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News.com.au
3 days ago
- Business
- News.com.au
Small Business Week helping create South Australian success stories
Listening to the advice of others has helped Holly Stratton supercharge her business from start-up to star show. Stratton founded her business – A Taste of The Hills Festival – to support food and drink producers in the aftermath of the Cudlee Creek bushfires and the Covid-19 pandemic. When she talked to local producers, she realised the potential of a festival. 'I'd only been thinking of having a few small events,' Stratton says. 'But the more I spoke to people, the more they said it should be bigger, and the more people wanted to be part of it.' The first festival, in 2023, was held in Mount George and attracted 600 guests. In 2024, it moved to Hahndorf, drawing 2000. This year it was at Lot 100 near Nairne, with more than 3000 attendees. A key to success was the advice Stratton picked up from a Women in Business Foundations Program offered by the state government's Office for Small and Family Business. 'You only know what you know,' Stratton says. 'There are others out there who know more, and you should tap into them.' The program boosted Stratton's marketing and social media skills. Her mentors helped her design a brand to reflect the bright, fun feel of a festival. Using the mentor's tips on social media, her reach has grown from 500 to more than 7000 connections. The Foundations program is one of several streams in a $4m government initiative which has assisted more than 3900 entrepreneurial women. Other streams include a localised networking program, Connecting Women in Business, and an advisory program run with leadership forum behind closed doors. The Fearless Innovator program facilitates access to capital through Department of State Development grants for scale-ups. The director of the Office for Small and Family Business, Kathryn Calaby, says women face specific barriers, such as access to capital and finding time for networking and skill development. 'Increasing women's participation in business is good for growth, good for communities and good for the long-term health of our small business sector,' Calaby says. Stratton, 33, who grew up in the Hills, is now negotiating with venues and exhibitors for the 2026 Hills festival. She's also started a new business in psychotherapy with an equestrian twist, and works as a relief schoolteacher. Stratton says there's never a perfect time to start a business, but her bigger fear would have been to regret not giving it a go. 'The life we live these days, it is so easy to be comfortable and not push yourself to try and create something,' she says. 'A lot of people's lives are really busy, but you can still find time if it's important to you.' The women's programs are among many measures available to all small businesses. Others include advice on sustainability, grants for energy upgrades, mental health support, and guidance on funding. Hearing our shared stories a positive experience Powerful drivers are encouraging small businesses to embrace the advantages of sustainability, a leading South Australian consultancy has found. Firstly, businesses want to reduce costs through energy efficiency and minimising waste. Secondly, business owners pursue the marketing advantage of green credentials, particularly in sectors such as food production and landscaping. Now, a third force has emerged, managing director of consultancy 2XE Nick Palousis says. 'There have been legislative changes where big companies need to disclose their greenhouse gas emissions and how they're reducing them,' Palousis says. 'Those big companies have long supply chains which consist of small companies. 'So those big companies are asking their supply chains for the information. 'And those smaller companies see that this as an opportunity to grow their business.' Adelaide-based 2XE provides advice to companies nationally and delivers the Small Business Sustainability Program in collaboration with the Office for Small and Family Business. More than 100 companies have taken part in the program. Palousis will be part of a panel discussion during the Small Business Week in September. He found attending the event last year was very valuable. 'I run a small business myself and it was really good to be among your peers,' he says. 'You face shared challenges but it's also good to pick up on the positivity, to hear some really good stories.' Palousis says SA business owners in SA are generally better informed on energy than those in other states. SA owners know that recent cost increases have been caused by ageing coal-fired power stations 'bleeding the market' rather than by renewable generation. SA businesses want support to achieve sustainability and measure the gains. 'We've seen a big uptick in demand for our services,' he says. 'We're engineers by background, so it's what we love. 'Businesses want practical advice on what's going to move the dial and leave their business better off.' Register now for success Registrations are now open for Small Business Week, to be held September 22 to 26 in Adelaide and regional South Australia. 'We'll have sessions covering strategic planning, diversification, finance, cashflow and capital, digital technologies and AI, and succession planning,' Office for Small and Family Business director Kathryn Calaby says. 'It's a perfect opportunity to set aside some time to work on your business, hear from experts and those who have faced challenges and thrived, or just simply to network and be inspired. 'But if you can't make it to any of the in-person events, we will have a range of helpful online content available which you can consume anytime and anywhere.' The week starts with a welcome event on Monday, September 22, where leading demographer and commentator Bernard Salt is the keynote speaker. He will be followed by a panel discussion with small business owners. Small Business Week is one of the initiatives flowing from the state government's Small Business Strategy 2023-30. The strategy was shaped by extensive engagement with the sector, including a statewide online survey, roundtable discussions and in-depth interviews. 'There's no doubt the world is rapidly changing,' Ms Calaby says. 'New challenges and opportunities are con-stantly arising, and we have to be flexible in our ability to respond.' Calaby says small businesses have been adopting to AI, including apps such as Chat-GPT and Copilot. Most small business owners also want to hone their skills in financial literacy and business planning; and there continues to be pressures affecting their mental wellbeing, Calaby says.
Daily Mail
27-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Top vet reveals why a 'dangerous' dog ban would be a huge mistake after a six-year-old girl was mauled at a park
An animal behaviour expert has claimed banning certain dog breeds wouldn't prevent attacks from the animals, following a series of shocking incidents across the country. In the latest dog mauling, a six-year-old girl underwent emergency surgery after she suffered horrific injuries during a frightening and unprovoked Staffy attack on Sunday. The harrowing ordeal unfolded while Margot McNicol and her family were at Nairne's newest off-leash facility, Woofside Road Dog Park, in the Adelaide Hills. Margot was playing with her puppy when an American Staffy leapt up and latched onto her head, sparking widespread calls for the government to ban the canines. 'Breed speaks for itself. Poor girl,' one Aussie wrote online, prompting another to agree that 'there are far too many ferocious dogs around' and Australia should 'just ban them'. One person took aim at the 'not the dog's fault nutters' who 'put a human life second'. And someone else had an issue with another breed, saying that 'it's always Pitbulls, always'. However, President of the Australian Veterinarian Behaviour Group, Dr Isabelle Resch, told Daily Mail Australia that 'there's been plenty of different studies that show banning breeds does not work' and that dogs like Staffys can be great pets. Dr Isabelle Resch (right) wants dog owners to be better educated on how to care for their pet after a six-year-old girl was mauled in Adelaide (left) Dogs that are currently banned in Australia are the American Pitbull Terrier, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro, Japanese Tosa and Perro de Presa Canario. American Staffordshire Terriers are not banned in Australia. It was the same dog breed that mauled a five-week old baby boy to death as his parents slept at a NSW Central Coast home in 2021. Dr Resch has been a vet for more than 30 years but now works in the field of veterinarian psychiatry. 'There's been quite a few countries that have banned breeds like the American Pitbull and Japanese Tosa and it's failed to reduce the bite risk,' Ms Resch said. 'We need to look at community education and how we interact with dogs.' 'I look after the mental health of dogs and I guess I'm an activist in educating people in the community about how we can help the emotional welfare of dogs,' Dr Resch said. She said breed was 'not an indicator of behaviour' and that it was human actions that had a big impact on how dogs acted. 'There might be some genetic lines that are more prone to some behaviours but just the fact that you're a Rottweiler does not mean you're more likely to be aggressive,' she said. 'Aggression is saying 'bugger off and move away, I'm scared you're going to hurt me', so aggression is a normal response. 'People don't understand how we behaviour around dogs. Our body language often puts dogs in a position where they feel really threatened.' Dr Resch said data showed dogs that bite the most around the world are often smaller breeds like terriers. 'Chihuahua's don't make it to the media because they don't put people in hospital,' she said. 'I've seen more Labradors bite. In my career I have not seen any aggressive Pitbulls.' A report by the Sydney Children's Hospital in 2022 revealed a child was being admitted to a NSW hospital every week with a dog bite. The data took into account of 628 patients who presented with dog-related injuries from 2010 to 2020 and found their average age was just five-years-old. The breeds involved in the most reported attacks were Pitbulls (10.3 per cent), followed by Labradors (8.5 per cent) and Rottweilers (6.8 per cent). The top three were followed by Bulldog (6%), Border Collie (6 per cent), Jack Russell (5.1 per cent), Terrier (other) (5.1 per cent), Kelpie (5.1 per cent), German Shepherd (4.3 per cent) and others (42.7 per cent). So nearly half of all recorded dog bites over a 10-year period were from dogs whose breed could not be identified. The results were likely skewed also because many dogs are misidentified as Pitbulls. A victim may claim that it was a Pitbull that bit them when it was in fact a different breed. And that didn't surprise Dr Resch who made the surprising claim about identification of dog breeds. 'We can't tell by looking at a dog what breed they are,' she said. 'We've got some very good DNA tests available right now and even those of us who have worked with dogs our whole lives often find we're way off the mark (in guessing a breed) after a DNA test is done.' Dr Resch also said it was a myth that cross breeds were more aggressive than pure-bred dogs, saying they didn't behave any different. She also took aim at social media and how it promoted a lot of misinformation that gave Aussies a distorted view about certain dog breeds. 'It's an absolute fallacy that Pitbulls lock their jaws. We are so biased by online content that feeds us,' she said. 'If someone tells you often enough that Pitbull's bite, you believe it, and I can tell you it's not true. 'There's just so many different variables as to what bites occur, what breed is the breed that actually caused the bite and does legislation stop the bites? No, it doesn't. 'I'm a scientist so I look at the science and I look at the research and the research has shown that banning breeds fails.' Dr Resch said dog owners were the ones who needed to behave better around their pets. 'We need to teach people how to responsibly look after their own dogs and the body language of dogs,' she said. 'They need to get permission before they approach a dog. Don't let your child just walk up to a dog. I would never recommend unsupervised contact between any dog and a child.' Dr Resch said the most common bites were in young male boys and it was generally associated with food and treats. 'That suggests to me that we're not setting these kids up or the dogs up for success. We need to put the onus back on people,' she said.
News.com.au
26-05-2025
- News.com.au
Six-year-old girl forced to undergo surgery after being mauled by off-leash dog
Parents feared the worst when an off-leash dog lunged at their six-year-old daughter during a Sunday outing in the Adelaide Hills. Margot McNicol was at Nairne's newly opened off-leash dog park with her family and their puppy when an American Staffy attacked, grabbing her by the head. The little girl was rushed to hospital and has since undergone surgery for her injuries. Margot's mother Christina heard her screaming and ran over. 'I saw the dog had her head in its mouth and was pulling her hair like a tug of war,' she told 7News. She said it took four adults to get the dog off her daughter. Margot was taken to hospital with multiple puncture wounds, scratches and bruises, but her parents are grateful it wasn't worse. Her father Braedan said that if the dog had taken her neck or face instead of the top of her head. 'It would have been a completely different story,' he said. The council is now investigating the incident. The owner will be fined $300 and a decision is expected to be made about whether the dog is euthanised.
Daily Mail
26-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Parents' horror as their six-year-old girl is mauled by an American staffy in a public park and almost SCALPED
A six-year-old girl has undergone emergency surgery after she suffered horrific injuries during a frightening and unprovoked dog attack. The harrowing ordeal unfolded while Margot McNicol and her family were at Nairne's newest off-leash dog park Woofside Road Dog Park, in the Adelaide Hills on Sunday. Margot was playing with her puppy when an American Staffy leapt up and latched onto her head. It took four adults to free the dog from the little girl. 'She screamed, I ran over, and I saw the dog had her head in its mouth and was pulling her hair like a tug of war,' her mum Christina told Seven News. 'I stabilised my daughter's head and her hair so it couldn't keep pulling because I was really worried it would scalp her.' Margot was rushed to hospital with several puncture wounds to her head, along with scratches and bruising. She remains in hospital. Her injuries could have been a lot worse had another part of her head been attacked, according to her dad Braeden. 'It could have been a completely different story,' Mr McNichol said. Adding insult to injury, the McNicols claim the dog owner fled the park afterwards without apologising to Margot or the family. Mount Barker District Council is investigating the attack. The owner could face a fine of more than $300 and the Staffy could be euthanised. The extent of the punishment will depend on the severity of the attack and if the dog was already deemed a dangerous animal. 'If that is what is the safest (euthanasia), I think that is what should happen,' Ms McNicol said. 'The owner should know better, and I hope this is a lesson to them.' It's the same dog breed that mauled a five-week old baby boy to death as his parents slept at a NSW Central Coast home in 2021. A recent inquest into the baby's death heard that the breed had the highest incidence of attacks in local government data from 2018-2021. American Staffordshire Terriers are 'muscular, energetic medium-size dogs', according to Bow Wow Meow Pet Insurance. While most of the breed's aggression has been 'bred out', they should always be supervised during play time. 'Being a strong, powerful breed, firm and consistent training is essential to ensure your American Staffy will obey your commands and behave respectably,' the company states. 'Intense socialisation from an early age is also very important in order to curb potential aggression towards both humans and other dogs. 'If not well trained, behavioural problems can develop and the Amstaff can become difficult to handle.' Woofside Road Dog Park opened in February. The area is a fully fenced, unleashed dog park with activity zones, shelter, seating, a footpath loop, water bubbler and dog water bowl.
