Blog Posts

Nundah wonder: the small enterprise blazing a big trail

17/4/2023

SOCIAL, DIVERSITY

The pioneer of a business model now commonly used across Australia’s $21 billion social enterprise sector, is about to turn 25. It was originally created by a handful of people with cognitive difficulties who simply wanted discrimination-free work.

First published by Westpac Wire.

How a 10-year-old tragedy turned transformative for young farmers

4/4/2023

REGIONAL

Since shock ripped through Australasia’s cattle industry 10 years ago when industry champion Zanda McDonald tragically died, his influence hasn’t slowed as the careers of dozens of young agriculturalists have been turbocharged by an award in his honour.

First published on Westpac Wire.

Australian cattle industry champion, the late Zanda McDonald. (Julie McDonald)

Unconventional route to the bush for ag prize winner

2/4/2023

REGIONAL

Mitch Highett, recently named co-winner of this year's prestigious agricultural prize, the Zanda McDonald Award, forged an unconventional route into the farming industry.

First published by Westpac Wire.

Mitch Highett. (Supplied)

Louis Vuitton’s unexpected move in Cape York not a one-off

1/4/2023

FINANCE

Luxury brand Louis Vuitton’s move to team up with a conservation charity to help protect biodiversity in Cape York in Far North Queensland is part of a growing trend towards big companies supporting “nature-positive” solutions.

First published by Westpac Wire.

The Cape York Peninsula in Far North Queensland.

Trial could be game changer for neurodiverse jobseekers

29/3/2023

SOCIAL, DIVERSITY

A social enterprise which sees its neurodiverse employees as its competitive advantage has been chosen for a pioneering trial that could be a game changer for jobseekers experiencing disadvantage.

First published in Westpac Wire

New program boosts capacity of remote social enterprise

28/2/2023

SOCIAL, SMALL BUSINESS, INDIGENOUS

Like most start-up cofounders, Fraser Nai welcomes advice and connections that might help scale his community-focused cultural tourism platform, but concedes they’re often difficult to come by given the remote location of his business, in the Torres Strait.

Published by White Box Enterprises.

Strait Experience co-founders Fraser Nai and John Palmer (supplied)

Business blind-spots closed by third-party data

25/1/2023

TECHNOLOGY

It’s now the norm for businesses to use data to inform decisions, but the way it’s leveraged can have a material effect on financial performance, says head of Westpac DataX, Jade Clarke.

First published by Westpac Wire

Jade Clarke, head of Westpac DataX, the bank’s data analytics business. (Emma Foster)

Deda to champion diversity in economics in new role

19/12/2022

FINANCE, DIVERSITY

Westpac’s Besa Deda, newly appointed chair of the Australian Business Economists’ industry group, says the growing number of women economists in leadership positions is helping break down the profession’s “diversity problem”.

First published on Westpac Wire

Westpac’s business bank chief economist Besa Deda, named chair of the Australian Business Economists. (Emma Foster)

Big data helping Aussies to Olympic fast lane

12/12/2022

TECHNOLOGY
Cutting-edge data analytics was key to helping the Australian swim team bring home the most successful Olympic medal haul in history last year, says Swimming Australia’s Jess Corones.

First published on Westpac Wire

Sports scientist Jess Corones working with Olympic swimmer Emma McKeon. (Getty)

New consortium to drive fintech AI

28/11/2022

TECHNOLOGY

Six organisations have joined forces to form a new consortium to drive leading-edge research into responsible adoption of artificial intelligence in the finance sector.

First published on Westpac Wire

The aim of a new consortium is to take fintech AI out of the lab and into practice, says UNSW Professor Fethi Rabhi. (Getty)

Fertility leave the new family friendly frontier

22/11/2022

CAREER, DIVERSITY, SOCIAL

The uptake of fertility treatment is grabbing the attention of human resources teams around the world as organisations look to better support employees in new ways, like Westpac’s new fertility leave policy.

First published on Westpac Wire.

Westpac is among the first of a growing number of companies introducing fertility leave for employees. (Getty)

Rita shows personality matters in AI

21/11/2022

TECHNOLOGY, FINANCE

The stellar results achieved by small US-based BankSouth since introducing digital assistant Rita shows personality matters in artificial intelligence, says Kasisto’s Lindsay Soergel at Westpac’s TechX.

First published on Westpac Wire

Lindsay Soergel, Kasisto's chief product and experience officer, spoke at Westpac’s TechX convention. (Supplied)

Nature positive: The new net-zero frontier

7/11/2022

SOCIAL

The next climate frontier – natural capital – is fast approaching, says Westpac’s chief sustainability officer Siobhan Toohill, ahead of today's release of the bank’s latest climate change position statement.

First published on Westpac Wire

Coastal rejuvenation projects exemplify the new push towards "nature postive". (Emma Foster)

King: Solid result, well set for tougher economic outlook

7/11/2022

FINANCE

Westpac chief executive Peter King said the bank was well set to navigate a tougher economic environment and had built positive momentum heading into the new year.

First published on Westpac Wire

Westpac chief executive, Peter King, on the bank’s full year 2022 results. (Josh Wall)

BOARD WALK: Audette Exel on zeitgeist shifts, data versus ideology and what’s next

16/10/2022

SOCIAL, DIVERSITY

Board director and social entrepreneur Audette Exel AO says the zeitgeist has shifted in the way big businesses see their role in the community, in a broad ranging podcast interview.

First published on Westpac Wire

Audette Exel AO, board director and social entrepreneur. (Emma Foster)

New Afghan café makes big impact

23/9/2022

SOCIAL, DIVERSITY, SMALL BUSINESS

It’s not just the spiced lamb dumplings and Kabuli burgers filling Roya Rasuly with pride in Sydney city’s newest Afghan café, Kabul Social – it’s also the impact it’s having behind the scenes.

First published on Westpac Wire

Roya Rasuly, Plate It Forward HR manager, at Sydney’s newest Afghan food venue, Kabul Social. (Emma Foster)

Queen’s passing brings change, big and small

9/9/2022

FINANCE

The Queen's passing brings many changes, including small ones like the portrait on Australia's coins.

First Published on Westpac Wire

(Montage, Royal Australian Mint, Getty)

Recognition for rural mum beating isolation

7/9/2022

REGIONAL, DIVERSITY

Stephanie Trethewey’s mission to tackle the crippling isolation faced by many mothers in rural Australia saw her crowned this year’s national winner of the AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award.

First published in Westpac Wire.

Stephanie Trethewey (and her son), founder of Motherland, named this year’s national winner of the AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award. (Tas Ag Co)

Family ordeal inspires farm accessibility campaigner

28/8/2022

REGIONAL, DIVERSITY

After a chat with her dad confirmed for Josie Clarke that farmers with disability face an accessibility advocacy vacuum, she set out to tackle it, earning her this year’s NSW ACT Agrifutures Rural Women’s Award.

First published on Westpac Wire.

Founder of Ability Agriculture, Josie Clarke (left), with her dad Glen at their Kempsey family farm. (Rachael Lenehan)

Graduates in demand as battle for talent hots up

18/8/2022

CAREER

Like many other fresh graduates, Kanu Agarwal found herself in hot demand from competing employers who have needed to step up efforts to attract more young recruits from a smaller pool.

First published on Westpac Wire.

Kanu Agarwal, who joined Westpac’s specialised data graduate program in February. (Emma Foster)

PODCAST: Turning global spotlight on Aussie entrepreneurs

9/8/2022

SOCIAL
Next month’s Social Enterprise World Forum, hosted in Brisbane, will be transformative for Australia’s burgeoning social enterprise sector, says renowned social entrepreneur, Luke Terry, in a podcast interview.

First published on Westpac Wire.

Luke Terry, chief executive and co-founder of White Box Enterprises. (Emma Foster)

Outback town lifts homeownership with unique scheme

3/7/2022

REGIONAL, FINANCE, INDIGENOUS

For a handful of locals in the very remote townships in Queensland’s Burke Shire council, the idea of owning a home has turned from impossible to imaginable, as a unique homeownership scheme takes hold.

First published on Westpac Wire

Sisters Madison (left) and Jordan Marshall were the first to buy their Burketown homes through a unique homeownership initiative. (Supplied)

Indigenous business builds up as supplier spend spreads

27/5/2022

INDIGENOUS

More doors are opening for Indigenous businesses as corporates lift diversity in supply chain spending, including on projects like the fitout of Westpac’s newest site at Parramatta Square.

First published on Westpac Wire.

Schiavello Ganbu’s Kyle Vander Kuyp (centre) with apprentices Elijah and Jediaha.

Perfect match? Platform eyes volunteering lift

16/5/2022

SOCIAL

A project sparked by her own personal loss could help to reverse declining volunteering rates, says newly named Westpac Scholar and founder of Freddy Match Dr Roxane Foulser-Piggott.

First published on Westpac Wire

Dr Roxane Foulser-Piggott, founder of Freddy Match.

AI, check. Next stop, orchestration.

26/4/2022

TECHNOLOGY

As Westpac breaks new technology ground with a ‘conversational intelligence orchestrator’ first, the chief of partner firm Kasisto, Zor Gorelov, says it’s an important next step in the evolution of the nascent technology.

First published on Westpac Wire.

Zor Gorelov, founder and CEO of Kasisto.

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