MELBOURNE will host its first Retail Week from today (Monday), as we welcome 10,000 retail industry delegates to celebrate our thriving retail industry and collaborate on new ways to ensure its profitability.

Acting Lord Mayor Arron Wood said the event has previously been based in Sydney.

“Australia’s fashion and shopping capital is looking forward to hosting Retail Week for the first time in 2018 as we welcome 10,000 industry delegates to a range of events that will inspire collaboration, innovation and excellence,” the Acting Lord Mayor said.

“Retail Week is the latest recognition of Melbourne’s growing identity as a globally sought after retail destination and comes after David Jones relocated its head office here, from Sydney.

WHEN the Institute of Public Accountants (IPA) partnered Deakin University last year to deliver a Master of Business Administration (MBA) as its professional program, there was deliberate focus on small business.

“The accounting profession continues to evolve and we want our members undertaking the IPA’s MBA professional program to be well-placed to provide the essential advice their small business clients are seeking as their trusted advisers,” said IPA chief executive officer, Professor Andrew Conway. 

“The IPA MBA has a dedicated small business advisory unit to help members, better service small business clients, extending from planning and marketing to socioeconomic factors affecting small business, including their mental health and wellbeing.

“The IPA is the only Australian professional accounting body offering an MBA as its Professional Program and we believe this will keep our members ahead of the competitive pack and help to provide the high quality, professional services that the small business owner needs and deserves. 

“The Program is structured to be very flexible, providing members with a streamlined system to achieve one of the most sought-after MBA degrees in the southern hemisphere.

“New or Associate members who have studied the six units required to complete the former IPA Professional Program, are eligible to commence the Deakin MBA at the second stage of the IPA Program which means they can attain a fully-fledged MBA in half the time and half the cost.

‘Small business clients can only benefit from their trusted adviser having this prestigious qualification.

“Globally, an MBA has the track record of increasing employment and promotion opportunities as well as rises in income,” said Prof Conway.

For more information on IPA’s MBA go to http://bit.ly/2v11huG

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AUSTRALIANS should have direct input into the decisions of their local government via digital engagement platforms according to software company, SAP Australia Pty Ltd.

SAP Australia will spruik the benefits of deploying technology to collect and analyse community data, share local government solutions to common problems and empower residents to decide on the allocation of resources, when they appear before a public hearing in Canberra tomorrow.

The public hearing is part of the House Standing Committee on Infrastructure, Transport and Cities’ inquiry into the Australian Government’s role in the Development of cities.

In a joint submission to the inquiry SAP Australia and the Regional Australia Institute argued that although government rhetoric highlights the importance of consultation and community engagement, it isn’t necessarily occurring.

“Our experience is that what is termed to be consultation fatigue, ie lack of participation which frustrates a central agency’s ability to convene the meetings it needs to demonstrate its engagement, is in fact a patronising term hiding the reality that those who do the consulting don’t take the outcomes and act on them,” the two organisations submitted, “…ongoing citizen engagement is vital for better local outcomes.”

Committee Chair, John Alexander OAM MP, said the Committee is very interested in exploring how the Australian Government can foster ‘smart’, engaged communities.

“The evidence presented to the Committee has highlighted the importance of data to informal decision making,” Mr Alexander said.

“The Committee is keen to explore access to better data to promote improved decision making and community engagement.”

Public hearing details: 5pm–6.30pm, Tuesday, 27 February 2018 Committee Room 1R3, Parliament House, Canberra

5.00 pm: SAP Australia Ptd Lty and the Regional Australian Institute
6.30 pm: Close

The hearing will be broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live.

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THE Indigenous Affairs Committee will be holding public hearings in Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne in the first two weeks of March 2018 for its inquiry into the growing presence of inauthentic Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander 'style' art and craft products and merchandise for sale across Australia.

The Canberra hearings will include government agencies such as the Australian Institute for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, IP Australia, and the Department of Communications and the Arts.

The Sydney hearings will feature a number of industry experts, peak organisations, and state government agencies including Ms Terri Janke, the Indigenous Art Code, and the Aboriginal Arts Association of Australia.

In Melbourne, the committee will hear from the Victorian Government and also organisations such as Creative Economy.

In 2018, the Committee intends to travel to other urban, regional and remote areas to hold further hearings.

New Committee Chair, Ann Sudmalis MP, said “The Committee welcomes all interested parties to our hearings and encourages individuals and organisations to continue to make submissions via our website.”

Canberra public hearing details

Time:              11.45 – 12.15
Date:              Thursday, 1 March 2018
Location:       Committee Room 1R3, Parliament House

Time:              09.00 – 13.20
Date:              Friday, 2 March 2018
Location:       Committee Room 1R3, Parliament House

Sydney public hearing details

Time:              09.00 – 17.00
Date:              Tuesday, 6 March 2018
Location:       Macquarie Room, Parliament of New South Wales

Time:              09.00 – 10.20
Date:              Wednesday, 7 March 2018
Location:       Meeting Room 1, Commonwealth Parliamentary Offices, 1 Bligh Street

Melbourne public hearing details

Time:              09.00 – 13.20
Date:              Thursday, 8 March 2018
Location:       Room G7, Victorian Parliamentary Offices, 55 St Andrews Place, East Melbourne

The hearings will be broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live.

To keep up to date with where and when the hearings will be held, track the inquiry from the website. Click on the blue ‘Track Inquiry’ button and use the form to log-in or register for a My Parliament account.

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