We are delighted to share that Brad Horder, Motiv8sports Hills - Blacktown - Penrith - Parramatta has joined our board. 

Brad Horder  |  Director, Motiv8sports Hills - Blacktown - Penrith - Parramatta

Brad is a dedicated educator with over 18 years experience in the physical activity and education sectors.

Brad is the Director and Owner of Motiv8sports Hills - Blacktown - Penrith - Parramatta, overseeing a large team that sees more than 20,000 children partake in their programs each year.

Brad is passionate about providing young people with the best opportunities and fostering growth through physical activity and life skills in a fun and safe environment.

As a lifelong Western Sydney resident, Brad has a passion for Western Sydney and is committed to giving back, connecting with the community and businesses to provide the best opportunities possible.

Please join us in welcoming Brad Horder.

Sydney Zoo Events are setting new culinary standards for the zoo industry. Our goal is to provide guests with the best possible opportunity for engagement, enjoyment and business success at events within a unique venue.

Make your next function truely unique at Sydney Zoo

Click here for more information

Contact functions@sydneyzoo.com to lock in your next event.

Powerhouse today announced a new $195,000 investment by Transurban, which will provide more than 100 NSW public school teachers from 8 Western Sydney local government areas access to a unique professional development program that supports STEM learning. Transurban will become the new Learning Program Partner at Powerhouse Parramatta.

Offering a free annual two-day enrichment program for secondary school educators, the program will be available to teachers in eight local government areas in Western Sydney. New strategies for effective STEM teaching, alongside specialist-led talks and networking opportunities designed to strengthen connections within the NSW education community will be provided to teachers.

The initiative will complement Powerhouse's immersive STEM learning experiences including the museum’s expanded in-school programming delivered through the Lang Walker Family Academy.

Read more here

ABOUT POWERHOUSE

Powerhouse sits at the intersection of arts, design, science and technology and plays a critical role in engaging communities with contemporary ideas and issues. We are undertaking a landmark $1.3 billion infrastructure renewal program, spearheaded by the creation of the new museum, Powerhouse Parramatta; expanded research and public facilities at Powerhouse Castle Hill; the renewal of the iconic Powerhouse Ultimo; and the ongoing operation of Sydney Observatory. The museum is custodian to over half a million objects of national and international significance and is considered one of the finest and most diverse collections in Australia. We are also undertaking an expansive digitisation project that will provide new levels of access to the Powerhouse Collection.

TURN YOUR NEXT MEETING INSIDE OUT!

Experience sweeping views, pillarless space and an abundance of natural light. Easy flow options to balconies and breakouts make Novotel Sydney Olympic Park’s Freshwater Ballroom an easy choice for your next event!

With Day Delegate rates from just $75* per person

Book by 30 June and hold your event before 30 Sept 2025 and you also receive a choice of one of the following benefits:

• 3 Course Dinner Voucher at Bacar Restaurant
• 1 night Suite Stay voucher at the adjacent Pullman
• Non-Alcoholic Mimosa Bar
• Barista Coffee Cart + Cookies on arrival!

Looking to stay? Discounted group rates are available at the Pullman, Novotel and Ibis, with 545 rooms across the precinct.

ADD ACCOMMODATION AND PICK ONE OF THE FOLLOWING PERKS:

• Room Upgrades for VIP’s
• Personalised in-room welcome amenity
• Complimentary full buffet breakfast

Plan your next event in the Freshwater Ballroom at Novotel Sydney Olympic Park (just 20 minutes from the airport and easy access to the CBD) and we’ll guarantee you a memorable occasion!

Contact our events team today to discuss your 2025 requirements on 02 8762 1111 or h2732-sb@accor.com.

Terms and Conditions:

Applicable to meetings booked by 30 June 2025 & held by 30 Sept 2025.
Offer valid for bookings on Standard Full Day Delegate Package.
Eligible for new bookings only
Not available in conjunction with any other offer.
Minimum food and beverage package spend applies.
Minimum number of rooms required to qualify for group accommodation rates.
Vouchers will be valid for 6 months from date of issue and black out dates apply.
Non-alcoholic mimosa bar & barista coffee cart perk available for 30 minutes on 1 day only.
Accommodation upgrades for VIPS is capped at 5 rooms (further subject to availability)
Personalised welcome amenity in accommodation room capped at 5
Perks must be selected at time of contract

Click here for more information

Register Here

What's really at stake when it comes to workers' comp and psych injuries in discipline and terminations?

If you're scratching your head, don't worry – we’ve got the inside scoop to set you up for success. 

Join us March 18th for Western Sydney’s first Culture for Keepers for 2025. We’ll cover legal nuances and steps to protect your business and support your team.  

Culture for Keepers is about empowering you to enjoy what you do as much as we do. About building teams that celebrate the uncommon. And making an impact along the way.   

Ready to level up your HR game and walk away with practical, real-world strategies? This is the event for you. 

Don’t miss it. Reach Gemma on 0456 822 404 to secure your spot.

Register here

Is this the year you want to expand your skills and become a business coach? Not a life coach, leadership coach or executive coach. A coach that works with businesses and their leadership teams to drive the businesses growth. This business coaching course has been developed to allow you to work with one of the industry’s best business coaching organisations in Australia. Join the Founders and their coaching team as they deliver a program designed exclusively for coaches.

The retreat includes:

• Unique networking opportunities with like minded coaches and industry experts.
• Guided facilitation to share and learn current business, industry and business growth challenges with business professionals
• Curated tailored content focusing on business strategy, business plan execution, building high performing teams and leadership for growth and all functions of a business and what you need to know to align, execute and grow a business.
• Dedicated time to work on your coaching business goals and growth strategies to achieve your own success story
• A balance of insight, education and relaxation away from the day to day

• 1 night of accommodation
• 2 breakfasts
• Morning tea and lunch on both days of the event
• Welcome talk from an experienced business coach with a global client base
• 2 days of tailored sessions led by experienced business coaches and industry experts
• Founder led discussion on scaling up and the dos and don’ts of scaling a coaching business
• Exclusive wine tasting by a local winemaker
• Three course dinner and drinks
• A fun activity to unwind

SPACES ARE LIMITED BOOK TODAY TO SECURE YOUR SPOT

Contact us: rachel.malamo@epiphanytraining.com.au or Call 1800 387 246

Download Flyer here

At PARKROYAL Parramatta, we’re dedicated to making your meetings and events unforgettable.

Plan ahead and enjoy our discounted Day Delegate Package at now just $75 per person (was $85 per person).

With our exceptional culinary team, flawless service, expert event planners, and thoughtfully designed spaces, our Day Delegate Package ensure your event runs smoothly from start to finish.

Now is the perfect time to secure your date and lock in these exclusive savings!

• Booking Period: 1 March – 30 September 2025
• Event Period: 1 April – 30 September 2025

Enquire now and save big on your next event.

^*Terms and Conditions apply.

To enquire about meetings or events at PARKROYAL Parramatta please contact +61 2 9685 0391 or email events.prsyp@parkroyalhotels.com

VIEW OFFER: https://www.panpacific.com/en/hotels-and-resorts/pr-parramatta/offers/meet-and-save-at-parkroyal.html

Scientists at Children’s Medical Research Institute in Westmead have solved a big mystery in cancer research – why cells die in different ways following radiotherapy. This surprising finding opens up new opportunities to improve treatment and increase cure rates.

The findings were published in Nature Cell Biology by first author Dr Radoslaw Szmyd of CMRI’s Genome Integrity Unit, which is led by Professor Tony Cesare.

Radiation therapy (also called radiotherapy) is a critically important type of cancer treatment. Scientists have struggled for decades to understand why radiation therapy kills cells from the same tumour in different ways. This is important because some forms of cell death are unnoticed by the immune system, while others trigger an immune response that kills other cancer cells. Unleashing the patient’s immune system to kill cancer cells and clear tumours is a major goal of cancer treatment.

“The surprising result of our research is that DNA repair, which normally protects healthy cells, determines how cancer cells die following radiotherapy,” said Prof Cesare. “The DNA inside our cells is constantly experiencing damage, and DNA repair is happening all the time to fix that damage and keep our cells healthy. Now, however, it seems these repair processes can recognise when overwhelming damage has occurred (such as from radiotherapy), and instruct a cancer cell how to die.’’

In addition to solving a major scientific puzzle, these discoveries will make it possible to use drugs that force cancer cells treated with radiotherapy to die in a manner that alerts the immune system to the existence of a cancer, (which the immune system had not previously noticed), signalling that the cancer needs to be destroyed.

Prof Cesare credits these breakthroughs to live cell microscope technology that enabled his team to follow irradiated cells for a week following radiation therapy. “Live imaging showed us the full complexity of outcomes following radiation therapy, allowing us to tease out exactly why this occurred.”

Co- project lead, Associate Professor Harriet Gee, a radiation oncologist from the Western Sydney Local Health District Radiation Oncology Network, said these findings answer a clinical question that has puzzled the field for 30 years.

“We found that the manner in which tumour cells die after radiotherapy depends on the engagement of specific DNA repair pathways, particularly when radiation is given at very high, focussed doses. This opens up new opportunities to enhance radiation efficacy through combination with other therapies, particularly immunotherapy, to increase cancer cures.’’

Prof Cesare said Dr Szmyd worked for six years on this “incredibly difficult nut to crack’’ and “The perseverance required for a project of this scope is a testament to Radek and the team. Everyone is aware of patients battling cancer. Discovering something like this that has the potential to make a big difference to people’s lives is very rewarding.’’

To donate to the scientists and the research at CMRI visit: https://www.cmrijeansforgenes.org.au/

Children’s Medical Research Institute (CMRI) is an award-winning state-of-the-art medical research organisation dedicated to researching the genes and proteins important for human development, health and disease. Affiliated with the University of Sydney, CMRI is supported in part by its key fundraiser Jeans for Genes® and the Luminesce Alliance and is located at Westmead, a major health and innovation precinct in Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Author: Scott Harrington, Partner Business Advisory

Every year, the ATO publishes a summary of key areas it will focus on when reviewing tax lodgements. While some issues remain consistent year after year, there are always specific areas that attract closer scrutiny. This year, ATO’s focus ranges from foundational compliance issues to emerging risks and targeted areas of concern.

In recent discussions with William Buck, the ATO reinforced that it is shifting from the supportive role with businesses during the COVID years, back to their key role as a revenue collection agency for the Government. Businesses should expect greater difficulty in obtaining lodgement extensions and having interest on late payments waived. This may be a surprise for those used to a more lenient approach in the past.

If you are unable to pay, the ATO advises contacting them as early as possible.

Here are the main areas of attention for businesses and individuals to ensure compliance and accuracy in their tax obligation:

1. Registration, Lodgement, and Payment

Ensuring businesses are correctly registered for all obligations, particularly FBT registrations and timely lodgement of BAS.

2. Incorrect Reporting

Addressing incomplete reporting of returns, activity statements, and schedules to ensure all income and sales are accurately declared for income tax and GST.

As in previous years, the ATO remains focused on the validity and integrity of R&D lodgements.

3. Work-Related Expenses

Verifying claims, especially those related to working from home, with increased substantiation requirements and stricter limitations on other deductible expenses.

4. Rental Property Income and Deductions

Ensuring landlords correctly differentiate between repairs and maintenance versus capital improvements to prevent inflated claims.

5. Capital Gains Tax (CGT)

Given the complexity of small business CGT concessions, the ATO will review eligibility criteria for these claims.

6. Cryptocurrency Transactions

With continued growth in crypto investments, the ATO is expanding its dataset of crypto trades and enhancing data matching to ensure taxpayers report capital gains correctly.

7. Debt Collection and Fraud Prevention

The ATO is strengthening its debt collection efforts and reinforcing measures to counter fraud.

8. Sharing Economy Income

Similar to cryptocurrency, the ATO is expanding its dataset of online platform transactions, including ridesharing, delivery, and rental services, to detect omitted income.

If you would like support in considering and addressing any of the areas outlined above, please contact your local William Buck advisor.

Author: Scott Harrington, Partner Business Advisory