This Week In The Market – 13 July 2021
| Edition 319 View this email in your browser |
 |
| In this week’s Market News: – Up to $28,000 available in wage subsidies – Undercover parking canopies, 2 down, 4 to go. – Market Fresh Schools continues despite lockdown Market NewsUp to $28,000 available in employee wage subsidies  In last week’s Market News, we caught up with James Milne and Graham Gee from the Happy Apple to hear about their experiences in undertaking the Certificate III in Greengrocery. Their positive reviews resulted in several enquiries from other interested businesses, so it’s the perfect time to remind retailers of the financial benefits when enrolling students in the course. Did you know eligible businesses can receive an incentive that will pay up to 50% of an employee’s wage up to $28,000 when they enrol in the Certificate III in Greengrocery? These generous incentives make putting your employees through a recognised course so affordable, but government funding will only be available for a limited time, so don’t miss out! Email Theresa for more information and to find out how to register. It’s never too late to get qualified; find out more at www.melbournepolytechnic.edu.au/study/certificate-iii/greengrocery/ BIIMA offering lease bonds for market tenants  BIIMA is a Melbourne based insurance broking business, who recently became a tenant in the administration building at the Melbourne Market, offering conveniently located insurance services to market businesses. BIIMA now offer a competitively priced lease bond service that can be used as a bank guarantee alternative. The lease bonds are issued by the Australian specialist insurance group, Assetinsure (as agent), which is fully regulated by APRA. There is no physical collateral or cash required to apply for and obtain the lease bond. BIIMA offer an efficient turnaround time from application to creation, with step by step email notification process. Kulwant Singh Dhoot is the Director and Business Development Manager of BIIMA and can visit your location in the market for appointments from 5 am onwards. Call 0413 165 492 or email Kulwant@biima.com.au. Market Fresh Schools continues despite COVID challenges  The Market Fresh Schools program served up fresh fruit and vegetables to 4,646 students across 37 schools during the 2020/21 financial year, a terrific effort in the face of COVID-19 restrictions. The program, funded and supported by the MMA in conjunction with market tenants, is designed to teach students about the importance of eating fresh fruits and vegetables every day as part of a healthy balanced diet. The program also teaches children how fresh fruits and vegetables are grown and harvested, including an overview of the market supply chain. Normally reaching over 15,000 students each year, multiple lockdowns and school visitor restrictions meant that numbers were significantly reduced between July 2020 and June 2021. But 30-year veterans of the program, Teisha and Carolyn, still got out to reach as many students as they could in challenging circumstances. The program could not go ahead without the generous support of market traders who donate some of the delicious fresh produce that is served as part of the program. The team from the Market Fresh Schools would like to thank the following businesses for their support, with extra special thanks to the businesses highlighted in gold who consistently donate most weeks:   Two down, four to go… Last week, we hit an exciting milestone, with roofing for the first two canopies in place and market users back in their parking bays protected from the elements. The installation of the solar panels that will sit atop the canopies is scheduled for later this year. Once in place, the canopy roofing will house a huge 1.95 megawatt roof-top Solar PV system made up of 4,332 individual solar panels. Construction has begun on canopies three and four in both the north and south courtyards. As detailed in last week’s Market News, businesses in affected parking bays have been temporarily relocated to the flower market car park. The MMA keeps up-to-date information on the market website regarding the construction project, including any parking relocations or scheduled outages, to help minimise disruption to businesses.   Current COVID restrictions As circulated in a separate communication last week, face masks are no longer compulsory in indoor or outdoor locations at the Melbourne Market. However, it is strongly recommended that you wear a face mask when you are unable to consistently keep 1.5 metres distance from other people. You should continue to carry a face mask with you at all times, and you should put it on when you cannot maintain social distancing. Face masks for NSW visitors Given the heightened COVID risk in NSW, the MMA is imposing a separate mask-wearing rule for any transport/delivery/freight drivers who have travelled through or from NSW, in where face masks must be worn on the market site at all times. Any commercial freight drivers coming from NSW must limit their movements on the market site, staying within their vehicle as much as practically possible. We ask you to be vigilant and continue to follow COVIDSafe practices.Do not attend the Melbourne Market if you are feeling unwell.If you are experiencing COVID symptoms, get tested and isolate until you receive a negative result. Increase to waste to landfill charges The Victorian Government has imposed an increase on Municipal Industrial Landfill Levy, which came into effect on July 1. The purpose of the levy increase is to ‘provide additional and ongoing funding to support efforts by government, industry and the community to reduce waste’. To reflect these industry changes and rising costs, market cleaning contractor IKON will increase the charge for general waste disposal at the market recycling transfer station, as per the table below, from Wednesday 14 July. The good news is, with a 98% recycling rate, market tenants are already doing a great job of sorting and disposing of their waste at little cost, so most businesses will see no significant impact. For market businesses that separate waste at the point of generation into recyclables, there continues to be no charge incurred.  Preventing fraud and corruption in your business  Fraud and corruption can have huge financial, reputational and operational impacts on your business. Melbourne’s North Food Group and PKF Melbourne are hosting a free webinar titled, Preventing fraud and corruption in your business. Drawing on their extensive experience in investigating fraud and corruption, PKF Integrity investigators will examine real-world cases that will outline indicators of fraud and corruption and provide clever strategies to detect and prevent these events from occurring in your organisation. Date and time: Wed, 14 July 2021, 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM Click here to register for this free webinar. M80 Ring Road ramp closure The M80 Ring Road Greensborough-bound ramp to the Hume Freeway will be closed from 10pm, Wednesday 14 July to 5am, Thursday 15 July. Detours will be in place via Edgars Road and Cooper Street.  Industry News Montague enters citrus and grapes  Montague has entered the citrus and grape categories after acquiring operational control Piscioneri Farms in conjunction with property fund manager Primewest. The 93ha Mildura property features 84ha of planted crops, including Crimson, Luisco, Allison, Ivory, Menindee and Thompson table grapes, as well as Eureka lemons, Afourer mandarins and Cara Cara, and Fisher Navel oranges. Read more on the Produce Plus website. Grape Co Australia fined by ACCC for misleading consumers about fruit origins. A Victorian table grape company that supplies fruit to domestic and international markets is in strife with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) for misleading customers about the origins of its product. Grape Co Australia from Merbein South, near Mildura in north-west Victoria, falsely claimed all of its grapes were “hand-picked” on its own family farm, but some of the produce came from properties of third-party growers. It was fined $34,920 for false or misleading representation about grape origins. ACCC deputy chair Mick Keogh said misleading marketing could erode consumer confidence. Mr Keogh said terms like “organic”, “animal-welfare friendly”, and “environmentally friendly” enabled producers to charge a premium and that family farming businesses needed to be considered in the same way. Read more on the ABC News website. Melbourne Market Job Board  Do you have a vacancy to fill in your business? Email submissions@melbournemarket.com.au for the position to be placed on our online job board. Looking for a new role? Check out the online job board via the button below. Mumford Wholesalers – Casual store/picker person Casual Monday to Friday between 12 am – 8 am Duties include (but not limited to):Liaise with Sales teamPicking customer ordersQuality check stockAssist with store displaysMust be punctual and reliable. Forklift license preferred but not essential. Please contact Domenic Luzza on 0438 237 486. Sciclunas – Various positions (retail and warehouse) Are you a Green Grocer, Manager, Driver or Chef? Seeking enthusiastic full-time Fruit and Vegetable/Food Industry Professionals to join our lively team. You will either work in one of our retail stores in Sorrento, Mentone and our newly renovated Tooronga Village store, or at our Dandenong South warehouse as a Driver or a Picker. Please email your application to hr@sciclunas.com.au or refer to job vacancies at www.sciclunas.com.auView full online job board Ask the MMA If you’ve got a question for the MMA email it to: submissions@melbournemarket.com.au. Follow us  |
| Copyright © 2021 Melbourne Market Authority, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you are on the Melbourne Market Authority distribution list. Our mailing address is: *Box 1, 55 Produce Drive, Epping, VIC, 3076* update subscription preferences |