New Monash Council elected

The result of the recent local government election for Monash was confirmed by the Victorian Electoral Commission on Monday 11 November with 11 Councillors declared elected for Monash’s 11 wards.

Welcome to the new Council. Councillors were sworn in on Tuesday 12 November 2024.

Councillor Paul Klisaris from Wellington Ward has been elected Mayor of Monash Council for 2024-25. Councillor Brian Little from Mayfield Ward will serve as Deputy Mayor for 2024-25.

Find your representative's full contact details and profile on Council's website.

CSIRO SME Connect: Access R&D support for your business growth

Discover the full potential of CSIRO's SME Connect program for your business by joining us for an informative in-person session with Dr Angela Wu, SME Program Facilitator.

Uncover how three programs—Kick-Start, The India Australia Rapid Innovation Start-up Expansion (RISE) Accelerator, and Innovate to Grow—can provide the support, funding and expertise to help you expand your business.

When: Wednesday 26 February 2025, 8am-9am
Where: Monash Civic Centre, 293 Springvale Road, Glen Waverley
Cost: Free, includes light breakfast

Service design workshop for Allied Health

Discover how to design services that delight your clients and grow your business during this free 90-minute interactive workshop. Tailored for allied health small business owners, this session will guide you through:

• Identifying what your customers truly value.
• Redesigning your services to boost client retention and recurring revenue.
• Taking actionable steps to simplify operations and maximise impact.

Sign up to learn practical strategies to create meaningful change and achieve sustainable growth.

When: Monday 17 March 2025, 10am-12pm
Where: Waterman Clayton, M-City Shopping Centre, Level 1, 2107/2125 Dandenong Road, Clayton
Cost: Free

Spaces are limited. Please RSVP by COB Friday 7 March

Expanding Horizons: Overcoming barriers for employment

The Expanding Horizons project team continues to actively engage with employers and job seekers with disabilities, advocating for greater inclusivity and diversity in the workplace.

In Australia, despite various efforts, the employment rate for people with disabilities has not significantly improved over the past two decades.

A new specialist disability employment program starts on 1 July 2025, replacing the current Disability Employment Services (DES) program. This new initiative is designed to enhance the quality of services provided to employers and job seekers.

For further information about disability employment programs, visit www.dss.gov.au/disability-employment-programs

For more information on hosting a work placement, please contact Michelle.Bloch@monash.vic.gov.au

Save the date: Monash Women's Business Network International Women's Day 2025

March forward: From humble beginnings to business success.

Join Monash Women’s Business Network in March to celebrate International Women’s Day and access your gateway to valuable connections, education and learning opportunities. 

Our special guest speaker is Carman’s Kitchen founder Carolyn Creswell. 

At just 18, Carolyn bought the small muesli business she worked at for $1,000. Fast forward to 2024, and Carman’s Kitchen is a market leader, with a growing range and a focus on being an employer-of-choice. 

Sponsored by PARKROYAL Monash Melbourne. 

When: Tuesday 4 March 2025
Networking: 11.30am - 12pm | Lunch: 12pm - 2.30pm
Where: PARKROYAL Monash Melbourne, 872 Blackburn Road, Clayton
Cost: $70 (includes two-course lunch)
RSVP: Close of business Monday 24 February 2025

Suburban Rail Loop works update in Monash

Stay informed about the latest Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) works in the Monash area. Here are the links to the latest updates from Victoria's Big Build, outlining ongoing and planned disruptions and traffic detours for each station precinct:

• Clayton works update
• Monash (station) works update
• Glen Waverley works update

For further information, please contact Surburban Rail Loop Authority via phone 1800 105 105, email contact@srla.vic.gov.au or visit their website below.

Entrepreneur Exchange Business Networking

Join Eastern Innovation for their 90-Day Growth Planning workshop and networking event, for small business owners and entrepreneurs.

This interactive workshop offers a unique opportunity to clarify vision, simplify strategy, and support sustained business growth through proven frameworks and expert guidance from Tina Manolitsas. 

When: Thursday 6 February 2025, 6pm-8pm
Where: Eastern Innovation, 5A Hartnett Close, Mulgrave
Cost: $17.50

Do you play music in your business?

Playing music over the festive season is a great way to create atmosphere for your customers and workers – however copyright laws need to be followed.

You need a licence or permission to play music in your business or workplace. Find out how to follow the law and make sure music creators get paid.

Trader Parking Permits

The City of Monash offers a trader car parking permit scheme which enables traders to park across specific locations during the working day.

To find out if your location is included and if your business is eligible, visit Council's website.

New campaign aims to curb hostility against frontline workers ahead of busy Christmas season

The "Be Kind in Retail" campaign, launched by industry groups across Australia, aims to combat alarming levels of abuse, violence and the use of weapons against employees.

Running until 24 December, the campaign will be shown in more than 3,500 digital screens in over 300 participating shopping centres and retail precincts across Australia.

Illegal external roller shutters

Council is following up on illegally installed external roller shutter blinds in our activity centres, particularly around Oakleigh and Huntingdale. While a Planning Permit is required to install external roller shutter blinds, these types of blinds are discouraged.

Eco-wrapping and packaging alternatives for small businesses this Christmas

This Christmas, consider eco-friendly wrapping options to reduce waste. Australians use 150,000 km of wrapping paper during the festive season, enough to wrap the globe four times.

With 61% of consumers prioritising sustainability, adopting green practices can enhance your business’s appeal. Opt for recycled and organic paper, cotton ribbon, and avoid dyed materials. Using less plastic tape also helps make wrapping paper easier to reuse.

If you’re packaging online orders, there are ways to reduce waste by using recyclable materials and avoiding plastics. Consider reusing shipping materials like boxes to avoid extra costs and plastic post bags.

World leading Moderna vaccine facility opens in Monash

The Southern Hemisphere’s only mRNA manufacturing facility has opened in Clayton to ensure world-class mRNA vaccines and medicines can be made in Australia.

The facility will have the capacity to produce up to 100 million vaccine doses each year for respiratory diseases including influenza, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), and COVID-19.

Moderna’s Australian operations will create 140 highly skilled direct jobs and up to 500 jobs will be supported across advanced medical manufacturing, R&D, supply chains and the broader workforce. 

New grant to kickstart Vic start-ups

Breakthrough Victoria has invested $7.5 million to launch the University Innovation Platform Fellowship Program, which will establish up to 50 new startup companies over multiple years by fostering early-stage researchers and PhD candidates to commercialise their research.

The program is available to current undergraduates, postgraduates and recent graduates from all Victorian universities and research institutes. It will contribute up to $150,000 per startup towards salaries and funding for research commercialisation, plus tailored mentoring and skills development.

Partners in Wellbeing Helpline support

Running a small business is an exciting and enjoyable experience, but it also comes with a unique set of challenges and responsibilities which can lead to stress and concern

The Partners in Wellbeing Helpline offers eligible sole traders, small business owners and their employees free and confidential support. You can speak with trained wellbeing coaches, financial counsellors and business advisers who understand your business and the unique pressures you face.

Visit the website below to find out more about this service and check your eligibility.

Skills for Education and Employment (SEE) Program

The Australian Government is investing $436.4 million over four years to support the Skills for Education and Employment (SEE) Program. The SEE Program is an ongoing Australian Government program that delivers free language, literacy, numeracy and digital skills training to eligible Australians.

SEE is delivered by a national network of training providers. Check eligibility requirement and locations on the program's website.

Business Victoria: Online workshops, courses and mentoring

Looking to start, grow or take a fresh look at your business? You can register for a short course or webinar or access a FREE online business advice session from an expert.

Free business mentoring for Monash businesses

Monash Council works with the Small Business Mentoring Service to provide eligible local business owners with access to up to four FREE one-hour sessions with an experienced business mentor.

Email ecodev@monash.vic.gov.au if you are interested in accessing this service.