From the editor
Two weeks ago my inbox was full of bad news, words like ‘free-fall’ and ‘disaster’ were dominating subject lines. Less than a fortnight later, the language has started to change. It’s still a challenging time, but businesses are starting to use words like ‘innovative’ and ‘new’ in their comms.
This new language suggests organisations are starting to find ways to stay connected with customers for when the upturn occurs.
Below we’ve got some great examples of businesses that are adapting their services and products to stay present and provide work for some of their staff during this difficult period.
Self-employed or business owner? Govt to pay each employee $1500 per fortnight
The Federal Government will provide businesses with $1500 a fortnight to pay each employee, for six months under the JobKeeper Payment scheme.
- You must have lost 30 percent turnover.
- Employees must have been on the payroll from 1 March 2020.
- Includes stood-down and re-hired people.
- Covers not-for-profits and self-employed.
- Includes full-time, part-time, and casuals employed for at least a year.
Unlike the Boosting cash flow for employers scheme, you must apply for this scheme.
You can’t apply officially yet, but you can register to receive updates on the ATO’s website here.
The first payment will be received by employers from the ATO in the first week of May.
Rescheduled dates for the Event Organisers Summits
We’ve rescheduled the dates for the Event Organisers Summits for the remainder of the year. Lock these into your calendar:
- Melbourne: 8 October 2020
- Sydney: 20 October 2020
- Brisbane: 29 October 2020
These events are small (<100 pax), targeted and safe, click here to apply.
Read: New tech brings touch to virtual events
Creative and event production agency, Fourth Wall, have whipped together a unique new event platform that brings physical elements into remote and virtual events.
The product, called EventCast, was showcased on Tuesday. Partnering with Deloitte Digital, Fourth Wall hosted a 90-minute masterclass on the combination of digital and tactile experiences, or as they like to call it, ‘Digitile’.
Five star drive through and take away!
This is not a drill people. No longer do we have to suffer through greasy fast food to have a drive-through experience. Spicers Retreats are kicking takeaway dining up a notch (or five) by offering their award-winning, five-star meals takeaway.
These Spicers venues adapted their menus so you can have a gourmet grab n’ go:
The Balfour Kitchen, Spicers Balfour Hotel, New Farm
The Tamarind Restaurant, Tamarind Retreat, Maleny
Homage Restaurant, Spicers Hidden Vale, Grandchester
Eremo Restaurant, Spicers Guesthouse, Hunter Valley
“Our regular and local dinners were quite anxious when it was announced that they could no longer dine inside our restaurant,” said Nick Stapleton, Head Chef at The Balfour Kitchen.
“Because we continue to provide nourishment to our in-house guests with room service or takeaway, we decided that we should expand the availability of our restaurant menu to those who are at home or those who need a break from cooking.”
“Make my sanitiser a double”
The public’s scramble to scoop up as many bottles of hand sanitiser as possible has caused a severe shortage of the essential product.
Some nimble distilleries have stepped up to the plate and started using their kit to develop high-quality hand sanitiser for essential workers and the general public.
Husk Distillers (the producers of Ink Gin) out of Tumbulgum and Byron outfit, Cape Byron Distillery (the minds behind Brooke’s Byron Gin) have both switched gears to help produce sanitiser for locals on the NSW North Coast and further abroad.
Read: Morning tea meetings for North Coast business events community
Destination North Coast NSW (DNC) has launched a series of virtual meetings to keep a ‘health check’ on the Business Events community and stakeholders on the North Coast over the next three months.
“DNC has organised #allinthistogether a series of morning tea meetings to ensure that our community stays connected and that our people feel valued, even if they are temporarily out of a job.”
Look after yourself with these Hotels
Frasers Hospitality Australia is inviting you to ‘Stay a While at Frasers‘, offering discounted rates, free wifi and a whole range of other benefits for those booking 14+ night stays.
For when things pick up, Rydges Geelong has opened the doors to a completely new dining experience, Nautica Pool Bar & Kitchen, for those looking to unwind and relax—if only for an afternoon.
Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas are bringing their unique brand of wellness to social media, with regular Facebook Live broadcasts covering ‘flu-fighting recipes’ to yoga and meditation sessions.
