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June 29, 2018

Commercial Print Sales Representative 12 month + Maternity Position

NHP is a commercial print company located in Kilmore. We are seeking an experienced sales representative, ideally with a background of selling commercial printing services, to join our team from July/August for a 12 month + maternity position (possibility of extension after the 12 months for right person). Based from our office, this role is full-time from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.

About You

You will be providing printing solutions to our customers and prospects through a consultative approach. You are passionate about maintaining and growing our customer base to increase revenue. In addition to commercial print, you will be selling advertising into our annual magazines – our Wedding Magazine and Country Lifestyle Guide, being responsible for the preparation and management of additional events. You put customers at the heart of everything you do. Being organised is important to you along with your planning skills, with excellent interpersonal skills and ability to develop rapport quickly. You are adaptable, a fast learner that can think on your feet. The type of person that would thrive in this environment is someone who has tenacity and likes to be busy.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Prospecting, establishing and maintaining value-based relationships with customers
Act as a liaison between customer and the organisation to communicate job specifications and ensure high product quality
Manage customer expectations in relation to final product and delivery of goods
Exceed sales targets by face to face and phone selling
Maintain regular contact with customers to answer questions and guide customers through product choices and options
Cold Calling and phone appointment setting involved
Meeting all deadlines – able to work in a fast paced environment
Maintain integrity and daily update of client information into CRM system

Key Selection Citeria

Strong customer service and problem solving skills
Minimum 1 year related experience with B2B, Marketing or Commercial Print highly desirable.
Demonstrated ability of outside sales
Excellent communication skills – written, verbal and listening
Ability to work independently with a high degree of integrity
Energetic and self-driven with ability to meet goals
Detail oriented with excellent follow through
General knowledge of basic software programs such as MS Office and CRM database systems.

How to Apply

To be considered for this position submit your resumé and cover letter to: gm@newspaperhouse.com.au (in your cover letter, list 5 reasons why you are the best candidate for this position). Only applicants who are Australian residents or hold a relevant visa are eligible to apply. No VISA sponsorship available.

Mernda’s train test

Roads & Transport

The North Central Review

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June 26, 2018

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FOR the first time in six decades, a train will arrive in Mernda.

While only some residents may remember back to when train’s arrived in the township, entire generations will see something they have never seen before.

On Thursday, June 21, the government announced test trains would be running along the new Mernda Railway in July to collect date and inform the new timetables created.

South Morang and Mernda Rail Alliance spokesman Darren Peters said the announcement was music to his ears.

“It is six years to the day since we led the community campaign to block [member for Yan Yean]Danielle Green’s Mernda Busway policy in favour of a railway with 5185 signatures, so it’s a great day to hear the first test trains start in July,” he said.

“Our community fought our local MP’s for years to get rail to Mernda; it’s time for us to celebrate our victory.”

The Mernda Railway is six months ahead of schedule, according to the government, which allowed the testing to be approved for next month.

Member for Yan Yean Danielle Green said it was a credit to those working on the line.

“Reaching this landmark moment is testament to the hard work of our engineers and construction workers. Being 6 months ahead of schedule will delight Mernda and Doreen locals,” she said.

Victorian Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan said the project had been a huge success.

“Mernda Rail has created thousands of local jobs and will give people in Melbourne’s north the world-class transport they deserve,” she said.

“This is one of the biggest infrastructure projects ever undertaken here in South Morang and Mernda and we’re getting it done, months ahead of schedule.”

The three new stations are expected to cater for up to 8000 commuters a day, helping to ease congestion along Plenty Road.

An additional 40 car spaces will also be built at the new Hawkstowe Station, increasing the number of car parks at this station to 397, and the total number of car spaces to 2,000.

When the Mernda Rail Extension opens later this year passengers will have access to 982 services every week, with details of dates and timetables to be finalised in coming months.

To get ready for test trains to safely run on the new line, buses will replace trains between Clifton Hill and South Morang from the evening of Friday 29 June to the last service on Sunday 1 July.

Hack attack

The North Central Review

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June 26, 2018

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MITCHELL Shire Council is one of dozens of Australian organisations hit by a cyber security breach to PageUp People, recruitment software.

Mitchell was one of seven councils and one of many government organisations and large corporations affected including Australia Post, Telstra, Commonwealth Bank and Jetstar.

PageUp software powers recruitment at corporates including Lindt, Linfox, Reserve Bank of Australia, Zurich and Victoria University.

Mitchell Shire CEO David Turnbull told the North Central Review that he understood the incident has caused some concern among applicants, adding that council had contacted all job applicants who have used council’s web application page since the threat was detected on May 23.

“It is disappointing that any personal details have been affected. I hope the information provided to applicants provides some reassurance that we have taken this matter seriously and provided those people who have been affected with the best available advice about any precautionary steps they should be taking,” Mr Turnbull said.

PageUp has been working with independent IT and forensic security experts, their own internal security team, Australian Cyber Security Centre, Australian Federal Police and multiple independent expert cyber security firms to address the incident.

Council has also posted a warning on its website alerting people who may have applied for a job with council.

“Some of your personal data may have been accessed by unauthorised persons following a security incident at PageUp, a third party supplier that provides the software which we use for recruitment,” Council’s post warns.

On May 23 PageUp detected unusual activity on its IT infrastructure and immediately launched a forensic investigation. On May 28 investigations revealed client data may have been compromised.

Detailed forensic investigations have since confirmed that an unauthorised person or persons gained access to PageUp systems.

It is believed that applicant information including contact details name, email address, physical address, and telephone number are among the information that could have been accessed.

Mr Turnbull said that council was ‘comfortable’ with the additional measures PageUp now has in place and is working towards resuming the online recruitment service next week.

“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the staff who have been working very hard behind the scenes to keep people up to date and to keep processing applications through the shut-down,” Mr Turnbull said

“Based on the latest advice from independent security experts, council’s own internal security experts and discussions with other affected councils and government agencies, council is comfortable that PageUp has put very strong preventative measures in place,” he added.

No monitor for now

The North Central Review

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June 25, 2018

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By Joshua Wells

THE City of Whittlesea will not be placed under the guidance of a monitor.

Victorian Minister for Local Government Marlene Kairouz wrote to Whittlesea Chief Executive Officer Simon Overland to explain the decision not to appoint a monitor.

The minister explained that a ‘contest of ideas’ was good for the functionality of the council, but unruly behaviour would need to dealt with under in-house measures.

“I note there are a range of mechanisms available to your council to address inappropriate behaviour by councillors,” she said in the letter dated June 13, received by council on June 20.

“This includes through the Councillor Code of Conduct… I note that the council’s meeting procedure local law also sets out the protocols to be observed during council meetings… it is my preference that councils make every effort to resolve councillor behavioural issues.

“Based on the council’s resolution, I am not satisfied that there is a serious risk of governance failure by the council at this time to warrant the appointment of a monitor.

“As the council notes, council business continues to progress normally and it is able to implement council policies and decisions. For this reason, I will not be appointing a monitor top the council at this time.

“I am confident that the Whittlesea City Councillors will resolve their issues in continuing to serve their community.”

The resolution to appoint a monitor was determined at a Special Meeting on May 8.

Councillors voted to appoint a monitor for a period of six months – down from the original 18 month request after an amendment.

City of Whittlesea mayor Kris Pavlidis said it was an exciting time for the region and she wanted to focus on the residents.

“I would like to thank the Local Government Minister for considering council’s request for the appointment of a monitor to the City of Whittlesea for a period of six months and we respect her decision not to do so,” she said.

“It’s an exciting time of growth and development for the City of Whittlesea and we have demonstrated that we continue to make responsible decisions on behalf of our community. The minister’s decision is an endorsement of her confidence in Whittlesea Council.

“We are still governing in an open and transparent way; in fact we’ve had the least amount of confidential agenda items as we’ve ever had and I’m proud this is happening under my stewardship.”

North Ward Cnr Tom Joseph, who voted to appoint the monitor, said he believed the right outcome had been reached.

“The special meeting called by councillors… was an exercise in grand standing and I believe the minister made the right choice in not appointing the monitor,” he said.

“I supported the motion with a shorter duration to assure the people of the municipality that there are no governance issues.”

Councillors were contacted but at the time of print could not be reached.

Sports minister visits Macedon Ranges

The North Central Review

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June 19, 2018

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by Jackson Russell

VICTORIAN Minister for Sport John Eren visited the Macedon Ranges on Thursday, June 14 to meet with Member for Macedon Mary-Anne Thomas and representatives from Macedon Ranges Shire Council regarding sporting needs in the region.

Council briefed Mr Eren on its bid for government funding for the proposed Macedon Ranges Regional Sports Precinct at the meeting at the Macedon Ranges Netball Complex in New Gisborne.

The precinct would provide facilities for indoor and outdoor sport from basketball and netball to football and cricket.

Mr Eren said the proposal is needed for the future, especially with the amount of population growth in the region.

“As a government, we look very closely at projects like this and it’s been brought to our attention by Ms Thomas and we’re having a very serious look at it,” he said.

Ms Thomas said she’s seen a growth in the Macedon Ranges in stadium-based sports, which the precinct project helps to address.

“We’ve got a sports crazy community here and we’re working to meet their needs. This is a project that will benefit many others, not just the Macedon Ranges Shire,” she said.

“Families come to the Macedon Ranges in search of a healthy and active lifestyle and I want to make sure we have the facilities to cater for this demand.”

Mr Eren added it is encouraging to see women in sport are included in the planning of the precinct.

“That is the carrot for councils, it’s actually to make their facilities female friendly and so we’re seeing a real spike in seeing women come back to sport,” he said.

“That’s the pressure point for us, and obviously with this new project, it’s refreshing to see that women are included in the planning.

“If we build it, they will come. We know that and for every dollar that we invest in sport, we save $4 on our health bill, so prevention is better than the cure,” he said.

Land at the northern edge of Gisborne, opposite the Macedon Ranges Netball Complex, has been set aside by council for the proposal.

Attending the briefing were also representatives from the New Gisborne Regional Sports Field and the Macedon Ranges Regional Sports Hub projects.

VicRoads visit Whittlesea

The North Central Review

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June 19, 2018

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by Joshua Wells

VICROADS dropped by to visit Whittlesea residents on Thursday night, answering any questions the community had about their upcoming projects – namely the Whittlesea Plenty Road Intersection Upgrade.

The $2 million development will see the installation of traffic lights, new pedestrian walkways and better lighting on the intersection between Plenty Road and Wallan Road, Macmeikan Street and Laurel Street.

The VicRoads session at Whittlesea Primary School was a hit among those in attendance with most residents excited by the upgrades.

Whittlesea’s Kris Richmond, who was instrumental in having the road upgraded after she was nearly run over while pregnant, said she was happy the town had been heard.

“I reckon tonight was good, we finally got something done about the intersection and it will be great when it is all finished,” she said.

“The most important thing for everyone here is the safety of the children and the staff who work on the crossings… I asked a few questions and got answers.”

The street upgrade will be right out the front of the Whittlesea Primary School and principal Ty Hoggins said the school welcomed VicRoads in to talk with the community about the importance of the changes.

“This is positive improvement for the town’s infrastructure and the intersection is going to make it safer for cars and the students,” he said.

“We were happy to work with VicRoads who consulted us about tonight… we wanted to host and have everyone come here to ask questions.”

While the main focus was on the intersection, other people attended to talk about everything from the Plenty Road Duplication and the Mernda Railway Extension.

VicRoads Metro North West Region director Vince Punaro said it was good to connect with local residents.

“This event is fantastic from our perspective. We are doing these projects because the community fought for them,” he said.

“We wanted to get out and talk to people. The only way change can happen is to talk to people… we need to be honest and transparent about what we need to do.”

Member for Yan Yean Danielle Green said the night was incredibly successful and gave thanks to people like Kris Richmond for their dedication.

“This is an upgrade the community has wanted for a long time, it was to see everyone here asking questions and getting answers,” she said.

Federal Member for McEwen Rob Mitchell said the move was a good step in the right direction.

“It was a good decision for VicRoads to speak to people, but there is still more consultation to be had, some businesses aren’t sure of what is exactly happening,” he said.

Magpies open new court

The North Central Review

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June 19, 2018

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by Jackson Russell

GREENHILL Reserve’s second netball court officially opened on Wednesday, easing the pressure on local facilities.

The new netball court at Wallan Football Netball Club’s headquarters helps the Magpies keep up with the boom in netball participation in the region and across the state.

The Magpies currently field four senior netball teams in the Riddell District Football Netball League from A Grade to D Grade and the new court allows for multiple teams to train and play at one time.

Mitchell Shire Mayor Rhonda Sanderson said much like the shire, participation in sport is rapidly growing.

“As the municipality grows, so will demand for sporting facilities and that’s why this second netball court is so vital,” Cr Sanderson said.

“One court is simply not enough to cater for the demand from all these teams. This new court will significantly assist on game day and will make training sessions much more manageable.

“Female participation is growing and the success of netball and AFLW is filtering down to the grassroots level.”

The new court complements the $471,000 female-friendly change room upgrade which opened at the reserve last year.

The project was funded by a $100,000 grant from the state government with in-kind support from the reserve’s committee of management, Wallan Football Netball Club and Mitchell Shire Council.

Member for Yan Yean Danielle Green was present at the opening and said it can be difficult to remain active and the best way to stay active is through “fabulous” clubs like Wallan Football Netball Club.

“With Wallan becoming one of the fastest growing areas in the state, the need to expand sporting facilities has never been greater,” Ms Green said.

Paramedic allegedly assaulted in Wallan

The North Central Review

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June 14, 2018

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By Joshua Wells

JUST weeks after a public protest from those within the ambulance industry, a paramedic has allegedly been assaulted near Wallan.

Police confirmed to the North Central Review officers attended to assist paramedics on Wednesday, June 13.

“Police are investigating after a paramedic was assaulted in Wallan,” a spokesperson said.

“Police attended to assist paramedics at a location on the Hume Highway after a patient assaulted one of the paramedics about 2pm.

“The investigation is ongoing.”

Recently, an ambulance was spotted driving through Wallan, on Thursday, May 17, which wrote ‘it’s not ok to assault paramedics’ on its back window.

The protest formed part of the state-wide campaign to raise awareness about emergency worker assaults.

Return of the trucks

The North Central Review

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June 12, 2018

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By Jackson Russell

RESIDENTS of Dry Creek Road in Broadford have raised their concerns with a recent increase in truck traffic coming down the southern end of the road.

B-Double trucks loaded with materials removed from the quarry have allegedly been frequently travelling north towards Broadford despite planning permit restrictions stating trucks are not permitted to travel up Dry Creek Road.

Karen and Bruce Rae told the North Central Review they avoid the road as much as possible because “it’s just too risky”.

“When you’re coming out of our driveway, there’s actually a hill, so when trucks are at the hill, it’s just frightening,” Mrs Rae said.

The original planning permit for Hanson Construction Materials’ Broadford quarry placed conditions on transportation of materials out of the quarry.

Condition 10(a) stated that transportation could “only occur in a south-westerly direction from the proposed internal access road”.

Other conditions restricted the amount and frequency of transportation.

The permit conditions were contested at Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) hearing in February 2013 due to increased production at the quarry, with each contested condition removed other than 10(a).

Presiding VCAT member Philip Martin said at the time he saw fatal problems with “the relatively narrow and unprotected culvert crossing on the northern section of Dry Creek Road being an accident waiting to happen”.

Since then, the northern section of the road where the Raes live has been devoid of trucks from the quarry but the couple said in recent weeks, the volume of trucks has risen to pre-VCAT hearing levels.

Hanson Construction Materials development manager Daniel Fyfe said the company has been made aware of the concerns after being contacted by neighbouring residents.

“While we have direct control over Hanson Construction Materials drivers, we can only inform third-party customers to not use Dry Creek Road to the north,” he said.

“If we get information about specific trucks, we can take action; and we advise non-Hanson trucks not to turn right and follow approved routes.

“We’re certainly aware of obligations, we express and share the concerns of our neighbours and we’re working with council officers to see what other measures can be taken.”

Little Aths receives life saving tool

Kids & Youth

The North Central Review

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June 12, 2018

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TWO Macedon Ranges sports organisations have been successful in receiving a package that could save lives.

Lancefield Romsey Little Athletics Centre was announced by Member for Macedon Mary-Anne Thomas last week a successful applicant in the state government’s Defibrillators for Sporting Clubs and Facilities Program, receiving a new defibrillator and training package.

Macedon Junior Football Netball Club was also successful in its application for a new defibrillator at JD Clifford Oval.

Defibrillators at local sports clubs like Lancefield Romsey Little Athletics Centre keep players safe, protect spectators and are a vital tool for the community.

Lancefield Romsey Little Athletic Centre secretary Kaye Walker said the club submitted the application a year ago and its success is great news for all members.

Before receiving the defibrillator, 16 of the club’s members attended the included training and it wasn’t until then that they fully realised what a difference the defibrillator will make.

“Every minute is vital so having it in the clubrooms means we can get it to someone within a minute,” Ms Walker said.

In a life threatening sudden cardiac arrest, every second counts and bystanders play a critical role, as was seen over the weekend at Wallan when Under 19.5s player Liam Birch was saved by a spectator.

“In the Macedon Ranges we are proud of local sports clubs like Lancefield Romsey Little Athletics Centre and their efforts to make their environment more safe and enjoyable for all,” Ms Thomas said.

“This funding will help more clubs acquire the right equipment and training they need in case an emergency strikes.”

Without a defibrillator close by, the survival rate for sudden cardiac arrest is somewhere between two and five per cent. When a defibrillator is used within the first few minutes, the rate of survival can rise to 70 per cent.

The use of public defibrillators for cardiac arrests has soared four-fold from 2.8 per cent in 2006/07 to 11 per cent in 2015/16.

The new devices will appear on Ambulance Victoria’s database, so that triple zero operators will be able to direct callers to the new devices available when emergency strikes.

For more information about the Defibrillators for Sporting Clubs and Facilities Program or how to apply online for future rounds, visit www.sport.vic.gov.au