Media Releases December 2020

"The welcome decision handed down late yesterday by a Full Bench of the Fair Work Commission varying the Clerks – Private Sector Award 2010 provides employers and employees with more flexibility to agree on working arrangements during the COVID-19 pandemic. The new flexibilities were applied for by Ai Group and ACCI and were not opposed by the ACTU and the Australian Services Union," Innes Willox Chief Executive of the national employer association Ai Group said today.

According to a new Ai Group report released today – Business experiences in 2020 and outlook for 2021 – despite the partial recovery underway and the considerable adjustments made over the course of 2020, most Australian businesses continue to report negative impacts as a result of COVID-19.

"Today's MYEFO and labour force report cards provide welcome additional signs of further recovery. The lifting of restrictions in Victoria was a key element in the further jobs growth recorded in November with that state accounting for over 80% of new positions. While that is welcome, this concentration illustrates that the pace of jobs growth and recovery in the rest of the country eased considerably in November," Innes Willox, Chief Executive of the national employer association Ai Group said today.

"It is right and proper that Australia has launched action against China in the WTO to defend claims that we are dumping and subsidising our barley exports," Innes Willox, Chief Executive of the national employer association Ai Group said today.

"Australian businesses looking for alternative markets to China during the current trade tensions could have their efforts undermined by the closure of language programs by a number of our universities," Innes Willox, Chief Executive of the national employer association Ai Group said today.

"The Fair Work Amendment (Supporting Australia's Jobs and Economic Recovery) Bill 2020, as introduced into Parliament today, contains important measures that will support the recovery from the pandemic-induced recession. The Bill is a balanced and measured response that deserves the support of all Parliamentarians and it should be passed without delay," Innes Willox, Chief Executive of the national employer association Ai Group, said.

"Any criminal penalties or higher civil penalties for serious and deliberate wage underpayments in the Government’s IR Bill need to be fair on employers and part of a balanced package of reforms," Innes Willox, Chief Executive of the national employer association Ai Group, said today.

"For the past two years, businesses that employ casual employees have faced uncertainty and cost-risks. The Federal Court's controversial decisions in the WorkPac v Skene and WorkPac v Rossato cases, which awarded annual leave and other entitlements to 2 employees who were engaged and paid as casuals, have become major barriers to casual jobs. The 8 or so class actions filed so far on the back of these two decisions, have made matters worse. Certainty needs to be restored without delay to encourage employers to employ the hundreds of thousands of casuals who have lost their jobs since the onset of COVID-19," Innes Willox, Chief Executive of the national employer association Ai Group, said.

The Australian Industry Group Australian Performance of Services Index (Australian PSI®) improved by 1.5 points to 52.9 points in November 2020 (seasonally adjusted), indicating a further improvement in conditions after a slump for much of 2020. This was the highest result for the services sectors since November 2019 (results above 50 points indicate expansion, with higher numbers indicating a stronger pace of expansion).

The Australian Industry Group/Housing Industry Association Australian Performance of Construction Index (Australian PCI®) improved by a further 2.6 points to 55.3 in November – a second consecutive month of positive conditions and the strongest monthly result since April 2018 (readings above 50 indicate expansion in activity, with higher results indicating a faster expansion).