Media Releases May 2020

The Australian Industry Group Australian Performance of Manufacturing Index (Australian PMI®) recovered by 5.8 points to 41.6 in May, after experiencing the largest single-month drop in the index's history in April (readings below 50 points indicate contraction in activity, with lower results indicating a faster rate of contraction).

"In a supplementary submission to the current Annual Wage Review, the Australian Industry Group has argued that no wage increase should be awarded this year," Innes Willox, Chief Executive of the national employer association Ai Group, said today.

The Australian Industry Group has called on the Victorian Government to reconsider its position to heavily fine employers for requiring workers to attend their work sites and offices.

"The Prime Minister's warning of the likelihood of a prolonged period of recovery from the COVID-19 crisis is a timely warning that we are not yet out of the woods. If past experience is any guide, we are at risk of a multi-year period of high unemployment with particularly severe impacts on young people. It will take several years for many businesses just to regain lost ground while some will not survive," Innes Willox, Chief Executive of the national employer association Ai Group, said today.

"Ai Group welcomes reports that the Treasurer will suspend Australia's continuous disclosure requirements for six months," Innes Willox, Chief Executive of the national employer association Ai Group, said today.

Our diverse organisations together call for support for COVID economic recovery to urgently stimulate jobs and to rebuild a sustainable and strong economy.

"The revision by Treasury and the ATO today of their estimates of the number of employees covered by JobKeeper and the costs of the program create opportunities to amend the scheme and further help the economy which remains in a deep downturn," Innes Willox, Chief Executive of the national employer association Ai Group said today.

The Australian Industry Group has welcomed the transparency of the review undertaken by the EPA in Victoria into its handling of chemical waste which was released today.

"The Australian Industry Group (Ai Group) welcomes today's announcement by the Treasurer that litigation funders will need to hold an Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL) from three months' time. Over the past two years, Ai Group has vigorously pursued this outcome and we are very pleased that our arguments have been accepted by the Government," Innes Willox, Chief Executive of the national employer association Ai Group said today.

The discussion draft of the Federal Government’s Technology Investment Roadmap is an important step in charting Australia’s path to net zero emissions, Australian Industry Group Chief Executive Innes Willox said today.