The PRWIRE Press Releaseshttps://2021-04-14T23:02:56ZRRT help with meals for Cyclone-hit Kalbarri2021-04-14T23:02:56Zrrt-help-with-meals-for-cyclone-hit-kalabarri
14 April 2021
The Rapid
Relief Team (RRT) is helping provide breakfast, lunch
and dinner as well as emergency RRT Food Boxes to Kalbarri locals displaced by
Tropical Cyclone Seroja.
The team helped
serve up more than 90 meals last night at the evacuation centre in Geraldton
and will be providing further support through today.
RRT have also
donated 35 of their emergency food boxes with another pallet (80 food boxes) on
its way.
RRT Food Boxes
contain a variety of non-perishable, long-life food that can feed a family of
four for up to 48 hours.
There are estimates
more than 50 per cent of Kalbarri’s buildings have been damaged by the Cyclone
and thousands of locals are without power and other essential services in the
wider region.
RRT is made up of
volunteers from the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church.
Alex Sharpe, Western
Australia Regional Team Leader for RRT, said it was Christian values of care
and compassion that motivated them to help.
“While the region
has been given the ‘all clear’ from the Cyclone, it is now the hard work in
clean up and recovery begins.
The storm damage is
significant with Emergency WA estimating it to be over an area 700km long and
150km wide.
“There is a
shortage of supplies in the area over coming days, so we are only happy that we
can help in a small way by providing meals to some of the hardest hit by
Cyclone Seroja.”
Media enquiries: Bas Bolyn 0447 486 195
About the Rapid Relief Team (RRT)
The Plymouth Brethren Christian Church established the RRT in 2013 to express the
Church’s principles of care and compassion. The RRT is staffed by Church
volunteers who provide catering services at a range of charitable events and
emergencies.
Globally, the RRT has
more than 14,500 volunteers and operates in Australia, the United Kingdom, New
Zealand, France, the United States, Canada and Germany.
Police Credit Union kicks goal with new grassroots community football partnership2021-04-01T03:43:33Zpolice-credit-union-kicks-goal-with-new-grassroots-community-football-partnership
Police Credit Union has been announced as Naming Rights
Major sponsor of the Hills Football League, known now as the Police Credit
Union Hills Football League.
The major
partnership bolsters the financial security of one of the largest Australian
Rules Football leagues in South Australia, which supports more than 3,000
players belonging to 19 clubs that span an area from Kangarilla to Kersbrook
and Blackwood to Callington.
Police
Credit Union CEO, Costa Anastasiou, welcomed the opportunity to support the
popular community-based sporting organisation.
“Football
is one of our greatest recreational past-times, and it’s fantastic to be able
to get behind the League to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to be involved
in a sport that reinforces the value of teamwork, teaches new skills and helps
players to grow their confidence and ability,” Mr Anastasiou said.
“It makes
perfect sense for us to get behind the Hills Football League because we share a
common goal of supporting the local community,” he said.
League President
Don Cranwell, said the partnership with Police Credit Union was cause for
celebration.
‘There’s
no doubt that plenty of sporting bodies have been doing it tough because of the
pandemic and economic uncertainty. Add into the mix the impact of devastating
fires across the Hills, it has been a really challenging time for the local community.
Our football league is an opportunity for people to spend time together and enjoy
the experience of playing in a competitive local league or supporting a loved
one that does,” Mr Cranwell said.
“Our
league has a long-standing history of being a proving ground for many talented
footballers, with a number progressing through to the SANFL and the AFL and
enjoying a very successful career thanks to the skills learnt in their early
career.”
The newly-named
Police Credit Union Hills Football League will continue to see clubs divided
into Division One (larger towns in the hills) and the Country Division (consisting
of the smaller towns). Both divisions have their own minor round and finals
programs. Most clubs within the league field teams across: Junior Primary
(under 8s, 9s, 10s & 11s), Mini Colts, Junior colts, Senior colts as well
as Senior A and B grades, with some clubs also fielding C Grade players. Female
football is also growing in popularity, with an Under 16 competition and an
open age (over 16) competition already being proudly established as a part of
the league.
In
addition to being naming right sponsor, the Police Credit Union logo will appear
on uniforms, signage, as well as the league’s website and Facebook page.
With
the League’s head office based at 27 Alexandrina Road, Mt Barker, participating
clubs will be well serviced by the Police Credit Union branch at Mt Barker.
The new
partnership complements Police Credit Union’s existing Adelaide Footy League
sponsorship and support of the CFS Foundation and Crime Stoppers SA.
###
About Police Credit Union
Formed in 1970, Police Credit Union is proudly South
Australian based and headquartered, boasting a 93.8% Member Satisfaction score,
an employee engagement score of 92.6%, total assets exceeding $1.174billion,
and delivering Better Banking services to over 40,000 customers. As the most recognised
credit union brand in South Australia, Police Credit Union is firmly committed
to building enhanced capability in the delivery of both traditional face to
face branch banking and local call centres, and innovative, convenient and
secure digital architecture. Supporting better communities and reducing our
environmental impact represents an intrinsic pillar of PCU’s corporate
strategy. A strong sense of corporate social responsibility spans initiatives
both large and small, including a long-standing partnership with the Police
Association of South Australia, Major Sponsorship of Crime Stoppers SA, the CFS
Foundation, Adelaide Football League, Hills Football League and a 23-year
commitment in bringing the Credit Union Christmas Pageant to the streets of
Adelaide, representing but a few examples of the organisation’s community
investment over its 50-year history. Police Credit Union has helped thousands
of South Australians and Territorians achieve their financial goals and
aspirations, with competitive and high value Better Banking products and
services. The multi award-winning, values-driven, Member-owned organisation
offers a full suite of market leading loan and investment products, 24/7
Online, Mobile and App banking, Fast Payments, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and
Samsung Pay, and branches across SA and NT. 1300 131 844 I policecu.com.au
Police Credit Union Ltd ABN 30 087 651 205
AFSL/Australian Credit Licence 238991. ®Registered to BPAY Pty
Ltd ABN 69 079 137 518. Osko services will be issued by over 50 BPAY
Scheme members. The BPAY Scheme is managed by BPAY Pty Ltd (ABN 69
079 137 518). Contact your financial institution to see if it will offer the
Osko services and to get the terms and conditions. Any financial product advice
provided by BPAY Pty Ltd in relation to Osko services is general
advice only and has been prepared without considering your objectives,
financial situation or needs. Before acting on such advice, you should review
the terms and conditions and consider whether the Osko service is appropriate
for your personal circumstances. Apple Pay: Apple, the Apple logo are trademarks of
Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Google Pay: Android,
Google Pay, and the Google Logo are trademarks of Google LLC. Samsung Pay:
Samsung Pay is a trademark or registered trademark of Samsung Electronics Co.,
Ltd.
Personal Finance Guide Launching 1 April 20212021-03-29T07:51:44Zpersonal-finance-guide-launching-1-april-2021Australia's newest and funniest guide to Personal Finance, launches 1 April, and will be available for purchase from the money-beans website.
This ia a Dad and daughter team effort, aimed at providing an easy to read but informative guide to personal finance.
Suddenly Responsible is intended for a person just starting out, or someone who, later in life finds themselves suddenly responsible and having to deal with all manner of personal finance issues.
It is light hearted, a short read, but abundant with financial wisdom designed to get the reader rich slowly. Parents are encoursged to buy it for their teens, or even themselves.
For each copy of the book sold via the website, Moneybeans will donate $1 to the Leukaemia Foundation.
Mouse Plague: How Rural Residents Are Using Data to Outsmart Swarms of Rodents2021-03-26T01:19:43Zmouse-plague-how-rural-residents-are-using-data-to-outsmart-swarms-of-rodents
Rural
areas on the East Coast of Australia are being ravaged by a mouse plague, the
scale of which feels almost biblical. “They’re everywhere,” says Jackie Coe
from Dunedoo in the beautiful Warrumbungle shire of NSW. “We’ve never seen
anything like this.”
With mice invading properties in epic numbers, some residents are forsaking
traditional methods like poisonous baits and steel traps for SMART Digital Pest Control -
an intelligent system which uses data and non-toxic methods to trap rodents.
Monitoring the premises 24/7, it’s catching mice in huge numbers.
Mice
Cause Havoc for Grocers, Residents and Farmers
Jackie
runs a coffee shop out of the converted dining room of the picturesque heritage
pub in Dunedoo, as well as a B & B cottage. “My biggest frustration is
losing stock. The other day they got into our vege garden and ruined all the
corn. I can only imagine what the big supermarkets and farmers are
experiencing.”
The mice have been swarming for the past couple of months, triggered by a
confluence of unique conditions. The switch from last year’s drought to a
season of regular rain - plus an unusually large grain harvest - has provided
rodents with ideal breeding grounds. They mice are causing havoc for grocers
and residents, plus farmers who are losing hundreds of thousands dollars’ worth
of harvest.
Alan Brown, a farmer in Wagga Wagga told The Guardian
that “rats are at a nuisance level, but the mice are in plague proportions,
particularly in the north and west and south-west of the state. They are causing
serious problems now with people getting bitten.”
Jackie says she’s heard similar stories; particularly of one woman with a
disability in Dunedoo suffering distress as mice have bitten her feet. They’re
being found floating en masse in swimming pools or in skimmer boxes.
SMART Solutions Remove the
Risk of Secondary Poisoning
People have been using traditional methods to try and catch the mice, such as
steel traps and poisonous baits. Unfortunately, both methods can be problematic
thanks to the secondary risks they pose to children and pets.
“We once had a cocker spaniel that died after eating several dead mice that had
been poisoned by rodent baits,” says Jackie. “We’ve got lots of pets, including
chickens, so we don’t want to take risks. I also saw someone had put down
sachets of Ratsak in the park, which is dangerous.”
The risk of secondary poisoning is particularly acute for farms and food
businesses. Jackie has taken another method, installing Flick Pest Control’s SMART boxes
in her home, B & B cottage and the coffee shop.
SMART
is an intelligent system which uses data instead of poison to monitor for
rodents, before trapping them with a non-toxic attractant. Flick monitors the
system remotely, providing reports and adjusting the solution accordingly. It’s
a method that’s particularly effective for large-scale areas or commercial
warehouses and farms.
“It’s very effective, fantastic really,” says Jackie. “The boxes are easy to
relocate and empty - although that’s not pleasant! We’ve caught 250 in the last
month.”
As Australia’s leading pest control business, Flick has a nationwide presence.
For more information on SMART and how we’re helping to fight the mouse plague, visit the website
or contact:
Kevin
Saul
Branch Manager, Flick Dubbo
kevin.saul@flick.com.au
0417 231 067
How Are Cars Recycled?2021-03-23T09:06:19Zhow-are-cars-recycled
Vehicle recycling has as of late turned out to be increasingly famous with the overall population, thanks to some extent to the accomplishment of the green development, yet the AUS auto reusing industry has existed for a long time. Today, auto reusing is the sixteenth biggest industry in the AUS what's more, creates about $25 million in yearly income. There are right now around 7,000 auto reusing organizations all through the AUS.
How The Recycling Process Works
Every year, car reusing yields enough steel to deliver about 13 million new vehicles. To accomplish this number, vehicle recyclers utilize a multi-step procedure to repurpose the inexhaustible materials from autos, trucks, SUVs, and different methods of transportation. The following is an essential framework of the means that auto recyclers take when they leave on reusing a vehicle.
Must Read: Why Wreckers Are the Best Option to Sell Your Car?
Stage 1: Remove Engine Fluids
Before the reusing procedure formally starts, liquids are expelled from recyclable vehicles to guarantee that they are appropriately discarded. Since the reusing system frequently starts at junkyards that sell utilized automobile parts, a junkyard may expel liquids all alone.
Notwithstanding speeding up the reusing procedure, expelling motor liquids can make vehicles more secure for junkyard clients to expel parts from. Expelling motor liquids can diminish the opportunity of flames creating in the rescue parcel, and shield clients from breathing in harmful vapour.
Stage 2: Remove Useable Parts
For auto reusing organizations, having recyclable vehicles go to a junkyard initially can decrease the time and vitality that are required to stall the piece metal and send it to a recycler. Moreover, parts that a recycler may not be keen on obtaining (for example, plastic repositories, elastic hoses, and tires) are regularly evacuated by junkyard clients to use for their vehicles.
Stage 3: Shred The Vehicle Frame
After a vehicle has had important parts expelled, just as segments that may not be recyclable (for example batteries, individual evaluations of plastic, and seating secured with manufactured texture, after these parts are expelled, a reusing organization puts the rest of the piece metal in a vehicle shredder that attractively isolates metal sections into ferrous and non-ferrous metals.
Stage 4: Mix Metals Together
Before for scrap metal is sent to automakers, it is joined with other metal to fortify the piece metal, and set it up to be shaped into another vehicle outline. "More than 14 million tons of steel from end-of-life vehicles were reused and reused in 2014 — a number that has developed in the previous decade.
Stage 5: Send To Manufacturers
After the piece metal is blended with other metal, it comes back to carmakers, so they can deliver new vehicle outlines that are probably going to be utilized to help produce a forthcoming line of vehicles. Using reused metal from cars helps makers since it doesn't cost as much as purchasing new metal. It benefits the steel business by lessening emanations at generation plants.
Keen On Recycling A Vehicle?
Assuming this is the case, sell or give your finish of-life vehicle to oziwreckersadelaide.com.au. We believe a functioning job in the reusing procedure by selling utilized parts from garbage vehicles. The fewer parts a vehicle contains when it heads to a destroying office or a vehicle recycler, the less work is required to process the recyclable metal into new metal that the auto reusing industry can utilize legitimately.
For more data about the way toward reusing a vehicle, get in touch with one of our Adelaide areas in SA. We anticipate talking with you!
VICTORIA’S OLDEST CEMETERY GOES GREEN BY CREATING TREES INSTEAD OF TOMBSTONES.2021-03-04T05:09:44Zvictoria-s-oldest-cemetery-goes-green-by-creating-trees-instead-of-tombstones
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - 4 March 2021
VICTORIA’S OLDEST CEMETERY GOES GREEN BY CREATING TREES INSTEAD OF TOMBSTONES.
Wooling Hill Memorial Estate, New Gisborne Victoria, is partnering with Living Legacy Forest, joining the growing network of industry leaders that create the highest standard of sustainable memorials in the world.
Wooling Hill (established 1840) is Victoria's oldest cemetery. Still, it is turning a new leaf by transferring people into trees instead of tombstones. Wooling Hill is the only privately owned cemetery in Victoria. Owners Liddy and Troy Upfield are also founders of Chapter House Funerals.
Unique to this partnership, Wooling Hill and Living Legacy can offer a funeral service and perpetual memorial. Families' do not need to engage with funeral directors. A final resting place is found independently, alleviating stress at a difficult time. This also contributes to a dramatic cost saving for families.
"People are becoming trees in their afterlife, and it's changing the way we leave the world as a nation. We are creating trees and restoring ecosystems for native wildlife." Said Warren Roberts, the founder of Living Legacy.
The Legacy Forest at the Wooling Hill Estate is over 2 acres of master-planned forest that includes native Eucalypts, Silver Birch, Flowering Magnolias and Oak Trees, all set around a flowing pebbled stream.
According to Adelaide's Centennial Park, a burial or a cremation create about 160kg of carbon impact. However, with Living Legacy Forest, that impact is offset with the planting of one tree. Living Legacy also donate 200 offset trees to be planted to contribute to global reforestation and carbon reduction. “It’s a real paradigm shift to be able to leave a positive footprint," said Troy Upfield.
Troy also said, “We used to bury people downwards, and now they grow upwards; it's something your kid's children can look up to. People used to bring cut flowers to graves; now, the trees now greet them with flowers. A tree’s blossom spreads ones atoms into the universe.”
“Ashes typically are added to a tree by nutrient infusion after death, however a lot of people like to plant their own tree with their family while they are alive and have their ashes added to the tree later. In some way, we can still be there for them by coming to the same tree they planted together," said Liddy Upfield.
"Your Legacy Tree contribution gives back all the air you breathed in a lifetime, but they can also cost less than half the cost of a traditional burial so you can save the planet, and you can also save a lot of money… We plant these trees as sacred gifts to the next generation that act as guides to help us appreciate our mortality and the gift of being alive and of being a part of life" Warren Roberts.
Background:
Living Legacy Forest:
Most people do not realise how much human cremated ashes weigh, about 3 kg. A little-known fact is that trees require a pH of around 5-6 to grow; cremated remains have a very high pH of 12 out of 14. Additionally, the total salts content's pH is about 2 cups, which is a large volume.
The ashes to help a tree grow are not enough to balance the pH and salt; the tree still grows around the ashes to survive.
Human cremated ashes require treatment before they can help trees grow. Just scattering them and burying them, even with biodegradable urns, does not allow them to succeed. The urn bio-degrades and the untreated ashes do not help the tree grow.
Our organic treatment creates micro-nutrients that help trees grow. Leaders have now adopted this in the Cemetery Industry because of its proven growth results.
Wooling Hill Memorial Estate:
The Robertson family established the estate in 1840 – it was one of the district's earliest settlements. As the Robertson children had families of their own, Wooling Hill came to resemble a small village. The nine-acre orchard and four-acre kitchen garden fed the family well.
The family cemetery still stands at Wooling Hill, marked in the fashion of those times, by Italian cypresses and a hand-made post and rail-fence.
The Wooling Hill Memorial Estate was opened in 2000 by developer Wayne Davies. In early 2020 Melbourne funeral directors Troy and Liddy Upfield purchased the estate and continue the work by its past owners.
End
Photos and Videos - Dropbox
Contacts:
Wooling Hill Memorial Estate - woolinghillestate.com.au
Troy Upfield - troy@woolinghillestate.com.au
0499 490 900
Living Legacy Forest - livinglegacyforest.com
Warren Roberts - warren@livinglegacyforest.com
0439 927 736
Rapid Relief Team calls on Riverina Region to help one of our youngest little locals in fight of her life2021-03-03T03:54:00Zrapid-relief-team-calls-on-riverina-region-to-help-one-of-our-youngest-little-locals-in-fight-of-your-life
It’s the family crisis you pray no parent should ever have
to face. Yet horror has struck a local Junee family, with young couple Katrina
and Mark Halliburton living with their little girl fighting leukaemia.
Following a call from the family’s friends, the local
community has banded together, organising a special fundraising event at Junee
Oval on Saturday, 6 March – “Magic for Molly”.
Wagga Wagga Local Rapid Relief Team (RRT) Leader, Rohan
Lindqvist, said while we cannot be with the Halliburton’s physically, we can be
with them in spirit.
“We are so grateful for the opportunity to come to Junee to
support this family in our community doing it tough. In times of crisis,
there’s nothing more important than helping each other,” Rohan said.
To contribute to the event, the Wagga Wagga RRT will aim to
sell more than 1,000 hot meals and just as many coffees on the day, with all
proceeds going to the Halliburton family.
“This is the one day we are urging anyone who can afford to
contribute, not to pack a lunch or dinner. Just come down to Junee Oval, say
G’day, have a special RRT burger and know the money is going straight to
Molly.”
Just over eight months ago, the beautiful four-year-old
Molly Halliburton was at preschool complaining of a sore ankle and despite
sounding harmless enough, a trip to the doctor discovered cancer.
Now the family’s life is on hold, moving to Sydney to help
Molly through treatment, which is why money must be raised to support the
family’s costly relocation and medical expenses.
“The thing that makes the Riverina so special is no matter
the town, we always band together to support one of our own in a time of
crisis. So, if you live anywhere from Wagga Wagga to Cootamundra and beyond,
please clear your calendar for Saturday, 6 March.”
Other groups are also contributing amazing prizes for a
raffle, including a holiday to a 5 Star Terrigal resort, an appliance and
drinks package and family passes to the National Zoo & Aquarium Centre.
RRT is made up of volunteers from the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church
(PBCC) who provide catering and emergency support
services at a range of charitable events and emergencies.
For more
information about the Rapid Relief Team, go to https://rrtglobal.org/.
ENDS
Media
enquiries: Bas Bolyn 0447 486 195
About
the Rapid Relief Team (RRT)
The Plymouth Brethren
Christian Church established the RRT in 2013 to express the Church’s values of
care and compassion. The RRT is staffed by Church volunteers who provide catering
services at a range of charitable events and emergencies.
The RRT has consistently
demonstrated its ongoing commitment to support Health and Disability causes. In
2018 alone, the RRT deployed 1071 volunteers to support charities within this
sector and served more than 7,800 meals at charitable events.
Globally,
the RRT has more than 14,500 volunteers and operates in Australia, the United
Kingdom, New Zealand, France, the United States, Canada and Germany.
Supporting Lucindale farmers & community hit by fires2021-03-02T08:59:24Zsupporting-lucindale-farmers-amp-community-hit-by-fires
Continuing their collaboration
with fellow charity BlazeAid, Rapid Relief Team (RRT) catered over 250 meals to
an army of volunteers, attending CFS firefighters and local farmers in support
of BlazeAid in Lucindale last week.
The efforts were supported by
two special guests in attendance, including Governor of South Australia, his
Excellency the Hon. Hieu Van Le AC and Federal Member for Barker, Tony Pasin.
In January, a grassfire near
Lucindale tore through nearly 17,000 hectares of land, destroying a substantial
amount of fencing and leaving the community counting the cost.
The event on Saturday 20
February saw community organisations come together in support of those affected
by recent fires, with Mt Gambier Hay Run delivering and donating 40 truckloads
of hay, BlazeAid rallying handy helpers to repair damaged fencing and RRT
fuelling them along the way with a BBQ lunch and refreshments.
RRT is made up of
volunteers from the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church (PBCC) who provide catering
and emergency support services at a range of charitable events and emergencies.
“The Lucindale Fire wreaked a
lot of damage and were especially devastating for local farmers,” Ben Cox, RRT
Mt Gambier Local Team Leader (LTL) said.
“RRT values compassion and
kindness and it’s great we could support BlazeAid again and the great work they
do.
“While the bushfire event
itself often receives the most attention in the public – it is in the weeks,
months and years following where the hard work is needed most,” Ben said.
“We hope this collaboration
with BlazeAid provides some comfort to the Lucindale community in their
rebuild and recovery efforts.”
BlazeAid is a volunteer-based
organisation that works with families in rural Australia to help rebuild fences
and other structures that have been destroyed after natural disasters.
The BlazeAid event was hosted
at Yakka Park, Lucindale.
ENDS
Media Contact: Bas Bolyn 0447 486 195
About the Rapid Relief
Team (RRT)
Every day in some small way,
RRT volunteers offer a helping hand to those in need. For more information
about the Rapid Relief Team, go to https://rrtglobal.org/
The Plymouth Brethren Christian Church established the RRT in 2013 to express the Church’s
principles of care and compassion. The RRT is staffed by Church volunteers who
provide catering services at a range of charitable events and emergencies.
The RRT has consistently
demonstrated its ongoing commitment to support Health and Disability causes. In
2018 alone, the RRT deployed 1071 volunteers to support charities within this
sector and served more than 7,800 meals at charitable events.
Globally,
the RRT has more than 14,500 volunteers and operates in Australia, the United
Kingdom, New Zealand, France, the United States, Canada and Germany.
deliberatepractice named innovative HR team2021-02-18T06:00:10Zdeliberatepractice-named-innovative-hr-team
St Leonards, NSW - Melbourne-based deliberatepractice has been selected in Human Resources
Director’s Innovative
HR Teams list. This prestigious list showcases the
industry's most forward-thinking teams.
HRD invited teams from across Australia to showcase their achievements
and innovation over the last 12 months. Entries focused on a broad range of
areas including talent management, diversity and inclusion, recruitment, reward
and recognition, culture, and HR technology. After an incredibly challenging 12
months which saw HR step up to the challenge of leading through the crisis,
this year’s list showcases the top 30 HR teams who have led the way when it
comes to innovation.
Sourcing
candidates to work in the aged care sector is challenging even in normal times,
but due to the pandemic, the already constrained workforces are further
pressured by the practices and processes aged care operators have implemented
to protect their residents, as well as the requirement for staff to only work
at one home. To address the risk of staff shortages, Japara’s HR team and
deliberatepractice, a specialised HR consulting firm, came up with a Surge
Workforce solution, which solved the challenge of delivering a skilled and trained
workforce that could be deployed to a facility at short notice.
The solution included the implementation of
a communication strategy and plan to provide information about the recruitment
project, as well as pre-boarding and onboarding processes to enhance the
workforce’s performance and satisfaction. The Surge Workforce Solution offered
“extremely valuable” and “very high quality” support to Japara’s permanent
employees and residents, with managers being overwhelmingly supportive of this
solution. Further outcomes included the development of new career pathways for
non-aged care workforces and an uplift in customer centricity.
To view the full
online special report and to find out more about deliberatepractice, click HERE.
-ENDS-
HRD is Australia’s leading source of news,
opinion and analysis for today’s HR professional.
HRD concentrates on the real issues and
challenges facing the HR professional and the Industry, with in-depth features
and analysis of what really matters with content featuring high level case
studies, international and local profiles, interviews with HRDs and industry
leaders from around the globe as-well-as leading news makers in the field.
Racing and Wagering WA named innovative HR team2021-02-17T13:31:02Zracing-and-wagering-wa-named-innovative-hr-team
St
Leonards, NSW – Osborne Park-based Racing and Wagering WA has been selected in Human Resources
Director’s Innovative
HR Teams list. This prestigious list showcases the
industry's most forward-thinking teams.
HRD invited teams from across Australia to showcase their achievements
and innovation over the last 12 months. Entries focused on a broad range of
areas including talent management, diversity and inclusion, recruitment, reward
and recognition, culture, and HR technology. After an incredibly challenging 12
months which saw HR step up to the challenge of leading through the crisis,
this year’s list showcases the top 30 HR teams who have led the way when it
comes to innovation.
2020 has been a roller-coaster ride for the HR team at Racing and
Wagering WA (RWWA). The team of 11 HR professionals at RWWA recognised that
improving agility and streamlining processes were going to be critical in
tackling the new challenges brought on by the pandemic. In a competitive jobs
market made even more so by border closures, finding and retaining talent was a
top priority. One way the team responded to this challenge was by embracing the
use of AI interview responses in the recruitment process, which allowed them to
assess the cultural fit of applicants and boost the candidate satisfaction rate
to 95%. Matthew Thomas, RWWA’s general manager of people and culture, said 2020
had been a year of immense learning and innovation, shifting people’s mindset
around the use of different technologies.
Tech-driven
solutions allowed them to reduce manual recruitment processes by six hours a
week and develop a more engaging, successful onboarding process. By
streamlining these key HR functions, the team shifted its focus to supporting
RWWA’s people. Regular employee checkins provided a people-centric approach to
wellbeing – something that has always been at the heart of the company’s HR
strategy. “For us, technology has been an enabler, but the human element and
everything we do from a people perspective will always be at the forefront,”
Thomas said.
To view the full
online special report and to find out more about RWWA, click HERE.
-ENDS-
HRD is Australia’s leading source of news,
opinion and analysis for today’s HR professional.
HRD concentrates on the real issues and
challenges facing the HR professional and the Industry, with in-depth features
and analysis of what really matters with content featuring high level case
studies, international and local profiles, interviews with HRDs and industry
leaders from around the globe as-well-as leading news makers in the field.
Schools reap surprise benefits from shutdowns: Nationwide principal study finds2021-02-17T05:09:41Zschools-reap-surprise-benefits-from-pandemic-shutdowns
A national survey of school principals has laid bare the extreme challenges faced by Australian schools and students during the continuing COVID-19 pandemic – but also revealed unexpected benefits that could lead to permanent changes in the way we run schools and educate our children.
Hundreds of principals from all school sectors – government, Catholic and independent, primary and secondary – have provided extensive accounts of how staff and students, particularly those in socially and economically disadvantaged schools, are being harshly impacted by shutdowns due to COVID outbreaks.
Pivot Professional Learning CEO, Amanda Bickerstaff highlights, “This is a landmark study that brings together the experiences and priorities for principals from every sector and context in Australia. Now more than ever we must prioritise listening to our school leaders. We need to ensure our schools are future-proofed and able to support an equitable education for all students.”
The principals tell how the pandemic has exposed and compounded existing inequalities in the system, with students from disadvantaged schools lacking access to basic technology for remote learning, and suffering disproportionate impacts on their learning, mental health and general wellbeing.
However, many who took part in the survey also reported surprisingly positive lessons and impacts from the crisis, some of which could lead to major changes in schooling after the pandemic is over.
Principals from all sectors reported closer bonding between schools and their communities. The head of one Catholic school observed: “The community really values their constant interaction with the school. The increased closeness among school leaders and family members emerged in part because remote learning increased the visibility of teachers’ pedagogical practice for families.”
The leader of another school wrote: “Through remote learning, parents appreciated the deeper knowledge and understanding they developed about how their child learns and their capabilities. Parents were very affirming about the great job teachers do. There was genuine respect.”
The head of a disadvantaged government school in Victoria reported: “This school community has been remarkable in the way it has endured and then thrived during the pandemic. Care, compassion, generosity of spirit and goodwill have existed throughout.”
Principals also enthused about how moving some school meetings and events to video had enabled greater parent participation in their children’s education. Some schools had decided to continue using the technology after the pandemic to keep the family involvement going. Others described plans to continue offering virtual parent workshops and family-teacher interviews.
In other responses, around two-thirds of principals thought the pandemic had positive impacts on the quality of teaching, and on teachers’ relationships with students and school leaders. These positive perceptions emerged from all school sectors – and advantaged and disadvantaged schools alike.
The researchers noted that such positive developments could lead to many practices that emerged during the crisis being carried on into the future.
But a large majority of principals also reported negative impacts on their teachers’ mental health and social-emotional health, and many expressed concern about how to address the problem. A deputy principal from one Queensland school wrote: “Often the problem with staff wellbeing is that we can see that they are struggling mentally but they cannot.’’
Andrew Pierpoint, President of the Australian Secondary Principals’ Association said, “This study is very significant as it pulls together concepts that Principals and teachers address each and every day”. He went on to say that “it is very important to hear directly from principals – it provides a unique and important window into Australian schools, raising issues that go beyond COVID-19”.
The survey was conducted in late 2020 by the Australian education company Pivot Professional Learning in partnership with the Coalition of Australian Principals. Leaders of primary and secondary schools across the nation were invited to participate in an online survey about their experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In all, 456 principals and other leaders across the government, Catholic and independent sectors – representing all parts of the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (ICSEA) spectrum – responded to the survey.
In other major findings, it was revealed:
Many schools have moved to provide increased levels of mental health support, advocacy and food support to their communities as a result of problems exposed or exacerbated by the pandemic.
Principals of socio-economically advantaged schools were twice more likely to report a successful transition to remote learning than those leading less advantaged schools. Among leaders of schools with an ICSEA score above 1000, 65.6% reported a successful transition, compared to just 36.1% from lower ICSEA schools.
Principals of lower-ICSEA schools were significantly more likely to report insufficient technology access. This finding held true for every type of technology and internet access.
Principals at lower ICSEA schools were significantly more likely to believe the impact of the pandemic on student learning had been negative (52% v 30%) Surprisingly, 22% of lower-ICSEA school principals and 34% of those at higher-ICSEA schools actually rated the impact on student learning as positive.
81% of principals believe that teachers' mental health was negatively impacted and a further 76% believe that their wellbeing was also negatively impacted.
Significant socioeconomic differences emerged in estimates of student learning. Most principals reported students had learned 51-90% of the curriculum in the past six months, but those at higher ICSEA schools were twice as likely to report students had learned 91-100% of the curriculum. Many reported plans to address learning loss in the coming year.
A full version of the survey report and analysis is available from Friday 19th February 2021 at https://www.pivotpl.com/landscape-of-school-leadership-2020/.
Register for the live webinar with Pivot Professional Learning and the leaders of the Coalition of Australian Principals on Wednesday 24th February 2021 at 6:30pm - 7:30pm. They will be discussing the research and recommendations in the aim to future-proof our schools for an equitable education. To register go to, https://bit.ly/2N42fVu.
Pivot Professional Learning
Pivot Professional Learning (Pivot) is an educational insights company dedicated to enhancing teaching effectiveness by harnessing the power of the student voice as a driver of evidence-based improvement. Pivot’s tools and systems are supported by international research and data from over 700 schools. https://www.pivotpl.com
Coalition of Australian Principals (CAP)
The Coalition of Australian Principals (CAP) is an unconstituted, collaborative group of the six national peak principals associations, which first came together to discuss topics of common interest in 2019. The CAP coalition is characterised by high levels of trust, respect and abiding commitment to all sectors of school education in Australia.
The national peak associations are:
Australian Special Education Principals Association (ASEPA)
National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Principals Association (NATSIPA);
Australian Primary Principals Association (APPA);
Australian Secondary Principals Association (ASPA);
Australian Heads of Independent Schools Association (AHISA); and the
Catholic Secondary Principals Australia (CASPA).
How to be happily single & avoid depression this Valentine’s Day2021-02-10T01:17:02Zhow-to-be-happily-single-avoid-depression-this-valentines-dayWHILE Valentine’s Day is celebrated as a day of joy and romance, many single people spend the day feeling lonely, depressed and suicidal.
A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report shows that relationship problems are the top cause of suicides today and psychologists worldwide suggest that Valentine’s Day on February 14 is the start of an annual rise in suicide rates that peak in April.
It doesn’t have to be this way however as there are many positives to being single, as Gold Coast author Louisa Pateman shares in her new book Single, Again, and Again, and Again…
“It takes courage to be single and it’s a big myth that when you meet ‘the one’, you will live happily ever after,” Ms Pateman said.
“Your ultimate goal should be happiness - single or not. We all have our own unique life journey. If I had waited for ‘the one’, I wouldn’t have had such an amazing life.”
Louisa, 47, has travelled to 73 countries, had multiple properties and chose to have her son solo using a sperm bank at age 37 after stressing out about her biological clock ticking and having more than 13 failed relationships since the age of 21.
A civil engineer for 25 years, she created exciting and rewarding life experiences through travel, investing and spending time with girlfriends.
“I spent 20 years looking for my soulmate and my son, Nicholas, is now the love of my life. I wouldn’t give him up for any man,” she said.
Her tips for being happily single include:
Embrace/ accept your situation for what it is and what you have
Learn to be present- enjoy the moment
Find other single people you can relate to but don’t exclude yourself from couple situations. Find opportunities where you can be around people you can connect with, who have lived part of your journey
Love yourself and appreciate your self worth. You determine your own worth by what you will and won’t put up with
Find inner contentment and the good in all your challenges. Don’t be a man/ woman hater or shun couples. If you are bitter, resentful or hold grudges from past relationship failures, that bitterness permeates your present experience.
Find exciting and rewarding life experiences that you can do on your own. When you come out of a relationship, write down a list of all the things you want to do without a partner and do it, like going on a girl’s retreat or writing a book (eg. I was up 10pm to 2am most nights when writing my book).
Stay optimistic about life. Have an attitude of gratitude. Be grateful for what you have - big and little things. List things you’re grateful for and realise things aren’t that bad.
Look at life from a macro perspective and realise how small your issues are in the overall scheme of things
Remind yourself that not everyone in a relationship is happy. You may be better off than some people who don’t have the courage to be single
Ms Pateman’s tips are also in line with Singles Awareness Day (or Singles Appreciation Day), which is celebrated on February 15 each year.
“It is a celebration of love in all forms recognising the love between friends, family and loving yourself.
You have to accept you are where you are,” Ms Pateman said.
“I’m not saying you can get rid of your desires. I’m saying if you don’t have courage to live a rewarding life on your own, life could pass you by and you could miss out on a lot of opportunities.”
For more details or for a copy of the book Single, Again, and Again, and Again…, visit www.louisapateman.com
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MEDIA CONTACT ONLY:
AA Xpose Media Director/ Photojournalist Aldwyn Altuney ph: 0409 895 055
NEW RESEARCH REVEALS THAT AUSTRALIAN PARENTS ARE PERSONALISING ALMOST EVERYTHING IN THEIR FAMILIES LIVES, APART FROM THIS2021-01-24T04:55:40Znew-research-reveals-that-australian-parents-are-personalising-almost-everything-in-their-families-lives-apart-from-thisOnline school tutoring service, Cluey Learning, has released new research that explores the extent Australian parents ensure family life is personalised to individual tastes and personalities but identified a clear discrepancy when it comes to approach to learning and education. Of the parents surveyed, 85% of parents agree their children’s clothing and accessories reflect their personalities, 93% of parents claim to buy toys and games that appeal to their child’s personal interests and 86% admit their children only participate in extra-curricular activities that are of interest to them. Despite this personalised approach to our kids’ lifestyles, it appears parents do not believe this applies to the current educational system, with 77% agreeing it’s a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach. 88% felt their child could do with more individualised attention at school and 90% agreed that, now more than ever, kids need additional learning support.Cluey Learning Chief Learning Officer, Dr Selina Samuels said, “It’s hard to reconcile that we expect such a deep level of personalisation for our everyday experiences, yet we don’t demand the same for our children’s learning. Because, just as you wouldn’t expect your child to have the same hairstyle as every other student in their school, you wouldn’t expect them to be identical learners.”Additional key findings from the research include: 65% of parents consider purchasing new stationery an essential part of Back to School planning, but less than 1 in 4 (23%) look at signing up with a tutor88% of parents wish there was more time to go back and revise any areas their child may not have understood during the school term/year to ensure they’ve grasped the concepts87% of parents agree that they would love more feedback on their child’s learning progress than just school reports and parent-teacher meetings84% of parents agree that the pace at which their child is taught a new subject or concept doesn’t necessarily suit them Based on these findings, Cluey have launched a campaign designed to raise awareness around the importance of personalised experiences by offering free Back to School haircuts for school kids via hairdressing chain, Just Cuts. The first 1000 applicants will receive a free haircut at any of the 190 salons nationwide.Cluey Learning Chief Learning Officer, Dr Selina Samuels said, “Back to School is the perfect time to reflect on the current learning needs of your children, so we’ve partnered with Just Cuts - the largest hairdressing company in the Southern Hemisphere - to offer parents a helping hand during this busy and expensive time of year. At the same time, we hope this initiative draws attention to the benefits of personalisation in every aspect of our lives - whether that’s a haircut, a coffee order, or our children’s learning - because it’s important our needs are met.”School children who take up the offer of a free Back to School haircut will also receive 20% off Cluey. Visit https://clueylearning.com.au/haircuts to request a free haircut. For further details and to learn more about Cluey Learning click here.-ENDS-Media Contact:Candice Meiselscandice@candicepr.com0481 369 484NOTES TO EDITORS About Cluey Learning Cluey Learning delivers personalised online tutoring support for students in Years 2 -12, across Maths, English and Chemistry. All content is mapped to the Australian National Curriculum and is based on the unique learning needs of each individual student. Cluey has supported over 15,000 Australian families, run over 192,000 sessions and has been rated 4.7/5 by parents and students.About Dr Selina SamuelsDr Selina Samuels is the Chief Learning Officer at online education company Cluey Learning. She has been in education for over three decades and has been working with schools since 2013 to establish and provide remote education programs across a range of subjects.Qualifications: BA (Hons), LLB, PhD, MEd.About the promotion Offer includes 1 haircut or hairstyle, free of charge, per school child. Offer does not include any colour treatment, or maintenance treatment such as deep conditioning. Vouchers can be redeemed Monday to Friday only. Offer is redeemed on a first come, first serve basis - while stocks last. Offer valid until voucher stocks run out one redemption per person only. Please check your local participating salon for opening hours. Offer can be redeemed via https://clueylearning.com.au/haircutsAbout the research Over 1,000 people were surveyed during the period 3-8 December 2020. The sample size was nationally representative amongst parents of school children from Kinder to Years 12 in Australia. The survey was conducted by Cluey Learning, in collaboration with Pure Profile. For more insights, see here: https://clueylearning.com.au/blog/personalisation-research/MELBOURNE’S ONLY PET CEMETERY at WOOLING HILL MEMORIAL ESTATE2021-01-22T04:28:35Zmelbourne-s-only-pet-cemetery-at-wooling-hill-memorial-estate
Anybody that has experienced a unique bond with a pet can tell you what heartbreak is when they suddenly pass away.
Pets enrich our lives in ways that afford us unconditional love and a greater quality of life.
Wooling Hill Memorial Estate in New Gisborne understands the impact of losing a pet and the importance of honouring the unique gift of companionship that our furry families bestow upon us in life. A special nook at Wooling Hill Memorial Estate is dedicated to keeping these lives in the Field of Companions.
Owner Troy Upfield, also the founder of Chapter House Funerals has seen first hand how important pets are to families. Troy said "we have had many viewings and funeral services where pets have become part of the service. It only makes sense that when the pet dies, families would like to say goodbye in their grief and have an everlasting memorial as well'.
Field of Companions is a pet "cemetery" in Victoria that offers pet owners a place to inter the cremated ashes of their pets with a commemorative bronze plaque, set amongst the tranquil botanical gardens at Wooling Hill Memorial Estate.
woolinghillestate.com.au and fieldofcompanions.com.au
Hills broker recognised as industry elite performer2021-01-08T05:59:25Zhills-broker-recognised-as-industry-elite-performer
St Leonards, NSW - Hills District broker Thaer Burbar has been included in the annual Top 100 Brokers list released by Mortgage
Professional Australia magazine. This prestigious list spotlights the best brokers in Australia and is widely
regarded as the industry benchmark for top performers.
According to
Burbar, there are several factors that make a top broker: hard work, industry
knowledge, understanding of the different banks and their policies, as well as
being able to identify the best fit for a customer. Having seen almost 50%
growth in loan values since the last financial year, the director of North
Kellyville’s Greenline Home Loans says his success is down to “utter hard
work”.
The brokerage
specialises in different kinds of home, asset finance and commercial loans.
Going beyond that, it even has a lending arm of the business offering its own
white label product that was launched in August. But customer service is its primary
focus, and Burbar says he goes above and beyond for all his customers, no
matter the situation. “The importance of my customers is above all else,” he
says. He prides himself on being able to “make miracles happen”, regardless of
what box the customer fits into.
“After four years
in a row of our Top 100 Brokers seeing dropping loan values, 2020 brought a
welcome change. In a financial year that included an unprecedented global
pandemic, these brokers faced into the challenges to achieve record-breaking
results,” says Mortgage Professional Australia editor Rebecca Pike. “Rather than use total loan value
to determine the Top 100, our method was changed last year to allow us to
celebrate those brokers who are continuing to improve or who are writing those big-number
deals. The ranking is now worked out with a weighted system using total loan
value, average loan value, number of loans and loan growth.”
Read the full
report in issue 20.12 of Mortgage Professional
Australia, out now or find out more about Burbar HERE.
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Mortgage Professional Australia (MPA) is the leading business magazine for the mortgage and finance
industry. Launched in 2001, MPA
continues to be the key resource mortgage and finance professionals turn to for
in-depth industry issues, market trends, business analysis and intelligence. MPA is also very well known for its
annual surveys and special reports such as Brokers on Banks and the MPA Top 100 that recognise key
individuals and businesses and provide a unique snapshot of an industry that is
continually evolving.
MPA is published by
independent media company Key Media. In conjunction with the print and online
publications, Key Media also produces several mortgage and finance industry
events including the Australian Mortgage Awards. Find out more about Key
Media’s magazines, events and websites at www.keymedia.com.