Business Matters

Workcover is ready to help you with understanding the new work, health and safety [WHS] laws which took effect in NSW on January 1, 2012. These laws will replace existing occupational health and safety legislation. While many parts of the new legislation will remain the same or similar to current arrangements, it is important that business, industry and your workers know what the differences are.

It is important you continue to build a safety culture within your organisation and promote the highest standards of health and safety in your workplace. This is especially important in the first twelve months of the WHS laws commencing as you are transitioning your workplace to comply with the requirements. Workcover will help you  with this transition.

Please regularly access the Workcover website www.workcover.nsw.gov.au where you will find fact sheets, frequently asked questions with answers, webinars and comprehensive training material. As well we have suitably qualified Chamber members who can also assist with any matters relating to this new legislation. NSW Business Chamber also can offer assistance.

Don't get caught out, as penalties are substantial and most certainly detrimental to your business. Make sure you know what your responsibilities are!

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UPDATES HELP SMALL BUSINESSES FIND GRANTS, ASSISTANCE

Business owners can now search for government funding and support more easily following updates to the Grants & Assistance Finder tool on the Australian Government’s small business website, business.gov.au.

The Minister for Small Business, Senator Nick Sherry, says the updates will ensure the tool gives business owners improved access to government grants and assistance.

"There are many programs and grants available to help develop new ideas and grow Australian businesses," Senator Sherry said.

"The Grants & Assistance Finder is a tool to help business owners search for efficiently funding and support from the Australian Government, and state and territory governments.

"The search tool lists more than 600 grants and has been visited more than 300,000 times since its launch in March 2009.

"Businesses can find grants and assistance for a range of issues, including climate change, emergencies and innovation," Senator Sherry said.

The updates include a new ‘Open to apply’ function, which displays all grants open for application, giving business owners a more targeted search.

Businesses can also ‘export’ their search results in a variety of formats to easily save their information.

The Australian Government’s Small Business Support Line has already received positive feedback about the new updates from business owners, who value the tool’s increased efficiency.

Businesses can get access to the Grants & Assistance Finder by visiting http://www.business.gov.au/Grantfinder.

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Penrith Valley is still very much the right place to be and make it happen, our own ‘land of opportunity’!
We are a lifestyle region, ask anyone who already lives here and they will quickly tell you just how good it is.

But of course we need to work hard to keep this region growing and prospering to maintain our  preferred lifestyle opportunities. Rewards do come even in tough times.

All the more important this year is your attendances at as many of our networking functions and special activities as you can fit into your busy schedules. Reinforce your relationships with others and keep top of mind on their ‘shopping’ lists.

There are workshops offered by key partners the Penrith Business Advisory Centre, and also the Penrith Business Alliance specifically targeted at surviving tough times and managing a better workplace. Some of these sessions are free. All our programs are presented by professional people offering and reinforcing best practice in their fields of expertise.
Please take advantage of these.