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Can’t find what you are looking for? If it is twelve months old, it will be here in our Archived publications.
17/06/2016 | Public Access
Submission | Improving Bankruptcy and Insolvency Laws Proposals Paper
The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry welcomes the opportunity to provide a submission to the Australian Government’s Proposals Paper Improving bankruptcy and insolvency laws. The proposals are to: Reduce the current default bankruptcy period to one year. Introduce a ‘safe harbour’ for directors from personal liability for insolvent trading if they appoint a restructuring adviser. Make ‘ipso facto’ clauses unenforceable if a company is undertaking a restructure. Taken together, they have the potential to strike a better balance between encouraging entrepreneurship and protecting creditors.
17/06/2016 | Public Access
Submission | Productivity Commission Inquiry into Intellectual Property Arrangements
The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry welcomes the opportunity to provide a submission on the Productivity Commission’s Intellectual Property Arrangements draft report. Intellectual property policy can contribute to a more competitive economy, benefiting both businesses and consumers by promoting innovation, productivity and access to markets. Strong intellectual property policy provides an incentive to innovate and prevents others from free-riding without contributing to the costs. However, overly strong intellectual property rules can stifle innovation and prevent valuable ideas from being fully exploited. Research has shown that protections are most effective at encouraging non-sequential innovation, which is where innovation focuses on...
16/06/2016 | Public Access
Australian Chamber Westpac Survey of Industrial Trends | June 2016
The Australian Chamber-Westpac Survey of Industrial Trends, Australia's longest running business survey, dating from 1966, provides a timely update on manufacturing and insights into economy-wide trends. The Westpac-AusChamber Actual Composite index moderated in the June quarter to 55.1, down 6.3pts. That is still a positive reading, coming on the back of a particularly strong 61.4 in March, to be more in line with the average for 2015 of 56.4.
10/06/2016 | Public Access
Submission | Australian Chamber comments NICNAS Review Consultation Paper Three
The aim of overall Review of NICNAS is the delivery of a balanced regulatory environment that encourages investment and innovation whilst retaining standards of protection that are proportionate to the risk.
08/06/2016 | Public Access
BIAC stands for business | Why the OECD matters for business and our economies
BIAC is the the official business advisory group to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Its membership includes an international network of leading business federations in OECD countries and beyond providing expertise from companies of all sizes.
07/06/2016 | Public Access
National Trade Survey 2016 Report Summary
The Australian Chamber’s National Trade Survey is an annual survey that gauges the attitudes of Australian international trade businesses on key trade issues. The National Trade Survey 2016, the third instalment of the survey, was conducted by the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the University of South Australia’s Australian Centre for Asian Business. The quantitative component involved questionnaire responses from 202 international trade businesses, while a subsequent qualitative component involved 27 in-depth interviews with individual respondents. Respondents were surveyed across seven categories: the profile of Australian international traders; the issues the most mattered to traders; administration; trade finance;...
06/06/2016 | Public Access
Submission | Response to the ACCC Submission on Australian Standards
Standards are generally written so that they prescribe minimum product performance criteria. The Australian Chamber does not support the use of Australian Standards (AS) or any other standards as mandatory, legal requirements. Where deemed absolutely necessary after extensive consultation, an AS may be referenced in regulation (such as the AS on Electrical Wiring Rules).
01/06/2016 | Public Access
National Tourism Council | Tourism and the Visitor Economy 2016 Election Policy
The visitor economy is one of the brightest lights on Australia’s economic horizon, domestic and international tourism along with business travel and events provide jobs creating better living standards for nearly one million people, almost one in twelve jobs. The sector makes a $100 billion contribution to our national economy (3% of GDP) and it’s projected to grow by more than 4% per year, boosting national income and providing more than 123,000 additional jobs (figures from Tourism Research Australia). Australia is well placed for even greater growth, well positioned for the massive expansion of the Chinese outbound market and the...
25/05/2016 | Public Access
Top10in10: 10 steps towards a more competitive Australia
Australia is a great place to live, but we cannot be complacent. Our living standards are rising more slowly than they have in the past and people are struggling to build a better future. While other nations are embracing policies to increase the competitiveness of their economies, Australia is unable to commit to sensible reform to allow us to compete in the global marketplace. Over the past decade, Australia has fallen from 10 to 21 on the Global Competitiveness Index, with our biggest weaknesses being innovation, tax and workplace relations. This means less investment, fewer jobs and missed opportunities. The...
16/05/2016 | Public Access
Small Business Survey | March Quarter 2016
The AusChamber Small Business Survey is a national survey aggregated from the surveys conducted by member associations of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The data is derived from the AusChamber Business Expectations Survey. In total 2,513 businesses participated in the Business Expectations Survey, of which 1,535 were small businesses, defined as those with 0-19 employees. The survey covers January, February and March 2016.
02/05/2016 | Public Access
Business Expectations Survey | March Quarter 2016
The Business Expectations Survey is a national survey aggregated from the surveys conducted by member associations of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. These surveys cover firms in every mainland state, in every industry and of every size. In total, they represent Australia’s most comprehensive survey of business expectations. The data in this survey covers the period October, November and December 2015. There were 2,513 respondents to the survey.
02/05/2016 | Public Access
Submission | Consideration of a Deferred Prosecutions Scheme
The Australian Government is considering options to facilitate a more effective response to corporate crime through encouraging greater self-reporting by companies. A key focus of this consideration is a possible Australian deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) scheme. The Australian Chamber opposes corruption. We support endeavours to uncover and respond to corruption risks. This submission addresses the Australian Chamber’s initial reaction to the discussion set out in the Issues Paper. Whilst the Australian Chamber would prima facie be supportive of the introduction of DPAs a great deal would depend on their specific terms and the need for them to be supervised by...
27/04/2016 | Public Access
Submission | Establishment of a National Integrity Commission
Submission relating to the establishment of a National Integrity Commission.
27/04/2016 | Public Access
Submission | Superannuation Efficiency and Competitiveness
Superannuation Efficiency and Competitiveness
15/04/2016 | Public Access
Why the ABCC Bill should pass
The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Australian Chamber) urges the Parliament to pass the Building and Construction Industry (Improving Productivity) Bill 2013 [No. 2] (Cth) (the Bill), which will restore the rule of law and stem the decline in productivity in the building and construction industry.
15/04/2016 | Public Access
Submission in Reply | Annual Wage Review 2015-2016
This submission responds to points raised by the ACTU regarding minimum wage research; The relationship between productivity and statutory wages; Relative living standards; and Economic conditions. Download the full submission below.
11/04/2016 | Public Access
Submission | Submission to the Senate Education and Employment Standing Committee on the Fair Work Amendment (Protecting Australian Workers) Bill 2016
The Australian Chamber does not support the passage of the Bill which proposes to make several fundamental changes to the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) (FW Act).
31/03/2016 | Public Access
Submission | Annual Wage Review 2015-2016
The Australian Chamber welcomes the opportunity to make this submission to the Fair Work Commission (Commission) as a part of the Minimum Wage Panel’s (Panel) statutory responsibilities to conduct an Annual Wage Review (AWR) each financial year pursuant to Part 2-6 of the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) (Act).
30/03/2016 | Public Access
Activities & Achievements | January – March 2016
Kate Carnell departed as CEO after nearly two years with the Australian Chamber. The Board appointed Jenny Lambert to serve as Acting CEO, while they carried out a recruitment process to select a permanent replacement. James Pearson has been appointed as the Australian Chamber’s new CEO, starting in April.