Media Releases March 2016

The Australian manufacturing sector surged in March to its strongest level of expansion since April 2004, with the Australian Industry Group Australian Performance of Manufacturing Index (Australian PMI®) rising by 4.6 points to 58.1 (Readings above 50 indicate expansion in activity and the distance from 50 indicates the strength of the increase).

"The Australian Industry Group's submission to this year's Annual Wage Review, which will be lodged this afternoon, argues that when all the relevant factors are weighed up, a modest wage increase of 1.6% is warranted. This equates to an increase of about $10.50¹ per week in the National Minimum Wage and about $12.25² per week at the base trade level," Australian Industry Group Chief Executive, Innes Willox, said today.
 

"The Federal Government's decision to reinvigorate public investment in clean energy innovation is an important element in Australia's contribution to global efforts to address the risks of climate change," Australian Industry Group Chief Executive Innes Willox said today.

Australia's major chocolate manufacturers have committed themselves to using sustainably sourced cocoa in their locally produced products, putting them at the forefront of assisting world cocoa growers.

"The Prime Minister's recall of Parliament highlights the critical importance of the ABCC Bill and the Registered Organisations Bill and it is essential that they are passed without delay," Australian Industry Group Chief Executive, Innes Willox, said today.

"The new ten-year plan for mathematics in Australia released by the Australian Academy of Science today highlights concerns raised by the Ai Group around the needs of the current and future workforce," Australian Industry Group Chief Executive, Innes Willox, said today.

"The Federal Government's decision to adopt an effects test is rightly focused on protecting the competitive process rather than on protecting individual competitors. This focus is critical if we are to lift our emphasis on innovation and to encourage investment by businesses of all sizes," Australian Industry Group Chief Executive, Innes Willox, said today.

The Victorian State Government's announcement this morning that it will invest in the future of train building in Victoria is welcomed by the Australian Industry Group (Ai Group).

"Over the next two weeks, the Fair Work Commission will hear evidence from numerous witnesses in the Casual and Part-time Employment Case. While many different views will be expressed about the benefits of increasing or reducing flexibility to engage casuals, one indisputable fact is that the level of casual employment has not increased in Australia for the past 18 years. ABS statistics show that it remains at 20% of the workforce - the same level as it was in 1998. Union claims about an alleged increased casualisation of the workforce are a myth, designed to convince the community that there is a problem to increase the chance of their restrictive and inappropriate claims being accepted," Innes Willox, Chief Executive of the Australian Industry Group said today.

"The Australian Industry Group (Ai Group) has today moved to delay the implementation of a Road Safety Remuneration Order which is causing widespread concern and confusion in the road transport industry and the community," Ai Group Chief Executive Innes Willox said today.