The PJCIS recognises that this is a complex topic, and, in order to appropriately consider the issues before it, the Committee will seek private briefings from relevant agencies with a view to finalising the terms of reference, in consultation with the Minister for Home Affairs, and launch the inquiry later this month.
Chair, Andrew Hastie MP, said, "The Committee supports this inquiry. We will now take the opportunity to engage the relevant agencies as we refine the terms of reference. This inquiry is about transparency and accountability, so it’s important that we ask the right questions.”
THE Queensland Futures Institute (QFI) has welcomed yesterday's announcement from the Queensland Government regarding the formation of a $500 million Backing Queensland Business Investment Fund.
One of the primary findings recommended "the State Government establish an investment fund, with appropriate criteria, to help existing successful businesses expand in Queensland, as a relatively low-risk way of creating jobs".
Queensland Treasurer Cameron Dick said, "The fund will support good quality Queensland businesses that need capital to create jobs."
A QFI spokesperson said the 'think-tank' encouraged the use of evidence-based research to test current thinking, boundaries and policies in order to improve economic and social outcomes for all Queenslanders.
HUMANE SOCIETY International (HSI) has welcomed an announcement by Federal Environment Minister Sussan Ley to revoke an export permit for a Queensland fishery due to "unsustainable fishing in the Great Barrier Reef".
Minister Ley has revoked the permit of the Queensland Government-managed East Coast Inshore Fin Fish Fishery (ECIFFF) under the Federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act. The Palaszczuk Government has failed to meet conditions to improve the ecological sustainability of the fishery agreed upon by both governments two years ago, according to HSI.
It means commercial fishers operating in the fishery will not be able to export products from the fishery which operates on the east coast of Queensland including within the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area. Exports include shark fin from endangered hammerhead species and black jewfish bladders exported for traditional Chinese use.
Poor practices in the ECIFFF have led to the deaths of thousands of endangered sharks, sawfish, dugongs, dolphins and turtles on the Great Barrier Reef, HSI said.
The Environmental Defenders Office (EDO), on behalf of HSI and partner organisation Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS), wrote to Minister Ley alleging the Queensland Government had failed to meet Condition 9 of the Declaration of an Approved Wildlife Trade Operation - Queensland East Coast inshore Fin Fish Fishery, December 2018. The Queensland Government failed to address these concerns.
"Minister Sussan Ley has made the right decision," HSI Head of Campaigns, Nicola Beynon said. "An Australian fishery cannot be allowed to continue operating at such a poor standard, particularly when it is happening in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area.
"The fishery fails to have basic management measures for oversight of the catch. A catch which includes the dumping of thousands of endangered hammerhead sharks, and the bycatch of dugongs and snubfin dolphins in indiscriminate gillnets,” Ms Beynon said.
"This is a very welcome example of the Federal Environment Minister using the powers in the EPBC Act as they were intended to ensure a state government meets the criteria set for environmentally sustainable fisheries in Australia.
"The Palaszczuk Government only have themselves to blame for this issue. They have had plenty of time to comply with the conditions - well before the COVID restrictions came in.”
CPA AUSTRALIA has written to the Premier of Victoria, Daniel Andrews, recommending additional support for Victorian businesses significantly impacted by restrictions on their operations.
A CPA spokesperson said the extension of Stage Four restrictions in Melbourne until at least September 28, 2020, and the conditional timeline set out in the ‘roadmap to reopening’, would have disastrous consequences for businesses, many of which have already faced at least six months of severe trading restrictions. The result of this has been a significant impact on cash flow, profitability and jobs.
"The viability of many businesses is under serious threat, and with it the jobs of many Victorians. While current business support measures such as the JobKeeper Payment and the Business Support Fund-Expansion grant may limit job cuts and business closures in the short term, their effectiveness will be severely tested over the coming months.
"Tax professionals and business advisers have been working tirelessly at the coalface for several months, providing critical support to business to ensure that government stimulus is effectively implemented. Many of these professionals and advisers work in accounting firms that are themselves small businesses and are seeing firsthand the shocking impacts the ongoing lockdown is having on business, and the personal toll, including significant mental health issues.
"CPA Australia believes that more temporary federal and state government support is needed to assist businesses until the proposed ‘COVID Normal’ stage is reached. Further, a clear and less restrictive plan for economic and business recovery is needed to accompany the roadmap period and beyond."
CPA Australia has recommended the State Government extend the following supports to businesses facing an uncertain future:
• Increase the Business Support Fund-Expansion grant from $10,000 to $15,000 for all businesses in metropolitan Melbourne, and from $5000 to $7500 for all businesses in regional Victoria • Extend the closing date for applications for the Business Support Fund-Expansion grant until two weeks following the commencement of the Third Step of the roadmap to allow those businesses who need assistance to complete the application, the additional time they need to physically meet their accountant to apply for such assistance • Extend the Business Support Fund-Expansion to include non-employing sole traders • Extend the payroll tax waiver for businesses with annual taxable wages up to $3 million until December 31, 2020 • Introduce a small business concessional loan for businesses significantly impacted by COVID-19 along similar lines to the bushfire concessional loans for small business • Establish an economic recovery advisory panel of external experts from business and academia to advise the Government of how best to facilitate business recovery and create jobs • Incentivise small business to seek professional advice from their existing trusted adviser • Working in conjunction with professional business advisers, increase the assistance available to support the mental health of small business owners.
The CPA spokesperson said, "In a crisis of this magnitude, an effective recovery requires the government to engage with and act on the advice of business experts outside of government as well as within, just as it is acting on the advice of medical and scientific experts in informing its response to COVID-19. The ongoing lockdown restrictions are unnecessarily limiting the ability of professional service providers, such as tax professionals and business advisers, from providing the services and advice that business so desperately needs.
"CPA Australia urges the government to consult frequently with business and professional organisations to better understand the impact the crisis is having on small businesses and those who advise them."
About CPA Australia
CPA Australia is one of the world's largest accounting bodies, with more than 166,000 members working in 100 countries and regions and supported by 19 offices globally. Core services to members include education, training, technical support and advocacy. Employees and members work together with local and international bodies to represent the views and concerns of the profession to governments, regulators, industries, academia and the community. www.cpaaustralia.com.au
THE Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Kate Carnell has called on the Victorian Government to cover the costs associated with small business closures, with tough trading restrictions to remain in place until the end of October, at the earliest.
Ms Carnell said the latest roadmap announcement by Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews was a devastating blow to thousands of small businesses, many of which now have no other choice but to close their doors forever.
“Under the Victorian Government’s roadmap, many small businesses will not be able to open for another eight weeks at least and that’s only on the condition that there is less than five cases per day as a state-wide average,” Ms Carnell said.
“On that basis, small businesses that were thinking this lockdown would only last for another couple of weeks, now don’t know if they will ever be able to re-open.
“For those struggling small businesses that know they cannot remain viable under these imposed conditions, the Victorian Government needs to step up and help them make the sensible business decision to exit.
“This means the Victorian Government needs to pay for all break-lease termination fees – not just on the premises but also equipment so small business owners can walk away without further penalties.
“It is unreasonable to expect small businesses to continue to hang on and accumulate debt, given this ongoing forced closure is not fault of their own," Ms Carnell said.
“This is a situation no small business could have planned for. The lockdown extension has forced small businesses into this dire predicament and now the government needs to do the right thing to support them to exit if they cannot afford to hang on.
“The enormity of this lockdown extension and the psychological distress inflicted on small business owners cannot be underestimated," she said
“Small business loans are often secured against the family home, so these hard-working small business owners are now faced with gut-wrenching decisions about their future. They need to be supported in every aspect.
“I encourage all small business owner to seek help if they need it. The Partners in Wellbeing telephone hotline is 1300 375 330 and Beyond Blue’s Coronavirus Mental Wellbeing Support Service is at coronavirus.beyondblue.org.au
“Our My Business Health web portal also provides free practical resources for small business owners and also links to leading mental health organisations.”
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