About Karyn Starmer
Karyn Starmer is a second career journalist working in print, radio and digital media after completing a Masters in Journalism.
Karyn began her working life as a financial markets trader for an international bank but wandered away from Sydney in search of a better life balance.
Passionate about the challenges of the changing media landscape, building a thoughtful, intelligent voice is at the heart of all her work.
Living the best of both worlds, Karyn has lived on the South Coast since 1999, but calls Canberra her second home and spends a lot of time on the Kings Highway.
All Articles
News
Conversations about superannuation usually involve the topics of returns, fees and the benefits of self-managed funds but rarely, if ever, is there talk about death benefits. People spend the entirety of their working lives accumulating wealth for their retirement, but many of us don't do much other than write a name and tick a box on a form about where...
News
As the end of the year approaches, thousands of school leavers will be facing the task of choosing a pathway to their future jobs. For those who wish to take up a trade or profession such as plumbing, hairdressing, nursing or becoming a lawyer, the path is pretty simple: get the qualifications and get the job. But there are hundreds...
Local Leaders
Not many graduates set out to start a leading professional services firm, but that is exactly what Pat Quade and Anthony Wilson did back in 1999 when they started Synergy Group. Now the leading Canberra-based, Commonwealth-focused professional services firm employs more than 300 professionals to deliver consulting services across the government sectors. Pat says starting Synergy was a bold move...
News
In a year that has been challenging unlike any other, this year's Canberra Women in Business Awards shone a light on the tenacity of the city's businesswomen. The ability to keep going despite significant COVID-19 setbacks, leading the way and lifting up others in a turbulent year were the core elements of the winners of the awards across six categories...
Local Leaders
On meeting Ross Norwood and Glen Dowse it's easy to see that this pair of award-winning architects has spent a lot of time together. But beneath the easy banter between them, a sharp-eyed dedication to both the practical and creative soon emerges. The founding partners of DNA Architects met at University of Canberra during a time, they say, when UC...
Local Leaders
There is a well known saying among economists that recessions create opportunities for innovative entrepreneurs. So it is hardly surprising that one particular young Canberran has decided now is the time to make the move and set up a new business in the middle of a global pandemic. After finding success as a director for one of Canberra's big brand...
News
The recent Federal Budget outlined a generous package of stimulatory measures aimed at enticing small business to invest. With tempting offers on the table, such as the opportunity to buy new vehicles or equipment, businesses have to decide whether to allocate their precious resources and invest in an unknown economic future. In the Federal Budget, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg announced that...
News
With an ad featuring an array of tempting locations aiming to convince Australians to never go back to the office, Synergy Group's creativeXpeople won The Pitch competition on this week's episode of the ABC's Gruen. Marking the team's third entry on the show, Synergy Group creative director Jason Perelson says this was the team's first full win. "We shared the...
News
Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has announced plans to overhaul insolvency rules in an effort to help small businesses that are struggling because of the coronavirus pandemic. The changes will apply to businesses with liabilities of less than $1 million and would see small business owners remain in control of their company and assets, rather than immediately being placed in the...
News
There is little doubt that 2020 will be marked as an important year in world history. In Australia, and the rest of the world, it has been a year of uncertainty, anxiety and frustration, but also a year when trust, particularly in our workplaces, has never been more important. As Australians, we know only too well how to respond to...
Expert Advice
There is no doubt that good businesses have been hit hard in 2020 but once this recession is behind them they will likely emerge leaner and ready for a new business cycle. But what about the businesses that were battling before COVID-19? RSM Canberra Partner Jonathon Colbran says there are many companies operating today that were sick before COVID-19 and...
News
Never let a good crisis go to waste, so the saying goes. First credited to Winston Churchill during WWII, Canberra Innovation Network chief executive officer Petr Adámek says the saying still applies today as businesses look to find opportunity in a disrupted market. "The disruption of COVID-19 can provide a catalyst for innovation for clever entrepreneurs and established businesses alike,"...
News
Despite dire predictions of the largest economic contraction in 80 years, the ACT economy is faring considerably better than many other states and regions, and unemployment has actually fallen in the Territory this year despite disruptions due to COVID-19. In figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on Wednesday, the headline national unemployment rate increased to 7.5 per cent...
News
With one third of our adult lives spent at work, and work-related stress estimated to affect around 32 per cent of all Australians, mental health in the workplace is a significant issue. The ACT's new Work Health and Safety Commissioner, Jacqueline Agius, said that workplace mental health matters, and it should be addressed the same way as other workplace health...
Local Leaders
Being a perfectionist has its challenges, but it has never worried Dr Rick Luu. It is a hallmark of his life and career. Starting his life in Australia as a boat refugee in the late 1970s, Rick grew up appreciating family, the value of money and hard work from a young age. Lessons he says he has not forgotten. The...
Expert Advice
It's July, time to drag out those boxes of receipts and prepare to lodge your tax return. Whether you do it yourself or use an agent, there are a few things that will make tax time a little different for many people this year, and some things you may need to be extra careful about claiming. For a start, employers...