July 17, 2013
Crane Wines cellar door on the Booie Range showcased their new “garden room” eating area at the Kingaroy Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s latest Meet’n’Greet on Monday night.
The all-weather area is enclosed but still allows views across the valley, and can be opened right up on hot and sunny days.
“We have wanted to do this for a long time,” owner Bernie Cooper said.
He said the area would be perfect for small weddings, corporate promotions and business Christmas parties.
Guest speakers at the KCCI Meet’n’Greet included Jessica Lord, from Trade & Investment Queensland (TIQ); Josh Gadischke (Proteco), South Burnett Mayor Wayne Kratzmann, Dennis Franklin (Stanwell), Steve Carter (Kingaroy Security Patrol) and representatives from the South Burnett Young Leaders group.
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TIQ regional export adviser Jessica Lord is based in Bundaberg and works with companies in the Wide Bay Burnett region … from “beginner” exporters to established exporters looking to expand into new markets.
She said her office could provide advice and assistance, access to trade networks, a database of market insights, the “badge of government” (which can help iron out trade disputes) and trade opportunities.
She has been working recently with Proteco, the Kingaroy-based food processing company.
Josh Gadischke, from Proteco, praised the assistance he had received from TIQ and Austrade. He said he had received support to attend a trade expo in Hong Kong and representation on a delegation to China.
He said Proteco only began exporting four or five years ago but export sales now represent about 25 per cent of his business.
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Mayor Wayne Kratzmann spoke about the future of the South Burnett Private Hospital (see separate report) and the South Burnett Directions economic development initiative.
He said the South Burnett would be represented at the Wide Bay Expo in Brisbane, Regional Flavours at South Bank and the Ekka.
He said that a new South Burnett “brand” would also be launched: “Good Red Country. Growing Queensland’s Finest.”
Mayor Kratzmann said the final figure from the Mayor’s Flood Appeal was $91,000. The Mayor’s Charity trust raised $31,000 from the Mayoral Ball.
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Tarong Power Stations’ site manager Dennis Franklin spoke about the situation at Stanwell, and the fact that the corporation was losing $2 million a week.
He said the wholesale electricity was down 40 per cent from just a few years ago.
“We have had to to reduce our costs by $40 million across all Stanwell sites,” he said.
However, at the end of the day this was still not enough to cover the weekly losses which meant the loss of 58 job positions, which he expected would be finalised by the end of August or early September.
He said there would still be 164 people employed at the power stations.
Stanwell Asset Manager Jim Young also briefed the KCCI members about a massive, new excavator that is on its way to Meandu coal mine (see separate report)
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Steve Carter also spoke at the Meet’n’Greet.
He is the owner of Kingaroy Security patrol, which became part of the Business Protection Group – an Australian-owned but international security company – about two years ago.
When they took over the business it had eight employees; it now has 15.
The company’s largest operation is in the Philippines where it has 9000 staff.
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Four members of the South Burnett Young Leaders group also spoke to the meeting. All members of this association are aged under 30.
They meet monthly at the Kingaroy RSL Club to do workshops and hear guest speakers.
For several years now they have organised the annual Kingaroy Christmas Carnival. They are also involved in Relay For Life and recently joined the Kingaroy Taabinga Rotary Club.
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Crane Wines owner Bernie Cooper, who is also president of the South Burnett Tourism Association and a member of the South Burnett Wine Industry Association, spoke about “South Burnett On Show”, an initiative of the two groups which aims to lay claim to the new October long weekend for South Burnett tourism.
The two groups are asking their members to schedule small events across the weekend, and join together in cross-promotion.
“It is only a little acorn at the moment but in 10 years it could be the biggest thing in Queensland,” he said.
Dawson Compton (from Eagle Eyed PC Tek) said there were also plans to hold a “tech roadshow” for local businesses on the same weekend.
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The next KCCI Meet’n’Greet will be held on August 26 at the Kingaroy RSL Club; however members were also invited to gather on July 26 from 4:30pm at the Commercial Hotel in Kingaroy to “celebrate another successful month in the business community”.
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