Media Releases August 2016

The Australian Industry Group Australian Performance of Manufacturing Index (Australian PMI^®) dropped by 9.5 points to 46.9 in August, breaking the manufacturing sector’s 13-month period of unbroken expansion (readings below 50 indicate contraction in activity, with the distance from 50 indicating the strength of the decrease).

"Creation of a new public holiday on Easter Sunday in Queensland would be an act of economic vandalism in the current economic climate," Ai Group's QLD Director Jemina Dunn said.

The Australian Industry Group has written to Crossbench Senators setting out the reasons why it is vital for them to support the ABCC Bill.

"Industry is disappointed with the decision to maintain blanket bans on unconventional gas drilling. However, the Victorian Government's additional review of conventional onshore drilling does give some hope that new sources of much-needed gas may be developed," the Head of Ai Group's Victoria Branch, Tim Piper, said today.

"The recent release by NSW Fair Trading of data from their new public complaints register is a reminder that if used prudently it can deliver better customer service outcomes and assist customers to make more informed decisions. A company that is focussed on their customers' needs by acting on feedback such as complaints is more likely to be sustainable in the long term," the Head of Ai Group's NSW Branch, Mark Goodsell, said today.

"The launch today of Victoria’s new approach to training - Skills First - to commence in 2017, builds on the previous 18 months of renewing TAFE and restoring confidence in the VET sector following the Mackenzie VET Funding Review. The Government will continue to invest $1.2 billion annually to support the reform measures," Ai Group Chief Executive, Innes Willox, said today.

"A decision of the Fair Work Commission yesterday has demonstrated that Australia’s enterprise bargaining system is in need of major repair and urgent Government attention," Innes Willox, Chief Executive of the Australian Industry Group said today.

"Ai Group welcomes the further details announced today of the major overhaul of the VET FEE-HELP loans scheme to be implemented from next year which will in part help to weed out unacceptable and unethical practices in the sector," Ai Group Chief Executive, Innes Willox, said today.

"We've been encouraged today to see the Commonwealth and the States working well together and grasping the nettle on some of the tough issues through the COAG Energy Council. However much more is needed, particularly to respond to the extreme electricity price pressures hitting South Australia," Ai Group Chief Executive, Innes Willox, said today.

"The Australian Industry Group (Ai Group) has today presented its final oral submissions in the long-running Casual and Part-time Employment Case, urging the Fair Work Commission (FWC) to decisively reject the unions' claims. The case is scheduled to conclude late this afternoon after all the final oral submissions have been heard. The five-Member Full Bench of the FWC is likely to hand down its decision later this year," Innes Willox, Chief Executive of the Australian Industry Group said today.