News

Ray White, Australia's largest real estate group, has invested in Canberra start-up real estate portal Zango. It's a significant indication of the impact Zango has had on the Canberra market after facing down major resistance from the previously dominant Allhomes portal. Allhomes, also originally a Canberra start-up before its sale to Domain, is now owned by Channel 9, while Zango...

It's rare to think of Canberra as the global headquarters of any company, and much less likely to think of it as the headquarters of a business whose product sounds a little bit like something out of a science-fiction novel. But Mineral Carbonation International (MCi) is just that. The company was co-founded in 2007 by Marcus Dawe and John Beever...

High-flying Canberra start-up ONTHEGO (OTG) has entered administration, a victim, its founder says, of the global pandemic. OTG CEO Mick Spencer has confirmed the appointment of an administrator in what he says is a proactive step to secure the company's future. "OTG is still an actively trading company, our factory in Canberra is still open, our staff are still employed,"...

Canberra has snared an unprecedented three national planning awards and a commendation in hotly contested competition that highlights the national capital's prowess for innovation. High-profile inner-city projects and software used throughout Australia and overseas have been recognised in the Planning Institute of Australia’s national finals broadcast in a special YouTube presentation on Monday, 24 May. Campbell 5 was a joint...

The ACT's tourism industry is bouncing back after COVID-19 restrictions, travel bans and border closures shredded the number of visitors to the national capital. Chief Minister and Tourism Minister Andrew Barr said a range of data was pointing to a recovery in the sector, assisted by government initiatives to attract more visitors to the region, better air connections and more...

Icy winter frosts are making a regular appearance and our heaters are well and truly on, so that means it is nearly time for Canberra CEOs to pull out their thermals and woolly socks and get ready for a cold night sleeping out for the annual Vinnies CEO Sleepout. A national event held by the St Vincent de Paul Society...

The ACT's new Labour Hire Licence scheme, designed to secure fairer conditions for workers and weed out dodgy providers, comes into effect on 27 May 2021. As part of a range of strict new measures, the Labour Hire Licensing Act 2020 will require all ACT labour-hire providers to hold a licence and demonstrate ongoing compliance with industry standards and workplace...

How do you connect people in a fragmented world, and what are the challenges facing Canberra businesses right now? These are the questions the Canberra Business Chamber recently considered in a major shake up of the services it offers the Canberra business community. Canberra Business Chamber chief executive officer Graham Catt says like so many businesses, the chamber had to...

With the Federal budget done and dusted for another year, the winners and losers identified and analysed, most of us have moved on. But there is a small section of the Canberra business community who will be feeling particularly happy with this year's budget - our technology firms. The announcement of a $1.2 billion digital spending package is good cause...

After a trial that attracted criticism for spending just over half of its allocated budget, not including enough businesses and not being accessible to multicultural communities, the ACT Government has announced a revamped ChooseCBR voucher scheme.* The $2 million ChooseCBR voucher scheme will cover more businesses, and the rebates will be higher than during the trial. Shoppers will now have...

As eco-friendly becomes the new normal, one Kambah business is proving that having a baby doesn't mean having to waste. After all, it's a well-known fact that babies are, well, pretty messy and make a lot of waste. In operation since 2018 as an online store, Bellelis is the brainchild of owner Olga Imbriano who started the store for the...

After finding herself with a unique problem involving small birds and sore arms, Dr Debbie Saunders had a bright idea that has now turned into a revolutionary piece of technology which has just cracked the global market, including in the US. Wildlife drones were born while the Canberra ecologist was studying movements of the critically endangered swift parrot for her...

The University of Canberra is branching out beyond its campus at Bruce to partner with Poplars Developments and Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council (QPRC) at an innovation precinct at South Jerrabomberra, to explore a range of educational opportunities. The university has signed a memorandum of understanding that will take advantage of the Poplars Innovation Precinct's focus on connecting industry, research, learning and...

"I just want a haircut, no fuss, no bother – straight in and straight out," say many men. Or do they? There are plenty of people who say going to the barber is about more than walking out with a clean shave and fresh cut. Truefitt & Hill regional manager John Murphy says they pride themselves on creating an atmosphere...

The major shareholder of Public Bar in Manuka and the founder of Canberra's largest accounting firm, Walter Turnbull, has taken over the derelict Commercial Hotel on the main street of Yass. Andrew Turnbull is also part of a Canberra-based syndicate that recently purchased five pubs in the NSW Central West for $75 million. Investment Management Group now owns the Royal...

New ACT labour-hire laws designed to protect contract workers and weed out dodgy providers are set to come into force later this month. Under the new laws, labour-hire providers in the ACT will need to apply for licences to operate as part of a range of strict new measures designed to better protect workers. The new laws come in response...