22 Oct 2020 | Media Release
Tomorrow will be the best remaining chance for National Cabinet to agree to an updated Roadmap for reopening Australia so businesses can trade successfully during the peak December period and people can travel and reconnect with families for Christmas.
ACCI urges the governments at National Cabinet to release their plans for how border, travel and gathering restrictions will be eased over coming weeks as we aim for COVID Normal, in order to save businesses and the jobs they provide.
“Tomorrow’s National Cabinet meeting could be the last meaningful opportunity for political leaders to re-open Australia in time for businesses to benefit from the busiest trading month of the year,” ACCI CEO James Pearson said.
“October is the tenth month but this meeting of National Cabinet comes at the eleventh hour. We need a Roadmap now, for opening up by December, so businesses can plan to re-hire people and order supplies in a calm and orderly way, and not be caught in a last-minute scramble to be ready for pent-up pre-Christmas peak demand.
“The next National Cabinet meeting might be too late.
“In the case of tourism and hospitality, two of the sectors hit hardest and first in this recession, restrictions must be eased for the critical trading period of December to allow bookings for Christmas and school holidays to go ahead with some certainty.
“Latest hotel occupancy data for last week supplied by our members shows the rates in capital cities are diabolical compared to the previous week last year: Sydney is down by more than 60 per cent, Canberra and the Gold Coast about 50%, Adelaide more than 40% and Melbourne is a staggering 71% worse than for the same week in 2019.
“Hotels that normally run on occupancies over 80% cannot continue to survive on occupancy rates in a 25 to 40% range.”
The Roadmap will be critical in facilitating the supply and demand of goods and services over the period, Mr Pearson said.
“Businesses require clear, coherent and timely guidance regarding border-measures, hotspots and procedures. Ad-hoc and inconsistent decisions do not provide the certainty, confidence and transparency that business need in order to plan, prepare and meet consumer expectations going into December.
“Digital technologies, standardised paperless procedures, bolstered testing and tracing capabilities, and appropriate quarantine processes are key to allowing the safe movement of goods and people across the country, as well as continuous improvement in the exchange of data between jurisdictions, to enhance the prompt response to outbreaks.
“Hard lockdowns across entire cities and closed state borders are blunt tools that are not fit for purpose at a time when community transmission has been brought under control and businesses, jobs and livelihoods are on the line.
“An updated National roadmap is the tool that we need from tomorrow’s meeting to provide business confidence through a nationally coordinated plan for easing restrictions and opening up borders and travel.”
1/03/2021
An ACTU and COSBOA flexible part-time employment proposal for the General Retail Award is poorly drafted, will add more red tape and risks exposing business...
10/02/2021
Labor's IR plan would cut job opportunities Labor’s industrial relations plan fails to recognise how jobs are created and what Australia needs to retain jobs and...
5/02/2021
The foremost network of business groups from the Asia Pacific has commissioned renowned macroeconomist Dr Andrew Stoeckel to author a study on resurrecting the world trading system. The...
1/02/2021
ACCI calls on unions to withdraw their latest advertising campaign opposing industrial relations reform, and to rethink their messages trivialising road safety, violence and genuine tragedies...
29/01/2021
The Australian Chamber of Commerce & Industry has submitted a proposal to the Federal Government this week for a new financial support mechanism for businesses...
21/01/2021
The Australian Bureau of Statistics' latest employment figures indicate that Australia is on track for economic recovery, with total employment now just 93,000 jobs shy of...
13/01/2021
International Chamber of Commerce Australia is pleased to announce its thirteen nominees to the international body which arbitrates foreign commercial trade disputes. Joining the nine continuing Australian members...
22/12/2020
Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) President Ray Sputore today announced the resignation of CEO James Pearson from the nation’s largest and most representative...
15/12/2020
Australian manufacturing production is at its highest level this year with industry jobs expected to...
14/12/2020
The business collective behind a quarantine-free two-way travel bubble between Australia and New Zealand look forward to the initiative commencing early in the New Year, following approval...
9/12/2020
Members of Parliament must lay down their swords and agree to fix some key problems in Australia's IR system if we are to save and create...
9/12/2020
Enterprise Bargaining Agreement changes foreshadowed in today's industrial relations Omnibus Bill are critically important to supporting jobs and businesses in distress, but more will need to...
8/12/2020
Simplifying modern awards and providing employers and employees with more flexibility will help achieve the common goal of saving and creating Australian jobs as we...
8/12/2020
With many business owners at breaking point in 2020, criminalising underpayments and increasing civil penalties for non-compliance risks tipping the scale against people in small...
7/12/2020
Federal Parliament needs to send a message this week to encourage employers to create jobs and hire casuals by dispelling concerns around double dipping claims and the...
2/12/2020
More than a million Australians would stand to lose a quarter of their income and freedom to choose how they work in a radical push to...
27/11/2020
Business organisations from Australia and New Zealand have teamed up to deliver an updated travel bubble plan between the countries in the hopes of uniting...
26/11/2020
Australian businesses have been thrown a lifeline today in the fight against double-dipping claims, following the High Court's decision to grant special leave to Workpac and...
24/11/2020
Labor leaders and the union movement are trying to redefine casual work, putting Australia’s small businesses and jobs at risk. Today the Victorian Government announced it will...
20/11/2020
ACCI is urging state and territory leaders across Australia to immediately drop border and travel restrictions on South Australian people, after an infected pizza worker...