Jetstar to boost Newcastle – Melbourne capacity

Jetstar has revealed plans to boost direct services between Newcastle and Melbourne by 30% effective from 31 October. The low cost carrier will introduce an additional Melbourne service on 31 Oct four days a week, which will then become daily on 6 December. Newcastle Airport CEO, Paul Hughes, said: “The introduction of these services will provide passengers of Newcastle Airport with greater choice and will also have a positive impact on our local economy.] “This increase to services means that passengers flying from Newcastle will have up to five flights a day to choose from, at different times of the day,” explained Paul. “Following a tough period in aviation, we have, to date, matched our passenger figures of 2009 and this announcement gives me confidence that we will go on to exceed our original projection of 1.17 million passengers this year “We welcome Jetstar’s ongoing support and look forward to welcoming passengers on this additional service,” concluded Paul.

Source: e-Travel Blackboard

Aerospace Industry Summit to Be Held in Newcastle

Newcastle will play host to a two day Aerospace Industry Summit on 16-17 September bringing together industry leaders to discuss opportunities for the region’s aerospace and defence sector.

Minister for the Hunter and Member for Newcastle, Jodi McKay, said the Hunter Aerospace Industry Summit is a joint initiative between the NSW Government, Regional Development Australia – Hunter, Newcastle and Port Stephens Councils and HunterNet.

“Newcastle and the Hunter have built a strong foundation for the Aerospace industry and there is plenty of room for this industry to expand,” Ms McKay said.

“The summit has the strong support of the defence industry and RAAF and will focus the attention on the bright future for aerospace in Newcastle and the Hunter.

“With ongoing support from the NSW Government the aerospace industry will become a significant driver of local economic growth for generations to come.”

Ms McKay said the NSW Government was focussed on building the defence and aerospace industries in the region.
“As part of this year’s State Budget the NSW Government is investing $75 million in the NSW Defence Industry Strategy,” Ms McKay said.

“This investment includes a $25 million allocation from the NSW Government’s Major Investment Attraction Scheme to help attract and support defence and related high tech industries to NSW.

“Work is also continuing to build defence capability hubs around the RAAF Williamtown base and around Newcastle’s port and shipbuilding capabilities.

“A number of Hunter workshops have already been held to bolster Small to Medium Enterprise defence businesses in our region.”

Ms McKay said regional work will be undertaken to:

• Identify support requirements of major Defence Manufacturers;
• Foster alliances between major Defence Manufacturers and Small to Medium Enterprises;
• Support Small to Medium Enterprise participation in global supply chains;
• Enable NSW companies to be more competitive in winning projects;
• Support access to research and development, education and training capabilities; and
• Improve coordination between Federal, State and Local Government entities.

A keynote speaker at the summit, the Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal Mark Binskin, said the RAAF was keen to participate in efforts to build the Hunter’s aerospace industry.

“There is great support for the expanding aerospace industry in the Hunter and Air Force is proud to be a part of that,” AIRMSHL Binskin said.

“The Hunter is a key region for the Air Force, being home to our premier air combat capability base in RAAF Williamtown, so a strong local aerospace industry is a healthy synergy for us.”

Ms McKay said the NSW Government, through Industry & Investment NSW, will provide financial support for the summit and market the Williamtown Aerospace Centre at the Avalon Air Show in March 2011 and Defence and Industry Conference in July 2011.

“Last year I had the pleasure of being the first Minister for the Hunter to attend the Avalon Air Show to see first hand the importance of having a presence at the event,” Ms McKay said.

“Being able to promote the region at such a large industry event, like the Avalon Air Show, plays a vital role in attracting aerospace industry investment in the Hunter.”

Ms McKay said the Hunter Aerospace Summit will help kick off the upcoming Defence Force Air Show at RAAF Base Williamtown on 18-19 September.

“The Australian Defence Force is planning the biggest and most exciting air and ground displays ever held in the Newcastle region, which will focus further attention on our RAAF industry base,” Ms McKay said.

Media Contact: Karl Schubert (02) 9228 5668 or 0429 904 937

Council’s holiday parks win 3 out of 3

Port Stephens Council is celebrating a hat-trick of awards for its outstanding holiday parks this month.

When Halifax Holiday Park was crowned best Tourist and Caravan Park at the Hunter Central Coast Tourism Awards, on 19 August, it capped off a tremendous season for Council properties.

Council owned and operated Samurai Beach Resort was awarded winner of the Ecotourism category in the North Coast Tourism Awards on 14 August.

Soldiers Point Park was also awarded the Best North Coast Holiday Park with less than 100 sites at the Caravan and Camping Industry Association awards in July.

Speaking today, General Manager Peter Gesling said it was a brilliant result for Council’s properties.

“Winning three out of three awards was a real feather in our cap and testament to the efforts of all staff and something that Port Stephens residents could be proud of,” he said.

“Council’s holiday properties have won over 12 awards in the past three years for excellence in tourism and environmental innovation,” Mr Gesling added.

All three awards were contested by the best in the industry and independently judged by the peak regional tourism and industry bodies.

New tool for business – Intellectual Property Explorer

Small Businesses now have an online tool to help them make business decisions about how best to manage their intellectual property (IP), courtesy of a regional initiative funded by the Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC).

Developed by the Governments of Australia, Hong Kong and Singapore, Intellectual Property Explorer contains a series of interactive diagnostic questions designed to help small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) realise and profit from their intellectual property.

Many businesses conducting an IP audit for the first time are surprised at how many IP assets their company has and how valuable they are to their business.

Day to day, businesses sell goods or services, but year to year they are building up ideas, goodwill and recognition linked to a brand, logo, product or standard of service. In reality they are building up value linked strongly to their IP assets. That’s why these assets need to be identified and protected.

Reviewing your IP can also reveal potential risks to a business that could ultimately result in costly legal proceedings with employees or third parties.

Visit www.intellectualpropertyexplorer.com

National Broadband Network opportunities for business and the community

 The National Broadband Network (NBN) is underway with Tasmania online and parts of NSW next. Currently RDA Hunter has engaged a project officer to build a priority case for the Hunter and Central Coast to be high on the priority list in the 8 year roll out so that our region can be connected sooner and pass on the competitive advantages sooner and before competitive areas in Australia.

What is it?
 The NBN is an infrastructure project that will connect up to 93% of homes to fibre optic broadband delivering speeds of up to 100 megabits per second which is 100 times faster than the speed you are currently likely to be used to. Other more regional areas will receive a relatively slower wireless or satellite options. The fibre will be connected to the premises via available infrastructure where it exists or in low impact underground conduit. 8,000 premises per day will be needed to be connected to meet the delivery schedule and a level of short-term civic works will be required.

Port Stephens Coverage?
According to the most recent maps released as a guide by the Federal Government, the only area of the Port Stephens LGA NOT likely to be connected by fibre-to-the-premises may be Wallalong and rural areas to the Nth West of the LGA.

What are the benefits?
Regardless of how you look at our region, we are in a competitive environment. For our region to be sustainable and to prosper we need to have a competitive economy, a robust community, and a healthy environment.

Why is the NBN so important to our Nation’s growth?

For the economy, the NBN will facilitate a paradigm shift in the way business is conducted. There will be businesses not yet existing that can only exist with high capacity broadband providing services and products we don’t yet know about. There will be methods of transactions that will shorten supply chains, increase market reach, digitalise products, allow greater communication with customers. Geographywill no longer be a barrier to accessing and retaining the highest quality talent. Enhanced opportunities for innovation, increased productivity, new product development, increased research capabilities, accelerated learning and diffusion of discovery throughout industry and the wider economy increases the total economic pie and everyone gets a larger share.

For Port Stephens in particular the above benefits will greatly apply to all businesses, but in regard to tourism and marketing the effects will be more immediately felt with the ability to process bookings and reach markets significantly approved and level the competitive playing in regard to broadband access across the LGA assisting tourism development in Karuah, and the Tilligerry.

For the community, the NBN will enable the more efficient delivery of vital services, and more importantly, increase access and reduce inequity of access to vital services and entertainment. The improvement in IP video can allow the remote delivery of practice health care, more advanced eHealth information systems will increase the efficiency in accessing health services and reducing their costs for our ageing population. Barriers to education, both geographic and financial, could be reduced as more learning delivery can be done online, using video and other innovative applications into the education experience to increase participation. Government service delivery will also provide benefits to the community in access, reduction of wasted time in processing queues, increased provision of information and customer service.

When this can occur, the community decreases their service transaction time and as a result can expect a reduction in the cost of accessing vital services increasing social well being.

For the environment, the ability to work form home reduces the need to drive polluting vehicles, the ability to make business transactions via eCommerce also reduces the carbon footprint of that business, increased digitalisation of products and services will reduce the amount of traditional transport logistics required. Increased broadband capacity translated into technological advancement and innovation applied to research and development in clean energy can lead to reduced emissions and to a cleaner planet.

 For more information, please call James Vidler, Regional Development Australia, james.vidler@rdahunter.org.au or call Brendan at Business Port Stephens on 4983 2549.