.png "INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS REFORMS BILL HAS PASSED: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW")
Last week the Government passed the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Secure Jobs, Better Pay) Act 2022. The Act will reform a number of areas in Australian industrial relations including enterprise bargaining, fixed-term contracts and gender equality in the workplace.
For a list of key changes and to subscribe to stay up to date with information, visit the Fair Work Ombudsman website HERE.
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.png "ANNUALISED WAGE ARRANGEMENTS RESOURCES")
Last week we ran a webinar alongside Ballarat Regional Tourism, which was hosted by Ben Franklin from NWF Lawyers. The webinar focused on the changes to Annualised Wage Arrangements in the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Secure Jobs, Better Pay). If you were unable to attend, the following resource from the Fair Work Ombudsman is a guide for employer's to the changes in the hospitality and restaurant industries. For more information, visit the Fair Work Ombudsman website HERE. Read
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We are very excited this week to welcome Prof. Gabriele Suder to our board. Professor Gabriele Suder is the inaugural Dean of the New Business Accelerator at Federation University Australia, and Professor of International Business specialising in regionalisation. She is an education and investment growth expert at the United Nations, the World Trade Organisation, OECD and JETRO, and expert for state and federal government. Gabriele has extensive experience both in academics and industry. She has served at SKEMA Business School in France, then China, then the US and subsequentially, as Director, International Relations at the University of Melbourne. She is a prolific author with 14 business books and hundreds of scholarly and business papers, and regularly speaks in local and international media. We cant wait to work further with Gabriele in 2023. Read
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Yesterday at our December Biznet we helped raise over $5000 for the Ballarat Foundation Christmas Appeal. We want to wish a huge thank you to the amazing businesses that donated items for the auction and raffle. If you wish to donate to the Ballarat Christmas Appeal you can do so HERE. Read
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The festive season is upon us and that means workplaces are preparing their end of year celebrations. But employers need to be aware of potential risks of office Christmas parties and the possibility of being exposed to, for example, sexual harassment and/or discrimination complaints and workers' compensation claims. Alcohol combined with a party atmosphere increases the likelihood of an untoward incident occurring even more. Above all else employee safety should be at the forefront of an employer’s mind. For more info on workplace safety at Christmas functions VISIT HERE. Read
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We have reports from some of our members that they have fallen victim to scam phone calls over the past few weeks. Scams are a common way that cyber criminals compromise accounts. Being alert to scam messages and phone calls is a great way to protect yourself and your business. View this guide on what you can do if you think you are being scammed HERE. Read
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The team at Commerce Ballarat would like to wish a huge congratulations to Julia Antonetti from Ballarat Regional Tourism after she received the Young Achievers Award at the 2022 Victorian Tourism Awards on Thursday night. What a fantastic achievement, its amazing to see young tourism industry professionals stepping up and pushing to lift the bar for Ballarat's visitor economy. You can view a full list of winners HERE. Read
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.png "LATE NIGHT CHRISTMAS SHOPPING AT SOVEREIGN HILL")
Sovereign Hill’s popular Late Night Christmas Shopping is back this Thursday 8 December 6pm - 8.30pm. The Main Street will turn into a festive Christmas market with stalls featuring all your favourite Sovereign Hill sweets and treats. St Nick also returns, setting up residence inside the Red Hill Photographic Rooms for a portrait with visitors. A fully-licenced cafe and Hotel Bar will be open for food and drinks, while kids can explore the adventure play space. Entry into Sovereign Hill is free for this event. Read
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.png "IVY & COCO DIY VASE AND DRIED FLOWER SESSIONS")
Want to make the perfect gift for your loved one (or yourself!) this Christmas? Ivy & Coco have opened bookings to small groups to help you get your creativity on! You choose your vase and flowers, and they will work with you to make the perfect arrangement. Their are multiple sessions available to book throughout December. For more information and to book in your session, visit their website HERE. Read
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.png "THE FORGE TO OPEN IN BALLARAT EAST")
Popular local Pizzeria, The Forge, will open up an additional venue in Ballarat East. The restaurant will be located at 200 Victoria Street. More information coming soon! Read
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A Pot Of Courage will have the paella pan ready to go at the Barkly Square Global Christmas Market this Friday from 4pm - 9pm. They will be serving chicken and chorizo paellas along with their very own mojitos and drinks from Red Duck Brewery. There will also be market stalls and live performances on the night. Read
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Guess what - there's only 6 weeks till Xmas!
The George are back with their packed lunches! This year, for $70pp, you can treat yourself and your family to a scrumptious lunch expertly put together by our chefs at The George! Each meal will be carefully wrapped and instructions will be provided upon pick up. Cut off for orders will be Dec 17th and please let them know if you have any dietary requirements beforehand. Call (03) 5333 4866 or email them at: functions@georgehotelballarat.com.au Read
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.png "ROCKET MEN - HITS OF ELTON JOHN AT PIANO BAR")
Join Piano Bar Ballarat Sunday October 23 for Rocket Men, a vibrant tribute to the legendary music of Sir Elton John, inspired by the energetic and dynamic concerts of the 70s and 80s. Expect feathers, sequins, fancy glasses; and sing along to all your favourite Elton hits from love songs to all-out rock! The show features seasoned local musicians—Piano Bar’s own Rohan Windle on piano and vocals, with Matt Eastwood on bass and vocals, Adam Parsons on guitar and vocals, and Jake Schutz on drums and vocals. Doors open at 1pm with entertainment from 2pm. Read
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.png "TASTE OF THE AUSTRALIAN BUSH - SALTBUSH KITCHEN")
Get set for an Australian culinary adventure as you experience Australian bushfoods with Saltbush Kitchen. Located in the magical Saltbush ‘cave’ in Buninyong on Wadawurrung Country, this experience will showcase the epic flavours of the Australian landscape, exploring unique bushfood herbs and spices. Dive into your own bushfood tasting plate, browse the Saltbush product range, and learn easy ways to introduce bushfoods into your own cooking. Read
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.png "WESTERN BULLDOGS COMMUNITY FOUNDATION - 'BEST ON GROUND' PROGRAM")
Are you looking for a fun and educational program aimed at improving the mental and physical health of your staff? Based on the highly successful Sons of the West and Daughters of the West health programs, the Best on Ground program features a series of workshops, presentations and experiences that are sure to engage your staff. You can choose from a wide range of modules to suit your business and employee needs. Read
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.png "THE GOODS SHED EVENTS HALL OPEN FOR INSPECTION")
Join The Goods Shed for a weekend of fun, food, entertainment, and activities! The Goods Shed Events Hall is open for inspection from 11am to 3pm on Saturday the 1st and Sunday the 2nd of October. Entry is free and everyone is invited. Spend the weekend sampling Atlantic Group's marvelous menu offering, meet and greet local event suppliers or simply savour a special sneak peek of Ballarat's newest events venue.£ Entry is free! Read
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.png "WILSONS FRUIT AND VEG MAIR STREET RENOVATION")
Wilsons Fruit and Vegetables on Mair Street will undergo renovations this week with the store receiving a full facelift! Despite renovations, the store will not be completely closed. Wholesale, home delivery and click and collect will still be available. A small rustic pop-up shop will be open filled with all produce and some grocery/ cold goods lines including; Inglenook Dairy Milk, Irrewarra Sourdough, Wilsons yoghurt and OJ and pre-sliced Deli best-sellers. The Lucas store will also remain open as normal. For details on opening hours during renovations VISIT HERE Read
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.png "BLOC MUSIC THEATRE: DISNEY'S NEWSIES JNR")
When powerful newspaper publishers raise prices at the newsboys' expense, the charismatic Jack Kelly rallies newsies from across the city to strike against the unfair conditions. Together, the newsies learn that they are stronger united and create a movement to fight for what's right. Bloc's production of Newsies Jnr will run from 30 September to 2 October. Read
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.png "MIDTOWN CELLARS CELEBRATE THEIR 1ST BIRTHDAY")
Join Midtown Cellars this Saturday Sept 17 from midday until close as they celebrate their 1st birthday. Hop Nation Brewing Co. and AVNGE Brewing have generously donated kegs of their delicious beers that Midtown will be selling this weekend with all proceeds going to Ballarat Hospice Care in memory of and in tribute to the late great Brad Fernando. Come down and grab a pint for Brad and help support a great cause. Read
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.png "HOP TEMPLE CELEBRATE THEIR SEVENTH BIRTHDAY!")
Join Hop Temple to celebrate their Birthday week from Sept 14 to 19. They have a huge line up of festivities every day from Live Musical Bingo to Live Bands and activities for the kids. Join them this Wednesday night September 14 for Taps & Tacos! It’s your choice of 2 Tacos & an AJ’s pint for $20.
The big birthday bash will be Saturday Sept 18, with a family party during the day and a big kids party at night. From face painting to live music to a giant pass the parcel. You can book for any of their Birthday Week activities here. Read
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.png "DIGITAL SOLUTIONS - AUSTRALIAN SMALL BUSINESS ADVISORY SERVICES")
Round 2 of the Australian Small Business Advisory Services Digital Solutions grant will open for applications on 19 September and close 11 November 2022. This opportunity will support service providers to offer low cost, high quality advisory services on digitalisation to Australian small businesses, across 5 priority capabilities. There are 3 grants under this opportunity, each with a defined geographical coverage area. You may apply for one or more grants, to service multiple coverage areas. Read
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.png "NATIONAL DAY OF MOURNING PUBLIC HOLIDAY")
In line with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's announcement yesterday, a National Day of Mourning will be observed in Victoria on Thursday, 22 September 2022. The day will be a normal trading day, which is consistent with the Grand Final Friday, Boxing Day and many other public holidays. These details will be confirmed through the Government’s Gazette process. Employers and employees seeking information about their rights and responsibilities regarding public holidays should seek advice from their business organisations or relevant unions. Read
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.png "BALLARAT PROFESSIONAL MENTORING PROGRAM")
Workforce shortages? Would you like to be connected to a skilled migrant in your industry?
The City of Ballarat, Committee for Ballarat, Commerce Ballarat, GROW Central Highlands and Ballarat Regional Multicultural Council are collaborating with Regional Opportunities Australia (HOST International) to support skilled migrants who are interested in moving to Ballarat. We are calling this the Ballarat Professional Mentoring Program (BPMP). Read
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.png "JOIN RUNWAY FOR THEIR INCUBATOR COHORT LAUNCH EVENT")
Join Runway Ballarat at the Flecknoe Building, 124 Albert Street, Ballarat Central on Thursday September 29 to celebrate Innovation as their most recent Incubator cohort launch their ideas. Attendees will get an exclusive first look at what these innovative entrepreneurs have developed as their Minimum Viable Product. Come and listen to their pitches before they go live to market. Runway will also be welcoming their new, future Incubator participants to celebrate the success of the current group. VISIT HERE to book Read
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.png "WORKWELL MENTAL HEALTH TOOLKIT FOR SMALL BUSINESSES")
WorkSafe Victoria has upgraded the WorkWell Mental Health Toolkit for small business. The Toolkit is a step-by-step guide that helps small businesses with employees to create a safe and mentally healthy workplace. It contains resources from reputable organisations such as Beyond Blue and R U OK? to teach good practice.
The new Toolkit comes in response to feedback from business owners, advisers and leaders, and features improvements to make it easier for users to access. It’s the same toolkit – made better VIEW MORE Read
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.png "$2K SMALL BUSINESS SPECIALIST ADVICE GRANTS")
The Victorian Government has opened a grants program providing $2,000 to eligible Victorian small businesses to help pay for specialist business advice from an accountant, bookkeeper or lawyer.
The program supports businesses that have faced disruptive change, caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and other factors, by improving their capability and preparedness to plan for their future or adapt their business model.
For detailed guidelines on the program, FAQs and information regarding the application process CLICK HERE Read
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.png "OPPORTUNITY FOR DIGITAL PROVIDERS")
The Victorian Regional Chambers Alliance has received some funding to support individual chambers of commerce and business groups. We are looking to add to our team of digital specialists across the region who will mentor in digital marketing and strategy implementation, e-commerce, web development and SEO. This can be done in person or online. If you are a provider that would like to be included in this program, please complete and return the attached form by COB this Friday 9th September to michelle@commerceballarat.com.au Read
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McCallum are now looking to strengthen their governance team further with a new Director. This role will allow you to work collaboratively with the McCallum Board and management, continuing the work and influence of McCallum as a leader in the disability sector. This is a moderately remunerated position (details available upon request).
Board members can expect a time commitment of around 25- 30 hours per annum, comprising of 7 - 8 Board meetings, 2 - 4 Committee meetings and associated preparation. Read
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Western United are looking for support from local businesses in the Ballarat area for the upcoming woman and girls’ tournament they are holding at Morshead Park called the Western United Cup. This is the inaugural version of the Western United Cup and will be on from Sep 29 – Oct 1st. The tournament will attract community clubs around the state from Under 10s to Open age. There will also be a Women's friendly on the final day which will showcase some of their new A-League players as well as the development players from affiliate club Calder United. Read
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Phoenix College is looking for local businesses or individuals to support their efforts in this edition of the F1 in schools competition in which they have previously been world champions. F1 in schools is the multi discipline challenge in which teams of students aged 9-19. Using CAD/CAM software to design, analyse, test, collaborate, manufacture and then race miniature balsa wood f1 cars powered by compressed air. Teams must use their initiative to raise money through sponsorships to fund research, travel, material and accommodation. Sponsorship ranges from $50 - $1000+. Read
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The City of Ballarat is seeking applications for funding from community groups looking to boost their entry into the 2023 Power FM Ballarat Begonia Festival Parade.
Multi-cultural groups, sporting groups, musical groups, performing arts groups, schools and business are all encouraged to apply for the funding. The top two submissions that meet the set selection criteria will be awarded $2000 each to support bringing their parade float idea to life. Read
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The Victorian Skills Plan for 2022 into 2023 is a detailed document designed to make Victoria better equipped to build a sustainable workforce. The Skills Plan provides comprehensive, robust data and analysis – tested with industry and other stakeholders. In addition to reliable occupational forecasts, it outlines the actions to be taken in response to the skilling challenges Victoria faces and to realise the opportunities before us. MORE INFO. Read
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There are many exciting events coming up in Ballarat in the coming days!
- Rent, The Musical, BLOC Musical Theatre, until 21st of August. TICKETS HERE.
- Keaper @ VOLTA Ballarat, Saturday 20 August.
TICKETS HERE.
- Drag Bingo at the Piano Bar Ballarat, Wednesday 24 August. TICKETS HERE. Read
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Sweet Fern Ballarat, the home of niche fragrance, opened its doors to its new home at 27 Sturt Street on Monday the 8th of August (next door to Go Vita Ballarat). Explore their new store and head along to one of their perfume masterclasses on the 1st or 10th of September. MORE INFO. Read
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The Western United Cup will be a girls and womens competition offering under 10s to under 18s as well as an open age competition. Western United's commitment to growing the game of football in Victoria and developing female talent at a grass roots level has again been strengthened, with the launch of the Western United Cup. The Ballarat tournament will provide a competitive stage for junior girls across Victoria to display their talents at the end of their club season, taking place from September 29 to October 1. REGISTER Read
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The Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry are preparing their 2022 Victorian State Election Platform and they need your insights to help inform the recommendations that they will put forward to all parties and candidates.
Help them effectively advocate for policies that will make Victoria the best place to own and operate a business.
The survey takes 5 minutes, and responses remain confidential SURVEY Read
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