< PreviousGOVERNMENT OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation The Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation is looking for businesses with the capability to manufacture or supply medical personal protective equipment. Huge international demand for medical supplies to deal with COVID-19 has the potential to impact locally. The pandemic response has also resulted in a massive reduction in business activity. One of the state government activities to potentially help with both these issues has been to call for input from the local business community. The department, working with ICNWA, have launched a project page on ICN Gateway seeking expressions of interest for businesses with manufacturing capability for PPE and supplies such as: • Face masks • Gowns • Safety glasses • Hand sanitiser • Gloves • General health equipment and PPE The department is not just looking for businesses that are already in the medical equipment supply chain. Willing businesses that are in a position to adapt their current processes or collaborate with others to make the needed equipment should also make contact. Businesses with capability or transferable technologies are encouraged to go to gateway.icn.org.au to register and for more detailed information. Call for local medical safety gear production SPONSORED CONTENT “The fact is that we don’t know how to treat this, and unless we get clinical trials in place, no amount of PPE will save you when you need a respirator. “We need to get people on clinical trials as soon as possi- ble, from the first moment they present in hospital. “More importantly, we have to have a sense of understanding which clinical trials … are work- ing.” The aspect of collaboration for foundations funding the COVID-19 response program that are otherwise operating in a competitive environment is testament to the urgency of the work at hand. Vicki Rasmussen, executive director of Charlie’s Foundation, said given the vast impact the pandemic would have on the community, it made sense for WA’s health services community to work collaboratively. “The hospitals, the three main ones, have their nich- es and areas of focus, but this is one focus and it’s state- wide,” Ms Rasmussen told Business News. “It’s giving us the opportunity to … put one project for the en- tire state before everybody and work on this collaboratively.” Jocelyn Young, executive director of RPH’s Medical Re- search Foundation, expressed a similar sentiment, noting a need for everyone in the health services sector to work towards the singular goal of treating COVID-19. “There have been many re- searchers speak about how im- portant it is that we’re linked to the work of the global commu- nity,” Ms Young said. “We can’t operate in isolation. “By being connected and working with colleagues both nationally and internationally, the impact [of clinical research] can be fast tracked.” 2015 WAHTN founded WA on front foot in virus fight Continued from page 39 FIGHT Vicki Rasmussen says COVID-19 has required a collaborative approach from WA’s health services sector. It’s giving us the opportunity to … put one project for the entire state before everybody and work on this collaboratively -Vicki RasmussenENGAGE Ittookfivejudges–MeganMacNeillfromtheRRRNetwork,RobLeicesterfromDPIRD,AnitaRacliffefromWestPac,StephanieSinclairfromCBHandBill RyanfromAgrifuturestocarefullyreviewandassessall25applications. Theynarroweditdowntofivecompellingwomen-LucyAndertonfromAlbany,JoAshworthfromKalannie,LaurenBellfromBroome,KendallWhytefrom PerthandCaraPeekfromBroome.ThisyeartheRuralWomen’sAwardswastobeheldatGovernmentHouse,butCOVID-19disruptedmonthsofplanning bytheRRRNetworkandDPIRDandeveryonewasleftwonderingwhattodonext? TheRRRNetworkquicklyadaptedandconvertedtheirGovernmentHouseeventtoonlinewhereitwasliveonradioandaZoompartywassetuptolisten totheannouncement.Over50peoplefromacrossthestatequicklyrespondedtotheRRRNetwork’s#alldressedupandnowheretogoandputontheir Sundaybestteamedwithfarmbootswhilehearingaboutthefinalistsandfinallyhearingtheannouncementlivebeforeembarkingonsomelively discussions. And-itwasCaraPeekwhowonwithrunner-upLaurenBell. CaraisaYawuru/Bunubawoman,lawyer,entrepreneurandsocialinnovatorcommittedtofosteringaccessandopportunityforruralandremote communities.Cara’sprojectistocreateSaltwaterAcademy,ariteofpassagethroughacollectiveoftargetedplace-basedpeoplecentredprograms celebratingtheKimberleyAboriginalpastoralindustryheritage. Formoreinformationonallfivewomen’sprojects,pleasegototheRRRNetworkFacebookpagewhereyoucanwatchshortvideosoneachproject. CONNECT DEVELOP TheAgriFutures ™ RuralWomen’sAwardisAustralia’sleadingaward acknowledgingandsupportingtheessentialrolewomenplayinruralindustries, businessesandcommunities.TheAwardprovidesaplatformtoinspireand supportAustralianwomentouseanddeveloptheirskillstobenefittheir industriesandcommunities. Overthepasttwodecades,theAwardhasgainedasignificantprofile,andis recognisedasaprogramofinfluenceamongparliamentarians,industry,media andAwardalumni.Eachstateandterritorywinnerreceivesa$10,000bursary forinnovativeideasandprojects,accesstoprofessionaldevelopment opportunitiesandalumninetworks. ThisyearAgriFuturesreceived75applicationsnation-widebutitwas WesternAustraliawholedthewaywiththelargestnumberof applicantsat25.ThewinnersacrossthecountrycommutetoCanberra laterintheyearforthemuch-anticipatedannouncementoftheNational RuralWomenAwardwinner.TheRuralWomen’sAwardsinWestern AustraliaishostedbytheRuralRegionalandRemoteWomen’sNetwork withtheassistanceoftheDepartmentofPrimaryIndustryandRegional Development. BoththeRRRNetworkandDPIRDhaveworkedcloselytogetherfora numberofyearsdeliveringaprestigiouseventthatattractsMembersof Parliament,thebusinesscommunityandtheagricultureindustry. SPONSOREDCONTENT www.RRRNetwork.com.au42 | April 20, 2020April 20, 2020 April 20, 2020 April 20, 2020 EARLY STAGE: Multiplex says One The Esplanade hasn’t been affected as acutely as other sites, with much of the current work done by employees operating machines. PROPERTY K FIRST HOMEOWNER’S GRANT SOUGHT BY MBA Construction continues but future work uncertain Concerns are mounting over the future pipeline of projects as construction companies adapt to social distancing requirements and continue building. W ESTERN Australian homebuilders, com- mercial construction companies and civil contractors are collectively urging the state government to increase stim- ulus and bring forward major projects to support an industry still assessing the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis. While Premier Mark McGowan recently declared construction as an essential activity, keep- ing the WA building industry’s 120,000-strong workforce in jobs, it is hardly business as usual on construction sites across the state, from single dwellings to high-rise buildings. For detached housing, Master Builders Association WA exec- utive director John Gelavis said social distancing measures included just one tradesperson being allowed to conduct work on a home at any one time, while strict hygiene requirements had also been put in place. On larger construction pro- jects, the sharing of tools has been banned, detailed site maps have been installed to ensure workers do not complete tasks in close proximity to others, while full-time cleaners have been employed to sanitise worksites. “There has been a big change to the way the industry operates, and the industry has responded exceptionally well to what they have had to do to keep people safe,” Mr Gelavis said. “It has slowed progress, the process has been delayed while building a home, but we find the clients are understanding of that and they understand and appreciate that it’s going to take a bit longer because the indus- try is trying to remain safe and compliant.” Multiplex WA regional manag- ing director Chris Palandri said it had taken at least two weeks to formulate protocols to ensure construction activity could con- tinue to be undertaken safely, a program that included extensive consultation with unions and industry representative groups. “Our objective was to present ourselves in such a manner to state and federal authorities so they could see the industry was managing the building sites very well, such that they wouldn’t see subcontractors and our construc- tion workers, to ensure that they were as safe as possible.” Mr Palandri said protocols across the construction industry to protect workers included social distancing where possible, stag- gered start times, and breaks to minimise the number of people on site at any one time. With that strict set of new safety rules in place, he said com- mercial construction companies were facing the same challenge as residential builders, with tasks taking longer to complete. “The biggest difficulty has been on the high-rise projects and the taller projects, Next DC is an example, and mainly because we can’t get as many people into the lift as we usually would,” Mr Palandri said. “It’s really about movement of people around the buildings, so if you can’t get as many people into Dan Wilkie dan.wilkie@businessnews.com.au the need to shut us down because of COVID-19 risks,” Mr Palandri told Business News. “The first and foremost thing, we were cognisant of safety. “We first saw this COVID thing as a bolt-on to safety and we spent a lot of time, energy and effort in making sure that our building sites were safe, and making sure they were safe for COVID. “So it became pretty obvious early with all the protocols the government was putting in place what things we could do to ensure that social distancing was taking place and that we were doing the right thing by our staff, the April 20, 2020 43 | April 20, 2020 April 20, 2020 April 20, 2020 operating machines. Photos: Gabriel Oliveira future work uncertain the lift, more people are required to walk up stairs or they have to wait for the lift and the produc- tivity goes down. “The movement of people has probably been the biggest issue that we’ve had to deal with.” Mr Palandri said while it was encouraging that major construction projects were con- tinuing, there were mounting concerns around the future pipe- line of work for the industry. “The government hasn’t yet announced any major building projects that it might do, and the private sector is pulling back and will most likely have difficulty rais- ing funding for its projects,” he said. “There is a risk that when we come out of the other side of this, let’s say in six months’ time, that the pipeline of work has dried up. “So buildings are continually being delivered, and that’s been terrific, but if there is nothing starting, in six months’ time we could end up with very little work happening in the industry.” Mr Gelavis said WA’s home- builders were facing a similar proposition, with growing uncer- tainty over future order books. “The feedback we are getting is that residential builders, a lot of them have work for the next few months, but towards the end of September is when there will be potential issues,” he said. “There seems to be a pipeline of work in the system for two or three months. “Our concern is what hap- pens after that, particularly if that whole JobKeeper program concludes towards the end of September. “That’s why we are calling for an increase in the first home- owner’s grant to $40,000, just for six months, to build a pipeline of work for residential builders. “For the commercial builders, we want some specific screwdriv- er-ready projects to be brought forward from a maintenance perspective, but also some asset creating, major projects, capital works projects like hospitals and high schools to be brought forward. “They are already spent over the forward estimates, so bring them forward and start now.” WA’s peak civil contractors lobby group echoed that sen- timent, with Civil Contractors Federation’s Andy Graham urging state and local governments to fast-track infrastructure projects. Mr Graham said the timing was right to accelerate project pipe- lines, while it would be crucial to ensure that any infrastruc- ture stimulus was structured in such a manner that a wide range of building companies could participate. “Now more than ever, we need to look after our own,” Mr Graham said. “We’ve already seen too many government projects bundled up into large packages to suit the big internationals, leaving local com- panies to fight over the crumbs. “Our message to government on behalf of WA’s contractors, consultants and suppliers is: ‘We’re here, geared up and ready to deliver an accelerated pro- gram of essential infrastructure projects.” [W]e spent a lot of time, energy and effort in making sure that our building sites were safe, and making sure they were safe for COVID - Chris Palandri Edge Visionary Living There are 54 results from our index of 102,622 articles, 10,137 companies and 38,279 people . com . au TIMING: Pindan started construction of Momentum Wealth’s Highgate apartments project in mid-February. PROGRESSING: Edge Visionary Living is hopeful its Eden project will be delivered on schedule.STEADY: Apartment transactions in central Perth are challenging perceptions that inner-city apartments are prone to losing value. Photo: Gabriel Oliveira PROPERTY Member Real Facts The Good Friday public holiday has aff ected real estate sales and leasing activity. Sales activity decreased 5 per cent in Perth this week, with REIWA members reporting 264 transactions. This decrease can be attributed to a 0.5 per cent fall in house sales, a 5.4 per cent increase in unit sales, and a 41.5 per cent decrease in vacant land sales over the week. There were 12,273 properties for sale in Perth at the end of the week, which is 0.7 per cent lower than last week. A closer look at listing stock levels shows house listings de- creased by 1 per cent, listings for units decreased by 0.3 per cent and vacant land listings were down 0.3 per cent. This week’s total figure for properties listed for sale is 3 per cent lower than levels four weeks ago, and 28 per cent lower than levels seen a year ago. In Perth’s rental market, REIWA members reported there were 5,641 properties for rent in Perth at the end of this week, which is 3.8 per cent more than last week. This week’s rental listings figure is 3 per cent lower than levels seen four weeks ago and is 19 per cent lower than levels a year ago. Leasing activity decreased 19.9 per cent in Perth this week, with REIWA members reporting 659 properties leased. PROPERTIES LISTED FOR RENT 4 PROPERTIES LEASEDTOP-SELLING SUBURBS 2 3 AVERAGE SELLING DAYS - 3 MONTHS TOMARCH PROPERTY SALES 1 2 PROPERTIES LISTED FOR SALE 4 3 MONTHS TOMARCH 2020 Week ending Sunday April 12 2020 Notes: 1 Contract sales reported by REIWA members during the reporting week that have a contract date no older than 28 days | 2 Data may change due to sales falling through. 3 Dwelling sales only. | 4 Listed on reiwa.com and other sources. | 5 Percentage of properties sold below listing price. | 6 Included those achieving or exceeding list price. Source: reiwa.com NORTH OF THE RIVER Ellenbrook7 Morley5 Claremont4 Balcatta3 Butler3 SOUTH OF THE RIVER Baldivis6 Treeby5 Como4 Rivervale4 Canning Vale3 Private treaty46 Auctions30 Total:264 4 weeks ago:589 Same week last year:482 Total:12,273 4 weeks ago:12,691 Same week last year:17,097 Median rent:$360/week Vacancy Rate for 3-months to March 2020:2.2% Seller discounting ⁵48.1% Average discount-6.6% Overall market sentiment ⁶-1.0% HOUSES 201 UNITS 39 LAND 24 TOTAL 659 4 WEEKS AGO 1,060 LAST YEAR 979 TOTAL 5,641 4 WEEKS AGO 5,481 LAST YEAR 6,976 HOUSES 6,947 UNITS2,675 LAND 2,651 PROPERTY APARTMENTS in central Perth are maintaining resale values, with a vast majority of trans- actions in the past three years occurring at or above the median price for all dwellings, new research has found. Data compiled by research ana- lysts PropertyESP showed there were 1,915 apartment sales from January 2017 to March 2020, with three-bedroom properties trans- acting around the median price, with one- and two-bedroom dwell- ings showing an uptick in value in the past 12 months. One-bedroom apartments in the Perth local govern- ment area have a median price of $355,000, two-bed- room dwellings $520,000 and those with three bed- rooms a median of $838,000, Prop- ertyESP director Samantha Reece told Business News. Ms Reece said she had been surprised by the Resilience in apartments sales resilience of inner-city Perth apartments, with the study area covering the CBD, East Perth and West Perth. “I would have thought that with the mining boom coming off that you would have found price movements of an erratic nature in the Perth LGA, but it hasn’t been the case,” she said. “People are happy to hold onto their properties if they know there is a return from it and they know that it is actu- ally retaining its value. “I’m sure that if there was some Dan Wilkie dan.wilkie@businessnews.com.au 44 | April 20, 2020 amenities, you’ve got sustained infrastructure planned, then I believe your property values will be okay.” Recent initiatives announced by the City of Perth include a renewed commitment to its East End Revitalisation project, where work is expected to begin in June. The project comprises major streetscape upgrades of Hay, Pier and Irwin streets in the CBD, including new alfresco dining, street trees and fur- niture designed to encourage people to dwell, eat and shop in the area. Speed limits will also be reduced, footpaths widened and lighting upgraded to sup- port businesses in their recovery from the COVID- 19 crisis. Around $10 million will be invested, with Georgiou Group announced as the city’s preferred tenderer. growth that there would be some further activity on the market.” Ms Reece said the results would likely be of comfort to apartment owners concerned of the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis on inner- city property prices. “The construction of Yagan Square, Elizabeth Quay, Raine Square, Forrest Chase, Optus Stadium, all of these things have been cat- alysts for why the Perth market has been sustained, I believe,” she said. “The City of Perth has a lot of plans ahead, so if you are in the right location in the right PROPERTY Edge relief after Lumiere green light A long-running approvals battle for a landmark South Perth tower has been won, but the developer behind the project isn’t rushing towards a marketing start. August 2015First 29-storey iteration approved at JDAP February 2016Supreme Court of WA overturns JDAP approval of first iteration July 2016Second 44-storey iteration rejected at JDAP October 2016Third 34-storey iteration approved at JDAP December 2016 Court of Appeal upholds Supreme Court rejection of first iteration of Lumiere February 2018Supreme Court of WA overturns JDAP approval of third iteration July 2018Fourth 29-storey iteration rejected at JDAP April 2020State Administrative Tribunal overturns rejection after extensive mediation EDGE Visionary Living has received the approval from planning authorities for its long-awaited Lumiere devel- opment in South Perth, nearly five years after it first sought to build it and following two Supreme Court challenges that were successful in over- turning approval of previous designs. Approval for the building, the fourth design iteration lodged for approval by Edge since 2015, was issued by the State Administrative Tribu- nal after it was rejected by the metropolitan central joint development assessment panel in July last year. A lengthy SAT ruling con- cluded that the local and wider community benefits of the building justified the addi- tional height sought by the developer for the plot, which is located at 74 Mill Point Road. The SAT ruled that the 25-metre height limit on the plot could be varied as it is located in the suburb’s ‘special design area’ and the propos- al’s architectural design was “exemplary, sensitive and sophisticated”. Edge managing director Gavin Hawkins told Business News he was relieved to finally receive an approval for Lum- iere after a lengthy process. However, he was slightly bemused by the fact that the building design approved by SAT was aesthetically very similar to the company’s origi- nal proposal. “We got the approval through for a 29-level tower, which is effectively back to where it was originally,” Mr Hawkins told Business News. “A lot of water went under that bridge but we’re back to where we started, basically.” Edge’s initial Lumiere pro- posal, approved in August 2015, attracted significant interest from buyers, with $85 million in sales achieved in its first three months. The proposal was made under planning guidelines adopted by the City of South Perth in 2013, a strategy designed to bolster the case for a train station to be built in the near-city suburb. Developers came on board quickly, including Edge, with six proposals lodged in early 2015 of more than 20 storeys. However, that wave of devel- opment sparked outspoken community concern, most of it focused on Lumiere. Community action groups raised issue with traffic con- gestion and the integration of tall buildings with the existing streetscape, resulting in Lum- iere’s initial planning approval being set-aside after a success- ful challenge in the Supreme Court of Western Australia. Midway through 2016, Edge lodged plans for a 44-storey tower, a proposal rejected at JDAP. A third, 34-level iteration was approved at JDAP in October of that year, but ultimately struck down by a Supreme Court chal- lenge in February 2018. With an approval now finally in place, Mr Hawkins said a marketing launch was not in the company’s short-term plans, due to the COVID-19 pandemic throwing the off-the- plan market into uncertainty. “There is obviously no rush for us to get it back to market in the current conditions, so clearly we won’t be rushing it back,” Mr Hawkins said “I’d expect in the best case it would be late this year that we would be bringing it back with any sense of confidence. But we will just have to see how the next few months fare.” I’d expect in the best case it would be late this year that we would be bringing it back with any sense of confidence - Gavin Hawkins Dan Wilkie dan.wilkie@businessnews.com.au 45 | April 20, 202046 | April 20, 2020April 20, 2020 April 20, 2020 April 20, 2020 EDUCATION EDUCATION EQ a go-to when going gets tough Kids and teens look to teachers and parents for how best to navigate crises from an emotional intelligence perspective. A S the COVID-19 crisis deepens we are bombarded with information about new cases, escalating death rates, revised ways to flatten the infection curve and, of course, the dire economic impact. We have no real idea what next week will look like, let alone what measures our governments will implement to blunt the impact of the virus. The ambiguity attached to this pandemic has created fear, panic, mass anxiety and helplessness. It has left many in our com- munity in an emotionally fragile state. If you are a teacher or parent, you must grapple with the added challenge of sup- porting children or teenagers to navigate their own emotions. Teachers and parents must therefore form partnerships to help bolster the emo- tional intelligence of children of all ages. Teachers should take every opportunity to integrate learnings about emotional intelligence across the curriculum and par- ents should support those efforts at home. The concept of emotional intelligence – commonly referred to as emotional quo- tient (EQ) or emotional smarts – has shot to prominence in most workplaces in recent years years, though it is lesser known in relation to our children and teenagers. Yet for children and teenagers, emotional smarts can bolster academic success, help build stronger friendships, strengthen coping skills and resilience, and reduce risk behaviours. Apart from obvious mental health bene- fits, the idea of highly emotionally intelligent children and teenagers makes enormous sense. Children and teenagers who can calm themselves when in a panic or angry are likely to get on better in life because they are able to identify their triggers of negative emotions. Consider the astronomical levels of worry among many children and teenagers, who are not immune from the coronavirus crisis and its far-reaching impact. Gary Martin GMartin@aimwa.com 46 | April 20, 2020 Worry, as a negative emotion, eats up all our attention and drains us of what might be described as good energy; and it is as contagious as COVID-19. A child or teenager who can at least label that emotion and put their concerns into per- spective, or take action to reduce worry, is more likely to function effectively on a day-to-day basis. Most children and teenagers, depend- ing on their age and developmental levels, can learn to be more emotionally intelligent; they just need their teachers and parents to teach them. In attempting to boost a child or teenager’s EQ, keep in mind they will progressively increase the capacity to understand, and effectively express and manage their emotions as they age. Be aware also that there are often huge EQ readiness differences from child to child, and teenager to teenager. Parents and teachers wanting to bolster EQ levels should start with acknowledging the child or teenager’s perspective when it comes to their concerns. Even if it is not possible to remedy these concerns, empathising or ‘jumping into their shoes’ can help them let go of their troubling emotions. It can also provide an example of how to be empathetic. Younger children can develop an emo- tional vocabulary by learning to label their emotions and define the different meanings that sit behind terms such as ‘sad’, ‘disap- pointed’, ‘upset’ and ‘angry’. As children get older, take opportunities to help them to manage their emotional responses to negative situations. For exam- ple, teaching older children and teen- agers to pause and think when angry, rather than to act impulsively and lash out, is a skill that will serve them well as they proceed through this crisis (which won’t be the last they face). An important EQ skill is being able to learn to tune in and read others’ emotions, which is something children and teenagers often need help with. Teachers and parents can facilitate this development by asking simple questions such as: “What do you think that person is feeling” and “what mood do you think that person is in?” With younger children, this can even be turned into a game. Of course, teachers and parents are less likely to be able to impart EQ skills with- out having taken steps to frame a positive mindset for themselves. Sydney-based wellbeing practitioner Timo Topp recommends we attempt to dial down worry by ensuring we don’t focus on aspects of the current crisis every minute of the day. Instead, we should upgrade gratitude by enjoying and appreciating the simple pleasures of life and leveraging levity and laughter by doing things like watching our favourite comedy shows. As Mr Topp says, sometimes Seinfeld can save the day. In an ideal world, teachers and parents would stop and talk to children and teen- agers as feelings arise on a day-to-day basis. But for busy teachers and parents, that is sometimes not an option. As an alternative, try to designate a reg- ular time each day (during school time or at home) to talk through emotions without time constraints. In turbulent and challenging times like the ones we find ourselves in today, it might be just what the doctor ordered. • Professor Gary Martin is chief executive officer at the Australian Institute of Management WA. Apart from obvious mental health benefits, the idea of highly emotionally intelligent children and teenagers makes enormous sense CIRCUIT BREAKER: It’s important children and teens can switch off from the worries of the world and have a laugh. Photo: StockphotoApril 20, 2020 April 20, 2020 April 20, 2020 EDUCATION ST Hilda’s Anglican School for Girls has taken remote learning to the next level with the launch of its own online video channel, which aims to maintain students’ social engagement during the COVID- 19 pandemic. Simply called St Hilda’s TV, the channel hosts segments and episodes created by faculty members and students ranging from informational to enter- taining, with episodes uploaded daily to the school’s online learning management system. St Hilda’s principal Fiona Johnston told Business News the platform, which went live in pandemic, engaging in early preparation with IT staff and communicating with par- ents and teachers early about contingency plans should stu- dents need to shift to distance learning. “We didn’t waste time in for- ward planning when we saw what was happening around the world,” she said. “We knew it was on its way and we had to be prepared, so future-proofing our girls for what we’ve been doing will become important in the coming weeks and months. “Being aware of those global events and remaining ahead of the game was a key part of that success, and the launch of St Hilda’s TV was to keep that engagement happening, because schools are so much more than just building and grounds. “It’s about the relationship and rapport with each other which make learning a valuable journey.” Jordan Murray jordan.murray@businessnews.com.au engagement in the space with the girls using it as a platform to share stories, experiences and voice their opinions.” Ms Johnston said St Hilda’s TV was part of a broader move to uphold a sense of normalcy for students in unprecedented times. For example, she said the school continued to hold its after-school music and drama lessons online, as well as extra- curricular activities, such as its umpire traineeships. She said this was a product of having formulated an early response to the COVID-19 TV time at St Hilda’s CONNECTION: Fiona Johnston says St Hilda’s TV will serve as an informa- tional and entertaining aside for students learning from home March, was designed to facil- itate community engagement for students while they studied from home, helping sustain the relationships and social ties vital for learning. “Without it, it could be quite a dry experience for a child and a young teenager,” Ms John- ston said. “The power of connection with the teachers is an essential ingredient for us, and St Hilda’s TV allows us to be in that space. “It’s also given us an opportu- nity to provide a component to build a student voice, and that’s something we’re passionate about as a community. “It’s a forum that’s not just teacher-led but student-led as well, and we’ve had incredible A time to refocus Call +61 8 9243 2100 or visit ststephens.wa.edu.au St Stephen’s School SERVE GOD SERVE ONE ANOTHER For many, this year hasn’t turned out as expected. Companies who rely on face-to-face interaction are now operating from home, some have had to close their doors to weather the storm and education is going through an unprecedented time of change. Many schools have now moved to an online delivery of education, and while online learning is not a new concept, the need to provide the whole curriculum digitally is something many educators have not faced before. The surprising outcome so far has been how well our future leaders have adapted to their new norm. A focus on developing so-called ‘21st Century skills’ in recent years, such as critical thinking, agility, communication and innovation has put students, and staff, in good stead to handle the constantly changing landscape with a sense of calm. This kind of change provides an opportunity to refocus how we do things and to take new ways of learning into tomorrow. Education has had to change in these uncertain times. See how, in St Stephen’s School’s latest ‘Thought Leadership’ article on the Business News website.48 | April 20, 2020April 20, 2020 April 20, 2020 April 20, 2020 app that informs citizens of danger zones within 100 metres of them, based on known cases. Locally, Perth startups Neo- rise and GeoMoby are working on similar solutions. Geomoby is investigating the integration of wearable bracelets with its app, while Neorise is currently producing UpHealth. UpHealth features a contact tracing system, as well as at-home assessment functions where a user records their temperature and answers a few basic medical questions daily. Neorise founder and CEO Patrick D’Cruze says the app is intended to empower individ- uals to make informed health decisions, keep them safe from the sources of the virus, and slow its spread. Support tools VROMO is restaurant-delivery software built by Perth’s An- drew Walker and his team. They are helping to mobilise the food industry with an app for drivers, a dashboard for restaurant man- agers and live driver tracking for customers. VROMO is getting businesses online immediately, helping to ease the burden of re- strictions and closures. It allows restaurants to pool resources with others and facilitates a no- touch delivery to keep drivers and hungry customers safe. KeepSpace is a logistics soft- ware company and fulfilment centre in Perth that’s helping retailers get online and keep the door open … virtually. It’s also offering logistics assistance for medical supplies. There are other great initia- tives intended to support the business community. Ammo Marketing developed Thrive Kit, a bundling of useful tips and resources for founders and small business owners to navigate through recent chal- lenges. A collaboration of Blow Your Own Mind and Hot Lizard De- signs, bswapshop.com, is a free platform where people can trade services and products. Skills of the Modern Age created Skill Kit, full of great tools to help businesses adapt. The company has also released a range of free workshops hosted on Zoom where you can learn about facilitating online, pro- totyping and user empathy in a constantly changing world. For those on Instagram, it’s likely you’ve heard of the popu- As catastrophic as the coronavirus-caused economic shutdown is for some, other businesses are finding opportunity. A S many Western Aus- tralians hunker down in home offices, there are some inspiring activities taking place around the state in the wake of COVID-19. Among the stories of devasta- tion are those of clever pivots, innovation and people embrac- ing change. From distilleries producing hand sanitiser, fitness providers leasing their equip- ment into people’s homes, to the 3D printing of critical medical devices, it’s comforting to know there are smart people out there doing some incredible things. Mobile apps There’s a lot of discussion around technology and how it can aid in the crisis, as it has in countries such as Singapore and South Korea. In February, for example, South Korea launched Corona 100m (Co100), a tracking PROOF: Whipper Snapper Distillery has gone from producing whiskey to hand sanitiser. lar page @PerthisOK featuring all the wonderful goings-on around town, tastiest eats and most Insta-worthy nature spots. It has started a new page on Instagram, aptly named @ PerthwillbeOK, featuring Perth businesses you can support. This includes TJK Auto Repairs, LabSix (a DJ and music pro- duction school) and plenty of eateries. Adapting With hand sanitiser nearly impossible to purchase through supermarkets and pharmacies, many distilleries around the world are helping to fill the shortage and subsequently keep their staff employed. Whipper Snapper Distillery has received $5,000 in support from the City of Perth to purchase the required equipment needed to convert its operations. “We now have multiple pur- chase orders from different buy- ers including the Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions and Transperth while we are in discussions with others,” managing director Alas- dair Malloch says. Wise Wine in Margaret River is also joining the good fight and producing sanitiser with a 70 per cent alcohol base. Free services PickStar , co-founded by Mat- thew Pavlich, is a platform to book sports stars for presenta- tions, appearances, social media bookings and other marketing activities. The business is giving back to Australian businesses by bringing some inspiration to its online calls. You can now Kick-Off with PickStar, having a star join your virtual meeting or webinar for free. The company aims to have 1,000 meetings joined in 100 days. Recruitment company, SEV- ENTWENTY (now in Perth and Pivoting in a pandemic , CITY OF PERTH SUPPORT FOR WHIPPER SNAPPER DISTILLERY TECHNOLOGY Chloe ConstantinidesTECHNOLOGY April 20, 2020 49 | April 20, 2020 April 20, 2020 April 20, 2020 We now have multiple purchase orders from different buyers - Alasdair Malloch Brisbane) has kindly offered to donate its team and resources to helping any NGOs or internal recruitment teams in the health sector specifically dealing with the COVID-19 outbreak. CEO Allen Smith says the company will also donate its ad spend. Medical devices Local engineering companies and others with 3D printing capabilities have been tirelessly designing and prototyping solu- tions to assist with shortages of medical supplies. UWA Makers has been work- ing closely with The Univer- sity of Western Australia and Department of Health on the COVID-19 response. They’re in the early stages of prototyping designs. Alex Ocean, CEO and founder of Purple Engineering , has suc- cessfully retrofitted snorkelling masks for CPAP/BiPAP use. The substitute for ventilators was produced in just 24 hours and is now ready for testing. COVID-19 Tech Action Team For the past few weeks, more than 130 innovators, investors, business leaders, scientists and healthcare professionals have joined forces under a group called CTA, which is the brain- child of Perth-based Silicon Valley investor, Bonnie Lin. The group is WA-led with nationwide collaboration, whose mission is to use high-level contacts and global technology to source, re-tool and fund alter- nate and innovative solutions for PPE and medical equipment demand in Australian and New Zealand. Even amidst the tumult that COVID-19 is bringing to our home, work and school lives, it is exciting to see WA’s ability to adapt quickly and band together to develop positive responses to the crisis. INVESTED: Greg Riebe says investors are still looking for opportunities despite a heightened degree of caution. Photo: Gabriel Oliveira See the BNiQ Startups List for more information | businessnews.com.au/bniq/startups If you want your new app or tech startup profiled here, email: jordan.murray@businessnews.com.au Investors look beyond survival capital LEADERS from Perth’s invest- ment community are urging startups to remain resilient during the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that ventures considered to be responding to the crisis will continue to receive funding. Greg Riebe, who is co-founder of investor group Perth Angels, and Derek Gerrard, who among other roles serves as inves- tor-in-residence for RAC’s venture capital fund BetterLabs Ventures, told Business News they would continue to work with startups in the months ahead, providing advice and men- toring where needed to help the businesses handle the unprece- dented situation. However, Messrs Riebe and Gerrard say there is less appetite for providing capital to ventures that are unlikely to grow during the crisis or immediately after the worst effects have dissipated. That post-pandemic invest- ment environment will be tough, Mr Riebe says, as startups will have to compete with the Entrepreneurs need to understand where they’re at in the growth and opportunity model, because investors are still out there looking for opportunities - Greg Riebe property market or the ASX, with those established sectors likely to provide greater certainty of a return than early-stage ventures. “What we tend to find when we look at new investments [is that] early-stage investors are funding for growth, and not just to sus- tain a business,” he said. “If you’ve got a new investment and you’re in an environment where dollars just go to sus- taining themselves rather than growth, that’s an issue people are looking at. “You look at that normally, but it’s become focused in the cur- rent environment.” Mr Gerrard agreed with the sentiment, saying that while the startups he worked with were responding well to the crisis, there was little inclination to fund entities that weren’t using the cash to grow. “We’re still open for business, it just means for some of the com- panies we have been looking at … it doesn’t make sense at this point in time to make a capital injection, because it means it’s survival capital, not growth cap- ital,” Mr Gerrard said. Jordan Murray jordan.murray@businessnews.com.au Tech Scene Proudly sponsored by Making technology work for business . com . au “We’re happy to work with them through that period because we want to see them do well and turn the investment switch on as soon as the market is back on, [but] because there’s a lot of uncer- tainty around timing, we need to slow that process down.” Mr Riebe suggested entre- preneurs would be best served by creating a sustainable boot- strapping strategy as opposed to seeking external funding. “If you’ve got an entrepreneur just searching for money to sus- tain themselves, it’s going to be difficult for them,” Mr Riebe said. “They may need to change their business model, or maybe pivot to take advantage of the current climate.” Responding to the COVID-19 pandemic may prove one of the best paths for startups to take, Mr Riebe said. As an example, he said med- tech startups were likely to gain attention from investors in the coming months, as companies in that sector would have the best opportunity to capitalise on dis- ruptions to the healthcare sector. It was those sorts of businesses that Mr Riebe thinks investors will be eager to fund. “Entrepreneurs need to under- stand where they’re at in the growth and opportunity model, because investors are still out there looking for opportunities,” he said. “They’re a lot more cautious, so it’s not going to be as quick getting the cash, but if you’re actually positioned in a better area, you have a chance of securing capital in the medium term rather than the never term.”Next >