< Previous50 | April 20, 2020April 20, 2020 April 20, 2020 April 20, 2020 NEED: Greg Hebble says demand for Foodbank’s services will continue to increase. WA charities on the frontline are readying to ramp-up their services. WESTERN Australian charities offering support services are gearing up for a surge in demand as restrictions introduced to stop the spread of COVID-19 start to strain people’s finances and mental health. Foodbank and Lifeline WA are already reporting an increase in demand, while UnitingCare West is preparing to help accommodate the increased number of people likely to become homeless in coming weeks. Foodbank chief executive Greg Hebble said the organisation was expecting the need for its services to grow because people who lived week to week were struggling to find essentials in the super- market and many had lost their incomes. Foodbank usually receives some supply from the major supermarkets, but the recent spate of panic buying has left empty shelves and therefore fewer donations for the charity. To combat this equation of growing demand and falling supply, and to adhere to social distancing measures, Foodbank has adopted a hamper model for its food distribution program. The organisation buys essen- tials in bulk and assembles hampers to last two people three days, which can be collected from its warehouse. “We will go to a hamper distri- bution model and we believe, with the right funding, we will be able to purchase more of the everyday food essentials to go into these hampers,” Mr Hebble said. “Historically … it would all be donated, but because there is less supply [from the supermar- kets], we are now having to lean towards corporate, government and philanthropic funding to be able to meet that growing demand.” Many of Foodbank’s older volunteers have elected to stay home, reducing the charity’s vol- unteer workforce by as much as 80 per cent. However, others have stepped in to take their place. “We are not short of them, we have just got a different lot of vol- unteers than we had before,” Mr Hebble said. Lifeline WA chief executive Lorna MacGregor said while some of its 200-plus volunteers had reduced their hours, others had increased their availability. “At the moment our call answer rate is really healthy, in spite of the increase in calls,” Ms MacGre- gor told Business News. She said calls were increasing week-on-week and there had been a dramatic increase in the number of people talking about COVID-19. For example, 39 per cent of call- ers in the first week of April spoke about the virus, Ms MacGregor said. “Some people are calling around social isolation, some people are calling around loneliness, some people are calling about finan- cial distress and job losses, some people are feeling very anxious, some people are just feeling really overwhelmed,” she said. In terms of funding, Ms MacGregor said Lifeline WA had lost a quarter of a year of fund- raising time due to COVID-19 and had undertaken strategies to compensate. “One strategy was to reduce the hours of work of staff by 20 per cent, which staff accepted with significant grace, and the other was to go out to the community and explain the need,” she said. “We have been overwhelmed with support from the com- munity, and in particular, WA’s corporate community.” Lifeline WA, along with Food- bank, was recently one of three beneficiaries to share more than $6 million donated by the Cham- ber of Minerals and Energy of WA member organisations. UnitingCare West chief exec- utive Amanda Hunt said the organisation was expecting a massive increase in people expe- riencing homelessness. The organisation has reallo- cated staff to double its outreach teams to find people sleeping rough. “Because people who are expe- riencing homelessness are scared, they are more distributed,” Ms Hunt told Business News. “What we know is that COVID- 19 is going to be catastrophic for the people we support because of their health requirements and the fact that people need to stay together for safety, so they are not going to be able to self-iso- late, they are not going to be able to have physical distancing. “What we are seeing is an increasing anxiety, that’s for sure.” Homelessness support service Tranby Centre, operated by Unit- ingCare West, will remain open but has restrictions in place lim- iting the number of people inside the building to 10 at a time for 45 minutes with a 15-minute clean in between. UnitingCare West is also a member of the Homelessness Taskforce, which helped set up Hotels with Heart. The project aims to get vulner- able people to a safe place and eventually work with the gov- ernment and community-housing sector to find them a home. Charities prep for virus fallout [W]e are now having to lean towards corporate, government and philanthropic funding - Greg Hebble Madeleine Stephens madeleine.stephens@businessnews.com.au COMMUNITY AND ARTS SECTORCOMMUNITY AND ARTS SECTOR April 20, 2020 51 | April 20, 2020 April 20, 2020 April 20, 2020 Screenwest, industry repurpose resources Yirra Yaakin secures four years’ funding MIXED: Peter Kift says the funding announcement was bittersweet, given the organisations that missed out. Photo: Gabriel Oliveira STIMULATE: Willie Rowe says the pandemic could accelerate changes already occurring in the industry. YIRRA Yaakin Theatre Company’s near-term future is secure after it was included among the 95 organisations to receive four years’ funding from the Australia Council for the Arts earlier this month. The organisation, which is ranked as the 21st larg- est arts company on BNiQ with revenue of $1.5 million in 2018, will receive 70 per cent of $500,000 in 2021 and the full amount from 2022 to 2024. Yirra Yaakin general manager Peter Kift said it would have been very dif- ficult for the company to run its programs without this funding. “It’s a wonderful recogni- tion of what we are trying to do as a First Nations per- forming arts company,” Mr Kift told Business News. Yirra Yaakin has been successful in the last two rounds of multi-year fund- ing from the Australia Council, giving it funding for the past 10 years. However, Mr Kift said the Australia Council’s announcement was bitter- sweet as he was devastated for the organisations that missed out. THE state’s film and televi- sion industry has not been immune to the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, with staff cuts and hits to revenue already flowing through the sector. However, with assis- tance from industry body Screenwest, local players are creatively adjusting their businesses to the restricted environment. A Screenwest industry survey in March found 2,676 people had already lost their jobs in the sector in addition to $1.1 million in income, with an estimated $7 million of income to be lost by the end of September. Fremantle-based Pros- pero Productions managing director Julia Redwood told Business News while some opportunities remained in the screen industry, particu- larly in the documentary space, overall it had been hit incredibly hard. Prospero Productions was in post-production for its long-running television shows Outback Truckers and Outback Opal Hunters, which it will be able to sell, but had to cancel the filming of upcoming documentary Star Dreaming, which was to “All of these companies are worthy recipients of government funding and unfortunately, with reduced amounts of funding availa- ble, the Australia Council has to make very, very hard decisions,” he said. A total of 412 companies completed an expression of interest for funding. Of these, 49 that had previ- ously been funded under the program were unsuc- cessful, missing out on a share of the $31.7 million. The Blue Room Theatre, which received funding from the Australia Coun- cil for the past 20 years, was one of the Western Australian arts companies to miss out on this funding round. Executive director Julian Hobba said he knew the Australia Coun- cil was being starved of its funding from the federal government and that the funding round was going to be catastrophic. “We just felt obviously that Perth really needs The Blue Room, that the local sector here was already struggling with a lack of opportunity and we made a strong case that the Perth arts scene couldn’t really do without a strong Blue Room Theatre,” he said. Mr Hobba said the organisation had been receiving $177,000 a year from the Australia Council since 2017, which comprised about 20 per cent of its annual turnover. To fill the gap in fund- ing, he said the company would need to secure other sources of income and restructure its organ- isation and programs. “We have every expecta- tion that the organisation will survive,” he said. “We have still got mul- ti-year funding from the WA government and we’ve got annual support from the City of Perth, so we have to rethink the model, that’s what needs to happen.” Mr Hobba said both The Blue Room Theatre and the artists it worked with would be affected. “The really tragic thing here actually is that art- ists are already practising with such incredibly poor financial return and so few opportunities to get grants or make money in the sector,” he said. “It’s hard to really imagine how they can absorb more of the pain [but] that’s what is going to have to happen.” be shot near Geraldton with the Yamaji people. The company had around 85 staff but had to cut this by 50 per cent due to the impacts of COVID-19. However, Ms Redwood said Prospero was trying to keep jobs where it could and was seeking opportunities, including for the archival footage it held. “We are also fortunate because we are talking to broadcasters about doing specials on those shows, one- hour specials on ‘the best of’, and that’s where we can also look into our archives and see what can we make to get us over this period,” she said. “Anyone who can produce something new in the sector [right now], you are going to have a much more valuable product that you can sell around the world.” To offer some support to the industry, Screenwest has repurposed existing funds to create a $2.5 million sustain- ability fund. Screenwest head of screen investment and strategic projects Matthew Horrocks said because the organisa- tion was not able to pursue regular activities like fund- ing travel or production, it repurposed the money. “What we have done is looked at our own books and looked at what portions we could repurpose for the current situation,” he said. Key elements of the pack- age include the Bright Ideas Crew Capacity Initiative, which allows practitioners to innovate, a funding boost to Screenwest development programs, repurposing and boosting the funding of the On Demand Content Fund for projects that can be completed in the current environment, and a produc- tion company and producer support package. Screenwest chief exec- utive Willie Rowe said the industry was taking stock to ensure it was ready to get back to business when the pandemic was over. He said the COVID-19 pandemic could speed-up changes that were already occurring in the industry, including moving from focusing on traditional broadcasters to online streaming services. Mr Rowe said if people had good development ideas when production resumed, it could be a challenge for the industry to have the capacity to adopt those ideas quickly. “I think there will be com- petition across the country for crews, for finance packages, so we have just got to wait and see what happens there,” he said. Madeleine StephensMadeleine Stephens COMMUNITY AND ARTS SECTOR Art scene ARTTHEEXPRESSIONORAPPLICATIONOFHUMANCREATIVE SCENE SKILLANDIMAGINATIONTYPICALLYINAVISUALFORM52 | April 20, 2020April 20, 2020 April 20, 2020 April 20, 2020 WA insolvency notices (more online) Administrators appointed Company name Appointee/solicitor Sky and Space Global Limited Richard Lawrence Swanky Cedars Pty Ltd Grahame Ward Tigerlily Aust Pty Ltd Scott David Harry Langdon TL Holdco Pty Ltd Scott David Harry Langdon Regine’s Patisserie Pty Ltd Stephen Robert Dixon Bilveray Holdings Pty Ltd atf The Foster Family Trust Mathieu Tribut Liquidators appointed Company name Appointee/solicitor 206 Adelaide Terrace Pty Ltd Mervyn Jonathan Kitay Ausmak Holdings Pty Ltd Jennifer Elizabeth Low S & T Hyde Pty Ltd Matthew Collette Technotorch WA Pty Ltd Brendan Nixon Liquidators appointed Company name Appointee/solicitor Sweetlips Scarborough Pty Ltd Giovanni Maurizio Carrello Sweetlips Melville Pty Ltd Giovanni Maurizio Carrello Big Rig Scrubbers Pty Ltd Jeremy Joseph Nipps LTT Forbes Pty Ltd Giovanni Maurizio Carrello The Fisher Property Company Pty Ltd Carl Huxtable Added Advantage Pty Ltd Carl Huxtable Iemma Nominees Pty Ltd Carl Huxtable Red Dirt Communications Pty Ltd John Bumbak Genesis Homes Master Builders Pty Ltd Mervyn Jonathan Kitay Carlar Park Pty Ltd Malcolm Field Peewee Hawk Property Pty Ltd Melanie Grohovaz Doux Saveur Pty Ltd John Bumbak Salwell Property Pty Ltd Dermott Joseph McVeigh Source: ASIC . CONTRACTION IN AUSTRALIA’S GDP IN 2020 SLOW GOING: WA may be affected for the remainder of 2020 because of the state’s strong export links. Photo: Gabriel Oliveira AUSTRALIA could experience a sustained recession into the second half of 2020, new research from Bank of America predicts, while the latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics offers little insight into the impact of shutdowns on unemployment in Western Australia. WA unemployment was up 0.2 percentage points to 5.4 per cent in March, according to the latest data, but the ABS said the numbers had been collected in the first two weeks of the month, prior to the enforcement of major social distancing rules. It rose particularly strongly among females, increasing 0.5 percentage points to be 5.5 per cent, seasonally adjusted. “The Aussie labour force survey will surprise most,” Commsec chief economist Craig James said. “A modest near-6,000 jobs were added during March – defying market expectations for a 30,000 loss of jobs. “In a surprising development, hours worked rose by 0.5 per cent in seasonally adjusted terms – the biggest lift in 14 months. “We won’t really know the full extent of the impact of COVID- 19 disruptions to the Aussie jobs market until next month and beyond.” ECONOMICS But work from other organisa- tions has presented a guide. Westpac-Melbourne Institute research found 7 per cent of people employed in March had lost their job, and a further 14 per cent had been stood down without pay. “This survey result implies that over one in five workers have lost their entire wage income,” the report said. But more than half of consum- ers were expecting to receive the government’s JobKeeper payment, a $130 billion wage subsidy package intended to encourage businesses to hold on to staff. Bank of America’s latest research praised the federal gov- ernment’s response to COVID-19, yet forecast a 4.4 per cent con- traction in Australia’s GDP in 2020. It will bounce back with growth of 3.5 per cent next year. “In Australia, we expect the impact of shutdown and global recession to have a sizable but delayed impact, notwithstanding the proactive policy responses,” the bank’s research said. “On top of a consumption slowdown in the June quarter, we expect the global recession to lower Australian exports more notably and thus reduce business Long road to recovery Matt Mckenzie matthew.mckenzie@businessnews.com.au @Matt_Mckenzie_ shutdown by extending its Lunar New Year holiday and conducting mandatory quarantines. “As a result, the growth hit in our forecasts not only includes significant disruption to domes- tic economic activities, but also demand slump caused by weaker business and consumer confidence. “Despite capacity restoration into March-April, the virus out- break in the rest of the world will likely undermine a growth rebound into 2Q20 on sluggish external demand.” The price of WA’s biggest commodity, iron ore, has stayed reasonably strong, at $US84 per tonne at the time of writing, but LNG exports, linked to the crude oil price, will likely suffer. West Texas crude was trading at less than $20 per barrel at the time of writing. Source: Bank of America investment and housing invest- ment going into the second half of 2020. “Overall, we expect Australia to experience a sustained reces- sion into the second half with our 2020 GDP growth forecasts at -4.4 per cent.” WA’s biggest export destina- tions are headed for rough waters. The bank forecast growth in China of 1.2 per cent in 2020 and 8.8 per cent next near, projected a recession in Japan with a 4.1 per cent contraction in 2020, and slow growth of 0.3 per cent in South Korea. “For China, we lowered our 2020 GDP growth forecast to 1.2 per cent year on year from 1.5 per cent year on year, with the biggest hit around the March quarter,” Bank of America said. “To flatten the infection curve, China implemented a nationwide SPONSORED CONTENTNEWS. INSIGHTS. CONNECTIONS. STAY INFORMED We believe in journalism and the power that comes with knowledge. Our team of journalists will continue to provide the in-depth reporting and analysis that enables businesses to make informed decisions. THE FACTS With continuity and liquidity now proving a challenge for many businesses, having access to accurate and reliable information is more important than ever. BE FUTURE-READY How do organisations prepare for an uncertain future in such difficult times? We will search for the answers. STANDING BY BUSINESS. TRUSTED BY BUSINESS. SUBSCRIBE NOW Email us at subscribe@businessnews.com.au , call 9288 2100 and speak with one of our team members or visit our subscription page at www.business news.com.au/subscribeApril 20, 2020 55 | April 20, 2020 April 20, 2020 April 20, 2020 CORPORATE FINANCEbusinessnews.com.au/bniq/Corporate-Finance Pioneer Credit has accused its major lender and takeo- ver bidder, US private equity group Carlyle, of trying to either push down its $120 million takeover offer to a very low price or withdraw from the deal altogether. This was after Carlyle claimed that Pioneer had breached the terms of its loan agreement, saying this constituted a default event. The outstanding balance on the loan facility is $141.6 million, with Carlyle claiming it has the right to demand early repayment, although it has not yet taken that step. Carlyle has also claimed Pioneer breached the terms of their scheme Strandline closes in on Fungoni Strandline Resources is on track to develop its first project in Tanzania after signing a $US26 million ($A43 million) finance facility agreement with an Afri- ca-based lender. The facility, signed with Ned- bank CIB, will meet most of the Fungoni mineral sands project’s capital requirements. Initial capital costs are estimated to be $US35 million ($A58 mil- lion). The project is expected to deliver strong financial returns, Strandline says, including earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation of $US115 million ($A190.7 million). No LNGL deal in Singapore A multi-million takeover offer for Australian company Liq- uefied Natural Gas Ltd (LNGL) has fallen through, sending its shares down by more than 35 per cent on the announcement. The Perth-founded company had received an offer from pri- vate Singaporean group LNG9 in late February, priced at US13 cents per share and valuing the target at $US75 million ($A115 million). LNGL recently told the market LNG9 no longer intended to despatch its bidder’s statement after funding from First Wall Street Capital Corp fell through. However, LNGL said the Sin- gaporean company remained interested in acquiring all or a material part of LNGL or its assets. Both companies would work to negotiate a mutually acceptable transaction, it said. Biotech players in $24m merger South Perth-based BARD1 Life Sciences is forming a new cancer diagnostic business with a fellow listed medtech company in Victoria. BARD1 says the combined group will focus on delivering innovative cancer diagnostics to address unmet needs in early cancer detection. It has entered into a merger imple- mentation agreement with Sienna Cancer Diagnostics, under which the Perth company will acquire all of Sienna’s shares for $23.7 million. Sienna shareholders will receive 13 BARD1 shares for every five Sienna shares, valuing the Mel- bourne-based company’s shares at 6 cents. The combined entity is expected to have cash reserves of around $13.7 million. It’s expected a meeting of Sienna shareholders to approve the scheme will be held in July. Edtech firm seeks new horizons Education technology company Education Horizons Group, which counts Perth-based SEQTA Soft- ware among its portfolio, has made its largest acquisition, in the UK. EHG has purchased Double First, which has deployed its school management system Engage in 600 schools across more than 60 countries. Following the acquisition, EHG will service 1,900 schools and 1 million school users across the UK, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Aus- tralia and New Zealand. Herbert Smith Freehills, EY and Genesis Advisory advised EHG on the transaction. Dacian Gold raises $98m Dacian Gold is seeking to raise $30 million through an institu- tional placement and $68 million through an entitlement offer to strengthen its balance sheet and rebuild its mining operations. The proceeds will be used to par- tially repay a debt facility as well as fund pre-stripping and explo- ration activity at its Mt Morgans operation in Western Australia. Dacian will issue about 328 million new shares, priced at 30 cents per share. Lead man- agers Macquarie Capital and Canaccord Genuity Australia have committed to underwrite the capital raising by at least $80 million. Euroz Securities has been appointed as co-lead manager. Dacian’s directors have com- mitted to contribute up to $5.7 million. Since the end of January, when the company’s shares were sus- pended from trading, new chief executive Leigh Junk has been leading a review of the compa- ny’s operations. That review led to an announce- ment in late February that the company had slashed the mineral resource estimate for its Mt Morgans operation by 40 per cent and reduced expected production. Dacian is targeting average pro- duction of 110,000 ounces per year over the coming three years at an all-in sustaining cost of $A1,350/oz. implementation agreement, announced in December. Pioneer chairman Michael Smith previously said the scheme struck the right bal- ance for the company, which had considered alternative proposals. Among the breaches, Carlyle has alleged the “occurrence of a material adverse effect in respect of (Pioneer) as a result of the impact of COVID- 19 on the business” and the “non-compliant disclosure of information to Carlyle prior to its entry into the facility agreement”. Carlyle has given Pioneer five business days from the notice, received April 14, to remedy the alleged defaults. Pioneer Credit takeover in doubt TAKEOVER: Michael Smith previously said the scheme, which is now in doubt, struck the right balance for Pioneer Credit. Photo: Attila Csaszar EVALUATE: Leigh Junk has been leading a review of Dacian’s operations since the end of January. Photo: Attila Csaszar However, Pioneer has rebutted the claims outlined by Carlyle, saying none of the matters com- prise a default under the facility agreement. “It seems clear to the board that Carlyle are intent on exercis- ing maximum pressure on the company, including using the potential impacts of COVID- 19, to move from their original commitment under the Scheme Implementation Agreement and either withdraw from the transaction or attempt to gain control of Pioneer for a very low price,” Pioneer said. The company believes it has engaged with Carlyle in good faith since the scheme imple- mentation agreement was signed. SHARE PRICE Closing price for the past 90 trading days businessnews.com.au/ Company/Strandline-Resources STRANDLINE RESOURCES STA 0.15 0.10 0.05 Powered by Morningstar ® $ Feb 20 Apr 2056 | April 20, 2020April 20, 2020 April 20, 2020 April 20, 2020 CONTRACTS AND TENDERS The Business News 30 is a composite index of 30 listed WA- focused or headquartered stocks which largely reflect the state’s economic activity and fortunes. AN INDEX OF WA COMPANIES BN *As at close of trade Apr 15 | Jan 4 2016 inception, index starting point 100 TOTAL . . . Auscann Group Holdings -50.6 5.3 8.1 Austal 27.5 1.3 4.3 Australian Finance Group 31.2 6.9 15.2 Buru Energy -63.2-6.1 22.7 BWP Trust -5.2 1.8 4.3 Cedar Woods Properties -14.9 5.6 7.5 Decmil Group -84.9 7.4 16.0 Empired -30.0 3.7 7.7 Euroz -37.8 5.4 2.0 Finbar Group -21.4 4.8 0.0 Fleetwood Corporation -28.2 14.0 18.3 Fortescue Metals Group 53.4 1.3 10.1 Iluka Resources 3.4 2.5 16.3 Imdex -14.4 8.3 7.5 IGO -4.7 14.6 14.6 Mineral Resources -0.1 6.3 9.6 MMA Off shore -42.6 17.1 27.1 Monadelphous Group -41.9 12.0 5.0 Northern Star Resources 50.3 10.6 26.3 Peet -23.5-6.7-8.4 Perenti Global -43.5 52.0 55.8 Pilbara Minerals -67.4-8.2 15.4 Sandfire Resources -38.6 16.2 28.8 Saracen Mineral Holdings 73.2 6.4 15.7 Schaff er Corporation -10.6 6.5 6.1 Seven Group Holdings -22.8 10.4 18.3 Seven West Media -79.4 80.3 42.9 Wesfarmers 8.4 4.1 5.5 Western Areas -10.2 3.9 4.4 Woodside Petroleum -39.9 0.9 8.0 CHANGE 52 WEEKSPAST WEEKPAST FORTNIGHT As you live, work and travel across WA – you don’t know when you might need us, but we’ll always need you. rfdswa.com.au ACCIONA wins Bayswater upgrade Spanish engineering group ACCIONA has been named as preferred propo- nent for the construction works for the $253 million Bayswater train station upgrade, beating a rival bid from a consortium comprising Georgiou Group and Lendlease. The state government named the Evolve Bayswa- ter Alliance as preferred proponent, comprising only ACCIONA’s Coleman Rail subsidiary. The alliance previously included local contractor Decmil, which has hit major problems in recent months with work it has been undertaking on the east coast and in New Zealand. While Decmil is no longer formally part of the Evolve Bayswater Alliance, Busi- ness News understands it is likely to be involved in the Bayswater project as a sub-contractor. The Bayswater contract includes the design and construction of a new station building and platforms, as well as sur- rounding works associated with other Metronet rail projects. Coleman Rail will build the rail infrastructure to connect the Midland line with the Forrestfield-Air- port Link, currently under ON TRACK: The new Bayswater station building to be designed and constructed by Coleman Rail. Image: Metronet Perth Basin work for GR Engineering Triangle Energy Global has contracted GR Engineering Services for maintenance work at its Perth Basin operations under a new three-year contract. GR Engineering subsidiary Upstream Production Solu- tions will provide operations and maintenance services to the Arrowsmith Stabilisation Plant (ASP) and Cliff Head Alpha offshore platform in the Perth Basin. Upstream has provided services to the ASP and Cliff Head facilities since they were commissioned in 2006. Triangle Energy says it has also negotiated improved contracts with many of its suppliers, as part of cost-re- duction measures to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19. Managing director Rob Towner said the company was in a good position. Swift Media wins work with Rio, Atlas Iron Swift Media has signed $1.2 million in contracts to pro- vide communications equipment at Rio Tinto and Atlas Iron’s workforce accommodation villages in the Pilbara. Under the contracts, Swift will reactivate and expand the village entertainment system at Rio Tinto’s Western Turner Syncline 2 iron ore project. Swift will also build an entertainment system for Atlas Iron’s 136-person camp at Corunna Downs, which includes installing fibre optic cabling and a village-wide network WiFi. Further, Swift says there is scope to provide an ongoing content service on a fee per room basis. Alterra, Casotti Group partner on 300ha orchard ASX-listed agribusiness Alterra will develop a 300-hectare avocado orchard in Pemberton, which is set to become one of the largest avocado projects in the country. Alterra said it has established a special purpose vehi- cle to develop the orchard, which will be leased under a 50-year agreement with a company related to one of WA’s biggest privately owned fruit growers and wholesalers, the Casotti Group, whose assets include Karragullen Cool Storage. Known as the Carpenters Project, the orchard has the potential to produce between 20 and 30 tonnes of avo- cados per hectare each year. $20m more Rio work for Primero Engineering company Primero Group has secured further work with Rio Tinto at the Koodaideri and Mesa K iron ore projects in the Pilbara under $20 million in contract variations. The variations awarded under the Mesa K contract comprise further civil work at the Mesa J PP2 wet pro- cessing facility, currently being developed as part of Rio Tinto’s Robe Valley Sus- taining projects. The Mesa J works are expected to complete this year. Primero says variations to the Koodaideri comprise ‘options selections’, which have now been con- firmed and included for implementation. The additional works will be completed in line with the original contracted time frame of mid-2021. Powered by Morningstar ® . com . au businessnews.com.au/bniq/bn30 180 – 160 – 140 – 120 – 100 – 80 – Jul2017 Jan2020 .*April 20, 2020 57 | April 20, 2020 April 20, 2020 April 20, 2020 CONTRACTS AND TENDERS WA TENDERS See more at www.australiantenders.com.au Construction of a storeroom and bin store at Floreat Beach Kiosk Issued by: Town of Cambridge Closing date: 28-04-2020 Description: The town is seeking a suitably qualified and experienced contractor to construct a storeroom and bin store at Floreat Beach Kiosk, Floreat Beach, as stated in RFQ 2020-05. RFP for construction and refurbishment (below $250k): panel refresh Issued by: Edith Cowan University Closing date: 29-04-2020 Description: Edith Cowan University is seeking responses from suppliers to this request for proposal (RFP) to join a panel of preferred contractors for the provision of minor refurbishment works. A significant percentage of the ECU facilities refurbishment works consist of minor renovations, repairs and renewal work that may range from $10,000-$250,000. Demolition and construction of new change rooms and associated work Issued by: Sport Australia Closing date: 04-05-2020 Description: The Australian Sports Commission is seeking expressions of interest from suppliers to deliver the demolition of existing and construction of new change room facilities and associated works at the AIS Rowing Facility located in Yarralumla, ACT. Refurbishment works for shire staff housing Issued by: Ashburton Shire Council Closing date: 12-05-2020 Description: The Shire of Ashburton seeks to engage a suitably qualified and experienced Contractor/s for the refurbishment works required to multiple staff houses located in Tom Price and Paraburdoo. This is a selection of the latest government and corporate tenders in WA. Go to the website for more information and additional tenders. RENEWAL: Worley has provided engineering services to Chevron’s Gorgon and Wheatstone LNG assets since 2013. Photo: Chevron construction, and the planned Morley-Ellen- brook line. The company will also build a rail turnback required for the airport link, west of the new station. Coleman Rail gen- eral manager Sean Bonham welcomed the announcement. “Fantastic news to be named preferred pro- ponent for the new Bayswater station, especially being the first major project to be announced since the COVID-19 pandemic,” Mr Bonham told Business News. “We look forward to providing employment opportunities for locals, and the opportunity this project provides to grow our business in WA.” The Bayswater station project is expected to employ 350 people. CITIC extends Centurion contract for three years Centurion has received a three-year contract extension to provide integrated logistics services for CITIC Pacific Mining’s Sino iron project in the Pilbara. Perth Airport-based Centurion has been providing ser- vices to CITIC for more than eight years, including line haul, regional transport services and off-site receipting. Centurion chief executive Justin Cardaci said the con- tract extension validated the quality and efficiency of the company’s services. “This extension is a tribute to the importance of estab- lishing long-term relationships with customers,” he said. Track’em secures contract at Primero iron ore project Perth technology company Track’em has secured a new contract with Primero Group, which will use its cloud-based tracking technology for a major iron ore project in WA. Primero will use Track’em’s Material Tracking Solution to increase the visibility and control over materials required to complete construction works on the project. Track’em says the system will enable Primero and its pro- ject partners to monitor, update and report on materials in real-time from any location. Monadelphous and NSW-based Downer have also used the company’s tracking technology. Worley wins work with Chevron, Shell Worley has secured further work at a number of Chevron’s Australian assets, as well as new contracts with Shell and an Indonesian oil and gas company for a new sulfuric acid plant. Chevron had contracted Worley in 2013 for brownfield engi- neering services at its WA projects, including the Gorgon and Wheatstone LNG assets, under an initial five-year term. The contract was extended by two years in June 2018 and again by a further two years, announced March 31. Further, Worley secured new work with Shell for a sulfuric acid plant in Indonesia. The plant will be designed and engineered by Worley under a separate contract with PT Enviromate Technology Interna- tional, based in Jakarta. DTI Group signs $11m contract Perth-based surveillance company DTI Group has been awarded a contract by Alstom India to provide CCTV equipment for the Sydney Metro Southwest rail project. DTI Group said it was expecting more than $11 million of revenue to be derived from the contract over the next 18 months. The company will design, manufacture and supply a public address, CCTV and information system for the rail project. The contract covers the equipment, software and project support associ- ated with the delivery of the initial 23 six-car base option to be deliv- ered within the next 18 months, and the option of an additional 14 six-car extension. STANDING BY BUSINESS. TRUSTED BY BUSINESS. STAY INFORMED OF THE FACTS TO BE FUTURE-READY. SUBSCRIBE NOW58 | April 20, 2020April 20, 2020 April 20, 2020 April 20, 2020 APPOINTMENTS Contact: appointments@businessnews.com.au businessnews.com.au/Category/Appointments Krystal Skinner, Jennie Milne, Ray Achemedei and Nichola Holgate (pictured) have been appointed to Horizon Powers’ leadership team. Ms Skinner joins the team as general manager customer experience, after previously working at Synergy in innovation and growth, marketing and products and markets. Jennie Milne will be Horizon Power’s general manager of employee experience. Prior to this appointment, Ms Milne worked as general manager of human resources at RAC. Horizon Power has made Mr Achemedei general manager technology and digital. Mr Achemedei has more than 25 years’ information technology experience and has worked with CITIC Pacific Mining, Rio Tinto, Iluka Resources, Fortescue Metals Group, Oakajee Port and Rail and Crosslands Resources. Ms Holgate completes the executive leadership team as the general manager external affairs and communications. She most recently led the Bankwest corporate affairs team during the company’s digital transformation. Horizon Power chief executive officer Stephanie Unwin says these leaders will help deliver Horizon Power’s new corporate strategy. New names at Horizon Power NLE gets first CEO Noongar Land Enterprise Group has appointed Alan Beattie as its first chief executive officer. Mr Beattie was previously the social enterprise man- ager at Holyoake. He has worked with and alongside Aboriginal people for more than two decades, particularly the Noongar community, at MADA- LAH, Nyaarla Projects, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission and the Department of Aboriginal Affairs. Walawski Murfett partner Murfett Legal has made Kate Walawski partner employment and workplace relations. With a decade of experience as a lawyer, Ms Walawski has worked at Jackson McDonald, KRW Legal, HopgoodGanim Lawyers and Mills Oakley in workplace relations and safety law. She was recognised by Best Lawyers in Australia as being a leading workplace relations and employment lawyer for 2020. Zardo to Metalsearch ASX-listed junior miner Metalsearch has appointed Peter Zardo as chief operating officer. Previously working at St George Bank for 16 years, Mr Zardo has experience in managing medium to large-scale commercial enterprise by providing strategic guidance. At St George, he worked in a number of positions including becoming director, industry banking and senior relationship manager, premium corporate. Burnell virus leader Steve Burnell will lead Minderoo Foundation’s COVID-19 response. Dr Burnell has been the chief executive of Minderoo Foundation’s Collabo- rate Against Cancer initiative since October 2019. He has experience leading healthcare businesses and managing portfolios for multina- tional companies, having previously worked at healthcare company Roche, Ventana Medical Systems and Strategy Energy. He has a PhD in biology from Sydney University. GM role for Dwyer Tod O’Dwyer has been appointed general manager WA residential at Frasers Property Australia. Mr O’Dwyer is relocating from Melbourne, where he held the role of general manager development and design for 10 years. Prior to joining the company, Mr O’Dwyer worked with Delfin Lend Lease for 17 years in Queensland and Victoria. New WAMSI board Western Australian Marine Science Institution has announced a new board. New members to the board include Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation executive director science and innovation, Debra Cousins, former CSRIO research director Ian Cresswell, environmental consultant Rod Lukatelich, Mid West Ports Authority chief executive Rochelle Macdonald, and AFL SportsReady national development manager Shirley McPherson. New CBH chair Simon Stead has been elected chair of CBH Group, replacing longstanding director Wally Newman, who has stepped down from the board. Mr Stead joined the board as a member director in 2015 and was appointed deputy chairman in 2019. He runs a mixed cropping, cattle and sheep operation in Cascade and Dalyup in the Esperance region. Natalie Browning was elected as deputy chair. Oates Wine Aust chair Margaret River winemaker Cath Oates will be acting chair of Wine Australia for three months, replacing David Walsh who stepped down in September. Ms Oates was appointed as a Wine Australia director in October 2018 and has been leading the organisation since her election as deputy chair in February 2020. She is the owner and winemaker at Oates Ends in Margaret River. Business News in your pocket All of the essential news, information and data when you need it. STANDING BY BUSINESS. TRUSTED BY BUSINESS. LEADERSHIP: Nichola Holgate most recently led the Bankwest corporate affairs team.April 20, 2020 59 | April 20, 2020 April 20, 2020 April 20, 2020 DIRECTORS’ INTERESTS Contact: nicholas.clarke@businessnews.com.au businessnews.com.au/ Person/Ted-van-Heemst businessnews.com.au/ Person/John-Welborn AgriminRichard Seville 20,220 A Blackham ResourcesMilan Jerkovic 318,231 D BNK Banking CorporationJohn Kolenda 31,250 A Castillo CopperGed Hall 23,400 A Castillo CopperRobert Scott 5,270 A Duketon Mining Seamus Cornelius 11,800 A Emeco HoldingsIan Testrow 10,423,516* G Empire ResourcesMichael Ruane 5,285 A Finbar GroupJohn Chan 89,802 A Flinders MinesJames Gurry 10,400 A Horizon GoldPaul Bennett 50,000 A Horizon GoldPeter Venn 20,000 A Inca Minerals Jonathan West 6,250 G Ironbark ZincDanny Segman 19,466 A Kore PotashDavid Hathorn 39,500 G Kore PotashDavid Netherway 20,375 G Kore PotashJonathan Trollip 16,000 G Mader GroupLuke Mader 50,000 A Matrix Composites & EngineeringAaron Begley 12,849 A Mineral Resources Chris Ellison 99,366 I MMJ Group HoldingsDoug Halley 5,000 E MMJ Group Holdings Winton Willesee 8,000 E NeometalsChris Reed 17,000 A NTM GoldAndrew Muir 31,250 C NTM GoldEduard Eshuys 1,000,000 C NTM GoldTed van Heemst 250,000 C Okapi Resources David Nour 34,750 A Rafaella ResourcesRobert Wrixon 14,541 A RareX Jeremy Robinson 5,100 A RareXShaun Hardcastle 5,000 A Red 5Ian Macpherson 28,650 A Red 5Kevin Dundo 31,948 A Resolute MiningJohn Welborn 330,000 F Resolute Mining Martin Botha 50,001 F Resolute MiningSabina Shugg 30,000 F Resolute Mining Yasmin Broughton 30,000 F SRG GlobalMichael Atkins 46,300 A Superior Lake ResourcesGrant Davey 632,388* F,X Tap OilChris Newton 51,314* G The Agency Group AustraliaMatt Lahood 4,154 A Triangle Energy Global Robert Towner 11,212 A VysarnPeter Hutchinson 33,330 A Western Areas Tim Netscher 32,453 A,I Eneco RefreshChiau Thuan Teh 4,386 A A On market trade |C Exercise of options | D Rights issue | F Placement | G Director remuneration | I Dividend reinvestment plan | X Consideration for acquisition *Shares issued at no cost are listed here at market value on day of issue Please direct enquiries to nicholas.clarke@businessnews.com.au DECREASE HOLDER OR TOTAL COMPANY INTERESTED PARTY REALISED $ INCREASE HOLDER OR TOTAL COMPANY INTERESTED PARTY COST $ businessnews.com.au/bniq/directors-interests BOARD MOVES African Gold Evan Cranston transitions from non-executive chair to exec- utive chair, Steve Parsons has resigned as executive director, and Mathew O’Hara has been ap- pointed non-executive director. Coziron Resources David Flanagan has been appointed non-executive chair, with longstanding chair Adam Sierakowski transitioning to non-executive director. Kogi Iron Don Carroll has resigned from the board, having served as non-ex- ecutive director since 2010. Mali Lithium Alistair Cowden will transition from a non-executive chair to an executive chair, Chris Evans will resign as managing director at the end of April, and Noel O’Brien resigns as non-executive director but is retained as a mineral-pro- cessing consultant for three months. Manhattan Corporation Jens Balkau has been appointed non-executive director, following the resignation of Robert Perring. Metalsearch Rob Downey will transition from non-executive chair to non-ex- ecutive director, Keong Kok Chan becomes non-executive chair, Jeremy Read has resigned from the board, and Peter Zardo is the new chief operating officer tasked with heading up the com- pany’s commercialisation and operations. MinRex Resources James Bahen has joined the board as non-executive director. Odin Metals Chief executive Simon Mottram and Luis Azevedo have been appointed executive directors, Aaron Bertolatti has resigned as non-executive director but remains a company secretary, and executive director Jason Bon- tempo becomes executive chair. Otto Energy John Jetter has taken over from Ian Boserio as non-executive chair. Peppermint Innovation Mark Reid has been appointed non-executive director as the company plans to launch biz- moPay, an alternative non-bank lending facility. Albert Cheok will step down as non-executive director and become an advisory board member. Pioneer Resources Timothy Spencer has joined the board of directors, changing his role from chief executive to managing director, and stepping down as company secretary. Allan Trench and Wayne Spilsbury have resigned as non-executive directors. ResApp Health Michael Stein has replaced Nathan Buzza as non-executive director. S2 Resources Non-executive chair Jeff Dowling will become non-executive director, managing director and chief executive, Mark Bennett be- comes executive chair, and Grey Egerton-Warburton steps down as non-executive director. Samson Oil and Gas Terry Barr retires as chief execu- tive and managing director and replaces Peter Hill as non-execu- tive chair. Chief financial officer Tristan Farel will become manag- ing director and chief executive. Saturn Metals Brett Lambert has joined the board as non-executive chair, while inaugural chair Rob Tyson transitions to a non-executive director. Tanga Resources Longstanding founder and di- rector John Stockley has stepped down from the board, with con- sulting geologist Chris van Wijk appointed a technical director. Veris Adam Lamond moves over as managing director and becomes executive director, corporate and strategy. Steve Harding is the chief financial officer, taking over from Lisa Wynne, who resumes her roles as company secretary and head of commercial function. Powered by Morningstar ® . com . au Ted van Heemst Non-executive director NTM GOLD Shares acquired: 5,000,000 Value of shares acquired: $250,000 Value of total shareholding: $2.4m* John Welborn Managing director RESOLUTE MINING Shares acquired: 300,000 Value of shares acquired: $330,000 Value of total shareholding: $3.4m* *At close of trade Apr 15Next >