Traci Houpapa MNZM JP CFInstD

Lively discussion last night at Innovation Cluster CONNECT sustainable industries panel discussion on circular economy initiatives and research in WA. Nork Solutions leading the way turning waste bread into cattle feed with their innovative processing technology. And like most successful businesses at the heart of their strategy is a clear purpose emanating from a family business looking to improve. Business owners Chava Berrill and Eric Bevill have established an advisory board to guide them on their expansion journey from experienced and expert advisors. Advisory boards when set-up correctly offer a fit for purpose, structured and disciplined model to assist business owners achieve their growth strategy goals. Please DM if you'd like to find out how an advisory board can work with you to achieve your strategic growth goals. Natasha Teakle The Hub on SX Advisory Board Centre #advisoryboards #sustainability #circulareconomy #networking

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STATEMENT FROM VRCA Regional Victorian Building Industry in Crisis: Urgent Government Intervention Needed The Victorian Regional Chamber Alliance (VRCA) is calling for immediate Government action as the residential building industry throughout the State faces an unprecedented crisis. Despite the high demand for housing, regional and rural areas are witnessing a major downturn in all aspects of the housing and residential building industry. Land sales in new subdivisions have virtually stopped and agents are reporting a notable increase in land resales, where the current market value is significantly below the initial purchase price. Prospective homebuilders are therefore experiencing increased difficulty in securing bank finance to build and alarmingly, there has been an unprecedented number of defaults on land settlements. This downward spiral flows onto builders, who are unable to secure stable work which in turn impedes the commencement of much-needed dwelling construction projects across regional Victoria. Earlier this year Victoria experienced its lowest dwelling approvals in over a decade. January saw a staggering 9.8% decline in approvals compared to the previous month, illustrating a severe slowdown in construction activity. This trend underlines the financial strain faced by industry players, threatening the stability of the entire sector. Furthermore, the erosion of confidence in the building sector has led to a notable shift in consumer behaviour, with prospective buyers increasingly favouring established homes over new land and build options. The absence of first-home buyers, residential investors and upgraders in the current land market further exacerbates the challenges faced by industry stakeholders. “The Victorian Government must urgently intervene to address these pressing issues and safeguard the future of the building industry,” says the VRCA. “The Government has set a target of 80,000 new homes in Victoria in the next 10 years. Who is going to build them? Small construction companies are going out of business, looking to commercial work to survive or exiting the industry. “Supply chain issues continue to cause gaps in the construction process, and sub-contractors are stood down until materials arrive, so they too are looking for work outside of residential projects. “Immediate measures such as reassessing land tax policies, revisiting windfall-gains tax regulations, and implementing targeted financial support are essential to restore confidence and stimulate activity. “We call upon the Victorian Government to the prioritise regional and rural Victoria and take decisive action to mitigate the current crisis. Failure to act swiftly risks long term damage to the State's economy and housing market,” the VRCA said. Contact Jodie Gillett for further information

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My husband and I created the Institute of Regenerative Leadership to make a difference to how women and men work together and in concert with the natural environment. We are intent on challenging the current paradigm by repeatedly challenging ourselves. Since 2019 we have worked together from our home in suburban Perth, and we are in each others world all the time. This was a big test even though historically it was how couples commonly worked. My parents’ farmed, and they spent a lot of time each year working alongside each other. These days it is not so common for couples to work together and yet it can be much more rewarding than working separately on disparate projects. When we are aligned, we bring double the power to anything we do. Six months after we got started, we were suddenly dealing with the challenges of running a fledgling small business during Covid-19 pandemic lock downs. I can tell you that an extended period of being ‘locked up’ together while trying to generate business to pay the mortgage was not easy. It turned out to be good for our planning process though. From where we were looking at the time, we thought a new world was emerging and we wanted to contribute to how it would look and feel. We created a ridiculously big ambitious vision – Healthy People, Healthy Planet. Four years later, early on Friday morning, I was on a call with two men from the east of Australia and a man from the USA to talk about the consensus building process and how we might apply it to some of our water challenges in Australia. We talked about how we bring masculine and feminine traits to the work we do, and we discussed the way masculinity is currently showing up in the world. Right now things are the opposite of what had dreamed of back in the hopeful days of lockdown. I realised in that conversation that we are making headway with our vison because these men are clearly in touch with their feminine traits, and we are having a global conversation about how we make a difference. It was surreal in many ways and yet I know we will do this. We will get Jeff Goebel from New Mexico to Australia to help us learn how to build consensus. No matter what we do and no matter how we do if we are clear on what we want to create working together makes anything possible. Who do you work with to make a difference? Today is day 121 of my 365-day writing journey. If I have said anything that inspires you, please like, comment, share. Image Credit: FFI Practitioner

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🎯 Only 10 days to go: ExpertEaseAI has been selected for the second consecutive year to represent South Australia at #ILS2024 - Asia's Largest Open Innovation Conference in #JAPAN. 🗼 We're heading to Tokyo's Toranomon Hills this December (2-5) that is an exceptional gathering of innovation leaders. This exclusive, invitation-only platform connects startups directly with collaboration departments of major corporations. The numbers speak for themselves: 3,121 one-on-one meetings 16 days of focused networking 1,032 high-potential partnership opportunities Multiple successful M&A deals Being chosen again validates our mission to revolutionize LLM AI solutions and represents a fantastic opportunity to showcase South Australian innovation on the global stage. Looking forward to forging transformative partnerships and contributing to the future of AI innovation! 🚀 #ILS2024 #Innovation #AI #StartupAustralia #TokyoTech #PowerMatching #GlobalInnovation #SouthAustralia #ExperteaseAI Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade) Department of State Development Last year was amazing, this year going to be awesome!

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Here's a great opportunity to learn a bit about consumer food preferences in the second largest economy in ASEAN. Thailand's GDP is roughly the same as NSW but with a population of 72 million, per capita incomes are lower. That doesn't stop consumers buying Australian products though, they love them! Hear from the team at Export Connect and Investment NSW the latest insights and what Thailand might do for your business.

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Elevate Your Small Business with a Service Maturity Framework! For small businesses, growth and efficiency don’t just happen—they’re built on a strong foundation of structured processes, empowered people, robust tools, and valuable services. My latest blog post explores a Service Maturity framework tailored for small businesses, combining Gartner’s ITSM Maturity Model with an adapted People, Process, Product, and Technology approach. Learn how this framework can drive consistent service quality, operational excellence, and long-term alignment with your business goals. Dive into the details here: https://lnkd.in/gpcdVZf9 #servicematurity #businessgrowth #operationalexcellence #organisationaldevelopment #smallbusiness #processimprovement #peopleprocesstechnology #servicemanagement #continuousimprovement #newzealand #nzsmallbusiness #aspirecoachingnz

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A brilliant recent comment from Manawatū Business Chamber CEO Amanda Martin-Linsley: "I believe business resilience can be a learned behaviour. It’s an ongoing process that requires sustained effort and commitment. It becomes a strategy for business growth when businesses identify opportunities during disruptions and adapt business models to emerge stronger. Steve Davey, chairman of #Manawatū Business Chamber, recently wrote on LinkedIn with regards to business attitude and the phrase that has been popularised recently, ‘’survive to 25’’. Essentially it suggests businesses hunker down until next year and just get by. Steve challenged that from a business perspective, this doesn’t make sense and instead has the philosophy that if you’re not moving forward, you’re going backwards. This aligns with what we are hearing from businesses here in the Manawatū. While some may not have an alternative, many are using the time to move forward and stay ahead of the competition."... Source: https://lnkd.in/g3R5YGSD

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Food Waste - the known but little explored conundrum! Yesterday I had the pleasure of supporting Rob Anderson and the Climateers team at the 𝐕𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐅𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐖𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭. https://lnkd.in/gHNxtCi9 It was a great event and the panelists shared so many surprises and inspiring stories, and the interns from a range of universities did an excellent job facilitating insight gathering discussions in the afternoon. Empauer - Victor Barichello, Saveful - Kim McDonnell, End Food Waste Australia - Jonathan Middis, Cirque du Soil - Jean Darling, ARECO - Geoff Davis, SecondBite -Rachael Terry, Foodbank Australia, Helping Hands Mission Inc. - Melanie Gill, Farmers Pick - Joshua Ball, OzHarvest, Yarra Valley Water - Stephanie Salinas, Repurposeit Resale - Thomas Fox, Bardee - Phoebe Gardner, Eco Guardians Pty Ltd - Phillip Spring, Cleanaway Waste Management - Catherine Phillips Some of my key takeaways included: 💡 The belief that we don’t waste food is 𝒆𝒙𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓-𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒕 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒍𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒔; home, small businesses to big producers. One company estimated annual loss due to food waste as about $1million in a year… effective assessment showed it to be $14million in loss! 💡 Every year 𝟏𝟑𝟎,𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐬 of plastic leak into Australia’s maritime ecosystem 💡 Businesses 𝐟𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 significantly; which can be a hard concept to grasp! 💡 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧:  Teams, companies, and even supply chains struggle to move beyond their own perspectives, hindering effective collaboration and overall success. There is so much 𝐰𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐥𝐥 do to support businesses, our families and own business for a sustainable future. 📣 Collaboration is key to any initiative. Contact me to explore how we can support you and your business by building collaboration and sustainable innovation  https://lnkd.in/gy3HPRND  📣  #sustainability #CircularEconomy #FoodWasteAwareness #ReduceFoodWaste #FoodRecovery  #FoodWasteSolution

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From rapidly evolving technology to social changes, shifting economies to environmental pressures, our local communities - and the governments that represent them - are at the forefront of multiple transformations happening simultaneously. To ensure the Municipal Association of Victoria can successfully support councils navigate this ever-evolving landscape, we are reaching out to Mayors and Councillors, CEOs, Executive Team Members, Managers, Leads, and Council Officers from across councils throughout Victoria to complete a research survey. The results will help inform our work in supporting the local government sector moving forward and therefore the questions in the survey are intentionally future-focused. 🗺 Bonnie Shaw, our Chief Innovator in Residence, and I are excited to be working together to shape the future of our sector. We welcome your ideas and insights to inform our work to ensure it's designed to deliver what's most critical to have the most positive impact in our communities. Please complete the survey via the link below and share the survey with your local government friends and colleagues too! #localgovernment #shapingourfuture #localdemocracy #community #sustainable #councillors #mayors #cityleaders #electedmembers

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🌾 5 Groundbreaking Australian Agriculture Innovations in 2024 🌿 Australia is at the forefront of agricultural innovation, and this year has been particularly remarkable. Here are five breakthroughs that are set to transform our industry: 💧 Efficient Desalination The Australian National University has developed a new desalination method that reduces energy consumption by 80% while providing 95% pure water, crucial for agriculture. 👨‍🌾 Genetic Engineering with seekRNA The University of Sydney introduced "seekRNA," a technique poised to exceed CRISPR's capabilities in genetic engineering, opening new horizons for sustainable farming. 👨‍🔬 Lightweight Infrared Sensors for Drones RMIT University announced a lightweight infrared sensor system for drones, enabling efficient crop monitoring without bulky equipment. 🌾 Combating Fusarium Head Blight The University of Adelaide discovered a way to mitigate the economic damage caused by Fusarium head blight in wheat, safeguarding our crops and economy. 💡 Flexible Printed Solar Cells CSIRO led an international team to set a new efficiency record for roll-to-roll printed solar cells, offering flexible and lightweight renewable energy solutions. These innovations are poised to have a significant impact on our agricultural practices, making them more efficient, sustainable, and resilient. 🌱🌏 #AgricultureInnovation #SustainableFarming #AussieInnovation #AgTech #FutureOfFarming #solartech CSIRO Beanstalk AgTech Tim Neale University of Sydney The Australian National University (ANU) RMIT University University of Adelaide Read more here -> https://lnkd.in/gShC4aHN

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EPITAPH TO THE INTELLECUALLY CHALLENGED NZ BUSINESS LEADERS Tweet from New York ……NZ needed to change its thinking on Business efficacy especially what governance conferences are for it’s important that a Nations priorities and how best achieved is the prominent take away Uninspired slogans Bias 80’s governance models and short on take out and apply knowledge does it cut in a wold of economic turmoil Same old same old feedback But wine social interaction boosted falsehood belief that NZ is in better shape! There has to be Prioritised Productivity Reforms to Revive Medium-Term Growth Without ambitious steps to enhance productivity a long slow recession is likely While global growth is set to fall far below its historical average NZ in the lowest quartile & can’t fall further There is nothing to indicate that New Zealand has made any meaningful progress when it comes to productivity growth increase in output per hour worked –has been virtually non-existent since 2008;financial crisi Businesses are too fragmented to achieve many of their high level goals; their power has weakened over time as the efficacy of Business Represenative Bodies has deteriorated The juxtaposed narratives reveal several insights, including a profound ambivalence among the public services trade unions sectors Add $44 billion export earnings over the next decade bybcreating value and building off the strong position of our core sectors is doable and bankable export earnings up by $10 billion pa by 2030 will bring in a cumulative 10X $40 B earnings blame might be levelled at the weak Productivity Commission Governance Education Government policy and Business cognitive drift Huge shocks and uncertainty is no excuse for neglecting diffusion of ideas digital tech and innovation The acid test NZcontinually fails Business schools response to AI educational technology and aligned innovations is far too slow and decades out of date by global comparison Top down radical change is needed Innovation decline spread aligns with business decline It is the prevalent plateau of despond Research reveals AI has potential to add 6% to GDP labor productivity by up to 40% and creation of new products, services, markets, and industries A PwC study revealed global GDP may increase by up to 14 % US$15.7 trillion by 2030 as a result of the accelerating development NZ Government would be ill advised to ignore the weight of such evidence Government treasury and corporate boards must work together to promote innovation in the business sector in the May Budget * tion for new business models and technologies and grants,. I’m Doug Marsh JP(Rtd) Life Fellow IMNZ, Fellow IoDNZ (Rtd) 40 year Chair Director Experience Consul South Korea (Rtd)  Founding President Business NZ NZ Past President Inst Management 📞 64 022 196 4636  E: [email protected] #chairs  #governance  #companydirectors #nzeconomy #ema #nzinstitutedirectors

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While governance might not be as sexy as marketing, in my experience it's pretty fundamental to a business or industry association moving forward. You can get away with being bit loose if you are small and can carry risk management and compliance in your head - but wouldn't you rather have the brain space to embrace opportunity? This program has it all - markets, money, production, strategy and governance!! Great chance to learn more - good job AgriFutures Australia and RMCG.

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"Until the RMA is fully replaced, small businesses are stuck in treacle having to navigate the RMA…Replacing the RMA is the most meaningful long-term economic reform that the Government could deliver for us." Those words from Federated Farmers Mark Hooper are in response to the latest damning indictment of the RMA that is MfE's 2022/23 National Monitoring System data, which reflect the dire need to break New Zealand free of the RMA's shackles - for farmers, for builders, and for everyone. Requiring resource consents every time anyone tries to do anything anywhere, no matter how common the activity, is ridiculous and is halting progress in this country, especially with the time and resourcing this consenting absorbs. This MfE data shows record high resource management staff numbers (2,262, with ~1,250 specifically doing consenting) getting through fewer consents (~36,000) at record low statutory timeframe compliance (~76%) with record long median processing times (57 working days) and record high reliance on timeframe extensions (over 50%). ACT New Zealand campaigned on a replacement system based on property rights. Requirements for consent need to be the exception rather than default. Fast-track will help big projects, and RMA amendments will relieve some interim pain, but only wholesale reform will unlock our potential. We are working hard to deliver on this coalition commitment. - https://lnkd.in/gPUUNiGK - https://lnkd.in/gwrHpvTs - https://lnkd.in/gyWNe8Jw

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One of the most frequent mistakes made when shipping goods to New Zealand is underestimating the strictness of the country’s biosecurity laws. As an island nation with a unique ecosystem, New Zealand has strict measures to keep harmful pests and diseases out. Many shipments face delays, extra costs, or destruction of goods if prohibited items are included, so it is imperative to read and understand NZ's Quarantine guidelines before finalizing your packing list! #relocation #resettlement #expatsupportservicesnz

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Sustainability for SMEs. I'm hosting an event for NSW Small Business Month (October 2024). Sign up link in comments. NSW Small Business Commissioner #smallbusiness #smallbusinessmonth #sustainability

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Grant opportunity: Cooperative Research Centres Projects (CRC-P) Grants Opened 24/04/24; Closes 05/06/24; $100,000 up to $3M; National This grant supports short-term (up to 3 years), industry-led research collaborations. Projects must: -develop a product, service or process that will solve problems for industry and deliver real outcomes -benefit small to medium enterprises (SMEs) -include education and training activities. To be eligible as a lead applicant you must: be an SME, have an ABN, and be incorporated in Australia and a trading corporation. Your trading activities must be either: -enough to be called a trading corporation -a major, not minor, part of your overall activity. Note: review the budget workbook understand the detail you need to incorporate. #pruesgold #grants #grantwriting

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Working with The ASE Group, it's cool to be welcoming our 2nd cohort of farming businesses undertaking Farm Business Coaching as part of the NSW Government's Farm Business Resilience Program! Farm business coaching assists enterprising farmers to: - build their knowledge and develop/access tools needed to get the most out of their farming business - improve their financial skills and enhance the financial viability of their business - develop new and strenghtened skills and techniques to build their own personal resilience, helping them to focus on opportunities and be equipped to deal with challenges - improve their confidence in making business decisions and managing farm risk Feedback from our first cohort of farming families indicated the importance and value in having a business coach who is confident in asking a lot of "Why?" questions as part of the process of identifying steps to improve decision-making processes - an important element of resilience in an environment of changing climate and market conditions. 🚜 #FarmBusinessResilience #NSWFarming #SustainableAgriculture #BusinessCoaching #Climate #ClimateResilience #Resilience #FarmBusinessCoaching #Livestock #Farming #Agriculture #FarmManagement The photo is by Laura Barry on Unsplash

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