Originally published in Pro Bono Australia.

Peak bodies in the social sector have welcomed news that charity and not-for-profit organisations will be exempt from a Labor Party proposal to scale back refundable franking credit arrangements.

On Tuesday, opposition leader Bill Shorten and shadow treasurer Chris Bowen announced plans to reform the dividend imputation system if Labor is elected.

This system offers Australian investors franking credits on dividends they receive from their shares, reducing the amount of tax paid by ensuring that company profits are not taxed twice.

But under changes introduced by the Howard government in 2000, an additional concession was created allowing shareholders paying little or no tax to convert these excess credits into a cash refund from the Australian Taxation Office.

The opposition’s reforms would ensure that imputation credits can be used for tax reduction purposes, but not for cash refunds.

However Shorten said in an address to the Chifley Research Centre on Tuesday, that charities and not-for-profit organisations would be exempt from the changes.

“Charities and not-for-profit institutions, including universities, are entirely exempt,” Shorten said.

This exemption has been welcomed by Philanthropy Australia and Community Council for Australia (CCA), with the peak bodies noting that franking credits ensure charities and foundations are not taxed through the corporate tax system.

Philanthropy Australia CEO Sarah Davies told Pro Bono News the organisation had strongly petitioned to keep the current arrangements for philanthropic trusts and foundations.

“We welcome the federal opposition’s commitment to permanently exempt charities and hence philanthropic trusts and foundations from their proposal to scale back refundable franking credit arrangements,” Davies said.

“Philanthropy Australia has strongly made the case that existing refundable franking credit arrangements should not be changed for philanthropic trusts and foundations, including raising this issue with the major parties before the last election.

“These charitable structures are income tax exempt for a reason – because they exist for the public benefit and focus on giving to the community.”

Davies noted that many charities also relied on income from endowments to ensure they were sustainable and could “continue to make an impact in our community”.

“Therefore, they should not be indirectly taxed through the company tax system – and current arrangements ensure that doesn’t occur,” she said.

CCA CEO David Crosbie said it was important that charities were excluded from this proposal.

“It is welcome news that charities have been excluded from the new measures capping imputation credits that have provided significant tax advantages to many high wealth individuals,” Crosbie told Pro Bono News.

“There are quite a number of charities that make medium- and longer-term investments in various equities. Tax imputation credits can contribute to the return on investment for these charities.

“It would be a very negative step to restrict the benefits of imputation credits for charities.”

St Vincent de Paul Society National Council Australia said it could not comment directly on the proposal since it had not yet analysed it in detail.

But in a draft budget priorities statement provided to Pro Bono News, the council said rising inequality and a growing demand for public services meant “getting Australia’s tax settings right is critical”.

“Further action is needed to remove generous superannuation tax concessions,” the draft statement said.

“Despite reforms to superannuation cap tax breaks in 2016, the super system remains heavily weighted toward the wealthy, siphoning off billions of dollars of government revenue each year into the pockets of those on the highest incomes.

“While the limits on tax breaks to high-income earners were a small step in the right direction… the overall system of concessions continues to erode public revenue, compounding wealth inequalities and providing tax avoidance opportunities for those who already have substantial wealth.”

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann labelled Labor’s proposal a “$59 billion tax hike” that “shamelessly” targeted pensioners.

“This is just shifty Bill [Shorten] at his worst trying to play firstly on his political rhetoric, using the language of class warfare and the politics of envy, while shamelessly targeting pensioners and self-funded retirees on lower incomes with what is a massive tax grab,” Cormann told ABC Radio National.

“What Bill Shorten is doing is bringing back double taxation for those Australians who are self-funded retirees, who are part pensioners, who have worked hard, saved hard all their life and put their money away and invested some of it in shares.”

But Shorten denied the proposal was a tax grab.

“This is [for] people who receive cash payments from the government, even though they’re paying no tax. So they’re getting a refund on tax they haven’t even paid. So this isn’t going to increase taxes,” he said.

“The reality is 92 per cent of taxpayers don’t get this cash refund. It’s really a matter of choices and priorities. My priority is to stand up for middle class and working class people, to make sure that they get a proper go in Australia.”

Labor said these changes will save the budget $11.4 billion over the forward estimates from 2018-19, with a $59 billion improvement over the medium term for the budget bottom line.

Perth Convention Bureau’s annual Aspire Program partners with the City of Perth, Western Australia’s Universities, the City of Mandurah, Australian Institute of Management WA, Giving West and the Telethon Kids Institute to provide a range of conference scholarships.

The program is open to individuals involved with not-for-profit associations who are eligible to apply for the City of Perth Convention Scholarship and the Giving West Conference Scholarship. The City of Mandurah Convention Scholarship is open to individuals from both academia and the not-for-profit sector in the Peel Region. In addition, PCB partners with four Western Australian universities to provide Professional Development grants and two further awards are available; the Telethon Kids Institute Aspire Conference Award is open to staff at the Telethon Kids Institute and the Australian Institute of Management WA (AIM WA) Aspire Conference Scholarship which is open to professional members of AIM WA.

The aim of the Aspire program is to assist the individual’s personal and professional development, by funding attendance at a relevant international conference.

Application information and guidelines are available on the PCB website www.pcb.com.au/aspire. Please contact Sophia Okeby – sokeby@pcb.com.au, Communications Manager, Perth Convention Bureau for any direct inquiries.

The deadline for applications is March 29, 2018.

Today (MAR 5), Queensland Law Society welcomed Rolf Moses as new chief executive officer of the peak representative body for solicitors in Queensland.

President Ken Taylor said that Mr Moses’ commencement with the Society came at an opportune time, with key legal events ramping up for 2018 in the month of March.

“Rolf could not have come at a better time, as we launch into one of our busiest times of the year, starting with our premier professional development event – QLS Symposium – later this week,” he said.

“I have met with Rolf on a number of occasions and am impressed by his experience and commercial mindset. I am assured that his commitment to the legal profession throughout his career will assist him greatly in his new role with the Society and in engaging members.”

Mr Moses had previously worked in top-tier law firm Norton Rose Fullbright as Director of People and Development for Australia and Asia, and had a career spanning more than two decades in the legal profession.

“This is not my first dealing with Queensland Law Society, as I have been involved for many years with the Wellbeing Working Group and the Society’s Practice Management Course,” he said.

“I have spent my career advancing the interests of legal practitioners, whether it be assisting them with their careers, teams, businesses or individual practices. Continuing this work and building on it with QLS is something I am eager to start.

“This week, I am fortunate to jump straight into the thick of things, with our flagship conference, dinner and awards night, district law association president’s workshop and International Women’s Day event.

“Attending these events will enable me to not only introduce myself to a range of members, but also to start engaging with our profession in my new role.”

Mr Moses was appointed after an extensive recruitment process by the previous QLS Council, with a vision to serve members and elevate the reputation of Queensland Law Society.

He will be responsible for implementing the strategic and business plans of the Society, and leading its more than 120 staff in their day-to-day duties.

Mr Taylor thanked acting CEO Matt Dunn for stepping in as CEO in 2017 and applauded him on the great work carried out in the role and the time dedicated, which he said undoubtedly required many more hours above his usual role.

“I thank Matt for his excellent work in stepping in as CEO while recruitment was undertaken,” he said.

“As a long-term staff member, Matt had the support of the staff and the corporate knowledge to be a caretaker in the office of CEO. The Council thanks him for his leadership in this time, and both Rolf and I look forward to working with him in his business-as-usual role of government relations principal advisor and advocacy manager.

“Today we thank Matt and welcome Rolf to the Society. The Council and I look forward to a successful year for the Society under Rolf’s watchful eye.”

Originally sourced from  http://www.qls.com.au/About_QLS/News_media/News/QLS_welcomes_new_CEO

This article originally appeared in the Engineers Australia website. 

Gender diversity in engineering is possible, says a leading engineer, provided industry leaders commit to it.

“About 20 years ago, when I first started in the industry I was told that talent and hard work would probably drive gender balance by the time I was in my forties, however that has not happened and the numbers of women in the industry have not changed substantially,” says Eva Wood, Director of Operations – Transport (Northern) at Jacobs.

“To make this change, there has to be decisive actions taken by middle and senior management all the way from the top of organisations. Clear messaging from leaders that gender diversity across the organisation is defined as success for that organisation. Creating an inclusive work environment to enable everyone in our teams to work to their full potential is the culture we must create. This is how we lead our teams and organisations to establish greater industry presence and generate business success. “

Wood says she is quite passionate about women in technical leadership positions, because the technical experts of the industry are the true influencers in project and industry outcomes.

“One of the things we’ve spent quite a lot of time on recently is focusing on succession planning for all those technical streams, putting in place an open conversation during end performance reviews,” she says.

“We’d love to see you be a team leader or a technical director, or would you like to do some further study. How can we support you in seeing that career path? You’ve always got to look at the prize.”

She says a lot of women come into engineering, specialise quite quickly, and then either leave, or stagnate a little bit. It’s here where they sometimes need to be encouraged to diversify their skill set or grow their technical expertise.

“Make sure that when you put together teams that you don’t always consider the same people that are always in those roles,” she says.

“If there’s a need for someone with a certain client relationship, can we partner them and have a 2IC so that they help grow that client relationship as well. They get exposed to that work so that they can then take on those roles in the future. We very quickly fall into the trap of going to the top five men who are always put into those roles. They’re perceived as the client facing expert while there’s someone else beavering away in the background doing all the tasks. How do we then grow that person who’s doing a lot of the technical work, and start to develop their brand, so that they can then take on those leadership roles?”

Wood says there also needs to be more recognition that people have lives and responsibilities outside the workforce as well, and while they may not be able to pursue an opportunity at one point in their career, it doesn’t mean they’re not interested in ever pursuing that path.

“I think that’s really critical from an industry perspective to recognise that people’s circumstances change year on year,” she says.

“We need to give them the flexibility to look after children or elderly parents or undertake more study. And recognise that the time needed for that varies and so therefore other things may not be such a challenge as elsewhere in their professional careers. We need to constantly have that conversation.”

And to do this, middle management needs to be on-board as well.

Often where it falls over is where the person who manages the team doesn’t know where to start that conversation, and that’s both men and women,” says Wood.

“So that training about how to approach that conversation and how to set a career plan together is really important.”

Round 1 Topic: Do your Systems Support your Associations Direction

Are your organisation’s systems haphazard or organised, planned and sustainable? Are they aligned with and support your organisational objectives?

We invite you to take a couple of hours out of your day to connect with others in the industry to discuss high level topics of real importance, develop new relationships and gain critical information. Attending this AuSAE event is also a great opportunity to connect with leaders from associations, charities and other not-for-profits. You will get the opportunity to discuss current workplace challenges and other issues of importance.

Guest Speaker – Ian Abrahams

Our guest speaker Ian Abrahams has over 35 years’ experience with assisting organisations to ensure that their systems support their business, both now and in the future. He is the author of “Do your systems support your business direction”. Recently, he has been focussing on developing IT Strategic Plans with clients and providing independent advice, guidance and mentoring.

Ian will discuss what an “Information Systems Strategic Plan” is and why every organisation should have one. You should come away from this session with an understanding of the high level components of an “Information Systems Strategic Plan” and an appreciation of their value.

Wellington | Lunch on Tuesday 20th March 11:30am – 2:00pm

Register Here

Auckland | Lunch on Thursday 5th April 11:30am – 2:00pm

Register Here

Round 1 Topic: Emerging Associations – Associations in the New World

We are told we are at the precipice of the next technology frontier with the emergence of new industries in AI, Blockchain, Robotics and Big Data. Hear from Association leaders who are at the face of these emerging industries and those who have transformed their associations in response to their member’s landscape.

AuSAE Networking Lunches offer a great chance to get out of the office and meet new connections in the sector. Each lunch also features an insightful presentation on various topics of importance. Attending a lunch is a great chance to see what AuSAE really offers which is a place like-minded professionals can gather and share workplace challenges and achievements over a delicious two-course luncheon at a great venue. Check out the upcoming lunches below. We would love to see you there!

Sydney | Lunch on Wednesday 7th March 12:00pm – 2:00pm

Our guest speaker is Jodie Sangster, the Chief Executive Officer, AADL, ADMA, IAPA, DTC and DGA. Her extensive experience in the fields of global data-driven marketing and advertising spans over 20 years and includes experience throughout the US, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. Register Here

Brisbane | Lunch on Monday 19th March 12:00pm – 2:00pm

David Pich, Chief Executive, Institute of Managers and Leaders is Brisbane’s guest speaker. As the first national Chief Executive of the Institute of Managers and Leaders one of Australia's oldest, largest and most pre-eminent Membership-based organisations, David advocates for sound management and leadership practise in the workplace and beyond. Register Here

Melbourne | Breakfast on Wednesday 21st March 7:15am – 9:00am

Our guest speakers include Jodie Sangster, Chief Executive Officer, AADL, ADMA, IAPA, DTC and DGA and Greg Tyrrell, Executive Director, AAUS. Jodie has extensive experience in the fields of global data-driven marketing and advertising spans over 20 years and includes experience throughout the US, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region.

Greg is a CASA certified drone operator and served as Aerosonde’s Chief Pilot clocking up over 2,500 (drone) flight hours world-wide before taking on the COO / Managing Director role from 2005 until 2011.More recently, he became Executive Director of the Australian Association for Unmanned Systems (AAUS) and spends most of his time in advocacy roles for the benefit of the unmanned systems industry. Register Here

Perth| Cocktails & Catch Ups on Tuesday 27th March 6:00pm - 7:30pm

Join AuSAE’s CEO, Toni Brearley for cocktails, catch ups and networking opportunities with like-minded association professionals. As 2018 kicks into full gear, Toni is excited for the opportunity to meet with AuSAE’s members and engaged community to hear from you and share the strategic direction of AuSAE for 2018 and beyond. We ask you to come armed with questions, and ready to network. We hope you can join us at our first networking event for 2018.                Register Here

Adelaide | Lunch on Thursday 29th March 12:00pm – 2:00pm

David Pich, Chief Executive, Institute of Managers and Leaders is Brisbane’s guest speaker. As the first national Chief Executive of the Institute of Managers and Leaders one of Australia's oldest, largest and most pre-eminent Membership-based organisations, David advocates for sound management and leadership practise in the workplace and beyond. Register Here

The National Convention Centre is Canberra’s leading meetings and events venue; unrivalled in facilities, size and scope. The Centre is diverse, flexible and equipped to handle events of all sizes.

Inclusive space, personable staff and process friendly - our $80 Day Delegate Package is designed with you in mind. Whatever your conference needs in 2018 we have a creative solution for you.

Terms and conditions apply, for more information please contact ncc.sales@ihg.com

For the link to the website, please click here.

Partner of FCB Workplace Law, Matthew Robinson, examines the Industrial Revolution 4.0 through the lens of Australian Employment law and Industrial Relations impacts on the Manufacturing Industry.

The Industrial Revolution 4.0 is expected to drastically transform not only Australian manufacturing processes but the industrial relations framework of the business models that underpin them. Australian workforces will be reskilled, retooled, relocated and restructured, requiring business owners to exercise foresight into how existing industrial relations models will need to adapt to the technological changes on the horizon.

In this three part series, the FCB Group will explore the untapped area of employment and industrial relations implications of the Industrial Revolution 4.0 on the Australian working landscape. This first article will examine how the Industrial Revolution 4.0 will impact job criteria and job composition in the Australian manufacturing sector. Our second article will consider the impact of Enterprise Bargaining, workplace flexibility, independent contracting and the influence of the Australian Union movement. Finally, the third article in this trilogy will discuss how Australian advanced manufacturers can take steps to protect their intellectual property, confidential information and workforce from external competitors.

The Industrial Revolution 4.0 is set to impact all stakeholders in the manufacturing industry, including the size, composition and location of your workforce. Information is the best defense in ensuring your company is able to adapt its industrial relations strategies to capture and drive the business opportunities presented by these changes. Look out for Article 2, which will discuss how these changes are likely to result in manufacturers having to adopt changes to their current industrial relations strategies, including the negotiations of Enterprise Agreements, impacts on the Union movement and the growing importance of employment contracts.

For FCB's full article, click here.

Could your organisation survive the loss of member trust for a cyber attack you had the ability to prevent? Just one incident could potentially destroy your organisation’s brand.

By Paul Ramsbottom, Managing Director at ASI Asia-Pacific

In just the past few years, the way associations communicate with members and constituents has undergone massive change — and this change is happening at a blistering pace.

More than likely, the Association Management System (AMS) or CRM you bought just a few years ago to manage your data is probably now just about obsolete because it can’t keep up with the newest technology developments and your members’ and constituents’ rapidly expanding needs. In particular, your current system is probably not equipped to defend against the very real — and very frightening — data security risks your organisation is now facing.

Security threats are everywhere — no geographic area or industry is immune (including associations).

Security challenges require more focus, planning, and resources than ever before. It’s no longer enough to simply secure your data and third-party applications — you must ensure that the data centre where your entire system is stored is secure. Data security is a proactive AND reactive process.

How do you mitigate your risk? And how do you ensure your data and your organisation’s reputation are protected?

The majority of security breaches have some sort of root cause related to employee negligence. The top 5 causes of breaches are:

1. Weak Credentials

2. System Misconfiguration

3. Service/Software Vulnerability

4. Web Application Vulnerability

5. Social Engineering

Along with the tangible financial losses that can result from a data breach, a recent survey conducted by the Ponemon Institute estimates that an organisation’s brand value drops anywhere from 17-31% after a breach. That is almost a third of your brand value that you could lose due to a data breach. And your brand value is arguably your most important asset.

Specific Threats to Associations and Not-for-Profits

Despite what some may think, associations and not-for-profits aren’t immune to security breaches. There are growing threats that you need to protect against today before your data is compromised and your organisation’s reputation is irrevocably damaged. Associations and not-for-profits need to be particularly vigilant because:

• Your mission/philosophy may be polarising and can be attractive targets for ‘hactivists.’
• Unlike larger companies, not-for-profits have fewer protections in place and are still typically on a sharp learning curve (and hackers could prey on this).
• Even though you don’t have millions of credit card transactions, you’re still at risk (hackers may see you as a weak target).
• Not all data breaches are for credit card information — your organisation may be hacked in an effort to embarrass and harass you by those who are opposed to your mission.
• As your budget/revenue continues to grow, you become more vulnerable.
• With more organisations looking to offer members and constituents online and self-service options to improve efficiency and reduce costs (and provide greater constituent convenience), there’s a greater need to protect against security breaches.

Understanding PCI Compliance/Critical PCI Basics

Your organisation probably accepts credit cards for on- and off-line membership renewals, product purchases, and event registrations. PCI compliance means you’ve taken the necessary steps to ensure your constituents’ payment card data is kept secure through every transaction and that they — as well as your organisation — are protected against data breaches.

There are two main types of PCI standards that you need to be aware of:

PCI-DSS stands for Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard and applies to service providers – such as application hosting or data centers – that store, process, or transmit card holder data.

PA-DSS stands for Payment Application Data Security Standard and applies to software applications that process credit card transactions that store, process, or transmit card holder data.

The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is a set of 12 requirements designed to protect cardholder data. Cardholder data is any personally identifiable data associated with a cardholder, including:

• Primary Account Number
• Expiry Date
• Name
• Magnetic Stripe Data

All merchants accepting debit/credit cards must comply with the PCI DSS at all times — including associations that accept electronic payments. PCI compliance is an ongoing process, not a one-time event — so your organisation needs to stay on top of its status at all times to prevent security breaches today and in the future.

While many software solution providers claim they’re PCI-compliant, the truth is, many are not. How can you know who to trust? You can check to see which solutions have been validated on the PCI website (https://www.pcisecuritystandards.org/assessors_and_solutions/vpa_agreement). Always look for the PCI-validated logo when choosing a provider.

The maximum security you can achieve is by using a solution to manage your data that is PA-DSS Validated in a hosting environment that has been assessed as PCI Compliant by a third-party assessor.

PCI is specifically geared towards the security and protection of credit card-related data. But, because it is such a stringent and comprehensive security standard, it helps with data security in general. As an example, the latest PA-DSS standards call for stringent requirements for the creation, storage, and retrieval of User ID and Passwords.

So what can and should you be doing?

1) Educate yourself on the various security standards and perform your own security self-audits.

Organisations including the Online Trust Alliance, National Institute of Security, Open Web Application Security Project and the Payment Card Industry Security Standards are excellent sources of best practices and resources.

There are also several great resources to perform your own security self-audit, including:

• Security Self-Assessment: https://otalliance.org/resources/security-privacy-risk-assessment
• PCI Self-Assessment: https://www.pcisecuritystandards.org/pci_security/completing_self_assessment

2) Ask Your AMS/CRM Vendor about their PCI compliance

When evaluating the security of your current or future Association Management System or CRM, use the following checklist to ensure your security is optimised:

Service Providers (Hosting Centres):

 Do they have an approved Attestation of Compliance (AoC) on file with the PCI Security Standards Council?

 What is the current approved level of PCI PA-DSS?

• The vendor should be able to provide the approved product name, product version #, PCI PA-DSS version #, re-validation date, and the expiry date and you should confirm what they tell you by going to https://www.pcisecuritystandards.org/assessors_and_solutions/vpa_agreement.
  

 What is their plan to get current?

 Do they have a comprehensive Corporate Security Assurance Plan designed to ensure client security?

 Have they engaged independent penetration testing services to ensure their systems are protected from the latest security threats?

Software Product Vendors:

 Do they have a completed and approved PCI PA-DSS ‘Validation’ on file with PCI DSS — or are they simply ‘PCI-Compliant’?

 What is the current approved level of PCI PA-DSS?

 What is their plan to get current?

 Do they adhere to secure coding and testing practices as published in OWASP security standards?

Don’t just take your vendor’s word, make sure you check with the appropriate regulatory bodies as well.

And finally, in the longer term you should look to create your own corporate data security plan and possibly seek third-party assistance in doing so.

Advanced Solutions International (ASI) is a recognised global, industry thought leader that focuses on helping associations and not-for-profits increase operational and financial performance through the use of best practices, proven solutions, and ongoing client advisement. Read the whitepaper at www.advsol.com/AuSAEnews

Shark Scientist announced as Ocean Lead at the United Nations Association (Western Australia)

Media Release - 26 February 2018

Amanda Elizabeth, Shark Scientist and Founder of the Fin Free Soup initiative, has just been appointed as the Ocean Lead for the United Nations Association (Western Australia). In her newly created role, Elizabeth will manage the Ocean Portfolio, organise ocean based events and drive public awareness about marine conservation.

Amanda says, “I’m thrilled to be announced as the Ocean Lead for the United Nations Association for Western Australia. It is a great honour to represent such a prestigious association and my new role will enable me to share my passion for conservation and provide a platform to make a difference.

"I am excited to be a part of this incredible organisation that works tirelessly to raise awareness about environmental issues. In leading the Ocean Portfolio I intend to bring awareness to a number of oceanic issues, placing a strong focus on plastics in the ocean and the ways in which this can be addressed,” adds Amanda.

With a Bachelor of Science degree majoring in both Marine and Biological Science from Murdoch University, Amanda finished in the top 5% of students. Following this she completed her Masters in (Marine) Biological Science at the University of Western Australia under the supervision of renowned Shark Scientists Professor Shaun Collin and Dr Ryan Kempster.

“I have a passion for protecting marine life and have a strong belief that there are better options out there to protect ocean users but also conserve marine life in its natural state. My focus is on the conservation of sharks with a focus on the electroreceptive thresholds of sharks and rays,” said Amanda.

About the United Nations Association (Western Australia):

The Western Australian Division of the United Nations Association of Australia (UNAAWA) work to connect the WA community, government and other stakeholders with the work, goals and values of the UN. They operate at a state level to achieve positive change in support of the charter, aims and ideals of the United Nations.

Amanda Elizabeth is an expert in the field of Shark Biology and as a Shark Scientist is available and ready to educate everyone from parents of kids taking part in nippers through to the decision makers at a National Government level. Her passion for the environment and conservation is second to none.

This article was originally sourced from PRWire.