The 9 beliefs are:

1.) Time doesn’t fill me. I fill time.

2.) The people around me are the people I chose.

3.) I have never paid my dues.

4.) Experience is irrelevant. Accomplishments are everything.

5.) Failure is something I accomplish; it doesn’t just happen to me.

6.) Volunteers always win.

7.) As long as I’m paid well, it’s all good.

8.) People who pay me always have the right to tell me what to do.

9.) The extra mile is a vast, unpopulated wasteland.

For the full article, click here.

The irrepressible Alfie Langer was on hand to share a few stories and beers with the members in what proved to be a great event and an exclusive look around the ground which included the walk to the pitch enjoyed by the legends of the game.

With 4 more events to come in 2013 the Broncos Business Club continues to grow so for more information on joining please get in touch with me on 07 3232 9104.

Average Australian Accounting Salary

Source: MyCareer job listings inclusive of wage. Figures may incorporate total package.

Salaries in accounting will depend on skills and experience. Job seekers need to consider market competition and the global economy, as this affects how much an accountant can earn. In a challenging employment market critical roles will still be in demand but on the whole the strong supply of accountants is outstripping the demand right now.

However, we are starting to see a change in pace with positive sentiment for the final 2 quarters of 2013. There is still strong demand for 1st or 2nd movers out of chartered accounting and in roles where candidates can add value very quickly such as highly analytical roles.

Organisations are still taking a conservative approach and the lack of investment in staff now may have repercussions post 2013 when demand will quickly increase. Job seekers need to have patience as the market will definitely improve and when it does there will be a rush on well qualified accountants who have found themselves with very little choice since the beginning of 2013.

See: 2013 BRW Fast Starters

Much of the article talks about the increase in export capacity for the site which begs the question; Is the increase in volume the solution?

It seems simple doesn’t it? Coal prices are low so we’ll shift more of the stuff! Hopefully if that is the solution it’s only temporary. In my opinion the industry needs to use any investment to fund research into process efficiencies and technological innovation. We are repeatedly told that Australian Mining is a world leader but it feels as if we have an expensive sports car that we can’t fill with petrol at the moment so perhaps we consider engineering a new cost effective engine.

It’s a good news story first of all so I’m clinging to that.

The full article is shown below:

Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal could undergo a $5.4bn expansion which would create over 1000 jobs.

The terminal south of Mackay was given permission to fund the $5.8 million investigation of the project by charging an extra $0.0065 per tonne of coal.

The expansion would boost the government owned port’s exporting capacity to 153 million, up from its current capacity of 85 million tonnes, Daily Mercury reported.

Bowen Basin mines owned by major miners including BHP, Rio Tinto, and Peabody export coal through the terminal.

The port underwent a $1.26bn expansion from 2005 to 2009 which saw capacity grow to 85 million tonnes.

A study into expansion plans is expected to take up to four years.

I read an interesting article in the Brisbane Courier Mail today about how Queensland is positioned to take up the mantle as the country’s best-performing state based on the continuation of Gladstone’s mega-gas projects and the end of deep government spending cuts. The latest Deloitte Access Economics Business Outlook report, released today, paints an optimistic picture for the state, which has endured above-average unemployment and a cut in spending on coal investment.

Deloitte partner Chris Richardson said he expected the negatives of recent years to pass in the next financial year, with Queensland to “carve out a greater share of the national economy”.  He said, “WA’s spell at the front of the pack has been impressive, but an investment slowdown will soon slow Australia’s investment king. In fact, with the worst of Queensland’s State Government cutbacks likely to be soon over, that may let the Sunshine State shrug off its cost-cutting coal miners to help it grab a stint at the top.”

Gross state product is forecast to increase from 2.3% this year to 4.4 % in 2014. Mr Richardson said the state’s population growth was improving and while an immediate surge in housing construction was unlikely, “the outlook is for a sustained upswing in construction levels that will be a key component of the national recovery”. Master Builders yesterday said new dwelling commencements had started well this year – up 3.8% in January – and “indications are that this trend will continue”.

The report forecasts unemployment to peak at 6% in 2013-14 before falling each year to 5.2% in 2018. Queensland’s population is expected to grow steadily at 2% and will reach the 5 million milestone in 2016-17.

The issues facing the struggling retail, construction and tourism sectors have meanwhile been highlighted as a key federal Budget issue. Writing in this Friday’s BOOM magazine, Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland boss Stephen Tait says regulatory hurdles need to be removed to support businesses in those sectors. He said, “Too long have small business been overtaxed, over-regulated and overlooked. They need work laws to be fairer and balanced for employers and employees. They need governments to reform tax and finance by getting out of the way and choosing better spending priorities.”

The relative success of the mining sector is nowhere more apparent than in Gladstone and areas of regional Queensland with gas reserves, where $60 billion is being spent ahead of first exports in mid 2015. Investment will peak in the coming months but will continue to provide a significant boost to the state. Mr Richardson said, “Queensland’s gas development continues apace, but cutbacks by coal miners and the State Government have come at a short-term cost to its growth. However, the peak impacts from those state cutbacks may soon pass, and there’s still heaps to like in the gas potential.”

An organisation’s culture is unique and is able to provide a competitive advantage when being compared to the competition. From an internal perspective, as culture can impact your talent, productivity and ultimately your bottom line, it’s important to be able to recognise and measure something that is critical to the business’s success.  I found an interesting article in the newest edition of HR Monthly magazine that has researched whether or not a culture that is incentivised by bonuses is one that is successful; or one that is creating a risk-based environment and compromises on quality.

As the market is tighter than it has been in previous years with many organisations going through large restructures, an ongoing focus on company culture and providing a value add to employees through less expensive avenues has become the focus. Studies show in a tough market that money isn’t necessarily a key driver for employees including a bonus scheme, particularly when the bonuses are paid as a result of company performance. As roles become more complex and the individuals are taking on more responsibility, innovation is becoming important to ensure we are working in a smarter way for time efficiencies, with working towards bonuses inhibiting creative thinking.  Receiving a monetary bonus will creative a positive feeling in the employee however this is not sustainable and will create the expectation of receiving something larger the following year. It can also lead to incentivising the wrong sort of behaviours rather than putting metrics around quality of performance. It is believed that the culture of an organisation, and whether it encourages creativity is more important than a bonus, without compromising risk and behaviour standards. It is about correctly aligning a bonus scheme with more collaborative KPI’s such as team work, information sharing and quality behaviours observed by their direct manager. It has been said that it’s important to couple this with a strong leader who fosters motivating their staff, and providing a collaborative and creative environment.