Recap of discussion with the Minister

The recent Rowlands Insider luncheon, featuring guest speaker, Minister Andrea Michaels, proved to be a valuable opportunity for South Australian business leaders to voice their experiences, insights, and concerns directly to a key decision-maker in our state's business landscape. 

Attendees at the Rowlands Insider Luncheon with the Hon. Andrea Michaels MP 

Here's a snapshot of the main takeaways from our roundtable with the Minister.

• Direct Communication with Government
  A highlight for many attendees was the chance to engage directly with Minister Andrea Michaels. The opportunity to voice our opinions and have them heard by a willing government official was one of the most commented about aspects of the luncheon.
  
  
• Small Business Support
  There was a clear call for more support and resources for small businesses, particularly in employment and manufacturing. The need for a Small and Family Business Gov Advisor to provide feedback on policy decisions was also expressed.
  
  
• Attracting Talent to Adelaide
  Adelaide's local feel and ease of living make it attractive compared to larger cities. However, there was evidence in the room that, internationally, very few people know anything about Adelaide or have never heard of it. There was a consensus that more effort is needed to attract professionals and families through major events, marketing, and offering better job opportunities.
  
  
• Collaboration and Resource Sharing
  Workforce collaboration, particularly in the defence industry, and sharing resources among small businesses were seen as possible growth strategies. A suggestion was made for better access to a database of diverse talent for recruitment purposes. Recruitment was a key concern of all attendees.
  
  
• Building Relationships With Government
  The luncheon highlighted the importance of relationship-building with influential guests and government officials. These relationships can open doors to the right people and facilitate further discussions.
  
  

Networking Opportunities

The networking opportunities provided by the luncheon were highly appreciated. Attendees found immense value in connecting with like-minded professionals and hearing about their experiences. But don't just take our word for it. Here's what some of our attendees had to say:

Andrew Eglington - Randstad: These lunches are a great incentive. So well done for making this happen, especially with the smaller groups of businesses. Sometimes, these smaller groups don't have a voice like the primes and larger businesses do. So, it's fantastic to see that we can arrange something like this and attract others simply because it's interesting and meaningful. There are many things you won't pick up unless you sit down and talk with people like this.

Robert Cebulski – Rowlands Group: I thought the lunch was excellent. Having a guest speaker was a good idea, but I'd like to see this evolve into a forum where we can provide more support to each other. Additionally, I believe we could benefit from having slightly more time to solidify ideas that could be mutually beneficial. Collectively, we have the potential to be incredibly powerful and I firmly believe that together, we can find solutions to each other's problems.

Scott Begbie - Redarc: I thought the lunch was fantastic. I used to attend lunches like these in the past but unfortunately, COVID put a halt to them for a while. So I believe meeting with a like minded group of professionals like this is always beneficial. So If you get a chance, do come along to one of these lunches.

Rebecca Bennet – Nova Systems: I believe the intimate nature of having a small group of business leaders together like this today is incredibly powerful. You get a chance to truly know people as opposed to being lost in a crowd. Also, being able to have an open conversation with an influential guest, like the Minister today, so that our opinions can be heard and taken back to actually influence real change. This is really important. If we can be a vehicle that drives such change in this state by gathering together like this, then I think that's incredibly valuable.

Tim Dore – Defence Teaming Centre: The lunch was wonderful. Having a politician at one lunch like today and small groups of businesspeople at another is great. Essentially, it all comes down to relationship building. Real change can occur if we are working together and developing those relationships like we have today.

Mark Ashenden – Seed Terminator: I think this luncheon is a great idea. The diverse range of opinions in the room is something we can all learn from. I love the idea of collaboration. I believe it's the only way we can break out of the existing mould and accomplish things together.

Louis Kerrigan – Defence Coating Systems (DCS): The lunch was great, and this type of event is a first for me. So far in my career I have not been to a lot of networking type events. So as a newcomer, I appreciate being able to learn from all the experience in the room. Thank you.

Cameron Johnston – Rowlands Group: I thought it was really good. I love the fact that we can communicate directly with the government; that's fantastic. As a business leader, it can sometimes feel tremendously lonely. Sharing a 'war story' with an empathetic listener can be incredibly valuable.

David Searles – Citadel Secure: I thought the value in today's luncheon was for the minister to hear our voices and understand our thoughts and views. What the minister said wasn't as relevant, as the Minister presented the Ministers story and the government's policy. However, I believe her hearing some of our comments and our corroboration of those comments was really valuable.

Oswin Gegenhuber - Peggs: I thought the lunch was really good. Simply getting any minister out of the office and talking to business owners like us is great. Even if it's not the exact the right minister we need to speak too, that doesn't matter. It's building a relationship with the minister, so that you can find the right people to talk to through that relationship. It's also about gaining a better understanding of what they offer because Government Ministers do have things to offer us as business owners. However, not everyone knows or has the time to find out what those things are. So overall, the luncheon had great feel and was valuable from that point of view.

Phil Winwood – Rowlands Metalworks: Obviously, the networking was great. I noticed that one thing the minister emphasised, was that she wanted our help. She asked us to give her ideas to consider implementing. I think we should follow up on that, it’s a great opportunity.

Dave Lander – Levett Engineering: I think it's really nice to have lunch with a small, intelligent group of people. It's really good being around like-minded people. And it was a really good level of access to government that you don't typically get.

Emilio De Stefano – De Stefano and Co: I thought the luncheon was good. Really good, actually. For me, what I found most valuable was hearing from others in the room. It was great to have the opportunity to give feedback to the minister, but even more so to hear what business owners from other sectors were saying about the issues they face. I thought that was fantastic.

Michael Pike – MMC: I don't have anything new to add beyond what everyone else has said. I believe we all benefit from having these types of conversations, regardless of the outcome. The value lies in the discussion itself. As for how worthwhile it is, particularly when talking to a minister, the proof will be in the pudding.

Your Invitation

These Rowlands Insider luncheons are proving that they can serve as a platform where business leaders can engage in open conversations, share experiences, and potentially influence change together. We invite you to register your interest to come to one of the next Rowlands Insider luncheons and be part of the conversation!

Email brenton@rowlandsmetal.com.au to register your interest in attending a luncheon.

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