Media Releases July 2019

Australia's fragmented approach to regulatory enforcement and compliance with building regulations requires a renewed commitment to national action to maintain public confidence in our built environment. The concerns of the signatories are characterised by the following:

“Senator Michaelia Cash has today drawn a welcome line in the sand in placing vocational education and training on the same footing as higher education," Ai Group Chief Executive, Innes Willox, said today.

The Australian Industry Group/Housing Industry Association Australian Performance of Construction Index (Australian PCI®) increased by 2.6 points to 43.0 in June, indicating a slight easing in the construction industry's overall rate of contraction (readings below 50 indicate contraction in activity, with the distance from 50 indicating the strength of the decrease).

"The expected passage through the Senate today of the Government's personal income tax reform program is important in its own right and an encouraging start to the new term of the Parliament," Ai Group Chief Executive, Innes Willox, said today.

"Businesses dealing with steep increases in the prices of gas and gas-linked power will be encouraged by reports of a deal between the Federal Government and Centre Alliance on gas policy," Australian Industry Group Chief Executive Innes Willox said today.

The Australian Industry Group Australian Performance of Services Index (Australian PSI®) fell slightly by 0.3 points to 52.2 in June. This second month of positive results for the services sector following four months of contraction suggests trading conditions are gradually returning to a more usual – and comfortable – range after several months of disappointment (results below 50 points indicate contraction, with the distance from 50 points indicating the strength of the decrease).

"The Fair Work Commission's Annual Wage Review increase of 3% is operative from today, delivering a real wage increase to hundreds of thousands of low paid workers. ACTU claims that workers will suffer because of Sunday penalty rate adjustments do not stand the most cursory of scrutiny and will no doubt be called out once again as 'fanciful' in various independent Fact Checks," Australian Industry Group Chief Executive, Innes Willox, said today.