MORE than 60 senior business leaders and politicians will sell street magazine The Big Issue this week in a national campaign to shine a spotlight on homelessness and disadvantage.

Telstra CEO Andy Penn, PwC CEO Luke Sayers and Perpetual Managing Director and CEO Geoff Lloyd are among the high-profile cohort taking to the streets for half an hour to spruik the magazine from February 1-5.

ACTU President Ged Kearney and politicians including Premier of NSW Mike Baird, Deputy Leader of the Opposition Tanya Plibersek and Senator for the ACT Katy Gallagher are also taking part in the event.

The leaders will don The Big Issue’s trademark fluoro vest at various times and locations during the week.

The initiative is part of the fourth annual International Vendor Week (February 1-7, 2016), which raises awareness for the 11,000 people who sell street papers in 35 countries around the world.

For a list of guest sellers participating in International Vendor Week 2016, please visit http://www.thebigissue.org.au/news/2016/01/18/international-vendor-week/

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THE House of Representatives Agriculture and Industry Committee will conduct a public hearing in Wodonga on Thursday, January 28, for the inquiry into agricultural innovation.

Appearing at this first interstate hearing for the inquiry will be a range of local farming, research and scientific organisations with experience of emerging agricultural technology and barriers to its adoption.

The hearing will be held in the Meeting Room, The Cube Performing Arts Centre, 118 Hovell St, Wodonga:

Thursday, 28 January 2016

8.30am North East Catchment Management Authority

9.00am Mr Don Lawson OAM

9.30am NutriHealth International

10am Riverina Local Land Services

10.45am Alpine Valleys Dairy Pathways Project

11.15am Rutherglen Premium Lamb

11.45am Charles Sturt University

The public hearing will be webcast live at: http://www.aph.gov.au/News_and_Events/Watch_Parliament

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THE CAPA Iran Aviation Summit – the first international business event in Iran in any sector of the economy since the lifting of international sanctions – opened in Tehran today (January 24) with 400 delegates and media in attendance.

The Summit was inaugurated by the Minister of Roads and Urban Development, Dr Abbas Akhoundi, Government of Iran.

The summit brings together senior Iranian government and aviation officials and international guests from leading aviation and travel organisations to explore the prospects for market development in the post-sanctions environment in Iran.

Peter Harbison, CAPA’s Executive Chairman, said, “The aviation market potential in Iran is immense due to the pent-up demand after decades of sanctions. We are delighted to have been part of this landmark international event and wish to thank Iran Airports Company and the Iran Civil Aviation Organization for their invaluable support."

According to CAPA research, the size of Iran's economy, on a PPP basis, sits somewhere between that of Turkey and Australia whose commercial airline fleets range between 500-600 aircraft. In sharp contrast, Iran's airline industry is understood to have an operational commercial fleet of just 135 aircraft, with one of the highest average ages in the world. A further 80 aircraft are grounded due to the impact of sanctions on the ability to maintain their airworthiness.

In theory the economic fundamentals in Iran should support the ability to absorb 300 aircraft over the next five years, but it is another question as to whether that is feasible in practice will depend on Iran’s vision and ability to achieve it.

Such a rate of growth would place immense pressure on airport and airspace infrastructure as well as management and technical skills, even in mature markets.

“Rapid growth will not come without challenges”, said Mr Harbison. “This is especially the case as Iran’s aviation eco-system will need to adapt to a generational leap forward in aircraft technology and develop aviation skills and competencies. The opportunities for the people of Iran, its aviation sector and for global suppliers however are very exciting," he concluded.

About the CAPA Iran Aviation Summit

Following the announcement in Vienna on January 16 that nuclear-related sanctions against Iran have been lifted, the CAPA Iran Aviation Summit is the first international gathering of business leaders in post-sanctions Iran in any sector.

The Iranian delegation comprised some 160 senior officials from the national airport, airline, travel and transportation industries including government ministers and leaders. The foreign delegation of over 160 attendees were drawn from 35 countries:

CAPA Iran Aviation Summit Attendees by country (%)

About CAPA

Established for over 25 years, CAPA delivers market analysis and data that support strategic decision making at many of the world’s most recognised organisations. CAPA Membership provides access to the premium news, analysis and data services.

CAPA also organises leading aviation and travel summits around the world. Global aviation Summits will be held this year in Tehran, Mumbai, Singapore, Dublin, Las Vegas, Brisbane, Tokyo, Cartagena and Amsterdam. Corporate Travel events will be held in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Auckland, Adelaide, Perth and Singapore. 

www.capaevents.com

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SCIENTISTS on the International Whaling Commission’s Scientific Committee have slammed Japan’s resumption of illegal whaling in the Southern Ocean.

In an open letter published today in the journal Nature, 30 leading scientists condemned the new whale hunt which would see almost 4000 Antarctic minke whales killed over 12 years. 

Darren Kindleysides, Director of the Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS), said the letter speaking out about the hunt was testament to the lack of scientific justification for Japan’s whaling program.

“Right now the Japanese whaling fleet is hunting hundreds of Antarctic whales in the name of so-called scientific research," Mr Kindleysides said.

"Japan has resumed whaling despite the 2014 International Court of Justice ruling that Japan's previous Antarctic whaling program was illegal, and the 2015 findings by a panel of independent international legal experts that Japan’s new program again breached international law.

"Japan's new Antarctic whaling program is an outrageous attempt to get around the ruling by the International Court of Justice.

"When the scientists say it isn’t science and the international courts say it isn’t science, killing Southern Ocean whales for research simply can't be justified.

“Having failed both the tests of international law and science, the Australian Government must urgently act to put an end to Japan’s whaling.

“Japan must be held to account for once again illegally whaling in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary under the pretence of ‘scientific research’.

“We urge Australia and other governments to do all they can to persuade Japan to call off this hunt, and to actively consider options for further legal action against Antarctic whaling," he concluded.

www.amcs.org.au

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SCHOOL School shoes, backpacks, stationery and lunchbox purchases will increase in frequency from this week, as Australian parents prepare school aged children for the new school year, according to the Australian Retailers Association (ARA).

The peak industry body representing Australian retailers says that as Boxing Day markdowns become fewer later in the month, the focus in stores and shopping precincts will switch to school supplies, providing apparel, footwear, department stores, newsagents and a myriad of other specialty retail traders a boost.

“While Christmas and Boxing Day sales are most definitely the busiest times for retail stores across the board, there are certain retailers, such as children’s footwear shops and uniform sellers that derive the bulk of their business from back to school sales,” said ARA Executive Director, Russell Zimmerman.

“Back to school is a milestone each year for students around the country, and the associated purchases that the new school year brings are crucial to many small and large retailers.”

Among the items on parents’ shopping lists are stationery items including pens, notebooks and folders; lunchboxes and cooler bags; school shoes, including sports shoes; uniforms, including socks and sun protection; backpacks and bags; and tablets and laptops.

The ARA has seen more back to school purchases being carried out online in the last few years, and doesn’t expect 2016 to be any different.

“Parents are increasingly turning to e-tail to prepare their children with the equipment they need for the start of school. With many parents now back at full or part time work following the Christmas break, e-commerce provides convenience and flexibility to purchase all the necessities students require.

“With the increased use of technology in our education system, back to school sales in 2016 will also provide a significant windfall for electronics retailers and sellers of laptops, tablets and other electronic learning accessories.

“Electronics retail is an incredibly price competitive space with lean margins, so this boost is very much welcomed by stores in the space. The administration and receivership of Australian retail icon, Dick Smith, last week is a testament to the pricing pressures within the industry,” Mr Zimmerman said.

“Of course, back to school spending does not mean the end of the post-Christmas January sales, we’ll see those discounts continuing right throughout the month, with most stores still offering significant savings across the board.

“The next big discounting period after January will be mid-year sales in June, so I would encourage shoppers to make sure they don’t miss out,” said Mr Zimmerman.

The ARA and Roy Morgan Research predicted that Australian shoppers spent $16.8 billion post-Christmas, in the period from December 26, 2015 to January 15, 2016.

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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AUSSIE shoppers are continuing to spend up a storm in the post-Christmas sales, with retailers around the country on track to take $16.8 billion from Boxing Day until January 15, according to figures by the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) and Roy Morgan Research.

ARA executive director, Russell Zimmerman, said consumers have embraced the annual post-Christmas and January sales this year, taking the opportunity to stock up on bargains not normally seen at other times of the year.

“While the annual Christmas sales period officially kicked on Boxing Day, we’ve seen shoppers continue their spending frenzy right throughout the period and into the New Year,” Mr Zimmerman said.

“While initially on December 26 we saw bigger ticket items walking off the shelves, now the focus has swapped to soft goods such as apparel and footwear, while household items have also been popular.

“Department stores have also had particularly strong foot traffic, with our figures anticipating a 4.7 percent increase for the category compared to last year,” he said.

Around $1 billion is set to be spent in department stores before January 15, second only in growth to the ‘other’ category, with will grow by 6.1 percent to $2.3 billion.

Food spending, which was boosted last week by shoppers stocking up on food and beverages for New Year’s Eve parties and holiday barbeques is on target to meet an expected $6.8 billion in purchases.

Victoria will see the lion’s share of the post-Christmas shopping growth, up 5.6 percent to $4.2 billion across the 21-day period tracked by ARA and Roy Morgan, followed by NSW at 3.8 percent growth and $5.3 billion.

“It’s great to see shoppers out in force at retail stores, in what is typically the busiest spending period of the year,” Mr Zimmerman said.

ARA ROY MORGAN POST-CHRISTMAS 2015/16 SALES PREDICTIONS

December 26, 2015 – January 15, 2016

2015/16 Post-Christmas Sales Growth by State

(ARA/ROY MORGAN)

2015/16 Post-Christmas Sales Growth by Category

(ARA/ROY MORGAN)

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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INSTITUTE of Public Accountants (IPA) chief executive officer, Andrew Conway has been appointed as chairperson of the Professional Accountancy Organisation Development Committee (PAODC) of the Confederation of Asian and Pacific Accountants (CAPA) for the next three year term.

The PAODC, a committee under the auspices of CAPA has a mandate to promote and facilitate the establishment and strengthening of professional accountancy organisations in support of the public interest.

“On behalf of the IPA Board of Directors, I would like to congratulate Andrew for this important appointment,” said IPA president, Wendy Leegel.

“The IPA is very committed to the objectives of CAPA and to supporting the development of the profession in our region. 

“The IPA is very proud of Andrew’s achievements and his contribution to global leadership and governance within the profession,” said Ms Leegel.

About the Institute of Public Accountants

The IPA, formed in 1923, is one of Australia’s three legally recognised professional accounting bodies.  In late 2014, the IPA acquired the Institute of Financial Accountants in the UK and formed the IPA Group, with more than with more than 35,000 members and students in over 65 countries.  The IPA is a member of the International Federation of Accountants, the Accounting Professional and Ethical Standards Board and the Confederation of Asian and Pacific Accountants.  The IPA was recognised in 2012 as Australia’s most innovative accounting organisation and listed in the top 20 in the 2012 BRW Most Innovative Companies List. 

www.publicaccountants.org.au

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NATIONAL resource industry employer group, AMMA (Australian Mines and Metals Association) Executive Director for Policy & Public Affairs, Scott Barklamb made a statement in early December criticising Labor's handling of union corruption.

Mr Barklamb said the December 7 announcement by Bill Shorten and Brendan O’Connor on trade union corruption "is an overdue and inadequate response to governance failures and criminality that are increasingly tarnishing Australia’s trade union movement and harming hard working union members".

"Mr Shorten claims that Labor has zero tolerance for criminality and corruption in the union movement, but actions speak louder than words," Mr Barklamb said.

"For more than two years the Opposition and their fellow addicts to union funding, the Greens, have held up essential reforms to how unions are governed and overseen by regulators.

"These reforms would have made a real difference. As Labor has dissembled, prevaricated and blocked reform, they have unfortunately in effect run protection for the sociopathic fringe of the union movement that is robbing hard working union members and displaying wanton disregard for the law.

"By repeatedly blocking the Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Amendment Bill 2014), Labor has enabled parts of the trade union movement to perpetuate financial and administrative practices that would be completely unacceptable in corporate Australia.

"The need to urgently beef up oversight and enforcement is clear. Recent days have seen the arrests of senior CFMEU officials in Victoria for alleged blackmail."

Mr Barklamb said this came on top of evidence of:

• Officials and employees of the National Union of Workers (NUW) ripping off hundreds of thousands of dollars of member money to spend on jewellery, tattoos, dating websites and concert tickets;
• The destruction of union financial and other records that may have been sought by the Heydon Royal Commission; and
• Substantial misappropriation of funds not only in the HSUA, but also in other unions.

"Following today’s overdue and underwhelming acceptance that there are bad apples within the union movement that must be dealt with, AMMA calls on Bill Shorten and Brendan O’Connor to demonstrate they are genuine and not concocting a further stunt to delay reform," Mr Barklamb said.

"If it is serious about reform and stamping out the ‘bad apples’, the Opposition should commit to urgently passing the new rules for the governance of registered unions and employer associations currently before Parliament when it resumes in the new year."

www.amma.org.au

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