EMPLOYERS’ ASSOCIATIONS – AUSTRALIA

Weapons drawn in IR battle

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Original article by Joe Kelly
The Australian – Page: 4 : 23-Jan-15

An issues paper has been made public by the Productivity Commission, for its investigation of Australia’s industrial relations system. While the focus on reform of the Fair Work Act is being applauded by the Business Council of Australia, the Australian Industry Group, the Council of Small Business of Australia and the Australian Chamber of Commerce & Indus­try, the ACTU union umbrella group sees it as dominated by the "obsession" of the Federal Government with penalty rates and individual workplace agreements. Enterprise bargaining and the minimum wage are also on the agenda

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, ACTU, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, COUNCIL OF SMALL BUSINESS ORGANISATIONS OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED, FRIENDS

Budget deficit saps confidence

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Original article by Adam Creighton
The Australian – Page: 19 : 20-Jan-15

Roy Morgan Research’s business confidence index has fallen to its lowest level since August 2011. The index fell to 105.3 in December 2014, compared with 123 in November. Roy Morgan’s Norman Morris says business confidence was adversely affected by the Australian Government’s forecast of a $A40bn Budget deficit for 2014-15. A survey by the Australian Chamber of Commerce & Industry also shows that there has been a sharp fall in business conditions

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, TD SECURITIES, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA

Change GST before next election, pleads business

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Original article by Joe Kelly
The Australian – Page: 2 : 9-Jan-15

John Osborn of the Australian Chamber of Commerce & Industry says a sweeping review of the tax system is needed, and has urged immediate action. The goods and services tax (GST) has been at the centre of recent debate on tax reform, but Peter Strong of the Council of Small Business of Australia has also called for reforms such as the reintroduction of the loss carry back scheme. The Australia Institute has suggested broadening the GST to include private health insurance and private schools

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, COUNCIL OF SMALL BUSINESS ORGANISATIONS OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED, THE AUSTRALIA INSTITUTE LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN RETAILERS ASSOCIATION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS LIMITED, ASSOCIATION OF HEADS OF INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS

Call to keep lid on wage claims

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Original article by Mathew Dunckley
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 9-Jan-15

Coles, Woolworths and Billabong International are among the Australian retailers that will negotiate new workplace agreements in 2015. Other sectors in which enterprise agreements are due to be renegotiated include banking, insurance and telecommunications. Kate Carnell, the CEO of the Australian Chamber of Commerce & Industry, notes that companies in many sectors cannot afford to grant pay rises that exceed the CPI

CORPORATES
WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, COLES GROUP LIMITED, WESFARMERS LIMITED – ASX WES, BILLABONG INTERNATIONAL LIMITED – ASX BBG, DAVID JONES LIMITED, SUPER RETAIL GROUP LIMITED – ASX SUL, PROUDS JEWELLERS PTY LTD, LUXOTTICA AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, DAN MURPHY’S, BIG W DISCOUNT STORES, SHOP, DISTRIBUTIVE AND ALLIED EMPLOYEES’ ASSOCIATION, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, SINGTEL OPTUS PTY LTD, QBE INSURANCE GROUP LIMITED – ASX QBE, INSURANCE AUSTRALIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX IAG, MEDIBANK PRIVATE LIMITED – ASX MPL, CSL LIMITED – ASX CSL, SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, HEALTHSCOPE LIMITED – ASX HSO, CSL LIMITED – ASX CSL, AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, AUSTRALIAN RETAILERS ASSOCIATION, AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION, ACTU

Business plea to fix budget mess

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 16-Dec-14

The Australian Government’s mid-year economic and fiscal outlook forecasts an increase in the Budget deficit and the unemployment rate. The deficit is expected to rise to $A40.4bn in 2014-15, compared with the May 2014 Budget forecast of $A29.8bn. The jobless rate is now expected to top 6.5 per cent in 2015. The Business Council of Australia and the Australian Industry Group say bipartisan support in Parliament is needed to ensure that necessary reforms are implemented

CORPORATES
BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Business pans power abuse test

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Original article by Katie Walsh
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 23 : 9-Dec-14

A submission to the Harper competition review panel by the Business Council of Australia has criticised proposed changes to regulations governing abuse of market power. The employer’s group argues that the reforms would create uncertainty, result in significant cost to the economy and could potentially lead to lengthy litigation. The Australian Industry Group and large corporations such as Telstra and Coles have also expressed concern about the proposed reforms

CORPORATES
BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, COLES GROUP LIMITED, WESFARMERS LIMITED – ASX WES, ORIGIN ENERGY LIMITED – ASX ORG, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. COMPETITION TRIBUNAL, MASTER GROCERS’ AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, GLENCORE COAL HOLDINGS LIMITED, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, RAMSAY HEALTH CARE LIMITED – ASX RHC, FORD MOTOR COMPANY AUSTRALIA LIMITED, CITY OF MELBOURNE

No power without real reform

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Original article by Annabel Hepworth
The Australian – Page: 6 : 10-Nov-14

The Business Council of Australia (BCA) has prepared a study on energy policy, in a lobbying effort as the Federal Government takes submissions for a new white paper on the topic. The BCA argues that rising energy prices are jeopardising the nation’s global competitiveness in the resources sector. Prime Minister Tony Abbott recently commented that he wants Australia to be an "affordable-energy super power", as part of the Government’s industry and competitiveness agenda

CORPORATES
BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP

Miners see progress but call for more cuts to red tape

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Original article by Annabel Hepworth
The Australian – Page: 21 : 23-Oct-14

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott and parliamentary secretary for deregulation Josh Frydenberg on 22 October 2014 unveiled a move to abolish 7,000-plus pages of unnecessary legislation, in a further bid by the Government to reduce "red tape". However the Minerals Council of Australia, while welcoming the initiative, also issued a report that outlines areas where more reforms are still needed. These include industrial relations, environmental approvals and rules governing cabotage. It notes that from late 2007 to mid-2013 only 297 ­federal acts were repealed but 874 new ones rolled out

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, MINERALS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP

Business backs final push for TPP

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Original article by John Kerin
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 23-Oct-14

Australian business organisations have issued a joint statement in which they stress the importance of forming the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Trade ministers of 12 countries in the Asia Pacific region will discuss the matter at a meeting in Sydney, starting on 24 October 2014. The Business Council of Australia, the Australian chapter of the American Chamber of Commerce, and the US Chamber of Commerce say in the statement that the trade bloc will create jobs

CORPORATES
BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN AUSTRALIA, AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND TRADE, UNITED STATES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, TRANS-PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP

Ai Group seeks answers on industry tax

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Original article by Joanna Mather
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 6 : 30-Sep-14

The Australian Industry Group (Ai) wants an examination of the petroleum resource rent tax. Peter Burn, of Ai, said that the group does not support a gas reservation policy, but it is concerned about the effect of rising gas prices on industry. He said that the Federal Government’s tax white paper should investigate whether the petroleum tax was effectively distributing the wealth from natural resources to the community

CORPORATES
THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, AUSTRALIAN WORKERS’ UNION-FEDERATION OF INDUSTRIAL, MANUFACTURING AND ENGINEERING EMPLOYEES, MANUFACTURING AUSTRALIA LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN PETROLEUM PRODUCTION AND EXPLORATION ASSOCIATION LIMITED