February General Meeting Minutes

General Meeting

12 February 2020
Held at Harrington Grove Country Club

The meeting was opened at 6.40pm.

Welcome – Shaun Pereira, President

Shaun welcomed everyone to the first meeting of 2020.  Shaun welcomed guests – Minister Stuart Ayres, MP Peter Sidgreaves, Mayor Theresa Fedeli and her husband Frank, Chris Patterson (past MP), Brett McGrath (past President), Harry Hunt OAM, Tamlyn van Zyst (Campbelltown Chamber).  As well as Life Member Ian Wolf, Sponsors, Chamber members, guests.

Apologies

Cr Cindy Cagney – Camden Council
Colin & Sandra Fletcher – Hire A Hubby Camden
Jean Galloway – Galloway Conveyancing
Sue & Trevor Robinson – The Strictly Limited Co
Tony & Cathy Perich – Narellan Town Centre

President’s Report

Shaun advised:

• Welcome to 2020 – already a strong start for the Chamber
• Tonight’s event was booked out with an expected attendance of 180
• Looking forward to hearing Minister Stuart Ayres
• Thank you to Steve Marriott and the RFS for everything over the recent summer months
• Menangle Country Club is now open – check it out
• Debbie Roberts of CRET is a Finalist in the Women of the West Awards

Secretary’s Report – Amy Woodley

Amy advised the Minutes from 13 November 2019 were on the website and were moved by Leanne Wolf, seconded by Geoff Rogers and accepted.  No business was arising from those Minutes.

Treasurer’s Report – Amy Woodley, Treasurer

Amy presented the Treasurers Report as at 31 January 2020.  YTD income is $212,913, surplus $12,528, current Cash at Bank is $112,474.  The report was moved by Pania Gregson, seconded by Kaisha Gambell and accepted.

Membership Update – Sandra Bartlett, Membership Co-ordinator

Current membership is 198 financial members. 

New members – Access Law Group, Bespoke Admin, Beyond Leadership Coaching, Brick Studios, DEFSYS Group, GPL Partners, Guardian Funerals, Hire A Hubby Camden, Mezza Train Narellan, Power Save, RADI Electrical, Scouts NSW Hume Region, Tiger Electrical Solutions, and Watson Law.

Member’s spotlight video was shown by Combined Commercial Pty Ltd and Clinton’s Motor Group.

Member Spotlight promo draw for March 2020 meeting – Richard Lenarduzzi of The Premier Communications Group

Members Facebook promo draw – Anne Parnham of The Lighting Centre Campbelltown.

CRET Update – Debbie Roberts

• International Women’s Day on March 5^th at Camden Valley Inn – guest speaker is Kerri-Anne Kennerley
• Bushfires – practical assistance available and also a rebuild portal
• NSW Women in Business TAFE program
• Energy efficiency
• NSW Treasury – Small business strategy
• Upcoming workshops
• CRET website for all further details – https://www.cret.com.au/

Business Tip – Natalie Herd of Absolutely Fabulous

• Business plan
• Rework and redirect
• Who is your ideal client
• Sustainability
• Quality
• Relationship with clients
• Maintain standards
• Say no if the job isn’t right

What’s On – Steve Moore, VP Communications

Steve advised the following upcoming events:

• Campbelltown Chamber of Commerce – 19 February at Campbelltown Catholic club
• Club Menangle NSW Oaks and Ladies Night – 29 February
• MDS Jamm & Slamm – 6March at Minto Indoor Sports Centre
• Narellan Chamber TGIF Social Drinks – Friday, 6 March from 5pm at Gregory Hills Hotel
• Lifeline Ball – Saturday, 7 March at The Cube, Campbelltown Catholic Club
• Youth Solutions Charity Golf Day – Friday, 20 March 2020 at Campbelltown Golf Club
• Mezza Train Narellan support for bushfire appeal – Sunday, 1 March from 5pm
• Dr Brent Coker – TGNBC on Wednesday, 11 March at Menangle Country Club

Local Update – Steve Marriott, Group Captain Macarthur RFS

The 2019/2020 Bushfires ~ An RFS Macarthur Perspective

• 5.2m hectares burnt in NSW
• 25 fatalities in NSW
• Local
  • Green Wattle Creek – 278,000 hectares burnt in 74 days
  • Gospers Mounting – 500,000 hectares burnt in 107 days
  • Both started by lightning strikes
• 28 trucks across 16 brigades in the Macarthur Region deployed
• Why do they do what they do – the Macarthur community

Sponsorship Update – Kaisha Gambell

Sue acknowledged all the sponsors – Gold, Silver and Bronze.  And the Support Partners and Media Partners.

Sue then introduced the evenings Sponsors for their presentations:

• Silver Sponsor – Hillross Macarthur
• Bronze Sponsor – Premise Australia Pty Ltd (formerly Geolyse Pty Ltd)

Speaker Presentation

Shaun introduced the evenings guest speaker – The Hon. Stuart Ayres MP, NSW Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism & Western Sydney, Member for Penrith

• Greater Sydney Commission
  • Western Sydney Aerotropolis
  • 11,000 hectares
  • Centrepiece of the Western Sydney Parklands
  • Population and economic growth
  • Creating 200,000 additional jobs
• Western Sydney City Deal – North/South rail link
• Western Sydney Airport Corporation
  • Federal Government budget $
  • 4 universities to make a Multi Varsity (UNSW, Newcastle, Western Sydney & Wollongong)
  • UTS
  • TAFE
  • Overseas business interests
  • Draw on skilled community – Western Sydney
  • 2^nd stage of master planning – The Aerotropolis Plan
  • STEM
  • Shorten up supply chain for agriculture
• Parklands city

Question & Answers

• Anne Parnham of the NSW Business Chamber – Train stations, severe lack of parking, 5-6 storey at Leppington & Leumeah & Campbelltown
  • Currently playing catchup.  Yes, need to build infrastructure as growth arrives.  Utilise technology to prioritise parking for commuters and paid parking.
• Powerpack Solutions – Jobs action plan & $2,000 for new employee, anything coming to replace it
  • Don’t have an efficient replacement for payroll tax.  Use to reinvest back into infrastructure.  Updating jobs action plan – want to test if there is something else – budget in June 2020.
• Matthew Palazzolo – Water storage and security
  • 40% dam capacity now to 70% in recent days.  Appropriate flood mitigation.  Get better at recycling and stop wastage.
• Premier Communications – Economic benefit of owing the airport
  • Biggest owners are Australian Superannuation funds.  Australia built on foreign investment.  Need to control the rules on foreign ownership
• Corridor preservation
  • North/South rail line – corridor alignment.  Outer Sydney Orbital – still sorting feedback.  Freight rail corridor.
• M9 and Port Kembla
  • Only to the Hume Highway
• Ian Wolf – Maldon Dombarton rail line
  • Open up greater access out of Port Kembla.  Being able to access.  Projects aren’t cheap.

Shaun thanked Minister Ayres for his information and presence at the meeting.

Lucky Door Prize

Donated by Narellan Chamber and won by David Taylor of Dartwest

Donated by Hillross Macarthur and won by Vivian of Coutts Solicitors & Conveyancers

Donated by Hillross Macarthur and won by John Pereira of Pereira Realty Group

Donated by Premise Australia Pty Ltd and won by Desiree Crawford of Beyond Leadership Coaching

Closing Remarks – Shaun Pereira

Shaun thanked everyone for supporting another great meeting.  Thank you Minister Ayres and Steve Marriott of the Macarthur RFS.  Thank you to the Board and Nat and Wendy for making the meeting happen again.

There is a membership survey being finalised that will be coming out soon.

TGIF Social Drinks on March 6^th at Gregory Hills Hotel from 5pm.

See you all on March 11^th for Dr Brent Coker at the new Menangle Country Club from 6.00pm for a 6.30pm start. 

There being no further business, the meeting was closed at 8.42pm.