EMPLOYERS’ ASSOCIATIONS – AUSTRALIA

Return ABCC to save ourselves: business

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 23-Mar-16

Australian Industry Group CEO Innes Willox will use a National Press Club speech to highlight the importance of reinstating the Australian Building & Construction Commission. He will argue that a proposed construction code is necessary to protect companies from unlawful conduct by unions. Master Builders Australia CEO Wilhelm Harnisch has also expressed concern that at present unions can use threats of industrial action to secure pay rises for the members.

CORPORATES
THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION, MASTER BUILDERS AUSTRALIA INCORPORATED, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PRESS CLUB (AUSTRALIA), AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS

Carnell laments IR reform inertia

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Original article by Patrick Durkin
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 8 : 11-Mar-16

Australian Chamber of Commerce & Industry CEO Kate Carnell stepped down on 10 March 2016 after two years in the role. Carnell describes the Federal Government’s lack of action on the issue of industrial relations reform has her biggest failure during her tenure. She says the IR system is too complex, restrictive and inflexible, and it must be overhauled to reflect workplaces of the future. Carnell will become the federal small business ombudsman.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN FOOD AND GROCERY COUNCIL, AUSTRALIAN GENERAL PRACTICE NETWORK LIMITED, BEYOND BLUE AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Fair Work to examine penalty rates

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 16-Feb-16

Employers’ groups must make their final submissions to the Fair Work Commission’s review of penalty rates by 1 April 2016. The full bench has ruled that employers’ submissions can include the Productivity Commission’s recommendations on reducing Sunday penalty rates in industries such as retail and hospitality to bring them in line with those that apply on Saturdays. Unions’ submissions to the FWC review must be lodged by 21 March.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, BORAL LIMITED – ASX BLD

Imputation query as company tax cut gives biggest bang

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 10-Feb-16

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has ruled out increasing the GST to finance income tax cuts, after telling Coalition MPs that economic modelling has shown that it would not be economic feasible. The modelling showed that using a higher GST to finance company tax cuts would achieve the greatest economic benefit. Meanwhile, Australian Industry Group CEO officer Innes Willox has proposed reducing the company tax rate from 30 per cent to 20 per cent by scrapping the dividend imputation system.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, MACQUARIE UNIVERSITY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENTS, NEW SOUTH WALES. DEPT OF PREMIER AND CABINET, NORTHERN TERRITORY. DEPT OF THE CHIEF MINISTER, COUNCIL FOR THE AUSTRALIAN FEDERATION

Tax options shrink after GST retreat

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Original article by David Crowe
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 8-Feb-16

The Australian Government may be reconsidering its plans to increase the GST, after Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull suggested that there may be no net benefit from increasing the tax and cutting personal income tax rates. The Government is expected to look at alternatives such as changes to the negative gearing regime for property investors. However, Business Council of Australia CEO Jennifer Westacott says her organisation’s modelling shows that a GST increase that is offset by income tax cuts would be the best to boost the economy.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, THE AUSTRALIA INSTITUTE LIMITED, UNIVERSITY OF CANBERRA. NATIONAL CENTRE FOR SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC MODELLING, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY

Tireless hero for innovation

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Original article by Jennifer Hewett
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 35 & 36 : 18-Dec-15

Business Council of Australia president Catherine Livingstone has been named the Business Person of the Year for 2015 by "The Australian Financial Review". Livingstone has been a keen advocate for a greater focus on innovation, and she has welcomed the Federal Government’s innovation statement under new Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. She also believes that tax reform should be a priority for the Government.

CORPORATES
BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, COCHLEAR LIMITED – ASX COH, AUSTRALIA. NATIONAL COMMISSION OF AUDIT, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, VICTORIA. DEPT OF PREMIER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, CSIRO

BCA says cut taxes for business first

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 6-Nov-15

Business Council of Australia president Catherine Livingstone argues that a lower corporate tax rate should be at the top of the Federal Government’s tax reform agenda. She notes that reducing the corporate tax burden has been proven to be most effective at boosting innovation and economic growth in other countries. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has stressed that tax reforms will not gain widespread public support unless they are seen to be fair.

CORPORATES
BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, DELOITTE TOUCHE TOHMATSU LIMITED

BCA keen to promote tax revamp ideas

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 11 : 1-Oct-15

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull will discuss economic policy with business, union and community organisation leaders on 1 October 2015. Business Council of Australia (BCA) CEO Jennifer Westacott says there is an urgent need for economic reform, which cannot be delayed until after the next federal election. Westacott adds that the BCA will shortly launch an advertising campaign to promote the need for tax reform, while a subsequent campaign will focus on particular tax that should be changed.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, ACTU, AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL OF SOCIAL SERVICE, KPMG AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

PM calls back reform summit

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 29-Sep-15

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has organised a summit with key representations of the business and community sectors to discuss economic reforms. The summit will be held on 1 October 2015, and will include Australian Industry Group CEO Innes Willox, ACTU secretary Dave Oliver, Business Council of Australia Jennifer Westacott and Australian Council for Social Services CEO Cassandra Goldie. Issues such as superannuation tax breaks are likely to be on the agenda.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, ACTU, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL FOR WOMEN, COUNCIL ON THE AGEING, AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, AUSTRALIAN YOUTH AFFAIRS COALITION INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, SYDNEY INSTITUTE

Business urges PM to be more aggressive on IR

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 7 : 22-Sep-15

Australian Industry Group CEO Innes Willox says the Federal Government should act immediately to introduce reforms that were recommended by the Harper review of competition policy. Willox also says the Government should be more active in promoting the need for industrial relations reform ahead of the federal election, and he argues that it should adopt the Productivity Commission’s recommendations on issues such as weekend penalty rates.

CORPORATES
THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO TRADE UNION GOVERNANCE AND CORRUPTION, ACTU, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT