Dear Members

The AGM was held on Tuesday 7 October and the newly elected Management Committee comprises:
- Julie Agnew
- David Aprile
- Toni Aprile
- Thomas Block
- Bill Cooper
- John Fordyce
- Kerry Hine
- Martin Lambert
- Lance Ryan

The Executive Committee positions will be decided at the next meeting of the Management Committee and will be advised to you soon after.

Country Week 2008

The team from REDC have now returned from the Regional Queensland promotial expos.  Those businesses who provided details of their positions vacant to the Mackay Chamber of Commerce will be contacted shortly with the details of potential candidates who visited the expo stand.

Reminder of upcoming events:

"Running your Business can be a lot easier with the right technology" 

The Mackay Information Technology Network (MITN) together with (IIB) invite you to attend a FREE half-day conference.  This event is aimed at business owners not technical people.  Business owners and managers who are interested in growing their business and improving efficiency through the adoption of innovative and smart ICT solutions are encouraged to attend.  It is aimed at, but not restricted to small to medium business in the mining and agricultural services sectors.

Be inspired by local Mackay companies that have effectively used ICT to improve operational processes and increase business activity.  Also see the latest technology, to be showcased by local ICT Providers.

Details:  Wed 15 October 2008 (7:30am to 12:00noon) Ocean International Hotel 
Cost:  FREE
refer to the attached flyer for speaker and registration details.

Export Week 08 - An international market update

Trade Qld and your local Dept of Tourism Regional Development and Industry centre invite you to meet Peter Beattie, the Qld Government's Trade and Investment Commissioner for the Americas and Andrew Craig, Agent General for Queensland and Commissioner for Europe and Africa, for an insight into mining equipment, technology and services export opportunities in Latin America, Russia and Africa.

Date:  Wed 15 October 2008 (12:00noon - 2:00pm) Ocean International Hotel
Cost:  FREE
refer to the attached flyer for registration details

Opportunity to speak to the Minister

Mr James Bidgood MP, Federal Member for Dawson invites the members of the Mackay Chamber of Commerce to a special business luncheon with The Hon Craig Emerson, Minister for Small Business, Independent Contractors and the Service Economy and Minister Assisting the Finance Minister on Deregulation.

The luncheon will be held on Monday 3 November, commencing at 12 noon at the Windmill Function Centre.  Places are $85 each, with tables of 8 costing $640.  Please contact Adele Howland on 4942 6011 to book your ticket or email to adele.howland@aph.gov.au  Refer to the attached flyer for futher details.

Forwarded for your information:

Fuel Subsidy Scheme

You may recall Commerce Queensland recently forwarded an outline of the above subject matter along with an invitation for chamber members to respond to the issue. The response can only be described as huge and while we are very grateful with the level of high co-operation.  It also conveyed the clear message of how rank and file chamber members appreciate the opportunity of being included this way. Every respondent to the Fuel Subsidy issue has been individually  thanked for their input and collectively that input greatly assisted us in preparing our submission to the State Government. Attached is the letter our State President Mrs Beatrice Booth submitted to the government on 1 October on this matter which may well be of interest to the office bearer recipients of this mail out.

I have looked after our relationship with local chambers for 14 years now and I count as wonderful the extent of mutually beneficial co-operation that exists these days.

Don Cameron, Manager Industry Liaison, Commerce Queensland

Smart Skills

The Queensland Government, through the Department of Tourism, Regional Development and Industry is committed to assisting Queensland businesses grow and prosper. As part of this commitment, the Government commits considerable resources to assisting business owners and managers acquire the skills to manage their business better.

Smart Skills is an online learning site for people in business or starting a business. It currently contains an expanding range of subjects. (Some take only five minutes to complete) on the following topic areas:

http://www.sdi.qld.gov.au/virtual/index.cfm

Kind regards, Robyn Hinkson