Media Releases February 2020

"The confirmation today that GM is to retire the Holden brand is an almost inevitable yet sad day for the industry," Ai Group Chief Executive, Innes Willox, said today.

"Australia's naval shipbuilding program has the capacity to be transformative for Australian industry if it is delivered with our overall national interest at its core. A key need is to strengthen the Australian Industry Capability (AIC) program across all major Defence projects while ensuring that the key strategic objectives of our defence program are met," Ai Group Chief Executive, Innes Willox, said today.

"As has been seen with the collapse of the George Calombaris restaurant business, it is the employees who suffer most when what may appear to be a well-meaning campaign gets out of control," Ai Group Chief Executive, Innes Willox, said today.

'The climate bill supported by independent MPs in Canberra today will make an important contribution to the evolution of Australia’s approach to this important policy area," Ai Group Chief Executive, Innes Willox, said today.

Ai Group has today published for the first time an aggregate Australian Performance of Business Index (Australian PBI). This first public report confirms deteriorating levels of business conditions and activity as Australia moved into 2020.

"This is a challenging and vital portfolio, particularly with respect to the slow-motion crisis that is the Eastern Australian gas market," Mr Willox said.

The Australian Industry Group/Housing Industry Association Australian Performance of Construction Index (Australian PCI®) increased by 2.4 points to 41.3 in January, with the industry's milder decline this month reflecting less pronounced reductions in activity and new orders (readings below 50 indicate contraction in activity, with the distance from 50 indicating the strength of the decrease) (readings below 50 indicate contraction in activity, with the distance from 50 indicating the strength of the decrease).

"Ai Group congratulates Adam Bandt on his election as Leader of the Australian Greens," Ai Group Chief Executive, Innes Willox, said today.

Australian Industry Group's new Performance of Business Index (Australian PBI) will be released for the first time this Friday 7 February.

"The Leader of the Australian Greens, Senator Di Natale, engaged positively with business and will be a loss to the Parliament," Ai Group Chief Executive, Innes Willox, said today.