Kristen Turnbull

It’s little wonder that trust in Australian institutions has hit a five-year low. According to the latest Edelman Trust Barometer, trust levels have collapsed in the last two years across all four institutional groups covered in the survey – government, media, business and NGOs.

Over the last two years, there’s been a lot of talk in the WA business community about the need for growth, yet the undertone has been one of survival.

How time flies.

Over the last few weeks, those in the business of crisis management have been gifted more fodder for promoting their services than they could ever have hoped to get their hands on.

On the face of it, the aged care and financial planning sectors are worlds apart. One is undergoing deregulation while the other is fending off the legislators with a big stick in the form of a Royal Commission.

Last week I attended a webinar run by Dr Jeffrey Tobias, managing director of The Strategy Group, on business model transformation.

My three-year old has just hit the “why” stage.“Where are we going mummy?”“To the shops.”“Why?”“To get some milk.”“But why are we getting some milk?”“Because we’ve run out.”“Why have we run out?”You get the drift.

Imagine if your ongoing employment in a company was contingent on receiving positive feedback from your peers and subordinates.

The recent news of the tragic suicides of two high profile individuals, Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain, is a timely reminder that money can’t buy happiness.

When I was in Sydney for work recently, a Sydney-based colleague casually mentioned he’d been to Perth once.“I went to Perth for a night,” he said. “I spent a week.”While said in jest, this view is not uncommonly held among those who live on the east coast.

The Australian financial services industry is undoubtedly facing a crisis of trust.Throughout the Royal Commission, we have heard admissions from some of Australia’s largest and most trusted institutions of morally bankrupt and unlawful conduct.

In this podcast Mark Pownall talks to Kristen Turnbull from CoreData about her specialist subject of market research, most notably the impact of the current Royal Commission on banks and financial services businesses.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve eaten more strawberries in the last week than I have the whole year.

The inescapable mantra across businesses (even government) today, is that the “customer” is at the core of what they do – the idea that “we live to serve”. While many organisations seek to project this image, relatively few can actually claim to be authentically customer-centric.

People in WA are pretty excited right now. Well, not quite as excited as the kids counting down the days until Christmas. But as excited as you can get about the economy.

If the Royal Commission into Financial Services is anything to go by, Australian aged care providers are about to be put through the wringer. The terms of reference of the Royal Comm

One of the best things about being on holiday, in my view, is the opportunity to indulge in little luxuries guilt-free. Like afternoon naps, 5pm “wine time”, or finishing a book in two days – just because you can.

A few years ago, my husband and I were shopping around for a new car. We’d recently returned to Perth and, with a second baby on the way, were in dire need of a boot the size of a house to accommodate all the paraphernalia that comes with children.

As a woman living in Australia in the 21st century, I’m aware I have a lot to be thankful for. When my 90 year old nanna spoke eloquently at my cousin’s wedding recently about her marriage in 1950, I was reminded of just how much things have changed in the last 70 years.

It’s the new work order: abandon the shackles of the 9 to 5 in favour of working multiple jobs, for multiple employers.

Australia’s ageing population is one of the biggest challenges facing the country in the next 20 years. 

I started my career many years ago in financial journalism.

PODCAST: Mark Pownall talks to market researcher Kristen Turnbull from CoreData about WA consumer sentiment and impact of Federal Election result on consumer perception/behaviour, as well as the fallout from the failure of the polls to predict the outcome.