Business in Brisbane
Edition 8: January to March 2016
In this edition:
Page 2 Business community recognised, Wi-fi hotspots
Page 3 SCIP success, CBD businesses to benefit
Page 4 The best of Asia Pacific film, Case Study
A message from Lord Mayor Graham Quirk
Happy New Year and welcome to the first edition of Business in Brisbane for 2016.
This edition reflects on the recognition of our business and multicultural community at the recent
2015 Lord Mayor’s Business Awards and at the Lord Mayor’s Multicultural Business Dinner and
Awards. Congratulations to all the nominees and winners and I am looking forward to seeing
these businesses continue to grow over the coming years.
Brisbane’s global reach continues to stretch across the Asia Pacific region with international
filmmakers and actors attending the region’s highest accolade in film, the Asia Pacific Screen
Awards, in November. The awards had the highest number of entries to date, consolidating our
city’s position as a cultural hub.
Looking at the year ahead, I will continue to focus on local businesses through the
implementation of the Brisbane 2022 New World City Action Plan. The recently announced $5
million start-up hub, The Capital, will enable start-ups and entrepreneurs to access working
space, mentors, advisors, capital and event space in the CBD.
The Edward Street Vision will also see a boost to trade for CBD businesses and improved
amenities at shopping centres will increase foot traffic for those in the suburbs.
Finally, stay safe this storm season and help protect your business with our helpful tools and
information (www.business.qld.gov.au and www.brisbane.qld.gov.au)
Graham Quirk
LORD MAYOR
Do you have a business-related query?
Call Council’s dedicated business hotline, open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 133 BNE
makes it easy to do business in Brisbane.
Support for new businesses
Business community recognised
Accomplished individuals and businesses have been recognised for their contribution to the
economy and community through the 2015 Lord Mayor’s Business Awards (LMBA) and Lord
Mayor’s Multicultural Business Dinner and Awards at City Hall.
Celebrating 10 years on 30 October, the LMBA recognised 48 finalists from small, medium and
large-sized businesses across 10 award categories.
Among the winners was Don Meij of Domino’s Pizza, who was named Channel 7 Business
Person of the Year while Cook Medical Australia received the Optus Business Platinum Award.
On 6 November, multicultural business leaders were acknowledged at the Lord Mayor's
Multicultural Business Dinner and Awards, where Saneil Chand of Terry White Chemist Buranda
received the Nick Xynias Young Business Person of the Year Award. Tea Dietterich of 2M
Communications received Business Person of the Year and Zeinab Khalil of Eyedeal Optometrist
received Entrepreneur of the Year.
All funds raised contribute to the Lord Mayor’s Multicultural Business Scholarship and Mentoring
Scheme.
For more information, visit www.lmba.com.au or www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/multicultural
Getting your business prepared
Disasters can strike with little or no warning, so it’s important for Brisbane businesses to be
prepared.
Getting your business ready for a natural disaster includes tasks such as developing an
emergency plan for your business, organising proper insurance and training your staff in first aid
and evacuation procedures.
The Queensland Government’s Business and Industry Portal has checklists and guides to help
businesses prepare for events such as severe storms, cyclones, floods and bushfires at
www.business.qld.gov.au
It’s also important to identify your flood risk, understand how a flood might affect your area and
how to maintain business continuity.
You can find a range of tools and information to help your business understand potential flood
risk at www.brisbane.qld.gov.au
Wi-fi hotspots
Brisbane’s businesses can look forward to greater city centre pedestrian traffic, with work to
expand the CBD’s free wi-fi coverage currently underway.
As part of the $1 million project the CBD’s wi-fi will also be extended into the popular James
Street precinct in New Farm, allowing workers, residents, businesses and visitors to stay
connected and conduct business on the move from early 2016.
The new wi-fi service will also offer seamless integration from South Bank through the CBD,
giving visitors more reasons to lengthen their stay.
There is currently free wi-fi in 22 parks and public spaces including the Queen Street Mall,
Reddacliff Place, Victoria Bridge, South Bank Parklands, Valley Malls, Mt Coot-tha Summit
Lookout, Brisbane libraries and on CityCats.
For more information, visit www.brisbane.qld.gov.au
Local business benefit
Upgrade a boost for Brisbane’s economy
The Kingsford Smith Drive upgrade will play a key role to help boost business in Brisbane by
providing easier access to vital trade and employment hubs.
Commercial vehicles make up approximately 15% of overall traffic along the route, with growth in
key local areas, such as Northshore Hamilton, Australia TradeCoast and the Port of Brisbane,
expected to generate about 30,000 additional vehicle trips per day by 2031.
The upgrade will provide a faster, safer route to Australia TradeCoast, which is expected to
become the second biggest job generator in South East Queensland behind Brisbane CBD.
It will also improve access to Northshore Hamilton, which will provide an employment hub for up
to 10,000 people in commercial and retail businesses by 2030.
By 2031, a peak-time trip between Theodore Street and Breakfast Creek Road will be
approximately 30% faster, saving businesses time and money.
Successful tenderer Lendlease is expected to start construction in the first half of 2016, taking
approximately three years to complete.
CBD businesses to benefit
Brisbane CBD businesses are set to receive a major boost, with the recent release of the Edward
Street Vision, transforming Edward Street into a showcase retail boulevard.
The Edward Street Vision provides opportunities for shopfront owners, traders and the private
sector to contribute to the redevelopment of the precinct, which will showcase the retail
environment, shape the Edward Street brand and contribute to place-making outcomes such as
street activation, music and events.
Businesses will see $11.4 million invested over three years towards resurfacing, kerbside,
footpath and beautification works between Queen Street Mall and Charlotte Street.
The upgrade will deliver broad footpaths, tree-lined streets, open public spaces, decorative
lighting and public art, creating an attractive, safe and accessible pedestrian boulevard which will
help increase footfall for established businesses.
In partnership with key stakeholders, private development businesses and the wider community,
the vision is intended to serve as a foundation to delivering long-term change in the development
of a world-class shopping precinct.
For more information, visit www.brisbane.qld.gov.au and search ‘Edward Street Vision’.
SCIP success
Suburban business hubs are being transformed into an attractive and functional public space
through Suburban Centre Improvement Projects (SCIPs).
Since 1996, Council has worked in partnership with property owners to deliver $44 million of
improvements to 46 suburban shopping centres across the city, including the 2015
transformations of Moggill Road shopping strip, Kenmore and the Wynnum Road centre in
Cannon Hill.
SCIPs focus on improving each centre’s attractiveness, amenity, safety, accessibility and identity.
This includes improvement works such as new footpath finishes, furniture, street trees and
garden beds, heritage signage and artwork.
As well as contributing to the overall commercial vitality of local precincts, SCIPs also act as a
catalyst for economic investment by driving increased foot traffic through suburban hubs.
New SCIPs currently underway include a $5.3 million upgrade of South Pine and Samford Roads
precinct in Alderley and a $3.75 million revamp of the Honour Avenue centre in Graceville.
To find out more about SCIPs, visit www.brisbane.qld.gov.au
Events
4 February: CCIQ Maximise your Retail Marketing eWorkshop
Improve your sales position during quieter trading periods with a free webinar from SpruikerHire,
12 noon-1pm, to register visit www.cciq.com.au
18 February: Better Business Summit
For brokers looking to build a more profitable and productive business, 8.15am-6pm, Hilton Hotel,
Brisbane, tickets from $199 ex GST, to register visit www.betterbusinesssummit.com.au
3 March: AmCham UQ Business School Luncheon
Guest speaker Alison Watkins, 11.45am-2pm, Marriott, Brisbane, members $159, non-members
$199, to register visit www.amchamqld.on.net
21-22 March: Fast Forward Your Business 2016
Hear the latest entrepreneur strategies and trends, 9am-6pm, Brisbane Convention and
Exhibition Centre, South Brisbane, tickets from $29, to register visit
www.fastforwardyourbusiness.net
23 March: CEDA Women in Leadership Series
Hear from inspirational leaders, 11.30am-2pm, Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre,
South Brisbane, members $180, non-members $290, to register visit www.ceda.com.au
The best of Asia Pacific film
Inspirational filmmakers and actors from across the Asia Pacific took to the Brisbane City Hall red
carpet on 26 November for the 9th annual Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSA), the region’s
highest accolade in film.
Cemetery of Splendour (Rak ti Khon Kaen, Thailand, Malaysia, France, Germany, United
Kingdom) from Thai auteur Apichatpong Weerasethakul won the award for Best Feature Film,
while Palestinian director Hany Abu-Assad for The Idol (Ya Tayr El Tayer, Palestine, Qatar, UAE,
Netherlands, UK) won the prestigious APSA UNESCO Award for outstanding contribution to the
promotion and preservation of cultural diversity through film.
The awards recorded the highest number of entries, with more than 290 films in competition,
complementing the Brisbane Asia Pacific Film Festival (BAPFF) which showcased 34 of the 39
APSA-nominated feature films.
BAPFF and APSA highlight Brisbane’s position as a cultural hub in the Asia Pacific, building on
the commitment to strengthen the region through cultural initiatives.
For more information on the 2015 APSA award winners, visit
www.asiapacificscreenacademy.com
Case study: Own Grown Organics
Own Grown Organics is approaching its third full year of providing sustainable gardening
solutions for Brisbane.
The Kedron-based company creates personalised edible and medicinal garden concepts, with
the philosophy of teaching people how to grow and eat organically.
Owner and founder Lukas Ritson started up as a one-man operation, and said the business now
employs up to 15 people per project, cultivating a niche market concept and burgeoning
reputation in the process.
“My mum was a keen gardener so my chores growing up were always in the garden,” Mr Ritson
said.
“I was working as a photographer and studying permaculture and gardening on my days off, but
when we moved to Brisbane I got a job as an outdoor educator at Everton Park Early Childhood
and Development Centre and grew the idea from there".
Ritson’s business also provides part and full-service gardening, nurturing and harvesting and
sustainable gardens for shared residential, public and commercial spaces. For more information,
visit www.owngrownorganics.com
Queensland’s most sustainable city
Keep Queensland Beautiful has announced Brisbane as Queensland’s Most Sustainable City
2015 for the second year running.
Council was recognised for its efforts in litter reduction and prevention, public place recycling, its
two tip shops, Recycling Art Competition, stormwater harvesting, green transport and energy
initiatives, native tree planting, and litter awareness and education.
For more information on waste minimisation and sustainability initiatives, visit
www.brisbane.qld.gov.au
Council is continually working on plans and strategies to support innovation and economic
growth. Your feedback is highly valued.
Contact Council’s Business Hotline 133 BNE (133 263), email
economic_development@brisbane.qld.gov.au or visit www.brisbane.qld.gov.au
Every effort is made to ensure that information is correct at time of printing
CA15-1043464-00-1416
© Brisbane City Council 2016
Brisbane City Council
GPO Box 1434, Brisbane Qld 4001
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