AUSTRALIAN retailers saw a jolly Christmas last year, with Australian Bureau of Statistics’ (ABS) official retail turnover figures for December 2015 growing by four percent year on year – a figure the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) has called incredibly pleasing.

This growth backs up a 4.2 percent year on year growth in November 2015, with Christmas gift buying at the heart of the boost in trade. Total retail spend for December 2015 was $24.8 billion.

Year on year figures provide the most accurate measure of the sector’s performance and are the figures used by most retail businesses in their own reporting. December 2015 sales showed no increase over November 2015, a result the ARA’s Executive Director, Russell Zimmerman has put down to soaring temperatures following the initial Boxing Day trade.

“Australian retailers will be very pleased with the annual increase in shoppers’ spend in December,” said Mr Zimmerman.

“December is the biggest month in the retail calendar in terms of sales and this considerable boost finishes off a year of strong increases for the industry.

“We’re hopeful the trend of steady growth will continue throughout 2016, with many retailers well positioned to leverage off these improvements with new innovations across online, omni-channel, and bricks and mortar stores.

“I think we’ll see 2016 become a year of business evolution for retail, with a host of digitally-based advancements enabling the merging of the online and offline shopping worlds into a more seamless experience.”

The biggest growth came out of household goods in December, with a 5.6 percent increase over December 2014, followed by department stores, with a five percent rise.

“Department stores across the board have picked up their act in the past 12 months, and I believe that’s reflected in these results,” Mr Zimmerman said.

Victoria saw the lion’s share of growth on a state basis at 5.5 percent, with Tasmania continuing its strong growth trajectory of the last few months, increasing sales by 5.2 percent.

“Even Western Australia which suffered from considerably low sentiment in the lead up to Christmas as a result of the demise of the mining boom managed growth of 1.2 percent. This is a great result for a state that has been struggling to adapt to vast economic change.”

In terms of online spend for December, the NAB Online Retail Sales Index indicates that e-commerce sales increased a whopping 11.2 percent on December 2014.

“E-commerce is a vital pillar of all retail business these days, and its double digit year on year growth is unsurprising when you look at how many retailers are now giving their customers the opportunity to shop online at their own convenience,” said Mr Zimmerman.

A total of 1$9.1 billion was spent online in 2015 according to NAB, 6.6 percent of the total retail market.

The Australian Retailers Association and Roy Morgan official retail spend figures for the pre-Christmas trading period from November 15 to December 25, 2015, will be available in the coming weeks.

YEAR ON YEAR RETAIL GROWTH (December 2014 to December 2015 seasonally adjusted)

By category:

Food, 3.2 percent; household goods, 5.6 percent; clothing, footwear and personal accessories, 4.5 percent; department stores, five percent; other retailing, 4.5 percent; cafés, restaurants and takeaway foods, 3.2 percent.

By state:

NSW, 4.5 percent; Victoria, 5.4 percent; Queensland, 3.1 percent; South Australia, 3.4 percent; Western Australia, 1.2 percent; Tasmania, 5.2 percent; Northern Territory, 0.8 percent; and Australian Capital Territory, 4.4 percent.

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 45 young people will gather in Canberra to share their ideas, aspirations and experiences in rural and regional Australia as part of the 2016 ABC Heywire Youth Summit.

Assistant Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources, Senator Anne Ruston, will recognise the outstanding entries of this year's finalists, and will present the 45 regional winners with their awards in Canberra tonight.

"These incredibly talented young people hail from every corner of the country, and each have a unique story to tell about life in rural and regional Australia—and Heywire gives them the chance to heard," Minister Ruston said.  

"The array of stories on display tonight show the breadth of issues affecting young people in regional Australia—and, not surprisingly, agriculture is a major theme.

"Agriculture is central to our nation's future and young rural Australians will play an important role in ensuring our agricultural industries have a bright and prosperous future.

"There are certainly challenges for the sector: the average age of farmers continues to rise, climate variability remains a threat to productivity and mental health, global populations and demand for food continue to rise and we need to keep producing more with less resources.

"These are all opportunities for fresh, young minds to shape the future of a sector that will continue to be a pillar of our economy for as long as humans eat food and wear clothes. 

"It's pleasing to see so many positive stories about life on the land, and this year's stories again shine a light on the beauty of life away from metropolitan centres.

"Not only does Heywire offer the opportunity to break down stereotypes of life in regional Australia, but it also gives young people who can often feel isolated the chance to contribute to a national discussion on a whole range of important topics.

"It's an incredibly important initiative, and the Coalition Government last year reaffirmed its support of Heywire, with Minister Joyce announcing grants to continue the programme for another three years, along with other funding for youth programmes in the agriculture sector.

"We are a government that is committed to revitalising the agriculture sector and driving increased returns through the farmgate to ensure it remains an attractive and rewarding career path."

For more information on ABC's Heywire initiative, visit: http://www.abc.net.au/heywire/.​

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Mr Robb said the program would highlight benefits from the China Australia Free Trade Agreement, which entered into force on December 20 last year. It also builds on the success of the first Australia Week in China in 2014 which attracted 750 delegates.

“With two rounds of tariff cuts on Australian goods exports delivered already under the Agreement in rapid succession, and a whole range of new opportunities for Australian services, now is the time to expand existing links and explore new possibilities,” Mr Robb said.

“Registrations are now open and I urge all businesses with an interest in China to consider taking part.”

The mission includes a range of business streams including innovation, agribusiness, premium food, beverage and consumer goods, mining services and equipment, health, innovation, education, financial services and urban sustainability.

Activities include seminars and site visits to high-level meetings and networking events with senior Chinese Government officials and business leaders.

The mission aims to achieve tangible business outcomes as well as helping participants understand the changes taking place in Australia’s number-one export market.

“New ventures such as the Blackmores partnership with Bega Cheese to produce infant formula for China show how Australian businesses are already responding to new opportunities in China,” Mr Robb said.

“As our economy transitions in this post mining boom period, there is huge potential to develop similar ventures, expanding our commercial relationship with China by concentrating on the things we do well.

“Our free trade agreement provides increased market access at a time when China itself is changing, creating demand for exactly the kind of goods and services Australia can provide.”

More information: www.austrade.gov.au/awic2016 

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EXPERTS from around Australia and beyond are gathering in Canberra to explore the challenges of ‘Feeding and Energising Emerging Asia and the Pacific: Opportunities for Australia and New Zealand’ at the 60th Annual Conference of the Agricultural and Resource Economics Society.

The Foreign Affairs and Aid Sub-Committee of the Federal Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade is conducting an inquiry into the role of Australian aid and our development partnerships through promoting agribusiness to reduce poverty and enhance stability in the Indo–Pacific region.

The Sub-Committee will hear from these visiting experts at the first public hearing for the inquiry at Parliament House, Canberra, on Thursday 4 February.  

The Hon Dr Sharman Stone MP, Sub-Committee Chair, said a roundtable exchange will explore experiences with experts from China, Indonesia, the United States and Australia. The focus will be on the economic and social underpinnings of food security in an evolving global market place, including how traditional foods are being replaced or transformed by modern production and supply methods in the Indo–Pacific region.

“To meet future food demands will require improvements in productivity, market systems, resource management and governance”, Dr Stone said. “The transition to more efficient or profitable production must also translate into better nutrition for the world’s poor.”

“The inquiry will consider how governments, NGOs and business can work with locals to overcome the stunting or obesity and consequent non-communicable diseases which now beset some of our nearest neighbours.”

Senior officers from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research will also take part in the round table.

Time: 12:45pm to 2:00pm        

Venue: Committee Room 1S4
Parliament House, Canberra

A live audio broadcast will be available at http://www.aph.gov.au/News_and_Events/Watch_Parliament

Further details about the inquiry, including copies of submissions and how to contribute, can be obtained from the committee’s website at www.aph.gov.au/jfadt or by contacting the committee secretariat on (02) 6277 2313 or emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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The House of Representatives Standing Committee on Economics will host a roundtable public hearing for its inquiry into Tax Deductibility in Canberra on Friday.

Date                Friday, 5 February 2016

Time                9.15am to 3.00pm

Venue             Committee Room 1R1, Parliament House, Canberra

Webcast         The hearing will be webcast (audio only) live

Among the issues to be discussed at the roundtable are ways to broaden the base of personal and company income taxes in order to fund reductions in marginal rates, including:

• the deductibility of expenditure of individuals in earning assessable income, and
• the deductibility of interest incurred by businesses in deriving their business income.

The roundtable will include a range of government and industry stakeholders, including:

• Australian Bankers’ Association
• Australian Council of Social Service
• Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry
• Australian Financial Markets Association
• Australia Petroleum Production and Exploration Association
• Australian Private Equity and Venture Capital Association
• Australian Taxation Office
• ADJ Consultancy Services
• CPA Australia
• Chartered Accountants ANZ
• Commercial Asset Finance Brokers Association of Australia Ernst and Young
• Housing Industry Association
• Institute of Public Accountants
• KPMG
• Law Council of Australia
• Minerals Council of Australia
• Mr Richard Highfield (Private Capacity)
• Parliamentary Budget Office
• Property Council of Australia
• Research Australia
• Tax Justice Network
• The Treasury

A program and details about the inquiry, including copies of submissions, are available.

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FIRST-year university students who are studying an agriculture-related university degree only have two weeks left to apply for the Horizon Scholarship.

The Horizon Scholarship, an initiative of the Rural Industries R&D Corporation, in partnership with industry sponsors, provides $5,000 per year for the duration of a student’s university degree. Applications close on Friday, 19 February 2016.

The Horizon Scholarship also offers students annual industry work placements that give them first-hand exposure to modern agricultural practices, access to industry leaders, professional development workshops and opportunities to network and gain knowledge at a range of industry events.

Current Horizon Scholar, Paul Sanderson is studying Agricultural Science at Charles Sturt University in Wagga Wagga and he said the Horizon Scholarship provides much more than just financial assistance.

“I really wanted to have a good go at Horizon, because it just really gave the complete package - there are a lot of other scholarships out there that are just financial, but the opportunities that Horizon creates are a lot more valuable than the money itself,” Paul said.

“The industry networks I’ve gained through Horizon will definitely help somewhere along the line - whether I do extra off-farm work or not, those contacts will help me through my career no matter what pathway I take,” Paul said.

“With industry placements and of course the financial payments providing support through university, it’s a fantastic all-round program,” Paul says.

One of the most valuable aspects for Paul has been the industry placements, with his first experience in January 2014 taking him to a cotton farm in southern Queensland.

“Being sponsored by the Cotton Research Development Corporation, I felt it was the best opportunity for myself not having any background in cotton to get up there and learn about the industry.

“Horizon put me on to a fantastic farmer and I went up there and spent some time with him, and he also gave me opportunity to work with agronomists and other industry people while I was there.

“It really is the all-round package for young people wanting to get into agriculture – it’s a great program because agriculture really needs a lot more people getting on-board,” he said.

RIRDC’s Managing Director, Craig Burns said the Horizon Scholarship has been developed to support the next generation of agricultural leaders who will take up the challenge of farming for the future.

“The Horizon Scholarship not only provides students with financial support, but also invaluable personal development and networking opportunities,” Mr Burns said.

To be eligible for The Horizon Scholarship students must be entering their first year of university and studying a degree related to agriculture, such as agricultural science, rural science, livestock/animal science, veterinary science or agribusiness and plant science. Students must also have started their tertiary studies no longer than two years after leaving high school.

Scholarship recipients will be selected on the basis of their commitment to a career in agriculture, as well as their leadership potential and high school academic record. The Scholarship winners are announced in March 2016.

Application forms can be completed via the RIRDC website at www.rirdc.gov.au/horizon. 

Sponsors of the Horizon Scholarship are the Australian Egg Corporation, ANZ, the Cotton Research and Development Corporation, the Grains Research and Development Corporation, Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited, McCaughey Memorial Institute, Meat & Livestock Australia, Sugar Research Australia, and RIRDC (Rice and Chicken Meat research programs).

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VICTORIAN Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chief Executive Mark Stone said the Parliament of Australia must pass legislation to restore the Office of the Australian Building and Construction Commissioner (ABCC) to improve productivity, drive investment and restore confidence in Victoria’s building and construction industry.

"Victoria’s small, medium and large building and construction businesses need this independent regulator to ensure their growth is not hampered by unlawful behaviour," Mr Stone said.

"Unlawful industrial action can cost Victoria through lost productivity and reduced employment prospects, and damage our international reputation as a place to do business.

"We need a framework that ensures Victorians get the infrastructure and construction projects they need in the most cost-effective and safe way, that builds business confidence in Victoria as a solid and predictable investment choice," Mr Stone said.

"The restoration of the ABCC is in-keeping with the recommendations in our submission to the Productivity Commission’s review of Australia’s workplace relations framework and the united chamber movement’s 2013 election agenda.

"The Coalition Government was elected with a policy to restore the ABCC and we urge the Parliament of Australia to pass this vital legislation in a timely manner."

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 Council of Small Business Australia (COSBOA) today declared the appointment of Kate Carnell as Australia’s first Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman a huge victory for small business.

The creation of this position, by Minister Kelly O’Dwyer, is fully supported by COSBOA’s CEO, Peter Strong, who says: “We have been calling for an Ombudsman for our sector since 1977 when our association was first formed by concerned small business supporters. No other group has called for such a position until recently, so it seems that patience does pays off.

“Kate Carnell is a great selection and will help develop laws that specifically help and not hinder small business. With her experience in politics as an ex Chief Minister of the ACT and, running her own small business, we believe Ms Carnell is perfectly positioned to understand and represent the concerns of the small business community.”

Mr Strong added: “COSBOA knows from deep experience that some big businesses, Wesfarmers in particular, has used money, resources and its political influence to stop any policy that may provide fairness for small business.

“COSBOA also knows that government agencies still design tender processes and business communications to make their job easier, rather than get the best business outcome for government. Hopefully all this can change now that Ms Carnell is in place.”

Like COSBOA, Ms Carnell also supports an effects test with Peter Strong commenting: “The recent decision by the Abbott Government to shelve an effects test in competition law is a great example of how big business is in control. However, now with Kate Carnell in her new role we can expect an internal bureaucratic fight, while never even, at least the interests of small business are being represented.

"COSBOA hopes the appointment of Ms Carnell will improve communications and process for small business, as well as dispute resolutions, as she has the skills to stop many disputes happening or reaching a need for action.

"COSBOA is committed to representing the interests of small businesses across Australia, actively lobbying the Government to realise the role and importance of small enterprises for the economy and the country’s culture.

"Furthermore COSBOA publicly looks to put a stop to unfair big business practises, which have a harmful effect on small business."

For more information on COSBOA, visit  www.cosboa.org.au

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