AACC NEWSLETTER

FEBRUARY 2022

G'Day from AACC President,

Jackie Yuen

Dear AACC Members and Friends,

I hope the holiday season was an enjoyable one and you’re having a great start to 2022.

I continue to write from Sydney and it’s been interesting to experience the management of Covid from a different lens. When I arrived in December, Omicron had just arrived and now, after 2 challenging months of PCR/RAT testing, strains on medical and health systems, etc, the proverbial spike has peaked and things are starting to ease. Sydney, NSW like many places around the world, are loosening restrictions, including for travel, resulting in a strong sense that we’re re-opening to 2019 levels.

Most significantly for those of us who live outside of Australia, inbound international travel will be open to all vaccinated visitors, subject to testing, from February 21. Quarantine mandatories have been lifted and there’s freedom to travel interstate. Western Australia re-opens March 3.

This is welcome news and for those who take to the skies, I hope your reunions with loved ones will be as wonderful as the ones I’ve revelled in of late.

The AACC has been fortunate to have had the major support of our members and sponsors throughout the pandemic and for this we’re most grateful. Our event calendar has continued to be full and even though some have been on a virtual basis, we’re happy to have remained connected.

To kick off 2022, the AUSTRALIAN GALA was held on February 5, our first major in-person event. I was there in spirit only and from all accounts it was a great party & celebration. Some 100 guests joined at the Golden Gate Yacht Club and it was all the more special as we celebrated two wonderful Australian recipients of The AACC’s Ambassador Bill Lane Spirit of Australia Award.

Please help me in congratulating GEOFF WIILLIAMSON, Melburnian in Palo Alto, Entrepreneur, Energy, IoT, SmartGrid, Medical, Automated Retail, friend and long-time member of the AACC; and CATHY FREDERICKSEN, Queenslander/Canberran in San Francisco, consular corps, diplomat, coordinator of Government Ministerial visits, designer of consulate office in SF, cheers on team Australia and valued member of & volunteer for AACC. Thanks Geoff and Cathy for all that you do and we’re honoured to have you in our community

Also, warm thanks to our volunteers, Amy Cheung and Cathy Fredericksen and to all of our sponsors, Australian Government, Bluestone Lane, Champagne Collet, Origin, Prezzee and QANTAS, THANK YOU. Your support, as always, is greatly appreciated!

EVENTS

THE AUSTRALIAN RETREAT

1^st-2^nd April, 2022 at SKYWALKER RANCH, NICASIO, CA

Our second annual Australian Retreat is set to bring together like-minded senior Australian and other leaders in the Bay Area for a unique mix of business round tables and social activities. Skywalker Ranch offers guests bespoke hospitality and unparalleled access to exclusive private settings, including hiking trails and the Skywalker Winery. Join us for this exceptional experience which includes an overnight stay and RSVP soon. Space is strictly limited.

RSVP Australian Retreat 2022

10^th ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL GOLF SCRAMBLE

8^th April 2022 at PRESIDIO GOLF CLUB, SAN FRANCISCO

Join us for our Golf Scramble Tournament for the opportunity to meet with members from our partner Chambers, the British American Business Council (BABC) and the German American Business Association (GABA). Enjoy a day out with your clients, employees, and friends - a great way to mix business and sport!

RSVP 10th Annual International Golf Scramble

As always, thank you to you, our members and friends, for your support of the AACC. Your continued membership and support is very much appreciated.

Please see updates from our members below and be sure to scroll down for some special offers.

If you have any feedback or need assistance please contact me here or email Dawn.

With gratitude,

Jackie Yuen

AACC President

AACC Director, Helen Fairclough

…from the Victorian Desk

Since I last wrote we’ve experienced the impact of the Omicron variant like many other places around Australia (and the world) and the year hasn’t continued in the way we would have liked. This exacerbated staff shortages and supply chain issues, resulted in customer/consumer hesitancy, isolation requirements and changes to venue density limits. So that put a dampener on retail operators highs over the holidays and the ‘opening up’ enthusiasm found at the very beginning of this year. This has been particularly evident in Victoria where some have aptly named it the ‘shadow lockdown’.

Being a double election year and a crucial one for policy-shaping, industry bodies, associations and chambers have their focus firmly on the upcoming elections and are preparing Federal and State Budget submissions and the Victorian Chamber continue to advocate for policy changes that support business (short and long term).

The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (AACI) joined calls from across the states for opening up of our international borders. They saw it as a key priority along with ensuring the settings are right to maximise the opportunity for Australia to attract visitors as international markets compete for the tourist dollar. “The international border has been closed to tourist markets for 678 days and counting,” John Hart, Executive Chair of AACI says. …the reopening of our international borders to all fully vaccinated travellers, a move that will provide the tourism industry with confidence to resume their operations” Also welcome news the Australian Government recently amended visa conditions for student and working holiday makers and formally announced effective from 21 February 2022, all fully vaccinated visa holders can travel to Australia without a travel exemption.

John Hart went on to say “Pent-up domestic and international demand means that consumers are keen to travel and support the tourism sector. However, government support in implementing targeted financial assistance and other key policy initiatives outlined in our pre-budget submission will be crucial to assist in the recovery for this hard-hit industry.” Read more AACI tourism-pre-budget-submission-2021-22

In spite of some hesitancy and challenges with changes to density and isolation requirements, Victoria’s resilient venues, organisers and promoters of major events continue to move forward. So ‘What’s on in Melbourne’, here’s a sample:

The Tony & Grammy Award winning show Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill The Musical playing a strictly limited season through March 2022.

Former homicide detective, best-selling author and host of top-rating podcast “I Catch Killers”, Gary Jubelin will be touring Australia. “I Catch Killers” is a Live Show. Now through March 2022

Fashion Manifesto is the first exhibition in Australia to exclusively focus on the significant contribution to 20th-century fashion culture by the renowned French couturière Gabrielle Chanel. Now until 25 Apr 2022

Despite several setbacks over the last few month Moulin Rouge! The Musical is playing at Melbourne’s Regent Theatre. Now through to April 2022

UPCOMING AACC EVENTS

*Registration is for two guests sharing one king deluxe room*

VIEW EVENT DETAILS

VARIOUS SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE FOR THE 10TH ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL GOLF SCRAMBLE

The Australian American Chamber of Commerce, the British American Business Council and the German-American Business Association are pleased to announce the 10th Annual International Golf Scramble will be held on Friday, April 8th, 2022. This fun tournament, returning to the Presidio Golf Course, offers companies an opportunity to enjoy a unique way to entertain clients and employees, participate with the Bay Area international business communities as well as support the efforts of the International Chambers of Commerce.

Ticket price includes: range time/balls, golf cart, 18 holes of golf, on-course games, lunch, competitions and trivia questions throughout the course. Dinner also included

This event regularly sells out quickly so don't delay in purchasing your Tickets or Foursomes.

PLAYER & FOURSOME REGISTRATION

SPONSORSHIP INQUIRIES

AUSSIE EVENTS

DAVID GULPILIL RETROSPECTIVE

MARCH 3-24

“One of the greatest actors Australia has ever produced.”

– Hugh Jackman

Aboriginal actor David Gulpilil, who passed away in November, was an iconic figure in Australian cinema, with performances in several key films. David Gulpilil’s profile as a public figure took him around the world and provoked personal periods of depression and substance abuse. But he fought his demons by consistently returning to his roots as a dancer, musician and storyteller, continuing to enhance the profile of his culture.

DAVID GULPILIL SERIES PASS

Access all 5 films $30 General | FREE to Members

MUBADALA UNITED STATES SAIL GRAND PRIX

SAN FRANCISCO - MARCH 26 -27

Tickets for the event include Waterfront and On-Water Fan experiences and a bring your own boat program.

BUY TICKETS

The Bay area will be pumping with adrenaline as the eight identical high-flying F50s battle it out for ultimate supremacy against the backdrop of the iconic Golden Gate Bridge. As the final event of Season 2, stay tuned to see if the defending champions, Australian SailGP Team, will clinch their second consecutive title, or if a new winner will be crowned.

RELIVE THE 2022 AUSTRALIAN GALA

VIEW PHOTOS

AACC MEMBER EVENTS

Studying at Australian universities: Entry requirements and application process for Australians in North America

Feb 23, 2022 04:00 PM (PT)

This webinar is for Australian citizens who reside in the US and Canada and would like to apply to study at an Australian University. We will discuss admissions requirements and the application process of applying to an Australian university from North America.

This webinar is hosted by Macquarie University, The University of Melbourne, and Deakin University. UAC and VTAC representatives will also be joining.

The recording will be sent to all registrants at the conclusion of the event.

Description

In this webinar, Areté Wealth Strategists Australia Founder/Principal Ashley Murphy, GFP (USA/Australia) CFP®, AIF® will talk about what stock options, Restricted Stock Units and Synthetic stock are, their use, tax treatment and how they’re taxed across borders when an c executive vests as a tax resident of the two countries...

Some of the relevant issues that will be addressed include:

Contrast the different kinds of stock awards, their growth potential and their domestic tax treatment
Legal residence vs Tax residence
Source of income
Situs of an Asset
Ongoing tax reporting and compliance → FBARs, FATCA, 3520 gift reporting etc
Operation of the Foreign Tax Credit (FTC)
Operation of the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (FEIE)
Operation of the U.S./Australian tax treaty
The Income Tax Complications of Being a U.S. Tax Resident and Non-Citizens Entering the U.S.
Multiyear Compensation Arrangements (i.e. stock awards) and how they’re generally taxed when vesting happens between Australia and the U.S.

WELCOME OUR NEWEST AACC MEMBERS

BUSINESS

MEMBER

Welcome St. Regis San Francisco!

Experience the timeless elegance of The St. Regis San Francisco, featuring recently refreshed guest rooms, suites, and a new bar. This Forbes 5-Star hotel in the SoMa District offers personalized service and elegant accommodations. Its location, in the heart of downtown’s arts district is the perfect vantage point to enjoy world class museums, shopping, and dining.

VISIT WEBSITE

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

BENEFACTOR

MEMBER

Employee Appreciation Day is Approaching – Are You Ready?

Here are three ways to make this year's Employee Appreciation Day as special as the employees and coworkers you appreciate:

1) Start the celebration by signing up for a complimentary Prezzee Business account to reward your team in just a couple of clicks. Choose from over 200 top retailers, pick the card value, personalize it, and send. Now you have an easy system in place to appreciate, recognize, and incentivize employees on March 4th and all-year-round.

2) Send a personalized note or video with a heartfelt message, and better yet, attach it to an Employee Appreciation Prezzee Smart eGift Card. Redeemable for hundreds of top brands, it gives each employee the opportunity to pick out exactly what they want!

3) Easily schedule eGift cards today to be sent out on the day and time of your choosing. Schedule eGift cards to be sent to your employees on their birthday, or even on their work anniversary. Leave it a surprise, or announce the new initiative on Employee Appreciation Day!

BENEFACTOR

MEMBER

Tasmania’s Cape Grim Beef Now Available

Have you been craving a delicious grass-fed Australian steak? Famed Tasmanian beef producer, Cape Grim Beef is now available to the retail market through California-based importer ThinkCulinary.

Located in the rugged and pristine conditions of the far north-west corner of Tasmania, Cape Grim has built a reputation for premium beef that is 100% grass-fed, ethically raised and fully traceable to the producer. Compared to other beef products, you should find it to have a rich and full flavour – reflecting the grass-only diet of the cattle. And as required by Tasmanian law, it is completely free of hormone growth promotants (HGPs).

Normally only available to the premium restaurant sector in the US, Cape Grim Beef is now available to US-based customers through ThinkCulinary’s online delivery platform www.getgrassfed.com. A number of delicious cuts are available for purchase on the site and new customers get a 10% discount on their first purchase.

If you need some inspiration on how to cook it, head to Cape Grim’s recipe list here. https://www.capegrimbeef.com.au/recipes.html

BENEFACTOR

MEMBER

Why I’m joining Fast as VP of the Australia & New Zealand region - By Radinck van Vollenhoven

The start-up world is on fire and the fintech space even more so. With nearly every company fighting for talent, I chose to join Fast, the world’s fastest checkout company, as the new VP of the Australia and New Zealand region. Here’s why:

Before joining Fast, I was the Managing Director in ANZ for Stocard, the world's leading mobile wallet with over 60 million global users and 5 million users across Australia and New Zealand. Before that, I worked in the tech and media space at companies like Apple, Criteo, and Spotify helping to launch and grow their businesses in both ANZ and across Europe.

READ THE FULL BLOG POST

BUSINESS

MEMBER

Your Quick Guide to Australian Payroll Compliance & How to Get it Right

Businesses today are expected to understand and remain up-to-date on a wide range of Employment and Labour regulations that govern their activities.

These include, but aren’t limited to, labour laws, national tax, regional variation, industry-specific rules, as well as employment instruments, amongst other things. Whilst these may appear unrelated at first glance, they all impact your payroll responsibilities.

BUSINESS

MEMBER

Your Quick Guide to Australian Payroll Compliance & How to Get it Right

Bird & Bird’s International HR Services team are proud launched their Employment Law Zone app 2.0, a one-stop source of essential employment law information in 19 countries around the globe. It is useful for HR professionals and in-house legal counsel who often need to understand the legal landscape in many countries and sets out to create an quick reference guide, which is easily accessible anywhere from your mobile phone.

If you're doing business in Australia, Belgium, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Singapore, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, UAE or the UK, this is a valuable resource.

MORE INFORMATION