Craftsmanship, quality and professionalism were front and centre with the winners of the 2023 New South Wales and ACT Welding Excellence Awards announced in Sydney.

Weld Australia’s Excellence Awards are the most prestigious event on the welding industry calendar. The Awards showcase and celebrate the world-class work being undertaken by local welders, fabricators and industry educators.

This year, the awards were held at Waterview and saw the best and brightest from the ACT and New South Wales’ welding industry come together to acknowledge the incredible calibre of work achieved over the past 12 months.

According to Weld Australia’s CEO, Geoff Crittenden, “The 2023 New South Wales and ACT Welding Excellence Awards highlight the outstanding achievements of our local professionals while emphasising the industry’s unwavering commitment to excellence. At Weld Australia, we are proud recognise both companies and individuals who are pushing boundaries in welding quality, safety, and innovation.”

“Our celebrated winners this year represent both businesses and individuals dedicated to crafting innovative and sustainable strategies, prioritising safety, and enhancing the overall skill set in the welding community,” Crittenden said.

NEPEAN Engineering & Innovation won the 2023 Company of the Year Award – Fabrication. Established in 1974, NEPEAN Engineering & Innovation has become one of Australia’s largest privately owned engineering service providers. NEPEAN  offers a full range of engineering services across sectors such as mining, defence, manufacturing, infrastructure, construction, aerospace. Their commitment to excellence is evident through three fundamental pillars: continuous investment in plant and equipment; their willingness to be better and different; and their competitive passion for winning and growth. The Runner Up in this category was Macfab Engineering.

Indigee Metals won the 2023 Indigenous Company of the Year Award. Indigee Metals is a majority Indigenous owned and Supply Nation registered manufacturing company, being a joint venture between JNC Group (Aust) and Precision Metal Group. Indigee Metals is proud to service the Federal, State and Local governments as well as other international clients. The company has a strong defence security delivery background, including nationwide capability and an extensive global reach.

Allweld Services won the 2023 Company of the Year Award – Supplier. Allweld Services is 100% Australian owned and operated, employing over 50 staff including technical representatives and service technicians for both gas and electrical equipment. With three conveniently located branches at Beresfield, Muswellbrook and East Maitland, as well as a daily delivery service, Allweld services the needs of fabricators across the state. Allweld was incorporated in June 1983 in East Maitland with the vision to supply quality products and technical advice to all facets of the engineering, mining, manufacturing and construction industries, as well as the home handy person.

Apex Welding Safety (AWS) and TSS Engineering were joint winners of the 2023 Health and Safety in Welding Award. Established in 1994, AWS specialises in welding safety equipment, supplying all forms of welding fume product controls. In 2022, AWS commissioned an independent scientific study to compare the effectiveness of welding fume product controls. Previous studies have done an effective job in defining the problem; however, few have been able to identify and compare the relative effectiveness of available product control solutions. In 2023, the research was published as a peer reviewed scientific paper. AWS has since released a series of resources based on the study to help workplaces reduce welding fume.

Founded in 2017, TSS Engineering swiftly cemented its reputation in the engineering sector, taking on expansive projects across all three stages of the renowned WestConnex project. Since its inception, TSS Engineering has rooted its operations in the principles of quality, safety, and integrity. Through an intricate blend of industry certifications, cutting-edge technology, and proactive policies, TSS Engineering has not only elevated their health and safety standards but set benchmarks for the industry.

TSS Engineering won the 2023 Project of the Year Award. TSS Engineering played a pivotal role in one of Sydney’s landmark projects: the Rozelle Interchange. The Rozelle Ventilation Steelwork is a striking architectural achievement designed by Studio Chris Fox and expertly executed by TSS Engineering. The project’s primary objective was to fabricate and install architectural structures around three ventilation stacks, each standing at 25m in height. These structures featured vertical ladder components and intertwined rope elements to seamlessly blend with the intricate subterranean road network below. Additionally, the steelwork provided access to the ventilation platform via three stair sets, enabling the monitoring of carbon emissions and housing various electrical equipment essential for ventilation. The Runner Up was SWA Water.

The NSW Department of Education won the 2023 Training and Education – Organisation Award. The NSW Department of Education introduced a new program in 2019 designed to boost interest from secondary students in manufacturing and engineering courses. The WELD Hub Manufacturing program provides students with access to augmented reality welding simulators. With 80 simulators installed in 40 schools, the program is delivering exceptional results.

Nathan Kelly from TAFE NSW Orange won the 2023 Training and Education – Individual Teacher Award. Nathan delivers the Certificate III in Engineering at TAFE NSW. He has been involved in product development, as well as creating assessments and resources. Nathan is actively involved with WorldSkills Australia, organising regional competitions and a mentor for past and future competitors within the welding and metal fabrication trade. Nathan is also a highly skilled welder with extensive hands-on experience in all welding processes.

Harrison Field from A-OK Metal Fabrication was named the 2023 Young Trades Person of the Year. Harrison, age 20, is a skilled tradesman who completed his metal engineering apprenticeship and Certificate III Engineering Fabrication Trade in 2022 to the highest standard. He is currently employed by A-OK Metal Fabrication in Bathurst. Harrison is known for his exceptional welding skills and has a genuine passion for the craft. Harrison is truly self-motivated and determined to be the best in his field. Harrison’s talent and hard work have not gone unnoticed, having won gold at the 2023 WorldSkills Australia competition for Welding. Harrison has been involved with large scale projects such as the new $88-million Parramatta Aquatic Centre covering 40,000 square meters.

The Runner Up was Alex Pace from Precision Metal Group. There were also two Highly Commended: Brennan Tunkin from Empire Industrial Engineering; and Jacob Barry from PWG Kings & Sons.

The winners of the 2023 Welding Professional of the Year Award were: Alireza Samimi Mottaghi from Professional Welding Clinic for the Welding Coordinator category; David Parr from Alfabs for Welding Supervisor (with Joel Mennie from MC Quality Control named as runner up); and Shaun Brown from MC Quality Control for Welding Inspector.

Self-employed Aussies are having to spend an average of $1,000 to prepare their sole trader tax return this year, while half (50%) of those who have received their assessment are reporting a lower rebate compared with previous years, according to new data from Hnry.

The latest Hnry Sole Trader Pulse* – the only nationwide survey of sole traders in Australia – reveals a broader state of tax paralysis. Half (47%) of those that work for themselves are yet to submit their tax return, and almost a fifth (17%) admit they have not even begun preparations, despite the October 31 deadline being just days away. 

Karan Anand, Managing Director of Hnry Australia, said: “By their very nature, Australia’s 1.5 million sole traders are self-reliant go-getters – contributing to a thriving sector that grows by 50,000 annually. However, tax season can be a confusing and stressful period for many independent earners who have to spend even more time and money on their financial affairs to meet their tax obligations.

“Our research shows sole traders spend an average of six hours on financial admin every week. Add to that the pressure of tax time while forking out a large sum to potentially receive a smaller rebate following the phasing out of the Low and Middle Income Tax Offset (LMITO), and it’s no wonder a large proportion are putting off submitting their return. That’s despite the prospect of a $313 late fine.”

While associated tax submission costs for self-employed women are lower – an average of $610 compared to $1,199 for men – this doesn’t necessarily correspond with financial assurance. Half (51%) of men feel positive about the performance of their business over the last quarter, compared to 38% of women. Men also feel more secure (67%) in their jobs than women (50%).

According to Anand, while the last quarter yielded some positive sentiment shifts overall, the view of sole traders was very cautious moving into 2024.

“Across the board, we’ve seen independent earners’ feelings towards their financial performance move in the right direction over the past three months – with those feeling positive increasing from 36% to 46%. The majority are also feeling satisfied in their profession (62%) and positive about their work-life balance (65%). So, it’s clear sole traders are continuing to reap the benefits of working for themselves – from the freedom of pursuing their passions, to the flexible lifestyle it offers.

“However, just a fifth (19%) feel good about the current state of the economy, a quarter (26%) believe the country is already in recession, and a further 41% expect that we will be within the next year. As a key barometer of economic health in Australia, it’s more important now than ever to ensure this sector receives the right support and feels empowered to focus on the business of their business,” Anand said.

Hnry exists to demystify all things tax and support sole traders to get their affairs in order with peace of mind, so they can focus on doing what they love. Though automatically paying taxes throughout the year and preparing their tax return for them, including ensuring all tax-deductible expenses are accounted for, Hnry ensures that sole traders never have to think about tax again. 

“With four in five (80%) independent earners using a program or app to manage their finances feeling comfortable with their tax and financial affairs, Hnry frees self-employed people from the burden of financial admin with confidence,” Anand concluded. 

The Hnry Sole Trader Pulse is Australia’s only regular, comprehensive regular snapshot of the sentiment of self-employed people in Australia, such as tradies, freelancers, and consultants. For more information, visit hnry.com.au/au/soletraderpulse. 

A Wollongong woman was recently sentenced in the Port Kembla Local Court to 1 year and 8 months imprisonment after attempting to obtain more than $250,000 in fraudulent GST refunds.

This is the latest result of extensive efforts under an Australian Taxation Office (ATO)-led investigation, Operation Protego, which was initiated in response to widespread GST fraud activity.

The ATO welcomes this sentence which serves as a warning to those who deliberately try to defraud the government for their own personal gain.

Rachel Saville lodged 63 fraudulent business activity statements between February 2022 and July 2022, obtaining $73,650 and attempting to obtain a further $192,983 in fraudulent GST refunds.

After pleading guilty to four counts of obtaining benefit by deception, Ms Saville received a custodial sentence of 20 months. A recent appeal against this sentence was dismissed by the Wollongong District Court.

ATO Deputy Commissioner John Ford said this outcome highlights the ATO’s ability to hold offenders to account.

‘We take attempts at GST fraud seriously – you will face the full force of the law if you engage in this activity. We continue to see results under Operation Protego, this is just the latest and we expect more to come,’ Mr Ford said.

‘Tax crime is not victimless and those who engage in this activity are stealing funds that would otherwise be used for essential services. We’ve warned the community and have urged offenders to come forward to the ATO or face even more severe consequences.’

As part of Operation Protego, the ATO has taken action against more than 56,000 alleged offenders, and those involved in this fraud have already been handed in the order of $300 million in penalties and interest which continues to accrue.

‘We are escalating our efforts to enforce repayment of this fraud, this includes continuing to work closely with state and federal law enforcement agencies to bring offenders to account,’ said Mr Ford.

‘Our message is clear – if you don’t run a business, you don’t need an ABN and you can’t claim GST refunds. This is fraud.’

You can anonymously report suspected tax evasion or crime to us by making a tip-off online or call 1800 060 062. For more information about Operation Protego visit ato.gov.au/GSTrefundfraud.

In the world of the rugged smartphone there are many degrees of “rugged” and many degrees of “toughness”. Generally the more rugged and tougher the smartphone is, the more you pay for it. Not so with the new Aspera R10 rugged smartphone which comes to market with IP68 rated protection against water and dust ingress, 4G dual sim cards and all the functionality you would expect from an Android smartphone, but for only $299 RRP.

Robust design suitable for tough environments, rubberised outer body supporting drops and knocks, large battery and IP68 rating against water and dust 

Aspera Mobile MD Allan Robertson explained, “At Aspera we launched our first rugged smartphone in 2014, and we have released many more since then, garnering a solid reputation for robust design and excellent protection against drops, knocks, water and dust ingress. The R10 is undoubtedly the best, toughest and most rugged smartphone we have ever released and it is just $299.”

The R10’s robust design provides a level of protection from heavy knocks and drops, and protective seals secure the device against water and dust.
This rugged smartphone comes with NFC, enabling contactless payments wherever they are accepted, a 6.5″ HD+ display, dual 4G sim cards, Android™ 13 OS, a 2GHz Octa-core MediaTek processor coupled with 4GB RAM and 128GB ROM all of which provide solid performance that’s powered by a 5100mAh battery which will get you through a full day and more.

The R10’s rear camera is 13MP and its front facing camera is 8MP, which not only allow you to take great images, but also enable face recognition for security and unlocking the phone and HD resolution video recording.

Robertson continued, “We’ve had great success with our previous rugged smartphones and with the R10 we wanted to release something even more unique in the market but still make it excellent value. We’ve achieved that as with the R10’s specs it is ideal for tradies and workers in transport, farming, mining and agriculture where a mobile device is essential, but it is going to have a tough life. The R10 isn’t just for tradies though, as it is specifically designed to protect against and withstand pressures from the dailies including weather, environment and also most common daily drops, knocks and bumps.”

The R10’s robust design is not to be understated as for a phone that’s only $299 it can truly withstand the toughest of environments due to its specially formulated rubberised outer body which complements its IP68 rating against water and dust.

Robertson said, “Think of it this way, if you have a lifestyle where you need a rugged phone that can withstand water, dust and knocks or you simply have a habit of dropping your phone the R10 will suit you perfectly as it’s smart, solid and rugged. You can rest assured it will make a great companion in your working life.”

The R10 continues on and follows in the hugely successful line of Aspera rugged devices, appeals to previous Aspera rugged smartphone owners and proves once again that there is an excellent alterative to spending hundreds or even thousands of dollars on a smartphone and then having to spend even more money on a heavy-duty case you hope will protect it.

The Aspera Mobile R10 smartphone is available now for just $299 from Big W, Retravision, Better Electrical, Mobileciti, selected IGAs and selected BP service stations.

For more information on the new R10 go to: https://asperamobile.com/phones/rugged-phones/aspera-r10/

The wildly contrasting predictions are contained in the latest round (Q3, 2023) of the country’s longest running SME pulse check, the bi-annual SME Growth Index by ScotPac, Australia’s leading non-bank business lender. 

A remarkable 57% of Australian SMEs expect positive revenue growth over the next six months – a seven year high – while a record 32% are forecasting a contraction in growth.  

For a third straight Index report, the range of SME revenue growth projections stretched to a record margin, from a high of +13% to a low of -22%. 

A breakdown of the growth sentiment by location amplifies the fact that a two-speed SME economy remains at play across the country: 

·         West Australian and Queensland based SMEs are the nation’s most upbeat, with 92% and 84% respectively predicting positive revenue growth in the next six months.

·         Victorian SMEs remains the nation’s most negative with just 17% forecasting positive revenue growth – the only State under 50% – and a concerning 69% warning of income decline. 

·         Regional SMEs across the country reported a brighter outlook than their metro-based counterparts, with just 17% projecting a contraction in revenue compared with 38% of SMEs in urban centres.

ScotPac CEO, Jon Sutton, said although it was clear that rising costs are taking a toll on business owners, the resilience of Australian SMEs was again on display in these results. 

“Australian SMEs account for 97% of all businesses in this country and employ nearly 8 million people, so the way they feel about their growth prospects has a big say in the health of the national economy,” Mr Sutton said. 

“While the full impact of recent award and minimum wage increases is yet to filter through, the fact that average SME growth forecasts remain at near record levels is a great sign of confidence as inflation begins to taper.

“The positivity in our regions is significant, particularly in WA and Queensland, and it highlights the often-overlooked role of SMEs in our natural resources supply chain. It is also symbolic of the resurgence in our domestic and international tourism sectors. 

“At the other end of the scale, the outlook for Victorian SMEs remains at pandemic-level lows and is nearing the point where policy intervention is required to provide targeted relief and boost opportunities and confidence,” Mr Sutton said. 

Delivery data released by CouriersPlease, one of Australia’s leading parcel delivery services, reveals that demand for next-day parcel deliveries is booming, underscoring the dynamic shifts in consumer behaviours, as ‘snail mail’ continues to come under pressure. 

CouriersPlease parcel delivery volumes are up 25 per cent on the previous year for the September 2023 quarter. Its delivery data also reveals a 47 per cent growth in same-day metro deliveries. The significant increase showcases growing shopper preferences for faster deliveries to their doors.

Commenting on the results, CEO Richard Thame said: “CouriersPlease has achieved significant growth already this year, largely through the onboarding of a number of large Australian retail customers who share our understanding that customers are doing it tough and need the best-value product and parcel delivery options.” 

CouriersPlease’s extensive network of 3000 secure and convenient pick-up and drop-off locations empowers consumers to effortlessly retrieve and send parcels on their own schedule. Many of these locations are open beyond traditional retail hours, ensuring flexibility and convenience for customers.

Richard says: “Same-day and next-day metro deliveries are our core business. Our focus on increasing our agility and adaptability to market needs has enabled us to grow these priority services, giving our customers a better delivery experience.”

CouriersPlease’s delivery data also shows that in the September 2023 quarter, same-day and next-day metro deliveries were 47 per cent higher than all other deliveries. In comparison, in the September 2022 quarter same-day and next-day metro deliveries were just 38 per cent higher than all other deliveries.

Richard says: “At CouriersPlease, we are increasing the digitalisation of our services to disrupt traditional delivery models, which will help maintain our position as a top parcel delivery service in Australia and will significantly improve the delivery experience. During the parcel’s transit, parcel recipients can opt to have the package redelivered to a neighbour’s address, reschedule to another delivery date or redirect to a convenient parcel collection point.  CouriersPlease prides itself on providing choice and best value for our customers.”

With a 40-year heritage, CouriersPlease has grown to a national network of more than 1200 franchise and delivery partners, 400-plus freight handlers and 18 freight depots across nearly 850 active territories. 

Top 7 suburbs for same-day and next-day deliveries: Sydney and Melbourne dominate rankings

CouriersPlease’s delivery data has also revealed the suburbs where residents are shopping the most and wanting their parcels faster than other areas across the nation. 

Sydney dominates the ranking of top 7 suburbs for same-day deliveries in 2023

Five Sydney suburbs make up the top five in the ranking. Melbourne suburbs made up the last two of the top seven.

1. Moorebank, in south-west Sydney
2. Kemps Creek, in Sydney’s west
3. Richlands, an outer south-western suburb of Brisbane 
4. Marsden Park, in Sydney’s outer north west
5. Eastern Creek, in Sydney’s west
6. Dandenong South, in Melbourne’s south
7. Tullamarine, in Melbourne’s north.

Melbourne dominates the ranking of top 7 suburbs for next-day deliveries in 2023

Four Melbourne suburbs make up the list, which was topped by Melbourne’s Braeside. Sydney was hot on the heels, with three suburbs represented in the ranking. 

1. Braeside, in Melbourne’s south
2. Alexandria, in Sydney’s inner west
3. Dandenong South, in Melbourne’s south
4. Craigieburn, in Melbourne’s north
5. Prestons, in Sydney’s outer west
6. Moorebank, in south-west Sydney
7. Altona, in Melbourne’s south west.

The Happiest Hour, is your wingperson in the world of food & drink offers, hooking you up with the hottest specials around. The Happiest Hour’s mission is to empower people to find great offers and to eat and drink out more with family and friends, whilst supporting great local venues.

Joonas Karppinen says:“I co-founded The Happiest Hour as Australia has some of the pubs in the world, and many have great happy hours and weekly food specials, but they are difficult to find on a reliable platform. What’s better than visiting a great pub special with family or friends? 

The business was launched in 2004 well before even smartphones existed. The first version involved having an email database of people who wanted to receive a weekly email on the latest pub specials in their area. Pub managers would email us their latest offers and we’d then let our database know what they may be most interested in. 

Then in the late 2000s, the launch of the iphone as the first smartphone led us down the path of creating a user-friendly app to allow people to find the most relevant pub specials to them, and we’ve had a live app since then, with well over 250k organic app downloads over the years and over 150k monthly searches on our platform.”

COVID shut down the hospitality industry for two years. The Happiest Hour just relaunched their new platform. The Happiest Hour has over 1000 pubs in Sydney and Melbourne on board with plans to expand nationally.

Joonas concludes: “Firstly, Covid has caused a shift of over $1b of revenue from on-premise dining in pubs to food delivery. We want to support local pubs and move a large chunk of this revenue back to on-premise. 

Secondly, Covid instigated antisocial stay at home habits which have lingered on much longer than many anticipated. We want to play a role in getting people back out to local venues with family and friends, fully aware that social connections are the key to happiness.*

Finally, the reality of the current economic climate and the cost of living pressures associated with it, are that the two factors mentioned above are further reinforced. Our users tell us that our platform enables them to get out more with family and friends, while supporting local venues. “

Reference: https://www.forbes.com/sites/adriangostick/2023/08/15/harvard-research-reveals-the-1-key-to-living-longer-and-happier/?sh=1bd90e2cf718). 

Workplace collaboration platform, Dropbox has just revealed Australia has ranked second globally in the greatest number of hours and dollars lost, due to work distractions each year.

Titled the ‘Economist Impact Study: The Cost of Lost Focus’, the report, commissioned by Dropbox, highlighted Australian knowledge workers are losing 600 hours, equivalent to USD$19,156, annually, placing us just behind France (608 hours), in terms of the impact on businesses.

The report sheds light on the challenges faced by knowledge workers today, revealing that 42% of survey respondents struggle to work productively for more than an hour without interruptions. To this, the study indicates knowledge workers are increasingly turning to automation tools, including AI, for assistance. Of those surveyed who use such tools, 79% reported increased productivity, while nearly 75% noted improvements in work quality and time spent on repetitive tasks. Additionally, almost 70% mentioned improved organisation.

Work Distractions key findings in Australia:

• Primary work distractions leading to lost focus include:
  • Work-related chat messages (166 hours)
  • Personal activities (146 hours)
  • Work-related emails (82 hours)
• Australians spend an average of 131 hours annually trying to regain focus, tying with the United Kingdom.

Head of APAC at Dropbox, Pia Broadley “People are experiencing information overload and disjointed workflows at unprecedented levels, leading to a waste of brain power on ‘work about work.’ The research highlights that distraction has become a common problem for knowledge workers and this is costing Australian businesses. We’re building products that have the potential to help solve this problem by automating routine tasks, increasing productivity, and freeing up mental space so people can get back to doing work that matters most. The updates we’re launching today are just the first step on this journey.”

Please find full Economist report here.