Media Releases September 2018

The Australian Industry Group Australian Performance of Manufacturing Index (Australian PMI®) climbed 2.3 points to 59.0 in September, indicating faster growth across the manufacturing sector and extending the index’s period of uninterrupted growth to a full two years (readings above 50 indicate expansion in activity, with the distance from 50 indicating the strength of the increase).

"Further analysis of the Federal Opposition's proposed change to the Superannuation Guarantee shows that it will add much more to employer costs than it will add to the retirement incomes of women," Innes Willox, Chief Executive of the Australian Industry Group said today.

"The escalating Trade War between the USA and China is already hurting Australian companies through restrictions in availability of key components, higher landed costs for Australian exports out of China and the USA, damage to business confidence, and delayed investment decisions," Ai Group Chief Executive, Innes Willox, said today.

The Australian Industry Group (Ai Group) has called on the Victorian State Government and Opposition to promise to undertake a review into the AFL Grand Final holiday after the State election.

"The Government's Family and Domestic Violence Leave Bill is a sensible legislative change that would extend the 5-day unpaid domestic violence leave entitlement which the Fair Work Commission (FWC) recently incorporated into awards, to all employees. The Bill contains provisions which are closely aligned with those in the FWC's model award clause. This is important to avoid confusion and uncertainty," Australian Industry Group Chief Executive, Innes Willox, said today.

"It is vital that Parliament acts quickly to protect businesses, employees and the community from the huge potential cost impacts of the Federal Court's decision in the WorkPac v Skene case. It would be very unfair to allow employees who have received a special loading as a casual to now be able to 'double-dip' by also claiming annual leave and redundancy entitlements. The significant potential costs involved could drive many businesses, small and large, into insolvency, leaving tax-payers to pick up the tab under the Fair Entitlements Legislation and trigger major job losses," Australian Industry Group Chief Executive, Innes Willox, said today.

A new report released today by the Australian Industry Group has identified critical skill issues facing Australian businesses with 75 per cent of employers reporting skill shortages and 99 per cent are impacted by low levels of literacy and numeracy.

"The additional electricity generation capacity announced by the Victorian Government will help energy users and is welcome at a time of deep uncertainty," Australian Industry Group Chief Executive Innes Willox said today.

The pace of growth across the construction industry was relatively unchanged in August, despite a continued decline in apartment building activity, with the Australian Industry Group/Housing Industry Association Australian Performance of Construction Index (Australian PCI®) falling by 0.2 points to 51.8 – a 19th consecutive month of expansion (readings above 50 indicate expansion in activity, with the distance from 50 indicating the strength of the increase).

The Australian Industry Group Australian Performance of Services Index (Australian PSI®) fell 1.4 points to 52.2 in August, indicating a further slowing of growth from July following June's record high (results above 50 points indicate expansion, with the distance from 50 points indicating the strength of the increase).