Land tax rental details come under question
August 20, 2008
Ballina MP Don Page has questioned the State Government’s need to obtain details of rent, outgoings, lease terms, tenant’s parking and rent reviews for land tax purposes when land tax is simply calculated on the unimproved value of land.
“The New South Wales Government should explain why it is asking land holders and small businesses to provide detailed information about rental agreements as part of its process for determining land valuations for rating and taxing purposes, including land tax assessment,” Mr Page said.
“This additional information involves property owners, their managing agents and many small businesses spending huge amounts of time filling out forms when it’s totally irrelevant to land tax assessment.
“Land tax is levied on the unimproved value of land!
Read more
Renewable energy set to become the new boom business
August 20, 2008
A Southern Cross University academic has highlighted that Australia is about to commence a boom in renewable energy opportunities.
Adjunct Professor Michael Christie, from the Graduate Research College, said renewable energy was going to become one of Australia’s boom industries over the next 10 years.
Currently small businesses are missing out on being participants in this boom, he said.
“Australian governments provide assistance for households and community groups to participate in renewable energy. But at the same time, each year approximately $10 billion of government subsidies are paid for fossil fuels including to electric power generators,” Professor Christie said.
Increased tourism funding part of draft strategy
August 19, 2008
Increased funding for regional tourism including the Northern Rivers is a component of the draft strategy for NSW Tourism released by Tourism Minister Matt Brown.
$10.5 million for regional tourism in additional funding over three years is long overdue, but its great news and welcomed by Northern Rivers Tourism, said the CEO, Russell Mills.
Currently Northern Rivers Tourism’s government funding is $111,000 a year and this has the potential to more than double, with the possibility of further funding where it is matched by industry and local government.
“The 13 regional tourism organisations developed for the first time a united strategy which ensures that the regions can take charge of their own destiny; this is now reflected in the draft paper and submitted to the NSW Government for approval by Cabinet,” Mr Mills said.
‘Alcopop’ liquor tax a failure, say bottle shop owners
August 13, 2008
Liquor retailers on the Far North Coast overwhelmingly believe the Federal Government’s controversial ‘alcopop’ tax trial is a complete failure and – rather than reduce alcohol consumption – has merely encouraged residents to turn to other forms of alcohol.
This is according to a survey of 15 local bottle shop owners and managers which gauged their attitudes to, and the implications of, the 70% tax hike on Ready-to-Drink (RTD) alcohol products introduced by the Federal Government in April.
The survey, commissioned by the Distilled Spirits Industry Council of Australia (DSICA), revealed strong opposition to the tax from local liquor retailers: Read more
Broadwater now has a piece of the Kimberley
August 12, 2008
A piece of the Kimberley has come to Broadwater Sugar Mill.
Corrosion has caused the old Broadwater boiler stack, or chimney, to be replaced.
A leak was discovered in the side of the stack on July 4 and crushing stopped to allow for a thorough inspection.
The 12-year-old stack was badly corroded and needed replacement for operational and safety reasons. The stack was dismantled on the weekend of July 5 and 6.
The only available replacement stack was located in Kununurra, in the Kimberley district of Western Australia, and this was cut into four sections and trucked to Broadwater to be reassembled and erected.
Northern Rivers Tourism launches new website
August 6, 2008
Northern Rivers Tourism launched a new website today, designed for visitors and the regional tourism industry.
“The new website’s two-fold purpose will help us build a more proactive and unified tourism industry in the Northern Rivers as well as present what we have to offer to potential travellers from other parts of Australia and overseas,” says the CEO of Northern Rivers Tourism, Russell Mills.
Northern Rivers Tourism (NRT) is the peak body for the region, offering membership benefits to operators such as professional development and marketing opportunities, interpreted market intelligence, as well as providing the voice for the region on significant national and international tourism marketing issues.
The launch of the new website also sees the launch of premium membership of NRT to help expand its range of services to members.
Retaining the family businesses is the subject of research
July 28, 2008
A Southern Cross University researcher is taking a close look at how Australian family enterprises can optimise their chances of retaining ownership of their business generation after generation.
Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) candidate Tony Scotland, who has 30 years management experience, aims to explore the keys to success behind third and fourth generation enterprises.
Mr Scotland said that family businesses were vital to the Australian and global economies.
“If you define a family business as an enterprise in which the family has greater than 50 per cent control, then Wal Mart, BMW, News Corporation and the local deli all fall into this category,” said Mr Scotland.
SCU academic questions governments’ attitude to renewable energy
July 23, 2008
A Southern Cross University academic has questioned whether Australian governments are making the most of the renewable energy opportunities that are currently available.
Adjunct Professor Michael Christie (pictured), from the Graduate Research College, said the world was currently in a period of human history where there were a great number of mitigating circumstances moving the human population away from its high dependence on fossil fuels.
“Nations like Australia are going to be judged by how timely they put in place efficient and effective public policy,” Professor Christie said.
Professor Christie is critical of the Federal Government’s recent imposition of a means test on the solar rebate — excluding people with a household income over $100,000 from claiming the rebate.
Plastic recycling technology wins Innovation Award
July 9, 2008
After a record number of entries, Invest Northern Rivers (INR) has announced the winner of the 2008 INR Technology and Innovation Awards, and Ballina inventor Bill Howell from Cycloplas has won the Country Energy Northern Rivers Inventor of the Year award.
Bill has developed a technology to convert unwashed and unsorted waste plastic into a value added product.
Flood, frost damage affecting cane crush
July 3, 2008
New South Wales sugar mills crushed 81,155 tonnes of crop in the week ending June 29.
Condong Mill crushed 18,653 tonnes of mainly whole cane, with evidence of 2007 flood and frost damage.
Broadwater Mill crushed 32,124 tonnes with cane quality generally good.
Cane from the upper reaches of the Richmond River is also showing severe effects of last year’s frosting.
Harwood Mill crushed 30,378 tonnes, with road bridge repairs at Harwood and Maclean causing delays to cane transport.
