Business Hunter CEO Encourages Optus To Compensate Local Businesses

BY HOLLY FISHLOCK

Following yesterday's Optus outage, the CEO of Business Hunter says he's hopeful local Optus customers will be offered some kind of compensation.

Optus CEO Kelly Bayer Rosmarin said yesterday the provider would consider the possibility of compensation for customers.

But, despite thousands of businesses losing millions of dollars during the outage, Optus is yet to confirm if any compensation will be offered.

Bob Hawes says customers are anxiously awaiting answers.

"I'm hopeful that Optus will be wanting to preserve it's customer base and do the right thing by it's loyal customers and make some announcements," he said. 

Mr Hawes said local business owners are exploring their options.

"I'm sure more questions will be asked by businesses now; a lot more focus and importance will be placed on decisions made about who they go with, and what sort of system support is in place.

He also reports owners are already questioning whether or not their business interruption insurance will kick-in, as they await more news from the TELCO. 

Communications Minister Michelle Rowland is urging business in the region to hold into their receipts to show proof of economic loss. 

Show Day Public Holiday Proposal Opposed By Hunter Business Leaders

BY OLIVIA GOELDNER

Business executives and some Newcastle Councillors are still not on board with an idea to put a public holiday in place on Show Day, despite the majority of residents coming out in support of the idea. 

An astounding 84 percent of the 114 submissions made on the action came out in support of a public holiday. With many saying the holiday would be a reward to Hunter workers, allowing them to celebrate their local area. 

Despite the majority approval, some see the March 1st holiday as a risk to local businesses. 

One of the opposing figures being Chief Executive of Business Hunter Bob Hawes, who says the public holiday "places serious stress on local businesses over which they have no control". 

He believes the holiday will incur additional charges to consumers due to increased wages. 

A local event day has been put forward as an alternative, which would allow employers to make decisions about time off and rates individually. 

Bob Hawes said this would be a more appropriate option for the region. 

"Businesses to a greater extent have a choice... and those who don't wish to participate and don't wish to pay the additional costs that are consequential to a public holiday, aren't exposed to that stress," he said. 

Amidst already stressful times with rising inflation and cost-of-living, Newcastle Liberal councillors Callum Pull and Katrina Wark, agree with the alternative. 

Urgent Investment Needed for Renewables

BY OLIVIA DILLON 

The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO), says urgent investment is needed for the Hunter's renewable energy projects. 

With the upcoming closure of the Liddell Power Station, the Operator has updated the 2022 Electricity Statement of Opportunities, and says projects in the pipeline need to be fast-tracked, to avoid the continuation of soaring energy costs. 

The update reflects key concerns already held by the region's peak business body. 

Business Hunter CEO Bob Hawes, said measures need to be put in place across the region, to prepare businesses and households for the possibility renewables won't initially be able to match domestic demand. 

"We've got to now stress more strongly to businesses and the community, to look much more carefully at energy conservation measures; how they can put in place measures that will reduce their energy consumption as a way to offset the pressure that they're likely to come under as power shortages continue," Mr Hawes said. 

"If they do, it's likely we're not going to see the stabilization of prices at all. Prices are likely to stay quite high." 

He also said with the election coming up in March, investment in renewables should be a priority. 

"We're recommending the incoming state government look at the opportunity to automatically designate any renewable energy project as a state-significant infrastructure project, so it moves quickly through the planning process," Mr Hawes said. 

"We need to give these projects as much support as we possibly can, because at the moment it's looking a little bit grim based on AEMO's forecast."  

Hunter businesses anxious ahead of Christmas

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Hunter businesses are bracing for more uncertainty and are more concerned than the NSW average, according to the latest Business Conditions Survey.

39 percent of local businesses told Business Hunter, they are "extremely concerned" about the impact of rising interest rates on business expansion plans.

The region's business confidence index is expected to fall to -72.5 in the next quarter, nearing a lowest possible score of -100. 

CEO Bob Hawes says it's the first time businesses have been less optimistic about the future than the present, since the pandemic began.

Staff shortages, energy prices, supply chain issues, and interest rates remain serious concerns.

Offshore wind potential welcomed by Hunter's peak business body

BY DAKOTA TAIT

The Hunter's peak business body is welcoming the Federal Government's hopes to develop an offshore wind farm on the region's coast.

The Federal Energy Minister declared the ocean off Newcastle one of six potential offshore wind zones, to fill the gap in the energy and support the push for a 43 percent emissions reduction by 2030.

Business Hunter CEO Bob Hawes says it's great news for the region, and will gives developers certainty to invest the region.

"We are aware of a range of strong and serious proponent interest in offshore wind projects off the Hunters coast and this was re-affirmed in the expression of interest process for the Renewable Energy Zone in the Hunter run recently by the NSW Government," he said.

"The Hunter is ideally placed to have offshore wind farms, with onshore transmission infrastructure largely in place and potential offtakes required to support the ventures also identified that would support an offshore wind farm and more broadly a national renewable energy industry."

"Having local large users of energy in proximity will not only give confidence to project proponents but also the users of the energy as they would face a bleak future if we don’t commission renewable energy projects that have a capacity to generate reliable and affordable power at scale."

Hunter businesses hoping for last-minute voucher cash splash

BY DAKOTA TAIT

We're being encouraged to spend our Dine and Discover vouchers in the Hunter, before they expire at the end of the month.

It's estimated, there's around $300 million unspent across NSW, which is set to vanish on June 30.

According to Business Hunter, with around ten percent of the state's population in the Hunter, there's $30 million yet to be used locally.

CEO Bob Hawes says there's no point letting the vouchers go to waste, when local business could benefit.

"That's quite a significant amount of money to spend in a relatively short period of time," he said.

"We really encourage people to have a look at their app or to go online to the Service NSW website and check their eligibility."

There's concern the vouchers have been forgotten as COVID restrictions eased and check-ins and other requirements have been dropped from shop windows.

The Stay NSW voucher for accommodation doesn't expire until October, but we're being urged to use the six Dine and Discover vouchers in the next week.

"It's an opportunity for people to start googling and asking places whether they take the vouchers, and if they do, get out and have a very busy weekend," Mr Hawes said.

"Businesses really do need people's support, so it's up to our community to have a good look."

Minimum wage hike met with enthusiasm and anxiety across the Hunter

BY DAKOTA TAIT

The Hunter's low income workers are welcoming a boost to the minimum wage, but the business community is worried, it could slow things down coming out of the pandemic.

The Fair Work Commission announced on Wednesday, it would up wages by 5.2 percent, as well as award rates by 4.6 percent.

The Australian Council of Trade Unions called for a hike as high as 5.5 percent, while key business groups argued it couldn't afford to be any higher than 2.5 to 3 percent.

Hunter Workers Secretary Leigh Shears says it's a very welcome move.

"It's an absolute sigh of relief," he said. "It still falls short somewhat, but it could have been significantly worse."

"A 5.2 percent increase is a historical moment and it is a win for working people."

The same enthusiasm hasn't been shared by the business community, where there's concern it's but another cost to cover. 

Business Hunter CEO Bob Hawes says workers deserve relief from cost-of-living pressures, but it will be another strain on local business.

"Rising costs of input, costs of energy going up, and a whole bunch of other things," he said.

"In many cases, they haven't been able to pass those costs on, so another cost impost like this might make it difficult.

"We just hope that it won't result in having to put people off as a consequence."

Unions say, however, it's ultimately a win-win situation, and the money will circle back around to businesses.

"The important thing to remember is small businesses rely on people to have disposable income and to spend money in their shops," Mr Shears said.

"There were some small businesses [on Wednesday] talking about the bulk of their customers are people on low income, so a boost to their wages is a boost to small business."

For workers in aviation, tourism, and hospitality, the wage hike has been delayed until October 1.

Mr Hawes says there's hope businesses will be able to find a stable footing before then.

"For those businesses that have suffered badly through COVID, it gives them a chance to take a breath and consider what these cost increases might be," he said.

"There's no doubt that giving money to those on lower incomes has a good pay packet effect - they get out there and spend.

"But obviously they've got challenges ahead of them in relation to increasing costs-of-living, and that won't necessarily go back through retail or hospitality business."

Interest rate hike sparks anxiety for Hunter businesses

BY DAKOTA TAIT

There's concern a long-awaited increase to interest rates will hit Hunter businesses hard, just as they were hoping to escape the financial woes of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Reserve Bank announced a cash rate hike to 0.35 percent on Tuesday afternoon, with the big four banks each passing on the increase in full.

Business Hunter CEO Bob Hawes says, with households keeping a closer eye on their budget, it could be bad news for business.

"For us, it's not just the amount that it's gone up but the message that it sends," Mr Hawes said.

"Everyone was expecting this or anticipating it, but now it's going to be interesting what happens with sentiment, because really at the moment, businesses can't afford for people to put their hands in their pockets too much.

"They're really hoping that people continue to get out there and patronise and spend."

It's understood, businesses have already been absorbing cost increases over the past couple of years.

Industry has also been plagued by staff shortages and inflationary pressures on the price of goods, especially as most government support measures were withdrawn after the height of the pandemic.

With more rate hikes on the horizon, Mr Hawes says it's just another burden, and one that isn't likely to go away anytime soon.

"That's something that we've got to watch out for, because it really will have an opportunity - not necessarily just because of the amounts or the absolute amounts of changes in the interest rate - but the sentiment that it sets and the message that it sends about what's happening in the economy," Mr Hawes said.

"People tend to tighten up and not go out to spend and they get more conservative, and that will be a concern for businesses."

Local businesses beaming at 2021 Hunter Business Awards

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Local business owners are beaming, after finishing off a tough year with festivities at the 2021 Hunter Business Awards.

More than 70 finalists attended the celebrations at the Civic Theatre on Wednesday night, where guests enjoyed a surprise encore of Priscilla staged by the Metropolitan Players, before a ceremony announcing the award-winners. 

Business Hunter CEO Bob Hawes says the attendees "made a real night of it".

"Everyone was really pleased to be out at a face-to-face event again," Mr Hawes said.

"Lots of comments about, good to see people live and not over Zoom, in 3D instead of 2D."

16 businesses took awards, with Stephen Hunt of Hunt Hospitality winning Business Leader of the Year, the Port of Newcastle winning for their Contribution for the Region, and Youth Express grabbing the Excellence in Community Enterprise category.

Mr Hawes says it's reassuring for the region's post-COVID recovery.

"Stephen Hunt winning the Business Leader of the Year award, it's a testament to a business that's in an industry that's been absolutely hammered through the pandemic," Mr Hawes said.

"Despite the pandemic, a lot of the business performance that we saw flew in the face of that, and to see the actual ways that people had improved their businesses, not by just getting a gratuitous increase in revenues, but by battening down the hatches, figuring out different ways of doing things, working with their staff to come up with new and innovative ideas."

M1 Motorway Extension To Raymond Terrace Takes Another Step Forward

BY IAN CROUCH

The M1 Motorway extension to Raymond Terrace has taken another step towards fruition with the state government calling for expressions of interest from pre-qualified contractors to build the 2-billion dollar road.

It follows the release of an environmental impact statement in July for the long-awaited 15 kilometre project.

Business Hunter CEO, Bob Hawes has welcomed the announcement, saying they want to capitalise on the whole-of-project economic pipeline.

"Like all major capital projects of this scale, it's the pipeline of subcontract work that the project will open up that is the real opportunity for our local businesses who will have the advantage of proximity to the massive project," he said.

The government is expected to call for tenders in January next year, with construction work likely to start in 2023.

M1 Pacific Motorway Extension Overview
 Picture: Caportal.com.au

Business Hunter Calls For Clear Guidelines On Re-Opening From Lockdown

BY IAN CROUCH

The Hunter's peak business group is calling for certainty when it comes to re-opening the region from Lockdown.

With less than a week to go until Freedom Day, Business Hunter says there needs to be clear guidelines on how businesses can re-open safely.

CEO Bob Hawes is welcoming a concession which allows staff in regional areas with only one vaccine dose to return to work as long as they can provide proof a second dose is coming. 

However this concession does not apply to workers in the health, aged care, education sectors or police.

Bob Hawes says businesses need simple, evidence-based resources for visitors to refer to at points of entry so that the terms of entry are clear. He says the Service NSW app needs to be updated by October 11 to support check-in and vaccination status.

Business Hunter CEO Bob Hawes

Hunter residents urged to spend local this weekend

BY JAMES CARTER    

Business Hunter says COVID lockdowns in Sydney will have an impact on local Hunter business as restrictions cancel school holiday trips.

CEO Bob Hawes says that cancellations open up more opportunity for Hunter residents to book a trip in our own region and keep affected businesses afloat.

"We imagine some people in the Hunter may have changed their plans from wanting to travel outside the region and for those people we are really encouraging  them to have a look at what is in our own backyard"

Cancellations of accommodation, dining and event tickets from visitors to the Hunter opens up an opportunity for residents to support business that have been impacted by the restrictions. 

"We are encouraging people to take advantage of those (cancellations) and see what this region has to offer," Mr Hawes said.

Hunter businesses are seeing similar comparisons in booking trends to those in late 2020, with pre-emptive cancellations and deferments on the rise according to Business Hunter. 

Mr Hawes says Business Hunter is supportive of the NSW Government's precautionary approach to the recent outbreak and has confidence in the contact tracing abilities of NSW Health. 

"We are hoping people in the region get out there and spend, spend, spend and school holidays is always a period that we would like to see activity around our fantastic attractions and we might have to dig deep locally to see that come to par.

"The best thing we can all do is obey the regulations that have been put in place and get vaccinated as soon as we can," Mr Hawes said.

Mr Hawes suggests Hunter residents take advantage of their Dine and Discover vouchers.  

New South Wales residents have until July 31st to use their vouchers, which total to $100 of funds to be spent on dining in at restaurants, cafés, bars, wineries, pubs or clubs or entertainment and recreation, including cultural institutions, live music, and arts venues.

Hunter Business CEO Bob Hawes is urging Hunter residents to spend local
Image: pxhere.com