IGNORANCE IS NO EXCUSE
Human element the biggest cyber-risk
THE human element of cyber-risk presents one of the biggest challenges in the security environment, says expert Mario Bekes.
GOVT SET TO MOVE IN
Parramatta Square attracts major tenant
PARRAMATTA City has welcomed the State Government's commitment to take up a major tenancy in Parramatta Square in the heart of Sydney's Central City.
BUILDING A GREAT CITY
Let's reflect on a progressive 2016
By Geoff Lee
MOST nights when you turn on the TV there is a great news story about Parramatta.
FROM HUMBLE BEGINNINGS
Hills business eyes Sundance
By Hardeep Girn
IN a world where marketing floods our lives at breakneck speed, the challenge for business is how to achieve cut through and reach their desired audience with enough impact to cause people to act.
FACE SAYS IT ALL
Digital verification for home loans
HASHCHING, Australia’s first online marketplace for home loans, is launching a pilot for a new biometric identity verification service.
FUNDS FOR CONGESTED NORWEST
$500,000 for Boulevard upgrade
ONE of Western Sydney’s busiest roads is about to benefit from a $500,000 upgrade.
DRUG FREE INDUSTRIAL PRECINCTS
Creating safe working environments
By Craig Hingston
DRUG Safe Communities has announced a strategy to establish the nation's first drug safe industrial community in Western Sydney.
The organisation, which was founded by long time anti-drugs campaigner Michael White, will focus their efforts initially on the Wetherill Park-Smithfield region.
Michael started his crusade in the late 90s after losing his business partner to heroin addiction, a tragedy which led to the closure of that business.
The announcement was made at a breakfast at Eastern Creek organised by the Cumberland Business Chamber. The event was named Navigating The 21st Century Ice Age". Dr Tharid Ali was announced as the person to lead the campaign.
"It's all about changing lives and creating safe working environments," Michael said.
"For employers, it also means increased productivity, improved morale and reduced insurance premiums when your work place is drug safe."
Michael said his organisation has already reduced drug use from 15 percent to just one percent in Western Sydney companies.
"Seventy percent of drug users are employed. They need their jobs to support their habits. Two thirds of them use their drugs at work,” he said.
“Some business owners believe they know their staff but my own story shows just how you can be taken completely by surprise and lose everything you have to drugs.
"When you consider that some employees are operating complex equipment and machinery and they drive vehicles on the road and in warehouses, what is the potential risk to them and their work mates.”
Michael said Drug Safe Communities assists employers by running drug awareness workshops. Testing of staff is confidential and they try to keep people in their jobs. When they find people with an addiction issue they refer them to specially trained counselling services.
Dr Tharid Ali is preparing to meet with business in Wetherill Park and Smithfield.
Drug Safe Communities provides screening and testing services (oral fluid, urine and alcohol), assistance with development of policies and procedures, education workshops and training, competency courses, alcohol and other drugs awareness, mobile clinics, self-testing kits and test results analysis.
Contact the Cumberland Business Chamber for more information: 02 9757 4794.
COMMENT: EVOLUTION OF TROPFEST
Success from challenging perceptions
By Dr Andy Marks
“THERE is no way I’m going to hop on a train and go to the middle of nowhere for it,” remarked Inner West film producer, Adam St John, when told of the move of Tropfest to Parramatta.
NAB CONSIDERS PARRAMATTA MOVE
NAB announcement a coup for Council
THE National Australia Bank, (NAB) appears likely to become an anchor tenant at Parramatta Council and Walkercorp's Parramatta Square project.
UNION VS COUNCIL IN GARBAGE BATTLE
Fears over waste privatisation
By Iliana Stillitano
WASTE services staff at Cumberland Council face an uncertain future with fears the garbage collection will be privatised.
