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 In my office at Parliament House with students from Hunter Sports High School 26 November |
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Posted December 2008
Invitation to Free Workshop - Managing Through Turbulent Times
Trial Workshop Series
Newcastle - Tuesday, 9 December 2008
10.30am for 11.00 to 1.30pm At Hunter Trade & Investment Centre Level 3, 251 Wharf Road Newcastle The effect of the global economic downturn is having an impact on the small businesses of New South Wales, and the NSW Department of State and Regional Development is designing a series of workshops, called Managing through Turbulent Times to provide businesses with the tools and the advice to work through the downturn, and stay abreast of the challenges. THE PROGRAM The Economic Outlook Craig James of CommSec delivers the keynote address with an economic outlook analysing what has happened thus far, and the impact on small business. Financial strategy Matthew Nolan of Provident Cashflow discusses how to re-define a financial strategy, and the road ahead to continued economic success. Customer retention Carolyn Stafford of Connect Marketing shows how to keep customers, and a business on track by ensuring clients are properly served. Managing through Turbulent Times workshops are designed to help the small businesses of New South Wales prepare for the year ahead. Register your attendance by emailing: reception@businesscentre.com.au RSVP 5 December 2008 For more information, please phone Suzette Gaff, DSRD, on 02 4908 7340. Posted December 2008 Greg Piper Demands a Fair Go for Drivers Mr Greg Piper, Member for Lake Macquarie, welcomes the Roads Minister 's recent commitment to reducing demerit points for low range speeding offences but believes that there are other important iniquities in the system. "The Minister is correct in amending the law under which two minor speeding offences would see a driver disqualified for three months. Part of the problem is that those offences and subsequent penalties have no regard for the differing number of kilometres travelled by drivers", Mr Piper said. "This is a trap that's catching many who are obviously not 'hoons' or irresponsible drivers." "The greatest distortion of natural justice occurs when a Magistrate dismisses a minor speeding offence because of extenuating circumstances. Under that scenario the Magistrate does not have the power to stop the RTA applying demerit points for someone caught by a speed camera, even if the offender was driving an accident victim to hospital", Mr Piper said. In Parliament today, Mr Piper asked Premier Nathan Rees whether the Government believes it reasonable that penalty points are applied even where a Magistrate dismisses a traffic infringement and regardless of the circumstances. He also asked whether the authority to determine this should be returned to the judiciary. "We know the Government is financially challenged and relies heavily on camera income, but the cost of this change would be almost nothing. You never know, they might even get some kudos if they play a straight ball on this one", Mr Piper said. Mr Piper has written to the Minister for Roads, Hon Michael Daley, asking for a review of the jurisdiction currently granted to the RTA under 14 (2) (a) of Road Transport (Driver Licensing) Act 1998 with a view to its repeal or amendment. |
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