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Increasing the Revenue StreamThis program was pre-recorded and transmitted through the rest of Australia via the Community Radio Network while I was participating in the 3CR Anarchist World this Week (I'm dreaming $420,000) Radiothon in Community Radio 3CR.Normal programming next week.
China's Sodium-Ion Scooter Revolution Summary: China is rapidly adopting sodium-ion batteries in its electric scooter market, led by companies like Yadea. These cheaper and safer alternatives to lithium are ideal for short-range urban transport and could eventually disrupt global battery supply chains. ________________________________________ Toyota Bets Big on Logistics Tech Summary: Toyota is privatising Toyota Industries Corporation to focus on autonomous forklifts, logistics software, and low-emission powertrains. The move reflects a broader trend: rebranding transport as "mobility" and modernising freight handling from the warehouse floor up. ________________________________________ Can Telematics Tame Young Drivers? Summary: A small-scale Aussie study shows real-time driver feedback via telematics might help young drivers—but only briefly. Long-term behavioural change remains elusive, and the research highlights the need for better message delivery methods behind the wheel. ________________________________________ Great Wall Climbs 'Beer O'Clock Hill' Summary: Great Wall Motors proved its off-road mettle by conquering one of Australia's toughest 4WD tracks. Notably, a plug-in hybrid Ute made the climb—demonstrating how EVs and hybrid tech are redefining off-road performance expectations. ________________________________________ Dodge's Electric Muscle Car Stalls Summary: Dodge has paused production of its EV muscle car after poor U.S. sales. Traditional petrolhead buyers weren't sold on battery-powered bravado, highlighting the emotional and cultural resistance still facing EVs—especially in the performance segment. ________________________________________ Driving While Female: Beyond Tokenism Summary: An international survey aims to understand women's experience behind the wheel. While the intent is strong, David and Paul warn against shallow analysis. Real progress requires data that captures access issues, social pressures, and behavioural patterns—not just averages. ________________________________________ Road Toll Stats: Misused, Misunderstood, and Misleading Summary: David unpacks Australia's latest road fatality stats, urging caution when interpreting small sample sizes or percentage shifts. A major jump in remote area deaths is likely due to improved reporting or infrastructure gaps, rather than sudden behavioural changes. ________________________________________ Northern Territory Tops Road Risk Charts Summary: The NT continues to record Australia's highest road fatality rate per capita—over four times higher than most other states. Long distances, rough roads, and speed are likely factors. The data underscores the life-saving power of infrastructure investment. ________________________________________ Respecting the Lane: Lessons from the Autobahn Summary: Paul reflects on how German road courtesy—like letting buses overtake trucks—contrasts with Australia's often combative driving culture. It's a reminder that education, not just engineering, plays a key role in safer roads. ________________________________________ Review: Jaecoo J7 SUV – Chinese Sophistication on a Budget Summary: The Jaecoo J7, a more refined cousin of the Chery Tiggo 7 Pro, offers great value with a premium feel. It's better built, offers AWD, and comes with a future buyback guarantee—appealing features in a rapidly evolving Chinese car landscape. ________________________________________ Program Links and Credits This Overdrive program originally aired on the 7th of June 2025. For extended interviews, video content, and podcasts, visit our website, or search “Cars Transport Culture” on Facebook, Instagram or YouTube. Credits: Hosted by David Brown. Contributor: Paul Murrell from seniordriveroz.com. Production: Bruce Potter. Technical support: Mark Wesley. Syndicated nationally via the Community Radio Network.
Overdrive: Tesla Backlash, Smarter Road Safety, and a Fresh Crop of SUVs This week on Overdrive, the show where cars and transport meet culture, David Brown and Paul Murrell cover a wide sweep of industry news, innovation, and history. Real-Time Safety Data A new agreement between Euro NCAP and the Data for Road Safety (DFRS) platform aims to improve road safety by encouraging carmakers to share real-time hazard data. The system will help vehicles warn each other of dangers like crashes or icy roads. It's a big step for Euro NCAP's 2026 safety protocols and a glimpse into how connected tech is reshaping driving. Tesla's Adelaide Trouble Tesla's plan to build a battery facility in Adelaide's south has met heavy resistance. Locals and online respondents raised concerns about environmental damage, Elon Musk's controversial image, and the loss of community land. Though battery tech is booming, this project shows how public trust matters more than just clean energy slogans. Insurance Deal Divides The ACCC has approved Insurance Australia Group's takeover of RACQ's insurance arm. RACQ sees it as a growth move, but the Motor Trades Association of Australia says it reduces competition and risks higher premiums. There's also concern over whether profits will still support traditional motor club activities like road safety advocacy. SUV Refresh: RAV4 and Forester Toyota has launched its sixth-generation RAV4 globally. It's a tech-heavy update with a new hybrid system offering up to 150km electric-only range, plus AI voice control and a rugged GR SPORT option. Subaru's next-gen Forester brings a stronger hybrid system and better handling thanks to WRX-derived steering. It retains Subaru's full-time AWD, though only petrol models include a full-size spare tyre. The SUV market is crowded, so these upgrades are key. Electric MICRA Reboots the Small Car The quirky Nissan MICRA is back, this time as a fully electric car. Built for city driving, it offers up to 408km range and a sharp new design. With other compact EVs like the Hyundai Inster on the rise, it's clear the small car is making a comeback—just with zero emissions. Land Speed Legends Paul Murrell reflects on land speed history—from Sir Malcolm Campbell's 1920s records to how ordinary cars today outperform them. Campbell's “Blue Bird” once hit 301mph and is now on display in Daytona, USA. It's a reminder of just how far—and fast—automotive progress can go. Road Test: Chery Tiggo 7 Pro We test the Chery Tiggo 7 Pro, a mid-size SUV priced under $40K. It impresses with dual 12.3” screens, a full-size spare, and a solid 7-year warranty. However, its real-world fuel economy lags, the steering feels vague, and its infotainment can be tricky to use. Strong on value, but not flawless. ________________________________________ Program Links and Credits Program Date: 31 May 2025 Contributors: David Brown, Paul Murrell, Bruce Potter, Mark Wesley, Chery Australia More Info: Search Cars Transport Culture or visit carstransportculture.com Overdrive is syndicated across Australia on the Community Radio Network.
In this episode of Overdrive – Cars, Transport, Culture, David Brown is joined once again by motoring expert Paul Murrell from SeniorDriverAus.com to unpack the latest developments from the world of transport and automotive innovation. News Highlights: Autonomous Vehicle Emissions – An MIT study warns that the computing power required for self-driving cars could one day rival the energy consumption of today's global data centres, unless hardware efficiency dramatically improves. Light Truck Safety – ANCAP's first-ever safety assessment of popular light trucks such as the Isuzu N-Series and Hino 300 Series reveals shortcomings in occupant protection and advanced safety features, despite their increasing road presence. Cupra Tavascan – The Spanish-branded but Chinese-built EV earns four ANCAP stars, falling short in Safety Assist due to the absence of certain European-standard features in the Australian version. UK Tariff Relief – A new Trump-led tariff cut could revitalise UK car exports, especially for Jaguar Land Rover, just as it prepares for its EV relaunch. GM Celestiq – A bold move into the Rolls-Royce segment, GM reveals the Celestiq: an ultra-luxury, hand-built electric sedan with 42 speakers, adaptive glass roof, and virtual development tech. Ferrari's Electric Future – The iconic Italian marque sets a date for its first EV (October 2026) and patents technology to simulate the sound and feel of petrol-powered cars, aiming to preserve its legacy in a new electric era. Toyota Tundra Platinum – Toyota adds a luxury twist to its full-size pickup lineup, combining rugged capability with premium features like massaging seats and a JBL sound system. Discussion Point: David explores the “Expertise Deficit” in public sector transport planning, highlighting a shift toward generalist management that undervalues deep, domain-specific knowledge—posing risks to effective infrastructure policy and procurement. Road Test: We get behind the wheel of the Mazda BT-50, examining its performance, features, and suitability for Australian conditions. As always, you can find extended versions of our program, visuals, and more content across our platforms—just search for Cars Transport Culture on your favourite podcast app or social media. First broadcast on 17 May 2025 on 99.3FM and syndicated nationally via the Community Radio Network.
Overdrive: Tesla's Troubles, Touchscreen Backlash & Royal Recognition In this episode of Overdrive, David Brown and Paul Murrell unpack a mix of major shifts and motoring curiosities. From plummeting Tesla sales and BYD's meteoric rise, to Australia's evolving road rules and the debate over touchscreens in modern vehicles—this week covers the latest in transport, design, planning, and culture. ⚡ Tesla's Decline & BYD's Boom Tesla has taken a major hit in Australia with a 75% drop in April sales, influenced by expiring tax perks and consumer uncertainty. Plug-in hybrid sales also dipped to 2.9%. Meanwhile, Chinese EV giant BYD has overtaken Tesla globally. In the US, Tesla is sitting on 10,000 unsold Cybertrucks, raising concerns about demand for the futuristic model before its Australian debut.
The 2025 federal election is done and dusted but the full extent of the fallout from Labor’s landslide victory still remains to be seen. Join Julie Macken and Michael Walker as they return for the final installment of ‘This Is Not A Horse Race’ to unpack what exactly transpired along the election trail, what issues were explored and ignored and ask the Community Radio Network’s Political Reporter Noah Secomb - where to from here. Let us know your thoughts by emailing fma@cbaa.org.au See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Summary: In this episode of Overdrive, we delve into the evolving world of motoring and mobility—from high-tech pedestrian detection fabrics to nostalgic reflections on motoring larrikins. David Brown and Paul Murrell critique inconsistencies in safety tech, vehicle naming confusion, and the charm of classic cars. We also road test the Mazda CX-30 and examine whether EVs are truly delivering on sustainability promises. Plus, we pay tribute to rally legend Ed Mulligan. Program Links and Credits Overdrive is produced by David Brown with assistance from Paul Murrell, Graham Patterson, Bruce Potter, and Mark Wesley. More info and extended segments available at Cars Transport Culture, or search “Overdrive Radio” on your favourite podcast platform. First broadcast: 19 April 2025 Syndicated across Australia via the Community Radio Network.
Small Biz Matters: People, Policy, Purpose ~ Episode #260 Broadcast date: 1 Apr 2025 Host: Alexi Boyd, Small Business Advocate & Policy Advisor Guests: Experts and Special Guests live from the Press Gallery, Parliament House There is not a lot of small businesses that wait with bated breath each budget night for what is in it for them, but there is a handful of experts; peak bodies who meticulously dissect it line by line, looking out for the needs of small businesses. Each budget night, they are locked with without their devices, crammed into a room which is never big enough, fed with food that is not eaten, handed a stack of budget papers, and then asked to unpack it all in only two hours! It is a remarkable feat and takes the best minds in the country. At this year's Budget Night on 25th of Mar 2025, Small Biz Matters was lucky to be in the media lock up, alongside our colleagues from the Community Radio Network. After the lock up, I spoke to the leading economic, media, advocacy and policy experts in the country (and a handful of special political guests), unpacking the budget from purely a small business perspective. Gavan Ord, Policy Adviser at CPA Australia kindly joined me in conversation the day after to unpack all the pros and cons and what it means for Australian small businesses and of course the all-important Federal Election on May 5th. Our expert guests include: Dai Le MP Senator David Pocock Chris Richardson from Rich Insight Matthew Addison Chair of Council of Small Business Organisations Australia (COSBOA) Michele O'Neil President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions Innes Willox CEO of Australian Industry Group Ross Greenwood, Business report with Sky News Helen McCabe Founder and Managing Director at FW Allegra Spender MP Senator Jacqui Lambie
This week, words by First Nations people on January 26, Sovereignty and Identity. 'Australia Day' In our first story, people at the 2012 Yabun festival speak about what so-called ‘Australia day’ means to them. That story was produced by Lauren Carroll Harris, with interviews gathered by Lauren Carroll Harris, Carly Anne Kenneally & Jesse Cox. Unwelcome to Country by Dominic Guerrera Written and performed by Dominic Guerrera, with production by Mel Bakewell. Unwelcome to Country is featured in a poetry and story collection co-edited by Dominic and Karen Wyld, called The Rocks Remain, available through Wakefield Press. Music: Submerging Green by Podington Bear. Murrumu - Selena Shannon Produced by Selena Shannon in 2015. Murrumu’s goal was to return to his Country, return to his Elders, and to the law of Yidindji Nation. In many ways he has been successful, and as of 2023, there were 200 citizens of Yidindji Sovereign Nation. Finally, a piece about lost language and the difficulty of reconnecting to culture. Bigger than School Stuff - Declan Furber Gillick Written and performed by Declan Furber Gillick in 2020. Sound design was by Ryan Pemberton. All The Best is recorded on stolen Gadigal land and we pay our respects to Gadigal elders past and present and also recognise that the area where fbi.radio is situated, Redfern, has long been a place of storytelling, strength, resistance and resilience for First Nations communities. Yabun Day Broadcast Bigger than ever, Yabun Festival is back January 26 live from Victoria Park, Gadigal Country. This year, fbi radio is teaming up with Koori Radio, National Indigenous Radio Service, One Mob Radio, and the Community Radio Network to bring you a special live broadcast of the largest community led, one-day festival of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander cultures. Join us from the Yabun main stage to hear knockout performances from Barkaa, Electric Fields, Miss Kanina, JK-47, Dameeela and many more. Yabun Festival, live on-air! This January 26 from 12pm on fbi radio. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
This week, we’re playing stories from our 24 hour radio challenge, in which producers are tasked with creating audio stories from scratch in a day! This year we had people participating in Sydney here at fbi but also down in Naarm and even overseas as far as Italy and the UK. 1 - Cristina Marras takes us into a recurring dream. 2 - Keyari Page constructs a radio drama about the road to perfection. 3 - You know when you keep texting someone but they just..don’t reply? Linda Gao, B Fung Ling and Kaspar Visser weave a tale through voice notes about a secret and a lie wrapped up in sushi. 4 - Finally, Jac Hope delves into an underground community that subverts expectations. Congratulations to all of the makers who took part. We’ll be playing more stories from our 24 hour radio race in upcoming episodes. Can’t wait? Come hang out with us early for an online listening party on 11 December at 8am Eastern Standard time. You can register via the humanitix link here. And you can always support the show by hitting subscribe or follow if you're listening to the podcast, or tuning in to your weekly broadcast on fbi radio at 9.30 am on Sunday or the Community Radio Network. All The Best Credits Executive Producer Phoebe Adler-Ryan Editorial Producer Mel Bakewell Host Madhuraa Prakash Episode Mixed and Compiled by Emma Higgins Image credit: Lindsey VassalloSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
While listeners to 3CR in Melbourne are emptying their pockets (old school), bank accounts (old school) and virtual digital devices of their hard-earned "cash" to keep 3CR on air for another year, the rest of Australia is listening to another "scintilating" Anarchist World This Week via the Community Radio Network.For those poor 3CR Radiothon "tragics" who missed out on their weekly Anarchist World This Week fix - don't despair. You won't need to get your fix on the dark web. Listen in to the 3CR podcast of this week's program.
Small Biz Matters: People, Policy, Purpose ~ Episode #234 Broadcast date: 21 May 2024 Host: Alexi Boyd, Small Business Advocate & Policy Advisor Guests: David Harding, Executive Director BusinessNSW and expert guests from the Budget Lockup There's not a lot of small businesses that wait with bated breath each budget night for what's in it for them, but there is a handful of experts looking out for the needs of small businesses in every single budget. They include Peak business groups, community organisations, industry groups and advocates from all over the country. Each budget night, they are locked with without their devices, crammed into a room which is never big enough, fed with food that isn't eaten, and handed a stackof budget papers, and then asked to dissect and unpack them in only two hours. It's a remarkable feat and takes the best minds in the country. Making it more difficult for small business advocates, is the fact that small businesses are affected by spending decisions every single policy area and every single government department. On Budget Night 14th of May 2024 Small Biz Matters was lucky to be in the media lock up, unpacking the budget from a small business perspective, surrounded by policy experts from the Community Radio Network, The Wire and leading educational institutions. After the lock up, I spoke to a number of leading economic experts in the country, unpacking the budget from a small business perspective. Then this week I was lucky enough to unpack the budget with David Harding, Executive Director from BusinessNSW, who dissected it from all angles and all policy areas. We start the show with the small business segment on The Wire, live from the studios of the Press Gallery in Parliament House. PEOPLE – Why does the Federal budget mean so much to small businesses? Do you think they listen in, or do they rely on organisations like BusinessNSW to unpack and make the budget info relatable? POLICY - Tell us about the Federal Budget and what small businesses need to know. Were there any nice surprises or was most of the information generally inconsequential? What are the major areas where the Government has offered support? PURPOSE - Do you think it will it encourage innovation, growth and survival? What does the budget mean for BusinessNSW? How will the announcements make you change direction in your policy and advocacy work representing small businesses? Chris Richardson, Australia's leading independent Economist Bran Black CEO of Business Council Australia John Grimes CEO of Smart Energy Council Georgie Dent CEO of Parenthood David Harding, Executive Director from BusinessNSW As Executive Director at Business NSW, David leads a number of diverse and capable teams ranging right across NSW's cities and regions, and also sits on the national business Executive Leadership Team. He is dedicated to ensuring a strong economic and social future for all NSW communities. He is also co-Chair of the Committee for Sydney Commission into the Future of the Sydney CBD, represents customer's interests at the Australian Energy Regulator and sits on a wide range of other trade and industry groups, policy teams and government boards and taskforces. A supporter of good social investment, he is a Director of Engineering Aid Australia and works with many other sporting and community charities and foundations in NSW. Business NSW is focused on the well-being and sustainable growth of our business community. Our purpose is to provide a strong, clear leadership voice for businesses on important economic and financial issues. Working closely with our members and government, we identify key challenges and develop practical policy solutions to ensure that businesses across NSW prosper and grow. To find out more about their budget coverage go HERE
Final Draft has been invited by the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia to join its Community Radio Network. This means that we've been working hard to develop episodes that will be shared across Australia on the hundreds of community radio stations that contribute to the diverse media landscape of this country. In this special news update Andrew talks about the process and let's you know when the podcast will get back to its regular scheduling!
SOUL OF SYDNEY #407: Enjoy this sweet all-VINYL FUNK & SOUL, HIP HOP party mix by Sydney turntablist queen DJ D live in the mix at SOUL OF SYDNEY NYD JAM 2024 in the courtyard with MC MIRRAH. The recording was originally uploaded for DJ D's RADIO SHOW 1200 Degrees on 2RDJ FM in SYdney listening to it on FM radio here http://www.radio2rdj.com/2rdj-shows/1200-degrees/ or catch the podcast below streaming on Mixcloud: https://www.mixcloud.com/DJDworldwide/ About DJ D: Recognised worldwide as Australia's premiere female Turntablist, DJ D remains loyal to that vinyl tip with 2 of the nations first all dj-mixed radio shows featured on the Community Radio Network. Endorsed by Pioneer DJ, DJ D is known for her achievements in the DMC championships placing 5th in the world all-vinyl finals 2023 with the first 45s set the comp has seen & has hit the Australian national finals placing: 4th in 2021, 8th in 2020, and 8th in 2005, coming 3rd in NSW in 2015. DJ D has played support for, plus hosted artists on her radio shows and in her chevy 64 ragtop (Majestics Australia) including Xzibit, Alkaholiks, DJ Yella, Dr Dre's son, Eazy E's son, Spice 1, Masta Ace, 2Pacs Danny Boy, Skeelo, MC Lyte, Bell Biv Devoes Ricky Bell, Eminem's Green Lantern, Naughty by Nature, KCI & JoJo, Montell Jordan, Horace Brown, Chingy, Snoop Dogg & Dr Dre's DJ Jam, DJ Rectangle, The Alkaholiks, Blackstreet, Jon B, 112, D.O.C., and De La Soul's Maseo. Listen to more from DJ D https://www.facebook.com/1200degrees
On today's show: The spontaneous uprising of Bangladeshi garment workers; an end-of-year labor roundup with Kim Kelly, Michael Sainato and Jordan Zakarin; the Heartland Labor Forum's annual Crystal Ball show; and Matthew Lassiter on police violence and racial justice in the Civil Rights Era. This week's featured shows are Stick Together, Australia's only national radio show focusing on industrial, social and workplace issues, distributed nationally on the Community Radio Network; the Power at Work Podcast, from the Power At Work Blog, produced by the Burnes Center for Social Change; Heartland Labor Forum, which comes to us from KKFI 90.1FM Kansas City Community Radio; Tales from the Reuther Library, the labor history podcast from the Walter P. Reuther Library at Wayne State University. Please help us build sonic solidarity by clicking on the share button below. Highlights from labor radio and podcast shows around the country, part of the national Labor Radio Podcast Network of shows focusing on working people's issues and concerns. @stick__together @Heartland_Labor @ReutherLibrary #LaborRadioPod @AFLCIO Edited by Patrick Dixon, produced by Chris Garlock; social media guru Mr. Harold Phillips.
Hello, and welcome to the Cinema Australia Podcast. My name is Matthew Eeles. In this episode I'm joined by actor Jordan Fraser-Trumble who gives an outstanding performance in The Cost which is written and directed by Matthew Holmes. Matthew was a recent guest on this Podcast also discussing this new white-knuckle thriller. In The Cost, Jordon plays David - one of two ordinary men intent on dispensing their own brutal form of justice after abducting a felon who committed a horrific crime many years before. Jordan is a great actor whose career I have been following for many years now since his debut feature film performance in Holmes' The Legend of Ben Hall back in 2017. Jordan's other feature film credits include West of Sunshine, and Freelance and Love, Tea and Epiphany which Jordan discusses here also. This is a shorter episode than usual as this interview was originally recorded for my radio segment on the Community Radio Network. The Cost is available to rent now across the usual VoD platforms, and is also available on DVD and Blu-ray. This one is getting some great reviews, folks, and I can't recommend it enough. Anyway… enjoy.
Uncle Bunja Smith says he wants "to see a permanent voice to parliament so we may be able to close the gap”. Uncle Bunja is asking people to find out about The Voice referendum coming up on October 14th, dodge the misinformation flying about, and join the Yes campaign. 43 climate organisations and groups representing a movement of over two million Australians signed a public letter supporting YES to the Voice. Hear this statement. Guest: Uncle Bunja Smith is a recognized Walbanga Elder in his community of the greater Yuin nation, on the south coast of New South Wales. He is involved in a lot of things that happen in his community, especially aged and home care for Aboriginal people.Find out about The Voice here and here : Everything you need to know about the Voice. - ABC NewsFor information about the Voice to Parliament Referendum (languages other than English) click here voice.gov.au/community-toolkitAlso - https://voice.gov.au/sites & https://www.lwb.org.au For information on the Voice to Parliament Referendum (English) click here: Multicultural VoiceFor information about the Voice to Parliament Referendum (languages other than English) click here: Translated resources | The Voice Also - https://voice.gov.au/sites & https://www.lwb.org.auMusic: by emerging Djaarmby Band playing new music for the Yuin nation and us all. Music | Djaarmby Band (bandcamp.com)Djaarmby Band is from the Yuin nation on the south coast of NSW and Canberra. The new song, "Five Tribes', written by Darren Rix on guitar and vocals, Warren Saunders on base and didge, Goo Cee playing guitar, drums by Richard Ploog. Djaarmby Band is launching an EP soon.Statement from Climate Groups and list of supporting groups: Climate Movement Supports Yes to the Voice (envirojustice.org.au)Uluru statement from the heart:We, gathered at the 2017 National Constitutional Convention, coming from all points of the southern sky, make this statement from the heart:Our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tribes were the first sovereign Nations of the Australian continent and its adjacent islands, and possessed it under our own laws and customs. This our ancestors did, according to the reckoning of our culture, from the Creation, according to the common law from ‘time immemorial', and according to science more than 60,000 years ago.This sovereignty is spiritual notion: the ancestral tie between the land, or ‘mother nature', and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who were born therefrom, remain attached thereto, and must one day return thither to be united with our ancestors. This link is the basis of the ownership of the soil, or better, of sovereignty. It has never been ceded or extinguished, and co-exists with the sovereignty of the Crown.How could it be otherwise? That peoples possessed a land for sixty millennia and this sacred link disappears from world history in merely the last two hundred years?With substantive constitutional change and structural reform, we believe this ancient sovereignty can shine through as a fuller expression of Australia's nationhood.Proportionally, we are the most incarcerated people on the planet. We are not an innately criminal people. Our children are aliened from their families at unprecedented rates. This cannot be because we have no love for them. And our youth languish in detention in obscene numbers. They should be our hope for the future.These dimensions of our crisis tell plainly the structural nature of our problem. This is the torment of our powerlessness.We seek constitutional reforms to empower our people and take a rightful place in our own country. When we have power over our destiny our children will flourish. They will walk in two worlds and their culture will be a gift to their country.We call for the establishment of a First Nations Voice enshrined in the Constitution.Makarrata is the culmination of our agenda: the coming together after a struggle. It captures our aspirations for a fair and truthful relationship with the people of Australia and a better future for our children based on justice and self-determination.We seek a Makarrata Commission to supervise a process of agreement-making between governments and First Nations and truth-telling about our history.In 1967 we were counted, in 2017 we seek to be heard. We leave base camp and start our trek across this vast country. We invite you to walk with us in a movement of the Australian people for a better future.Proposed addition to the Constitution: In recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Peoples of Australia: (i) there shall be a body, to be called the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice; (ii) the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice may make representations to the Parliament and the Executive Government of the Commonwealth on matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples; (iii) the Parliament shall, subject to this Constitution, have power to make laws with respect to matters relating to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice, including its composition, functions, powers and procedures.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Transcript of Earth Matters #1417 Uncle Bunja Smith " A vote for Yes is a vote for hope and opportunity". 43 Climate Movement groups agree. Rebecca: Welcome to Earth Matters, environmental justice stories from Australia &and around the world. This story was produced on the land of the Walbunja people of the Yuin nation supported by radio 3CR on Wurundjeri Country, in Melbourne, and broadcast across this continent via the Community Radio Network. Hello, I'm the show host Bec Horridge. I pay my respects to the elders, past, present, and emerging. Uncle Bunja: I think: “A vote for Yes is a vote for hope and opportunity, whereas a vote for NO just gives me more of the same, so you wanna be in the tent or you wanna be outside the tent throwing rocks throwing rocks at it? The choice is yours.” Id rather be in the tent and change the system from the inside” Rebecca: That's today's guest Walbunja Elder with Uncle Bunja Smith. He wants to see a permanent voice to parliament so we might be able to close the gap. Rebecca: Here we are in Yuin country with Uncle Bunja Smith. Jamaka bumbalaga! Uncle Bunja: Jamaka bumbalaga! Rebecca Rebecca: And we're looking over Bhundoo, which is The Clyde River, it's actually known as one of the least polluted waterways of any major river in Australia. Welcome to Earth Matters, Uncle Bunja Smith. Uncle Bunja: Thank you. Thank you so much, Rebecca. And yes, the Bhundoo, while it is recognised as one of the least polluted rivers, I noticed it change, the cycle of life was affected in the bushfires. The bushfires actually cleared a lot of land at the top of the river and then following the bushfires, we had heavy rain and all that soil had to go somewhere. So, it washed down the river. It affected the oysters; it affected the fish. I hadn't seen any porpoises or dolphins in the Bundhoo for quite a while since the bushfires and it was only approximately two weeks ago that I saw dolphins swimming at Caseys Beach. So, I can say from that that life is returning but it was heavily affected by the bushfires and the following rains. Rebecca: Uncle Bunja Smith has a lifetime of experience working with Aboriginal people and the whole community and he's been speaking around Yuin country, the South Coast area, asking people to become informed, at least about what the Voice is. Let's dive in, Uncle, and could you just tell me a bit about the Voice? Uncle Bunja: The history is that since the Gough Whitlam government, we have had a voice to parliament in the form of an advisory body in one way, shape or form and the issue with that is that every time we had a change of government, we have a change of advisory. It started with the NACC, the National Aboriginal Consultative Committee, under Gough Whitlam. Then when Malcolm Fraser took over, he changed it and it became the NAC, the National Aboriginal Congress. Then the NAC, under the Hawke government, was abolished and a couple of years later, Hawke established ATSIC. So, it appears that every time we get a change of government, as I said, we get a change of advisory and Aboriginal people are getting tired of this because it's not working. Probably because one reason is that they throw the baby out with the bathwater. I think advisories are good and necessary but when you continually change it for your own benefit, not the people's benefit, then it's derogatory, it doesn't work for us. Now, what's happened is in and around 2016, 2017, there was a movement from the people around the Redfern Statement and there was also movement from government, wondering or questioning how can we get Aboriginal people into the constitution? And if you remember, John Howard wanted to put us in the preamble. So, going way back to then, there has been discussions around putting Aboriginal people in the constitution and what does it look like? How will we do it? And a group of 250 Aboriginal leaders at the time were gathered, paid for by the government to go to Uluru and have a constitutional convention. That's what they were there for. They were there to discuss how to get Aboriginal people into the constitution. Now, whenever you get a large crowd of anybody together, it's very hard to get consensus because everyone is going to be a different opinion. Some will like blue, some will like green, some will like yellow and that's what makes us rich is that we have all these different opinions, ideas and it's how to work together. So after gathering for quite a few days and discussing quite a lot of things, including treaty, they came up with a one page document called the Uluru Statement and that's where it was born from. From a constitutional convention at Uluru in 2017 and it was given, presented as a gift for all of Australia. It suggested three things. It called for truth telling. It called for Makarrata, and it also called for a voice to parliament enshrined in the constitution. So, I wasn't amongst them, and a lot of people weren't. There were only 250 representatives of Aboriginal people from all around Australia. So that's a reasonable representation of Aboriginal people and this is what they came up with was the Uluru Statement. Now, just because I didn't write a Sally Morgan book doesn't mean that I don't love it, doesn't mean that I don't love the writing. I had nothing to do with the Uluru Statement but I've adopted it. I love it. It's a love letter from Aboriginal people to the broader Australian community. It is saying we want to work with you to make everything better for everyone and, in particular, Aboriginal people. We want the truth to be told. So that is the history and the genesis of where we have come to and now remember that was 2017 and the government at the time was Malcolm Turnbull. His government funded that trip to Uluru and then when they came back with the Uluru Statement, he said, “Thank you very much” and he shelved it. He didn't want to do anything with it. It was too much for him. He said, “The people will never vote yes for a referendum” and then Malcolm Turnbull handed over – well, he got taken over. He got taken over by Scott Morrison and again Scott Morrison didn't want anything to do with the Uluru Statement. So we had an election not so long ago and one of the platforms that the Labor government stood on was that they would act on the Uluru Statement. Now, there's three parts to it and when you look at it, the most sensible part for me is a voice because with a voice, we can start the truth telling and we can navigate the complex road to treaty. But you must start with communication. You must start with a voice. So Anthony Albanese said that he would act on it and he has done that. He has now called a referendum of the people of Australia to ask should a voice to parliament be instilled in the constitution? Now, if you have a look at the ballot paper, that is proposed ballot paper, that's all it's asking people. “Yes or no, do you want a voice to parliament?” Have a look at it, it's on the Voice website, OK. Rebecca: OK. Uncle Bunja: And that's the question that you're being asked to vote yes or no on. But also on the website, you will see how the constitution will be changed. Now, all it is doing is instilling a voice, a voice to parliament. It's not putting me in the constitution, it's putting a voice in the constitution. So it's a very interesting thing to look at and I encourage people to do that, to have a good look at what's being proposed and fact check everything for themselves. Dad always told me, he said, “Son,” he said, “Believe nothing of what you hear and half of what you see.” And that's what people have got to do. They've got to do a little bit of research to get to the truth of this matter. Sadly, there's a lot of mistruths and ugliness happening around encouraging people that this is a bad thing. No, I don't believe it's a bad thing. Remember that when you look at it, it is not Aboriginal people being put in the constitution, it's an Aboriginal voice that will be put in the constitution and I think that's a good thing because as a start, you must have a dialogue. You must have an avenue of communication. That's a voice. So, it's a great place to start. I don't think it's perfect but I think it's the step, the right step in the right direction. Now, it gets a little bit more complex, Rebecca. The Voice, while permanent in the constitution, the make-up, the model can always be changed by successive governments because they will have the power of what the Voice looks like. But they must have a voice. So, it's caused a lot of consternation and a lot of anger, a lot of resentment, a lot of confusion, but the sadness for me is that it's also thrown a spotlight on racism in Australia. On Facebook recently there was a post that said, “First comes the Voice, then comes the invoice.” It wasn't so much that comment that worried me, it was the comments from the people underneath on Facebook. One of them from a lady said, “We should charge them for using our” – actually quote, “We should invoice them for using our infrastructure.” Then someone replied to her, “Yes, maybe they will go back and live in bark huts.” This is out there and this is truth. So that's what saddens me is that it has got down to that level of ugliness. It's a Voice to parliament that I believe will be a communication road and the government of the day does not have to take the Voice's advice. It does not have a veto power. So, some people are saying – some Aboriginal people are saying, “Well, it's a white elephant. If they don't have to take the advice, what's the good of it?” Well, I think something is better than nothing. I think a vote for yes is a vote for hope and opportunity, whereas a vote for no just gives me more of the same. So, do you want to be in the tent or you want to be outside the tent, throwing rocks at it? The choice is yours. I'd rather be in the tent and change the system from the inside. Rebecca: Uncle Bunja Smith, I'm so grateful that you've come to talk to me and everybody here at Earth Matters. There's a lot more I could learn and I'm hoping so much to have you and your friends on the show later in the year. Walawaani. Uncle Bunja: Walawaani, Rebecca and, look, thank you so much and yes, I've actually had a long history with 3CR. Going back to the 80s, I was a student of Koori College in Northcote, we had the radio show on 3CR way back then. Rebecca: Wow. Uncle Bunja: The Aboriginal program and I was a part of that. So 3CR has a special place in my heart and I say my respects to the elders and tribes people of the local area, and I thank you for having me on the show. Go well. In my language, Walawaani means safe journey. So Walawaani all my brothers and sisters out there. Take care and care for Mother Earth. Rebecca:The Australian climate movement has thrown its support behind writing Yes to the voice. 43 climate organisations and groups representing a movement of over two million Australians, who are into a healthy climate and thriving envirionment and are rooted in the values of justice and fairness signed a public letter supporting YES to the Voice. Here is the statement they endorsed. These groups include World Wildlife Fund, Oxfam, Getup, Greenpeace, Climate Council Australian Parents for Climate Action, the Australia Institute, Tipping Point and so many other groups are supporting the Yes vote on Oct 14. Id like to read you the statement they recently put out. The Australian Climate Movement Supports Writing Yes to the Voice Australia is home to the oldest continuous culture on Earth. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have been caring for Country for millennia. First Nations people are the first scientists and leaders in nature restoration, land management and climate solutions. We stand together as leaders representing a movement of over two million Australians whose commitment to a healthy climate and thriving environment is rooted in the shared values of justice, equality, and fairness. Australians are being asked to vote in a referendum to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the Constitution and establish an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. We wholeheartedly support writing YES in this referendum. By writing YES, we support a pathway for meaningful, transformative change. This referendum calls upon us to reflect upon our colonial history and envision a future where First Nations justice, truth-telling and Treaty help us move towards a brighter future, together. We know what it takes to demand ambitious change and challenge entrenched systems. We lead movements that bravely challenge the status quo. The Australian climate movement has stood up to vested interest groups attempting to impede meaningful action on climate change in this country. These same political culture wars are now attempting to fuel racism and divide us. Our support for writing YES is based on the fundamental principle that laws and policies are more effective when those who are affected by them have a voice. We firmly believe in demanding substantive change rather than mere symbolism, and we view this referendum as a step in the right direction. History has shown us that previous representative bodies for First Nations peoples have been dismantled by the government of the day at will. By writing YES in the referendum, Australians everywhere can establish a permanent representative body that boldly advocates for the needs and aspirations of First Nations people. Recognising and respecting the knowledge, cultures, stories, and languages of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples will help us move forward from our past and progress together towards a brighter future. First Nations communities are at the front line of climate impacts in this country. There is no climate justice without First Nations justice. By ensuring that First Nations communities are represented in shaping national policies, we can achieve better health, environment, and climate outcomes. We encourage all Australians to listen with an open heart and mind through this historic moment. Together we share a vision for the future as a nation that values justice, equity and fairness for all people. Together, let us write YES. And that is the statement endorsed by 43 climate groups, some of the biggest groups and some of the most effective groups. Find online details about the Voice at voice.gov.au Youve been listening to Earth Matters, community radios national environment and justice programme. I'm Bec Horridge. If you have missed any of today's show you can find our podcasts at 3cr.org.au/earthmatters Earth Matters would like to thank the Community Broadcasting Foundation for their financial support and the Community Radio Network for all their hard work in broadcasting today's episode. Earth Matters is produced at 3CR Community Radio on Warungari Country in Fitzroy Melbourne. If you want to get in contact, you can send us an email at earthmatters3cr@gmail.com or go to our Facebook or Instagram page. That's all for now but tune in next week for more Earth Matters. The music on the show is the unreleased track Five Tribes by songwriter Darren Rix. Darren Rix is a Gunnai- Kurnai man, the nephew of Archy Roach. Warren Saunders is Gungarri Elder from west of Toowoomba on bass guitar and Didge. Goo Cee is playing lead guitar. That lilting drumbeat is Richard Ploog, former drummer for The Church. Djaarmby Band is releasing a five track Ep soon. You can find two other tracks written by Warren Saunders: Wallaby Wombat and Lover Lee on Bandcamp
Hello and welcome to the Cinema Australia Podcast. My name is Matthew Eeles. This episode is one of those “other” episodes of the Cinema Australia Podcast where I bring over two of my recent interviews for the Community Radio Network and publish them here. These interviews are much shorter than usual, but just as enjoyable. Filmmaker Paul Goldman kicks things off as he joins us to chat about Ego: The Michael Gudinski Story. Following that is Robert and James Farnham, the two son's of Australian music icon John Farnham, who discuss their father's new documentary, John Farnham: Finding The Voice. Anyway… enjoy.
This episode is a little bit different than our usual episodes in that it features two interviews with two very talented filmmakers - Matt Vesely who has directed a neat sci-fi thriller called Monolith, and Callan Durlik who has made a very funny romantic comedy called It Only Takes A Night. Monolith which follows a headstrong journalist, played by Lilly Sullivan, whose investigative podcast uncovers a strange artefact, an alien conspiracy, and the lies at the heart of her own story. It Only Takes a Night follows four best friends on a girl's night out who end up on a path none of them expected and find out it really does only take one night to change your life. These two interviews were originally recorded for my radio show on the Community Radio Network, so they're not as in depth as the usual Cinema Australia Podcast episodes, but there's still plenty covered for each film. Anyway… enjoy.
Sunehra speaks with Ayman Islam, the Executive Director of the Centre for Muslim Health and Wellbeing, an initiative to help Muslims navigate mental health support that is culturally appropriate and to help prevent harm in crisis situations. Islam joined us to discuss the importance of mental health during Ramadan. You can call their navigator to find a Muslim or culturally trained mental health professional at +61472668010, or you can go to their website cmw.org.au to learn more. If you're in need of urgent mental health help, you can also contact:Emergency services – 000Lifeline – 13 11 14 Beyond Blue – 1300 22 4636 Suicide Call Back Service – 1300 659 467 Kids Helpline – 1800 55 1800 MensLine – 1300 789 978 We hear about the actions of Filipina comfort women who are demanding justice in relation to crimes of sexual violence in World War Two. Jiselle Hanna from 3CR's Accent of Women spoke to Sharon Cabusao-Silva, the Executive Director of Lila Pilipina, an organisation of Filipina comfort women and victim-survivors striving for justice, freedom and peace.To hear the rest of this interview, head to the Accent of Women page and look for the March 21st episode. Accent of Women is a program by and about women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, distributed nationally on the Community Radio Network. The program airs on 3CR every Tuesday 8:30am to 9:00am. Grace speaks to Executive Director of Victorian National Parks Association Matt Ruchel about VNPA's lodged application to save the critically endangered Mount Donna stonefly following a mountain bike trail project to be built. Grace speaks to the Managing Director of Medianet & Medianet Insights, Amrita Sidhu, about the recent survey on journalists' views on defamation laws, average pay, employment and challenges, and why public interest journalism is being threatened in Australia.To read the full report, view it HERE for anonymous views from journalists and full data details. Songs: Waiting for that light by Nina Rose Tired Eyes by Kutcha Edwards Waiting for the Great Leap Forward by Billy Bragg
This is a different episode format than regular listeners will be used to. Here I'll be chatting with two filmmakers in seperate interviews that were originally recorded for my radio spot on the Community Radio Network. The first interview is with Christine Looby to discuss her new Young Adult coming-of-age adventure film, The Curious Case of Dolphin Bay. An accomplished Assistant Director with 15 years of experience in film and television, Christine graduated to Directing in 2020 with her debut feature This Little Love of Mine - the first Australian feature to commence production during the global COVID-19 Pandemic. The second interview is with filmmaker Maya Newell who shares some great stories about the making of her brilliant new documentary The Dreamlife of Georgie Stone. Spanning nineteen years, The Dreamlife of Georgie Stone tells the story of Georgie, an Australian transgender teen as she helps change laws, affirms her gender, finds her voice and emerges into adulthood.
09/09/2022/FRIDAY/ CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY RADIO NETWORK : TODAY PROGRAM.
In this show, we play a selection of performances by poets from around the country for Red Room Poetry Month. Presented in collaboration with the Community Radio Network and Red Room Poetry. The poets presenting their work are: Maria TumarkinJazz MoneyEloise GrillsElfie ShiosakiDaniel BrowningSandra RenewGavin Yan GaoSisonke MsimangHuda the GoddessMunira Tabassum AhmedEsther OttowayDan HoganSteven Herrick
Melbourne became a ghost town during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pubs and venues closed their doors, leaving many of the city's artists and creatives without a stage to perform on or an audience to perform for. Yet over successive lockdowns, it was the creative industries that kept communities strong, as we all adapted to unprecedented circumstances. In The Stage Goes Dark, four creatives share their struggles and victories during the pandemic and cry out for an overlooked community, calling for a lifeline. Guests: Eilish Gilligan Brenton Harris Neil Morris (DRMNGNOW) Virginia Gay Credits: Producer: Erin Dick Executive Producer and sound design: Sarah Mashman Engineer: Tegan Nichols Theme composer: Oliver Beard Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions Management team: Abe Killian and Sime Knezevic Made in co-operation with: SYN, Melbourne This episode was made on the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation and the muwinina people from Country around nipaluna. These lands were never ceded. From the Embers Season 2: Phoenix is supported by The Judith Neilson Institute for Journalism and Ideas, The Paul Ramsay Foundation, Monash University's Fire to Flourish program and The Minderoo Foundation Fire and Flood Resilience Initiative and broadcast across Australia via the Community Radio Network See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Day after day of intense rainfall fell across south east Queensland In February 2022, breaking riverbanks, swamping roads and flooding homes. The city of Brisbane experienced one of the worst floods on record. In three days alone, Brisbane received 80 per cent of its annual rainfall as people scrambled to find higher ground to shelter. As people recover and start to rebuild, questions are being raised over where to live and how to prepare for the future. Guests: Milena Cifali Richard Hamernik Carolyn Karafa Councillor Johnathon Sri Credits: Producer: Maureen Mopio Executive producer and sound design: Sarah Mashman Engineering: Tegan Nicholls Theme music: Oliver Beard Additional music: Blue Dot Sessions Management team: Abe Killian and Sime Knezevic Made in co-operation with 4EB, Brisbane This episode was made on the lands of the Turrbal and Jagera peoples, and the land of the muwinina people from Country around nipaluna. These lands were never ceded. From the Embers Season 2: Phoenix is supported by The Judith Neilson Institute for Journalism and Ideas, The Paul Ramsay Foundation, Monash University's Fire to Flourish program and The Minderoo Foundation Fire and Flood Resilience Initiative – and broadcast across Australia via the Community Radio Network See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Ever increasing record high flood levels are marked on the side of Lismore's flood levee. Lismore, a town in Northern New South Wales is dissected by two major rivers. When there's heavy rainfall, water flows down from the surrounding hills, slowing at the bottom and spreading across the floodplain. The town's residents know floods, their houses are built high, some four metres off the ground in the canopies of trees. Many have flood plans, keeping kayaks and dinghies tethered to their homes in case of emergency. On February 27 2022, water inundated the town, sweeping away cars, stranding residents on rooftops and filling houses with inches of mud. In the weeks that followed volunteer hubs sprang up to feed and clothe locals forced to shelter in tents and cars as they struggle to recover with minimal support and start to clean out and rebuild their homes in the trees. Guests: Vicki Findlay Naomi Moran Aidan Ricketts Lucy Wise Freya Woodland Production team Producer and sound design: Sarah Mashman Engineer: Tegan Nichols Theme composer: Oliver Beard Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions Management team: Abe Killian and Sime Knezevic Made with the co-operation of 2NCR, Lismore and the Koori Mail Roofs above water was made on Widjabul Wia-bal Country of the Bundjalung Nation and the lands of the muwinina people from Country around nipaluna. These lands were never ceded. From the Embers Season 2: Phoenix is supported by The Judith Neilson Institute for Journalism and Ideas, The Paul Ramsay Foundation, Monash University's Fire to Flourish program and The Minderoo Foundation Fire and Flood Resilience Initiative and broadcast across Australia via the Community Radio Network See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
One and a half million hectares of Yuin Country was destroyed by the 2019/2020 mega fires in the South Coast of New South Wales. These fires killed countless animals, plants and insect species - some of which are now on the brink of extinction. Many members of the South Coast Yuin Community call these mega fires, ‘Wrong Fire,' fires that can't be controlled and have the capacity to injure and kill. This type of fire is vastly different to Right Fire, often called Cultural Burning. Right Fire has been practised for thousands of years and has the capacity to heal and care for all. Content warning this feature contains stories from the 2019/2020 Fires. Guests: Andrew White Uncle Nook Vikki Parsley Credits: Producer: Alice Ansara Executive producer and sound design: Sarah Mashman Engineer: Tegan Nicholls Theme music by Oliver Beard Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions Minga-Yung - Your Mother by Jordan Nye Management team: Abe Killian and Sime Knecevic In co-operation with 2EAR, Moruya This podcast was made on the lands of theWalbunga and the Yuin Nation and the lands of the muwinina people from Country around nipaluna. These lands were never ceded. From the Embers Season 2: Phoenix is supported by The Judith Neilson Institute for Journalism and Ideas, The Paul Ramsay Foundation, Monash University's Fire to Flourish program and The Minderoo Foundation Fire and Flood Resilience Initiative and broadcast across Australia via the Community Radio Network See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Anarchist World This Week on the Community Radio Network (national)
The fires that tore through the South Coast of New South Wales in 2019/2020 hit towns on the coast and in the bush. Within the community, homes were lost, some experienced events that left them traumatised and all inhabited a devastated landscape. Animal habitats were also affected, and when both logging companies and urban developers began to encroach on the habitat of the critically endangered Swift Parrot, locals from the South Coast began to stand up and take action to save the home that this small bird needs in order to survive. Content warning: this feature contains stories from the 2019/2020 Fires. Guests: Bill Eger Nick Hopkins Jordan Nye Dr. Debbie Saunders Credits: Producer: Alice Ansara Executive producer and sound design: Sarah Mashman Engineer: Tegan Nicholls Theme music by Oliver Beard Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions Management team: Abe Killian and Sime Knecevic In co-operation with 2EAR, Moruya This episode was made on the lands of the Walbunga and the Budawang people of the Yuin Nation and the lands of the muwinina people from Country around nipaluna. These lands were never ceded From the Embers Season 2: Phoenix is supported by The Judith Neilson Institute for Journalism and Ideas, The Paul Ramsay Foundation, Monash University's Fire to Flourish program and The Minderoo Foundation Fire and Flood Resilience Initiative and broadcast across Australia via the Community Radio Network. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Two years on from the massive fire that tore through Mallacoota, a tiny coastal town in Victoria, the camping grounds are full again, koalas can be spotted in the crowns of eucalypts and the landscape is green with epicormic growth. But the town is dotted with empty lots where houses once stood and the new green growth only hides the blackened trunks. Photojournalist Rachel Mounsey documented the approach of the bushfire and the aftermath, focusing her camera on the people who lost their homes amidst the devastation. Content warning this feature contains stories from the 2019/2020 Fires. Guests Justin Brady Brodie Cummingham Kate Jackson Rachel Mounsey Jiya Rose Nation Credits: Producer and presenter: Sarah Mashman Engineer: Tegan Nicholls Theme music by Oliver Beard Additional music from Blue Dot Sessions Production management team: Abe Killian and Sime Knezevic In co-operation with 3MGB, Mallacoota Framing Disaster was made on the lands of the Gunai Kurnai people and the muwinina people from Country around nipaluna. These lands were never ceded. From the Embers Season 2: Phoenix is supported by The Judith Neilson Institute for Journalism and Ideas, The Paul Ramsay Foundation, Monash University's Fire to Flourish program and The Minderoo Foundation Fire and Flood Resilience Initiative and broadcast across Australia via the Community Radio Network. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Veteran journalist Malcolm Farr, who has covered every election since 1993, and Amanda Copp, Political Reporter from the Community Radio Network's National Newsroom are taking you 'Inside the Media Scrum' during the Australian federal election campaign. They're looking at how and why the media is covering the election the way it is. There are weekly podcasts as well as bonus episodes featuring some of Australia's most important newsroom leaders. Follow Listen at JNI in your favourite podcast app so you don't miss an episode. Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/listen-at-jni/id1615713303 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5G4oSQZxwzxEy5QJ2qJkqZ Omny: https://omny.fm/shows/listen-at-jni/playlists/podcast And stay tuned for new episodes of Journo, coming very soon. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
From 4EB in Brisbane, Anisa Hobaya shows us how the subject of height discrimination often falls short of including the stories of incredibly tall people. Supervising production from Celeste Macintosh. Training from the Community Media Training Organisation. Distributed by the Community Radio Network. Produced for the 2021 CBAA National Features and Documentary Series. We might think it's an innocent joke but when you really think about it, what are people of extraordinary height going through in their day-to-day life? After hearing a story from a tall friend about some extreme prejudice she experienced growing up, Anisa Hobaya decided to explore the height stereotypes and challenges tall women face. Listen to Standing Tall for a jaw-dropping story and insight into the lives of tall women. Special Thanks Marianne De Pierres and Laura Clemesha for being very generous to share their personal stories. Celeste Macintosh, Giordana, Heli, and the team from the CBAA and CMTO for their continued support and motivation during the entire production. My husband, Zain Mills for his constant support and encouragement to bring this story to life. Credits What we fear, Christian Andersen Overcome, Megan Wofford Signal to noise, Hampus Neselius Break - Adobe Stock ( Audio source: FineTune Music Adobe Stock Asset ID: #452584418) Remembering - Adobe Stock ( Audio source: FineTune Music Adobe Stock Asset ID: #452594689) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
From 106.9 Vox FM in Wollongong, Dee Milenkovic shares a tale that is attached to a national scandal, the story of the Ruby Princess when it hit the docks in Port Kembla. Supervising production from Sharon Davis. Training from the Community Media Training Organisation. Distributed by the Community Radio Network. Produced for the 2021 CBAA National Features and Documentary Series. When I heard about the “death ship” berthing in my town, I saw fear turn to hatred as people scrambled to keep our community safe from the infested Ruby Princess cruise ship. Then one day, a lone voice of compassion cut through the sea of anger and panic and showed us that we weren't helpless against a viral enemy. My documentary tells the story of how this man's compassionate action turned the tide in one of Australia's most sensational public health disasters. Special Thanks John Kewa, the star of the show Mark Sleigh, Destination Wollongong Justin Huntsdale, ABC Illawarra Nicole Dillon, go-getting local Unnamed local fisherman, vox pop interviewee Peter Ernst, Port Authority boss Sharon Davis, mentor extraordinaire Chris Yates, sfx and tech guru Giordana Caputo, the very patient CMTO big boss Abe Killian, CRN good guy My beautiful boy, who cheered me through every win and hugged me through every freak-out during the making of this documentary The VOX FM Board of Directors, a bunch of absolute legends who continue to support my out-of-the-box ideas Credits Lights of Wollongong, Black Moon Band Shelter, Arcadians Choir See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
From One FM in Shepparton, Terri Cowley tells a part of Australian history from a unique perspective, as she recounts the tale of one of Australia's first mid-air collisions. Supervising production from Agnes Cusack. Training from the Community Media Training Organisation. Distributed by the Community Radio Network. Produced for the 2021 CBAA National Features and Documentary Series. The episode happened at Sydney's Bankstown Airport in 1955 but, more than 60 years later, it's still rippling down through the generations of the Cowley family, coming to rest with Terri, a journalist who felt compelled to tell the story – before it was too late. Special Thanks Les, Ken and Maureen, Ted and John Cowley for their candid interviews Agnes Cusack Rob Rosenthal Credits Fire by Karuah: karuahmusic.org Come Josephine in my flying machine, performed by Ada Jones and Bill Murray and chorus, 1910 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
From Eastside Radio in Sydney, Poppy Dowsett, and Sharon Haritos show us just how close some of us are to crossing the line of homelessness. Supervising production from Jacqueline Wright. Training from the Community Media Training Organisation. Distributed by the Community Radio Network. Produced for the 2021 CBAA National Features and Documentary Series. Housing in Australia is extremely precarious, with affordability increasingly out of reach for many. We hear plenty of bad news in this arena, but what is being done to address this situation? Poppy Dowsett and Shannon Haritos of Eastside Radio take us on a very personal journey to speak to some pioneering Australians thinking outside the box when it comes to social and affordable housing initiatives. Special Thanks John Gregory, Michael Zanardo, Kim Samuel, Dr. Louise Crabtree-Hayes, and John Engeler. Credits Shannon Haritos, “Too Busy Doing Nothing For You” Courtney Barnett, “Depreston” Madness, “Our House” See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
From Vision Australia Radio in Melbourne, Melaine Robinson takes us for a ride and shows us the important role horses play in animal-assisted therapies. Supervising production from Katharina Loesche. Training from the Community Media Training Organisation. Distributed by the Community Radio Network. Produced for the 2021 CBAA National Features and Documentary Series. The undeniable power of animal connections to humans shows us that a little bit of something good and special still exists in our world. When the animals are horses, often big, flighty creatures, and the humans are some of the most vulnerable, this gets taken to another level. During this 12-minute journey, you will meet some wonderful characters, equine and human, who will show you what can be achieved when the right space is provided. Special Thanks RDA Victoria, celebrating 50 years of service in 2021. Abigail Vidler, Troy Vidler, Norma Pearce, Jayleen Considine, Fiona Orr, Moorabbin Volunteer Anne, Karen Smith, Sally Francis, Edwina Boase-Stafford, Bob Bath, Dr. Rwth Stuckey, Andrea Lucas, Sue Harris, and Margaret Millear Vanessa Tan, Educational and Developmental Psychologist Conrad Browne, Vision Australia Radio Zoe Duncan, Support worker Credits Komiku - Champ de Tournesol (2016) Rafael Krux - Magic in the Garden (2018) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
From 4ZZZ in Brisbane, Nic Huntington takes us on a journey filled with mystery and conspiracy, as we head to Dijaki Kundu. Supervising production from Anthony Frangi. Training from the Community Media Training Organisation. Distributed by the Community Radio Network. Produced for the 2021 CBAA National Features and Documentary Series. It's always daunting walking into any space where you don't know anybody. Despite being a journalist for a quarter of my life, I still struggle with this, no matter how many emails I've sent. For hours I awkwardly felt out the energy at Djaki Kundu with a roaring fire, camp chairs, and a bowl of delicious soup in front of me as the stars set. On hour 6 of an overnight trip, I started to think this whole story might have been a mistake, stumbling through awkward introductions to the constantly expanding roster of characters. But when I awoke in the morning to a welcoming "I like this fella, he has a trustworthy energy about him" I knew the story was going to turn out. This story was a story of many visits similar to this, feeling my way through awkward reintroductions before finally understanding when the time was right to record. I never could get Wit-Boooka to feel comfortable around a Shure SM58, but I can live with that. Special Thanks Rhianna Patrick Diane Djaki Widjung Wit-Boooka Credits “Little Things” feat. Paul Kelly - Ziggy Ramos See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
From SYN Media in Melbourne, Erin Dick takes us into her world via A Love Letter to Wrestling, an ode to the place where she found her people. Supervising production from Lynda McCaffery. Training from the Community Media Training Organisation. Distributed by the Community Radio Network. Produced for the 2021 CBAA National Features and Documentary Series. Mindless violence? Or, a sanctuary for storytelling? Professional wrestling is more than meets the eye. When Deathmatch Downunder's Erin Dick became a born-again professional wrestling fan in her early twenties, she didn't expect to fall into the embrace of a community of oddballs and outsiders who would help her find her place in the world. Special Thanks Lynda McCaffery for production support and coming along for the ride Joel Bateman, Jacqui Picone, Charli Evans, and Callen Butcher for sharing a piece of their hearts William He for saving the day with his sound effects The community of friends and mentors who listened to the many edits of this passion project Credits Encore by Rho Personal Victories by Autodrone Refraction by Podington Bear Soar by Delicasession See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
From FBi Radio and the CBAA in Sydney, Mitch Fuller takes you through the 2021 Sydney lockdown from his perspective and those of his friends. Supervising production from Ian Crouch. Training from the Community Media Training Organisation. Distributed by the Community Radio Network. Produced for the 2021 CBAA National Features and Documentary Series. So, in 2021 I decided to live alone in Sydney. What I didn't realise at the time was what that really meant. During 100 days of lockdown in 2021, I spent most of my time in my studio apartment. What started out as novel, began to drag as Winter turned into Spring, but Sydney stayed quiet. When the solitude felt more like isolation I was kept afloat by conversations with friends over the phone. I have attempted to condense 100 days of lockdown into 12 minutes of audio featuring Gladys, coffee making, and the varied experiences of my friends. Special Thanks The crew and the CMTO and CRN. My mentor Ian and my friends that were willing to participate - Bexie, Macca, Jess and Musu. Credits Original music by Josh Kreusler See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Chelsea Deeley of Eastside Radio and the CMTO reflects on what it's like to work around death and dying every single day. Supervising production from Sharon Davis. Training from the Community Media Training Organisation. Distributed by the Community Radio Network. Produced for the 2021 CBAA National Features and Documentary Series. Christmas lunch with the family, 2020. We're having a delicious roast dinner when all of a sudden - my mother, a palliative care nurse, says “Do you know what I think we should do? Have a funeral planning party!”. This documentary is inspired by her flagrant embracing of the subject of death, unwrapping the personal experiences and views of 2 people, including my mum, who effectively ‘dance with death' on a daily basis. What effect does their work have on their view of their field, themselves, and what is their own personal relationship with death? Special Thanks Sharon Davis - Supervising Producer Janine Lundie - for her early support and guidance around this topic. Renee Adair - thank you for being so open to my random email and so giving with your answers. Thanks also to the wonderful people at the Australian Doula College for their work, and for Liz Di Qual for being such a wonderful help in organizing this interview. And of course, to Jane Brown. My incredible mother, who I have been lucky to have since the beginning. Thank you for agreeing to this, despite all of your nerves, stress and general “is it done yet?” attitude about it. Your dedication to this work over the years, and your general candidness around it, is inspiring and has made me feel a little less afraid. You're a one in a million, boston wench. Credits ‘CEG DRINKING WINE INSTRUMENTAL' by ITheRealGooglekatClaire See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
From RTR FM in Perth, Bec Bowman takes a look at a movement that has been growing in popularity for decades - the Health At Every Size movement. Supervising production from Ian Hill. Training from the Community Media Training Organisation. Distributed by the Community Radio Network. Produced for the 2021 CBAA National Features and Documentary Series. For years we have been lectured about an obesity crisis. We have been told that fat people are indeed ‘the biggest losers' - lazy, greedy, and a drain on our public health system. But is this true? Is it possible to be both fat and healthy? And what happens to our health when we take the focus off weight loss? Find out along with Bec Bowman as she explores the Health at Every Size movement with experienced healthcare professionals – Dietitian Claire Gasper and Physiotherapist Simone Berzen. Special Thanks Claire Gasper and Simone Berzen for being so generous with their time, knowledge, and expertise; Tom Reynolds for narration Emily Jane Read and Jorja Keay for their ongoing support and inspiration Credits 'Workout' by Hearts and Rockets See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
@JamesGarland is a Director at @DGB. He has a long-standing involvement in #fundraising in the #notforprofit area and #branddevelopment.He's also a #smallbusiness #owner and #investor.Dalton Garland Blanchard a boutique agency that works strictly with #forpurpose organizations and groups, large and small, including #startups that have plans to really transform themselves in the communities that they serve. DGB undertakes #transformationalprojects. Larger scale, more complex growth projects, that help to build #organisationalcapacity. DGB help with #fundraising for those projects.In our discussion we talk about;leaving #university and entering the world of #advertising #marketing #mediasales #agencies #campaigns #promotionsIiving in #london and having a #careerdefining moment from working with a charity involved #childsafety, part of a #UKgovernment program called "Personal, Social, Health Education"#mum asking "What are you doing? It sounds really interesting. It's very different. It's not what I thought you would do. Is it what you really want to do?"finding a whole lot more #workmeaning in working with organizations and engaging my #passion and my skills in things that are #changingtheworld, or at least #changinglives of people, rather than #sellingwhitegoods or something elsethe #business of #notforprofit#socialenterprise#thirdsector #privatesector #publicsectorconnecting with the passion of the #whyworking at @worldvision @savethechildrenhis sense that everyone is starting to realize that our #socialfabric and the #health of other people who are less fortunate actually impacts everybody, that we are in #onebigworldthe estimated (@deloitte) $100B size of the "third sector"the real #impact of the #thirdsector (not really about #finance or #economics) is on people, the #environment, on animalswhy the #thirdsector should really be the #firstsectorhow #innovations are really big drivers of some of the #coolest not-for-profit movements that are coming outregeneration of environment as a real hotbed for innovation, people talking about #plastics in the #cleanocean #cleanerworldthe need for #socialenterprises to make a profit so it can support either its supply chain, or employeesthe importance of #valuesalignment in #socialenterprise and who starts it, who runs it, who works in it, and who carries it forward #successionwhat happens when social enterprises become so successful - they become brands in their own right, they become really well-known, they become sought-after entities or businesses. The conundrum for #founders when this occursthe key day to day challenges in the #thirddsector;finding employees - really good, highly skilled people who can build relationshipsmatching the private sectorfundingthe pivotal role of the #thirdsector - doing what #government can't - taking risks that government and #privatesector can'twhy sometimes #failing as a natural outcome of trying to alleviate social issues because you can't roll out a #lowrisk private-style business plan to deal with major societal issues#foundations @cathyfreeman has done a huge amount of work for #indigenous #kids and #communities#scaling for #impact#sophisticatedinvestors#sophisticated #philanthropists#goodcorporates quietly funding #multimilliondollar transformational projects, some not heavily publicised at all and done because that organisation believes in something that it's a line with their #mission#worldchange and a #fairersociety is going to have to come at the cost of hard profits at some point - and the #hope that because people that have had success or intergenerational wealth are more attuned to social need than ever before these #sophisticatedphilanthropists will make the differencewhy #gettinginvolved in #communityactivities is highly rewarding for self, and never more important than now because of the #mentalhealth benefits it can bring #selfless #senseofself@kerrcapitalA full transcript is below.Michael Kerr: Hi. It's Michael Kerr here, presenting Small Business Banter.A healthy micro and small business sector means a successful economy and a more vibrant society. Small Business Banter is about helping regional business owners better prepare for current challenges, but also for the next stage of business success.I'm Michael Kerr, founder of Kerr Capital, advisors to business owners.Each week, I interview a fellow small business owner or an expert, and they share their stories, their lived experiences, the wins and the losses, and their best advice to help you, the listener, get the most you can from your own business.Small Business Banter is brought to you from the studios of 104.7 Gippsland FM and is heard across Australia on the Community Radio Network. Thanks also to Kerr Capital, supporters of the show. Okay. Welcome to another edition of Small Business Banter radio. Today's guest, James Garland. James, the Director at the DGB group, he'll tell you what DGB group does, but he's also had a long-standing involvement in fundraising in the not-for-profit area, brand development. He's also got some personal interest in small businesses and investments. What we're going to chat about today is the business of the not-for-profit social enterprise, third sector. We're really looking forward to this chat, welcoming James. James Garland: Hey, Michael. How are you doing?Michael: Excellent. Thanks for calling in from a car, somewhere in Regional Victoria.James: No problem. I spent a fair bit of time here, so it's often a car call. Michael: Yeah. The sound is coming through really nicely. It's great to have you in. Look, I gave a really tight description. Do you want to expand a little bit more on your professional background, and also today, where you are with DGB group?James: Yeah, of course. I came out of university and went into the world of advertising, marketing, media sales, and working in agencies around State[?] campaigns, promotions, that side of the commercial world. I was over in London, working in an agency, doing live events, merchandising, marketing, and one of my clients was a charity involved in children's safety or child safety. I thought it might be a good thing while I'm away from home and tripping the light, fantastic across Europe, to maybe explore some different things in my career.I took a job that was offered as part of a big roll out by the UK government around what they call "Personal, Social, Health Education" for kids about being safe, and I just fell in love with it. I was young at the time. I was in my mid-20s, and I think a lot of people get into the not-for-profit or for-purpose sector a bit later in life, but it was really early for me. Out of what I thought would be a career in Commerce, I fell into the not-for-profit world really early, and I've been there ever since.Michael: It's a bit of a calling, was it?James: Well, I think I said to my mum, I remember she said, "What are you doing? It sounds really interesting. It's very different. It's not what I thought you would do. Is it what you really want to do?" I said, "Well, I'm finding a whole lot more meaning in working with organizations and engaging my passion and my skills in things that are changing the world, or at least changing the lives of people, rather than selling white goods or something else that, quite frankly, a well-loved[?] fridge." I really connected with the passion of the "Why?" while I was doing the work, and came back to Australia, took a contract at World Vision, Save the Children, worked at Cancer Research, a whole bunch of different not-for-profits on the inside, and loved them all. I went outside to the consulting side, and it's even better. You get to work with a dozen not-for-profits at any one time to, again, try and hopefully make the world a better place.Michael: Yeah. You really acted on something that came to you in your mid-20s which was something that you couldn't turn away. Working today in DGB across with not-for-profits and for-purpose businesses, what exactly does the DGB group do? James: Yeah. DGB is really, for guys who came out of advertising, naming it after the 3 principal directors is not exactly super creative, is it? Dalton Garland Blanchard, we're a really boutique agency. We strictly work with for-purpose organizations, so large and small, summer startups, some of the most exciting stuff in a sector's coming out of not-for-profit startup still. We work with those groups, specifically, that have plans to really transform themselves in the communities that they serve. We talk a lot abouttransformational projects, not so much your traditional tin rattling or, "Can you give us a gift this time at Christmas so that we can keep the lights on?" We work more so on a really larger scale, more complex growth projects, and our role is to help that organization build capacity, help them get ready, and help them carry out the fundraising for those projects.Michael: Okay, and bringing that experience you had in marketing and brand development to this sector, which I think, broadly, is called the "third sector" incorporating not-for-profit social enterprise, for-purpose. How big is the third sector, if that's the right term, at the moment?James: It's big. It's really big, and it's getting bigger off the back of what we've seen in the last few years. Everyone's starting to realize that our social fabric and the health of other people who are less fortunate, perhaps, than others, actually impacts everybody. We're in one, big world, and I don't think anyone could start. There's been a time, perhaps more prevalent than now, that everyone's really realizing that. We don't talk about the third sector much, but you're right. It is the sort of term, the "third sector", "private sector", "public sector", and then this "not-for-profit voluntary sector", but the contribution, economically.I think Deloitte did a study which was talking over $100 billion in Australia alone is the economic contribution of that sector, but I think the difference with that sector is that the impact is not really about finance or economics. It's actually about impact on people and the environment, on the world, on animals, on all sorts of things.It's interesting that we are now turning to needing the world to be a better place, in terms of climate, health, pandemics, and poverty, yet we call this sector the "third sector". Maybe it's the third thing that we've really cared about, but I don't know, maybe it should be the first sector [crosstalk] because if we don't have a planet to live on, private and public sectors doesn't mean much, does it?Michael: It certainly doesn't. It probably is an old term, but I was looking for something to collectively describe what you do, but it sounds like it's at a pretty exciting stage with the energy around startups. Would a lot of those startups call themselves social enterprises? If yes, can you describe what a social enterprise is and how it operates?James: Yeah, for sure. Definitely, social enterprises, it's more than a buzz. Perhaps I'll come back to that because some of these startups are just traditional not-for-profits that someone's got a great idea, or they innovate. Innovations are really big drivers of some of the coolest not-for-profit movements that are coming out.Regeneration of environment is big. In fact, environment's a real hotbed for innovation, people talking about plastics in the ocean and developing technologies that can create cleaner worlds, when obviously, some of that sits in biotech and agritech, and those sorts of industries. A lot of people do also go, "Hey, we've got a great idea. Instead of commercializing it, we're going to make a not-for-profit. We're going to allow everyone to invest in this and own it globally. Environments are great hotbeds for that at the moment.The social enterprise is kind of this next step in not being, a [inaudible] not-for-profit, because really, you want a social enterprise to make a profit. It's there to actually make a profit so it can support either its supply chain of fair trade coffee or the young people that it's giving a job to. It's different because it needs to be profitable, and it should be profitable. It's definitely getting a lot bigger, social enterprise. I think, fundamentally, the public wants all companies to have an element of social impact unconscious[?], and social enterprise is probably the peak of that, I guess, where all prophets, all outcomes, and all impacts go back to that social cause.Michael: Yes, it's a very clear purpose for that organization or that business if you like.James: Yeah.Michael: Yeah. I've certainly had some involvement in advising social enterprises and it's kind of what you said, it has to be a viable or sustainable business model because otherwise, all that energy, all that hope, it can all disappear if you don't have a fundamentally sound financial base. The social enterprise is kind of a blending of business and other objectives, and measures of success.James: Correct, yeah. I think you've got to have a values alignment around who starts it, runs it, works in it, and carries it forward. I think sometimes, social enterprises can be so successful, they become brands in their own right, they become really well-known, they become sought-after entities or businesses. Your values are going to hold true to, say, you could almost turn it into a retail chain, you could commercialize it. It's difficult because really, the function is there for what it is, a social enterprise. The people that are in it want them to be committed for the long term for it to remain that social enterprise piece.Michael: I think it could create a conundrum for the founders of these things because it is so successful, it does have value for other organizations. That's some of the experiences I've had with these founders, and they're unsure about how to take it forward.James: Totally.Michael: With the DGB group and the work you do, what you've acknowledged, it's a very significant sector. Did I have the same set of issues that for-profit businesses have? At the end of the day, are they struggling under finding employees and other day-to-day challenges that business faces?James: Yeah, massively. I'd suggest even more so, in particular, in the area of growth of business. If you're looking to recruit people under an award for community services or disability, generally, there's hardships in recruiting those people also, but certainly on the side of the work that we do around big transformational projects, project management, we're putting a different type of business case together for any one of these organizations, and they need really good, highly skilled people internally, who can build relationships much like some of your work around capital and advisory. You're dealing with sophisticated people that want to invest in social change. You need some pretty savvy people. We see a massive shortage of really good, savvy, articulate, strong relationship builders in the sector. The good ones get snapped up very quickly, and organizations that want to connect with philanthropists, major corporates, big businesses with government, they need really good people to be able to build those relationships, and you got to hold those relationships long term. It's really hard to get good people in the sector who probably do have to take a bit of a pay cut, because most [crosstalk] not-for-profits are pretty tight, [crosstalk] so it's tough.Michael: It reinforces the need, and however transformational the cause is and the energy, it's got to be underpinned by revenue, capital, and profits to be able to survive. [crosstalk]James: A hundred percent.Michael: On today's episode of Small Business Banter, we're talking with James Garland, who's a Director at DGB group and a very experienced operator in the not-for-profit social enterprise sector.Sounds like there's some heavy lifting being done by the sector. Is that what for-profit businesses aren't seeing, what don't want to follow some of these imperatives, and that's the opening for not-for-profit social enterprises to really take on these transformational projects?James: Yeah. That's an awesome question because it is absolutely rooted in one of the greatest things that the third sector or the full purpose organizations can do, and they can do what government can't. They can take risks that government can't. Private companies owned fundamentally by their shareholders, they can't necessarily always take the risks that are needed to generate social change. The third sector, not the largest, in terms of economic impact, is one of those places where you can play and you can fail, and many do. You're trying to alleviate social issues like child trafficking, poverty, and stuff like that. You can't roll out a low-risk private-style business plan to deal with something like that. You're going to need to adapt. You're going to need to find ways to achieve those goals. [crosstalk] It absolutely has this great role.Michael: Yeah. Do you need the founder to be totally absorbed, connected, and driven by that particular cause to really see the business, the social [crosstalk] enterprise?James: Yes. That's an interesting angle, too, because a lot of organizations come from our founders' passion. Over a period of time, what that organization will need will be much more than that founder can give because they're one person. Like in any business, you'll need a multidisciplinary approach to how you're going to tackle the root cause, so they're being great people that have started their own foundations, and people be aware of them are famous athletes, started foundations dedicated to specific issues. Cathy Freeman has done a huge amount of work for indigenous kids and communities, and is super passionate about that. Lots of these organizations start with a small number of founders, but as they gather steam, like any commercial business, they need a really good, strong, well-rounded team to be able to scale for impact.Michael: Yeah, it parallels exactly. You know what happens in startups.James: True.Michael: You need somebody or a team of people to see the opportunity and make it happen. It's got some shortcomings, and then it's a cycle, like a management team or a more broadly experienced team comes in. One of the things that I was exposed to in my work in social enterprise was, there's only so much money to go around from benefactors, foundations, and from government. The imperative was find your own revenue streams, which I think the UK has been pretty innovative in building and fostering the social enterprise sector. It seems like what you do with your client is also taking them to the next level, in terms of raising the money they need to deliver the transformational change.James: Yeah. We talked a lot about a lot of not-for-profits, and we've all been to the Black Tie ball, the luncheon, or have something arrive in the mail box saying, "Hey, we're a new charity, too. Can you support us?" There's a lot of low hanging fruit that a lot of organizations engage in, in order to try and keep those lights on, and it's all really valued. It's already really valuable investment. We probably look at more sophisticated approaches similar to any business, a startup, or organization looking to raise capital. We work with a lot of sophisticated investors, people that are real philanthropists themselves, and look at how they invest their money in not-for-profits. We work with the government, obviously, who have got to mandate across a lot of these issues to either be supportive, or help drive, and of course, big corporates, the big retailers, and others.Michael: That is some absolutely fantastic work.James: As to the banks, probably a lot of the time, we hang it on the banks, big retail, and other groups like that, thinking that they're just in it, making money, but we've seen some of our clients in the last 2 or 3 years, multi-million dollar contributions to not-for-profits from these big corporates, not just pocket change, but absolutely transformational support for different projects. Some of them aren't heavily publicized at all. It's just that organization believing in something that it's a line with their mission, and they invest accordingly. We work on those larger scale projects that really do require multiples of millions, but the impact will be really significant. That takes time, like all good things, you've got to do planning, you need strong budgets, you need to ask yourself all the questions that someone else would ask. It's certainly not as simple as shaking the team in the street, so to speak.Michael: Yeah. It's next level, I suppose, but I think the future for the social enterprise for-purpose sector is pretty bright because there's a lot of problems and challenges, and they're possibly more exposed than ever. It's that energy for people to take something on, is incredible. It's really wonderful to see somebody connect.At the smaller end, I think there are a lot of really, incredibly valuable work being done by small micro social enterprises where someone's attached to a cause, and they've created themselves a job, while also supporting the cause. Yeah, there seems to be a host of problems, the sector outlook pretty strong and bright.James: Yeah. I think that we're going to see slightly new models, too. There's a social enterprise group/organization forming, which I'm a part of, in a voluntary capacity. Traditionally we've seen this move to this, not necessarily be equal[?], but more social enterprise, where people start a cafe and they source all of their products ethically, they employ people with disadvantage, and so every step of their supply chain, they're engaged in social impact. That's great as a standalone business. I think the next evolution of social enterprise will be broadening that, so that social enterprise isn't just hospitality driven, cleaning, or some of those things where there's a logical fit. It will be really great when we have real social enterprise across financial sectors, across potentially, resources, and other services, so that it can be seen as an actual business model for all sectors. It does tend to be a bit pigeon-holed at the moment, but we don't have this, as far as I know, any social enterprise real estate agency chains or car dealerships. There's space for this model to play everywhere, so I think there's still a huge amount of growth in [inaudible].Michael: What's the cap on that, James? Is it just being brave to take on some of those much bigger businesses in bigger industries, or is that capital?James: Yeah, it's a good question. It could be all of the above there. I mean, we have a pure shareholder financial return model traditionally for [crosstalk] any business, directorship, or ownership.Michael: Three monthly reporting and bottom line, bottom line?James: That's right. More of the single bottom line than the triple bottom line, and then versus social impact in a fair society. Now, there's some really great intent out there, but we've all got to want to change the world and have that fairer society. That's going to have to come at the cost of hard profits at some point, but again, there's still a lot of hope, because people that have had success or intergenerational wealth are more attuned to social need than ever before, and we see that. We call these people, they're sophisticated philanthropists, they are looking at opportunities for this change to be made, and they're not necessarily wanting anything in return. Some underwriting some will invest in a social enterprise, some will just gift philanthropically, but there are some absolutely wonderful people out there who are really putting their money out as gifting seed funding contributions to real game-changing projects.I think that's where the magic might happen, Michael, where you get those really savvy people saying, "Listen, I'm fine, financially. I don't want for anything. That's a great idea. I'm just going to back it because." There is a lot of that out there, but again, in order to present those cases and in order to excite those people and align their passion with an area of social cause that floats their boat, it takes time. You got to really tip[?] into that, what we call a "case for support", which is fundamentally a business case for the for-purpose.Michael: Yeah. There's got to be more effort, doesn't it? Anybody that's got a profile and is well-off, I'm sure they get approaches all the time and [crosstalk] for anybody you see, there'd be individuals and companies around, but they are going to have their own processes to use a boring term, but to select who they're going to support and why? [crosstalk] You got any tips for the next generation of business owners, maybe they're in school now, or just out of school, in terms of encouraging them into the sector?James: As I said, I sort of fell into it early on, but there's a lot you learn from a sector, too, at an early age. In this day and age where we're rightly so looking at greater diversity on our boards and in governance, we want youth representation because everyone understands that young people have a different view point on the future, young people like you and I, Michael, and others even younger than us.Michael: Younger at heart.James: Yeah. It's exactly right.Michael: Yeah.James: Getting involved in community activities is highly rewarding for self. We often talk about how you can get involved, what you can do, but it's almost the giving to others is being shown that, especially modern days, and I'll bore you with a bit of MRI, health sciences on philanthropy, but it triggers the brain and lights the brain up when you give, you're involved, you give selflessly, and you're engaged in things above and beyond your own self. I'd encourage people to get engaged with this sector, with the altruistic, if we can call it the giving sector, not just for what you might learn and how you might connect with, on boards or in projects, and obviously, just to do really good stuff in the community, but do it for yourself.The days of mental health, being such a high agenda issue, it's incredible, the goodwill and the feeling that you get. People who are pretty much full-time philanthropists now will say, "The work that I do now is just so much more rewarding than anything I ever did commercially, because it gives me a sense of self."Michael: Yeah. That's excellent advice. That's a great, unfortunately, way to leave our time today, James, but I think that message is, "Get involved in something," and it's almost wide into you that there's lots of ways you're going to benefit and contribute.James Garland from DGB Group, thank you very much for your time today.James: It's a pleasure, Michael. Thanks for having me.Michael: That is all for today's episode of Small Business Banter. I continue to be inspired, bringing you small business experts and other small business owners, and hearing their stories.Do you want to listen to any past episode? Jump onto your podcast platform of choice and search Small Business Banter. There, you will find a diverse and fascinating collection of small business owners and experts openly discussing and sharing their experiences.For any of the links, resources, or information we've talked about on the show today, or to contact me, please head over to smallbusinessbanter.com, or you can find us on Facebook and Instagram.It would be great to have you tune in the same time next week for another episode of Small Business Banter.[END]
@michaelkent is a #charteredaccountant and #founder and #ceo of @slateaccounts a bookkeeping and financial advisory firm. His focus is to look beyond the compliance (#BAS #GST and #annualreporting) to really drill in on the numbers, look at how the business is performing and how you can make it perform better. He's all about helping #businessowners and #CFOs get more intelligent, efficient, and reliable with their accounts.After a diverse work career including running a water company in #hanoi #consulting and starting an #ITcompany, he saw an opportunity emerging in #coudsoftware and #cloudcomputing. He now has 25 staff (#bookkeepers and #accountants) servicing clients - 10 in #australia and 15 in #jaipur #india In our discussion we cover;servicing businesses remotely and the advantages that brought to him;bringing a broader team, and abroader range of skills to help businesses,his approach to understanding clients' businesses and having #empathy for their workweek, and trying to make finance really pain-freehow he designs and delivers his 2 service offeringsthe critical need for #systems and #processesthe opportunity for #bookkeepers to prompt owners with "how they should be thinking about running their business differently or changing things"the opportunity for business owners who have bookkeepers who they really like and appreciate, and who know their businesses, to invite them to potentially go on that journeythe 2 lenses to think of when looking at your finance numbers.Historical - when doing that, it's really helpful to break down the numbers and understand where for example the income is coming from, then break that down and work out what products or services are profitable. There should be some trend analysis on spending, and definitely some ratio analysis. The big cost for most businesses are wages, rent, and stock, if it's a stock selling business, and if we're really understanding margins.Forward focused - you definitely need to have an understanding of what's gone in the past, but I think it's best to start with an understanding of the #businessstrategy of the businessWhy the #financefunction should really understand #businessgoals and what is this business trying to achieve?the importance of the #chartofaccounts as that's where it all startsthe need to focus on #measurable and #achievablethe need for businesses to understand where its big costs are, and focus on those - there is usually only about 3 or 4 (wages to revenue, cost of goods sold to revenue, occupancy costs revenue)#xero #myob #reckonwhy #cloud #accountingsoftware and getting data from the banks is the #gamechangerthe critical role of #Managementaccountsthe reasons for his success in #outsourcingtook a very hands-on approach.having a view that, "Well, our clients outsource their accounts' work to us, so we're not going to, then, in turn, outsource the work to someone else." We wanted to make sure we were doing the work for our clientsstaying very close to those staff. Just because they're offshore, I think you should have the mindset that they're in the room with you.recognising that they're very much a part of our team meetings that we have, essentially, workshops, off-sites with thewww.kerrcapital.com.au A full transcript is included below.Michael Kerr: Hi, it's Michael Kerr here, presenting Small Business Banter.A healthy micro and small business sector means a successful economy and a more vibrant society. Small Business Banter is about helping regional business owners better prepare for current challenges, but also for the next stage of business success.I'm Michael Kerr, founder of Kerr Capital, advisors to business owners.Each week, I interview a fellow small business owner or an expert, and they share their stories, their lived experiences, the wins and the losses, and their best advice to help you, the listener, get the most you can from your own business.Small Business Banter is brought to you from the studios of 104.7 Gippsland FM and is heard across Australia on the Community Radio Network. Thanks also to Kerr Capital, supporters of the show. Okay. Welcome into another edition of Small Business Banter radio. Really great to have in Michael Kent, who's the CFO and founder of Slate Accounts, bookkeeping and financial advisory firm.Firstly, welcome Michael. Michael Kent: Thanks, Michael. Thanks for having me on the show, it's good to be here.Michael Kerr: Yeah, looking forward to chatting to you about what you do and how you help business owners. You're based in Melbourne, your business has about 20 bookkeepers and accountants servicing clients, and you can talk a little bit more about that.You didn't start as a bookkeeper, you started as a chartered accountant. You founded this business and you're really about helping business owners and CFOs to get more intelligent, efficient, and reliable with their accounts. I'll get you to introduce yourself shortly.In terms of today's discussion, what we're really wanting to do is draw on your current experience in the business you run to help owners think about how they can improve their business performance from bookkeeping and the output, which is management accounts, and so forth, also, I guess, opening the door to bringing in your bookkeeper as one of your really trusted advisors. That's the broad theme, but anyway, welcome, Michael. Give us a couple of minutes on your background, please. Michael Kent: Thanks, Michael. Well, I didn't follow a traditional accounting route. From a young age, I reckon I had a great interest in business, generally. I ended up studying Accounting, but also Law as a general Business degree. Michael Kerr: A lot of people do that. Yeah. Michael Kent: Yeah. It was good, it was interesting. When I left uni, I didn't work for a law firm or accounting firm, I went into more entrepreneurial pursuits. I actually went to Hanoi for a couple years and worked for an advisory practice there and ended up running a water company there, and then came back and tried to get an IT start up going for a few years, then took a real job in corporate land, which was, terrifically, I learned heaps for that period of my career, working in really quite general commercial roles. I ended up in consulting, but always with a view to starting my own business at one point. I suppose, the idea around Slate Accounts, I saw Cloud software coming and changing things. I thought that could be a good opportunity there. It seemed like finance was going to be deshackled[?] from the best in the computer running in my OB[?], and that it would be possible to service businesses remotely. In doing so, you could bring a broader team and a broader range of skills to help businesses, and that was the idea. I think it worked. We now have 25 staff, 10 in Australia, and 15 of those are in an office we have in Jaipur, India, that works really well for us. We can get into it if you're interested [crosstalk].Michael Kerr: Well, we'll certainly talk about your experience of outsourcing later.Michael Kent: Yeah. We've been going since 2012. [crosstalk] We started off general bookkeeping, looking after anyone that came along. These days, we probably don't take on slightly smaller businesses that we may have in the past. With the staff that we have, we find it slightly better at working with slightly bigger businesses, 2 million in turnover, or plus.In terms of how we think of our service, we think of it as 2 service offerings. One is Financial Control Services, where we run the nuts and bolts of a business' accounts function. We pay their staff, pay their bills, send invoices. We have another service offering called Financial Insight Services where we advise clients and really focus on using numbers to help them understand their business, [crosstalk] grow their business, and improve their performance, I suppose.Michael Kerr: Yeah. I think that's the underappreciated or underutilized area of bookkeeping, that ability to look past the compliance that you need to do your best in GST returns and accounts, but also really drilling in on those numbers to look at how your business is performing and how you can make it perform better, potentially.Michael Kent: Yeah. Potentially because of my background, we do compliance really well, but it's never really been a particular focus within our culture. We're really focused on systems and processes to make that work well and to make sure it's accurate, but our interest is really, we talk a lot about having an understanding of our clients' business and having an empathy for their work week, and trying to make finance really pain-free, but also bring value, I suppose.Michael Kerr: Yeah. Do you see that there is maybe an association between bookkeeping and compliance, and not with the next level of driving your business to become more profitable?Michael Kent: There is, but that's changing.Michael Kerr: Right.Michael Kent: I reckon it's possibly because the technology over the last 10 years has taken away most of the data entry, if not all. Ten years ago, there really wasn't a role that was essentially a data entry role, and that's a skill set. People who are good and interested in doing that will have a certain skill set, but that's been removed [crosstalk] with modern technology, so it means people who are really focused on that can now actually provide that service really well and efficiently for probably far more people, and that can be great. They can do it probably cheaper and better, but for a lot of people who may have been doing that work and new businesses that have come in to finance and bookkeeping, we have the space, data, and technology to really add value, so that's become a focus.I find that classic stereotype of the bookkeeper, it is sort of passing. Typically, businesses that come to me are not looking for that. They know that the world's moved on, and even small, freelance bookkeepers out there, and there's thousands of them, are now pretty focused on things beyond data entry [crosstalk] and the classic stereotype.Michael Kerr: Yeah, okay. The opportunity's here, the data gets exported out of your bank account, so it's a matter of shaping it and using it. Is that really up for the business owner to demand that or drive that, or you're just saying that bookkeeping, generally, is becoming more savvy and more of a trusted advisor in taking information to clients and saying, "Look, you should be thinking about running your business differently or changing things"?Michael Kent: I reckon there'll be a full spectrum out there and plenty of businesses will have bookkeepers, who, perhaps, not bringing that mindset and not necessarily thinking to bring that value. In many cases. I think that there's an opportunity for business owners who have bookkeepers who they really like and appreciate, and who know their businesses, to invite them to potentially go on that journey, if they hadn't necessarily thought of it proactively.Michael Kerr: What would be practical examples where there's an opportunity for either the owner or the bookkeeper to say, "Look, this information here is telling me my business is performing at this level, but I want to change it, or I need to change that." What would be examples of information that you could use to spark something different in the business?Michael Kent: Well, there are 2 lenses to think of, looking at your finance numbers. One is looking at them historically. When doing that, it's really helpful to break down the numbers and understand where the income is coming from.Michael Kerr: So, not yet. You often see revenue of $2 million, but it might be one client, it might be 50 clients, it might be 3 products or 3 services, or 50 products and services.Michael Kent: Yup.Michael Kerr: Is that the kind of stuff where you go? [crosstalk] Drill into this. It's not just one top line of revenue of $2 million. That works for compliance, right?Michael Kent: Absolutely. On the base[?] statement. that's all they're interested in, [crosstalk] but it's really helpful to break that down and work out what products or services are profitable. It's really common for businesses to discover with a bit of analysis that, in fact, they're putting a lot of effort into a service or product that's not profitable. In analyzing historical numbers, it should definitely be around focusing on product or service profitability, or for service companies that might be around, for a project profitability. There should be some trend analysis on spending, and definitely some ratio analysis. The big cost for most businesses are wages, rent, and stock, if it's a stock selling business, and if we're really understanding margins.Merely looking at a P&L on a balance sheet won't necessarily bring that out, depending on how they're structured, so encouraging a bookkeeper or a finance advisor to help a business owner pull that apart and understand those things is really valuable.Michael Kerr: Yeah. [crosstalk] The historical piece is just outlined, and you were just about to go on, I think, to the second part of it.Michael Kent: Yeah. Well, beyond that, we think that if you're going to get the most out of your finance function, it should really be forward focused. You definitely need to have an understanding of what's gone in the past, but I think it's best to start with an understanding of the strategy of the business. It doesn't need to be complex. It can be really simple. The finance function should really understand, what are the goals of this business? What's it trying to achieve? In many cases, that initial understanding of historically, what's going on, is the place to start, because that will tell you, "Well, we're doing great, but we do need to improve our margins," or, "We do need to drop our wage costs," or, "This is a sleeping service, but we could probably sell twice as much of this particular service line or product line," and that will inform the strategy. Once it's understood, "Okay, the next 12 months, we're going to try and do these 3 things," then working with the finance function or the bookkeeper to decide, "What could we measure and report on as we go through the year that would inform our progress against those goals?" That's the gold, deciding what we're trying to do, and how we're going to measure progress, and then getting that bookkeeper to go away and work out how they can get that measured and bring to the business owner a concise, succinct, simple report so they can get regular feedback on their progress towards those goals.Michael Kerr: Yeah, okay. I want to come straight back to the quality of your chart of accounts because that's where it all starts.On today's edition of Small Business Banter radio, we're chatting with Michael Kent, who's the founder and CEO of Slate Account. We'll shout out that website at the end, Michael.I love the way you've described that there's the finance function or booklist court[?], bookkeeping, account keeping. You can get a lot more out of the information that's going into the the system, historical analysis of profitability, et cetera, tying it to where you want to go, I think, the next level, because otherwise, you just go along and you don't know whether you're getting to somewhere, you don't know where that somewhere is, in terms of something that's measurable and achievable, but I imagine that when you are working with a client, all of that information rolls up into a set of accounts, and they're typically listed from the expenses from A to Z, accounting fees at the top and wages at the bottom and [crosstalk].I do a lot of work with management accounts and small business, and that layout isn't particularly helpful, so you've got to reformat that information, but also, I wonder how often there's a tendency just to shove expenses into categories, because you want to get your compliance done, but you're missing an opportunity to perhaps, really feed that information in the first place into categories, expenses that are much more relevant for doing this analysis talking about.Michael Kent: Yep. It's very common to have an A to Z chart of accounts, and it really is a massive lost opportunity. It's important for a businesses to understand where its big costs are, and focus on those. Counter-intuitively, we often say when reviewing financial statements, don't look at a statement, actually. Our typical reports will be more chart-based, and in most businesses, the costs that really matter. There's only about 3 or 4, and we prefer to present those in a chart that shows the trend over time and show us a ratio of those things, typically to revenue that that's where the business is thinking, wages to revenue, cost of goods sold to revenue, occupancy costs revenue, if real estate's a big part of the business. We then normally present your classic profit-loss statement that lists the accounts by month, almost as an appendix, because the B items are normally, there's only 4 or 5 of them, and you want to see what's happening as a trend over time.Michael Kerr: Yeah. If you're going to shift the performance of the business, you don't need to focus on 55 different expense accounts if it's 3 or 4, as you say, that always can [crosstalk] steer you to wages, rent, and so forth.Michael Kent: That's right. Someone should have a look at them. A good bookkeeper will take a look and make sure we're not doing something crazy with our phone expenses or our staff entertainment, but it's really not a sensible focus for a management meeting.Michael Kerr: Yeah. You talked about the shift to Cloud accounting. Now, we have zero miled[?], I reckon, into it, I think.Michael Kent: Yup.Michael Kerr: Is it more or less compulsory? Can you get around your compliance obligations just by continuing to use Excel always, or is the value coming out of an online subscription or a subscription to one of those service providers really worth it?Michael Kent: Absolutely. Excel is just so much harder, more time consuming, and more complex. The thing about the new Cloud accounting software is the getting the data from the banks is the game changer. You fill in a form to give the bank permission to send this company the data, and then over time, you can teach the software to recognize things. If it's Telstra, it's a phone. If it's Caltex, it's fuel. If it says Stripe, that's income, and so on. Tallying it all up becomes very quick.These days, running a bass[?], for example, it's all done with a couple of clicks, and now, you can lodge from directly inside the software. I just click a button and push it to the ATO. For smaller businesses, this software costs $25 a month, in some cases, less. [crosstalk]Michael Kerr: Pretty strong, and indeed, it kind of gives you the opportunity and to start to do that analysis that you talked about, which is, "What am I trying to achieve? How am I going towards that?"Look, I just wanted to rant through a couple of things in the last little while. Management accounts, for me, in the work I do, are the most critical piece of information. Now, when you're selling a business, what's happening last month, the last completed set of financial returns are usually 12 months old. What's happening? The quality of the management accounts, if I can call them that broadly, are so vital. I wanted to ask you, in terms of choosing a bookkeeper or assessing how your current bookkeeper's going, what's your thoughts on that?Michael Kent: Thinking first about that financial control function of the bookkeeper, getting the transactions entered, and getting bills paid, I think getting that done well is all about accurate, on time or faster, reducing risk, but also about delighting the customers of those business processes, so making sure your suppliers think you're a great company to sell to, your customers feel really good about your brand, and often, it's that finance person, the bookkeeper, who's representing you to the extent that's finance-related. I would be having conversations with prospective bookkeepers about how they might manage that and do that really well.Michael Kerr: Yeah.Michael Kent: I think the balance sheet is where a lot of bookkeepers might become unstuck. If I was interviewing a bookkeeper and had to choose one, I'd really go through my balance sheet with them and make sure they could explain. The key test here is, how would we check each of these balances, and make sure they're speaking in plain English, in a way that the business owner can really understand. I think that would set up the relationship really well.We find in recruiting our staff, the number one indicator for whether they're going to succeed at Slate Accounts is actually, "Please describe yourself, in 160 words or less, outside of work," because it's a very human task these days. It's not about data entry.The other thing to think about is about resignation proofing the function. It can be a real pain if your finance person or your bookkeeper leaves.Michael Kerr: Yeah.Michael Kent: I'd be having a chat to a bookkeeper about what backup they have and how those risks could be managed. I think that's really important, too.Michael Kerr: Yeah, okay. As a business owner yourself, you've got a significant business. More than half are offshore, and you can offshore a lot of things, bookkeeping being one of them, professional services also. What's your experience that you'd share? You have been doing it for quite a long time. In terms of just generally outsourcing for business owners, what's your thoughts on that?Michael Kent: We did it a little bit differently. I employed my first staff member in India in 2017, but I always took a very hands-on approach. It is possible to get online and find staff offshore, and do it all remotely, but long before we did this, we had the view that, "Well, our clients outsource their accounts' work to us, so we're not going to, then, in turn, outsource the work to someone else." We wanted to make sure we were doing the work for our clients.Michael Kerr: Yeah, and responsible for it.Michael Kent: Sure. Until COVID hit, until November '19, I was going to India 4 times a year, every quarter. I interviewed and recruited the first 5 staff.What's made it work? I mean, there's been a lot of change management. It had to happen across my Australian staff, and their roles have really evolved, and that's been great for them. It's a fun journey for everyone, but there's been a fair bit of work and care put into that. I think the key would be to stay very close to those staff. Just because they're offshore, I think you should have the mindset that they're in the room with you. Unfortunately, you just can't flip work over and expect it to come back. We're on calls and working on Skype and so forth with our staff all day, every day, and it works really well for us.Michael Kerr: Yeah. Whilst it's offshore, they're employees the way you set it up. You want to see that quality delivered that you promised, so you can't just outsource and hope for the best.Michael Kent: Yeah. For us, they're very much a part of our team meetings that we have, essentially, workshops, off-sites with them. That model works for us.Michael Kerr: I've been involved in outsourcing, also. I think it's like any employee relationship. As you said at the very beginning, wages is a biggest cost for just about every business, and managing people is essential to getting the business right?Michael, we're going to have to call it a wrap. I really appreciate your time and insight. I think it's a very progressive approach to bookkeeping and financial management. I think the message, very strongly, for me, that I'm hearing is that there is a role for your bookkeeper, outsourced, internal, as a trusted advisor, and really, to look beyond reducing tax, that annual cycle which has driven a lot of people in the past and a lot of accountants look past the compliance, and really look at it as a critically important part of the business to measure how you're tracking, and comparing that to where you're headed.Thank you so much for your time today. Do you just want to shout out the website, and then we'll call it a wrap, Michael?Michael Kent: Thanks, Michael. Yeah. We're at slateaccounts.com.au.Michael Kerr: All right, excellent. You do, occasionally, write some excellent articles.Michael Kent: Occasionally?Michael Kerr: I mean, you only write them occasionally.Michael Kent: I know. I'm going to work on it a little bit better there.Michael Kerr: All right. Thanks [crosstalk], Michael, for your time today. Really appreciate it.Michael Kent: Thanks, Michael. Good to see you.Michael Kerr: That is all for today's episode of Small Business Banter. I continue to be inspired, bringing you small business experts and other small business owners, and hearing their stories.Do you want to listen to any past episode? Jump onto your podcast platform of choice and search Small Business Banter. There, you will find a diverse and fascinating collection of small business owners and experts openly discussing and sharing their experiences.For any of the links, resources, or information we've talked about on the show today, or to contact me, please head over to smallbusinessbanter.com, or you can find us on Facebook and Instagram. It would be great to have you tune in the same time next week for another episode of Small Business Banter.[END]
@MartinGinnane from @ginnaneassociates is an expert advisor on #retaildevelopment #placemaking and #brandactivation. He's worked with international cities and regional towns on major #investmentattraction #regionalrenewal and #retailrenewal projects. He was the #vicgov first retail industry specialist, is a member of the @victoriangovernment #SmallBusinessMinisterialCouncil and had senior roles at the #vicgov #DepartmentofBusinessandInnovation and was #DeputyManagingDirector of #DowntownDutyFree. The following quote from his website sums up his philosophy and approach to the work he does."Global Cities of significance all have one thing in common, a strong and vibrant, culturally diverse heart that encourages people to live, experience, participate and claim ownership of their location. At the heart of these cities, is a unique offering that makes them stand out from the sameness that is making so many cities bland and boring. Retail strength, placemaking and events are the economic backbone of all successful global cities and large residential developments." He's currently working on a major retail renewal project with the @cityofwarrnambool and in the discussion we cover;bringing his experience with major city #investmentattraction to regional townsthe exciting opportunities ahead for #regionaltownsavoiding the 'sameness' that is making so many cities bland and boring, the #oversuccess of big citieshow #Covid19 fast-tracked problems in the retail sectorwhere and how #prestige has lost out to #masstige and why "luxury is about where you found it rather where you bought it"#liebigstreet #warrnambool the critical role of #localgovernment #restorationgrants #landlords #localcouncilthe component pieces in a vibrant and vital #retailstrip#treechange and the influence of these younger people when they return to the towns they were born in#foodandbeverage #whiskybars #goodbottleshop #ginbars #goodpizzabuilding #sustainable #businessmodel from services and products that appeals to #locals and #visitors #smallbusiness an #employmentgenerator in #regionaltownswww.kerrcapital.com.auA full transcript of the interview is below. Michael Kerr: Hi, it's Michael Kerr here presenting Small Business Banter.A healthy micro and small business sector means a successful economy and a more vibrant society. Small Business Banter is about helping regional business owners better prepare for current challenges, but also for the next stage of business success. I'm Michael Kerr, founder of Kerr Capital, advisors to business owners.Each week I interview a fellow small business owner or an expert and they share their stories, their life experiences, the wins and the losses, and their best advice to help you, the listener, get the most you can from your own business. Small Business Banter is brought to you from the studios of 104.7 Gippsland FM and is heard across Australia on the Community Radio Network. Thanks also to Kerr Capital supporters of the show.Okay, welcome to another edition of Small Business Banter. Really pleased to have in today with us, Martin Ginnane, from Ginnane & Associates. Martin will tell you a lot more about what he's done in a few minutes, but I just wanted to cover off some of the highlights. He's principally responsible for advising on retail development, place making and brand activation. He's done a lot of work in both big cities and regional areas. He's a member of the Small Business Ministerial Council, and he's really a Retail Industry Specialist here in Victoria. And prior to that, he was the Deputy Managing Director of Downtown Duty-Free. Firstly, welcome in today, Martin. Martin Ginnane: Thank you very much. It's a pleasure to be here. Michael: And for today's discussion with Martin, we're going to be talking about regional renewal, making the most of retail, attracting investment, and lessons learned from some of the major initiatives. Martin was involved in Melbourne and now has been working with regional Victoria locations in Camperdown Warrnambool and Ballarat. So we're looking forward to that. But Martin, if you could, just give us a couple of minutes in your background so the listeners are in sync with where you come from and what you do. Over to you.Martin: Thank you, Michael. I'm fortunate enough to have had a very varied background, but all around the retail sector. Born in Melbourne many, many years ago. I was raised in Melbourne. I spent 20 years in Sydney where I started my retail career with companies such as Angus and Coote, The Jeweler's and Diamond Traders, which was part of then of the Hooker Corporation owned by the illustrious George Herscu. And then was poached to join Downtown Duty Free in the days when Duty Free was a big business. We had Melbourne Airport, Brisbane Airport, Sydney Airport, and about 15 off-airport stores. So, at about 6,000 staff in those days. I joined there as Deputy Managing Director. And after six years, we were taken over by Swiss Air Company. I was retrenched and thought, well, I'll come back home to Melbourne. I came back to Melbourne and was appointed as the Victorian government's first Retail Industry Specialist at a time when Melbourne in particular had vacancy rates as high as 17 to 18%. I was appointed under the Kennett government for 12 months and ended up staying there for 17 years. And during that period, I work mainly on investment attraction for the CBD, an original advisor on the Melbourne Fashion Festival for the state government up until I departed 10 years ago to establish my own business, Ginnane & Associates.Michael: Excellent. So, from that background, you know a lot about foot traffic. So I'm looking forward to exploring the work that you've been doing. I mean, drawing on that rich experience, but also relating it to what you've been doing in some of the regional parts of Victoria. So, I just wanted to start off with a quote from your website, "Global Cities of significance all have one thing in common, a strong and vibrant, culturally diverse heart that encourages people to live, experience, participate and claim ownership of their location. At the heart of these cities, is a unique offering that makes them stand out from the sameness that is making so many cities bland and boring. Retail strength, placemaking and events are the economic backbone of all successful global cities and large residential developments." That's straight from your website. It was very powerful. I'm going to ask you about how regional towns and regional cities in Australia can take something from that. I'm assuming it applies across towns as well as cities.Martin: Most definitely, Michael, it does. It's a big statement, and it's a strong statement and it's one that I'm thinking actually of using on every single presentation that I do to whether be commercial or private government, particularly in this day and age. It came from the fact that a lot of things were happening in the retail sector prior to COVID. We can all say that COVID caused it, but there are massive changes happening prior. One of the things that was driving this belief that I have in that statement is that sameness was happening all around the world. So you could walk down in Collins Street, you could walk down all the major cities, and they were taken over now by the mega giants, the Louis Vuitton's, the Gucci's, the Prada's, who roll out their international branding twice a year.So, you can walk down these streets and look in the windows and you'll see the same thing. The only time that you'll notice if you'll look up and you'll see St Paul or St Patrick's Cathedral or Notre Dame and you'll think I'm not in Melbourne, I'm in Paris. So seriously, that's how bad retail was getting.Michael: They'd taken that McDonald's consistency of product just a little bit too far with their retail.Martin: Yeah, and I call it masstige rather than prestige. It has got to the point where the big players are having to buy smaller boutique operations now to make themselves unique and so-called exclusive again because of the success and over success of some of those global brands.Michael: Too much commoditization of a once glorious brand. Martin: Exactly. So, one of the things that comes out of this is the desire to experience something that is different and unique. One of my other sayings is, "luxury to me is about someone says where did you find that as opposed to where did you buy it." Because you can buy anything these days. If you've got the money, you can buy something at the top. When within 18 months it'll be at H&M or probably far less than that, or how you can buy the copy of it. But the wonderful discovery, finding something, whether it's a great old book or pre-love tie or whatever the case may be. So, jumping back into your question. This is where retail cities and towns across Australia had the upper hand. It is really, really their opportunity to shine. We can discuss that as we go along. Michael: Yeah. Look, I think we ought to jump straight into that. The renewal or the potential renewal of the local shopping strip. I mean, you're doing some work recently, I think, in Ballarat, which got some magnificent real estate and grand streets. But what would you take to those places to make that local shopping strip vital and exciting for the locals? I'm assuming we're not going to have potentially some of those big international luxury brands.Martin: Nor do you want them. But Michael, what I think is the scenario is that it's going to be driven by two things. You've got to have an appetite by the local government. You've got to have an appetite by the council. For example, I just almost finished four years work with the City of Warrnambool on the redevelopment of Liebig Street. So they had a counselor at the time who had a vision to say to themselves and their constituents, "If we don't do something with this beautiful old big wide street, it is falling into such disrepair that we are losing out to the new shopping centers that are opening and almost circling like a western movie with the wagon train circling the town." Michael: Right. And choking it off.Martin: And choking it off. Now, this scenario with success for any regional town or major strip is to make sure that they are no longer just selling stuff. I use the difference between a product and an NSA stuff. This is not being derogatory to any of the brands that are in the shopping centers around regional cities. And those shopping centers do offer convenience. If it's pouring with rain, a young mother can drive in or a young father can drive in. Unload the baby. It's dry. They are not going to get wet. But although found in those shopping centers is stuff. They'll find inexpensive football socks for the kids which they need because they grow so quickly. They'll find a dress. They might find a cheap, inexpensive set of cabinets or something for their bedroom. That's fine.When they come into Warrnambool or when they come into Ballarat or when they come in to Camperdown, it's about wanting to come into town because that is where they are going to experience and find things that are different and unique. They are going to be able to engage with the community in a much nicer environment, wider footpaths, planting, better awnings, easier parking. All those things make for an environment that will make regional cities and towns continue to thrive.Michael: Right. So Warrnambool, Ballarat, other regional towns around Australia, the history is there. But you talked about having local councilors being a big part of the equation they need to support. What about landlords? I mean, some of these buildings are grand and make for beautiful retail or food or whatever. But the older they get, the harder they are to maintain, or the costly they are to maintain.Martin: You can see examples not just in regional towns. You can see examples on Chapel Street under the Council of Stonnington on Glenferrie Road in many, many areas. One of the advantages that live shopping centers have is that every so many years, your store must be refurbished. You must meet the guidelines of the shopping center and so forth. So while that creates a great Disneyland feel and a very, very nice, safe environment and a pleasurable environment where we're almost craving. Well, we are craving something that's a bit more earthy and a bit more real.Warrnambool, and I know the City of Ballarat as well. Warrnambool successfully offered restoration grants for property owners during the redevelopment program. The City of Warrnambool got that funding from federal state and from their own coffers. So three lots of funding. I believe the City of Ballarat has done the same for the renewal of the mall. I believe both cities are offering grants and financial assistance to restore and renew these heritage buildings.Michael: Right. So assuming the landlord takes advantage, then it does really open up the opportunities for smaller retail operators, whether they be food or whether they are quirky retail, to start something.Martin: Michael, the exciting thing is when you walk down the streets of these areas now is that you are seeing young people. You are seeing in Warrnambool there's, I think, three whiskey bars. There's a gin bar. These are all being run by young people who were born and raised in Warrnambool. Evidently, you do need to either be born there or marry somebody. And if you marry somebody, you need to be married for 20 years before you are classed as a true business owner.Michael: Before you get your stamp. Yeah.Martin: Even though I've been there a lot, I still don't think I'm a local. But they are coming back to town. They are seeing opportunities to come back to their town and make a living for themselves and their families. There's new housing estates being built in big numbers around these large and medium-sized regional cities. And these people come in many ways, quite often from urban environments, and they still want to live the same way. They want to be able to go out to a whiskey bar. Well, they want to be out to buy some nice cheese and some nice bread. Michael: Yeah. And in today's edition of Small Business Banter, I'm talking with Martin Ginnane from Ginnane & Associates. Yeah, that's a trend that we talk about all the time on Small Business Banter. The movement back from CBD areas, whether it be Sydney or other states and capitals, and this reinvigoration of towns and those people bringing with them some of their experiences. There's no question me, Melbourne and Sydney and Brisbane and Adelaide have some incredible innovation in food, but it seems to be transplanting now in these regional locations. Is that a result of people just having enough of the city being too expensive to run businesses? What are your thoughts on why this is happening?Martin: I think, Michael, you are spot on it. But it's a combination of all those things. It's a combination of perhaps the over success that large cities have had in terms of urbanization, particularly Melbourne, in the last eight to ten years. Massive increase of student population, which we see the massive contribution they've given to the economy, particularly as I haven't been here for the last 12 months. It's a combination of all those things. People want to not necessarily escape, they just want to experience something, whether they are moving permanently or whether they are visiting. The other thing that's happening, of course, is that the ability. I know someone in particular who's going to be working. He stays in Ballarat but is working from Melbourne firm, and then you need to go to Melbourne that twice a week. So all that flexibility is something five years ago we didn't have.Michael: Yeah, I think you made a comment earlier about not what you bought, where you bought it or you found it. You know, I live down the Bellarine Peninsula. My office is in Queenscliff. Well, it's fascinating every day to walk through that street and what it might be and see the gin bars and the distilleries. Not so much in Queenscliff, but certainly in other places, it's booming. It's a combination of that vigor and energy. If you were to take a view of what the next town that wants to reinvigorate their retail strip, the historical retail strip, what are the key that we've talked about to support to restore buildings? I guess we need landlords to come onboard and buy into the vision, and the small business operators. What else or who else is needed to really kick start getting these places? Because people are traveling more and more through regional Australia because you can't go elsewhere. So the opportunities would seem to be there if you've got an interesting offer.Martin: The LGA, the Local Government Authority, has to have the passion. And the counselors, the CEO, have to have a dream of what that town could be. In many eyes, retail doesn't play a part. Retail services and hospitality don't really play a part in local government plans. They may have a four-year strategy for economic development, but retail and services don't normally play a big part in it. So, in order for what you've just said, the other players, the landlords, the small business operators, the potential investors. You have to know that you are moving into an area or considering to move into an area where a council is hungry for your business and is keen to get it.I'm just about to deliver an investment attraction to the opportunity in Warrnambool where we are inviting some of the big commercial real estate agents down to have a look at what the area has to offer. How it's grown, how it's changed. Not necessarily to get any big players down but for them to be able to put Warrnambool in their head for property investors, but also for businesses that might be looking to expand. Michael: So you're saying that retail and retail services aren't really a driver for the LGAs. Is that it?Martin: No. I'm not saying that with all of them, but with a lot of them it's very much... When I started originally with the state capital which was over 20 years ago. I remember having a director said to me, "But Martin, why are we even playing in this space? One shop closes, another shop opens." It's not as simple as that. It's a scenario where council needs to lead the way in a vision of what they want the city to be. And when I say retailer, not necessarily just talking about selling more stuff. A good regional town, a good regional city, should attract people. It should attract its own people. It should attract visitors. But it should attract them for a multitude of reasons. Retail, food, beverage is one of the biggest drivers in today's market.Michael: Absolutely. It is. And it's certainly an area for further discussion. But if you look around, I spend a lot of time in traveling in regional Victoria. I go a long way for a good bakery, a good beer, a good pizza. So, what are the components for a good contemporary retail strip in any given town? What must you have to get people to choose that town over another town? Martin: You have to have two things. You have to have a business model that appeals to the locals, and you also have to have a business model that will appeal to the visitors. Now, I spent a lot of time as a young boy, which was a long time ago in Daylesford and Hepburn Springs, and I remember how it was and I see how it is now. However, for all the success, Daylesford in particular is still very much a weakened economy. Because driven by everything that appeals to the tourist. You must maintain an offering that appeals to your local residents as well. So you need, as you just said, a good pizza joint which Warrnambool has about two and Ballarat has about six. You need a really good bottle shop. You need a couple of good pubs. You need a pub that has good live music. You need a good delicatessen. You know, there's one in Warrnambool called Darriwill Farm. It was a retail released by a woman by the name of Lisa Pitkethly. It's the most amazing business. It's got absolutely everything.Michael: I also tried some stores in the city. I didn't know that.Martin: They had one in [inaudible] and they had one in Albert Park, I think, but I think that both are gone. Lisa's got bought out her own business now. But it's that sort of business where you just go there. It's almost like a small Ikea for food and delicatessen. You just go in. You pick up a basket and you buy. The other thing is, do these towns need this as they get to and need to have the services as well? So there's a good banking infrastructure. There's two insurance brokers. There're things like that that help the community.Michael: Yeah. And those communities would think on across the board of growing. So you've got a bigger and more permanent base to build a business around. This idea of investment attraction, it's still a viable model for local government to think about, local councils. It's not just for big cities. Martin: It's essential because big cities have been so badly hurt. The big cities that have relied particularly on government employees, in a big, big way, and international students. I think of Victoria's wonderful campaign they had many years ago with the jigsaw puzzle. And the course CBD of Melbourne, which I'm actively involved in working on their precincts, review work at the moment. But the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle fall on that. So, the students are falling off the table. The tourists are falling off the table. The public servants in town.Michael: I get it. In that investment attraction, I just want to get your thoughts quickly. There's quite a difference between attracting big employers versus attracting new business operators. I'm very passionate about seeing more small business owners. So it's a balance between getting a bigger organization that can employ 20, 50, or 100 people. But also, I think, sometimes the opportunities to attract new and innovative small business operators. We had Carly Flecknoe from the Made the Grampians Way. She's a classic tree changer. This is maybe 30 episodes back. But that's the kind of energy and vigor that I think we need as well as obviously attracting... Not everyone wants to be a business owner, so we need to have a balance. But I sometimes wonder whether small business might get underappreciated as an employment generator. Martin: They certainly never get underappreciated if I'm involved in anything. I've been in small business in different ways on and off for so many years and I know the difficulties of it, but I am so passionate about believing that this is their time to rise. This is really, really their time to rise. They've got access to so much now in terms of they don't need to pay for big advertising. They've got Instagram. They've got everything at their fingertips to grow their business. Michael: Yeah. They got something that's interesting, quirky. They can get people to the destination.Martin: Exactly.Michael: They can build it and they will come. Maybe that's going to come true for some. Martin: Well, that's why we're doing the investment attraction work. It's certainly not to when under no idea that we will attract big brands, but it's about putting the city of Warrnambool and other cities in investors' minds. Michael: Yeah, and really building on the natural advantage, the heritage, the proximity to food, beverage, produce. Martin: And a wonderful life.Michael: And a wonderful life. Yeah. Hey Martin, that is, unfortunately, time up for us today. But that was a really great chat. Thank you so much for sharing your experiences and your energy and passion for that reinvigoration and renewal. Keep up the great work and perhaps we will chat another time, but go well.Martin: Thank you, Michael.Michael: Thanks, Martin Ginnane.So that is all for today's episode of Small Business Banter. I continue to be inspired, bringing you small business experts and other small business owners and hearing their stories. Do you want to listen to any past episodes? Jump onto your podcast platform of choice and search Small Business Banter. There, you will find a diverse and fascinating collection of small business owners and experts openly discussing and sharing their experiences. For any of the links, resources, or information we've talked about on the show today or to contact me, please head over to smallbusinessbanter.com, or you can find us on Facebook and Instagram. It would be great to have you tune in the same time next week for another episode of Small Business Banter.[END]
@lauraracky is a #commerciallawyer in her own firm @LLGold. But her being her knows that's not really enough. She likes to have lots of things going. Her portfolio of interests includes;#cofounder @AllFounders - a business which is more focused on #leadershiptraining and #businessstrategy but has expanded into #podcasting #tickertv#founder @LGlowBeauty - because she just loves all things beauty and skincaremultiple board and advisory roles (past & current) in #nfps and #communityorganisations including @channel31 @hibgrouphug #mazzeifoundationFor Laura these #newbusinesses are a kind of hobby and an outstanding source of constant learning which feeds back into her core role as #commerciallawyer and #businessowner. She #loveslearning, #newchallenges and #newbusiness. In our discussion we cover;the #businesschallenges thrown up by #covid19#takingstock how #businessowners are adapting and reinventingthe boring but important things to do in the #first100days of a new business a love of learning new things and being challenged becoming a better #businessadviserhow she chooses to do what she does and time management learning that not everything is urgent or important #givingbackgetting involved with #nfps #ecommercewww.kerrcapital.com.auA full transcript is below.Michael Kerr: Hi, it's Michael Kerr here, presenting Small Business Banter. A healthy micro and small business sector means a successful economy and a more vibrant society. Small Business Banter is about helping regional business owners better prepare for current challenges but also for the next stage of business success. I'm Michael Kerr, founder of Kerr Capital, advisors to business owners.Each week, I interview a fellow small business owner or an expert and they share their stories, their lived experiences, the wins and the losses, and their best advice to help you, the listener, get the most you can from your own business. Small Business Banter is brought to you from the studios of 104.7 Gippsland FM and is heard across Australia on the Community Radio Network. And thanks also to Kerr Capital supporters of the show.Okay, so welcome to another edition of Small Business Banter radio. Laura Racky from LL Gold. Laura is in, chatting to us today. Laura's got a really diverse background, and what we're going to focus on today is her experiences as a commercial lawyer but also, as a founder and a business operator, how she manages to fit all that in, and some of the tips and advice she would give to prospective business owners.So Laura, a principal at LL Gold, founder of LGlow Beauty, also a director of All Founders, a host on All Founders Show, you can tell us about that in a minute, Laura. And look, you've got a host of other advisory or board roles that span sort of tech companies, small new businesses, as well as, you had a strong involvement with Channel 31. So firstly, welcome in, Laura.Laura Racky: Thanks, Michael. Great to be here.Michael: Yes. It's really great to have you in. Do you want to just expand a little bit on the sort of major things that you're involved with and why you do that, firstly?Laura: Absolutely. So I suppose my sort of number one career baby is my law firm, LL Gold. And she's nearly 5 years old now. That's probably, I suppose, where my main bread and butter comes from. But me being me, that's not really enough. I like to have lots of things going on. So we've also recently started up the All Founders business. So that's more focused on leadership training and strategy. This year, we kicked off LGlow Beauty. I just love all things beauty and skincare, so I thought why not give it a go. So that's been really fun, getting into e-commerce.Michael: Classic lawyer stuff.Laura: And then, yeah, I'm very lucky and grateful to be working with some excellent not-for-profits at the moment, Big Group Hug and the Mazzei Foundation. So lots of things going on keeps me interested, I guess.Micahel: For sure. Let's start with how you choose what to do and how you manage your time with that extensive portfolio of things.Laura: Yes. I suppose when you do run your own business as your main line of work, so the law firm, that does give me some flexibility in terms of where I spend my time. And I always joke about when you run your own business, you choose which 20 hours a day to work. So really, I've got a funny little timetable.I actually don't start and sit down at the desk until about 10:30. The majority of the working day is on the law firm, and then it's really the evenings that the extracurricular sort of interests and board roles or advisory roles get looking. So it's a bit of a mixed bag, but it just means that my days are very diverse and there are lots of jumping around, which for some reason, just works for my brain.Michael: Yeah. So why get involved in this range of things? Is that your role or purpose to be fully and fully again occupied? Is it because opportunities come your way? Or is it because you just see yourself driven to achieve? I'm really interested in the underpinning motivation for you.Laura: It's funny you ask that because I think many people during, well, this COVID time, it's been the first time in my life I've actually taken stock and ask some of those questions. It's just always been this internal driver for me to load up and be completely sort of overwhelmed, I suppose. But I think the more that I step back and look at it, I really like learning new things. I like being challenged.And as much as being a commercial lawyer throws up new challenges every day because I don't know everything and all of my clients have all different types of businesses, I think that doing this just gives me a great opportunity to work with all different types of people in all different types of capacities. And every day, something different comes up that I have an aha moment or I can learn something from. And it's actually very interesting and rewarding.And obviously, on the not-for-profit side of things, in my view, when you're a professional and you get to a certain stage in your career, it's really important to find ways to give back to the community. And I've got special skills, so that seems to be the most appropriate way to give back.Michael: Yeah. And some people want to give back and others. I think about it and probably, maybe, don't see the benefit of it because it is giving back. But does all that experience make you a better commercial lawyer in the end?Laura: Absolutely. I mean, when you're sitting on not-for-profit boards or advisory boards, especially as a professional consultant, all of a sudden, you're actually involved in a business from that director-level where you can have a real oversight on all of the working parts rather than when you're an advisor, people come to you often with a very sort of small problem or issue and that might be all that you'll see about their business.Whereas, when you get to work as an advisor or a director on a not-for-profit, you see everything. You're involved in operations, partnerships, employment, leasing, the full gamut. And it actually, I think, makes you a much better advisor because you're actually, all of a sudden, exposed to the wide range of things that a not-for-profit or a business face every day rather than this little pocket of problems, I suppose.Michael: Yeah. Yeah, I think as a specialist advisor, often, you can be busy, but the clients already framed their problem. And it's like if I knew this or that, I could have helped you more broadly. So that's kind of what you're saying. You see those same business challenges from a different perspective and you can bring up other advice or other solutions.Laura: Exactly.Michael: Yeah. And look, I do a lot of work with SME owners and a lot busy doing the day-to-day stuff. And it's kind of hard to have the conversation that you need to take time out of the business. And you can learn away from the business and bring things back. But I understand why people just sometimes say, "I'm too busy." But the roles you have with not-for-profits and other organizations, as I say, can be really rich in learning. How do you go from the law to beauty? Like this is in e-commerce and social media and all that goes with that business.Laura: I will admit, it has been a real personal challenge for me. So in my legal career, I have often worked in insolvency, restructuring, and litigation. That sort of work is very, very urgent [corsstalk] and heavy and considered, I think, important.Michael: Heavy.Laura: And so I have this general expectation because my clients are very responsive and they moved quickly and I am the same, that I felt that in this new endeavor, that anything that I wanted to complete or get done or buy would move in the same way and be as easy to navigate. Boy. I know this sounds crazy, but really simple things like ordering stickers for packaging, for someone who's just used to things just going through in a very linear fashion and it being really quick and easy, it's just like, you might send an email to a prospective supplier, and you might get a response like 6 days later. And to someone like me, who's used to things just getting done, it just [inaudible].Michael: How hard is it?Laura: Yes. But again, it's made me realize not everything is urgent or important, and different types of things have different ways that people work in them. So I think just from a personal perspective on patience and navigating a different industry and world, that's been really challenging and interesting. But yeah, just, I think e-commerce, obviously, it's not going away, it's only going to grow. And I feel that being an advisor in this day and age and not really getting into this world and understanding how it works would be a miss. I'll be missing out to try and do it myself.So a lot of learning. We're still growing, changing. I'm still trying to work out what the brand's voice is, what we're about, our mission, all of these things. But I'm now at the point where I say, "You know what, you ran headlong into this. You didn't know what you were doing. You're making it up as you're going along. You don't have to. This is not a Sprint. It can be a marathon." So I really realized I don't have to be turning over a million dollars. Let's just actually use this as this tool taught for learning. So it just so happens it coincides with something I really enjoy, the beauty and skincare industry. And so I'm trying to treat it as something fun.And actually, you talked about business owners feeling like they don't have time. To me, I think you can view all these extra things, if you love business, if you love having autonomy and doing things that interest you, you can actually start seeing all of these things as fun. I know that sounds really lame, maybe, to a lot of people, but I think there's a lot of us who actually get a lot of pleasure out of all this learning and interest. And it so happens that our hobbies and our fun are running businesses and learning things.Michael: Yeah, you're not playing golf.Laura: Yeah.Michael: Not there's anything wrong with those things, but you've got a different interest.Laura: Yeah.Michael: Yeah.Laura: So I stay tuned, LGlow Beauty. I'm going to take over the world, but just not straight away. And that's okay.Michael: I have wondered whether there was any reference to LL Cool J in that.Laura: I actually can't even remember where. I mean, L, my name is Laura, but I don't even know where, when I came up with LL Gold, came from. I didn't want it to be my name. I didn't want the firm to be my name, but yeah, no.Michael: It's a pretty contemporary brand. It's great. But it suits with the energy and the interest you bring to it. With your clients, just to come back to some of the stuff you're dealing with us today, I'm keen to understand what you're seeing your business clients, what are the big challenges they've got at the moment.Laura: It's been a bit cyclical. There was, obviously, March onwards for the first few months, a lot of issues with leases. And they were the clients who literally were shutting their doors, work-from-home wasn't a possibility. So we're talking about hospitality, entertainment. So that was sort of a huge focus at that time, a lot of negotiating with landlords, also employment issues. But now, as we're sort of, I don't know, coming out of it or learning to live with this new normal, yes, there are still leasing issues, but a lot of people are trying to get out of leases, moving to new premises, change the way they work.And also, I think this has been an opportunity for a lot of businesses to take stock and look at the way they interact with their clients, what their employment agreements say. When things are good, we just put our contracts in a drawer and we hope to never look at them. But I think over this last 12 months, this has been the first time maybe a lot of businesses have had to look at employment agreements, have had to look at their leases or their employments with their customers or their clients.Michael: And even, by the sounds of it, their core business model.Laura: Yes.Michael: Why we're in business? How do we do it differently? Can we do it without a lease on a property?Laura: Exactly, exactly. So there are lots of strategic questions. And part of that is flushing out, "Well, where do we sit in our contractual landscape? What leeway do we actually have to make these changes?" I mean, if you're stuck in a 5-year lease, it's pretty hard to get out of it. So these sorts of questions, I think, have been interesting. But then, more from a strategical leadership perspective, a lot of clients have are facing heaps of issues with their employees.And I think this is not new, no one's surprised about this, but people's expectations have changed, people's wants and desires have changed. Things they thought were important 12 Months ago, they don't think are important anymore. Getting people back into the office is tricky. So it's a weird time, a really weird time.Michael: Yeah, it sure is. I want to continue that, but on today's episode of Small Business Banter, we're talking with Laura Rocky from LL Gold. Laura, yeah, this complete rethink, some owners might see that as an opportunity, and maybe not right now but later on. They've kind of been able to completely remodel or being forced to remodel the way they do business. Are you seeing, with your clients, an outflow of people? Getting to the point where they go, "The lease is too challenging. I'm going to reinvent. I'm going to do e-commerce."Laura: Look, a lot of clients who are coming towards the end of their leases and now looking at different spaces, I think co-working spaces, I think, had a very, very difficult time over COVID, but I think they'll find that there'll be a resurgence because a lot of businesses are going to look for more nimble and agile spaces for their staff. I think that physical spaces are still going to be really important. We are human beings and it doesn't matter how comfy it is to work in your UGG boots, we like to be around one another sometimes and to have that choice. But look, a lot of things have changed.And actually, a little pattern that I have noticed in the last couple of months with clients is there is a lot of discussions that clients are having with potential partners or potential sales of their business. There's a lot of movement, a lot of exploratory movement because I don't think people know what's going to happen in the next little while, but there is a lot of, I wouldn't say M&A activity, but just lots of discussions about what if we move into this space or what if we join forces with this partner. And a lot of these discussions are happening because I think, for the first time, like I said, people are facing a shift and the revenue isn't just flowing in without thought anymore.Michael: Yeah.Laura: A lot of businesses have had to stop and think about how they make money.Michael: Yeah, yeah. Look, you said you need to pull out those contracts, employment contracts, lease agreements, others. But underpinning that is just, "How am I going to continue to do business?" And so on that front, alliances and joint ventures and I think you do work with bringing in employees to businesses as well so it's diversifying and collaborating. It's all those kind of nice words, but it's maybe forcing a complete rethink of how we're going to survive. But not just survive, prosper but by maybe getting closer to other businesses and bringing in key employees.Laura: Yes. Yeah, I think when things are good, it's easy not to navel-gaze. But when things start getting tricky, yeah, we've got to be creative and inventive. And that's why this time is actually very, very interesting.Michael: Yeah. Yeah, and look, at the hub of all of that is personal relationships, whether it's with suppliers, partners, customers, employees. And the value of those personal relationships, even in a business context, is so important. You got to put time into them. And entering into business with someone, I mean, you and I have talked about this in the past, you got to have an exit plan from all those sorts of things.Laura: Yeah.Michael: You've got to think through the good and the bad, unfortunately, because sometimes, they don't work.Laura: Absolutely. And I talk about this a lot with clients, especially when we're starting new businesses or entering into new organizations where we've got a group of shareholders. It's always very nice at the start. And everyone's all really excited and everyone puts on their best behavior. And when everyone's making money, everybody gets along great and we never have to look at a shareholder agreement. But when things turn or people's life circumstances change, this is the stuff, this is when the rubber hits the road. So if people have not been thinking about these things early on, it can cause a bit of drama later.Michael: It sure can, yeah. So you launched All Founders.Laura: Yes.Michael: So this is kind of like a further progression of your portfolio, but also a logical extension of running your own business and experiencing just those day-to-day operational things around stickers. So is that the impetus for...?Laura: Well, All Founders came early last year, so this was before COVID and before LGlow Beauty, everything.Michael: Oh, okay.Laura: So Christian Cunningham and I are at the head of All Founders. And where it came from is, I run a legal business, he runs a recruiting M&A business. But what we both realized is that over our careers, we actually had learned so much from the people we work with and from advising that we needed a new brand to offer those types of services. It's very hard to pick up the phone and say to your lawyer, "Can you give me some leadership training?" I just think intellectually, people want to see it in a different bundle. And obviously, the same for him. From a recruitment and acquisition specialist, no one's expecting strategy and leadership training from him.So we bought that all together under the All Founders brand. We set up the All Founders Show, a podcast that then ended up a TV show on Ticker. And that's been really interesting and fun to go and work with clients in a totally different way than as a lawyer or a recruiter because I think, for me, when I walk into the room as a lawyer, people do bristle and they respond differently and they get a bit nervous. And it's good to just sort of come in and say "Yes, I'm that but today, we're going to-"Michael: Switch hats.Laura: Although I do get wheeled out often by Christian to give the governance training, but anyway, that's for another day.Michael: Yeah, yeah.Laura: It's very important. So that's been really fun, to actually work with clients in a different way, to talk about their succession planning, their short and long-term strategy, building up managers. And I think, again, when we talk from the COVID perspective, there's going to be a huge gap in our managers and our leaders who are not being managed and led through COVID because we're all remote.Michael: Right. You see a really big hole getting bigger.Laura: Absolutely. And if you're not around your leader often to have those really quick chats to run things by them, I mean, you're not picking up your phone every 5 minutes to make that call to your manager to ask the question. I remember, even just as a young lawyer, always wanting to sit in the office or the spot outside the partners office because I loved hearing them on the phone. I loved hearing them in meetings with other partners because you learn so much just by listening. And we are losing this. So I think there is this big gap where a lot of these leaders are just going to need a little bit of outside mentorship to get them through, to get their skills up. I think they're a bit at sea at the moment.Michael: Yeah. Look, and it's probably the same as it's always been for those small business owners who have always done it solo.Laura: Yes.Michael: I've always been their own counsel. They've always struggled to find somebody that is a trusted advisor. So yeah, I think it's kind of the same thing, but it's obviously removed from employees in a massive way in the last 12 to 18 months. And it goes to where we started, which is developing broader experience outside of whatever it is you do day-to-day. You sought out a partner to learn. And I mean, there are opportunities everywhere you look. I think there's an explosion of clubs and online networking business things, so the resources are out there.But we've only got a little bit of time left, Laura. There are two things I want to cover. One is there's a lot of energy with businesses recreating or starting afresh. So in the first hundred days, what are the three or four things you're thinking about reinventing your business or starting? What are the three or four things you absolutely must address?Laura: Yes. Look, the really boring thing, I think, is always structure. It always shocks me how many small business owners have no understanding, I guess, of how they exist in the legal space.Michael: So this is in the sense of having a company versus a trust versus a partnership?Laura: Yeah.Michael: Yeah, okay. Yeah.Laura: And what if it's really boring and it is very expensive, but if you're going to do it, I think you need to do it right.Michael: Yup.Laura: Because if you don't get that right, then the next thing, which is contracts with your customers and your suppliers, you're not going to get that right. So if you don't know who you are as a business from a structural perspective, you can't enter into contracts properly. So those two things go quite hand in hand. And then obviously, we've got things like your insurance and your work cover and your employment agreements.Michael: It's very easy as I'm excited, which is going to work and we're going to get on with it, but don't fall for the trap.Laura: Exactly.Michael: Yeah.Laura: I think lots of small business owners get super excited. And I get it, I've done it too, about logos and branding and websites and Instagram. But at the heart of all of that, you still need to have a functional structure in a business because here's hoping you're going to go gangbusters. And rewinding and fixing those structural issues later is very, very difficult.Michael: Hey, Laura Racky, that's fantastic, really enjoyed the discussion with you. Thanks so much for sharing everything. I just wanted to close out, you had an involvement with Channel 31. We're on the Community Radio Network so there's some pretty good news. Just before the end of June, a renewal for 4 years?Laura: Yeah. So I think it's 3.Michael: Three?Laura: Yes.Michael: Yeah.Laura: So really fantastic. I mean, the last couple of renewals have only been for a year, which is not a lot of time.Michael: Yes.Laura: I think the 3 years is a real recognition that one, the spectrum is not going anywhere so we may as well put it to good use.Michael: Yeah.Laura: And two, that these organizations need that time to transition properly. So I'm really thrilled. I think it's wonderful.Michael: Yeah, it's a great result. Hey, Laura Racky from LL Gold, thank you very much for your time today.Laura: Thanks, Michael.Michael: So that is all for today's episode of Small Business Banter. I continue to be inspired, bringing you small business experts and other small business owners and hearing their stories.If you want to listen to any past episode, jump onto your podcast platform of choice and search Small Business Banter. There, you will find a diverse and fascinating collection of small business owners and experts openly discussing and sharing their experiences.For any of the links, resources, or information we've talked about on the show today or to contact me, please head over to smallbusinessbanter.com or you can find us on Facebook and Instagram. And it would be great to have you tuned in the same time next week for another episode of Small Business Banter.[END]
@chanuoy is the co-owner of the @dimboolaimaginarium After more than 20 years in the #hospitalityindustry in #Melbourne involving owning 2 restaurants Chan desperately needed a change. He described #melbourne and #restaurantownership as a "conveyer belt of sameness and pure hard work" -a change had to be made. Long story short @dimboola is where he and partner now live and work. How they ended up making a #treechanage to Dimboola is an intriguing story of planning and serendipity. Since arriving and inspired to create something unique as a destination they have acquired a 19th bank and built the @dimboolaimaginarium - a grand building with a fascinating history and ceiling high enough to house a 3.75 metre giraffe! It was a big, brave move and in our Chan talks openly about the lead up, joining a new community, building a destination business as well as;creating experiencesreading and architecture as a source of inspirationsdoing what you need to do, what you want to do#treechangethe #renaissance of #dimboola #wimmeraadapting to a different pace of life, to a smaller and tighter community and getting involvedbreaking the ice by recreating a photo of the bank opening 110 years on and winning the 2019 local event of the year from the @localcouncil the need for more #destinationbusinesses fuelled by the sameness of #shoppingcentres around the worldhow a 4 hour drive is now liberation whereas pre-Covid19 it was a chorenearby attractions - a 19tjh century pipe organ in the middle of the woods near @rainbow @pellachurch @littledesert @wimmerariver #steampunk and how it fits with #countrytowns and #farmingcommuniites @kerrcapitalA full transcript is below.Michael Kerr: Hi, it's Michael Kerr here. Presenting Small Bu[siness Banter. A healthy micro and small business sector means a successful economy and a more vibrant society. Small Business Banter is about helping regional business owners better prepare for current challenges, but also for the next stage of business success. I'm Michael Kerr, founder of Kerr Capital, advisors to business owners.Michael: Each week, I interview a fellow small business owner or an expert and they share their stories, their lived experiences, the wins and the losses, and their best advice to help you, the listener, get the most you can from your own business. Small Business Banter is brought to you from the Studio's in 104.7 Gippsland FM, and is heard across Australia on the community radio network, and thanks also to Kerr Capital, supporters of the show.Welcome to another edition of Small Business Banter Radio. I'm really pleased to have in @ChanUoy from the @DimboolaImaginarium. We're going to get Chan to talk about the Dimboola Imaginarium, but welcome in firstly, Chan.Chan Uoy: Thank you, Michael. Good morning. Michael: It's really wonderful to have you in. We met a couple of weeks ago when I was spending the weekend with some friends up at @Dimboola, and we got chatting, and that's how this interview came about was serendipitous. You and partner, Jamie, made a move to Dimboola about two years ago, but could you just give us a little bit of a backdrop of where you came from? When you came to Dimboola, and what the Dimboola Imaginarium is all about?Chan: No problem. Well, everyone asks us how did we end up in Dimboola? And I generally say by accident. So what happened was, we have been fantasizing about getting out of Melbourne , for, say the last six years. We had a restaurant in Docklands for 13 years, but I start off in Yarraville in 1998. So we're one of the first in Yarraville to get a building and create a new restaurant in Yarraville. That was all that 20 years of hospitality, and I guess at the end I got really burnt out. I was actually really depressed leading up to moving to the country. It was a decision that I knew I had to make because I was depressed in the hospitality industry because it's a lot of hard work. Your life runs according to the clock. By a set time, you have to be out of here. I have done this. So it was just a conveyor belt of sameness and pure hard work. So by the end, I was really depressed. And, of course, you need to make that call and to make that change. So we've been researching and fantasizing, and inspecting country towns, and homes for a while. So, when the opportunity came up, it was in @Stawell. So we discovered a beautiful mechanics institute building built in 1875 on Main Street @Stawell. It was perfect to create an Imaginarium there and we were going to call it. Mr. Inskip's Imaginarium because the architect was Mr. Inskip. The building was magnificent because, in the basement, there was a Roman Stone, sorry, bluestone arches, but Roman arches and the foundation was granite, so it was really well-built. So you can imagine in the basement from the whole entire length of the building, you could create a wine bar. It was really quite spectacular. Michael: Wow, you did contemplate going back into hospitality.Chan: Yeah, that was just a vision but I wouldn't have done it. It was just really cool. You know what I mean? It would have been a cool space. Having come from hospitality you appreciate these things. But basically about creating restaurants: It's about creating worlds. And that's what I've learned from the last two businesses. Is that you think about what do you want your customers to experience? But also, what do I want to experience first and foremost? So, if I want to experience a particular world or environment, you create it. So that's what I've learned from the last two restaurants. You create your Ideal World Experience. Michael: Yeah. In the restaurant or in those businesses, were you a chef? What was your... Chan: So my background was accounting. So I think...Michael: Not what I expected, but... Chan: No, I did accounting and the reason why I realized I didn't like accounting was I just want to go to auditing. I saw. Oh, no, I've chosen the wrong course. So, you know, look I've done it. I didn't like it only because I realize I like to create things. So you have a vision [crosstalk] and ...Michael: And if you do that in accounting, you can get in an awful lot of trouble. Chan: That's right. So I wanted to create something that, you know, that's real, you know, that's an experience and I guess I couldn't do that with accounting.Michael: Yeah.Chan: So, I mean, something happened early in my life where I just realized, I guess it was my first proper crisis I should say. So you talk about a person going through crisis, that was my first adult crisis that I went through. So it was a bit of a shake-up and that's why I decided to create my own world. And that's why we created the first restaurant in Yarraville because it's about creating my own little world. I didn't like the politics and power games in the private industry, and I just want to get out of that and I wanted to create my own world where the first restaurant was with family. The typical migrant story. You buy a building and create your own business soo you become independent and autonomous and do your own thing. So, that's where it all started. It's that desire to be free. That was what started the first restaurant. Michael: Yeah. And you got to a period of time and showed you had a second restaurant, but really just burnt out. You know, it's one way... Chan: After 20 years? Yeah, because after 20 years I did start becoming successful, but your stress if you're busy or stress if you're quiet. You're stress all around.Michael: Yeah, okay.Chan: So my stress level was higher than an average person, but it was my normal. It was my new normal so you can see why I had to get out. So a #treechange stem from that because I knew how to address mental health and I guess physical health as well. Michael: Yeah. Chan: So if I had stayed in Melbourne now and not have moved to the country when I did in April 2019, I probably would have lost everything. [crosstalk] As a reality.Michael: Yeah. Yeah. So how did you go about ending up... You looked at Stawell? Dimboola's may be in, I don't know, an hour, hour and a half, is it? or maybe a bit longer from... Chan: Yeah. So what happened was, once again, I can't make this up but stawell, The Mechanics Institute was used as a Bible College. So it's called the Australian Bible College. So they're on the extreme side of Christianity. So we saw like, we're aware of them because their Facebook posts were extreme to the point where, to give you an example of extremity, they described the #MelbourneWhiteKnight as demonic. Michael: Okay. Chan: Yeah. So because of that, we kept an eye on them on social media. So one morning a few days before Christmas, Jamie comes running out of the bedrooms so distressed. Oh my God, the owners of the Bible College are in prison in New South Wales for fraud. They were the ringleaders of 11 people for selling fake training certificates. Now, we couldn't make that up, you couldn't make that up. So we put a deposit on it. And of course, three weeks into it, I realized hasn't been signed and returned to me and now we know why because they were in prison in New South Wales for fraud. So because of that, we had to quickly look for other properties because our property in Melbourne was on the market to help fund our renovations because the Bible College didn't have a kitchen. So, we needed to have a kitchen and turn it into a home as well. Michael: Yeah. Chan: So we got the deposit back, thank goodness, but we had to quickly find an alternative property. So we did a list of five different properties, all unique because for us to move out of Melbourne, we wanted the property to be special to make moving out of Melbourne worthwhile. Michael: Yeah.Chan: There's no point moving out of Melbourne to move into an, I guess, ordinary property. For us, it wasn't the point. The point... Michael: You've definitely haven't got an ordinary property. You've got an 1800s... Chan: It's a 19th Century Bank, but the new brick building was built in 1909. So so the original bank was the Oriental Bank in 1883, it was a weatherboard building, but then that collapsed globally due to mismanagement. So the National Bank of Australasia purchased the building, and then they built this building in 1909 in nine months. So to give a description is built in the Renaissance style architecture. So it's got Greek and Roman elements. So really it was an emblem of Dimboola's prosperity for the time.Michael: Yeah. Okay, and it's a two-story, [crosstalk] substantial building that you've been in now, for, how many years?Chan: two-story. Over two and a half years.Michael: And there's living quarters, living upstairs. And so this, it's a good opportunity to talk about the Dimboola Imaginarium and what you've created there. Chan: Yeah, so we wanted a special building because the building style of the building creates the experience. So when you think about it, architecture creates experience, and it tells a story. So for us, the building had to be special and hence going back to store, The Mechanics Institute Building, because that was a majestic building, Victorian era, that could convey what an Imaginarium is. And that's why, you know, we can't create an Imaginarium in a normal shop. It hasn't got the same oomf. It can't take you to a magic place. So, architecture plays a big role in it. So when you walk through the original bank chamber in the Imaginarium, you really do enter another world. The ceiling height is four and a half meters high. Because it's four and a half meters high we can put that three-point-seven-meter giraffe because we want to create an otherworldly experience for patrons, but also for us because it is our lounge room as well. The bank is our private residence in the old days, the bank managers live on site. So upstairs is four-and-a-half bedrooms, lounge room, dining room, kitchen in the back. So before the bank shut, it was turned to a private residence. So, the shop is our Lounge room. So we want it to be nice for us, first and foremost, and of course, that conveys to customers. Michael: So, what is an Imaginarium? Chan: So an Imaginarium is just a place that inspires the imagination. So for me, I've always, I realized I do have an imagination, but I guess society sometimes tell you to suppress your imagination. You know my parents tell me to pursue other careers.Michael: Accounting is a good career. [crosstalk] Which it is for some peopleChan: That was one of them. Yes. So I guess what got me through the dark periods of the restaurant world at the end was through reading. So I would read a lot of books. I would read books about, non-fiction books, of course, you know about history, architecture, but also about spirituality, and also about just humanity. What makes humans do? To understand more about where I was at? And I also read a lot of fiction as well. So fiction takes me to other places. So through reading that actually helped me get through the dark periods of days. So for me, creating an imaginary room, really suited me because I could allow myself to be creative and free. And that's one of the reasons why we moved out of Melbourne was to find a place where we can create another world for ourselves that's different to the restaurant world, but our world that we want to create finally, and at the age that we are because this is the last big project. Then therefore when it comes to that, you realize what you've got. You actually want to do what you want to do, create what you want to create, and actually enjoy life again. So I have to say I'm the best space that I could be. I never thought I would get to this space. I thought it was just, it was just a long tunnel. I really didn't think I would see the light, literally the light, and I guess the Imaginarium has become a symbol of, I guess me, healing from the dark periods of my years in Melbourne. Michael: I think, you know, to make a significant choice to move from Melbourne, you know, from successful businesses in and of itself is it's a huge move. But you've recognized that's what you needed to do. On today's edition of Small Business Banter radio, I'm chatting with Chan, Uoy from The Dimbulla Imaginarium. There's a bit of a Renaissance going on right across the country for more. We've had a couple of guests on this show talk about people fleeing from major cities to the regional areas Dimboola carries, It's a pretty iconic name in Australian In folklore history, you've landed there. What are you hoping to achieve with the business? I mean, you've talked about the reason for wanting to escape Melbourne, to create something of your own, but what's the in a crude sense, the business model that you've got there? And how is it fitting in Dimboola and that, you know, the Silo Art Trail and all the other interesting things around the around the area? Chan: I have to say, when we first got here, we ordered some firewood and an older man who delivered it said to us, "Don't do anything too ambitious. Some locals, may not like it." We came to that to that warning. So, of course, we clearly ignored that. So what we've done is in a sense, I guess for some people would be considered brave. But what we did was something that we consider, that gave us Joy. So, by creating something joyful that people can experience for the first time that's completely different, completely unexpected. People don't expect to see this in Dimboola. You know, you see I've had feedback that is a shop you see in big cities like London or Paris. It's that sort of caliber because we've gone all out, putting all our work experience into the one space. So what is... Michael: And it's a range. Its books. It's quirky. Chan: It's a lifestyle. Yeah. So by creating that in Dimboola, which people never expected with locals. It's become a destination shop.Michael: Right. Chan: Yeah, so that's that's how I guess the Dimboola town has evolved to because, since we've opened, two other shops have opened. Two other unique individual shops, that you will never find anywhere else in Australia. Michael: Right. Chan: And that's what it's about. It's about creating. I think we've come full circle, the whole world, all the shopping centers around the world, all the same. It's the same brand.Michael: Yea. Chan: So what's happening with, in terms of Renaissance for Dimboola, is that people are creating very personalized, individual shops, that you can not find anywhere else in the world. So, and of course, now, there's another one coming up in, hopefully, the next few weeks, and that shop will be unique. It's got handmade things that's made in Dimboola. They've got items sourced from the Western Bloc, you know Eastern countries during the Cold War. Now, that's pretty cool. That's right. So so basically...Michael: People will travel.Chan: People will travel. And after Covid, when you've been in a lockdown for how many weeks for Melbournian's a four-hour drive out of Melbourne is liberating now. Before Covid, it was a chore. People would never contemplate that but because of Covid, people realize its freedom, absolute freedom. And also, it's a chance for them to discover their own backyard. Of course, the fact that they can't travel overseas as you know, that's been a benefit for regional Victoria. So we're getting lots of first-timers coming to Dimboola, coming to #Wimmera for the first time. Because Wimmera is really the Last Frontier of our tourism because of the distance. If you're not going to South Australia, you really wouldn't be that motivated to come to Wimmer. But covid has changed that perspective. I think the Wimmeras got a lot to offer now. I've you know, I'm learning about the área, and the more I learned about the more passionate I become about the area. There's a lot of untapped experiences in the Wimmer. Michael: What are some of those Chan? Just to shout them out because... Chan: So for example these quirky historical elements that people don't know about. So for example, there's a church at Pella church (https://pellaviarainbow.lutheran.org.au/) just north of Rainbow. You're driving 15 minutes out. You're going through the woods, you're surrounded by nothing but just woods, and also you hit upon a Lutheran Church in the middle of the woods, which they would have had to use horse and carriage to get to. And when you get in there, you discover 19th century, pipe organ from Germany. Michael: Wow. Chan: You talk about a Pipe organ that you saw in a bigger church, but this is in a small Church in the woods. It's just the journey to get, there's quite a kind of amazing, and then when you get there, the tour guide starts playing Bach on the organ. It's like a bit of Phantom of the Opera in the middle of the bush. It's just amazing. I guess that juxtaposition between extremities of distance and in having a church in the middle of the woods with a 19th-century pipe organ. It's just fascinating. It was just an example where, you know, you can have droopy experiences and also the architecture for the towns. You know the 19th-century architecture. And because I've always been drawn to architecture, I quite find them to be gems. Michael: Yeah. And still affordable? is that...Chan: Yes. Compared to other country areas of Victoria, it's probably the most affordable area. And look at the distance. Michael: Yeah.Chan: But the Renaissance I think that we're experiencing now is changing that. And I mean, people are coming to Dimboola and the Wimmera. Michael: I think the whole, you know, there's there is a shift going on and what was too far away, people are reassessing that now because, you know, they want experiences and creating destinations. You've talked a lot about this new shop opening, but also, you know, the Wimmera River, the little desert. I mean, there's a lot that you can access from around the place where we found that glorious. So, I know you've also, you know, in moving to a from Melbourne to a small town with a population of I think it's a thousand or maybe... Chan: It's floating between fourteen hundred and seventeen hundred.Michael: Okay.Chan: depending on what part of the internet you come across. Michael: So that's a big move. How else have you got involved? I know there's a, I think there's a festival that you're behind. Do you want to talk about it? Just the effort you made to get involved with locals. Chan: Yeah. Michael: So to kind of broaden out what Dimboola had to offer through, I mean it's lots to offer already but you know you're kind of adding to the mix with this Festival.Chan: So it was a bit of a shock coming here to a small town on one level because it's a smaller community where everyone knows each other. So in Melbourne, you can be Incognito and Anonymous and you can float through society with no one knowing you or knowing your neighbors, but here, everyone knows your business. So because, you know, we bought a significant building in town. Everyone's going to know people. The building of course, so they're already watching us, you know what I'm saying? So what they do is... So I guess for Melbournians, just be mindful that you will be noticed. You do have to make a, I guess, your behavior needs to be changed as well. It's such a small knitted Community. Everyone knows each other and most likely are related to each other. So be careful what you say as well because it travels small things, you know, spread very quickly. So having said that, we broke the ice with the town, by having a special event, by having it photo re-creation of the bank opening in 1909. So, in the year that we moved, we were a hundred and ten years later that we took residents of the building. So, there's a photograph that we discovered of all the men, male customers were invited to the opening of the bank. So we felt like we really want to create this shot because it hasn't been done before. Or after a hundred ten years. So we broke the ice by inviting the locals to come to participate in that photo Recreation. Two hundred and fifty turned up. Mostly older people which was really great because I appreciate history and heritage. They had such a good time. They gave us the best event of the Year 2019. From the town community and also a letter from the CEO of the council. So, so that was really good. So we broke the ice and from there. We open the shop and we're also been active in the community, you know, and also, what people said is that they really like the fact that we're really down to earth in genuine. So that's really important to I think we've been moved to a country town. So, you know, defeating, just be down to earth and that's what we are. And that's how we managed to do. So, because of that, over the years, which is only two and a half years. I dunno, I think people like what we're doing. And so whatever we do seems to awaken people's awareness of certain elements. So I guess the steampunk event is one we're pushing the envelope. Because not many people around here know what steampunk is. So and I know that steampunk festivals around the world in other country towns have been extremely successful. So it clearly works in the United States, New Zealand, the UK, and also different parts of Australia. Steampunk really lends itself to country towns and farming communities, because they can upcycle and make wonderful contraptions through the materials. So, after this first event, I think all the farmers will learn what steampunk is. And I think they will embrace it because it's aesthetically quite beautiful. It won't date, and it's quite quirky. And I think the Herald Sun described Dimboola as a town that has got an eccentric flavor. So let's embrace that and I think steampunk lends itself to that.Michael: Yeah, so so we are coming up to the end. But can you just quickly describe what steampunk is and when this Festival, all things going well with Covid, etc., when it will be? Chan: Okay. September the 4th the day before Father's Day. Yeah, and steampunk is really Victoriana, combining Victoriana and your imagination. So another way of saying is 19th-century aesthetics lending with science fiction. So it's a literary genre that stems from science fiction. So you imagine Jules Verne, the time machine, that sort of period that romanticized version of the 19th-Century imagination with science fiction is steampunk. So you're imagining the past having the technology that we have now, but still with the materials of the 19th century. Michael: Yeah okay. And there's lots of raw material to work within some of these older towns, so... Chan: That's right. Michael: That's great. Hey Chan, thank you so much for your time today. It was really a very personal insight and I thank you for that because one of the things that we want to encourage is people into small business and you've done that. And also this program goes out through Regional Australia through the Community Radio Network and a lot of people have now considering moving and you've done that and I really admire what you've done. And I hope people listening in will also take some inspiration from it. It's a great story. So we wish you well at the Dimboola Imaginarium and I can speak from firsthand experience it so it's a hell of a great place to visit and worth lots to do around the area. So well worth the time and effort. Thanks again, Chan. Chan: Thanks, Michael. Thanks for the chat.Michael: So that is all for today's episode of Small Business Banter. I continue to be inspired bringing you small business experts, and other small business owners and hearing their stories. Do you want to listen to any past episode? Jump onto your podcast platform of choice and search Small Business Banter. There you will find a diverse and fascinating collection of small business owners and experts openly discussing and sharing their experiences.For any of the links, resources, or information we've talked about on the show today, or to contact me, please head over to smallbusinessbanter.com or you can find us on Facebook and Instagram. And it would be great to have you tune in the same time next week for another episode of Small Business Banter.[END]
The podcast is coming from inside the radio! Throughout August, Poetry Says will become part of Red Room's inaugural Poetry Month. Across four episodes broadcast around the country via the Community Radio Network, I'll be talking to the Red Room team, and a selection of special guests… In the meantime, if you miss your fortnightly … Continue reading "Ep 144. Poetry Month preview"
The podcast is coming from inside the radio! Throughout August, Poetry Says will become part of Red Room's inaugural Poetry Month. Across four episodes broadcast around the country via the Community Radio Network, I'll be talking to the Red Room team, and a selection of special guests… In the meantime, if you miss your fortnightly … Continue reading "Ep 144. Poetry Month preview"
Please give what you can during our annual Radiothon fundraiser—You can donate now online and pledge your donation to Earth Matters —or call the station on 03 9419 8377 Radiothon 2021 Live Show: PLUS CRN edition of La Via Campesina Then & Now Check out our once a year "live in the studio" 3CR Radiothon Show with all the Earth Matters crew together—Bec Horridge, Megan Williams and Nicky Stott. Highlighting the voices of Arabunna Elder Kevin Buzzacott & Kamilaroi Elder Polly Cutmore at the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in Canberra. Also Wiradjuri Elder Ray Woods and Nyikina Warrwa woman Dr Anne Poelina. As well as an update with Chris Schuringa from Goongerah Environment Centre on the recent Errinundra blockade victory and upcoming actions. PLUS BONUS CRN show (starts at 29 mins) This week on our Weds 6am repeat slot and also on the Community Radio Network at other radio stations around Australia (who also play Earth Matters) we featured the history and current actions of the La Via Campesina food sovereignty and agroecology movement (a global network of peasant and small farmers organisations and unions); plus an update on the staunch peasant resistance in Colombia against recent horrific opppressions by brutal rightwing paramilitary & large landowners. With guests: Paul Nicholson, La Via Campesina founder Nuri Martinez, La Via Campesina & National Peasants Union (FENSUAGRO) This audio was sourced with thanks from a webinar kindly recorded during the fabulous Oxford Real Farming Conference 2021—check it out! Earth Matters #1301 was produced by Nicky Stott
Prerecorded - heard throughout Australia via the Community Radio Network while the 3CR Radiothon Spectacular went to air
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