April-June 2016

www.acci.asn.au | info@acci.asn.au | 02 6270 8000 | Twitter: @AusChamber Working for business. Working for Australia

Major ActivitiesCEO: James Pearson and Jenny Lambert (acting)

This quarter we welcomed James Pearson as our new Chief

Executive Officer. James has previously served as a senior

executive at Shell Australia and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce

and Industry Western Australia, and has also gained experience at

Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association and the

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

We welcomed as new industry association members the

Australasian Pizza Association, the Australian Gift and Homewares

Association, the Boating Industry Association, the Council of Private

Higher Education and Think Brick Australia, bringing our industry

association membership to 63.

We welcomed as new Business Leaders Council participants

Airbnb, Fairfax Media, Investec Australia and Mastercard, bringing

the total number of participants to 38.

During the quarter we farewelled several staff and have welcomed

Tiffany Wallace as the executive assistant to the CEO.

Election CampaignOur leaders must act to improve Australia’s

economic competitiveness. That was the key

message of our Top 10 in 10 campaign for the

federal election, which urged parties to support

our 10 policies to take Australia towards the top

10 in the Global Competitiveness Index.

The Top 10 in 10 involved policy action on apprenticeships,

government spending, workplace regulation, red tape, company

tax, infrastructure, the Australian Building and Construction

Commission, competition and international visas.

Our campaign involved a launch in Sydney, a Top 10 in 10

website, social media, opinion pieces in prominent news outlets,

two short videos, a media lunch in Melbourne, a glossy 16-page

publication and an in-depth 32-page “Getting on With Business”

manifesto.

We hosted a vocational education election debate in Melbourne,

involving Minister Scott Ryan and Shadow Minister Sharon Bird,

and we facilitated a trade policy discussion involving Minister

Steve Ciobo and Shadow Minister Penny Wong. Our CEO, James

Pearson, debated the head of the ACTU at the National Press Club.

The resonance of our

message was reflected

in the fact political parties

made several commitments

on the issues in our Top 10

and several commentators

identified improving economic competitiveness as election

themes.

Following the election the Australian Chamber will connect with

senators and members of parliament to encourage them to

back our plans for a more competitive Australia.

Activities & AchievementsApril-June 2016

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James Pearson debating at the National Press Club

Chamber Representatives at the Top 10 in 10 campaign launch

www.acci.asn.au | info@acci.asn.au | 02 6270 8000 | Twitter: @AusChamber Working for business. Working for Australia

April-June 2016

www.acci.asn.au | info@acci.asn.au | 02 6270 8000 | Twitter: @AusChamber Working for business. Working for Australiawww.acci.asn.au | info@acci.asn.au | 02 6270 8000 | Twitter: @AusChamber Working for business. Working for Australia

Workplace Relations Director: Richard Calver

The Australian Chamber represented employers in formal

processes and public forums.

We promoted the cause of owner-drivers in the trucking

industry by successfully lobbying for the abolition of the

Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal and earlier using legal

action to defer the Road Safety Remuneration Order.

We advocated a job-friendly minimum wage increase of

no more than 1.2 per cent, contributing to the decision of the

Fair Work Commission to set the increase at 2.4 per cent,

which was closer to the increase sought by employers than

the increase sought by unions.

We made a submission to Senate inquiries on a National

Integrity Commission and Labor’s proposed changes to the

Fair Work Act. We also made a submission to a Treasury

inquiry into the objects of superannuation.

We represented employers in the Fair Work Commission’s

four-yearly review of modern awards, making

submissions on penalty rates and part-time and casual

employment.

We joined the International Labour Conference in Geneva,

representing Australian employers in discussions over decent

work in global supply chains, employment and decent work

for peace and resilience and reviewing the Declaration on

Social Justice for a Fair Globalisation.

We participated in a tax office working party to establish the

new Superannuation Transaction Network.

Work Health and SafetyDirector: Carolyn Davis

The Australian Chamber consulted with our members to

inform our position as an employer representative at

Safe Work Australia, the Asbestos Safety and Eradication

Agency and the National Industrial Chemicals and Notification

Assessment Scheme.

We made submissions on issues including explosives,

workplace exposure standards, sedentary work, cattle

handling, diving regulations, workplace bullying and at-risk

migrant workers.

We worked towards improvement in the model work

health and safety regulations and other legislation.

We undertook work on Australia’s move to globally

harmonised chemicals labelling, state WHS legislation,

agriculture veterinary labelling, Australian and international

standards, high-risk work licensing and quad bikes.

“The construction industry is the largest full-

time employer of Australians under 24 years

of age. It also trains the largest number of

apprentices with 48,200 Australians enrolled

in construction training across Australia.

Master Builders Australia has set a target

of 100,000 building trade apprentices in

training by 2020 and a reduction in the 50 per

cent drop out rate in launching its call for a

revitalised apprenticeship training

system.”

Wilhelm Harnisch, CEO,

Master Builders Australia, June 20

April-June 2016

www.acci.asn.au | info@acci.asn.au | 02 6270 8000 | Twitter: @AusChamber Working for business. Working for Australia

Economics and IndustryDirector: Tim Hicks

When the Federal Budget was released the Australian

Chamber joined stakeholders to get advanced access at the

Treasury lock-up. We then provided detailed commentary and

analysis, ensuring the public heard a business perspective

and our members could access detailed information.

We made submissions to government reviews of

intellectual property, insolvency, consumer law, research

impact and innovation.

Our Business Expectations Survey for the March quarter

showed that overall business conditions and confidence

improved strongly.

Our Small Business Survey for the March quarter showed

improving conditions and confidence, with measures of small

business investment pulling ahead of the overall readings

for all businesses.

Our Australian Chamber-Westpac Survey of Industrial Trends for the June quarter showed Australia’s manufacturers

remain upbeat thanks to an uptick in home building activity

and the lower Australian dollar.

Employment, Education and

TrainingDirector: Jenny Lambert

The Australian Chamber’s ongoing advocacy was reflected

in the inclusion in the Coalition election policy platform of

Youth Jobs PaTH, an initiative to encourage unemployed

young people to undertake internships, and minimum

requirements for literacy and numeracy and career

development strategy.

We hosted the Group Manager of the Federal Department

of Education and Training at a meeting of the Employment,

Education and Training Committee in Sydney.

We represented employers on the Australian Industry &

Skills Committee, the industry leadership committee for

vocational education and training.

We twice met Vocational Education Minister Scott Ryan

to build the case for changes to apprenticeship policy.

“The business community should recognise

it has a legitimate point of view, it has a well-

informed point of view. And it should never be

scared of taking part in debate, public policy

debate, no matter how robust it becomes,

because those voices that are against the

interests of business will not silence

themselves. So why should business?”

James Pearson, The Australian, June 27

“It’s important that the budget be a budget for the

next two decades, not just for next two months.”

James Pearson, AAP, May 2

Westpac senior economist Andrew Hanlan and James Pearson

April-June 2016

www.acci.asn.au | info@acci.asn.au | 02 6270 8000 | Twitter: @AusChamber Working for business. Working for Australiawww.acci.asn.au | info@acci.asn.au | 02 6270 8000 | Twitter: @AusChamber Working for business. Working for Australia

Trade and International AffairsDirector: Bryan Clark

The Australian Chamber provided direct advisory support

to exporter members of state chambers using free trade

agreements.

We spearheaded the Business Partnership Group to

provide business input into negotiations over the Indonesia-

Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement,

hosting meetings in Perth and Jakarta.

We participated in the stakeholder events in Perth relating to

the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.

We began using the Intelledex certificate of origin

management system.

We completed the first phase of the Indian Ocean Rim

Association Women’s Economic Empowerment project.

“We all know there is enormous

opportunity for Australian businesses in

exporting to countries like China, Japan

and South Korea, but for many small

businesses securing export finance is still

a huge barrier in breaking into these very

competitive markets. The Small Business

Export Loan will enable more small

businesses to access capital when their

bank is unable to assist.”

Stephen Cartwright, CEO, NSW

Business Chamber, April 6

“Business SA proudly supports the next

generation of business in SA through the

SAYES program where the focus on proper

business planning is paramount. Our

graduates have gone on to create sustainable

businesses providing employment

opportunities for South Australians.”

Jenny Briggs, Executive Director of Employer Solutions and

Programs, Business SA, June 6

National Tourism Council Manager: Steve Whan

During the Federal election campaign the National Tourism

Council put tourism on the policy agenda through the

inclusion of a call for making visas cheaper and easier to

obtain in our Top 10 in 10 policy manifesto.

We participated in meetings with government officials,

including the Austrade tourism labour force and skills

roundtable, Tourism Research Australia roundtables, the

Tourist Refund Scheme working group and the National

Passenger Facilitation Committee.

We participated in social media discussion via our

@AusChamTourism Twitter account.

“We need to encourage foreign investment.

And we don’t want to be sending the wrong

messages to the marketplace.”

Bryan Clark, The Australian, June 10