VECCI welcomes today’s announcement by the State Government that it will continue to support the Victoria-Jiangsu Business Placement (VJBP) program for the benefit it will bring to Victorian business.

“Stronger ties with China, Victoria’s largest trading partner, represent significant growth opportunities for Victorian business and an avenue to showcase what our great state has to offer,” said VECCI Chief Executive Mark Stone. 

“The program also enables cross-border collaboration, at both government and industry levels, through closer relations between Victoria and our sister state of 34 years, Jiangsu Province.”

The VJBP program was formed by VECCI, the Jiangsu Federation of Industry and Commerce (JFIC) and the Jiangsu Economic and Information Technology Commission (JEITC), with the support of the Victorian Government. The program enables Victorian businesses to travel to China to get a first-hand insight into Chinese businesses and promote Victoria as a place to do business.

The Victorian Employers' Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VECCI) is the peak body for employers in Victoria, informing and servicing more than 15,000 members, customers and clients around the state.

vecci.org.au

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THE Council of Small Business Australia (COSBOA) has congratulated Professor Ian Harper and the Review Board on the draft recommendations from the competition review released yesterday, but has also warned Australians to watch out for a campaign led by big business aimed at maintaining their dominance.

Peter Strong, Chief Executive of COSBOA said, “The draft shows that Minister for Small Business, Bruce Billson got the terms of reference right and we applaud him, Professor Harper and his team for all their work so far.

“We’re pleased to see the review has looked at urban planning and its impact on competition and that the effects test has also remained, although it’s still early days and we are yet to seek clarification on what it will actually mean to small business.

“We are concerned, however, about the reaction of big business to the proposed effects test. They have over-reacted, and unless there’s some underlying issue around their need to dominate through the suppression of competition, we don’t understand their panic," said Mr Stong.

The pharmacy industry is another area of big concern adds Mr Strong; “Allowing Coles and Woolworths to enter the pharmaceutical market would turn the provision of medicines into a profit making exercise instead of a health service.

“Pharmacists offer good service and build a relationship with their local community in order to make a living from their business. Coles and Woollies are only interested in profits, not people.

“Healthy competition should benefit consumers, economic productivity and our culture,” Mr Strong concluded.

http://www.cosboa.org.au/

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BRISBANE has attracted academy-award winning film producer and education, digital and trade leader Lord David Puttnam to speak next month at the Brisbane Global Café.

Finance and Economic Development Chairman Councillor Julian Simmonds said the Brisbane Global Café is a first for a G20 host city and aimed to capitalise on the city’s status as the ‘capital of the world’ when we host the 2014 G20 Leaders Summit.

“The Brisbane Global Café is a two-day event at Brisbane City Hall on 12-13 November leading into the G20 Leaders Summit on 15 & 16 November, featuring speakers, workshops, and media conferences, as well as a series of events those involving the visit by Lord Puttnam,” Cr Simmonds said.

“Lord Puttnam is a legend of the film industry - His visit will be a coup for the city and the Brisbane Global Café.

“Lord Puttnam will speak a public seminar at Griffith University on Monday, 6 October as part of its ‘Cinema of Hope: Producing for Screen and Society in the 21^st Century’, and the following day, he will present at ‘A Conversation with Lord David Puttnam’ luncheon at Room Three Sixty, QUT Gardens Point Campus.”

Cr Simmonds said Lord Puttnam had produced films including Chariots of Fire,The Killing Fields, Midnight Express, The Mission and Local Hero. In 2010 he was President of the International Jury for the Asia Pacific Screen Awards.

“Lord Puttnam is a legend of the industry. His films have won 10 Oscars, including Best Picture for Chariots of Fire, as well as 25 BAFTAs and the Palme D’Or at Cannes,” Cr Simmonds said.

“He retired from film production in 1998 to focus on his work in public policy but retains a strong and active interest in national and global policy for film and the wider creative and communications industries. He is now the chair of Atticus Education, an online education company based in Ireland.

“The former Chancellor of the Open University UK and Sunderland University, he is the UK Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Burma, as well as the Irish Government’s ‘Digital Champion’.”

To book tickets to lunch with Lord Puttnam on Tuesday 7 October, go to http://wired.ivvy.com/event/FMC010 or to book tickets to Lord Puttnam’s Griffith University lecture on Monday 6 October, go towww.griffith.edu.au/puttnam-series

For more information on the Brisbane Global Cafe visit globalcafe.com.au

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THE Victoria Tourism Industry Council (VTIC) has criticised the State Government for failing to include many of Melbourne’s centrally located tourist attractions in its Free Tram Zone.

“The tourism industry is disappointed that this latest announcement regarding the Free Tram Zone once again excludes many key attractions that are vital to our visitor economy,” said VTIC Chief Executive Dianne Smith.

“VTIC supports the Free Tram Zone initiative, but we have recommended to the State Government that the zone must be expanded and we will continue to advocate for this change for the good of the tourism industry.”

Excluded sites include:

- Melbourne Museum

- Melbourne Cricket Ground

- Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre

- Southbank precinct including Eureka Skydeck and the Crown Complex

- Victoria Arts Centre

- National Gallery of Victoria 

“Public transport in Melbourne plays a key role in facilitating tourism, supporting visitation to key venues and providing a smooth travel experience within our city. This is a golden opportunity to significantly improve the visitor experience and grow the tourism economy, so we will continue to urge the State Government to commit to making this change,” said Ms Smith.

Ms Smith’s comments come as the State Government unveils the signage that will be used to alert passengers that they are within the transport zone where they can travel on trams free of charge.

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The Victoria Tourism Industry Council (VTIC) is the peak body for Victoria’s tourism and events industry, providing one united industry voice. Tourism and events are growth industries for Victoria and contribute $19.6 billion to the state economy each year and employ more than 200,000 people.

vtic.com.au

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