Small business now has its own advocate, with the official launch of the WA Small Enterprise Network (SEN).

Treasurer and Minister for Commerce Troy Buswell officially launched the Small Enterprise Network on 17 February at an event held at Scarfo’s Meating Place, a butcher who was one of the first businesses to sign on as a member of SEN. Media were in attendance to witness the commencement of this new initiative by CCI aimed at providing specialised and distinct new levels of service for small businesses.

Kate Lamont was announced as the inaugural chair of the WA Small Enterprise Network. Ms Lamont brings a wealth of experience to this role, having owned and operated a number of small businesses herself. She understands the highs and lows that come from owning and operating a small business and will apply her direct experience to ensure that SEN is working in the best interests of its members.

SEN aims to provide a big voice for small business, while also providing its members with a value for money membership package. In addition to the practical benefits, SEN will host a number of events that allow members to meet, network and build their knowledge through listening to guest speaker presentations.

Good business is often built upon the formation of trusted, reliable relationships with other local businesses. SEN aims to offer new and exciting ways for small business owners to build their networks and business relationships through a range of events and information channels.

Membership of SEN is open to any business with 30 or fewer employees, across any industry sector. Its role is to ensure these businesses are recognised as a key driver of the WA economy and their concerns and issues are heard clearly by policy makers.

Members will directly benefit from the additional support and backing that will come from SEN being supported by CCI. Members will gain full access to CCI’s existing range of publications and electronic media. Training opportunities and invitations to CCI business briefings also form part of the membership package.

CCI has a long and proud history of representing all business in WA. SEN members will benefit from CCI’s longevity and infrastructure, while also gaining a strong and independent voice specifically for small business in WA.

An SEN Advisory Panel will ensure a direct line of communication between the organisation and its members. The Advisory Panel will provide an avenue for participants to engage directly with SEN around critical business policy issues. Information arising from the Panel will also be communicated to CCI’s broader policy advocacy team.

Nominations for members of SEN to join the Advisory Panel are now open, and members are encouraged to contact andrew.canion@cciwa.com for more information about participating.

Membership of SEN represents a great opportunity for any small business. To find out more about what SEN Network can offer you and your business, please contact the membership  team on 1300 4 CCIWA.

By Andrew Canion
Manager, WA Small Enterprise Network

Small business now has its own advocate, with the official launch of the WA Small Enterprise Network (SEN).

Treasurer and Minister for Commerce Troy Buswell officially launched the Small Enterprise Network on 17 February at an event held at Scarfo’s Meating Place, a butcher who was one of the first businesses to sign on as a member of SEN. Media were in attendance to witness the commencement of this new initiative by CCI aimed at providing specialised
and distinct new levels of service for
small businesses.

Kate Lamont was announced as the inaugural chair of the WA Small Enterprise Network. Ms Lamont brings a wealth of experience to this role, having owned and operated a number of small businesses herself. She understands the highs and lows that come from owning and operating a small business and will apply her direct experience to ensure that SEN is working in the best interests of its members.

SEN aims to provide a big voice for small business, while also providing its members with a value for money membership package. In addition to the practical benefits, SEN will host a number of events that allow members to meet, network and build their knowledge through listening to guest speaker presentations.

Good business is often built upon the formation of trusted, reliable relationships with other local businesses. SEN aims to offer new and exciting ways for small business owners to build their networks and business relationships through a range of events and information channels.

Membership of SEN is open to any business with 30 or fewer employees, across any industry sector. Its role is to ensure these businesses are recognised as a key driver of the WA economy and their concerns and issues are heard clearly by policy makers.

Members will directly benefit from the additional support and backing that will come from SEN being supported by CCI. Members will gain full access to CCI’s existing range of publications and electronic media. Training opportunities and invitations to CCI business briefings also form part of the membership package.

CCI has a long and proud history of representing all business in WA. SEN members will benefit from CCI’s longevity and infrastructure, while also gaining a strong and independent voice specifically for small business in WA.

An SEN Advisory Panel will ensure a direct line of communication between the organisation and its members. The Advisory Panel will provide an avenue for participants to engage directly with SEN around critical business policy issues. Information arising from the Panel will also be communicated to CCI’s broader policy advocacy team.

Nominations for members of SEN to join the Advisory Panel are now open, and members are encouraged to contact andrew.canion@cciwa.com for more information about participating.

Membership of SEN represents a great opportunity for any small business.
To find out more about what SEN Network can offer you and your
business, please contact the membership  team on 1300 4 CCIWA.

Five things you need to know about SEN:     

1.  SEN provides a big voice for small business and have easy access to key decision makers at a state and national level.

2.  SEN provides local business networking opportunities.

3.  The SEN Advisory Panel gathers feedback and frequently engages with small business.

4.  The SEN membership package is designed to be affordable and represent great value for money.

5.  Members benefit from the knowledge, influence and support provided by CCI.

Newly elected CCI president Peter Hood is a looking forward to a tenure where he can make it easier for members to do business.

A chemical engineer, Mr Hood’s 40 year career started with WMC Ltd and has been spent in resources related positions in WA involved with nickel, gold, mining, chemicals and oil and gas.
After 11 years as CEO of the Coogee group of companies he retired in 2008 to manage a portfolio of his own private company interests.

During his career Mr Hood has spent much of his time dedicated to assisting business in WA, including four years as president of the Kwinana Industries Council and as a councillor with CCI spending four years as vice president.

With a tough 2009 now behind us and a 2010 with positive signs ahead, Mr Hood has a range of issues he wants to address during his time as president.

Foremost is the labour and skills shortage which is threatening to emerge with full force again. Mr Hood said this time it could be even more sustained than the last.

“It will be a significant problem over the next few years and a repeat of what we have seen before,” he said.

“It needs a multifaceted approach such as making full use of the existing workforce by addressing training and productivity, and increasing the size of the workforce through migration, retention of older employees and increasing indigenous participation.”

“CCI has a real role to play to try and achieve outcomes in this area.”

Mr Hood emphasised that it was important no sector was ignored, with special attention needing to be paid to health, aged services and education.

With a new period of growth coming, the State also has an opportunity to use the positive times to good effect.

“We need to make sure WA remains a desirable place to live, we must use the good times well and in an even way,” he said.

“Social infrastructure needs spending in the same way as physical infrastructure.”

CCI represents some 5,500 businesses, with members spanning all sizes and all sectors. Mr Hood said he wants to expand the membership base even further.

“By making members fully aware of the services CCI can offer we can ensure they make full use of their membership,” he said.

“I’d like to see a significant membership increase as it means we can provide an even more representative voice.”

Mr Hood said CCI was one of the leading state chambers and is recognised as a strong advocate of free enterprise.

“CCI has an impressive range of services that are effectively delivered,” he said.

“It has a highly skilled policy team and a dedicated workforce of 300 people.”

Productivity and efficiency will be important to maintain as growth increases. Mr Hood said it was important to ensure regulation kept up with high economic growth.

Mr Hood said now that the new industrial relations system was in place, CCI would work to maximise benefits from the national approach while minimising negative aspects of the reform.

“There is opportunity to adapt the Fair Work Act and improve it rather than push for another major change,” he said.

Australia’s carbon policy is also in need of attention to ensure business gets a fair deal.

“There is an opportunity to formulate a better carbon abatement policy,” Mr Hood said.

“There should for example be recognition that small business needs assistance to become more energy efficient as part of the carbon emission reduction measures.”

Mr Hood will work with CCI’s Board to ensure members of all sizes and all sectors are well represented and that their issues are recognised.

The Small Enterprise Network of Western
Australia (SEN) has been established to directly
engage with, and advocate on behalf of, small business.

Over 80% of all Western Australian businesses can be classified within the small business category, which highlights the importance of this sector to the economy.

Whereas CCI’s policy work does not distinguish its positions by business size, SEN advocates specifically for the needs of small business. SEN aims to provide a big voice for small business and offer new and exciting ways for small business owners to build their networks and business relationships. Any business with 30 or fewer employees is eligible to become a member of SEN.

This new initiative is a result of feedback from the business community as well as CCI’s understanding that this segment of the business community plays a significant role in ensuring the growth and wellbeing of Western Australia’s economy. Small business creates employment opportunities, generates wealth and delivers products and services to other businesses and the community at large. However, small business also faces very specific and unique business challenges, which must be communicated and understood by key decision makers.

It is vital that the concerns of small business are heard, understood and addressed by Government. Key issues for small business include the new industrial relations framework, payroll tax and labour availability. SEN will also seek guidance and input directly from its membership base to ensure that it is advocating on issues that are of most importance to small business.

Members will also benefit from additional support services and benefits, including opportunities to attend training courses and networking events. Members have full access to CCI’s existing range of publications and electronic media in addition to  invitations to CCI business briefings. Specific key CCI events and functions will ensure that small businesses are provided with helpful, relevant information they need to succeed.

A Small Enterprise Network Member Forum, chaired by Kate Lamont, will ensure a direct line of communication for small business.

To find out more about what the
Small Enterprise Network can offer
your business, contact membership
on 1300 4 CCIWA.

In October 2009, CCI’s General Council endorsed a major restructure of the organisation’s forums and committees.

These changes were introduced to enhance CCI’s ability to engage with members on critical policy issues, while also improving CCI’s representation of the evolving WA economy.

The economy has experienced significant growth and evolution in the last few years. It was necessary to update the policy forums and committees to ensure they reflected the modern WA economy and to ensure CCI’s policy positions best represented the interests of members. In updating its policy structure, CCI established four new sector-focused Member Forums. These Member Forums will focus on issues that impact on the growth and development of all WA businesses from the perspective of the relevant Member Forum and of specific sectors.

Industry leaders, from small and large organisations and from Perth metropolitan and regional settings, have been asked to participate in the CCI Member Forums.

As a consequence of the policy structure changes, a number of committees were disbanded, others have been refocused and still others found their issues elevated into new Member Forums. The Business Policy group was formed to manage the Construction and Infrastructure, Manufacturing, Resources and Energy and Services Member Forums as well as the Education and Training, Environment and Climate Change, Tourism, Innovation and Food Committees.

The Construction and Infrastructure Forum will seek to ensure the State has the infrastructure, and related services, to keep pace with a growing economy. It will play a role in lobbying the Government for a State Infrastructure Strategy, telecommunications, airport, road, rail and port developments. Ray Sputore of Leighton Contractors is the chair of this forum.

The manufacturing sector is an important source of economic activity in WA and CCI has significant membership in this sector. As a consequence, a new Manufacturing Member Forum was established to give this important sector a strong voice in dealing with issues such as workforce development, innovation, OHS, and regulatory impediments imposed. Cameron Schuster of Wesfarmers is the chair of this forum.

The Resources and Energy Forum was formed to represent the interests and issues of the major sector driving WA’s strong recent growth. This forum will engage directly with Government in the development of WA’s State Energy Initiative and will also help frame CCI’s policies on issues such as water, resources and basic raw materials extraction policy. Ian Fletcher of BHP Billiton is the chair of this forum.

The Services Member Forum addresses issues of significance to the largest segment of Western Australia’s economy. A new area for CCI, it will allow the sector to have a greater say on issues such as workforce development, international trace, access and the use of technology, to name just a few. Ian Satchwell of Acil Tasman is the chair of this forum.

These new forums join the existing Business Policy Forum, which is chaired by newly appointed chief executive of Oakajee Port & Rail, John Langoulant.

More details of the Member Forums can be found at http://www.cciwa.com/Member_Forums.aspx. 

The new Forums will begin in early March, with the first meeting dedicated to prioritising the issues it will be dealing with over the year. CCI members who wish to have particular issues considered by a Member Forum are encouraged to contact CCI Business Policy Manager Nathan Taylor on (08) 9365 7508 or nathan.taylor@cciwa.com before the end of February.

CCI will be asking members to complete a survey on the effects of property crime on their businesses.

CCI’s Board has recently noted concern in the business community over the incidence of property crime, and the costs it imposes on business and the wider community.

CCI’s Retail and Small Business Unit and Economics Research Service have been instructed to investigate the extent of property crime against business in WA, with a view to developing some concrete policy suggestions.

CCI is looking for input from business on this important issue.

For more information or to discuss this issue, please contact Nicky Cusworth on 9365 7508, e-mail: cusworth@cciwa.com or Brian Reynolds on 9365 7606, e-mail: reynolds@cciwa.com

CCI members will now be able to access cost-effective training in emergency management following CCI’s acquisition of UK-based training company RGIT Montrose’ Perth operations.

Previously, oil and gas companies from all over the world had to send staff to Scotland to access the world-class emergency management training provided by market leader, RGIT Montrose.

CCI now has exclusive rights to provide this type of training in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific region. CCI is licensed to deliver key courses in Management of Major Emergencies, Control Room Operators Training and Person-In-Charge coaching and assessment.

CCI has secured a state-of-the-art control room simulator which allows course participants to learn skills in an interactive setting. Specialised software re-creates the cause / effect relationships that underpin the operations of an oil production or gas processing facility.

The simulator can also be adapted to imitate other environments that use a computerised control room, which means training programs can be developed for other industries.

During a typical course, participants will re-create emergency scenarios such as explosion and fire, a helicopter incident, a process incident, well control, collision or wave damage causing structural collapse, terrorist attacks and other possible causes for an emergency or crisis.

During training, participants act as both team leaders and members in a simulated emergency setting, thus familiarising themselves with different aspects of managing an incident.

Following the course, participants can be assessed for competency against the standards set by industry through the globally recognised Offshore Petroleum Industry Training Organisation.

Steve Hyslop and Dan Robertson, staff previously employed by RGIT Montrose, have joined CCI to ensure the same high standard of service is maintained for local training programs as is provided elsewhere in the world.

This type of training became commonplace when new safety regulations were introduced following the “Piper A” disaster. However, many large operators in the hydrocarbon industry see such training as a means of managing risk and ensuring safety standards are improved.

The creation of new standards for major hazardous facilities in Australia will drive an increased demand for similar training.

CCI is currently developing a range of additional specialist courses designed to complement its three key emergency management training courses.

For more information contact Martina Stanley on 9365 7539 or e-mail: stanley@cciwa.com