy of the benchmarks derived will be greatly enhanced if a high proportion of members and non members in our industry/region take the time to participate. 

By being involved in this study we believe that the potential exists to provide members with useful information for developing performance indicators to improve the sustainability and success of your business.  The following types of data will be benchmarked:

• ownership structure and longevity
• financial characteristics
• strategy and planning
• exporting and new markets
• operations and productivity
• human resources
• community involvement and environmental practices
• marketing and advertising
• methods of measuring success

If sufficient responses are received we will be supplied with aggregated results (snapshot report) by Curtin, we will not be able to identify individual owners. We can then this feed this information back to you to assist you to align your business with best practice.  

Apart from the advantages of being able to benchmark your business against your peers, there also are a number of incentives for you to complete the survey.

Prizes include a free $3500 direct mail campaign from Australia Post, $100 gift vouchers and donations to charities. There is also a $500 training discount for every respondent who completes the survey.

You can discover more about the project at www.business.curtin.edu.au/wasbb

Complete Benchmark input at http://www.questionpro.com/akira/TakeSurvey?id=928305

When completing the benchmark tool, please remember to quote reference number 200816 so that your results are included in the correct snapshot report.

Click here to register or for further information

What makes a dismissal unfair? Recent management surveys reveal that receiving a claim for unfair dismissal is one of the greatest fears for most employers.  The complexity of employment law means that employers and managers require training to avoid costly mistakes.  

Outcomes

This program examines what constitutes a valid reason to end an employment contract and the basic pre-termination procedures necessary to avoid an unfair dismissal claim. In this course we also explore some of the trickier issues concerning termination of employment, including abandonment and termination due to illness and injury. The program bridges the gap between knowing the theory of procedural fairness when counselling and disciplining employees and actually applying it in the workplace.

Content

• valid and invalid reasons for termination
• basic procedural fairness for poor performance and misconduct
• when is a ’resignation’ really a ’dismissal’?
• correct notice and other requirements upon termination
• fair procedures in:
• planning and implementing redundancies
• managing excessive absenteeism and abandonment
• terminating employees on workers’ compensation
• good documentation
• the difference between counselling and discipline
• how to provide effective feedback
• how to run a counselling and discipline meeting

Who should attend?

Human Resources Professionals and Senior Managers

Duration:	Two days
Dates:	12-13 May 2008
Course times:	8.30am - 4.30pm (8.15am registration)
Program fee:	$677 members; $799 non-members  (Prices include GST on lunch component only)

The Australian Government has announced that the Productivity Commission will undertake an inquiry into paid maternity, paternity and parental leave.

The Government’s stated intention is to “explore ways to make it as easy as possible for working mums to balance their employment with the important job of raising a new generation of Australians”.

In undertaking the inquiry the Commission is to:

1. identify the economic, productivity and social costs and benefits of providing paid maternity, paternity and parental leave;
2. explore the extent of current employer provision of paid maternity, paternity and parental leave in Australia;
3. identify paid maternity, paternity and parental leave models that could be used in the Australian context;
4. assess those models for their potential impact on:
• the financial and regulatory cost and benefits on small and medium sized business
• the employment of women, women's workforce participation and earnings and the workforce participation of both parents more generally
• work/family preferences of both parents in the first two years after the child's birth
• the post-birth health of the mother
• the development of young children, including the particular development needs of newborns in their first two years
• relieving the financial pressures on families
5. assess the cost effectiveness of these models;
6. assess the interaction of these models with the Social Security and Family Assistance Systems;
7. assess the impacts and applicability of these models across the full range of employment forms (e.g. including for the self-employed, farmers, shift workers), and;
8. assess the efficiency and effectiveness of government policies that would facilitate the provision and take-up of these models.

The Commission is to report by February 2009.  It has called for submissions by 2 June 2008 and will hold a public hearing in Perth on 29 May 2008.

CCI is preparing a submission in response to the Inquiry and will appear at the public hearing.  Members wishing to discuss the Inquiry or make comment about paid parental leave provisions operating in their workplace should contact Marcia Kuhne on 9365 7699 or email marcia.kuhne@cciwa.com or Jessica Price on 9365 7630 or email jessica.price@cciwa.com.