The NES are set out in the Fair Work Act 2009 and comprise 10 minimum standards of employment. Each standard is covered in detail in separate fact sheets (see below), but in summary, the NES involve the following minimum entitlements

• Maximum weekly hours of work – 38 hours per week, plus reasonable additional hours.
• Requests for flexible working arrangements – an entitlement allowing parents or carers of a child under school age, or of a child under 18 with a disability, to request a change in working arrangements to assist with the care of the child.
• Parental leave and related entitlements – up to 12 months unpaid leave per employee, plus a right to request an additional 12 months unpaid leave, plus other forms of maternity, paternity and adoption-related leave.
• Annual leave – four weeks paid leave per year, plus an additional week for certain shift workers.
• Personal/carer’s leave and compassionate leave – 10 days paid personal/carer’s leave, two days unpaid carer’s leave as required, and two days compassionate leave (unpaid for casuals) as required.
• Community service leave – unpaid leave for voluntary emergency activities and leave for jury service, with an entitlement to be paid for up to 10 days for jury service.
• Long service leave - a transitional entitlement for employees as outlined in an applicable pre-modernised award, pending the development of a uniform national long service leave standard.
• Notice of termination and redundancy pay – up to five weeks notice of termination and up to 16 weeks severance pay on redundancy, both based on length of service.
• Provision of a Fair Work Information Statement – must be provided by employers to all new employees, and contains information about the NES, modern awards, agreement-making, the right to freedom of association, termination of employment, individual flexibility arrangements, union rights of entry, transfer of business, and the respective roles of Fair Work Australia and the Fair Work Ombudsman.

Wyong Shire Council’s Councillor Emma McBride along with Wyong Regional Chambers’ Executive Manager Kevin Faulks has shown great initiative in providing a Local Preference Policy to be implemented this March.

Local Preference Policy

The NSW Government announced the Central Coast regional development vision to support 45,000 new jobs, new businesses and industries in the region over the next 20 year.

Premier Keneally said the Regional Economic Development and Employment Strategy (REDES) will support the growing population of the Central Coast – expected to be 405,000 by 2031 - an additional 100,000 people moving in. .

“Our long-term plan for sustainable economic development in the Central Coast, will build jobs, industries, businesses, close to home for people living in this great region,” Ms Keneally said. .

“We have worked closely with stakeholders, businesses and the community to create this vision for the Central Coast – we have listened to your priorities, and will now begin working to implement this strategy. .

“The Central Coast is the ninth largest population centre in Australia and the third largest residential region in NSW – we will continue to support and plan for its bright future.” .

Premier Kristina Keneally joined Minister for the Central Coast, Ian Macdonald, and Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast, David Harris, at the University of Newcastle and TAFE NSW - Hunter Institute Central Coast Campus, Ourimbah. .

To develop the strategy, the Government consulted with more than 80 large business and regional stakeholders, 300 businesses small and medium enterprises and 400 individuals. .

The REDES is a partnership between the NSW Government, the Regional Development Australia Central Coast (a State and Federally funded body), Gosford City, and Wyong Councils. This partnership will be honoured through a Regional Compact for Economic Development and Employment. .

“Today we will sign a cooperative agreement to implement this strategy as quickly and as effectively as we can,” Ms Keneally said. .

A taskforce, chaired by Minister Macdonald, has now been set up to manage the implementation of a broad range of improved government services to this vital regional hub. Each proposal will be given proper government consideration before they are implemented. .

The Regional Economic Development and Employment Strategy (REDES) includes: .

• Attract new businesses to the region especially in logistics, manufacturing, tourism, government agencies and call centres;
• Build on successful industries such as food production, logistics, manufacturing, and tourism;
• Create new investment opportunities in health, ageing and green industries; and
• Support business growth for small and medium sized enterprises through mentoring, development and training programs
. .

• Establish a Central Coast Learning Region Network to increase take-up of education and training;
• Develop action plans to cover skill shortages, emerging industries and small business;
• Broker business engagement with schools to develop future employment skills for young people, and increase work experience programs and apprenticeships;
• Provide targeted skills programs to re-skill mature aged workers and work skills for disadvantaged people, displaced workers and indigenous communities. .

• Create education and research precincts at Ourimbah, Gosford and Tuggerah-Wyong;
• Develop existing health sciences, education, sports science, coastal ecologies and agribusiness;
• Research new sectors in environment, energy, ageing and logistics;
.

Infrastructure to support economic growth


• Undertake feasibility assessments to improve regional public transport systems including bus, rail and road;
• Promote the Central Coast Region as a priority area for the National Broadband roll out;
• Undertake an audit of land for employment, with an initial focus on industrial land;
• Facilitate the development of the Wyong Employment Zone;
• Provide logistical infrastructure and support for the sinking of HMAS Adelaide off the Central Coast.

“The REDES provides direction and priorities for creating real, lasting jobs, close-to home, for skilled, well-educated workforce over the next two decades,” Ms Keneally said. .

The Regional Development Australia Central Coast - one of the partners - will lead the implementation of the REDES. A review of the strategy will be undertaken every five years. Minister for the Central Coast, Ian Macdonald, said the Compact is a commitment to the future of the Central Coast and is based on a number of key principles.
“We commit to work together to create a vibrant and sustainable Central Coast Region, with high skill employment opportunities for a growing community,” Mr Macdonald said.

Under the Regional Compact for Economic Development and Employment :


1. Create a prosperous and sustainable future for the Central Coast
2. Link the Central Coast as a vibrant and integrated economic region
3. Generate new high skilled jobs in the local areas
4. Ensure job growth keeps pace with regional population growth
5. Make the Central Coast an attractive location for new investment and new businesses
6. Ensuring a long term planned approach to developing infrastructure that will support jobs
7. Develop education and skill levels of the community

“We are committed to working together to develop and implement plans and actions to enable these outcomes to be achieved.

“The Compact reaffirms the commitment of all parties to ensure that we have a coordinated approach to sustainable economic development for the Central Coast region,” he said.

“As part of the strategy I will Chair an Executive Group that will lead and monitor the implementation of the strategy and encourage the region’s future economic growth.”

Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast and Member for Wyong, David Harris, welcomed the strategy as a long term vision for the region.

“The development of this strategy has involved extensive consultation with the local community across all levels of Government - providing a unique opportunity to shape the future direction of our region,” Mr Harris said.

“The Central Coast is a great place to live and work and this strategy will encourage investment in the region.”

Fair Work Information Statement to help create better Australian workplaces

Australian workers now have a new tool to help them better understand their workplace rights.

A Fair Work Information Statement (FWIS) has been released by the federal Fair Work Ombudsman.

Fair Work Ombudsman Nicholas Wilson says the statement aims to assist employees to understand their minimum entitlements and other workplace issues.

“From January 1 this year, employers must provide a copy of the FWIS to all new employees either before, or as soon as possible after, they start work,” he said. “It is a two-page document which provides basic information for workers on matters that will affect their employment and points to where they can find out more.”

The Fair Work Act requires the Fair Work Ombudsman to publish a Fair Work Information Statement explaining key aspects of Australia’s national workplace relation system.

The Act provides a safety net of fair, relevant and enforceable minimum employment terms and conditions through the National Employment Standards (NES) that will come into effect on January 1, 2010.

The statement covers the following topics:

• Minimum entitlements under the NES
• Modern Awards
• Agreement-making
• Individual flexibility arrangements
• Freedom of association and protection from discrimination
• Termination of employment, including redundancy and other dismissals,
• Union right of entry into workplaces, and
• The role of the Fair Work Ombudsman and Fair Work Australia.

The Fair Work Information Statement can be downloaded from Fair Work Online at www.fairwork.gov.au Mr Wilson says that with less than a month before important workplace relations changes take place, Fair Work Online has been updated to assist employers and employees alike with helpful information. A new-look Fair Work Online Homepage links web users directly to information on four key areas – the Fair Work Information Statement, the National Employment Standards, Modern Awards and Flexible Working Arrangements.

The Fair Work Ombudsman is an independent, statutory agency responsible for educating employers and employees about workplace rights and obligations, ensuring compliance with workplace laws and where appropriate, commencing proceedings for contraventions.

Information is also available from the Fair Work Infoline on 13 13 94 from 8am to 6pm weekdays.

Marketing & Sales

Effectively reaching your customer is critical for business success. While this might seem obvious, it is an area which companies struggle with the most. No matter how good your product or service is, customers will not come and find you, you must go out and find them. Marketing and sales go hand in hand, but they are two distinct functions within a company. In a small business, both functions may be carried out by the same person.
Marketing supports the sales effort, helps to create the lead and paves the way for the sale to be made.
Selling is about closing the deal and bringing revenue to the company. There is a natural flow-on from marketing to sales, and this synergy must be understood in order to create effective marketing and sales strategies.

The marketing plan

• what is unique about my product / service?
• who are my customers?
• what do my customers want or need?
• what need will my product / service fulfill?
• why will customers buy from me and not my competitors?
• To develop your marketing plan, cover:
• market research
• marketing strategies and goals
• marketing tactics
• monitoring and controlling the plan.

Small business marketing tips

Review and adjust marketing strategies to meet changing situations Focus on needs and expectations of existing and potential customers Find a niche – small businesses succeed by offering something different Look for promotional opportunities that fit business strategies Build networks to promote the business and its reputation.

The sales plan

• broadly defined sales goals (either expressed as a percentage of growth, a revenue figure or both)
• specific sales targets
• how sales will be made
• to whom sales will be made
• timeframes
• who will be responsible for making the sales.

A sales plan should be very action orientated and specifically define who is going to do what, when. While longer term goals can be stated, sales plans are generally more short term in nature so they can be easily monitored and updated.
The sales plan should be linked to the marketing plan to ensure a flow-on from one to the other.

Remember, it is more expensive to gain a new client than retain an old one. Therefore make sure your sales plan is not just targeted at new prospects, but takes into account retaining past and current clients. This can include customer loyalty programs, special discounts, client visits or additional service offerings.

Information sourced from www.smallbiz.nsw.gov.au