About Karyn Starmer

Canberra infrastructure and renewables development company Elvin Group has announced the installation of Australia’s first commercial urban large scale-based utility battery. The 5 megawatt-hour battery will have the capacity to service the average energy needs of approximately 5,400 households for an hour. It will also stand ready to pump power into the grid in the event of a shortfall, making...

After a year of disruption and hard slog, most Canberra businesses are slowly beginning to see the light of day. But after everything businesses have been through, lawyers and financial advisors are reporting more owners are thinking beyond this year or next and considering their life beyond business ownership. Snedden Hall & Gallop's senior associate and succession planning specialist, Emily...

The ACT economy has again demonstrated solid economic growth with good results across most indicators for the first quarter of 2021. While all states and territories are showing positive results, the recovery is looking especially strong for the capital. Bendigo Bank Head of Economic and Market Research David Robertson says the outlook for the Territory is particularly optimistic but says the...

As a company whose roots began in construction, Geocon is keenly aware of the prevalence of men’s health issues in the construction industry. With research showing that workers in the industry are at high risk of experiencing some form of mental illness, and men comprising 80 per cent of Geocon's construction workforce, a partnership with Menslink was an easy fit for the Canberra-based...

Thinking back to when the words 'contact tracing' and 'lockdown' were not part of our everyday language, those little pixelated squares called QR codes could be seen on product labels, but were by and large ignorable. Fast-forward to 2021 and governments are mandating we use our smartphones to scan them, sharing our personal details at every venue we enter and...

Small businesses struggling with debt have been offered a lifeline through reforms to small business insolvency rules. The changes to Australia's insolvency rules were designed to assist with restructuring and relieving the debt burden of small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The changes, including a new debt restructuring process and a simplified liquidation process, will apply to incorporated small...

One year ago, Glenys Beauchamp was Secretary of the Department of Health, preparing for her upcoming retirement after nearly 40 years in the public service, including nine at Secretary level. It had been a stellar career: as one of the first women to head a Commonwealth department, Beauchamp is the recipient of the Public Service Medal for her work co-ordinating...

Complaints, and those making them, can be hard to deal with at the best of times, from tiresome retirees with nothing better to do except wage a personal war against their local government, to customers whose level of entitlement and expectations exceeds any business' ability to deliver. But when it comes to workplace complaints, managers need to be particularly savvy...

Sixty years ago, Canberra was a very different place to the modern thriving city it is today. Just 50,000 people lived in the nation's capital, Lake Burley Griffin was still an idea, and the town centres of Woden Valley, Belconnen and Tuggeranong were yet to be planned. In a city full of promise, one of Canberra's long-standing law firms opened its...

Being a child of parents who are born overseas can often seem like a cultural juggling act. The desire to fit in at school while under pressure at home to continue the traditions and language of their parents can often create tension. Baker Deane & Nutt conveyancer Ida Lam was born and bred in Canberra, but the challenge for her...

Conversations about superannuation usually involve the topics of returns, fees and the benefits of self-managed funds but rarely, if ever, is there talk about death benefits. People spend the entirety of their working lives accumulating wealth for their retirement, but many of us don't do much other than write a name and tick a box on a form about where...

As the end of the year approaches, thousands of school leavers will be facing the task of choosing a pathway to their future jobs. For those who wish to take up a trade or profession such as plumbing, hairdressing, nursing or becoming a lawyer, the path is pretty simple: get the qualifications and get the job. But there are hundreds...

Not many graduates set out to start a leading professional services firm, but that is exactly what Pat Quade and Anthony Wilson did back in 1999 when they started Synergy Group. Now the leading Canberra-based, Commonwealth-focused professional services firm employs more than 300 professionals to deliver consulting services across the government sectors. Pat says starting Synergy was a bold move...

In a year that has been challenging unlike any other, this year's Canberra Women in Business Awards shone a light on the tenacity of the city's businesswomen. The ability to keep going despite significant COVID-19 setbacks, leading the way and lifting up others in a turbulent year were the core elements of the winners of the awards across six categories presented...

On meeting Ross Norwood and Glen Dowse it's easy to see that this pair of award-winning architects has spent a lot of time together. But beneath the easy banter between them, a sharp-eyed dedication to both the practical and creative soon emerges. The founding partners of DNA Architects met at University of Canberra during a time, they say, when UC...

There is a well known saying among economists that recessions create opportunities for innovative entrepreneurs. So it is hardly surprising that one particular young Canberran has decided now is the time to make the move and set up a new business in the middle of a global pandemic. After finding success as a director for one of Canberra's big brand...