Sunraysia Rural Counselling Service Inc ANNUAL REPORT 2019 - 2020 Supported by the Australian and Victorian Governments ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The Sunraysia Rural Counselling Service Inc. wishes to acknowledge and sincerely thank the following organisations for their funding, contributions and support during the 2019-20 financial year: GRANTS Department of Agriculture • Australian Government funding for Murray-Darling Basin Economic Development Program - Small Business Project Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment • Australian Government funding for the - Rural Financial Counselling Service Program - Small Business Financial Counselling Program Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions • Victorian Government funding for the - Rural Financial Counselling Service Program - Small Business Financial Counselling Program - Employment of a Senior Rural Financial Counsellor Coordinator DONATIONS & CASH CONTRIBUTIONS NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment Murray Valley Winegrowers’ Inc Swan Hill Rural City Council . Y TASCO Petroleum H Wentworth Shire Council T - Cash contributions to SunRISE Mapping & Research A P IGA Community Chest and Victorian Lions Clubs M - Food vouchers to assist farmers in need E Mildura Millewa Country Women’s Association & - Fuel vouchers to assist Millewa farmers in need Y T ANZ Bank and Mildura Regional Development I - Funds raised from 2019 Sunraysia Agribusiness Conference to support primary producers R G E T PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGES N Chris O’Connell Photography (Cover photo) I Gingerhouse Photography , T Philip Down S Darren Seiler U Andy Banks Photography R Imagine Pictures T : DESIGN O NewsAlert PR / Sunni Studios T T O PRINTING M Sunnyland Press R 2 U SUNRAYSIA RURAL COUNSELLING SERVICE 2 O 2019 - 2020 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. 03 ABOUT US. 06 VISION, PHILOSOPHY, MOTTO. 09 STRUCTURES & SERVICES. 10 OUR TEAM. 13 OUR BOARD. 14 2019 - 2020 SNAPSHOT. 16 CHAIR’S REPORT. 18 EXECUTIVE OFFICER’S REPORT. 20 CASE STUDIES . 22 RURAL FINANCIAL COUNSELLING. 22 SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT. 23 RURAL FINANCIAL COUNSELLING SERVICE. 25 REPORT. 26 SERVICES. 27 HOW WE WORK. 28 THE FEEDBACK. 29 RURAL BUSINESS CONNECTIONS. 31 REPORT. 32 SMALL BUSINESS FINANCIAL COUNSELLING REPORT . 33 HOW WE WORK. 34 SunRISE MAPPING & RESEARCH. 37 REPORT. 38 MAPPING. 39 BOARD MEETING REPORT. 42 GENERAL PURPOSE FINANCIAL REPORTS. 45 INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT. 66 4 SUNRAYSIA RURAL COUNSELLING SERVICE 2019 - 2020 5 ABOUT US... OUR ORGANISATION We are a free financial counselling service for farmers and small town businesses in North West Victoria. Sunraysia Rural Counselling Service (Inc) was formed in 1984 in response to the downturn in the dried vine fruit industry. In the 35 years since, there have been name changes, funding changes and amalgamation of services – but the primary objective of assisting primary producers and rural businesses has never changed. After successfully tendering for the Rural Financial Counselling Service (RFCS) across an expanded region in 2016, SunRCS transitioned to establish Rural Financial Counselling Service Victoria - North West. Our service is now across 11 local government areas: • Mildura Rural City; • Swan Hill Rural City; • Yarriambiack Shire; • Hindmarsh Shire; • Buloke Shire; • Gannawarra Shire; • Loddon Shire; Our financial counsellors provide outreach across north west Victoria from offices in Mildura, • Central Goldfields Shire; Swan Hill, Donald and Bendigo. • Greater Bendigo City; • Mount Alexander Shire; and SunRISE Mapping and Research is based at the Mildura office. • Macedon Ranges Shire. Rural Business Connections is based at Mildura and outreaches to five Murray Darling Basin communities. 6 SUNRAYSIA RURAL COUNSELLING SERVICE 2019 - 2020 7 OUR VISION To be the leader in the provision of information and support services to build resilient rural communities. OUR PHILOSOPHY To provide a community driven responsive service which is innovative, flexible and accessible to those in need. OUR MOTTO Trust, Integrity & Empathy. 8 SUNRAYSIA RURAL COUNSELLING SERVICE 2019 - 2020 9 OUR STRUCTURES AND SERVICES... RURAL FINANCIAL SMALL BUSINESS COUNSELLING FINANCIAL COUNSELLING Rural Financial Counselling Service Small Business Financial Counselling Victoria – North West, is a free financial provides assistance to rural small counselling service for farmers. businesses. Our rural financial counsellors work with Our counsellors can assist with businesses you to provide information and develop experiencing or anticipating financial options, while you make the decisions. difficulty, providing analysis and the tools for business operators to make informed Rural financial counsellors meet on farm or financial and business decisions. elsewhere if required. Small Business Financial Counselling The service is free and confidential. The service is free and independent and confidentiality is assured. RURAL BUSINESS SunRISE MAPPING CONNECTIONS Rural Business Connections began in SunRISE Mapping & Research is a October 2019 and assists clients in the community-based organisation specialising Murray River regions with starting and in mapping and spatial information growing their small business or community services. initiative. Since 1995, SunRISE Mapping has Rural Business Connections provides been developing its spatial information access to free and low-cost training and expertise and capacity to provide powerful support through communication, management and planning tools to individual property owners, industry organisations, businesses and government • Small group workshops agencies. • Online digital solutions • Appointments with a Small Business Financial Consultant This project is funded by the Australian Government under the Murray–Darling Basin Economic Development Program. 11 10 SUNRAYSIA RURAL COUNSELLING SERVICE 2019 - 2020 11 OUR TEAM... SunRCS: Organisational Chart 2019 - 2020 SUNRAYSIA RURAL COUNSELLING SERVICE INC BOARD Jack Forbes | Chair Andrew Pickles Kylie Zanker | Vice Chair John Senior Leo Tellefson | Secretary John Tesoriero Lyn Heaysman | Treasurer (appointed 6/11/19) RFCS VICTORIA - AUDIT & RISK COMMITTEE NORTH WEST PROJECT BOARD Jack Forbes | Chair Andrew Pickles FINANCE COMMITTEE Kylie Zanker John Senior Leo Tellefson John Tesoriero GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE Lyn Heaysman (appointed 6/11/19) CENTRAL ADVISORY GROUP EXECUTIVE OFFICER Patrick Timmons EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT SUNRISE MAPPING Lorraine Argus SERVICES MANAGER Sue Argus GIS PROJECT OFFICER SENIOR RURAL FINANCIAL Julie Hawtin COUNSELLOR COORDINATOR Stephanie Ferdelja ADMINISTRATION OFFICERS RURAL BUSINESS MILDURA CONNECTIONS MANAGER Joan Polwarth RURAL FINANCIAL Dianne Johnstone COUNSELLORS (program commenced 1/10/19) BENDIGO BENDIGO Erin Bottomley Anna McGee Chris Young (commenced 19/8/19) DONALD SMALL BUSINESS James Goldsmith FINANCIAL COUNSELLORS BENDIGO SWAN HILL Lauren Fowler Jim Chamouras Marg McKenzie Marty Sammon (commenced 26/8/19) (commenced 4/5/20) Scott Sanders MILDURA John Keogh (commenced 20/8/19) 12 Ashley Kuhl 12 SUNRAYSIA RURAL COUNSELLING SERVICE 2019 - 2020 13 David Talbot OUR BOARD... The diverse activities and programs of SunRCS are overseen by a seven- JACK FORBES CR KYLIE ZANKER LEO TELLEFSON member board of agricultural, rural Chairperson Vice Chairperson Secretary industry and community representatives. Mildura Warracknabeal Donald Board member since 1985, Board member since 2013 Board member since 2012 The board exists to provide sound corporate Chairperson since 2008 Leo is involved in farming through his governance, accountability for government A family background in farming motivates Kylie is a member of Australian Institute of Jack’s commitment to rural and farm Company Directors. She is a Yarriambiack family farm and also owns the local butcher funding, employ staff according to need, issues. Shire Councillor (elected 2008) and has shop in his home town of Donald. meet all reporting requirements and ensure served two terms as Mayor. all statutory obligations are met. He is a member of the Australian Institute He is currently Chair of the Johnson-Goodwin of Company Directors, and has completed Kylie is an Early Childhood Years teacher and Homes Aged Care Facility in Donald, Chair of financial planning and accounting course has a special interest in children, youth and the Donald Community Centre/Neighbourhood Rural Financial Counselling Service Victoria segments. community-minded projects. House, board member of Buloke Community – North West was created under SunRCS’s Enterprises (Bendigo Community Bank franchise) and committee member of Donald umbrella specifically to provide a rural Jack has skills in succession planning, In addition to working as a teacher, Early Years retirement planning and aged care issues, program coordinator and university lecturer in Racing Club. financial counselling service across north superannuation, government assistance social sciences, Kylie has also worked part- west Victoria. It is overseen by a Project programs and rural financial issues through time with the Victorian Responsible Gambling Leo has previously served as a Councillor Board, comprising the same seven board experience as a former Financial Information Foundation’s Gamblers Help Program, in the on Buloke Shire Council including two terms health sector and in project management with as Mayor and on the Donald Hospital/East members as the SunRCS Board. Service Officer with Centrelink Mildura. Jack is now semi-retired but continuing to pursue the Department of Education & Training and