Entries are now open for VTA’s 27th Australian Freight Industry Awards that acknowledge and reward the excellence of freight and logistics operators nationally.

The prestigious AFIA awards, hosted by the VTA and proudly sponsored by TWUSUPER and VIVA ENERGY, are among the most coveted accolades in the freight and logistics industry, recognising achievements that have helped shape the transport industry.

Award winners will be announced at a Gala Dinner at the Crown Palladium Ballroom on Saturday, 3 September, featuring entertainment from some of Australia’s most popular acts.

The VTA is welcoming entries to the awards and registrations to attend the Gala Dinner from members and non-members, as the VTA pays tribute to freight and logistics organisations that have demonstrated excellence and helped improve the standards of the industry.

Six major awards will be presented and for the first time the FTA will recognise a nominee that has introduced a policy, program or technology innovation that improves sustainability through waste reduction or resource recovery through the creation of the Australian Transport and Logistics Waste award.

The categories include:

• ‘Investment in People’ (sponsored by Logical Staffing Solutions)
  
• ‘Best Practice Safety’ (sponsored by Zurich Financial Services Australia)
  
• ‘Application of Technology’, the Shaun Owen Memorial Award (sponsored by Transport Certification Australia)
  
• ‘Australian Transport and Logistics Waste’
  
• ‘Young Achiever of the Year’ (Sponsored by Viva Energy Australia)
  
• ‘Personality of the Year’ (Sponsored by Victorian Government, Department of Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources)
  

Being a new category, sponsorship opportunities exist for the Australian Transport and Logistics Waste award. Please contact the VTA for sponsorship enquiries.

VTA Chief Executive Officer Peter Anderson said the awards night and black-tie gala function is a showcase of the professionalism and initiatives of those within the transport industry and for them to be recognised in front of their peers and families.

"As the peak freight and transport industry association, the VTA is proud to acknowledge those who are contributing to our objective of engaging in improved safety practices, the utilisation of advanced technology and implementation of the many efficiencies that lead to increased productivity," Mr Anderson said.

"I encourage all companies and individuals within our industry to participate in the awards nomination process to give them a chance of having their significant input recognised during this glamorous night of tribute to our industry participants.

"The annual awards gala belongs to our transport and logistics people and is an event to be celebrated amongst industry peers, distinguished guests and in front of a packed ballroom of family and friends."

The presentation of awards will be followed by a spectacular stage show featuring some of Australia’s iconic entertainers.

Headlining the entertainment will be Daryl Braithwaite, one of Australia’s most successful pop stars who was the lead vocalist of Sherbet when the band formed in the 1970s. His subsequent solo career has been outstanding and he still has many fans rocking to his number one hit of the ‘90s, The Horses.

Braithwaite will be supported by outstanding performances from the Jersey Boys Tribute Band, who will have Crown at fever pitch with Oh, What A Night and more of the Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons’ chart-toppers, plus The Matt Hetherington Band and The Voice Australia 2015 contestant Sarah Valentine.

Nominations for the awards can be made by companies or individuals on their own behalf or by their industry peers.

Each nomination must be accompanied by a typed summary of no more than 1500 words outlining why the nomination has been put forward. Supporting material such as charts, publications, diagrams or photos may be submitted with the summary. Nominations will be accepted in hard copy, electronic format or in a USB.

The closing date for entries is Monday, 15 August, 2016.

This article was originally sourced from Big Rigs.

Craig Wallace has stepped down from his role as president of People with Disability Australia.

Wallace announced the news last week in a statement of resignation on his official website.

Wallace wrote that his early resignation will enable him to focus on his campaign roles and to support his family members after the passing of his father.

“I have always said that leadership in the disability rights movement is an earned privilege that should not be carried as a burden,” said Wallace.

“I thank you all for your trust and the privilege of holding a position of leadership in our community.

“Going forward I’m willing to work in a professional capacity to assist PWDA and our Alliance partners in any way I can should this be required.”

Wallace thanked everyone in Australia who supported and engaged with disability rights over the years.

“Disabled people deserve committed leaders whose hearts and minds are on the job and who are ambitious to serve,” said Wallace.

“I will always be loyal to PWDA which has provided me with so many opportunities and which, along with our alliance partners, is the best hope for a progressive united democratic voice for disabled people in Australia.”

Wallace announced on twitter that Bonnie Millen will be the new A/G president.

This article was originally sourced from Third Sector and written by Gali Blacher.

Industry association CompTIA has launched the Dream IT program in Australia to increase women and girls' participation in the IT industry.

"The IT industry offers endless opportunities for women but it has been a challenge for our industry to get that message across to young people. Dream IT aims to address that challenge and introduce young women to the range of opportunities offered by technology careers," CompTIA ANZ executive council member and The Missing Link general manager Karen Drewitt said.

The Dream IT program is a global intiative of CompTIA's Advancing Women in IT Community and was launched in the USA in 2014 and in the UK in 2015. The community consists of both women and men working in IT.

"The local community has shown real dedication in preparing for the launch of the initiative. Involving women in IT is an important issue and I urge everyone to get involved in the cause and spread the message," said Drewitt.

The Advancing Women in IT Community aims to empower women and girls with the know-how and skills they need to launch and grow their own IT careers, according to CompTIA.

“A greater number of women in IT will bring a balance of leadership styles and interpersonal skills to the IT workplace, and help alleviate the growing IT skills gap in Australia and New Zealand," said Drewitt.

CompTIA now has a dedicated Australian Dream IT page with presentation resources available to anyone interested in spreading the message. There is also a career resource centre where girls and women interested can find information on IT career options, tips and testimonial from women currently in the industry.

Former CompTIA ANZ vice chair and Tableau Software commercial sales manager Kellie Hackney said: "Young women are often unaware of the opportunities, earning power, and satisfaction they can gain from a career in IT. We are excited for the Dream IT program to inspire women and girls to explore the diverse variety of opportunities available to them in our industry.”

This article was originally sourced from CRN and written by Samira Sarraf.

Governance Institute of Australia has prepared governance guidance for not-for-profit organisations.

In all instances, your organisation should be complying with the applicable legislation; however, there are sometimes grey areas not specifically covered by legislation, and practices in these areas can vary from minimal to best practice.

It is important to remember these Good Governance Guides are only a guide and not a substitute for seeking professional advice (including legal advice). Many of these Guides provide assistance on how you can develop the key policies and processes required under the ASX Corporate Governance Council’s Corporate Governance Principles and Recommendations.

Good Governance Guide NFP — Board structure *New*

Good Governance Guide NFP — Conflicts of interest in not-for-profit organisations *New*

Good Governance Guide NFP — Separation of authority between board and management *New*

Good Governance Guide NFP — Stewardship *New*

Good Governance Guide NFP — Volunteer management *New*

Good Governance Guide NFP — Issues to consider for a chief executive officer who is also appointed as the company secretary

Good Governance Guide NFP — Risk management policy

This article was originally sourced from Governance Institute of Australia. 

It is official - Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre (BCEC) has been named as the World’s Best Convention Centre!

The announcement was made at the Annual General Assembly of the International Association of Congress Centres (AIPC) in Nantes, France.

Queensland Premier and Minister for the Arts Annastacia Palaszczuk congratulated BCEC and operators AEG Ogden on the prestigious award, which has previously been won by centres in leading global cities such as London and Vancouver.

“This award acknowledges what all Queenslanders already know – that we have some of the greatest show spaces in the world, right here on our doorstep,” the Premier said.

“This is a great honour for our State and I am proud that Brisbane continues to be recognised on the world stage.

Acting Minister for Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning and Queensland Minister for Tourism and Major Events Kate Jones said the award stoked confidence in Queensland’s tourism and events industry.

“This award confirms Queensland’s reputation as a world-class tourism and events destination,” Ms Jones said.

“Following this global recognition, we look forward to welcoming more industry leaders and business visitors to future events at BCEC.”

AEG Ogden Chairman and CEO, Harvey Lister said: “As a Queensland-based venue management company, AEG Ogden is particularly proud that our flagship venue has been recognised as the world’s best.”

“We are gratified as the internationally recognised AIPC APEX Award is based solely on client evaluations by major convention and exhibition organisers around the world, and independently assessed by the global market research organisation, Ipsos.”

“This award will further increase opportunities for Brisbane and Queensland in bidding for major conventions in the future.”

The AEG Ogden managed venue has previously been ranked among the world’s top three convention centres by AIPC on three separate occasions.

BCEC General Manager Bob O’Keeffe said this was the pinnacle of the Centre’s 158 industry awards, and global acclaim both for the Centre’s capabilities and for Brisbane as a leading international meetings destination.

“It is a great honour for the dedicated and passionate AEG Ogden team that has operated the venue for the past 21 years. These awards are an international benchmark for industry excellence.”

BCEC celebrated 21 years in June having hosted 18,000 events, 14 million visitors and delivering $3.87 billion in economic benefit to Queensland. Future bookings for the next 10 years number more than 1,300 with an economic value of $1 billion.

Industry leaders were quick to congratulate BCEC with Managing Director of Tourism Australia, John O’Sullivan describing the award as a great outcome for Australia: “This is a great achievement by the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre. The Awards are judged on international client evaluation and therefore reflect the global calibre of the Centre’s offering and Australia’s international competitiveness as a business events destination.”

Leanne Coddington, CEO of Tourism and Events Queensland said Queensland had proven itself a leader in the staging of world class business and conferencing events, including the world’s most significant forum, the G20 Summit, in 2014. “For BCEC to be awarded the AIPC APEX Award ahead of some of the world’s biggest cities is a remarkable achievement.

“The Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre has been an integral part in the city boosting its reputation as a primary destination for globally recognised conferences and exhibitions.

Daniel Gschwind, Chief Executive of Queensland Tourism Industry Council said: “This outstanding accolade is well-deserved recognition for the consistent professionalism and innovative business approach demonstrated by AEG Ogden.

“A global reputation like that is built over a long period and BCEC has become a world-class asset for this city and for Queensland through its quality infrastructure and its customer service delivery.

“We are fortunate to have BCEC as part of our city’s competitive advantages, particularly to grow the all-important meetings and events market.

This media release was originally sourced from Associations Forum.

One of Australia’s oldest advertising industry bodies is to be folded into the marketer body the Australian Marketing Institute (AMI).

The 94 year old Advertising Institute of Australasia (AIA) will now be part of AMI with the organisation’s board noting in a statement that it needed to merge with “a larger, stronger and more diversified marketing industry association”.

“AIA has been an influential champion of the Advertising industry in Australia in its over 90 year history, pioneering impactful education, awards and research initiatives that have helped nurture and develop talent in Australia,” said Andrew Thornton, chair of AMI.

“However, as industry association consolidation becomes inevitable in today’s rapidly evolving market, a larger organisation like AMI is well placed to continue to provide the marketing industry support that AIA has delivered over many years.”

It is only 18 months since the AMI itself faced its own cashflow crisis with the then board being forced to implement a new $99 “service enhancement charge”, as the body struggled with a major financial deficit.

In announcing the merger the AIA board noted it has undertaken to invest in the 2016 and 2017 Australian Marketing Institute Awards for Marketing Excellence and would promote the AMI Future Leaders Award.

Lee Tonitto, CEO of AMI, said: “AMI is unique in that we represent the full marketing ecosystem, providing support for marketing professionals across the industry.

“Consequently, AMI membership and a strong digital advertising education focus means we will be able to continue to progress the objectives of the AIA from day one. Our team is looking forward to welcoming the AIA to the AMI family.”

This article was originally sourced from Mumbrella and written by Nic Christensen.

ASF is proud to again support the Stanford Australia Foundation’s scholarships for not-for-profit leaders at the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

Stanford University is one of the world's leading universities. Located in Silicon Valley in Northern California USA, Stanford teaches leaders to be pioneers of the modern frontier, to think critically, challenge assumptions and change the rules of competition. The Stanford Australia Foundation (SAF) is a not-for-profit organisation with the mission to enable not for profit leaders to benefit from the Stanford experience. This year, with the support of the Dyson Bequest, SAF is offering two scholarships for study in the 2017 calendar year.

SAF scholarship recipients must be employed by an Australian non-profit organisation with Deductible Gift Recipient status 1 (DGR1), and either be an Australian citizen or hold a permanent residency in Australia.

Please note that candidates are required to be in organisational leadership roles. Those who are solely in non-executive directors or board roles are not eligible.

Scholarship Overview:

The 2017 Stanford Australia Foundation Scholarships each include up to AUD20,000 (for course fees and economy travel) for a NFP executive to attend a Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB) executive course of the recipient's choice. Candidates can choose their preferred course from the GSB offering although we are pleased to advise that the Executive Program for Non-Profit Leaders and the Executive Program in Social Entrepreneurship are being offered again in 2017. In considering their application candidates should review course outlines. The Executive Program for Nonprofit Leaders is a ten-day residential program designed to further the professional development of leaders in the nonprofit sector. The Executive Program in Social Entrepreneurship is a six-day residential program designed to help social entrepreneurs take enterprises and innovative models to the next level. For a complete list of courses available visit the Stanford GSB website.

Guidelines for eligibility for Stanford Australia Foundation Scholarships:

1. Candidate is an Australian citizen or permanent resident of Australia.
   
2. Candidate is currently employed at an Australian Non-profit organisation with Deductible Gift Recipient 1 status (DGR1) - please note that Directors or Board Members are not eligible for SAF scholarships.
   
3. Scholarship will be applied to a course held at the Graduate School of Business, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, USA between Jan 1st and December 31st of the scholarship year. For example, the 2017 scholarship will be applicable to courses being run during the 2017 calendar year.
   
4. Candidate understands that they are solely responsible for gaining entry through any required application process for their selected course. Scholarship awards are conditional on program entry.
   
5. Scholarship winners will provide 2 short written reports (one within 1 month of completing their course and one after 12 months of completing their course) describing the impact of winning the scholarship.
   

Criteria are as follows:

• Candidate’s potential for leadership
  
• Benefits to the candidates professional development
  
• Potential positive impact to the candidate’s organisation
  
• Potential impact for the Australian community
  

Important Dates:

Applications open: Friday 1st July, 2016

Applications close: Friday 30th September, 2016

Interviews: Friday 28th October, 2016 (please keep yourself available the whole day)

Winner Announced: at the AGM in November/December, 2016

Applications Process:

To apply for the Stanford Australia Foundation Scholarships, simply complete an online form via Australian Scholarships Foundation by clicking on 'APPLY NOW' below.

Need help completing your online application? Download instructions for Creating a Profile Page and Making an Application.

If you need assistance with the application process, please contact Australian Scholarships Foundation before the application deadline. Late applications will not be accepted.

Applications for the Stanford Australia Foundation Scholarships close Friday 30th September, 2016 at 5pm AEST.

Selection Criteria

The Scholarships are awarded by the Stanford Australia Foundation to applicants who are Australian citizens or permanent residents employed by a not-for-profit charitable organisation and whose completion of the Stanford program would, in SAF's view, benefit the applicant, their employing organisation and the Australian community more broadly. Selection is conditional on applicants meeting Stanford University's entry requirements for the nominated program. Please note that candidates are required to be in organisational leadership roles. Those who are solely in non-executive directors or board roles are not eligible.

This media release was originally sourced from Scholarships.org.

This month AuSAE welcomes Ian Coombe, Chief Executive Officer at Playgroup Queensland as our Member in Focus. Ian recently spoke with AuSAE about Playgroup Queensland's membership strategies and their biggest challenges. Plus, exciting projects underway for the Association. 

Can you tell us a bit about Playgroup Queensland and the goals they strive to achieve?

Playgroup Queensland has over four decades of strong member and volunteer support, primarily from mothers but increasingly from dads, grandparents and carers. Groups get together for a couple of hours regularly, usually weekly, for a couple of hours to help their children learn through play before they are old enough to attend formal schooling.

The early years learning framework and the five developmental domains are incorporated into a lightly structured fun session that helps make the transition to school more successful. Much research shows the long term benefits to not only the children, but also the parents, carers and communities.

We strive to connect children, families and communities and are driven to benefit as many of the 250,000 families in Queensland with children 5 and under.

What are Playgroup Queensland’s most successful membership strategies to increase engagement and membership retention?

Playgroup Queensland membership has been relatively stable over recent decades. Last year we renewed our vigour to grow to reach as many of the 250,000 families as possible. Our three key successes are:

• Offer multi-year membership deals as well as our standard 1 year memberships
• Offer the first year free to families of newborns to encourage membership from brith
• Engage our members through social media on mobile phones – 80% of our traffic is mobile

What do you personally feel has been the biggest challenge that Playgroup Queensland has overcome in your time with the organisation?

Apart from the challenge of ensuring sustainability in a rapidly changing world, the biggest challenge we have had to overcome is by far one of technology. We have had to rapidly redeploy from a paper-based charity to one of efficiencies and scale through the use of technology. In doing so, we can now grow unimpeded and free up our most valuable assets, our people, to better service our rapidly growing member base.

Yet another challenge is finding the buttons to push that engage our members on social media and driving the momentum expected on the various social media platforms.

Whilst these two challenges are easy to list, making them happen has been an amazing journey that has taken the whole team beyond their usual experiences.

How does the future look for Playgroup Queensland (or what exciting projects are underway at the Playgroup Queensland?)

We have just launched an exciting partnership with the Queensland Government where we offer 12 months’ free membership to families of newborns when they register their baby before they turn one. The initiative is called Play Stars and together we are reaching out through education, health, family magazine and digital channels to reach as many of the 64,000 births in Queensland every year.

Over the initial five-year partnership, there is the potential to help over 350,000 families. This is a huge benefit to children, families, communities, the Department of Education and Training and also to the members of Playgroup Queensland. Through extra member support, we can deliver even more resources to children, parents, carers and families.

What would you say to someone starting out in the children services and community profession with a view to become a future leader?

It may well be a cliché to do what you love, but I have found that I have always been drawn not only to helping others but to children’s causes – and that keeps my passion and drive burning and fuels me to get through challenging times. With fuelled drive, it is vitally important to keep learning and to stay well connected. Always stay on the lookout for opportunities to solve problems in a better way and as you deliver results, more opportunities will come.

Directors are critically important to the success and sustainability of an organisation and the health of an organisation is often reflected in the number and quality of people that stand for Director roles. With 11 nominees across three regions, it was very satisfying to note the extremely high calibre of those who stood for the AuSAE Board this year. A big thanks to everyone who put themselves forward.

It gives me great pleasure to welcome two new Directors, Damian Mitsch (CEO, Australasian Podiatry Council) and Glen Harriss (EO, Coeliac Queensland) to the AuSAE Board. Both Damian and Glen are extremely knowledgeable, well connected and dedicated AuSAE members. The term for the SA/WA representative Kirsty Kelly (Planning Institute of Australia) was also up for renewal and Kirsty successfully stood for re-election.

The terms of two valued Board members concluded at the AGM. I sincerely thank both Michelle Trute (CEO, Diabetes Australia - Queensland) and Rachel Drummond (Marketing Officer, Rural Health Workforce Australia) for their valuable commitment and service to AuSAE.

After the AGM a quick Board meeting was held to elect the officers. Congratulations to incoming President Graham Catt (CEO, Australian Veterinary Association) and Vice President Kirsty Kelly (CEO, Planning Institute of Australia).

Click here for more information about the AuSAE Board members.

The AuSAE Annual Update Publication 2015-2016 was also presented at the AGM. It provides an overview of the year just gone and other information that may be of interest. 2015 was a year of significant transition and AuSAE is now well placed for an exciting and fruitful future.

Brendon Ward

Chief Executive Officer

Australasian Society of Association Executives

South Australia's largest automobile club launched a new membership app in an effort to provide a more engaging customer experience

South Australia's largest automobile club, the Royal Automotive Association (RAA), has launched 'myRAA', a new mobile app that extends its More for Members program and aims to boost customer experience and member loyalty.

The iOS and Android friendly app is set to offer a more natural user experience compared to a traditional Web app. Acting as a digital membership hub, it removes the need to carry a physical membership card while offering users the ability to personalise their experience. For instance, they can update personal details, control what notifications to receive, and access the most important information first.

On top of this, members can leverage any benefits and competitions on the go. In an effort to attract new member engagement, non-members can also view these special offers without having to sign in.

Software company and RAA partner, Enabled, had early input into the direction and functionality of the app, which helped steer the project forward. The key was not simply transferring existing content from RAA’s Web portal to a mobile device, its CEO, Grant Hull, said.

“Enabled made the development of our myRAA mobile application seamless," RAA senior brand and membership marketing manager, Kimberley Bolton, said. "The quality of work and youthful look and feel was exactly what we needed to appeal to our target market. Through our partnership with Enabled, we launched a successful app which has surpassed our expectations and we look forward to working more with them in the future.”

"Consumers appreciate the fact that companies value their time," Hull said.

"That’s why we put serious thought into every interaction within the app. Even if it’s just a few milliseconds saved, it will all add up," he added.

This article was originally sourced from CMO and written by Azadeh Williams.