THE Joint Standing Committee on Migration today presented an interim report for its inquiry into Australia’s skilled migration program.

Committee chair Julian Leeser MP said, “The committee has heard repeatedly that skilled migrants create Australian jobs. With over 500,000 temporary visa holders leaving Australia during the COVID pandemic, we need to bring back skilled migration, to fill essential gaps and to help create more jobs for Australians.

“Skilled migrants provide much needed skills to fill skills gaps, offering businesses the opportunity to better meet demand and expand, and to pass on their skills to Australians,” Mr Leeser said.

“Australia has always been an attractive destination for migrants. Our excellent response to the health and economic challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic has made Australia an even more attractive destination. Now is the time to attract highly talented individuals and businesses to Australia.

“The report recommends a number of measures to streamline the system to ensure we can capitalise on the opportunity in front of us."

The interim report makes recommendations focused on assisting in recovery from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The inquiry will continue with a wider focus on long term reform of the skilled migration program. Submissions responding to the terms of reference will be accepted until March 31, 2021.

A copy of the interim report and more details about the inquiry are available on the committee website.

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THE Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) will hold a public hearing this week for its Inquiry into national security risks affecting the Australian higher education and research sector.

Committee chair Senator James Paterson said, “This second hearing will focus on the university and research sector. This inquiry will seek to identify best practice from leading  universities to encourage the rest of the sector to follow and also scrutinise ongoing poor practices at some institutions.”

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, teleconference and video conference facilities may be used to connect witnesses to committee members. The hearings will be broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live.

Public Hearing Details

Friday, March 19 2021
​8am – 4.30pm (AEDT)
​Committee Room 2R1, Parliament House, Canberra

A program for the hearing can be found here.

Further information on the inquiry can be obtained from the Committee’s website.

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MASTER BUILDERS Australia is calling on the Senate to pass the IR Omnibus Bill this week. 

Denita Wawn, CEO of Master Builders Australia said, “Senators need to back this Bill to support economic recovery, it’s that simple.

“Business investment remains low while other indicators of recovery are rebounding. Passing this Bill will send a strong signal to businesses that pragmatic measures to grow the economy are being put in place, boosting confidence that they can hire more people and invest in generating more business activity,” she said. 

“Productivity boosting measures in the Bill include reducing the unnecessary technicalities and complexities that currently beset the IR system. It will encourage enterprise bargaining in our industry which has fallen by over 33 percent in recent years,” Ms Wawn said. 

“With every $1 dollar spent on construction generating $3 in wider economic activity, governments around the country are investing billions to harness the industry’s multiplier effect and build the bridge to recovery. Passing the Omnibus Bill will unlock even more productivity and jobs in the sector. 

“Master Builders does not agree with everything in this Bill, but we have determined not to let ‘the pursuit of the perfect be the enemy of the good’ as it includes positive measures that will boost business confidence and unlock investment to drive economic growth to the benefit of the whole community. 

“The Senate should the pass Omnibus Bill this to improve the operation of the IR system to support the nation’s economic recovery,” Ms Wawn said.

www.masterbuilders.com.au

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IFASX COMPANIES want to increase their long-term market value they need to act now and increase the number of women in CEO and executive leadership positions.

This was one of the many views expressed during a panel discussion at a virtual event recently for the 40:40 Vision initiative launched last year by industry super fund HESTA with industry partners Chief Executive Women, Australian Council of Superannuation Investors (ACSI), 30% Club and the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA).

The panel comprised Sam Mostyn, president Chief Executive Women, Louise Davidson, CEO, ACSI, Colleen Harris, group chief people officer, Ramsay Health Care, and moderated by HESTA CEO Debby Blakey agreed that there had been too little progress on seeing women advance to senior roles.

Panellists said,while it was good the number of ASX200 women chairs had grown from 11 in 2015 to 24 in 2021, it was disconcerting only 10 ASX200 CEOs are women and only one of the 25 CEOs appointed to ASX200 CEO roles last year was a woman.

In 2020, the WGEA and the Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre released research showing an increase in the share of female ‘top-tier’ managers by 10 percentage points or more led to an average 6.6 percent increase in the market value of Australian ASX-listed companies.

The 40:40 Vision chair and HESTA CEO Debby Blakey said, “As investors, we share a common goal with companies to improve their long-term performance – it’s good for our members and its good for their shareholders. We know from local and global research that addressing gender diversity in leadership is essential to creating stronger decision making and this long-term improvement in a company’s value.”

“With only 25 percent of ASX200 executive leadership positions held by women, it’s not surprising there are such a small number of women CEOs. Boosting the number of women in leadership will provide an important pipeline of diverse talent for boards.

“Those companies not looking closely enough at 50 percent of the population when identifying top talent risk missing out not only on the best people but also the long-term performance edge a more diverse and inclusive culture provides.”

Global company Ramsay Health Care was the first ASX listed companies to join the initiative. Ramsay’s Group chief people officer Colleen Harris said, “Ramsay Health Care has a strong record of embracing diversity and promoting women into leadership roles. By supporting the 40:40 Vision initiative, we hope to encourage other ASX200 companies to achieve gender equality.

“Globally, we are a significant employer of women, and we have long been committed to having strong female representation at all levels of the organisation. In Australia, 59 percent of our hospital and facility CEOs are women and 60 per cent of our regional executives are women.”

ACSI CEO Louise Davidson said investors have long recognised the value of gender diversity in governance and leadership roles.

“We’re very encouraged to see the number of women directors continuing to increase. But it’s disappointing that the number of female chairs and CEOs continues to languish. Through 40:40 Vision, investors are driving companies to capitalise on the long-term value of diversity by setting gender targets in leadership teams. Women’s progression to executive leadership positions and CEO roles still has a long way to go, and it will take sustained effort for this to change.”

President of Chief Executive Women, Sam Mostyn, said, “ASX200 companies can lead the way and achieve better results for all their stakeholders by ensuring their leadership teams are balanced. More diverse teams lead to stronger financial performance and safer company cultures. Risk is reduced and outcomes improved – a 40:40 vision of gender equality is a corporate responsibility right now.”

Ms Blakey said HESTA launched the 40:40 Vision initiative last year with industry partners out of concern that the number of women in leadership positions had stalled.

“The 40:40 Vision initiative was necessary because a lack of gender diversity in leadership is ultimately a financial risk. We have set ambitious targets; the time for waiting is over because we can’t wait decades to see equal numbers of men and women in senior leadership.”

Ms Blakey encouraged all ASX200 companies to pledge support for a 40 percent gender balance by 2030, and said 40:40 Vision recognises the complexity and differences in organisational structure among ASX200 companies, giving flexibility for companies to set and develop their own plans and targets.

“We want to see real, genuine change – not just additional layers of needless reporting and governance resulting in a tick-the-box exercise,” Ms Blakey said.

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THE Queensland resources and energy sector is currently looking to fill more than 1000 jobs across the State, Queensland Resources Council (QRC) chief executive Ian Macfarlane said today.

Mr Macfarlane said Queensland’s resources sector supported more than 420,000 jobs across the State, and despite COVID-19, international market conditions and commodity price fluctuations the sector was continuing to hire staff.

“The resources sector already supports one in six jobs across the state and is playing a central role in helping Queensland work, earn and employ its way through COVID,” Mr Macfarlane said.

“Right now the resources sector is offering more than 1000 opportunities for Queensland jobseekers, both in Brisbane and in the regions.”

According to online job portal Seek, there are currently more than 1000 vacancies in Queensland mining, resources and energy including:

• 318 Brisbane
• 297 Mackay and Coalfields
• 82 Townsville
• 63 Cairns and Far North
• 59 Mount Isa
• 57 Rockhampton and Capricorn Coast
• 27 Gladstone
• 27 Toowoomba and Darling Downs
• 11 Bundaberg, Wide Bay-Burnett

Mr Macfarlane said the tireless work of the industry, in partnership with the Queensland Government and local councils, to ensure staff, their families and their communities remained safe during COVID-19 had ensured the industry could continue to operate and earn for Queensland.

“As an industry, we are working very hard and having increasing success in attracting more women, more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and more young Queenslanders to join our industry,” Mr Macfarlane said.

“The resources and energy sector uses cutting edge technology and is at the forefront of delivering the full energy mix, advanced manufacturing and renewable energy and battery storage technologies, so there is a lot to offer potential employees looking for new opportunities,” he said.

“I strongly encourage people who want to be part of an industry that is all about finding energy solutions to consider a career in resources.”

www.qrc.org.au

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THE Queensland Resources Council (QRC) has congratulated Santos on being awarded an Authority to Prospect (ATP) in the gas-rich Bowen and Surat Basins.

QRC chief executive Ian Macfarlane said Resources Minister Scott Stewart’s announcement that Santos had been granted a domestic gas ATP was a win for the gas industry and for industrial and household consumers.

“As the peak representative for the State’s gas, coal and metal explorers and producers, the QRC supports the Queensland Government’s policy of only offering tenures which produce domestic gas,” he said.

“To date, the government’s forward-looking domestic gas policy has released more than 20,000 square kilometres of land to help our manufacturing sector secure the gas it needs.

“The Government recommitted to its policy for domestic-only gas tenure releases to assist the manufacturing industry during the 2020 State election, so this announcement is testament this policy is working for Queensland, particularly in our recovery from COVID-19.

“Congratulations to Santos and its ongoing commitment to operating in Queensland.”

Mr Macfarlane said Queenslanders could count on resources to help with the State’s economic recovery from COVID.

“To give an idea of the significance of the oil and gas industry to Queensland, last year it supported more than 51,000 full-time equivalent jobs,” he said.

“During the same period, the oil and gas industry injected $5.1 billion – almost $14 million a day – into the Queensland economy.”

Mr Macfarlane said projects like Santos’ new exploration venture demonstrate the key role Queensland can play in providing resources to support the world’s transition to a low emissions future.

“This includes expanding our renewable energy industry, developing battery storage and hydrogen and operating Queensland’s modern coal and gas-fired generators,” he said.

www.qrc.org.au

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THE House Select Committee on Mental Health and Suicide Prevention is commencing public hearings with the first taking place in Canberra on March 18, 2021.

The committee will hear from the Productivity Commission, the National Mental Health Commission and the Department of Health on current mental health and suicide prevention strategies grounded by the extensive research these organisations have already undertaken.

Chair of the committee, Fiona Martin MP, said, "This hearing is an opportunity for the committee to hear from the leading government departments and agencies driving the mental health policy agenda.

"We want to have a productive discussion about what has been successful, and where there could be improvements, to ensure that the right actions are being taken to achieve increased personal outcomes for those suffering from mental health difficulties and workers."

This hearing is the first of several expected to be held for the inquiry between now and when the committee presents its final report. Dr Martin said, "The committee will use the evidence from this hearing to shape the Interim Report and the second phase of the inquiry, which will inform the final recommendations due in November."

Public hearing details

Date: Thursday 18 March 2021
Time: 10:15am to 11:45pm AEDT

Location: Main Committee Room, Parliament House, Canberra

The hearing will be broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live and the public hearing program will be available at the committee website prior to the hearing.

The committee is unable to intervene or provide advice in relation to individual circumstances. Help is available at:

Lifeline Australia 13 11 14
Suicide Call Back 1300 659 467
Kids Help Line 1800 551 800
BeyondBlue 1300 224 636
eheadspace 1800 650 890

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THE Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson has backed the RBA’s plea to banks to treat small businesses differently to consumers when considering loan applications.

Mr Billson welcomed further scrutiny of small business access to finance pledged by RBA Assistant Governor Chris Kent in today’s address to the Australian Finance Industry Association.

“Finance is the oxygen of enterprise,” Mr Billson said.

“Mr Kent’s comment that access to finance for small businesses has been a long-standing challenge and is now tighter than before the pandemic, is correct.

“I support Mr Kent’s plea to banks to take a different approach to small business borrowers, given that even under the existing Responsible Lending Laws, banks are not obliged to apply the same serviceability requirements to small businesses that need to be applied to households.

“I also share Mr Kent’s concerns regarding the banks lengthy and onerous process to securing finance, including substantial collateral requirements," Mr Billson said.

“Of course we need to strike the right balance, but any move to loosen onerous restrictions on access to finance for small business would be positive.

“The RBA has noted it expects business failures to rise as government support measures are phased out. This highlights the critical need for small businesses to have greater access to finance, to provide the cash flow necessary to get through the coming months.

“Overall, we welcome the RBA’s acknowledgement of the important contribution the small business sector makes to the economy as well as its efforts to continue to monitor small business access to finance and their prospects more broadly.” 

www.asbfeo.gov.au