This event aims to encourage a stronger female presence in the corporate sector, so prepare to be inspired by some of WA’s leading ladies of business.
Listen to Diane as she shares her throughts on leadership and diversity on boards.

Time: 7:00am-9:00am

Date: Thursday 20th September 2012

Location: The Old Brewery, Mounts Bay Road

Featured Speaker 

Diane Smith-Gander

Diane Smith-Gander has, over a successful twenty five year business career, focused her energies on situations where major change is needed – bringing a blend of strategic thought and operational experience to enable effective execution.
Diane is a Director of Wesfarmers Limited, Transfield Services Limited, CBH Group Limited and Deputy Chairman of the National Broadband Network Company Limited. Diane also sits on the University of Western Australia Business School Advisory Board.
She is a past Chairperson of the Australian Sports Drug Agency and of Basketball Australia Limited, the peak body governing the sport in Australia.
Prior to embarking on a career as an independent director, Diane held senior executive roles at Westpac Banking Corporation in retail bank management. Her last role at Westpac was as the Group Executive responsible for IT and Operations reporting to the CEO.
She was a partner at McKinsey & Company in Washington DC and New Jersey serving clients in diverse industries globally. Diane continues to provide advice to McKinsey in Asia on merger management topics.

Cloud computing is the practice of using an internet network to store, manage and process data. It provides the simplicity of downloading one application as a virtual server instead of using hardware and software needed for local servers.

The cloud concept has been developing for years now and is expanding rapidly from email clouds such as Hotmail and Yahoo to clouds like Dropbox and Microsoft Cloud, where an entire business file can be stored and accessed from any location.

A poll conducted for the OzHub industry alliance suggests Australians have largely adopted cloud services but are unaware of where their data is stored.

Cloud technology seizes many benefits; less technical problems and upgrades, improved mobility, reduced costs in outsourcing hardware and software necessities and the simplicity that it holds. Alongside the benefits stand the challenges of implementing such a dynamic server.

Research suggests that more than 70% of Australians use social networking sites and email services and one-third of these individuals use other web services to store personal data and information. More than 80% of these users are unaware of where their data is stored and 70% would prefer if the information was stored in Australia.

86% of respondents of a recent poll taken for OzHub expressed concern that foreign governments may be able to legally access their data, posing a huge concern for businesses. 87% of these respondents suggest permission first be granted by companies before moving personal data overseas as 85% of the respondents believe their data should be stored locally.

Managing director of Longhaus and previous market researcher, Peter Carr, a long-time user of cloud technology will be discussing the growing trend of cloud computing and the strengths and threats it may hold for businesses in the future at Via Appia Networking WA’s first of three CIO Symposium events.

The luncheon will be discussing the growing trends across the IT industry with the first event focusing on cloud technology. The event will be held on the 29^th of May at The Marque Hotel.

Director of Networking WA, Rebecca Cole an avid user of Cloud commented “Cloud technology has many positive benefits but the challenges are still unclear, the CIO Symposium series will allow individuals in the IT industry to share opinions, insights and knowledge allowing businesses to implement the best possible practices within their organisation,” says Rebecca.

Register for the CIO Symposium: Cloud Computing Today

Here’s an article from the Malawi Mining Review featuring the work Skye and Globe Metals & Mining are doing to refurbish the Etandweni Health Post as part of their CSR program in the Malawian district of Mzimba.

Looking forward to hearing all about it first hand at the event!

Keep tuned for the CSR event information to be released soon on our website!

View the full gallery on our facebook page

Photo’s courtesy of Paul Pichugin Fine Art Photography

Alice @ Mars Recruitment

2012

I would like to thank all the Networking WA colleagues who helped make our first event together a success. Your hard work in helping pull this event together was very much appreciated.

Your team worked effortlessly, efficiently and professionally and were extremely helpful when assisting our guests.

Lucy’s assertive and proactive attitude was a great asset and we look forward to repeating these standards at our next event.

Well done

- Yvonne Hannam, The Australian Property Institute

Susan Fleming, Arts, Education and Corporate Affairs Consultant

    
Join us for an exclusive evening with Little Creatures as we explore the brewing process and sample a selection of beers & ciders. Enjoy the latest exhibition displayed at the Perth Centre for Photography whilst networking with industry professionals.

Time:  5:30 – 7:30pm

Date: Thursday 14th June 2012

Location: Perth Centre for Photography, 100 Aberdeen Street Northbridge

There are only40 spots available for this exclusive event so register now to secure your spot!

Click here to listen to the full interview.

Currently the Australian mining industry boasts a 19% foreign worker base. An influx of workers to fill skill gaps, Australia has seen the highest number of 457 visa applications since 2008, indicated by the Department of immigration. The visa subclass has seen a 38% increase in applications  with the mining and construction sectors accounting for the majority of these applications at around 20%.Not only are the jobs abundant in this sector, however the Wall Street Journal has labelled them as one of the best paid in the world. Interstaff international reported an increase in the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT). Under immigration law, employers are required to pay the same market rate as Australian workers would receive, dispelling the myth of ‘cheap foreign labour’.

The issue of foreign recruitment is an ongoing one with growing concerns in relation to wages. ABC Reporter Greg Hoy states a large number of Chinese workers have been brought in on 457 visas by the Sino Iron project in Karratha and unions have complained that these workers are seriously underpaid and in breach of the law.

To combat the issue, Federal Immigration Minister Chris Bowen says breaches of the 457 visas or the Fair Work Act are taken very seriously and often underpaid foreign workers are in breach of the 457 by being a ‘semi-skilled’ and not a ‘fully-skilled’ worker. Mr Bowen says hurdles are in place for a reason, for protection. Workers must cross these hurdles to justify their skills as ‘semi-skilled’ or ‘fully-skilled’ in order to be paid market rates.
With the Government working towards a solution, it must however be noted the onus is on the ACTU President Ged Kearney comments ” Any plan to ease labour shortages must be matched by investment in skills training by employers”.

Does your company employ foreign workers under the 457 visa? We would love to hear your opinion on the new Government initiatives fast-tracking the employment process for skilled foreign workers in the resource industry, so feel free to comment on this post!

For the interesting discussion ‘Fear of foreign workers strikes Australia again’ with ABC Reporter Greg Hoy and Immigration Minister Chris Bowen, the segment can be watched at http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2012/s3466949.htm.

Written by Sarah Awan