NSW’s Workers’ Compensation Scheme is facing a $4 billion deficit with a proposed 28% increase in premiums needed to bring the Scheme back into balance within five years.

The analysis by the NSW Business Chamber is a conservative estimate based on the impact of a 28% increase on the basic tariff premium applied across the number of employers in the Mid North Coast.

“If premiums are increased by the 28% that the Actuaries assert is needed to get the scheme back to full funding in five years, that will cost Mid North Coast employers over $19.5 million in additional premium fees,” said Kellon Beard, Mid North Coast NSW Business Chamber Regional Manager.

“Hiking premiums by $19.5 million or about $2,176 per Mid North Coast employer is not an incentive to employ people, in fact, it’s an incentive to employers to review their staffing and stop employing.”

Mr Beard said the NSW Business Chamber will be appearing before the Joint Select Committee on the Workers Compensation Scheme in the NSW Parliament today to argue that premium increases are not the answer but that the Scheme needs structural reform to overcome the financial difficulties it was challenged with.

“This is not easy reform, but it is necessary reform if we are to have a Compensation Scheme that gets the balance right between supporting injured workers and helping employers to create jobs.

“It is in everyone’s interest, both employer and employee, to have a Workers’ Compensation Scheme that is financially sustainable, competitive and assists injured workers to return to work as soon as they are fit to do so.

“The NSW business community supports the proposed changes put forward by the Government. The current proposals for reform of the Scheme are anticipated to have a positive impact on the scheme’s finances, and will focus support for the most seriously injured, where the community expects it should be focused.”

Kellon Beard

Regional Manager | Membership Services | NSW Business Chamber

All participating businesses can sell gift cards and the cards can only be redeemed at participating businesses. So keeping that gift money here in town. But you have got to be in it to benefit. Come along Monday night to hear all about it.

Or read more here

UMCC Members and Friends

Please note that the APRIL 2012 monthly meeting of the Chamber will be held on Thursday 26th – the day after ANZAC Day. We hope you can come along.

An Agenda is attached, as are the Minutes from the last meeting (28th March) – thanks to Secretary Alisha for taking and recording those. 2012-04-26 UMCC Agenda 2012-03-28 UMCC Minutes

Input to monthly meetings is always most welcome, both from members and Chamber friends.

All current financial members of the Chamber are encouraged to attend – it’s your Chamber.

Friends of the Chamber, who are currently not financial members, are most welcome to attend as observers.

Not financial? A Membership Application/Renewal Form for 2011-12 is attached, in case you’ve just forgotten to join/renew. Pro rata rates apply for individuals and businesses who join/renew now, with membership through to June 2012. Invoices for 2012-13 will be sent in early June 2012.  UMCC_Membership_Application_or_Renewal_2011-12_V2-1

If you are a former member, please consider re-joining – the Chamber needs numbers – so please show your support.

Please Note: Membership of the Chamber is not restricted to business folk. In fact, most Chamber business is community-related, not business-related, although there are benefits for business membership – such as free “opt-in” membership of the NSW Business Chamber.

If the meeting is timely and the bar is still open, some members may “stay on” for some conviviality!! Some may even have dinner at Lui’s beforehand.

Regards

Pete Bennetts

(Minute Secretary)

Urunga Mylestom Chamber of Commerce

Partners in Progress

02-6655.5001

PS New Chamber business activity of significant project size should be proposed in advance using the Business Proposal Form, available on request. Less significant issues may be raised at the meeting.

UMCC Members and Friends

Please note that the March 2012 monthly meeting of the Chamber will be held on Wednesday 28th. We hope you can come along.

An Agenda is attached. As there is a no Guest Speaker at this stage, it should be a shorter meeting (and the usual Minute Secretary won’t be there to disrupt things…!!).  2012-03-28 UMCC Agenda 2012-02-29 UMCC Minutes

Input to monthly meetings is always most welcome, whether or not you are currently involved with the Committee or a sub-Committee.

Current financial members of the Chamber are encouraged to attend [whether or not they are a current committee member].

Friends of the Chamber, who are currently not financial members, are most welcome to attend as observers.

Not financial? A Membership Application/Renewal Form for 2011-12 is attached, in case you’ve just forgotten to join/renew. Pro rata rates apply for individuals and businesses who join/renew now, with membership through to June 2012. Invoices for 2012-13 will be sent in early June 2012.  UMCC_Membership_Application_or_Renewal_2011-12_V2

If you are a former member, please consider re-joining – the Chamber needs numbers to – so please show your support.

Please Note: Membership of the Chamber is not restricted to business folk. In fact, most Chamber business is community-related, not business-related, although there are benefits for business membership – such as free “opt-in” membership of the NSW Business Chamber.

If this meeting is quick, some members may “stay on” for some conviviality!! Some may even have dinner at Lui’s beforehand.

Regards

Pete Bennetts

(Minute Secretary)

Urunga Mylestom Chamber of Commerce

Partners in Progress

02-6655.5001

PS New Chamber business activity of significant project size should be proposed in advance using the Business Proposal Form, available on request. Smaller issues may be raised at the meeting.

All welcome at The Old Butter Factory Café, Doepel St, Bellingen.

The Chamber is proud to bring you this unique presentation!

Creating Miracles in Your Business and Your Life

with Dr John Hinwood

By changing our mindset and our level of expectation we can increase the chance of success within our roles and our organisations.

Dr John Hinwood FAIM is an international speaker, facilitator, mentor and chiropractic consultant based in Brisbane. John is a well known author of numerous books on practice management and his latest book is an international best seller, You Can Expect a Miracle… The Book to Change Your Life.

For over 40 years as coach, consultant, mentor, speaker and author he has helped people around the world and in all walks of life find their own miracles. To many he is known as Mr Miracle Man.

John’s experience as a health professional by training, successful businessman by effort and an inspiration by inclination has given him an awesome array of practical tools for success.

Does our mindset play any part in determining how successful we become in both our working and personal lives ?

Dr John Hinwood will explore this question and help you develop that positive mindset – a very powerful tool that will lead to success.

See Dr John’s full story at http://www.powerful-practices.com/history/

“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle” – Albert Einstein

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to move forward in your life.

Everyone welcome for breakfast and networking!

Bookings essential by midday Wed 11th April

Registration 7am for 7.30 start.

Chamber members and their guests – $20, Non members – $25. Please pay on the day.

RSVP coordinator@bellingenchamber.com.au

Dr John Hinwood has been called the Miracle Man and he is visiting Bellingen for the Bellingen Chamber of Commerce Business Breakfast on Friday April 13 to present Creating Miracles in you Business and Your Life followed on the Sunday 15 by Expect A Miracle School at the Bellingen Memorial Hall.

Dr Hinwood has an unusual way of changing people’s lives. In a journey that has lasted more than 25 John Hinwood has been handing out a small white card to almost everyone he has met. The card has just three words written on it: “Expect a Miracle”

He estimates he has handed out more than 88,000 cards to people all over the world in the last 25 years. Through this small act of kindness Dr Hinwood prompts people to think about their own miracles; the small seemingly insignificant events and moments in people’s lives that open the doors to a sense of wonderment and opportunity.

He once stood in the foyer of the Las Vegas Hilton Hotel acting as a “miracle magnet” and handing out Expect a Miracle cards which instantly attracted a large queue of people. Hotel security approached him and he told them he thought they were doing a poor job welcoming hotel guests to which they said: “What you are doing is obviously working, so carry on.”

Dr Hinwood has lived his own personal miracle. He suffered dyslexia and was a bad stutterer as a child but overcame his learning difficulties, won a scholarship to become a physical education teacher in NSW, and later completed a Doctor of Chiropractic in Canada. He established one of Australia’s most successful chiropractic practices in Brisbane. For eight years he was President of the Australian Spinal Research Foundation and has raised millions of dollars for spinal research.

Dr Hinwood and chiropractor wife Judy, in 2009 were awarded the International Humanitarian Award from the Parker Seminars of Dallas, USA for their “unselfishly helping others around the world”. Later that year they were awarded a second Humanitarian Award in their native Australia for “their commitment and dedication to empower the chiropractic community”.

Both US and Australian editions of Dr Hinwood’s best selling book, You Can Expect A Miracle have been released. In it are chronicled extraordinary, believe-it-or-not miracles experienced by those who have received his cards.

Henry David Thoreau said: “Most people lead lives of quiet desperation.” “People need to believe they are worthy of a miracle because that thought alone can change a life,” says Dr Hinwood.

Dr Hinwood has developed 13 tips for making miracles happen in your life. These are:

1. Think, talk and act positively in all circumstances. No matter what!

2. Ask yourself whenever you face a challenge: “What would be the best outcome in his situation?”

3. Find time to just sit and put your brain into freewheeling mode, just let it run free…busy brains sometimes miss miracles!

4. Miracles don’t necessarily come with a clap of thunder or a flash of lightning: sometimes they come on tippee-toe.

5. Go with the flow. Sometimes at first sight the miracles we get don’t appear to be the ones we want.

6. Miracles come when you least expect them. Make them welcome whenever they arrive.

7. Help enough others get their miracles and it’s amazing what a positive life you create.

8. Look for the miracles around you – a bird on the wing, the beauty of a rose, the smile of a child, when you see the miracles that already exist, new ones arrive.

9. It’s OK to ask, miracles are for everyone and we all deserve them.

10. Abundance abounds. There are plenty of miracles for us all.

11. When you are totally open to receiving miracles, it’s astounding how they find their way to you and you become a ‘miracle magnet’.

12. If you continually ASK for what you really want in life, the funny thing is you will often get it.

13. Print off some Expect A Miracle cards from the www.expectamiracle.com website and start handing them out.

Bookings for Bellingen Chamber of Commerce Business Breakfast

Friday April 13 The Old Butter Factory Cafe, Doepel St, Bellingen
Creating Miracles in Your Business and Your Life

Everyone welcome for breakfast and networking!

Bookings essential by midday Wed 11th April Registration 7am for 7.30 start.

Chamber members and their guests – $20, Non members – $25. Please pay on the day.

RSVP coordinator@bellingenchamber.com.au

Bookings for Expect a Miracle School

sponsored by Bellingen Chamber of Commerce

6pm Sunday 15th April at the Bellingen Memorial Hall.

Early Bird Special $99 per person or for $1 extra bring a friend !

Read more here

Register here

MEDIA CONTACT: To arrange an interview with Dr Hinwood call 0411 421 398

Visit the website at: www.expectamiracle.com

click on image below to view larger

Bellingen Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce our latest program to assist local businesses ‘Bellingen Business Builders’. We encourage you to have a look at the attached flyer and join with other local business people to learn, share experiences and support each other. BBB Flyer 050312 (please note that email address on flyer letterhead is wrong, should be coordinator@bellingenchamber.com.au)

Regards

Andrew Sommerville

Ph. 0447 647 828

Fax. 02 6655 9100

http://humanhand.com.au

For those who haven’t RSVP’d yet just a gentle reminder -

You are invited to attend the next Urunga Mylestom Chamber of Commerce Breakfast,

This breakfast gives you two speakers for the price of one, our guest speaker Nigel followed by the President of Tourism Coffs Coast presenting the new Coffs Coast branding.

Our Guest Speaker – Nigel Downey

Presenting

WE ARE WHAT WE THINK!’

‘First there is You and then there is Success’

NLP Practitioner and Achievement Guide, Nigel has made his own successes a reality through the power of self-belief, and gutsy determination.

No ‘silver spoon’ or ‘lucky breaks’. He has made his own l-u-c-k.

How? By applying the principles in his new book!

Together with Bobbi his wife, Nigel owns and operates SWEET BELLINGEN Chocolate and Lolly shop in Bellingen.

Prior to this business venture, Nigel devoted 14 years working in Job Services/Job Network.

And…before this, Nigel spent 27 glorious years in the Hospitality Industry…wow!!

Nigel brings a Boomer’s experience and insight into today’s challenges of business and achievement!!

Nigel’s presentation is based around the message contained in his book and the primary focus is on techniques one can use to Think and Attract increased levels of Success.

Coffs Coast branding

· Diversity and Personality – research showed that these are the 2 big draw cards for the Coffs Coast .

· Close to $40,000 has been invested by Tourism Coffs Coast and Coffs Harbour City Council to develop a new brand that reflects the character and uniqueness of our region

· This new brand is now being launched into market and will be presented to UMCC members and guests by Guy Saddleton , president Tourism Coffs Coast

DATE: Wednesday March 14

TIME: 7.00am for 7.30am Start

VENUE: Ocean View Hotel, Morgo Street, Urunga

COST: Members $20 Non Members $25

RSVP to Greg McPhee by phone: 6655 6340 or email: urunga.hardware@urunga.com.au by Monday 12 March

Regards,

Greg McPhee

PR Officer

UMCC

Ph: 6655 6340

Mob: 0408 556 341