Welcome
 
Welcome to Australian Environmental Pest Managers Association Newsletter September 2018 edition. Please read on below or visit our website for the online version 
AEPMA Conference 2018

The end of September has seen another AEPMA Conference completed. And what a conference it was! 2018 saw record attendance numbers and it was wonderful to see so many familiar, as well as so many new faces come together to learn more about each other and the Industry.

Our theme for AEPMA Conference 2018, was Pest Management in a Changing Market and accordingly, much of the conference program and our selection of keynote speakers, really highlighted and addressed the changes that are increasingly prevalent and impacting on our Industry. Not only are there new innovations driving the Australian pest management industry, but change management and how we service our clients and the broader public is also receiving greater attention. Particularly well attended was also our Diversity in Pest Management session, which included a very knowledgeable and experienced panel of experts, as did the session on Digital Marketing and Social Media, which has become such an important part of how we interact with our customers and generate new business.

The AEPMA Codes of Practice were also a very prominent feature at the conference, and for good reason. In a landmark decision, the Australian Competition Consumer Commission for the first time ever registered an accredited an industry codes of practice, namely the Code of Best Practice for Termite Management and the Code of Best Practice for Termite Management During Construction. The codes of practice, opens a new world of doing business in termite control and management and the sessions explored those opportunities as well as highlighted the importance and relevance of codes of practice. We also announced that the new Code of Best Practice for Rodent Control would soon be released and available to the industry. Watch this space.

On behalf of the AEPMA Board, I would like to officially thank once more all of our major sponsors:

  • Agserv
  • BASF
  • Bayer
  • Ensystex
  • FMC
  • Globe Pest Solutions
  • Syngenta

and exhibitors, that helped make the 2018 Conference the tremendous success that it was. Special thanks must also go to our Keynote Speakers, whose knowledge and expertise were, and will continue to be, of great value to us all. Finally, a huge thank you to everyone that attended the conference – your participation and investment in our Industry does not go unnoticed and we look forward to seeing you again in the future.

Vasili Tsoutouras
AEPMA President

We Need You!! AEPMA Conference Feedback Survey
 
Here at AEPMA, we are very proud of what we do and the value we provide to our members.
 
Following our 2018 Conference at The Star on the Gold Coast, we would love to hear what you liked, what you think we can improve on for next time and any other ideas you might have to make our next conference even bigger and better than ever!
 
If you could please take five minutes to complete our feedback survey here.
NSW and ACT State Council Update
 
Oops! We made a mistake. In our last newsletter, the link to the NSW and ACT State Council Update wasn’t working.

Please click here to read the full update.
Pest Manager of the Year 2018 Winners Announced
 
The winners of the 2018 Pest Manager of the Year were announced at the Gala Dinner held on the Thursday night at the AEPMA Conference at The Star on the Gold Coast. 
 
The Pest Manager of the Year award was once again sponsored by BASF and we received a record number of applications, of an exceptionally high standard. AEPMA President, Vasili Tsoutouras and Rachel Carson from BASF, were delighted to announce the 2018 winners across the four categories:
 
Micro Business: Riverside Pest Management
Fewer than 10: Multipest
More than 10: Termitrust
South Pacific: Fastkil
 
The overall winner of Pest Manager of the Year for 2018 was Termitrust! 
The award was accepted by Termitrust Operations Manager, John Graham, who said that the awards help to raise the standards across the pest control industry.
 
On behalf of AEPMA, congratulations to all of our 2018 winners and a big thank you to everyone who took the time to apply.
 
We look forward to receiving your applications in 2019!
Spot a Rat...in Paris
 
Rats have become an increasingly common sight in Paris over the past few years, but one local official wants to make sure everyone knows just how many are being spotted daily in his corner of the French capital.

Geoffroy Boulard, who heads the municipal council of the 17th Arrondissement, has set up an interactive map where residents can signal rodent sightings in real time.

"It was the case of a daycare centre whose playground was infested with rats that convinced me that we had to try something else," Boulard told the Parisien newspaper Monday.

Click here to read the full article.

Doug Howick (post humous) Wins Inaugural Bayer Award
 
At the AEPMA 2018 Conference Leadership Dinner, held on Friday 21 September, Doug Howick, who sadly passed away earlier this year, was announced as the 2018 winner of the inaugural Bayer Individual Excellence in Professional Pest Management Award.

The award has been newly created to recognize exceptional service to the commercial pest management industry beyond expectation, and endeavors in the areas of customer service, innovation and individual excellence. Doug was a well-deserved recipient of the award and his wife Sigrid, accepted the award on his behalf.

The quality of the entries we received was exceptional and it is pleasing to see such a high calibre of professionals in our industry. 
Changes to Modern Awards
 
The Fair Work Commission has varied a number of awards as part of its Modern Award Review. The changes affect rules about casual conversion, minimum engagement periods and rostering arrangements. 

You can check the changes to your award in the Fair Work Commission’s schedule of determinations. 

When do the changes apply? 
The changes take effect from the first full pay period on or after 1 October 2018. 
 
Find out more 
You can view the updated awards here.
Termidor®  Pack Changes
 
Termidor® has just got even better – again!

The original Termidor formulation will now be available in larger 5-litre packs instead of the old 2.5-litre ones. Cutting down on the number of packs you need to store and carry around, the number of times you need to open a new pack in the middle of an installation, and the number of empty packs you have to dispose of.

You may still be offered Termidor SC in the old packs until the remaining stock runs out, but you will soon be enjoying the added convenience of the new 5-litre ones. Or, if you prefer a smaller pack, you can still buy the 1-litre size.

Termidor has never had a product failure in the 16 years since its launch and it is the formulation that introduced BASF’s Genuine Transfer Effect technology. When you factor in its accreditation program (which will be relaunching online in 2019) and its technical and promotional support, using the full Termidor range adds unbeatable value to your business.

You can show your customers the value of choosing Termidor products by posting links to the Termidor consumer website at termidor.com.au and the termite test at termitetest.com.au in social media or on your own website. If you’d like more information or printed brochures, please contact your local BASF representative.
Outback Peacocks Keep Snakes Away
 
The story of how peafowls arrived at an outback Western Australian roadhouse is soaked in mystery and alcohol.

From Rottnest Island to Canberra, peafowl populations have boomed in some unlikely places across Australia.

While admired for their beauty, peafowl are noisy birds that can divide communities.

In Warburton, a remote community on the edge of the Gibson Desert, the story of the arrival of peafowls is a local enigma.

The story goes like this: a man woke up at Uluru nursing a hangover and found he had two peafowls in his car. Travelling west he left them at the Warburton Roadhouse on his way through. From this hazy beginning grew a large and rowdy population of peafowl cared for by the roadhouse managers, Maree and Ted Box.

Outback menagerie keeps snakes down
Mr and Mrs Box have lost count of the exact number of peafowl, however one thing not in doubt is their love for the birds. Mrs Box said they were her babies, and she eagerly defended them from anyone who complained about the noise.
Peacocks are notoriously noisy, they call and sing to peahens in a honking lilt — much like someone calling out "help!".

The noise had drawn complaints from some neighbours, but Mr Box said complaints came from new arrivals to the area who had not yet acclimatised.

"In ancient India, the rajas used the peacocks in their palaces to kill cobras, to keep the cobras away."

Click here to read the full article.
A Rapid Approach to Skills
 
Get in quick and be ready for the busy warmer months!

Rapid Solutions is currently offering face to face workshops to supplement their online general and timber pest skillsets. For people entering the industry, these five days with a trainer in a supportive environment can really help to fast-track their learning. For those already in the industry there is a condensed workshop option that can act as an invaluable refresher.

Register today here.
Newsletter Contributions
 
We would love to hear from you!

AEPMA welcomes any contributions or suggestions for articles that you feel are relevant to the industry.  Please send your ideas to info@aepma.com.au.

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Upcoming Events
  • Victorian Branch Meeting – 11 October 2018
  • PMITAG NSW Meeting – 14 November 2018
  • SAVE THE DATE! Rapid Solutions Conference (RACV Royal Pines, Gold Coast) – 8-11 August 2019
  • FAOPMA Pest Summit 2019 (Daejeon, Korea) – 24-27 September 2019  

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