Media Releases July 2020

"The healthy rebound in the numbers of people in employment or actively looking for work in June is an encouraging sign that the economy is ready to stage a strong recovery as restrictions are lifted. Undoubtedly, the surge in infections in Victoria, the reimposition of tight restrictions covering around 20 per cent of the national economy and the extension of internal barriers, none of which are reflected in today's numbers, will slow the pace of recovery in July and August," Innes Willox, Chief Executive of the national employer association Ai Group, said today.

"The Australian Government’s announcement of the JobTrainer Skills Package is well-timed and targeted support for keeping apprentices and trainees engaged and in the workforce. Never has it been more important to support young people and the unemployed keep or re-gain employment," Innes Willox, the Chief Executive of the national employer association Ai Group, said today.

"The Queensland Government's wage theft bill is an attack on employers at a time when businesses needs support in order to survive through, and recover from, the COVID-19 pandemic," Innes Willox, Chief Executive of the national employer association Ai Group said today.

"Australia's businesses and their employees will welcome today’s comments by the Prime Minister calling out the prohibitive costs of adopting an elimination strategy to the COVID-19 pandemic," Innes Willox, Chief Executive of the national employer association Ai Group, said today.

"The CFMEU's latest Victorian industry pattern agreement is being marketed by the union as a good deal for businesses and workers. In fact, it is not fair on either. The agreement reportedly includes a doubling of contributions into Incolink, a fund established for the purposes of providing redundancy entitlements to employees. The implementation of appropriate regulatory standards on funds like Incolink, to protect workers and businesses, is long overdue," Australian Industry Group Chief Executive, Innes Willox, said today.

"The announcement by the Victorian Government to provide further support to some businesses in the State paves the way for providing additional support to help the broader business community," Tim Piper, The Victorian Head of the national employer association Ai Group, said today.

"The Chief Medical Officer, Professor Paul Kelly, has today confirmed that the latest community transmission outbreak in Victoria has been 'confined to Melbourne'. With this declaration the NSW Premier can freely open the NSW Victorian border without risk," Innes Willox Chief Executive of the national employer association Ai Group, said today.

Ai Group Economics has put together a table of statistics regarding the economic impact on locked down areas of Victoria. The table is available at the link below.

"The shutdown of Melbourne overnight leaves the way clear for the immediate reopening of the border between NSW and Victoria," Innes Willox, Chief Executive of the national employer association Ai Group, said today.

"The plan to shut down Melbourne for at least six weeks is a retrograde step for business that will cause untold damage to the economy and employment," Tim Piper, the Victorian Head of the national employer association Ai Group, said today.