See attached poster for details Feb world cafe flyer

This is your opportunity to contribute to the future of our local community, in a convivial environment, talking in small groups, changing tables to be able to converse with most of the participants during the evening.

“All you can eat buffet” for $16 from 6pm plus yummy drinks/desserts/coffees which can be purchased.

World Cafe program from 7.00 to 9.00pm

Please RSVP to  David Wallin transitionbellingen@gmail.com, just to give us some ideas of numbers and show this poster to your friends.

Hi members

Strong local economies are so important, especially now, and this looks like a well worthwhile event for those that can make it in the middle of the day – if enough people would like to hear Nicole speak but can’t make this day/time – let us know and we’ll see if we can arrange another time/location after business hours – I imagine we would need to assure some sort of minimum numbers

Cheers Guy

Nicole Foss – Speaking tour at Coffs Harbour on 11 February 2012. $10 including light lunch

“why strong local economies are smart economies”

For details click on local communities built on trust and resilience

Guy Saddleton

President Bellingen Chamber of Commerce

ph 0411 229 300

Transition Bellingen News 27 January 2012

Citizen of the Year: Peter Nance

Young Citizen of the Year: Lachlan Harvey

Community Group Award: Bellingen Lions Club

Community Event Award: Bellinger River Festival

Community Service Award: Betty Sawtell

Sportsperson of the Year: Justin Alford

Junior Sportsperson of the Year: Karlie Swanson

Under 18 Creative Arts Award: Erika & Freya Cross

2011 Special Award

Australia Day Committee Special Award:

Dorrigo Guy Fawkes Agricultural Association

Centenary Show Book Committee

Sunday, 29 January 2012

TAX OFFICE STILL NUMBER ONE RED TAPE OFFENDER

The Australian Tax Office and local councils continue to dominate the top positions on the leader board of government organisations burying NSW businesses in mountains of red tape according to the fourth annual Red Tape Survey by the NSW Business Chamber.

The top government red tape offenders with medium to high levels of red tape are:

Australian Tax Office (57.0%)

Local Councils (55.5%)

NSW Department of Planning and Infrastructure (51.7%)

Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (50.0%)

Fair Work Australia (49.7%)

Over the past two years, six out of ten businesses in NSW have experienced an increase in the cost (62.7%) and time (63.5%) it takes to comply with government red tape. Less than 1% (0.2%) of businesses surveyed said it had decreased.

Disturbingly, more than one in every ten (12.7%) businesses surveyed is spending over 20 hours a week on red tape. A further one in five (18.2%) is spending between six to ten hours.

“For all the rhetoric from every level of government about reducing regulatory burdens, the experience of businesses in NSW is one of increasing compliance costs and a mountain of red tape,” said Kellon Beard, Mid North Coast NSW Business Chamber Regional Manager.

“Many of these government organisations and departments appearing on the Top 5 list will come as no surprise to business owners who have to deal with their reporting and regulatory requirements day in, day out.

“The ATO demonstrated during the GFC that it could be a supportive and flexible partner with the business community. That support was greatly appreciated by business operators during that tough period but sadly it appears the ATO has reverted to form.

“The message coming out loud and clear from this survey is that while the complexity of regulations themselves creates difficulty for business owners, the problem in a lot of cases is the fundamental operation of the government agency itself.

Mr Beard said complaints about government agencies included difficulty speaking to a representative and then getting accurate information, complex and unfriendly websites, inflexibility and unrealistic timeframes.

“There is a growing disconnect between expectations of government agencies and the realities of operating a business. Government agencies need to have a stronger customer focus just like the businesses they regulate.”

“The business environment is becoming more heavily regulated and that stifles creativity and innovation. Red tape is an impediment to growth and impacts costs, profits and employment.”

“Local council regulation and decision-making continues to be a cumbersome nightmare for business. Business wants certainty and timely decision making from local government – even if the answer is no – business owners want to know where they stand.”

Mr Beard said he was concerned by the response that half (50%) of businesses surveyed said red tape was having some impact on the growth of their business.

“We need strategies to remove the burden of red tape which prevents businesses from investing in the future growth of their enterprise. The effects of this are decreased employment opportunities and a weaker economy generating less revenue for government to invest in essential services and infrastructure.

“All this red tape acts as disincentive for the next generation of Australian entrepreneurs to take on the challenge of running their own business.”

Mr Beard said the NSW Business Chamber has been encouraged by the actions of the O’Farrell Government to date in prioritising red tape reduction, and in particular the fact that the Government has announced policy initiatives consistent with each of the primary recommendations set out in the Chamber’s Red Tape Action Plan.

The NSW Government has committed to:

Having all agencies pay their bills within 30 days or pay penalty interest.

Introducing a Standard Cost Model (SCM) for measuring the costs of regulation.

Implementing a “One On, Two Off‟ rule for new regulations. All departments and agencies seeking to introduce new regulation must identify two existing pieces of regulation to be removed.

Appointing a cross-border commissioner to help resolve some of the administrative and regulatory issues between NSW and the bordering states of Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and the Australian Capital Territory.

Achieving a 20 per cent reduction in red tape within its first term (5 per cent per annum).

“Business has enthusiastically welcomed the appointment of Yasmin King as NSW’s first Small Business Commissioner. The NSW Business Chamber will be collaborating with Ms King to reduce the red tape burden on the NSW business community.”

NSW Business Chamber undertook its annual Red Tape Survey of 581 businesses during November 2011.

The fourth annual Red Tape Survey is available at www.nswbusinesschamber.com.au.

Kellon Beard

Regional Manager

Mid North Coast NSW Business Chamber &

New England North West NSW Business Chamber

146-148 Gordon Street Port Macquarie NSW 2444

Tel: +612 6584 0910 | Mob: 0427 767 246 | Fax: 02 6584 0930

Web:www.nswbusinesschamber.com.au

Advice on how you invoice the former Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water (DECCW).

Please find attached notification advising changes to invoice processing and registration of a small business for Office of Environment and Heritage. SB Payment of Accounts Letter 100112 VendorLetter_email_MASTER

You can send completed registration forms to the email address below.

With Thanks

Deborah Hughes

Accounts Services Manager

Office of Environment and Heritage

Department of Premier and Cabinet

Ph: 02 9585 6115

Fax: 02 9585 6536

Email: SBregister@environment.nsw.gov.au

Plus message from Fiona Crosskill

Hi Everyone

Have you heard of “Cultural Creatives”?

Well, we’re included and it’s catching… see our Rob H in this great film… LINK AT BOTTOM OF PAGE

We’re not alone — we just need to keep the conversation going and growing

This makes really worthwhile viewing

Create an hour (+), sit down and enjoy

x

Fiona

— On Fri, 20/1/12, Cultural Creatives <frigyes@culturalcreatives.cc> wrote:

From: Cultural Creatives frigyes@culturalcreatives.cc

Subject: Free for the next 4 days!

Received: Friday, 20 January, 2012, 7:35 AM

Greetings Cultural Creatives,

I’m not sure how many of you are familiar with our movies, or the book in which Paul Ray and Sherry Ruth Anderson summarized the findings of their 13-year study about the Cultural Creatives; but as the producer of the two documentaries I would like to take this opportunity to give you a short update with the hope of bringing Cultural Creatives worldwide closer together through this Facebook forum. I feel it is becoming increasingly important to spread the message of my films to as many people as possible; therefore, I have made a decision to give free access to my second documentary for the next 4 days (until 12 a.m. PST, January 23rd, 2012). Previously this documentary, Cultural Creatives 1.0 – The (R)evolution, has been available through donations or cross referencing via widgets and hyperlinks since its release date last spring.

My hope is to provide help and offer alternatives to those who are interested in Cultural Creative results and initiatives from other countries. In addition my aim is to create a basis for easier communication and more tailored future discussions, both on the website and here on Facebook.

I feel it’s important to share with you that all my projects are 100% self-financed with no external funding whatsoever. They include the enthusiastic work of a diverse group of individuals who often volunteer their time for this important cause. Therefore, we are asking everyone who liked our film and agrees with its message to support our efforts, so we can continue delivering news like this to people via our net TV program in the future. Of course, we appreciate other types of support as well. We thank everybody for spreading the news of our work; allowing us to reach as many viewers as possible around the world. We have faith that our movie will get to the right people, and one way or another connect us with those who are also able to contribute to our project and keep it moving for the benefit of all.

The film: http://vimeopro.com/fogelmedia/cultural-creatives-10-the-revolution

Donation: http://culturalcreatives.cc/support-us/donate

Frigyes Fogel

About Me

Further information from Ausindustry re grants and other business opportunities

Hi All

Here is our summer version of our newsletter Ausindustry Regional Managers News January 2012

just a few key points of note

• TCF Small Business Program – closing 24.2.12
• Clean Technology Investment and Innovation Programs – Register your interest
• Changes to Commercialisation Australia
• Wage Connect Subsidy

If you would like to contact us regarding any of the above or you have any questions regarding any of AusIndustry programs, please phone: (02) 40 145 977

Regards

Jo Fisher

Regional Manager

Central Coast, Hunter & North Coast

AusIndustry

Tel: +61 2 40 145 977 | Mob: 0410 221 708 | Fax: +61 2 603 847

jo.fisher@innovation.gov.au

_______________________________________________________________

Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education

IDC – Hunter, Level 1

University Drive, Callaghan NSW 2308

PO Box 189, Hunter Region Mail Centre NSW 2310

Hotline: 13 28 46 | hotline@ausindustry.gov.au

www.ausindustry.gov.au

Facebook | Twitter | YouTube

Online Newsletter: AusFocus

ABN 74 599 608 295

The photography courses will be held in the Bellingen Shire Libraries see pdf ABC Open Summer School Flyer BSC

The Social Media course will be held in the Bellingen Library and if  successful will run it the other centre’s at a later date. See pdf ABC Open Summer school SM BSC

See pdf Australia Day 4310_001