Category: News

Along with colds, flu and chapped lips, winter also has another downside: it’s the most likely time of year you’ll find yourself stranded with a flat car battery.

Exclusive data from Budget Direct Roadside Assistance shows over the past six years the number of call-outs for flat batteries on average increases by 26% during the autumn and winter months.

Last winter nearly half (48%) of all call-outs made to Budget Direct Roadside Assistance were for flat batteries.

According to the Battery Council International, at 27 degrees Celsius a fully charged battery has 100% of its power available, but when the temp drops to freezing that same battery only has two-thirds of its power available. During winter your battery also needs to work harder as oils can thicken, and the chemical reactions needed to fire a battery are affected by the cold.

One of the easiest ways to combat battery blues in winter is to garage your car overnight, but a Budget Direct Roadside Assistance survey* found parking the car indoors is becoming a thing of the past. One-quarter of car owners (25%) never park their car in a garage, and 13% only do so occasionally. Melbournians are the most likely to leave their cars on the street at 37%.

So what are Aussies likely to do if they get a flat battery? A Budget Direct Roadside Assistance survey** found that;

47% of Aussies don’t feel comfortable jump starting their car
66% of people would call for roadside assistance
20% holler for a friend to help out
13% would fix it themselves

If you’re counting on a Good Samaritan to stop and help you might be waiting a while, the same survey found;

Just under half of Australians are unlikely to stop and help someone whose car has broken down (46%)
Males are more likely than females to stop and help (69%).
Older generations are more likely to stop than younger ones (62% of Baby Boomers compared to 43% of Generation Y).
You’re more likely to be helped in rural Australia (62%) than in an urban setting (53%).

To read more go to:

 http://www.budgetdirect.com.au/blog/2014/07/roadside_good_samari.html 

*Source: McCrindle Research Survey conducted 2013 on behalf of Budget Direct. 1436 respondents aged 18 and over participated from Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

**Source: McCrindle Research Survey conducted 2014 on behalf of Budget Direct. 1072 respondents aged 18 and over participated from all states and territories.

Federal Environment Minister Greg Hunt today launched Biodiversity: Science and Solutions for Australia, a new book from CSIRO.

Capturing the latest information on Australia’s biodiversity, the book aims to provide business, government, and the community with practical solutions to managing Australia’s globally unique natural assets.

“This publication is an invaluable resource for anyone managing Australia’s ecosystems. The book provides an important bridge from our scientists to the wider Australian community,” Minister Hunt said.

Whether it’s a precious cultural symbol, our life-support system, or a resource to be used – biodiversity matters to all Australians. Yet, despite our sense of its importance as part of our national identity, in many parts of our country biodiversity is in trouble.

“CSIRO’s book draws together the latest science to identify practical solutions to the many challenges that face Australia’s unique biodiversity, which include habitat fragmentation, altered fire regimes, invasive species, harvesting of species, and species decline,” CSIRO Chief Executive Dr Megan Clark said.

“The book draws on CSIRO’s 90 years of research into biodiversity, as well as insights from the broader community, including research organisations, industry, all levels of government and the wider community.”

The book’s 192 pages provide scientific insights including:
•    the ancient origins and unique features of Australia’s species, as well as the current status of our biodiversity on land and in rivers, lakes and the sea.
•    tools for management and planning, including Australia’s protected area system •    Indigenous perspectives on biodiversity
•    how Australia’s biodiversity interacts with agriculture, the resources sector, and cities.

The book is available for free as an eBook from the CSIRO website and will be distributed to key decision makers around the country.

The printed version of the book has been produced on paper certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.

Biodiversity: Science and Solutions for Australia can be downloaded for free at: www.csiro.au/biodiversitybook

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk today reopened South Bank’s iconic Streets Beach and stream area following a $1.72 million facelift designed to improve safety and accessibility.

The Lord Mayor said the upgrades to Streets Beach had been timed for completion ahead of G20, when the world’s eyes would be focussed on the Summit held at South Bank.

“One of our most popular tourist attractions has been given a well-deserved refresh with new paving, decking, seating, and umbrellas, as well as fresh landscaping and accessibility features and new children’s play equipment,” Cr Quirk said.

“With more than 7000 visitors expected to attend G20 in November, we want to make sure our most loved tourist destinations, such as South Bank, are ready to showcase our city’s assets.

“Already South Bank receives an estimated 10 million visitors each year, now with the installation of these modern, user-friendly facilities ensures Streets Beach will continue to offer a world-class recreational experience.

“No other capital cities in Australia can boast a swimming beach right in the centre of the city.  With our ideal climate in Brisbane, South Bank and Streets Beach are popular locations for both visitors and residents.

“The Streets Beach, Aquativity kid’s area and Boat Pool attracted almost half a million users last financial year and this update will help grow this number even further.”

Cr Quirk said the renovation, which began in late March, had greatly enhanced some of Brisbane’s most-loved destinations.

“New handrails and ladders installed in wet areas have boosted the inclusiveness of the facility, enabling people of all abilities to use the pool,” he said.

“Visitors to Streets Beach will be able to make use of Council’s free Wi-Fi in the area, which was launched by Council earlier this year to enhance as a key leisure destination.”

Works were completed with funding from the Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning.

“Council would like to thank the Queensland Government for its assistance, which will help to cater to increasing South Bank visitor numbers as it becomes an even more popular attraction,” said Cr Quirk.

There is no point denying it. We humans love music. So much that if you play your cards right you can earn enough to make it your sole income. But, that takes a lot of hard work to accomplish.

Which is why Little BIGSOUND was started in 2011.

It provides a forum for young music lovers to learn from those whom have become successful within the music industry. A forum to teach aspiring music lovers how to turn their passion for music into profit.

As Harvey Mackay (motivational speaker) once said, find something you love to do and you’ll never have to work a day in your life.

If you are between 15–25, want to make it in the music industry and have nothing planned on July 21 (if you do cancel it and instead) head on over to The Edge at Southbank to partake in this year’s Little BIGSOUND 2014.

For seven hours you can learn from 25 music industry professionals and enjoy three live acts at the event.

Event Info
Little BIGSOUND 2014
When: July 21, 8 am to 3 pm
Where: The Edge, Southbank
Ticket price: $44
More info about the event and how to obtain tickets: Here & Facebook

Professor Paul Steffen from QUT delivered a bombshell with breakfast at the South West Chamber of Commerce last week.

“Our research indicates that business plans are worse than useless,” he said. His research into Innovation and Entrepreneurship indicates that flexibility in response to market demand is a far more important tool for success.

He believes that sayings such as “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail,” lead people to waste time in constructing a strategic plan and aligning their business to it.

“The most successful businesses simply adjust their business to increase profit when there is an opportunity,” he said.

This is consistent with the advice of Matthew Snelleksz, reported in Business Voice last month. Snellekz advises that any business plan longer than 90 days is largely a waste of time.

“No-one can see that far into the future,” he said.

The focus of Professor Steffen’s talk was his key finding that profitability often leads to growth but it rarely works the other way around. Companies focused on growth rarely become profitable: more often failing, or struggling to survive.

He pointed out that this is hardly surprising, given that profitable companies have the capacity to think strategically and invest in the flexibility required to meet market demand.

His research also revealed that smart companies acquire competitors in tough times and innovate in the boom. Companies that cash in during the boom by competing on price or expansive marketing have little to show for their investment when the going gets tough.

These lessons may seem to be common sense when spelled out by Professor Steffen, but they are in contrast to the advice regularly dished out to business.

The federal government’s small business tools recently published in Westender’s Business Voice, promote the importance of long term planning – albeit as a tool for raising finance and convincing investors that you know what you are doing.

Even Snelleksz’ advice to focus on sales first, then cashflow and profitability, has been taken by some business owners to indicate that growing the top line is their first priority. Snelleksz himself does not see it that way. “Sales is the business owner’s first responsibility because without sales you have no business, but there is no point in selling your time [or products] at a loss.”

This is consistent with the old adage that if you are going to go broke it is better to do it under a tree fishing than working off your rear end for nothing.

Brisbanians generally venture to Victoria in August to experience the bracing delights of the snowfields but the Council of Small Business of Australia (COSBOA) encourages us to get down there this August to talk about Productivity.

COSBOA president Peter Strong, reminisces about the warmth of last year’s summit here in Southbank …

It’s on again, and it seems like yesterday we were gearing up for the 2013 Summit and investigating the effect of policy and people on partnerships. We have a new year, a new government and the year’s most contemporary theme People, Policy and Productivity. at the 2014 National Small Business Summit.

I welcome all interested in the heath, wealth and wellbeing of the small business sector to become involved in the 2014 COSBOA National Small Business Summit at Crown Conference Centre, Melbourne commencing on Thursday 07 August 2014.

This will be the 12th Small Business Summit, with a line-up of speakers rarely seen in Australian summit circles.  You will not be disappointed with the depth of conversation, the networking opportunities or the passion with which all participants will approach the ultimate goal of increasing productivity.

Small business owners employ over 4.5 million people and are a major part of the economy, as well as contributing members of our local communities.  Small business people provide our society with the capability to innovate and to deal with adversity much more quickly than big business.

COSBOA is committed to providing a voice for small business. At the Summit, we look forward to discussing our policies on workplace relations; the collection of superannuation; contract law and competition policy; women in business and burdensome compliance and regulation demands on small business people.

The 2014 Summit will connect all the key stakeholders – small business, senior politicians as well as bureaucrats and big business representatives – in a three way exchange of minds in our efforts to debate policy and build productivity for the betterment of our people.

I encourage you to shape the future with us by participating in the national debate.

Visit the 12^th National Small Business Summit website and click here to register now.