THE Australian Retailers Association (ARA) said the seasonally adjusted rise (0.3 percent increase) in monthly retail trade figures (month-on-month) reported today by the ABS followed a 0.7 percent rise in February 2015.

ARA Executive Director Russell Zimmerman said although today’s figures were modest, year on year growth for March is looking strong at 4.4 percent.

“Despite shaky levels of consumer confidence over the past year, retail trade figures continue to increase which is a great sign for the industry.

“March marked the beginning of autumn, with many retailers seeking to clear the last of their summer stock and start promotion of their new winter stock. As a result, department stop retailing (3.8 percent) and clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing (2.2 percent) enjoyed a boost in sales.

“In seasonally adjusted terms, the ARA was pleased to see rises in Queensland (0.7%), New South Wales (0.3%), Victoria (0.2%), South Australia (0.3%) and Tasmania (0.5%). Unlike in previous months, however, there were three states which experienced falls including Western Australia (-0.3%), the Australian Capital Territory (-0.5%) and the Northern Territory (-0.8%).

“With retailers now looking ahead to the Federal Budget to ensure small business tax cuts are being delivered in order to boost their bottom lines, it is imperative that the Government does all that it can to stimulate business and jobs growth.

“While a reduction in interest rates (announced yesterday by the RBA) is always welcomed, this alone is not enough to ensure the success of the retail industry over the next few months. Low interest rates are acting to support borrowing and spending, however, business growth must still be supported with a solid plan in the upcoming Federal Budget,” Mr Zimmerman said.

MONTHLY RETAIL GROWTH (February 2015 – March 2015 seasonally adjusted)

Department stores (3.8%), Clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing (2.2%), Food retailing (0.4%), Other retailing (0.1%), Household goods retailing (-1.0%) and Cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services (-1.1%). Total sales (0.3%).

Queensland (0.7%), Tasmania (0.5%), New South Wales (0.3%), South Australia (0.3%), Victoria (0.2%), Western Australia (-0.3%), Australian Capital Territory (-0.5%) and Northern Territory (-0.8%). Total sales (0.3%).

YEAR-ON-YEAR RETAIL GROWTH (March 2014 – March 2015 seasonally adjusted)

Household goods retailing (7.9%), Clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing (5.9%), Department stores (5.1%), Food retailing (4.0%), Cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services (2.6%) and Other retailing (2.1%). Total sales (4.4%).

South Australia (6.2%), New South Wales (5.0%), Victoria (4.7%), Tasmania (4.5%), Australian Capital Territory (4.1%), Queensland (3.5%), Western Australia (3.3%) and Northern Territory (-0.2%). Total sales (4.4%). 

Since 1903, the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) has been the peak industry body representing Australia’s $265 billion retail sector, which employs over 1.2 million people. The ARA ensures retail success by informing, protecting, advocating, educating and saving money for its 5,000 independent and national retail members throughout Australia.

Visit www.retail.org.au or call 1300 368 041.

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VECCI Chief Executive Mark Stone has welcomed the Federal Government’s announced support for start-up businesses and entrepreneurship as part of its Jobs and Small Business package to be included in next week’s federal budget. 

"Victorian new business start-ups will benefit from July 2016 by being able to deduct professional costs associated with starting a business immediately, whereas currently costs must be written off over five years," Mr Stone said.

"Business start-ups will also save time and money during registration, as the current fragmented process will be streamlined through a single online registration site.

"These changes are consistent with VECCI Small Business Taskforce’s “Small business. Big opportunities” recommendations to support small business growth. 

"As part of the united chamber movement’s national “Small Business. Too Big to Ignore” campaign prior to the 2013 federal election, we commend the Federal Government’s focus on small business development."

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

vecci.org.au

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Improving Australia’s maritime safety and the future direction of the tourism industry in Australia will be on the agenda when two treaties are examined in a public hearing on Monday.

The Treaties Committee will investigate the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) Instrument Implementation Code which provides a mandatory audit scheme aimed at improving maritime safety.

The IMO is the United Nations agency responsible for the safety, security and environmental performance of international shipping. A range of relevant IMO conventions will need to be amended to make sure the Code applies to regulations such as fire safety and management and environmental standards. The audit will help Australia and other countries ensure compliance with IMO regulations. 

Committee Chair, Wyatt Roy MP, said Australia already takes part in the audit scheme on a voluntary basis.

“Making the scheme mandatory will encourage ongoing compliance and help the IMO identify countries that require assistance to meet its standards,” he said.

The committee is also looking at a proposal for Australia to withdraw from the World Tourism Organization (WTO).

The WTO is another United Nations agency which provides an international forum for promoting sustainable and accessible tourism. The proposed withdrawal has been prompted by claims that Australia is not receiving value for money from its membership of the organisation. It has been suggested that Australia would benefit more from membership of bodies that focus on its key tourism markets, such as the APEC Tourism Working Group and the OECD Tourism Committee.

“It is the committee’s responsibility to ensure that treaty actions are in the national interest. We will be carefully examining the arguments for and against this proposal before we make any recommendation to the Government,” Mr Roy said.

Public Hearing:  Monday 11 May, Committee Room 1R5, Parliament House, Canberra
 
11.00am  Australia’s withdrawal from the World Tourism Organisation under Article 35 of the World Tourism Organization Statutes
11.45am  Resolution A.1070 (28): International Maritime Organization (IMO) Instruments Implementation Code and amendments to various IMO treaties
12.30pm  Close

The hearings will be broadcast through: www.aph.gov.au/live

Copies of the treaties and submissions received can be found at: http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Joint/Treaties

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CeMAT, the global intralogistics and materials handling event, debuted in Australia today at Sydney Olympic Park, attracting hundreds of visitors from around the country and the world to view a wide range of integrated and efficient approaches to materials handling and transport logistics.

CeMAT concluded a successful first day of the three day show with colourful and interactive displays from exhibitors including Hyundai Forklifts, SeaBox International, hrd-Logistic Products, Lonking Holdings, DB Schenker, Knapp, adaptalift and Vivid Industrial, to name only a few.

Mr Wolfgang Pech, Senior Vice President of Deutsche Messe, owners of CeMAT said that the key themes for CeMAT AUSTRALIA are the hot topics for the fast moving and evolving intralogistics industry. Topics such as the Internet of Things and E-Commerce are vital in ensuring the industry adapts integrated solutions and better ways of introducing new technologies to run warehouses smarter, smoother and more efficiently. 

"Our first day at CeMAT AUSTRALIA in Sydney has been a great success and the performance of our exhibitors has well and truly exceeded our expectations.

"Walking around the show, you can see a fantastic line-up of exhibitors featuring technologies, products and system solutions that are ready now for the logistics market in this region and the rest of the world.

"This show represents the impressive and strong commitment of the logistics industry to further bolster their sector in this region with their support of CeMAT in Australia."

CeMAT includes over 100 exhibitors on show for three days, a conference on day one, workshops on day two and industry site visits on day three.

Key speakers from the conference today included Armin Weih, Deputy Managing Director of VDMA (pictured below); Nathan McKenzie, CEO of Speedshield Technologies and Ron Koehler CEO AU/NZ of DB Schenker.

For more information please visit www.cemat.com.au

CeMAT will run for two more days – Wednesday 6 May and Thursday 7 May 2015.

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