VECCI Chief Executive Mark Stone said VECCI urges the Parliament of Australia to approve the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA) this year, given the Agreement’s capacity to widen and deepen trade and investment with one of the world’s fastest growing economies.

"With a diverse and competitive industry base, Victoria is well placed to leverage major growth opportunities from Australia's largest goods export destination ($90 billion in 2014), and largest services export market ($8 billion in 2014)," Mr Stone said.

"The prospects for new trade and investment extend not only to our agriculture sector, but resources, energy, manufacturing and service industries.

"ChAFTA must be approved by the Parliament this year so that business can benefit from tariff relief, with some tariff cuts occurring immediately and others to take affect from the start of 2016.

"VECCI is united with the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, National Farmers’ Federation and Minerals Council of Australia in its call for Parliamentary approval of this crucial deal in 2015."

Employers can access tools, tips and information on getting into exporting or growing existing exports by visiting www.vecci.org.au

THE Australian Government has today released the first draft regulation under the new Biosecurity Act 2015, giving interested stakeholders the chance to put their ideas forward on how biosecurity risk will be assessed when the new Act takes effect next year.  

Minister for Agriculture, Barnaby Joyce, said the Biosecurity Import Risk Analysis Regulation (BIRA regulation) has been released for a three month consultation period.  

"The biosecurity import risk analysis process, the regulations and the opportunity for stakeholders to comment were key issues raised by stakeholders during consultation on the Biosecurity Act," Minister Joyce said. 

"I am pleased to follow through on the government's commitment to meaningful consultation with stakeholders and I invite all interested people and organisations to provide comment on the exposure draft regulation. 

"All comments received during the consultation process will be considered in drafting the final BIRA regulation. 

"Our enviable clean and green biosecurity status relies on getting these regulations right—and we are all aware of the potential consequences of a pest and disease incursion to our domestic industries, environment and access to overseas markets."  

Minister Joyce said today that the draft BIRA process under the new legislation was guided by the recommendations from the recently releasedexamination of the import risk analysis (IRA) process report. 

"We heard from stakeholders that it is important to consult earlier, to access external expertise and to better explain how regional differences are considered when conducting an IRA," Minister Joyce said.  

"The feedback we received through the examination of the IRA process from stakeholders has directly shaped the draft BIRA regulation. 

"I would also like to reassure stakeholders that the development of the BIRA process does not mean previously completed IRAs are invalid or will be redone."  

The submissions period for the BIRA regulation is open from today until 30 November 2015.    

For more information on the exposure draft and the consultation process, please visit agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity/legislation/new-biosecurity-legislation.

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THE Federal Government is currently considering options to develop the inland railway between Melbourne and Brisbane in the most efficient and cost effective way possible, according to Finance Minister Mathias Cormann and Infrastructure Minister Warren Truss.

"This inland rail route offers a strategic opportunity to invest in nationally significant infrastructure, which would service Australia for the next 150 years," the Ministers said in a joint official release.

"It offers the prospect of significant improvements in the productivity of freight services in Eastern Australia by providing a new high performance freight rail corridor.

"Work on developing a business case and potential financing and delivery options for this project is currently underway.

"The Australian Rail Track Corporation will be an important part of developing any options on this project.

"As such, the scoping study into options for the future management, operations and ownership of the Australian Rail Track Corporation will need to be broadened to take this important strategic initiative into account.

"Consequently, the Department of Finance has decided not to proceed with the current tender processes for business and legal advisers for the ARTC Scoping Study. A new process to appoint suitable advisers will begin later this year.

"The ARTC scoping study remains on track for consideration by the Government in the 2016-17 Budget process."

THE Australian Government is calling for submissions on the proposed rules and regulations for the Emissions Reduction Fund safeguard mechanism.

The safeguard mechanism will start on 1 July 2016 and will be an integral part of the Emissions Reduction Fund – along with the crediting and purchasing elements.

"The Government has already consulted extensively on the design of the safeguard mechanism, and the draft rules and regulations released today include feedback from businesses and community groups on the consultation paper released in March 2015," Federal Environment Minister Greg Hunt said.

"Businesses and the community are invited to make submissions about the drafting of the safeguard mechanism regulations by 16 September 2015 and rules by 21 September 2015.

"The safeguard mechanism has been designed to ensure that emissions reductions purchased by the Government are not displaced by significant increases in emissions above business-as-usual levels elsewhere in the economy.

"The Government will consider the submissions received during this public consultation period before finalising the rules and regulations next month.

"A final decision on business access to high quality, prescribed international units under the safeguard mechanism will be reviewed in 2017-18 subject to the accounting rules established following the Paris climate conference later this year.

"With our Direct Action plan we will meet Australia's 2030 target of reducing emissions by 26-28 per cent below 2005 levels.

"Only the Coalition is committed to taking serious action to tackle climate change without hurting Australian families and businesses in the process with a painful carbon tax. We are already achieving significant results.

"In just the first Emissions Reduction Fund auction, the Government has contracted more than 47 million tonnes of emissions reductions. That's around four times the amount of emissions reduction achieved during Labor's carbon tax experiment – and we've achieved it at around one per cent of the cost."

For more information about the Emissions Reduction Fund, visit www.environment.gov.au/emissions-reduction-fund.

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