Managing in uncertain times The current state of play

Transcription

1 Managing in uncertain times The current state of play A report prepared by Newport Consulting A study of Australian and New Zealand Business

2 Fast Facts While Australian and New Zealand companies are confident of growth; there is a downward trend in the amount by which companies expect to grow, compared to More companies expect business growth of only 5-10% compared to companies surveyed last year. Concerns and Focus Organic growth is the way forward for companies to meet their growth expectations. Profitability and revenue score highly in Australia and New Zealand as key concerns and focus areas for companies. This is followed by customer satisfaction. Australian companies had lost faith in the government in the lead up to the Federal Election. There was a 12% increase in the number of companies who thought the government was working against business compared to % of New Zealand companies don t know how to define productivity almost double the number of Australian companies. NEW ZEALAND Profitability Revenue growth Customer Satisfaction Staff quality and skills Productivity Cash flow Recruitment and retention Remuneration AUSTRALIA Profitability Revenue growth Customer Satisfaction Productivity Cash flow Staff quality and skills Remuneration Capex Governance and risk R&D Capex Environmental credibility Credit availability Company tax Recruitment and retention Governance and risk Credit availability R&D Environmental credibility Company tax NEW ZEALAND AUSTRALIA Not Important Please note: The data reported in this paper is based on the responses of the companies which participated in our survey. Percentages are representative of the survey sample. Some percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding. Large companies are defined as companies with more than 100 employees in Australia and more than 20 employees in New Zealand. SMEs are defined as companies with between 1 and 99 employees in Australia and up to 20 employees in New Zealand results. Any reproduction of this material must credit Newport Consulting. For more information regarding research, contact Gemma Manning at Manning & Co. +61 (2) or gemma@manningandco.com.au If you are an executive or business owner and wish to register your interest in participating in future surveys, please visit 2

3 Annual Update Up-to-date report on how companies are managing Newport Consulting s Current State of Play is an ongoing, annual study tracking business confidence, business trends and management behaviour of both large companies and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Australia and New Zealand. The Current State of Play survey was conceived in 2008 during the height of the global financial crisis. The report was designed to assess the state of play of companies as they emerged from the economic downturn. With talk of a double-dip recession in the United States, ongoing political uncertainty in Australia with a minority Labor Government and unforeseen natural events in New Zealand, companies continue to operate in uncertain times. Managing in Uncertain Times: The Current State of Play, is the second report prepared by Newport Consulting and follows the first report, Managing through a Downturn, which was released in The report found that business confidence among Australian SMEs was increasing, whereas large companies were very cautious in their business outlook. The report examines how resilient companies are in uncertain times; is the outlook for companies as buoyant as last year? What are the key business strategies companies are adopting to remain competitive? Are there differences between SMEs and large companies in their approach to managing uncertainty and if so, what are they? Is productivity considered a business issue in the present climate? What are the major strategic differences between Australian and New Zealand companies? The report s primary objectives are to: Track business confidence and expectations over the next months Report on management behaviour and trends between SMEs and large companies Report on management behaviour and trends between Australian and New Zealand companies Provide an assessment of business sentiment towards government policies and reform Current State of Play is an ongoing initiative of Newport Consulting. It is a platform from which to share business trends and management behaviour with Australian and New Zealand companies. 3

4 Summary Corporates Large companies in Australia are more conservative with their growth expectations than SMEs. Overall, they have a more optimistic business outlook for the next months. Our data suggests that large companies are hiring full-time staff again and have moved away from hiring freezes and reducing staff numbers although in New Zealand there are a higher percentage of large companies not hiring full-time staff, compared with SMEs. Large companies are also optimistic about the state of the economy, with a majority predicting that the economy will grow. Government spending is cited as a key initiative underpinning this largely-held perception. When it comes to overall sentiment towards the government, however, there is a concern by Australian companies about the government s ability to help companies future growth. The mining tax, Fairwork Australia and the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) are three government initiatives which have been cited as a hindrance to investment and growth. Large companies are calling for greater dialogue and input on core business issues such as tax reform. The government has been challenged to resolve key business issues and address the economic, business and political uncertainty which is impacting the comfort level of businesses to invest in capital projects, R&D and employment. In New Zealand, on the other hand, the government is actively engaged with business. The Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) is one example of this and large companies are typically very supportive of government policies and reform particularly the company tax rate cut to 28%, effective as of The SME Story This report indicates that SMEs need more focus on accurate forecasting. SMEs have a more optimistic business outlook than larger companies, demonstrated by stronger growth expectations. Upon closer examination of their management strategies, however, SMEs are not as bullish as their growth expectations would otherwise suggest. While a higher percentage of SMEs expect growth of above 20% for the next months, SMEs are typically: More concerned about the economy than larger companies Not hiring full-time staff and instead hiring part time staff, contractors and consultants or not hiring at all Being squeezed by rising business costs but are not passing this on via increased prices instead opting to absorb the increased costs into their business It appears that Australian SMEs are even more wary than their New Zealand peers. New Zealand SMEs are hiring more full-time staff and are not as worried about the state of the economy. One area that SMEs in Australia and New Zealand are both struggling with is the pricing of their products and services. SMEs in both countries are not increasing their prices. With business costs escalating, this implies that profitability is becoming more of a concern for small businesses as they operate with diminished margins. SMEs in both countries are showing resilience by not caving in to pressure to increase prices. The burning question is how long this can last before they resort to increasing prices? In Australia, SMEs are challenged by government policies such as Fair Work Australia legislation and the complexities and laborious administration of the GST. What is the employment outlook for Australian SMEs vs large companies? Hiring F/T staff Not hiring staff Hiring P/T & contract Reducing staff AU SMEs AU Large Companies 4 Newport Consulting

5 Business Outlook Business Growth The resounding message from Australian companies is one of cautious optimism. There is a certain level of unease in the business community as companies are faced with ongoing uncertainty. While 83% of survey respondents are confident of growth in the next months, our data suggests that there is a downward trend with the amount by which companies expect to grow. Companies are far more conservative with their forecasts when compared to This is reflected by the increase in the number of companies who are more modest with their growth expectations. Significantly, more companies surveyed this year expect business growth of only 5-10% compared to companies surveyed last year. Of the surveyed Australian companies, 42% expect growth of between 10-50% and only 16% expect growth of more than 50%. New Zealand companies are even more cautious with their growth expectations, with 17% of surveyed companies expecting less than 5% growth compared to only 8% of Australian companies. How does Australian and New Zealand business expect to grow in 1-3 years? Australia New Zealand More than 50% 10% to 50% 5% to 10% Less than 5% No Growth More than 50% 10% to 50% 5% to 10% Less than 5% No Growth The economy Another indicator that points to a more cautious business outlook is the perception companies have on the state of the economy. Of the Australian companies surveyed, 63% say they believe the economy is growing while the rest believe the economy is stagnant or slowing. New Zealand companies are far more positive about the future state of the economy, with 72% of surveyed companies saying the economy is growing and only 10% believing it is slowing. How does Australian and New Zealand business perceive the economy? Growing Stagnant Slowing Declining September

6 Business Outlook Employment outlook There is a mixed response among our survey respondents regarding employment. On the one hand, our data suggests that Australian companies are returning to recruitment, with over a third of surveyed companies hiring full-time staff again. However, the same percentage of survey respondents claims they are not hiring at all. This apparent unease is further reinforced by the fact that of those respondents hiring staff; just over a quarter are opting to hire part time staff, contractors or consultants as opposed to full-time employees. Our data suggests that in Australia it is the large companies who are hiring full time staff and that SMEs are hiring part time staff, contractors or consultants - or are not hiring at all. This is one key difference on how SMEs are strategically managing in uncertain times. The data tells a slightly different story for New Zealand. Of the large New Zealand companies surveyed, there are just as many hiring full time staff as there are not hiring staff at all. This could indicate a sense of hesitation from large companies in New Zealand to commit to long-term employment. It suggests that companies want to see sustainable economic growth and a higher level of certainty and stability before making full-time employment commitments. Interestingly, in New Zealand there are more SMEs hiring full time staff than not hiring at all. This suggests that SMEs are less risk adverse when it comes to hiring staff in New Zealand than in Australia. What is the employment outlook for Australian and New Zealand business? Hiring F/T staff Not hiring staff Hiring P/T & contract Reducing staff Hiring F/T staff Not hiring staff Hiring P/T & contract Reducing staff Australia New Zealand NZ SMEs NZ Large Companies 6 Newport Consulting

7 Business Outlook Business expenses and price pressures Our data indicates that business expenses are rising for companies in both Australia and New Zealand. A majority of companies surveyed expect that their major input costs will increase over the next 12 months. The only exception to this is the cost of telecommunications, where 73% of respondents believe the cost will plateau or decrease. Energy is reported as the most pressing business cost for Australian companies, followed by labour, finance and raw materials. Of the Australian companies surveyed, 44% of the respondents believe their contribution to tax will increase in the next 6-12 months, while the balance believe taxes will remain the same or decrease. In New Zealand, however, it is vastly different case; with 60% of surveyed respondents reporting that company taxes will decrease. This is largely due to the recent tax changes in New Zealand which will see the company tax rate fall to 28% in While business costs are clearly increasing, 50% of surveyed Australian companies plan to keep their prices the same for the next 6-12 months, 47% plan to increase prices and only 3% plan to decrease prices. The picture is very much the same in New Zealand. Our data suggests that there is a mixed response by Australian companies to pricing their goods and services. Some companies plan to absorb higher business costs and adjust their margins while some will need to ease cost pressure through increased prices. In New Zealand, the data tells a different story. A higher percentage of SMEs will keep prices the same rather than increasing them, while a higher percentage of large companies will increase prices rather than keep them the same. AU Increase AU Remain the same AU Decrease AU SMEs AU Large Companies NZ SMEs NZ Large Companies Australia New Zealand Do you expect the following business costs to increase, decrease or remain the same? Tax Telecommunications Advertising Transport Rent Services Materials Cost of finance Labour Energy What are the plans with selling prices for SMEs vs large companies across both Australia and New Zealand? No change Increase Decrease No change Increase Decrease What are the plans with selling prices for Australia and New Zealand? No change Increase Decrease What impact has the handling by the Australian Government of the Henry Report had on business confidence? Has it given rise to expectations that tax will increase? Has it fuelled uncertainty and a lack of confidence? September

8 Business Outlook Organic growth the way forward Close to a quarter of the Australian companies surveyed are predominately focused on top-line growth, citing increased sales as the number one source of growth, followed by increased market share. This poses a few key questions for companies: What are the underlying economic or market-specific drivers which will generate sales growth? How capable and effective is their sales force? What is their business strategy for realising this growth and are they operationally equipped to sustain it? Sales effectiveness represents a significant opportunity for companies to grow and should be placed high on their agenda. Our data further indicates that improving EBITDA is a focus for all business and this will be driven by increased productivity, combined with improved customer service. When compared to last year, increased productivity has decreased in importance from the number one source of growth to the third source of growth for Australian companies. It appears that now organic growth, where businesses expand using existing resources, is the way forward for companies to meet their growth expectations, with very few companies citing expansion through mergers or acquisitions (although this is up slightly since last year). This suggests that access to credit and risk aversion remain key factors in decision making and capital remains constrained. It could indicate that companies are using this period of uncertainty to conduct due diligence in selecting the right take-over target. A company and the sector it operates in which can perform well in a downturn is going to be attractive to companies as future targets. However, acquiring a business in the wrong industry, with the wrong margins, in the current climate could prove disastrous hence the trend of treading cautiously. So, while watching for potential take-over targets, companies are focusing on organic growth in the short-term. Where will growth come from for Australian and New Zealand business? Sales Market share Productivity Customer service New product/service New markets Merge/acquisition/JV Sales Market share Productivity Customer service New product/service New markets Merge/acquisition/JV With companies increasingly focused on organic growth, how are their management strategies supporting such plans? Companies need to consider whether their skills and processes can deliver organic growth and if not, what measures they will need to undertake to ensure they can Australia New Zealand 8 Newport Consulting

9 Challenges and Focus Areas Australian and New Zealand companies are focused on short-term performance this financial year, as they were in Of Australian surveyed companies, 99% are either focused on, or concerned about, revenue growth and profitability. It appears that the economy is still fragile and business survival is the order of the day. Customer satisfaction, productivity and cash flow are also high on the business agenda. In New Zealand,companies appear to be more focused on longer-term management strategies such as recruitment, retention, and staff quality and skills. Interestingly, the environment is not an area of focus with more than 40% of surveyed companies citing it as not important. Credit availability is also considered not important for 36% of surveyed Australian companies and 59% of New Zealand companies. This suggests that companies are not presently investing which will subsequently impact the speed of national productivity growth. Further, the fact that credit availability is missing from the agenda, reflects the more conservative growth expectations that companies have this financial year. In , companies were more optimistic about their growth and 60% of surveyed companies found the lack of funding was hurting their ability to grow. In the pendulum has swung, with companies becoming more wary about uncertain times and potentially scaling back growth plans and capital investment projects. When it comes to the short-term management strategies that companies are focusing on such as revenue growth and customer satisfaction, the question is: how well are companies delivering on these areas? AU Concern/Focus AU Not Important NZ Concern/Focus NZ Not Important What are focus areas and concerns for Australian business in the next 12 months? Profitability Revenue growth Customer Satisfaction Productivity Cash flow Staff quality and skills Remuneration Capex Recruitment and retention Governance and risk Credit availability R&D Environmental credibility Company tax What are focus areas and concerns for New Zealand business in the next 12 months? Profitability Revenue growth Customer Satisfaction Staff quality and skills Productivity Cash flow Recruitment and retention Remuneration Governance and risk R&D Capex Environmental credibility Credit availability Company tax September

10 Business and Government Business perception of government Australian companies had lost faith in the government in the lead up to the recent Federal Election. According to our data, there has been a 12% increase in the number of companies who think the government is working against business compared to Is government actively supporting business compared to last year? No, working against Some, need more Yes, beneficial action There has also been a downward trend in the number of companies who think the government has taken steps towards helping business or are actively helping business. This is vastly different in New Zealand, with more companies positive about their government s impact on business. Only 7% of New Zealand companies feel that the government has worked against them, compared to 43% of Australian companies. Of surveyed New Zealand companies, 33% support government s initiatives, compared to only 9% of Australian companies. It appears the New Zealand Government is getting it right with business, through active engagement, while the Australian Government has some way to go. We asked our survey respondents to name the government initiative that has had the most impact (good or bad) on their business. The question was open-ended and the responses were categorised as part of the analysis. Is government actively supporting business in Australia and New Zealand? No, working against Some, need more Yes, beneficial action The results of this analysis demonstrate very clearly that in Australia the introduction of the mining tax (even the watered-down version negotiated by the Gillard Government) has had a profoundly negative impact on the business community and their view of the government. Australian Government initiatives that have had a negative impact Mining tax Fair Work Australia Carbon reduction plans Lack health/education reform GST Administration Payroll tax Education Revolution New enterprise incentive Insulation scheme Increased role of unions Red tape Superannuation changes Government spending Australia New Zealand 10 Newport Consulting

11 Business and Government Of the surveyed Australian companies, 29% cited the mining tax as the key government initiative that has worked against business. Interestingly, our data also suggests that the Fair Work Australia legislation, absent from the recent Federal election campaign, rates highly as a government initiative which is not working for companies. The inflexibility of the legislation is hurting companies as they continue to adjust to economic uncertainty. The CPRS is the third government policy initiative that has caused angst in the business community. Companies want clarity about what the government s position is on environmental and climate change. On a more positive note, businesses have benefited from government spending and the small business tax concessions that were introduced at the end of last financial year. Australian Government initiatives that have had a positive impact on business Government spending Small business tax concessions Other tax reform Streamlining IR process New enterprise incentive National broadband plan Superannuation changes Australia Business on government policy and reform Our data suggests that the outcomes of the Henry Tax Report have not satisfied Australian companies and demonstrate a lack of commitment to serious tax reform. The government has not delivered a tax reform package which will drive the levels of investment required to keep the economy growing and encourage productivity or higher workforce participation. In light of this, combined with increasing concerns about Australia s aging population, companies are calling for further changes to the tax system. This includes greater public sector efficiency, the broadening of consumption taxes and a tax system which encourages high participation from an aging work-force. What changes would you like to see to Australia s tax system? Simpler system, less income tax reliance, more public sector efficiency Reduce capital/income tax reliance, greater focus on consumption tax Encourage workers to stay in workforce longer via an income tax review Increase revenue via taxes less exposed to market volatility Other factors On the environment, close to half of the surveyed companies would prefer to see alternative energy sources promoted as a way to reduce carbon emissions rather than an ETS. Our data suggests that the business community requires more education and information on proposed government environmental policies and seeks clarity to end heightening levels of uncertainty. What would be the best mechanism for reducing carbon emissions over next 10 years in Australia? Promote alternate energy Emissions trading scheme Not interested Higher priced carbon items Uncertain, need more info September

12 Productivity. Is it on the Agenda? Australia s Intergenerational Report has called for Australian companies to significantly increase productivity in the near future. Productivity can be defined as the relationship between production (output) compared to the resources (inputs) used to achieve it. In the next 20 years, with rapidly aging populations, Australia and New Zealand will experience a significant increase in the number of consumers who are retired or working less and who will demand increasing volumes of products and services. The productivity challenge is to meet these growing demands with scarce resources. It has been widely acknowledged that without productivity growth there can be no sustainable increase in the material standard of living. Increased productivity was cited as the second source of growth for New Zealand companies and the third source of growth for Australian companies in Additionally, for 83% of surveyed Australian companies, productivity is a focus area for the next 6-12 months. However, when asked to define productivity, 37% of Australian companies and 62% of New Zealand companies did not know how. Our data suggests that Australian companies strongly associate productivity with negativity. Productivity is largely viewed as working fewer people harder to achieve business outcomes or is associated with reducing costs. These perceptions of productivity are steeped in the business practices of the 1980s and even earlier. Productivity in a business environment, however, has evolved significantly over the last 30 years. In a productive organisation is one that is more capable than its competitors in delivering its products and services on time, at the right market price and at a profit. There are a number of strategies companies can adopt to address the productivity challenge and to remain competitive during these uncertain times. These include: Improved process efficiency Improved customer service and satisfaction Improved training and development of staff Improved quality on outcomes Just as it has been recommended that the Council of Australian Governments 1 adopts a specific national productivity agenda and that a Productivity Commission is established in New Zealand 2, productivity needs to be placed high on the agenda of Australian and New Zealand business. How does Australian and New Zealand business define productivity? Unable to define More with less More capability Sales and growth Cost reduction Productivity is about the sustainable and profitable deployment of people and resources. While productivity is making an appearance on the agenda, it is a largely untapped area of growth for Australian and New Zealand companies. 1 Inquiry into raising the productivity growth rate in the Australian economy, House Standing Committee on Economics, April The New Zealand Institute, Australia New Zealand 12 Newport Consulting

13 The Trans-Tasman Difference New Zealand companies are more cautious about future business growth New Zealand companies are more cautious about their growth expectations than Australian companies. More than half of the New Zealand survey respondents expect growth of between 5-20%. There are more New Zealand companies (24%) who expect less than 5% growth or no growth at all compared to Australian companies (14%). New Zealand companies have greater faith in governments ability to support business In terms of business sentiment towards government, New Zealand companies differ vastly from Australian companies. New Zealand companies are now experiencing the second year of the National Government and are far more positive about the work this government has done towards helping businesses grow. Of the surveyed companies, 38% cited lower company taxes as the key government initiative which has had the most positive impact on growth, followed by government spending (31%) and other changes to the tax system (19%). Despite the changes to the tax system which favours business, 41% of surveyed New Zealand companies call for a more efficient tax system which takes up less tax payer s money to administer and reduces the reliance on private sector and personal income taxes. New Zealand companies would also like to see the tax system encourage older workers to stay in the workforce longer, via a review of existing personal income tax brackets. New Zealand companies are more optimistic about the economy and are hiring staff A significant 87% of New Zealand companies surveyed are confident that their business will improve and their top-line sales will grow over the next months. Further, 73% believe the economy is growing 10% more than the Australian companies surveyed. Only 27% of surveyed New Zealand companies believe the economy is either stagnant or slowing 63% of which are SMEs. Interestingly, there are more large companies in New Zealand who are worried about the state of the economy than in Australia. Further, it appears New Zealand companies are returning to recruitment another sign of increasing business confidence. Nearly half of New Zealand companies surveyed (41%) are hiring full-time staff again and 21% are hiring part time staff, contractors or consultants. Unlike Australia, both large companies and SMEs are hiring full time staff. This data is consistent with the recent figures released by Statistics New Zealand, which show a fall in unemployment from 7.1% to 6%. Increased employment will place pressure on wages, which is something New Zealand companies will need to factor into their management plans as they make decisions, particularly regarding their future selling prices. This increasing confidence, however, does not come without a heightened sense of cautiousness demonstrated across the focus areas, perceived challenges and forecasts of New Zealand companies as they continue to grapple with managing in uncertain times. New Zealand companies know less about productivity New Zealand companies need to know more about productivity. As previously stated, 62% of New Zealand companies don t know how to define productivity almost double the number of Australian companies yet 83% of surveyed New Zealand companies think that they will be more productive this financial year and have cited increased productivity as the second major source of their business growth. September

14 Background and Methodology Study results and responses The Current State of Play results are based on responses from an online survey canvassing the thoughts and views of SMEs and large companies in both Australia and New Zealand, across a range of business issues. The survey was conducted between 01 June and 30 July 2010 and included questions on business confidence and productivity as well as covering business expectations for the next twelve months, ending June The report outlines the findings of each of the questions asked in the survey and presents these in five broad sections: Business Outlook Concerns and Focus Areas Business and Government Productivity. Is it on the Agenda? The Trans-Tasman Difference Australia s survey participants can be broken down accordingly Employees Industry Sector Revenue Region 20 to % Retail Wholesale 15% WA 11% 5 to 20 19% 1 to 5 28% 200 Plus 38% 14% Manufacture Professional Services 12% 13% Transport, Resources, Construction $5 to $100 Million 14% $1 Billion Plus 18% Under $5 Million 49% VIC 13% QLD 14% NSW 19% National 43% Advertising, Marketing, Media 10% Utilities 10% Banking, Financial Services 9% Business Services 9% Health and Education 8% $100 to $500 Million 10% $500 Million to $1 Billion 9% New Zealand s survey participants can be broken down accordingly Employees Industry Sector Revenue 200 Plus 11% 20 to % 100 to % 1 to 5 55% Manufacture 14% Banking, Financial Services 17% Professional Services 17% Construction, Resources, Transport 24% Business Services 21% $5 to $50 Million 21% $50 to $500 Million 24% Under $5 Million 48% Health and Education 7% $500 Million Plus 7% 14 Newport Consulting

15 Background and Methodology Survey questions The survey s questions include: How confident do you feel about your business prospects in the next 1-3 years? How much do you expect your business to grow in the next 1-3 years? Where will your business growth come from? Looking ahead for the next 1-3 years, how do you perceive the economy? Looking ahead for the next 1-3 years, what is your employment outlook? Looking ahead for the next 6-12 months, how do you feel about business input costs? For the next 6-12 months, what are your plans for selling prices? What changes to the tax system would you like to see to support future growth? How does your business feel about the best mechanism for reducing carbon emissions over the next 10 years? Do you think current government policies are actively supporting business growth? Name the government initiative that has had the most impact (good and bad) on your business? How would you define productivity? How optimistic are you about your businesses productivity over the next 1-3 years? Newport Consulting s Report Newport Consulting s first report, Managing through a Downturn, was released in 2009 and found that companies were still in survival mode with a strong focus on short-term performance. In companies were focused on customer satisfaction, followed by profitability, cost management and cash flow. Customer retention was also a key driver of expected growth as was increased sales. Operating performance was reported as the most pressing concern followed by cost management and growth strategies. Companies managed their costs mainly by reducing staff, postponing or cancelling capital expenditure and/or by reviewing staff remuneration prepared by newport consulting managing in a downturn the current state of play a survey of australian businesses (corporate and smes) While companies reported that they were focused on their businesses operational performance, there was little specific action being taken to alter their strategies and improve operational performance. Many companies didn t have formal operational policies in place, or defined improvement targets and goals. In , companies were tightening their purse strings despite indicators of rising business confidence. Postponing expenditure whether through reducing staff, marketing expenses or training budgets formed part of their short term management strategies. In , companies continue to adopt short-term strategies focused on profitability and revenue growth. Investment in long-term competitiveness through R&D programmes and skills development and training is missing from the business agenda. november September

16 Newport Consulting About Newport Consulting Newport Consulting is an operational management consultancy which helps companies achieve operational excellence through improved productivity and business performance. Newport provides experienced and talented experts to work closely with companies to create sustainable and measurable business improvement. Established in 2006, Newport has worked with a number of large companies in Australia and New Zealand across a range of industry sectors including mining, oil and gas, professional services and food manufacturing. Contact Details Newport Consulting Australia PO Box 1635 DARLINGHUSRT NSW (02) info@newportconsulting.com.au Newport Consulting New Zealand PO Box WELLINGTON