Southport
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The CCIQ Suncorp Pulse Survey of Gold Coast business conditions for the September 2020 quarter is now open. We need your feedback about what's impacting your business today, and what will influence your decision-making over the next three months.

The 2020 Business Expo is back and you can book your attendance tickets now on-line * Meet local business owners for sales leads * Connect with Confidence - Covid 19 Safe * Attend 13 business + jobs workshops * Support local Gold Coast business - we need you

CCIQ Update - In the last sitting before the election, the Palaszczuk Government yesterday passed legislation making it a criminal offence for employers to knowingly underpay their staff. Directors and business owners can face jail time.

Today’s Mid-Year Economic Financial Review contains tangible support for small business said the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland (CCIQ). The COVID-19 Fiscal and Economic Review provides an update on Queensland’s economic and fiscal estimates over 2019-20 and 2020-21 that incorporate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic to date. The report also outlines the Queensland Government’s economic strategy that builds on the Unite and Recover:

We are pleased to announce that our membership numbers now exceed 170 members and we have strong support from Gold Members and our Corporate Sponsors.

Don't forget to go to the member directory on our website and ensure your business profile is up to date and complete. Check out who your fellow members are and support them. You will see the Gold members and Corporate sponsors scrolling at the bottom of the website.

SOUTHPORT UPDATE REPORT

This week Council made an important decision regarding the City Plan and proposed amendments.

As many of you will know, the State Government is ultimately responsible for approving the adoption of our City Plan. Many of you will also be aware of the upcoming State election on 31 October.

Offer Extended - In a city first, the Southport Chamber of Commerce have launched a new initiative to help Gold Coast businesses on their road to recovery over the next 12 months.

The initiative will see annual membership fees waived for new and existing Gold Coast businesses who join the Southport Chamber before 30th September 2020

This initiative is open to all Gold Coast businesses, no matter what industry or size, with a focus on those trading within Southport and it’s surrounds.

Our “Road to Recovery” Business and Jobs Expo will help businesses recover as well as provide pathways for people who need to redirect into new training and employment opportunities.

It is exciting to see that the Gold Coast Business and Jobs Expo will connect 200 exhibitors to 2000 local business professionals.

Gold Coast – 15 October, Carrara Indoor Sports Stadium, 10am to 4pm.

For millions of Australians and businesses large and small, the Government’s JobKeeper 2.0 is bigger than the annual Federal Budget. The nation’s strong balance sheet is literally propping up livelihoods and keeping businesses open. So what now?

Small businesses across Moncrieff can now apply for a grant that will support them to make their energy use more efficient and to reduce their power bills through the Government’s Energy Efficient Communities program.

To all new members including Business Members, Gold Members and Corporate Sponsors.

We thank you for joining the oldest Chamber on the Gold Coast and the Chamber for the official CBD of the Gold Coast.

SOUTHPORT UPDATE REPORT

I am pleased to inform you that Council unanimously voted in favour of my request for a proper, formalised approach to homelessness.

Offer Extended - In a city first, the Southport Chamber of Commerce have launched a new initiative to help Gold Coast businesses on their road to recovery over the next 12 months.

The initiative will see annual membership fees waived for new and existing businesses who join the Southport Chamber before 30th September 2020

This initiative is open to all Gold Coast businesses, no matter what industry or size, with a focus on those trading within Southport and it’s surrounds.

Through the Queensland Small Business Skills Hub small business owners, startups and their staff now have a great opportunity to access over 500 highly relevant online courses, ranging from a few minutes to an hour, for FREE until December 2020.

To all members and businesses in Southport

For a limited time, the Southport Chamber are currently offering a year free membership. We encourage all businesses to sign up, and if you have already, encourage your neighbouring businesses and all businesses in your network to sign up for free membership of the Southport Chamber for a year.

SOUTHPORT REPORT

Last week Council adopted its 2020-21 roads to recovery budget – a budget that lays out the City’s economic plan to recover from the global pandemic.

Australian research into the use of convalescent plasma in clinical trials for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 should be supported according to a leading immunologist from Griffith University’s Institute for Glycomics.

Professor Michael Good AO, a member of the National COVID-19 Health and Research Advisory Committee and chair of the working group on convalescent plasma therapy.

The objective of this program is to support small businesses subject to closure or highly impacted by the coronavirus (COVID-19) shutdown restrictions announced by the Queensland Government, to adapt and sustain their operations, and build resilience.

After Round 1 of the program was allocated very quickly, a second round has been announced and will be accepting applications from 1 July 2020.

RDA Gold Coast has released the findings from its COVID-19 Business Impact and Information Survey.

This study was undertaken to gain real time insights on the impact of COVID-19 on Gold Coast businesses, how businesses are reacting to government support packages, their current situation, and future projections.

Four teams of expert scientists from Griffith University’s Institute for Glycomics are targeting the virus SARS-CoV-2 to discover new vaccines and drugs to prevent or cure COVID-19.

The teams are led by the Institute’s group leaders Professor Mark von Itzstein AO, Professor Michael Good AO, Professor Michael Jennings, and Professor Johnson Mak, all world-renowned research scientists in their various fields of infectious diseases research.

• Small business revenues could collapse by up to $27 billion during the June quarter as a consequence of COVID-19 restrictions

• $13 billion of revenues were lost in of Queensland during the March quarter according to the ABS

• Time to act now and not wait for specific dates

Queensland businesses need to start operating fully and it needs to happen now said the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland (CCIQ).

In a city first, the Southport Chamber of Commerce have launched a new initiative to help Gold Coast businesses on their road to recovery over the next 12 months.

The initiative will see annual membership fees waived for new and existing businesses who join the Southport Chamber before July 30, 2020.

This initiative is open to all businesses, no matter what industry or size, with a focus on those trading within Southport and it’s surrounds.

he Queensland Government have just launched free online training for small businesses and employees impacted by COVID-19 as part of their plan to unite and recover for Queensland jobs.

More than 400 free training courses will be available to Queenslanders through two portals.

The Queensland Small Business Skills Hub will have courses across four topic areas:

President’s Report

The Chamber is the principal petitioner of a petition sponsored by Rob Molhoek to parliament to act on the homelessness issue in Southport.

The Southport Community Consultative Committee, chaired by the Chamber, has been meeting monthly and bringing homelessness to the urgent attention of the Police and Council.

Ian Kennedy our Chamber President recently had the opportunity to have a Q&A with Cr Brooke Patterson our newly elected Councillor for Division 6

You spoke to a lot of residents and businesses during your campaign and since. What were the major one or two issues raised by them?

The Queensland Governments Roadmap to Easing Restrictions

From the desk of the QLD Government

"Our strong health response to COVID-19 means we’re well positioned for recovery" We are planning ahead with our roadmap to easing restrictions, as well as supporting business, industry and Queensland jobs.

Jenny from White Lady Funerals Southport guides us through the the difficult changes needed during this time of COVID-19

Like so many other businesses, we have adjust to changes in our work conditions and the services we can provide to people at the time of a death in the family.

From comforting families, social distancing, limiting numbers and new technologies.

Queensland residents of Southport draws to the attention of the House:

The ongoing concerns regarding homelessness in Southport CBD and surrounds.

Homeless individuals are currently falling through the cracks, particularly with current health directives, and it is of upmost importance to have this issue addressed as a matter of priority given heightened health concerns and fast approaching cooler months.

Business Help Finder - Is your business affected by Covid19?

To support the Chamber, Angie Bell MP Federal Member for Moncrieff has created an easy to navigate tool which provides answers to those important questions to assist your organisation during this time.

An update from Australian Government Department of Health 

We have all been doing a great job - playing our part to help flatten the curve and stop the spread of coronavirus. The new COVIDSafe app will help us take the next step, and keep our friends, family and community safe.

The Southport Chamber fully supports this initiative by the QLD Government. Ensuring that landlord and tenants can reach equitable agreements will be key to the post-COVID recovery, getting all small businesses trading again as quickly as possible. We will continue to track the establishment of the commission and provide updates and assistance where we can.

The Broadwater Parklands remains open with visitors encouraged to take recommended health and social distancing precautions while exercising. The rockpools, bouncy pillows, BBQ’s, outdoor gym equipment and aquapark are closed. The Fish Shak and Café Rockpool are open for take away only.

The Government has announced a $130 billion JobKeeper payment to help keep more Australians in jobs and support businesses affected by the significant economic impact caused by the Coronavirus.

All per our previous email, all levels of the government within Australia have released a number of packages to assist you as businesses in this unprecedented time.

However, it is likely these packages will change over the next few days and months.

With both our State and Federal Governments releasing some support packages to help. Whilst, we have been seeing these released within the media, I thought it is important to share with you an email that I have received in which summarises the support packages and important facts of what is available.

These are unprecedented times for all of us. Small and medium businesses on the Gold Coast will be some of the hardest hit by the flow down effects of dealing with the pandemic and the resulting economic consequences.

This is a no charge COVID-19 infection control training

This 30-minute online training module is not just for health care workers in all settings. It covers the fundamentals of infection prevention and control for COVID-19.

Gold Coast City Council elections gives you the opportunity to help choose your candidate for your Gold Coast - Don't forget voting is compulsory

An update on the Corona Virus (COVID-19) Be Alert Not Alarmed

The health, safety and well-being of our members their staff and clients is a priority to us here at the Southport Chamber of Commerce.

The Southport Chamber of Commerce now administer and continue to Chair the meetings and they will now be held at the Boardroom at Gold Coast Business Hub, Scarborough Street, Southport also being the location of the Chambers office.

Keep up to date with your local Southport Chamber of Commerce and we invite you to Like, Follow and Share

Our new member focused website  provides you, the member, with a lot of great functions as well as the launch and update our all our Social Media Platforms of LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

“Your President Ian Kennedy was recently interviewed by Seven Gold Coast News about the impact on local businesses of Coronavirus and he added the Southport Chamber of Commerce’s voice to calls for the Queensland State Government to implement an Emergency Relief Package for business.

The City of Gold Coast, together with local business Ferry I, are proud to launch the city’s first public ferry service called Hopo.

From 8 December 2019, residents and visitors will be able to get around the city via our beautiful waterways on the Hopo ferries.

With a Ferry Stop at the Broadwater Parklands at Southport

We are pleased to announce the launch of our new website which provides you, the member, with a lot of great functions as well as the launch and update our all our Social Media Platforms of LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

Southport is the Gold Coast’s Central Business District and while it may be smaller in comparison to other capital city CBD’s, Southport has seen enormous growth over the past few years as it transforms into an active and vibrant commercial hub for the Gold Coast.

Residual funding is available to support the development of female leaders in QLD.

The initiative is providing women with grants of between $2,000 and $7,000 to enable participation in one of three programs that cover such things as reinforcing resilience and wellbeing, engaging with challenge and conflict, creating future focus, leading authentically and driving performance.

2019 Annual General Meeting

Southport Chamber of Commerce & Industry Inc .

Presidents Annual Report

This is the end of my first year as President. It has been a year of quite significant change for the Chamber.

Notice of Annual General Meeting 2019 and Call for Nominations.

You are hereby notified that the 2019 Annual General Meeting of the Southport Chamber of Commerce & Industry will be held on Friday 13 September at 5.00 pm.

The Executive of the Chamber has been active in the ongoing consultation by State Government into the future of the Southport Spit, through former president Laird Marshall, vice president Noel Grummitt and Executive member Brett James.

Southport Chamber of Commerce (SCOC) has a new President - Ian Kennedy.

Update on the planned merger of Southport Chamber of Commerce with Surfers Paradise Chamber of Commerce.