Fitness & Wellbeing
Excellence in Enviromentally Responsible Practices – MARGAN WINES
Sponsored by Commonwealth Bank Margan Wines is a great example of a business that has integrated environmental performance with the way it operates its business. It has shown foresight in identifying the key environmental impacts associated with wine making and systematically addressing each one to reduce and control adverse consequences over an extended period. Margans…
Excellence in Training – ARRIUM-MOLY-COP WARATAH
Sponsored by Hunter Valley Training Company This application showcased a training plan that was driven by a specific need in the company concerning frontline management competency. A program was developed by company staff to meet this specific skills gap and rolled out across the plant with potential to be implemented nationally. The program was well…
Excellence in Manufacturing Process – ARRIUM – ONESTEEL CONTISTRETCH
Sponsored by KM&T The judges said the objectives were SMART and aligned to the corporate need. The alignment of purpose and objectives across all levels of the workforce was clear and generally supported by a philosophy and standards. The commitment was clear and did not stop at the levels set by the objectives. It was…
FUNNY BUSINESS
Doctor: Madam, your husband needs rest and peace, so here are some sleeping pills. Wife: Doc, when should I give them to him? Doctor: They are for you! A man was traveling through the west of the US, when he saw a sign that said, “Meet the Indian Who Never Forgets, Next Exit”. Well, being…
Apprentice of the Year – Manufacturing – MITCHELL BROWN
Apprentice of the Year – Manufacturing Sponsored by State Training Services This highly contested award was taken out by Mitchell Brown who is employed by Hunternet Group Training Company and hosted by Hetronic Australia. The judge said the five finalists all displayed, in various aspects of the assessment process, outstanding attributes and are a…
Newcastle to gain massive international coverage with Asia Cup games
The AFC Asian Cup, Asia’s biggest football tournament is coming to Australia in January 2015.
FROM THE EDITOR
The Hunter has benefited from the coal industry for many decades and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future, however, it seem unlikely we will ever reach the heights of the early part of this decade when thermal coal reached over $130 per tonne.
Innovative business finance solutions
CommBank’s Daily IQ is a new mobile analytics app which gives businesses access to insights about their cash flow, sales and industry.
Business success for Tradies
You can’t qualify as an electrician, a carpenter, a hairdresser or a plumber
without any training.
NAID AAA certified security bins
They may all look the same but in secure destruction, the people
and the processes beyond the bin make the difference.
Newcastle Permanent wins Home Lender of the Year award
The Newcastle Permanent Building Society has won the coveted Home
Lender of the Year award for the fifth time in six years.
Compass Housing wins part in massive housing renewal project
Hunter-based Compass Housing Services has been selected by the Queensland Government to play a key role in Queensland’s largest ever housing renewal project, which will make it the largest community housing provider in Australia.
UON announces 2014 Alumni Awards
University of Newcastle (UON) graduate Dr Alison Thorburn, who is traversing new ground in asthma research, is UON’s first recipient of the Beryl Nashar Young Researcher Award.
Hunter Region Business Excellence Awards
This year’s Hunter Region Business Excellence Awards were possibly the best ever conducted by the Hunter Region BEC.
Proposal to invest port proceeds in cycleways
A collaboration between Newcastle Cycleways Movement, Hunter Medicare Local, NSW Heart Foundation, Tom Farrell Institute for the Environment at UoN, NRMA and the NSW Property Council would like to see Newcastle become the cycling capital of Australia.
Reid Commercial Law joins Sparke Helmore Lawyers
The transition of Reid Commercial Law to Sparke Helmore Lawyers took place in
September in a move that gives the firm a much greater reach in the Hunter and
mid-north coast.
New Chamber for Throsby Basin
The Throsby Basin Business Chamber, an initiative of local business people within the
inner city suburbs of Carrington, Wickham, Islington, Maryville, Tighes Hill and into the
old BHP site at Mayfield East, have announced the Foundation Board and President.
New office fit-out delivers unexpected benefits
When Strategic Group, a Newcastle computer systems integration company, relocated to Wickham Harbourside, Chris Boswell, CEO, needed a company to design and manage the office fit-out before they moved in.
Major upgrade of Cardiff town centre underway
Lake Macquarie City Council has started work to implement the Cardiff Streetscape Master Plan.
SiDCOR ranked Australia’s third best place to work
Newcastle-based accounting firm SiDCOR Chartered Accountants has been ranked third in this year’s BRW Best Places to Work.
80th year anniversary unlocks yarns from Newcastle’s steelworks past
Grabbing piping hot steel tubes off mills with only tongs and gloves, dressed in your best stubbies work shorts was but one of the many old stories re-told by former Austube Mills’ employees at the business’ 80th anniversary celebrations on 4 September.
Construction commences on Mortels’ $3.2 million Tourism Centre
The first sod turn and smoking ceremony to mark the beginning of construction of Mortels’ new $3.2 million tourism facility took place on 11 September.
UON ranked Australia’s number one university under 50 years of age
The University of Newcastle (UON) is Australia’s number one university in the 2014 QS Top 50 Under 50 rankings.
Singleton Economic Development Strategy
Creating and exploring new opportunities for employment and economic growth will be key considerations as Singleton Council commences work on drafting the Singleton Economic
Development Strategy.
Skills centre officially opened
Coinciding with National Skills Week in August, the HVTC Skills Centre at Rutherford officially opened its state of the art $5M facility.
Local student named Trainee of the Year
Joshua Lodge was named Trainee of the Year at the 2014 NSW State Training Awards held in September.
Hunter TAFE students to compete in Brazil for International WorldSkills titles
Hunter TAFE students have built, created, carved, welded, beautified and designed their way to a total of eight medals at the WorldSkills Australia’s National Competition.
FUNNY BUSINESS
During the wedding rehearsal, the groom approached the minister with an unusual offer. “Look, I’ll give you $100 if you’ll change the wedding vows. When you get to me and the part where I’m to promise to ‘love, honour and obey’ and ‘forsaking all others, be faithful to her forever,’ I’d appreciate it if you’d…
What you should know about the Personal Property Security Register
Most people are aware of the Personal Property Securities Register (Register) under the Personal Property Securities Act 2009 (Cth) (PPSA) which commenced on 30 January 2012.
Granny flats prove to be a sound property investment
In these uncertain economic times finding a high yielding investment with minimal risk can be difficult. However, granny flats are bucking the trend and delivering some impressive yields.
Work starts on $39 million aged care centre for Toronto
A sod-turning ceremony and blessing by the Anglican Bishop of Newcastle, The Right Reverend Greg Thompson in August marked the beginning of construction on Anglican Care’s new 147-bed Aged Care Home at Toronto.
Five tips for safe building and renovating
The building industry has been one of the strengths the Hunter is built on.
New Apprenticeship Support will benefit builders
Master Builders Australia has welcomed the Government’s Australian Apprenticeships Support Network focus on delivering outcomes for employers and apprentices and
reducing red tape and paperwork compliance.
Lower Hunter Urban Design Awards
At the Lower Hunter Urban Design Awards held on the 5 September at Tempus Two wineries, local architect, Chris McBriarty was a major winner, picking up three awards.
Moray & Agnew fitout by Kingston
The high profile legal practice, Moray & Agnew recently relocated to the corner of King and Watt Streets, Newcastle and selected Newcastle builder Kingston Building (Australia) to undertake their office fitout.
Major reforms change the face of the home building act
Residential builders, developers and property owners can expect a major shake-up to the industry.
Hansen Yuncken’s local team wins top score in the construction industry awards
Hansen Yuncken has had another exciting few months with no less than seven regional, state and national awards for their construction projects.
Master Builders Excellence in Building Awards
In a tribute to the outstanding workmanship displayed within the construction industry the Master Builders Association held its gala Excellence in Building Awards at West’s Leagues Club on 12 September with over 430 guests attending.
Compass Housing Services
Compass Housing Services is Australia’s largest Community Housing Provider.