Tourism New Zealand together with Inland Revenue invites you to attend a seminar to understand the changes to the New Zealand GST Act and how you may benefit when holding your next event in New Zealand. Refreshments will be served 30 minutes prior to the start time.

DATES & VENUE LOCATIONS

Tuesday 03 June
Brisbane
Stamford Plaza Brisbane
Cnr Edward Street & Margaret Street
10.30am - 12.30pm

Wednesday 04 June
Melbourne
Stamford Plaza Melbourne
111 Little Collins Street
9.00am - 11.00am

Wednesday 04 June
Melbourne
Stamford Plaza Melbourne
111 Little Collins Street
1.00pm - 3.00pm

Thursday 05 June
Sydney Sir Stamford at Circular Quay
93 Macquarie Street
9.00am - 11.00am

Thursday 05 June
Sydney Sir Stamford at Circular Quay
93 Macquarie Street
1.00pm - 3.00pm

nib foundation is encouraging community organisations with innovative health and wellbeing initiatives to apply for funding of up to $50,000 as part of its 2014 Community Grant round.

Applications will be open from 2 June – 27 June 2014 for the sixth annual community grant round which aims to foster improved health outcomes in local communities across Australia. More information on eligibility, assessment criteria and application process at www.nibfoundation.com.au

Date: Wednesday, 18 June 2014 
Time: 10am - 11am (NSW time)
Where: Online - join via your computer!
Presenter: Brenda Mainland of Survey Matters & Ivan Schwartz of ConferNet
Cost: Free!

Before agreeing to become a director or committee member of a not-for-profit board or committee, you should do your homework. This involves understanding what the organisation is about, and whether or not you will be able to work with the organisation and make a valuable contribution.
To assist you in this exercise, Mills Oakley has prepared a Due Diligence checklist for new directors/committee members. To see the checklist, please click here.

If you have any questions about the checklist or any other legal issue, please do not hesitate to contact Vera Visevic on (02) 8289 5812 or vvisevic@millsoakley.com.au

This year’s approach to the Budget has seen the new Coalition Government pull very tightly on the fiscal reins against a backdrop of hard choices and even harder decisions. The Government says it has acted to ensure it is not hobbled by galloping domestic debt and an economy that has been up and down like a rodeo ride.

Despite many of the Budget’s key measures being released prior to Budget - which may have softened the blow to the public - BDO considers that while there will be some pain, the impact will not necessarily be the hard whipping previously imagined. However, there will be a number of issues that both business and individuals will need to face as we focus ‘less on consumption and more on investment’.

There are a number of key issues from this year’s Federal Budget including:

• Increases in the tax rates applying to high income individuals and fringe benefits
  
• A reduction in the corporate tax rate for smaller companies, but a non-creditable levy on larger companies that will increase the tax paid by all shareholders
  
• A reduction in the value of the R&D tax incentive
  
• Significant reductions in welfare programs and an increase in the cost of higher education for most students.
  

The budget measures continue to tinker around the edges of real tax reform. BDO has persistently called for holistic tax reform to be debated and then implemented. It is to be hoped that real reform will come out of the proposed White Paper process later this year. In that process, BDO encourages the Government to seriously consider remedies previously identified, including a review of the GST, to ensure sustainability of the economy and stability in taxation policy into the future.

Just as it is not easy to break in a wild horse, repairing the budget was never going to be an easy task. Only time will tell if the impact from the 2014 Federal Budget will reduce the economy to a slow trot, or ease it in to a comfortable canter.

“….there will be a number of issues that both business and individuals will need to face as we focus ‘less on consumption and more on investment’. ”

.ngo|.ong are new exclusive community domains designed specifically for the global NGO community and NGOs. More than a domain name, .ngo|.ong is an online community open only to genuine NGOs, creating an online space where NGOs can:

• Gain visibility as a trusted, international non-profit organisation
  
• Raise funds to help support campaigns, projects and initiatives
  
• Connect with new partners worldwide
  
• Collaborate to reduce online risks to the NGO community, such as spam
  
• Contribute to the development of the .ngo|.ong community
  
• Apply technology to grow their organisations and benefit their missions
  

Registration will be easy. Simply complete the 3-step validation questionnaire to show your NGO status and take advantage all of the .ngo|.ong benefits.

Written by Max St John from Member Evolution

Traditionally associations used manual accounting business software, where data was manually input into the system. Now successful associations will find that maintaining several different pieces of software is extremely inefficient. Associations need to know there are solutions out there designed to improve their business processes with the right integrated accounting software.

Member Evolution has compiled 5 reasons why your association needs to consider an integrated member management solution that will drastically improve your associations businesses efficiency. 

1. Improve Efficiency

The time, resources and costs of maintaining several different pieces of accounting software can have a significant impact on your association, not to mention human error and the tedious and repetitive task of manual data input.

The advantage of an integrated CRM association management solution is that it streamlines business processes through an automated system, minimising human error while increasing business efficiencies.

2. Decrease Operational Costs

Through implementing the one integrated accounting system it replaces all of the different pieces of software that would run all at once. This could have a significant financial impact on your association. By integrating your website with accounting software it decreases labour hours as well as operational costs.

3. Enhanced Control

With the cross functionality that an association offers such as; events, membership, resources, marketing and more it can be practically impossible to manage all platforms both effectively and efficiently. In this case, it is highly recommended to do some research into an integrated ecommerce platform that supports all of your association’s needs under the one umbrella including; accountancy software, analytics tools, mailing systems and much more.

4. Superior Order Systems

An online membership management solution will streamline your association, improving the order fulfilment. The overall workflow of an association website becomes more logical with the layout and functionality increasing the bottom line of an organisation and ease of use for their members.

5. Making the Choice

Before choosing an integrated e-commerce solution be sure you have all your associations needs and priorities outlined along with any specific requirements. A member management solution needs to be tailored around your association exact businesses processes, not the other way around!

A good member management provider such as Member Evolution has quality customer service and solutions that align with an organisation. The complete online membership software offered by Member Evolution integrates Xero accounting system.

The peak membership body for more than 90% of Australian optometrists is proposing to change its name and refocus its direction in response to a major review completed last month.

Optometrists Association Australia (OAA) is intending to change its name to „Optometry Australia‟ at the national level, and the six State Divisions intend to change their names accordingly, i.e. Optometry Victoria, Optometry New South Wales/ACT, Optometry Queensland/Northern Territory, Optometry Western Australia, Optometry South Australia and Optometry Tasmania.

In line with the proposed name change, the Association‟s National and State Boards are committed to refocusing their resources to strengthen and protect the profession.

To support these changes, the Association will play a much more visible and high profile role than it previously has in areas such as government lobbying and advocacy, highlighting eye-health issues and promoting optometry to consumers and the health care sector. OAA National Board President/Chairman Andrew Harris said: “Our goal is to put eye health front and centre of Australian health care and to significantly raise the standing of optometrists as eye-health experts”.

Mr Harris said the intended changes were in response to a comprehensive sector and membership review undertaken by the Association.

“To help us shape our future, we asked our members how we can better support them. They told us exactly what they needed from us and we are responding accordingly,” Mr Harris said.

“They want us – their peak membership body – to support them throughout their careers and help protect, enhance and promote the optometry sector and their professional standing as eye-health experts.

“We firmly believe that the interests of individual optometrists are best served by a strong and progressive profession, with a representative body that actively leads, engages and promotes on behalf of all members. A stronger profession means a more rewarding and secure future for all of us,” he added.

Mr Harris said that all Boards had unanimously agreed on the new name and collaborated on the new strategic direction.


“The Association has made some very positive changes in the past six months in line with our goal to become more efficient and effective,” Mr Harris said.

“This latest announcement is perhaps the single largest change that we have made in the Association‟s recent history and it will take several months to fully embed it”, he added.

“The Association has been shaping the optometry sector for over 100 years and this change in direction is a natural, evolutionary and positive step for a peak membership-based organisation such as ours.

“We believe we are now putting the foundation in place to not only better service current members, but to remain relevant to the next generation of optometrists.”

The Association‟s new logo will be announced at the end of May.

For more information:
Kerry I‟Anson, National Brand Manager
0419 004 920

Greg Mundy is the new Chief Executive Officer of Rural Health Workforce Australia (RHWA), the peak body for the national network of state and territory Rural Workforce Agencies.

Mr Mundy joins RHWA after three years as CEO of the Council of Ambulance Authorities, the peak body representing providers of public ambulance services in Australia and New Zealand. Before that he was CEO of Aged and Community Services Australia.

The Chair of RHWA, Ian Taylor, welcomed Mr Mundy’s appointment saying he was an outstanding leader who would drive RHWA’s work to enhance the health and wellbeing of rural and remote communities through access to a quality primary health care workforce.

“Greg is widely respected for his commitment to health and social care,” Mr Taylor said. “He will be a strong advocate for our agenda to make primary health care more accessible for rural Australians.”

Mr Mundy said it was an exciting time to be joining RHWA and the RWA network, with the Federal Government committed to supporting health services that make a real difference to local communities.

“Rural Workforce Agencies have been successfully delivering health workforce initiatives in rural, regional and remote communities for the last 25 years,” he said. “Each year they recruit hundreds of health professionals and provide services to them such as professional development and family support. It’s great to be part of such a positive movement.”

In addition to his current responsibilities, Mr Mundy is a Board Director of the National Rural Health Alliance and a Council Member of the Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association. He started work at RHWA on 5 May and is based in Melbourne.

Media inquiries: Tony Wells, RHWA Communications Manager, 0417 627 916

ABOUT RHWA

Dear member,

On Monday 14 April, the Australasian Society of Association Executives (AuSAE) held its Annual General Meeting in Brisbane. For those members who were not able to attend the meeting, it is my pleasure to provide you with key highlights of the 2013 financial year.

60 Years Young

The operating landscape for associations and other not-for-profit organisations has changed dramatically since AuSAE first began in 1954. The AuSAE Board understands that the changing pace of technology, improved global communications and the differing needs of various member segments have combined to put an increased responsibility on associations to provide tangible value to members and other stakeholders.

As AuSAE enters its 60th year, we are pleased to announce that our ambitious plan to adapt to these changes to better serve the specific needs of our membership, has already achieved significant success during 2013. We are looking forward to building on that success during 2014 and beyond.

2013: A Year of Positive Transformations, Membership Growth and Community Engagement

There is no doubt that the 2013 financial year was one of significant transformation for AuSAE. During 2013 AuSAE has seen our community of not-for-profit leaders grow to over 10,000 individuals with our financial membership growing from 135 to 566 members (as at 31 December 2013). This represents a 319% growth in membership. With our membership numbers already at 596 as at March 31, 2014, we are within sight of achieving our target of 800 financial members by the end of 2014.

Over the course of 2013, we engaged strongly with our broader stakeholder community with some 3500 individuals attending over 60 events throughout Australia and New Zealand. This activity indicates a strong future for AuSAE that we are looking forward to continuing to build upon.

A new way forward

In January 2014 the AuSAE board, management and key stakeholders took part in a strategic planning session run by Steven Bowman from Conscious Governance. It produced our 2014-2016 strategic plan and united us all behind a single agreed vision:

To be the pre-eminent organisation equipping individual leaders to achieve the vision of their not-for-profit organisation.

To position AuSAE to achieve this vision now, and into the future, our strategic plan revolves around the following key strategies. We are currently in the process of operationalising these strategies and you will soon start to see these embedded into our programming.

1) Ensuring the member experience reflects the AuSAE vision.
2) Developing strong member communities (both online and offline).
3) Positioning AuSAE for strong future growth.
4) Enhancing the profile and credibility of AuSAE.

Board of Directors

To oversee the implementation of the new strategic plan, I am pleased to announce the 2014 AuSAE Board of Directors:

• Tony Steven, CEO, Australian Medical Association Tasmania (President)
• Nick Hill, CEO, Building Officials Institute of New Zealand (Vice President)
• Michelle Trute, CEO, Diabetes Australia Queensland
• Graham Catt, CEO, Australian Veterinary Association
• Jon Bisset, General Manager, Community Broadcasting Association
• Kirsty Kelly, CEO, Planning Institute of Australia
• Brett Jeffrey, Sales & Marketing Manager, Events and Venues Rotorua
• Rachel Drummond, Marketing Officer, Rural Health Workforce Australia

I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank our departing Board members who have completed their terms with AuSAE: Sarah Bachmann, National Precast Concrete Association of Australia; Julie O’Donovan, Diabetes Australia (Qld); Anne Thornton; and Randall Pearce, Think: Insight & Advice.

Successful Partnership with Strategic Membership Solutions

At the end of 2012 the board made the calculated risk to try a previously untested model of association management. They agreed to a proposal by Strategic Membership Solutions (SMS)headed up by Belinda and Julian Moore whereby, from 2013, SMS would take on the responsibility - and full financial risk - of turning AuSAE around and restoring AuSAE to its previous pre-eminent position within the sector.

As a result of SMS taking on full financial responsibility for AuSAE there was limited financial activity through the 2013 AuSAE reviewed accounts. As a result these accounts do not reflect the significant changes over the past year. 

The underwriting of AuSAE was a short term solution designed to provide AuSAE with the substantial resources needed to quickly achieve a successful turnaround. This has been a hugely successful strategy that has already far exceeded the Board’s expectations and targets.

As a result, the board is pleased to announce, that from 1 January 2015, AuSAE will again resume full financial responsibility for the organisation with Belinda Moore continuing to personally drive the turnaround as AuSAE CEO (in addition to her work with SMS). Further information regarding the transition will be communicated as this date approaches.

Congratulations

Lastly, on behalf of the Board, I would like to congratulate Belinda Moore and her team on the extraordinary success they have achieved for AuSAE in 2013. We look forward to seeing our AuSAE community continue to flourish throughout 2014.

Warm Regards,
Tony 

Tony Steven
President 
Australasian Society of Association Executives
E: president@ausae.org.au P: 1300 764 576