VECCI welcomes today's red tape reduction measures announced by the State Government that will help reduce the cost of doing business in Victoria.
 
“We’re delighted with the government’s announcement because poorly designed, out-dated, overly prescriptive regulations that add to business costs need to be removed,” says VECCI Chief Executive Mark Stone.
 
“Regulations cost the state economy an estimated $3.3 billion annually, so we need ongoing reform across all levels of government.”
 
Mr Stone’s comments come as the government announces a range of amendments under its plan to cut red tape by 25 per cent, to ensure Victoria continues to be an attractive destination for investment and employment.
 
The changes cover a wide ambit of sectors including mining, tourism and transport, hospitality, building and construction, farming and retail.
 
VECCI has been a consistent advocate for the need to reduce red tape and provided direct input to the Red Tape Commissioner, John Lloyd.
 
“We urge the government to now monitor the implementation of these reforms to ensure they are achieving their purpose and the estimated $715 million savings are realised, and to press-on with the next tranche of reform to ensure Victoria remains competitive,” says Mr Stone.

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. 

www.vecci.org.au

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VECCI welcomes the Council of Australian Governments’ (COAG) decision to create a one-stop shop for environmental approvals, as it will remove unnecessary duplication and make the process simpler and quicker for Victorian businesses.

This streamlining is a great outcome for Victorian businesses as they will now be able to attain full environmental certification from the state approval process without also having to seek federal approval.

As part of its policy agenda for the recent federal election, VECCI sought a reduction in the regulatory burden on business and repeated this call more recently at its 2013 VECCI Victoria Summit.

“We’ve been consistent in our calls to governments at every level to reduce red and green tape and Victorian businesses will be delighted when these changes are implemented,” says VECCI Chief Executive Mark Stone.

“In the current economic climate, removing the roadblocks to job creation and productivity is crucial.”

www.vecci.org.au 

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New safety data released by the Victorian Government today confirms Victorian employers have continued to set high workplace occupational health and safety standards, says VECCI Chief Executive Mark Stone.

Mr Stone was commenting on the release of Victorian WorkCover Authority (VWA) data by the Assistant Treasurer,  Gordon Rich-Phillips MLC, that shows the number of injury claims has fallen by seven per cent in the 12 months to September 2013, from 7.98 to 7.42 claims per million hours worked.

Mr Stone said workplace safety is a priority for Victorian employers and their efforts, in concert with employees and VWA, has meant Victoria continues to set the standard for workplace occupational health and safety across Australia.

He added that the latest data builds on the 2012/13 safety results, which showed an encouraging improvement in return to work rates among injured workers.

VECCI’s 2013 Victoria Summit highlighted the importance of getting injured workers back to work sooner, to perform either their pre-injury role or suitable alternative tasks.

It also called for improvements in the way agents and health practitioners manage injury and illness claims.

“People returning to work as soon as possible after an injury is a ‘win-win’ for business, employees and their families, and the wider community,” says Mr Stone.

Mr Stone said that while the Government has delivered on its promise of a three per cent reduction in Victorian WorkCover premiums at 1.298 per cent of payroll, it is important to consider the scope for further premium reductions in 2014 and beyond, in order to reward better health and safety performance.

“With WorkSafe Victoria recording a solid net result of $1.084 billion in 2012/13 and a funding ratio of 108 per cent (compared to 96 per cent at 30 June 2012), now is the time to recognise the efforts of Victorian employers with lower insurance premiums,” says Mr Stone.

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.

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The Federal Government should move to finalise reform to laws governing the taxation of trusts, with interim legislation passed by the previous government hampering the small business sector, according to leading Australian accounting firm, Crowe Horwath.

Five weeks ago the government stated that it would review 92 announced but unlegislated tax and superannuation measures.

Reform to the taxation of trusts – started by the previous government but which remained incomplete by the time of the September 7 election - was not on this list.

This is despite trust tax reform being one of the most important legislative reform issues for small business.

Crowe Horwath National Tax Director, Tristan Webb, said that the government has stated it is committed to helping small business and therefore should put trust tax reform as a top order priority.

Interim legislation handed down by the previous government in response to the High Court decision in the Bamford case of 2010 was “only ever intended to be a stop gap.”

“We are surprised that the government has indicated that it will move on 92 announced but unlegislated measures but has left reform of the taxation of trusts out.

“Our 16,000 trust clients rightfully expect certainty in their business, farm and investment dealings. The government should act or at least indicate the direction that they want to move so that our clients can forget about tax and get on with business,” he said.

Two years since the legislation came into effect clear deficiencies have emerged with this legislation.

The Australian Tax Office is currently refusing to finalise a key public ruling on the basis that there are several competing views that relate to key aspects of the legislation, each of which may be correct at law.

The taxation of trusts has been a contentious issue for respective governments.

The Howard government originally supported taxing trusts as companies but moved away from this proposal.

The Rudd-Gillard government favoured maintaining the status quo post Bamford but legislation purporting to do that has come up short.

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Peak retail industry body the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) thanks Australian shoppers for their patience and courtesy in what were bumper Boxing Day sales, with more than an expected $2 billion going through retail tills.

ARA Executive Director Russell Zimmerman said Australian retailers saw unprecedented crowds yesterday with many stores forced to restrict entrance due to the sheer number of people already in store.

“Shoppers remained patient and understanding as they hit stores in the hope of bagging a post-Christmas bargains.

“Many shoppers spent hours waiting in lines – lining up to get into the store and lining up to make their purchases.

“The ARA would also like to acknowledge the dedication and hard work of all retail workers throughout the Christmas period, but particularly on what was undeniably a huge Boxing Day.

“Rather than spending time with family and friends, retail staff are at the coal face, as shopper navigate crowded stores.

“If sales continue like those we saw yesterday throughout the post-Christmas period, the 15.1 billion predicted in sales will be exceeded.

“The ARA and research partner Roy Morgan Research forecast $15.1 billion to be spent during post-Christmas sales from Boxing Day through to mid January – an almost four percent rise on last year’s actual sales of $14.5 billion,” Mr Zimmerman said.

Since 1903, the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) has been the peak industry body representing Australia’s $258 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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It is time for the East-West Link protesters to stop disrupting lawful work on this very important project,” says VECCI Chief Executive Mark Stone.

“No one has the right to interfere with another person’s right to attend and perform their daily work free from harassment or the right of a business to engage in lawful operations, but this is exactly what the protesters continue to do. They are also continuing to divert the resources of the Victorian Police away from core operations and are placing the individual police officers in attendance in very difficult and unpleasant circumstances.

“There is nothing wrong with protesting as long as it is done peacefully, lawfully and does not infringe upon the right of others to engage in lawful activity.

“It seems incredible that at a time when workers in the vehicle manufacturing industry and its supply chain face an uncertain future, a small group of protesters seek to delay work on a project that will create thousands of jobs and improve the lives of commuters and business operators alike for decades to come.

“VECCI maintains its strong support for the East-West Link and wants the road in its entirety built. This includes the next stages that would link to the Port of Melbourne and the Western Ring Road. With closures of the Burnley and Domain tunnels for maintenance and the annual works on the Westgate Bridge due to commence shortly, the need for a second river crossing of Melbourne is self-evident. VECCI also supports the Melbourne Metro Rail tunnel, the removal of level crossings, the development of the Ports of Melbourne and Hastings and the completion of the Western Ring Road upgrade as part of a suite of major infrastructure projects of fundamental importance to securing Victoria’s long term prosperity.

“There are legitimate ways to protest that don’t impact on the right of others to go about their work peacefully. It is time for the noisy minority disrupting the East-West project to recognise and respect this.”

www.vecci.org.au 

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AFTER 18 months of uncertainty, the Bowen community may finally have something to celebrate with yesterday’s announcement by federal Environment Minister Greg Hunt approving development of the Adani T0 project and capital dredging at the Abbot Point coal terminal.

Minister Hunt also issued approval for the Arrow LNG facility on Curtis Island near Gladstone and associated gas transmission pipeline.

Welcoming the announcements, Queensland Resources Council Chief Executive Michael Roche congratulated Minister Hunt for using the weight of scientific evidence to put Queenslanders ahead of increasingly hysterical environmental activists.

"The staged dredging of a commercial trading port 40 kilometres from the Great Barrier Reef has been painted by fossil fuel opponents as the end of a global icon," Mr Roche said.

"Minister Hunt’s decision confirms what we have known for the past 38 years of industry co-existence with the reef. We have the wherewithal in Australia to protect world heritage and environmental values because we have a standard of living that affords us such choices.

"The trading ports working alongside the Great Barrier Reef are responsible for the export of commodities worth $40 billion a year to the Australian economy.

"North Queenslanders are also looking to them to play a bigger role in supporting inbound tourism, particularly the cruise ship industry.

"The alternative proposal from environmental activists is to shut down shipping along 80 percent of the eastern Queensland coastline, effectively hanging almost one million people out to dry.

"The conditions set out today for both projects by Minister Hunt show the federal government is serious about protecting the outstanding universal values of the Great Barrier Reef and he can be assured of the continuing cooperation of industry stakeholders of meeting environmental and community expectations," Mr Roche said.

www.qrc.org.au

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In response to the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook report released on Tuesday, Council of Small Business of Australia (COSBOA) is calling on Joe Hockey to keep tax breaks in place for Small Business to help keep the economy moving and rebuild tax receipts.

COSBOA is pleased with the attention that Small Business has received in 2013 but this positive sentiment needs to be matched with action and policy. Recently, the coalition said that it would repeal some of the former Labour Government’s tax concessions including the loss carry-back and instant tax write offs.

Speaking at the National Press Club, the Treasurer announced that a deficit in June 2014 was expected to reach $47 million and said that unless the Government took immediate action, Australia would be in debt for more than a decade.

Peter Strong, Executive Director of COSBOA said: “We need the Government to keep the current tax breaks for Small Business in place. A saving in the budget from removing these measures will not impact the budget greatly and will affect the confidence of Small Business people, which will be counterproductive for the economy.

“Small Business confidence lifted following the election but we need the government to maintain that confidence, deliver on promises and provide much needed support.

“While the Government has clearly acknowledged the contribution and value of Small Business, the removal of much needed tax support sends a mixed message,” Mr Strong added.

With the budget deficit now forecast, COSBOA urges the Government to develop a cohesive long term plan for the economy that includes Small Business people and supports their capacity to innovate and increase productivity.

COSBOA will continue to work with the Business Council of Australia (BCA) in 2014 following the release of their Action Plan for Enduring Prosperity, which has identified nine policy areas and 93 recommendations that aim to maintain strong economic growth, restore Australia’s competitiveness, lift productivity and support businesses.

“The BCA Action Plan is a good start to a national plan for securing the future of our country. We also need the Government to articulate what they intend to do and how they will engage and assist business people in local communities to build strong micro-economies around the nation.

“Our economy is not one homogenous entity consisting of only big business, but is made up of hundreds of small economies built around communities and industry sectors. If these micro-economies are healthy then the national economy will also prosper,” Mr Strong concluded.

www.cosboa.org.au

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