Paul Zahra

Australia is in the world’s top 10 Global brands as announced in the Anholt Nation Brands Index. Australian businesses co-branding with Australia’s Nation Brand can benefit from the power of a global Top 10 brand when taking their exports to the world. Australia has retained its 9th position in the Anholt Nation Brands Index which measures the reputations of 50 countries around the world according to #Exports, #People, #Governance, #Culture, #Tourism and #Immigration & #Investment. Australia ranks 3rd on the strength of its people and increased to 5th position for Governance and 9th for Tourism (improving by 1!), compared to 2023 results. Congratulations to everyone who contributed to this result - right across our industries, sectors and efforts to represent and market Australia, its products, services and stunning places. Australian businesses can harness the power of the brand now by registering to access 600+ free assets from Australia’s Nation Brand Toolkit. Learn more about the 2024 Anholt Nation Brands Index ranking here: https://lnkd.in/gNK973Zn Thanks to our Australian Nation Brand team in Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade) led by the wonderful Jessica Hamilton FAMI CPM for such great work. #AUNationBrand Australian Tourism Export Council #Australia #Welcoming #Travel #Exports Australia's Nation Brand

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Have you ever discovered unexpected strengths or passions through an unconventional job or experience? For John Gualtieri, CEO of Kmart Australia Limited and Target Australia, a job selling TVs would become a transformative experience, unlocking new depths of confidence and self-belief. Our professional journeys are often paved with unexpected discoveries about ourselves. What insights can arise when we step outside our comfort zones and embrace unfamiliar roles or challenges? I had the chance to ask John about his journey, and it was incredibly insightful. No matter where you are in your career, John’s words can really be valuable. In the work that we do, many people starting in their careers want to know what it takes to be successful. Here is a 25-second video. The link to his full interview is in the comments below. #Rezilium #PersonalDevelopment #CareerGrowth

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One in three products purchased in Australian supermarkets today are private label. Why have we seen grocery private label penetration increasing; 1. Consumers seeking greater value each week from their shop. 2. Significant investment by supermarkets into quality, design and innovation. 3. The 'stigma' often attached to private label products has dissipated. 4. The growth of 'Phantom Brands' - 'Home' Brands that mimic real brands. #Woolworths #Coles #Supermarkets #Grocery #PrivateLabel #Brands #Branding #Food ##CostOfLivingCrisis QUT (Queensland University of Technology)

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The Arrogance Of Market Power We all know that the Aotearoa grocery market is dominated by two players. This recognition has provoked lots of concern, criticism and review. The dominant players may not cause inflation as such but they do not help and their owners profit at supplier and consumer cost. Commerce Commission issued a report today from the wet bus ticket appointment made by the last government. To absolutely no-one’s surprise a year of dithering has made no impression. The Commission is currently considering a further consolidation of market power. They have lots of evidence but will they have the conviction to act? Will this Government back up its rhetoric on competition ? The really striking thing is that in all the concern the dominant players show neither humility nor restraint but plunder away unconcerned.

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The Australian government has committed an additional $30 million to the ACCC to tackle price gouging in major supermarket chains. This funding is aimed at scrutinising pricing practices in stores like Woolworths and Coles, with a focus on deceptive discounts and the need for more competition in regional areas. The ACCC will also investigate land banking, where supermarket giants hoard land, limiting the entry of new competitors. Recently, the ACCC took Coles and Woolworths to court, accusing them of misleading pricing and making big profits from these practices. The ACCC is now examining if these supermarket giants are using their market power unfairly, especially as the price of groceries has gone up by more than 20% over the past five years. With Woolworths and Coles controlling 67% of the market, this raises concerns about limited competition. This crackdown reflects growing consumer frustration with rising grocery prices. Supermarkets must avoid exploiting their dominant positions, especially when low-income customers are most vulnerable to inflated prices. For businesses, this investigation serves as a reminder to ensure pricing strategies are transparent and value-based. When price increases are unavoidable, offering real value to customers remains essential.

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It's very inspiring to see how transformational ideas criss-cross the world, each new manifestation making everyone else stronger, adding new insight, and new voices. Seamless launching in Australia marks a moment when 60 brands commit to begin to invest in a more sustainable version of this industry which could be the innovation opportunity of a generation. Leadership will be critical to ensure optimism translates into scalable innovation and viable business models to present a commercially attractive alternative to the status quo. More value from less stuff.

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New Zealand's small-to-medium manufacturing firms are witnessing a remarkable rebound, achieving their best profit margins since 2021. Six dynamic sectors, from food products to essential health and medical supplies, are leading the charge with standout performances in the last quarter. It’s heartening to see a solid 16% increase in profit margins across the board, signalling stronger demand and more stable supply chains.   Despite facing global challenges, Kiwi manufacturers are showing resilience and innovation. #NewZealandManufacturing #BusinessGrowth  

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Planning ahead for Black Friday, a.k.a Cyber Month? New feature for Inside Retail Australia on how to avoid the nightmares! Dr Jessica Pallant and I have been writing and talking a lot about retail's mega sales and the respective opportunities and challenges they present for retailers. From interview senior retail leaders we heard many brands only participate begrudgingly, and worry about the impact they have on margins and profitability. Yet even after sharing all these insights, we still saw may retailers (even some we talked to!) leaning into large site-wide sales. The impact was clear from Australian Bureau of Statistics data with a weak end to the year overall. So this year we're trying something different. With thanks to Heather McIlvaine and Tamera Francis, we've written a new feature proposing a few ways retailers should be thinking about these events, while there's still time to course-correct if needed. Our main suggestions: 1. Look at profit, not just top-line figures 📈 2. Think long term, not just the weekend 🔮 3. Offer value beyond price discounts 🤑 4. Have a strategy, and stick to it 🎯 I know Nathan Bush, Rob Godwin, Danny Phillips have shared a lot of views on this too. I've particularly found Carla Penn-Kahn's breakdowns of profitability really useful! Would love to hear other thoughts AND particularly any retailers who are looking at the big sales differently this year. The Lumery, part of Accenture Song RMIT University RMIT College of Business and Law

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After 35 years in corporate retail, I reached a breaking point. I worked with some of the biggest global brands, helping them dominate the Australian market, but it lost its charm. Constant battles with owners who didn’t understand the Australian and NZ markets and didn’t value our customers took their toll. So, I made it my mission to help local retailers outperform global brands and give their owners the lifestyle they dreamed of. Retail is a tough game, and we see many owners facing the same challenges: ❌ Sales ❌ Cash Flow ❌ Staff ❌ Marketing This often translates to: No CASH, No TIME, No LIFE, and NO CERTAINTY. Does this sound like you? You're stuck on the sales, cash flow and profit roller coaster You want to turn your existing products, stock, and services into cash and gain certainty You want to transform your customer network into super-hungry loyal ambassadors You want your ideal customers, gain loyal buyers, entice first-time shoppers, and encourage repeat purchases You need cash flow solutions tailored to make your products and services highly sought after Resolving cash flow issues is just the beginning. We tackle a variety of challenges: ✅ Increase foot traffic ✅ Turn staff into brand champions and sellers ✅ Transform marketing ✅ Boost sales with improved in-store experiences 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗗𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗠𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗬𝗼𝘂? Increase sales, cash flow and profit Taking back control of your time Total brand clarity More ideal customers with higher average spend Absolute control over stock More certainty We believe there has never been a better time to develop a healthy cash flow and profit-driven business model. Book your Free Consultation Today!

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Thanks for the article Ragtrader! Really excited to be bringing Behamics, a leader in behavioural science and causal AI, to Australian online retailers.   I first connected with Behamics because of their foundations in reducing fashion returns. Using behavioural science nudges, they prevent over-ordering before it happens. While consumers love easy returns, in cases where an item is highly likely to be returned, it’s a waste of resources and costly for businesses.   As I got to know the Behamics team, I realised they’ve built a robust scientific platform addressing challenges for online retailers.   Personally, I often go to a site with an intention to buy something, but get distracted adding sparkly things to my cart, at which point I get overwhelmed and leave. It sparked the question: what revenue are we leaving on the table due to innate human behaviour? How much does friction play a role, either through technical issues or the many products, categories, flags and signals on our sites? And how might we wean off coupons and discounts, using more sustainable levers to drive growth?   This is where causal AI comes in. I've seen great generative AI uses popping up, but what excites me is how Behamics uses causal AI to subtly nudge purchase decisions. It’s like having a robot scientist working on your site, as opposed to a robot content creator.   Looking forward to the journey ahead Dr. Thilo Pfrang Valon Xhafa Sam Cole, PhD Sonia Friedrich

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Valuable post from Craig Woolford on May retail sales growth... see below. Supermarkets showed 3% YOY growth, which is OK .This results is underwritten by increasing amount of promotional activity. IMHO looking at stock levels, in-store merchandising and service, I still think there are more sales available to supermarkets. (As per old retail truism " if you don't chase sales, they won't chase you!". They need a better balance between current margin mgt ( and related shrink control) bias and sales. #Supermarkets #Mayretailsales #positivegrowth #moreopportunites #merchandisingforsales

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🚨 Important Recall Notice: Bambino House Australian Products 🚨 🤔 We're reaching out to inform you about a crucial recall regarding certain Bambino House Australian products. Your child's safety is our utmost priority, and we want to ensure that you are informed and take necessary actions. The following products are affected: 1️⃣ Cute Wooden Baby Teether 2️⃣ Clip-On Pram Hanging Mobile 3️⃣ Beaded Dummy Chain 4️⃣ Newborn Baby Gift Set 5️⃣ Baby Teether Rattle Toy Set 🚫 These items have been found to not comply with mandatory standards for toys designed for children up to 36 months of age and baby dummies and dummy chains. There exists a significant risk of choking, posing a threat of serious injury or even death. 🚑 👶 Your child's safety is paramount. We urge you to take immediate action by following the links provided for each recall. It's crucial to heed the advice provided and take appropriate steps to ensure your child's well-being. 🙏 Please share this post with your network to spread awareness and keep other families informed. Together, we can prioritize child safety and prevent any potential hazards. 🧸👶🔍 For more information and guidance on what steps to take, visit the links provided in the comments below. Kidsafe Victoria INPAA ACCC #ChildSafety #ProductRecall #BambinoHouse #SafetyFirst #infanttoys #babytoys #toyindustry #ecommerce #marketplaces #retailindustry #compliance #compliancematters #accc #recalls #kidsafevictoria #inpaa https://lnkd.in/guJxcBFj https://lnkd.in/gXFjxMCg https://lnkd.in/gfkwjyTg https://lnkd.in/g8JDDQiN https://lnkd.in/g9JYZpqU

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The ACT Government welcomes the wide range of initiatives in the 2024-25 Commonwealth Budget that will benefit Canberrans and our city. We know that Canberra households have faced significantly rising costs over the past two years. The $300 Energy Bill Relief for every household in the ACT will provide much needed relief for nearly two hundred thousand Canberra households. Across the five jurisdictions in the National Electricity Market the ACT will continue to have the lowest standing offers in 2024-25 after other jurisdictions increased by up to 29% last financial year. The ACT Government will assess further energy bill relief for Canberra households in the June Territory Budget once the ICRC final price determination is known. The redesigned Stage 3 Tax Cuts will provide income tax relief to every worker in the ACT from 1 July 2024. Collectively, ACT residents will benefit the most from these tax cuts as we have a high proportion of pay-as-you-earn taxpayers in the relevant income tax brackets. We welcome the changes to the tax cuts that were designed to support lower and middle income workers to manage cost of living pressures. While rising cost of living pressures have been broad based, households’ ability to deal with these pressures is unevenly distributed, impacting employees substantially more than others. Almost four in every five taxpayers in the ACT will receive a larger tax cut compared to the previous Liberal Government’s plan. We also welcome the HECS debt relief for 57,000 people in the ACT, predominantly providing support to younger Canberrans who have recently graduated. The changes, particularly the fact they have been backdated, are a necessary intervention to avoid unfair outcomes for young workers now and into the future. The ACT has the highest proportion of university level educational attainment in the country so, collectively, Canberrans will be the greatest beneficiaries from these changes. The deeming rates freeze will also provide additional cost of living relief to an estimated 14,500 income support recipients in Canberra. Additionally, the Federal Government’s investment through the Strengthening Medicare fund in partnership with the ACT Government will take the pressure off our hospital system and continue to ensure Canberrans get the care they need when they need it. This investment will strengthen our partnership to make our nurse-led walk-in centres even better, delivering more healthcare workers and more services and ensure we can better support older Canberrans can stay out of hospital and get home sooner. We also support the decision in the Budget to freeze the cost of medicines on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. The increase of Commonwealth Rent Assistance by a further 10 per cent, building on the 15 per cent increase in last year’s Budget will benefit approximately 7,300 Canberra households.

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Some information was released overnight about the LNP Housing Plan, ahead of today's State Budget reply speech. While there are still many details to come, it's encouraging to see some of the proposed measures in scope, including shared equity programs and major infrastructure partnerships with local government to increase housing supply. New and innovative concepts for maximising church-owned land and utiliising vacant bedrooms make for interesting reading. And if the reports are accurate, there is a strong commitment to achieving housing targets leading up to 2046. Q Shelter is looking forward to unpacking all the details and providing useful budget analysis for the sector. This will include areas of convergence with the major parties on housing policy and differences in approaches. https://lnkd.in/g6FcR_Qh Stay tuned. #StateBudget #Housing #Homelessness #HomeMatters #BetterTogether #Queensland

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Shares in both Coles and Woolworths have fallen just over 5% since Mondays announcement of legal action by ACCC over claims "misleading" promotional activity. Now our two major supermarkets will face further investigation as ACCC will call the C.E.O.s to front public hearings to face questions about profit margins, promotions, and power dynamics with suppliers. “The difference between our inquiry and the Senate inquiry will be that our questions in relation to the executives will be based on the documents and the data we have available,” Deputy Chair of ACCC Mike Keogh said. Shopper trust, supplier support ,internal morale and shareholer value are all at risk as issues related to ethical corporate behaviour in the supermarket industry go on "display" again. ( and expect a more factual deeper dive into their relations with Australias produce growers) #Supermarkets #ACCCinquiry #EthicalBehaviour #ShopperandSupplierfocus #AtRisk #Companytrust #ShareholderValue #SupplierSupport

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NZ Business Confidence Strong in Retail Other sectors in ‘Still Air’ Media report Businesses more optimistic Despite current activity levels remaining weak and signal need for further policy easing Retail was at the forefront of buoyancy But even that optimism has yet to translate into wider economic activity Dairy durables construction & manufacturing were reportedly down in the doldrums In accordance with global trend activity levels continue to remain subdued A net 31% of firms reported decline in trading activity an increase from a net 27% on the June quarter There’s risk NZ will record a triple-trough recession Board’s should be pencil sharpening preparing Because it’s another quarter of the Kiwi economy running backwards At the very least, below-trend growth remains the near-term outlook Experienced activity levels remain subdued. There’s risk we record a triple-trough recession another quarter of the Kiwi economy running backwards. At the very least, below-trend growth remains the near-term outlook. Try overlaying the number of unemployed people on the business confidence chart! Last big jump in confidence was in 2009 - the last time interest rastes crashed and the number of people unemployed rocketed The NZ contracting economy was partly induced by the RBNZ: partly by weak export performance Partly poor AI Tech take up Little or no effort to move the productivity needle And a persistent 80’s Governance mindset Current account deficit balance of payments (external account) deteriorated from about $10b a quarter before 2020 to around $30b today That means that exporting remains weak and therefore not driving growth in the economy All while Government debt is burning up economy oxeygen The volume of exporting has been near-stagnating since 2019 GDP on a per person basis, economic output declined for the seventh straight quarter (down 0.5%qoq). Compared to a year ago, per capita GDP is down 2.7%. Forward-looking indicators suggest that the September quarter will record another contraction The recession, engineered by RBNZ will lead to more people unemployed It's the dark side of the Phillips curve unemployment rate to continue climbing & exceed 5% by year-end. means more defaults and more failures I’m Doug Marsh JP(Rtd) Life Fellow IMNZ, Fellow IoDNZ (Rtd) To 40 year Chair Director Experience International Diplomat Founding President Business NZ NZ Past President Inst Management  E: [email protected] #chair’s #managers #ceo #companydirectors #ema #nzinstituteofdirectors #economy

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Retail will always fail with change-adverse leadership. Retailers routinely fall into the trap of appointing operationally superior leadership, lacking strategic perspectives that constrain adaptability and responsiveness to change. Far too few understand the essence of the marketing concept, completely ignorant of the science of marketing and, like many, perceive marketing to just be advertising, promotion, selling and PR. Street-smart acumen undermines willingness  to commission, examine and respond to market research … They relish short-term success with no incentive to stride ahead of the game, to pursue new sustainable competitive advantage or to believe they can improve ROI by delivering ongoing win-win for employees, stakeholders and customers. It resists acknowledging the inevitable consequences and doesn’t embrace change letting innovative new challengers capitalised by moving faster and better to market needs Retailers love doing what they’ve always done – getting the same response – not acknowledging that decreases in customers, in the segments that their retail offering once satisfied: Ignoring or unaware of the huge potential to fulfil the new segments that have arisen or are soon to reach 'critical mass'.

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