Category: MIL-OSI

A Canberra business success story that developed a product now used in gyms around the world has been recognised as the ACT Exporter of the Year.

Each year the ACT Chief Minister’s Export Awards celebrate the best and brightest in Canberra’s export industry and showcase the success of local businesses in global markets.

Kinetic Performance Technology (GymAware) was awarded the 2023 ACT Exporter of the Year for their work as a global leader in velocity-based training solutions. A staggering 89 per cent of its sales are exports, with 80 per cent of these to the USA, 10 per cent to the United Kingdom and 6 per cent to France and China.

The company’s RS and FLEX products are designed to help coaches and athletes of all levels measure and track strength training activities in the weight room. This technology has been a part of weight training for professional athletes across a range of sports, helping hundreds of teams and individuals prepare for their career-defining moments on the field.

The company’s systems are used in weight rooms across 65 per cent of all professional sporting teams in the USA, all teams in elite Australian leagues like the NRL and Super Rugby, as well as respected international teams, such as the New Zealand All Blacks.

“I am honoured that GymAware has been recognised as the 2023 ACT Exporter of the Year at the ACT Chief Minister’s Export Awards,”  GymAware founder Evan Lawton said.

“GymAware has been a labour of love, and it’s rewarding to see our commitment to excellence being acknowledged in such a meaningful way by our own community in Canberra.”

The ACT Exporter of the Year awards showcased several of emerging and established exporting companies. Category winners included:

• Emerging Exporter – Infinity Avionics Pty Ltd
• Resources and Energy – Ardexa Pty Limited
• Sustainability and Green Economy – The Mullion Group (FLINTpro)
• Advanced Technologies – Kinetic Performance Technology Pty Ltd (GymAware)
• Small Business – BixeLab
• Professional Services – Teron Labs Pty Ltd
• ACT Promising Exporter – Catch the Sun Communications
• ACT Promising Exporter – Science Skincare International Pty Ltd

“It was inspiring to see so many businesses with a clear plan for identifying and pursuing valuable export markets – ultimately all Canberrans benefit when local businesses achieve export success,” CEA Technology and ACT Export Awards judge Michael Burton said.

Businesses who are ready to export have access to support through the TradeStart program. Learn more about exporting and the assistance available on the ACT Business website: act.gov.au/business

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Canberra’s renowned National Multicultural Festival won the Best Community Event category at the Australian Event Awards last night.

The festival also contributed to an overall win for the ACT in the State or Territory Award.

The win is testament to the hard work of many. From the organisers to the hundreds of performers, stallholders, performers, volunteers and community leaders who together create the festival’s joyous and celebratory atmosphere.

The festival was also a finalist in the Best Cultural, Arts or Music Event category.

All records were broken in February 2023 as the 25^th anniversary marked the biggest and best National Multicultural Festival yet, bringing together 170 cultures and affirming Canberra as a proudly welcoming and inclusive city.

Australia’s largest celebration of cultural diversity attracted 380,000 people in 2023 and made a total economic benefit of $20.8 million to the local economy.

The 2024 National Multicultural Festival will be held on 16-18 February 2024.

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Ms Mary-Therese Daniel, a current presidential member of the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal (ACAT), will be the Tribunal’s next President.

Ms Daniel’s appointment follows a competitive selection process.

She brings a depth of experience to the role, having been appointed in 2012 as ACAT’s first full-time non-presidential member. She was promoted in 2015 to presidential member. Ms Daniel also served as Temporary President for an extended period in 2021.

An Australian National University graduate who has lived in Canberra during her working life, Ms Daniel joined ACAT with more than 15 years of diverse legal experience in government and private practice.

This included roles with the Family Court of Australia, national firm MinterEllison, Legal Aid ACT, the ACT Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and the ACT Government Solicitor, where she finished as a Principal Solicitor.

Ms Daniel’s seven-year appointment as President will begin on September 18, 2023, giving her responsibility for the orderly and prompt discharge of all ACAT business, and ensuring that its decisions are made according to law.

She succeeds the late Graeme Neate AM, who had served as ACAT President from January 2017 until his death in June 2023.

Presidential member Mr Geoffrey McCarthy has served as Temporary President in the interim.

“I’m honoured and it’s a privilege to be given the responsibility of serving the Canberra community in this role after the incredible leadership demonstrated by Graeme Neate AM, and prior to him, Linda Crebbin, the first ACAT president,” Ms Daniel said.

“I welcome the opportunity to lead the Tribunal over the next seven years, providing access to justice in an increasingly digital world.”

“I’m committed to promoting public trust and confidence in the Tribunal and its conduct of proceedings by ensuring we provide simple, inexpensive, accessible and fair resolution of disputes,” she said.

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The suburb of Spence is now officially co-named to honour a trailblazing political reformer, journalist, feminist and novelist, Catherine Helen Spence (1825–1910).

The co-naming was made official this week by the unveiling of a new information sign at the Spence shops.

The sign explains the co-commemoration of Catherine Helen Spence, alongside trade unionist and politician William Guthrie Spence, after whom the suburb was first named in 1972.

Catherine Helen Spence’s first novel, Clara Morison: A Tale of South Australia during the gold fever was published anonymously in 1854.

She was Australia’s first female political candidate and a lifelong campaigner for electoral reform.

Her influence as a crusading journalist on cultural, political, and economic issues – including suffrage – contributed to South Australia being the first Australian colony to grant the vote to women.

Spence is the first Canberra suburb to be co-named retrospectively.

^{Catherine Helen Spence (1825–1910)}

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Canberrans are invited to provide feedback on the draft design for a new playground in the inner north.

The new playground will be built in the area next to Canberra Technology Park, which was selected for its open green space, distance to the Phillip Avenue light rail stop, future Garden City Cycle Route and the Watson shops.

It will also complement the local neighbourhood park being constructed along Aspinall Street as part of the Section 76 development.

The draft design has been shaped by earlier community feedback with a range of features including:

1. playground equipment including swinging, climbing, agility and group play elements
2. open grass area
3. two multi-use courts – one full size and one half-size for a range of activities such as tennis, basketball, handball, and hopscotch
4. amenities including shelter, power, accessible seating, barbecue, drinking fountains and bins
5. accessible toilets with baby change facilities
6. concrete paths, on-street parking spaces, bike parking and two accessible parking spaces.

The design also includes elements to reflect the playground’s inner north surroundings taking inspiration from Mount Majura Nature Reserve and its native Glossy Black-Cockatoo, which have influenced the colours of the playground.

Approximately 90 new trees will be planted as part of the build and existing trees around the perimeter of the playground will also be kept.

Feedback can be provided via the YourSay Conversations website and is open until 25 October 2023: yoursayconversations.act.gov.au

Construction on the new playground is expected to begin next year.

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The winners of the ACT Training Awards, recognising Canberra’s vocational education and training (VET) sector, were announced on Thursday 14 September.

The event celebrates outstanding apprentices, trainees, VET students, teachers, employers and training providers and showcases excellence across the ACT’s VET sector.

Tessa Valter was named ACT Apprentice of the Year and was just one finalist whose hard work and dedication were acknowledged on the night.

Tessa completed a Certificate III in Electrotechnology Electrical with Global Energy Training Solutions and is a mentor to newer apprentices within the business.

She also actively encourages other females to apply for apprenticeships.

Tessa and her fellow ACT winners will progress to represent the territory at the Australian Training Awards at the end of the year.

2023 ACT Training Award winners – Individual winners 

• ACT Australian School-based Apprentice of the Year – Poppy Chalmers
• ACT Apprentice of the Year – Tessa Valter
• ACT Trainee of the Year – Cyrus Wren
• ACT Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student of the Year – Emma Brown
• ACT Vocational Student of the Year – Marija Rathouski
• ACT VET Teacher of the Year – Peter Redfern-Elliot
• Norm Fisher Award – Edward Nathan

2023 ACT Training Award winners – Organisation winners 

• ACT Industry Collaboration Award – The Spark, Australian Training Company, and Lendlease Women in Construction JobTrainer Program
• ACT Small Employer of the Year – Pups4Fun
• ACT Large Employer of the Year – Communities at Work
• ACT Small Training Provider of the Year – McMillan Staff Development
• ACT Large Training Provider of the Year – Canberra Institute of Technology

Canberra’s VET sector continues to offer high-quality training providers and a diverse range of courses to meet the needs of both students and employers.

Opportunities for students’ continued learning and development go a long way in helping to address workforce skills gaps in the region.

For more information about the winners – visit www.act.gov.au/skills/act-training-awards.

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