Letters, feedback, get it off your chest
Dear Editor,
Re: Print is staying in Victoria: government speaks about Stream Solutions print tender
Guess it's time Stream sends a few Victorian printers to the wall.
They sure have been successful in doing that in NSW. Thankfully we have refused to quote for them and are doing very well.
It's really too bad that this industry hasn't got the guts to just refuse to do jobs for them. A two or three month embargo would blow their SLA's out of the water and put the profits back in the hands of the people who actually do the work!
Regards,
Bob
(name supplied)
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Dear Editor,
Re: Big night out: National Print Awards shines
I think that Print 21 Online is a great way of catching up with a whole range of important issues in the industry. I couldn't help but notice that you like all the other commentators are singing praises to the National Print Awards. I must have been at another event and so it would seem many of the other people who went to the awards who have contacted me.
The level of respect shown to winners and sponsors was just crap. A large number of people were just content to make a noise and talk over the presenters. Ask Sandra what she really thought. And as for the entertainment, who are we trying to kid? We had a crowd that was predominantly males over 40 and we have the back street wiggles as entertainment. Sorry but I just can't find one positive word to say about it.
Paul Nieuwhof
General Manager
Printing Industries Association of Australia
Western Australia
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Dear Editor,
Re: Big night out: National Print Awards shines
I am writing to express my disappointment at the appalling behaviour many of the Printing Industry displayed at the recent print awards held in Sydney.
I have attended many of these events during my 41 years in the industry and although from time to time some attendees show little interest in the formal part of the evening, this year was exceptionally bad. From start to finish the blatant disregard for what was happening on stage became embarrassing and although the presenters made every effort to quieten the audience the noise levels became louder. I was even more embarrassed when the 3 major awards were presented and one of our apprentices was recognised as apprentice of the year.
This award meant a huge amount to that person and although attendees were again asked to be quiet, they continued their rude behaviour throughout his speech and the others that followed. Most people who know me in the trade would not regard me as a prude but I got to the point on that evening where I wanted someone in an official capacity to get up on stage and tell this crowd to have the decency to shut up or leave the room if they were not interested in what was happening around them.
In previous years I have taken customers to our awards, which fortunately I did not do this year; but unless we can fix this problem in the future not only will our company not take clients I would probably not attend myself. I don't know if others feel the same way but I am still proud of our industry and feel if we are going to have these awards continue we should at least be courteous and quiet for the short time the awards are actually taking place.
Regards,
Les Jonas
Penfold Buscombe
General Manager - Victoria/Tasmania
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Dear Editor,
Re: Big night out: National Print Awards shines
I notice that once again the publicity and announced winners of this year's National Print Awards do not mention the team that goes into each excellent product. I would like to point out that. It is not only the printer who's work makes a winning job. In fact it is often not the Printer who submits the winning entry to the competition, yet the printer gets the acknowledgment.
When will the Association recognise the whole team, and not just mention the printer in its winners list? Every printer wants to know excellent pre and post press suppliers. So when will these businesses be recognised in the award publicity? They actually hold the future of Australian printing in their hands and their acknowledgment and survival is just as important to the Industry, as is the Printer's.
Edward (a Melbourne finisher who's work was involved in 3 prizes)
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Dear Editor,
Re: Big night out: National Print Awards shines
Congratulations must go to all of the award winners from the National Print Awards, not to mention the Sydney Printers. There has been speculation of late that New South Wales lacks quality printers. The list below is the gold medals awarded to Sydney Printers, and it clearly shows that there are print firms who believe in producing quality for their clients.
Marketing a business is one key attribute a company needs to be successful, but without valuable staff, successful companies are few and far between. It takes years to build successful teams and families; this is what creates gold medal winning organisations. It takes years to understand print and develop a business to exceed your customer's expectations.
I had a brilliant night at the print awards; it was a pleasure to have both my staff and my clients enjoy such a great evening with me. The feedback back from all of my peers shows that the industry is still passionately driven to succeed. It is a great night for all printers, clients and suppliers to catch up, there should be more of this type of interaction.
But 4:30am is not an ideal time to finish up, but then again that's my fault ...
Best Regards,
Steve Pettaras
Managing Director, Pettaras Press, Sydney
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Dear Editor,
Re: Melbourne newspapers prove a leader among local community
The Leader newspaper in this part of the Mornington Peninsula has certainly improved its look and content - that is, as far as I can judge, because it arrives occasionally, and, when it does, often late (last week's Monday-datelined edition arrived on Friday, but that was the first for three weeks and there was a gap of three months earlier this year).
It is also difficult to get a copy elsewhere - local real estate agents have only the housing supplement on show, and the local newsagent has a permanent notice to say that he cannot get enough copies (unlike the stack of the Fairfax group's "Independent").
What use is the best of local newspapers if it does not get, reliably, to its readers -- certainly of little use to its advertisers.
I note that several newsagents on the Peninsula now have their own monthly newspaper: the Hastings News, Mornington News, Rosebud News etc. I think there are six of them.
Regards,
Gordon Woolf
Hastings - Victoria