By CASEY NEILL
“WE’RE going to sing happy birthday to SEBN.”
And with that, City of Greater Dandenong CEO led the Christmas Industry Breakfast in a celebration of South East Business Networks’ (SEBN) 21st birthday.
The Thursday 4 December event at Sandown Racecourse in Springvale through gold coin donations raised $450.50 to provide toys, games and books to underprivileged children.
“It’s that time when the isolation hits more than at any other time of the year,” SEBN manager Sandra George said.
Mr Bennie, the Southern Melbourne Regional Development Authority (RDA) chairman, provided an overview of what the Labor Party’s success at last week’s state election could mean for Greater Dandenong.
“This is the start of where we as a council and the region need to advocate,” he said.
He welcomed the Back to Work plan, industry grants and reverse super trade missions that will bring businesses from China and beyond to Victoria.
“We do think that’s an important move,” he said.
Mr Bennie said rail projects and bus networks improvements would support jobs in Greater Dandenong, and highlighted the pledge to eradicate 50 rail crossings.
“We would hope it includes Heatherton Road. We would hope it includes Abbotts Road,” he said.
He said a $175 million Thompsons Road upgrade would be “a significant benefit for our region” and that projects like the East West Link would be beneficial and delivered by either government in time.
New Premier Daniel Andrews committed to referring the Port of Hastings and Bay West proposals to an independent authority for assessment.
“Port of Hastings should win,” Mr Bennie said.
“There are significant financial dis-benefits of the Port of Hastings not progressing.”
Guest speaker Steve Sammartino said he’d take the audience on an anthropological journey from the Industrial Age to the Technological Age.
“Ten years ago I didn’t have a clue about technology. If you can read, you can do it,” he said.
“I’m pretty sure everyone in this room can read, otherwise you never would have made it up here. It’s just so confusing.”
Mr Sammartino said the best technology used to only be available to business and government, but now homes had the most advanced products.
“You’ve got NASA in your pocket,” he said.
And the technology is more “human” to reduce fear.
“It’s the last thing you touch at night, and the first thing you touch in the morning,” he said.
“That used to be your partner!
“There’s a population crisis on the way.”
He said distribution was once a barrier to market entry but not anymore – technology allowed businesses to reach customers directly.
And businesses no longer needs to produce, he said, just organise the factors of production.
“Access is the key. Access is more important than ownership,” he said.
“The internet’s not about technology, it’s about connection. We can find each other and do amazing things.”
Mr Sammartino encouraged collaboration and highlighted the ability to synchronise posts between rivals Twitter and Facebook.
“It’s like buying a six pack with three Cokes and three Pepsis,” he said.
The SEBN theme for this year was ‘Doing Things Differently’ and next year’s will be ‘Tomorrow’s World Today’.
