AUSSIE SHOPPERS are tipped to spend $2.3 billion nationwide on Boxing Day 2015, according to the Australian Retailers Association (ARA), with a total of $16.8 billion to be spent from December 26 to January 15, 2016.

Post-Christmas spending estimates by the ARA and Roy Morgan Research indicate sales will be four percent higher than the same period last year, evidence of Australia’s growing love affair with bargains.

“Pre-Christmas 2015 saw record sales at retail stores, and we’re expecting to see a very similar growth story play out in the post-Christmas sales,” said Russell Zimmerman, Executive Director of the ARA.

“A rush of bargain hunters will be out in force on Boxing Day, with December 26 one of the biggest shopping days of the year across the country.

“Boxing Day heralds the opening of the post-Christmas sales period and is traditionally when the biggest savings can be made.

“Of course, the sales will continue beyond December 26 right through January, so for those who aren’t able to get to the shops on Boxing Day, there will be further opportunities to snap up some bargains,” Mr Zimmerman said.

Victoria will see the lion’s share of the post-Christmas shopping growth, up 5.6 percent to $4.2 billion across the 21-day period tracked by ARA and Roy Morgan, followed by NSW at 3.8 percent growth and $5.3 billion.

“All states are predicted to see healthy growth this year, as are all retail categories, although the ‘other’ category will shine particularly brightly in the post-Christmas sales with 6.1 percent growth to $2.3 billion, as will department stores at a 4.3 percent increase and $1 billion sales.”

When it comes to Boxing Day, the ARA anticipates that NSW and Victorian residents will spend the most at $750 million and $721 million respectively.

ARA ROY MORGAN POST-CHRISTMAS 2015/16 SALES PREDICTIONS

December 26, 2015 – January 15, 2016

Boxing Day 2016 sales

(Australian Retailers Association)

2015/16 Post-Christmas Sales Growth by State

(ARA/ROY MORGAN)

2015/16 Post-Christmas Sales Growth by Category

(ARA/ROY MORGAN)

 About the Australian Retailers Association:

Founded in 1903, the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) is the retail industry’s peak representative body representing Australia’s $284 billion sector, which employs more than 1.2 million people. The ARA works to ensure retail success by informing, protecting, advocating, educating and saving money for its 5,000 independent and national retail members throughout Australia. For more information, visit www.retail.org.au or call 1300 368 041.

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TODAY Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Mark Birrell launched the Victorian Chamber Internship Program, which will provide students with the opportunity to attain meaningful 'real world' work experience.

“Business needs work-ready graduates who have had exposure to, and involvement in, a professionally relevant work environment. Research shows that it is difficult for young people to get a job without this experience,” said Mr Birrell.

“This internship initiative by the Victorian Chamber will provide students with vital work experience. It will support the development of a skilled, adaptive and productive future workforce that is aligned to the needs of Victorian business.”

University of Melbourne Vice-Chancellor Professor Glyn Davis AC addressed the audience on the value of giving students the opportunity to acquire work experience to complement their university education.

The Program will see the Chamber invest over $1 million to help place more than 300 interns during a three year period. Participating businesses will meet all workplace employment requirements for the interns they take-on, including payment for work undertaken. These businesses will be encouraged to offer extended employment where possible.

A distinguishing feature of this Program is that the Victorian Chamber will provide the employer with a placement contribution of up to $3,000 to support the cost of each internship. Students employed as part of the Internship Program will be paid award wages and the Victorian Chamber contribution will cover, in addition to wages, other on-costs including superannuation, payroll tax and WorkCover premiums.

The Victorian Chamber’s university and business members strongly support the Program and will annually provide 100 higher education students with paid internships in some of Victoria’s most prominent and well-respected small, medium and large businesses.

Victorian Chamber member businesses will host up to 95 students and the Chamber will itself take five interns annually.

Interns will be engaged as employees and undertake a specific project with a focus on providing a meaningful learning experience, while delivering a tangible benefit to the host business. Placements will generally be for 120 hours, worked over a one month period.

Students will benefit from valuable work experience, networking opportunities and the chance of ongoing employment. Higher education providers will benefit from strengthened relationships with industry and the opportunity for their students to increase their practical skills and improve their employment prospects.

“This initiative will further strengthen the excellent working relationships we have with our business and university members and more importantly provide young Victorians with valuable work-ready skills,” said Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chief Executive Mark Stone.

The Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry is building on its strong record of training and apprenticeship success and business advocacy to promote the value of practical work experience.

The Victorian Chamber’s recent submission to the State Government’s VET Funding Review highlights the crucial need for industry and universities to build closer relationships. This is a significant step in that direction.

“Employers are demanding a greater level of work-readiness from graduates and higher-education providers are seeking to facilitate these experiences,” said Mr Stone.

“We are delighted to be working with business, the higher education sector and students on this significant project to build Victoria’s future workforce.”

The Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, established in 1851, is the most influential business organisation in Victoria, informing and servicing more than 15,000 members, customers and clients around the state.

victorianchamber.com.au

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THE resource industry welcomes four high calibre appointees to the Fair Work Commission (FWC) as Minister for Employment Michaelia Cash injects new business experience and practical competencies into Australia’s national workplace tribunal.

AMMA chief executive, Steve Knott, says new Deputy Presidents Melanie Binet and Richard Clancy, and Commissioners Katrina Harper-Greenwell and Jennifer Hunt, are high calibre, merit-based appointees well-placed to assist employers and employees in navigating Australia’s workplace laws now and into the future.

“It’s no secret that when last in government, Labor overwhelmingly slanted its appointments to its own industrial alumni, with 18 of the 27 new members to the tribunal coming from trade union or ALP-affiliated backgrounds,” Mr Knott says.

“Minister Cash’s new appointees have demonstrated business experience, including in managing complex resources and infrastructure projects, and should be welcomed by all with an interest in a balanced and modern workplace relations system, productive enterprises and diversity.

“It is further welcomed that Minister Cash, who is also Minister for Women, has improved the gender diversity of the FWC by appointing three additional women to the Commission, all bringing a wealth of practical experience to their new roles.”

Mr Knott says the Federal Opposition’s criticism of these appointments shows the ALP is ‘out of touch with the professional and modern workplace relations system Australia needs’.

“Mr O’Connor’s call for trade union alumni to continue to dominate FWC appointments in the 21^st Century lacks credibility when just 11% of Australians working in the private sector choose to participate in trade unions,” Mr Knott says.

“Australian employers and employees need appointments to our workplace tribunal to better reflect 21^st Century workplaces and the diversity of the Australian community.

“AMMA, which represents the national resource industry and manages the Australian Women in Resources Alliance, congratulates the Minister in making these 21^st Century appointments and looks forward to further high calibre, well regarded individuals filling future tribunal vacancies.”

www.amma.org.au

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THE Australian Retailers Association (ARA) has praised NSW Premier, Mike Baird, and the NSW Government for the successful passing of a Bill that will allow all retailers across the state to trade on Boxing Day this year.

NSW has been one of the only states in Australia to enforce Boxing Day retail closures, with only stores in the Sydney CBD and tourist areas allowed to trade.

Russell Zimmerman, Executive Director of the ARA, said the new ruling to allow all retailers to trade on Boxing Day is a fantastic outcome and will eliminate the uneven playing field that was fostered by the previous law.

“The passing of this Bill is a windfall for the majority of NSW retail businesses. It will allow those who would like to trade on Boxing Day outside of tourist areas and the Sydney CBD to cash in on this lucrative day of consumer spending,” Mr Zimmerman said.

“The previous law was a draconian decision which left NSW, the largest economy in Australia, behind the rest of the country and blocked thousands of retailers from opening on the biggest sale day of the year.

“We now live in a seven day consumer economy, and shoppers are demanding to be able to shop whenever and however they want. This is a common sense decision that will benefit retailers and consumers alike.

“The ARA thanks the Government, and Premier, Mike Baird, for his work in pushing for this change, and Fred Nile’s Christian Democrat Party for its support, which will see the NSW economy benefit from the huge profits that can be made by retailers opening on Boxing Day,” said Mr Zimmerman.

It is important to note that in 2015, as Boxing Day falls on a Saturday, both December 26 and Monday December 28 will be classified as public holidays and penalty rates of 250 percent will apply for employees rostered to work on these days.

The ARA is currently engaged in a review of General Retail Industry Award 2010 (GRIA) with the view to lowering of penalty rates to reduce the costs for retailers trading on Sundays and public holidays, with an outcome expected in the first half of 2016.

About the Australian Retailers Association:

Founded in 1903, the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) is the retail industry’s peak representative body representing Australia’s $284 billion sector, which employs more than 1.2 million people. The ARA works to ensure retail success by informing, protecting, advocating, educating and saving money for its 5,000 independent and national retail members throughout Australia.

For more information, visit www.retail.org.au or call 1300 368 041.

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