30 Apr 2019 | Archive
Comments by Shadow Workplace Relations Minister Brendan O’Connor that Labor has “no plans” to subsidise pay rises for sectors beyond child care are welcomed by Australia’s largest business network, the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, while repeating its warnings against the negative impact that industry-wide wage increases set and subsidised by government would have on business, particularly small businesses.
This followed earlier announcements by Labor that, if it wins government, it would use taxpayers’ funds to pay for a 20% wage increase over eight years for childcare workers and that it has “picked childcare workers to go first”, leading to calls for intervention in other sectors including aged care.
“Whilst we welcome the Opposition’s decision to limit Government subsidised wage increases to the child care sector, this decision still sets a worrying precedent. It has led, inevitably, to union demands for government-funded wage increases in other industries,” James Pearson, CEO of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said today.
“Employers are concerned at the impact on the viability of small businesses, and the wage setting system they depend on, of government intervention to set and pay for wage increases in the child care industry. That concern will intensify if government comes under pressure to set and subsidise wage increases in other industries.
“Hundreds of thousands of small businesses employing millions of Australians depend on an independent and impartial wage-setting process that takes account of their needs and those of their employees, not just the demands of unions. It is the responsibility of the Fair Work Commission, operating independently, to set both minimum and industry-specific wage rates, not the government of the day.
“These small businesses will not be able to compete with pay increases inflated by government forcing up wages directly in selected sectors. Artificially inflating the wages of some private sector workers and not others would have a snowball effect, with no consideration of the capacity of businesses without taxpayer subsidies to pay. This would force some business owners to cut hours, lay off staff or close their doors.
“Businesses are also concerned that wage increases set and subsidised by government will be directed through enterprise agreements. That will disadvantage smaller businesses. When a similar scheme was put in place under the government of Prime Minister Gillard, an independent review found the program “disadvantaged” small providers who have less experience with the process and were exposed to inappropriate union behaviour and interference.
“The Australian Chamber calls on the Opposition to rule out extending subsidised wages beyond child care and to assure small providers in the child care industry that their needs and those of their employees and customers will take priority, not the demands of unions.”
13/09/2019
The Australian Chamber is delighted to announce Bryan Clark, Director of ACCI Trade & International Affairs, has been appointed to the Government’s Deregulation Taskforce, announced...
8/08/2019
The Australian Chamber is calling on the country's political leaders to agree to reform our vital Vocation Education and Training (VET) system, to deliver the skills...
6/08/2019
The Australian Chamber backs the latest call for greater balance in the unfair dismissal system to better support small business owners trying to do the right...
5/08/2019
The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry welcomes today’s announcement that the Productivity Commission will focus on streamlining regulation in the resources sector. "The joint announcement...
30/07/2019
By James Pearson, Chief Executive Officer In August 1985 Bob Hawke proclaimed that the Australian government had had enough of “the Building Labourers Federation’s complete...
23/07/2019
The Government has called time on union officials with deep pockets, arrogant attitudes, and combative lawyers thumbing their nose at our laws, our courts and...
22/07/2019
By James Pearson It's the year 2030. China has overtaken the US as the world's largest economy. The fastest growing cities are located in...
18/07/2019
The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), Australia’s employer representative to the United Nations’ International Labour Organisation (ILO), says union opposition to proposed legislation...
18/07/2019
Today’s release of a report on Government-funded vocational training by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) showing a further decline in investment, reinforces the...
4/07/2019
The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Australia’s largest and most representative business network, warmly welcomes the passage of the personal income tax package through the Senate. “The...
4/07/2019
Australia's largest and most representative business network, the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry welcomes the Federal Government's reintroduction of the Fair Work (Registered Organisations)...
1/07/2019
Australia’s largest and most representative business network, the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry calls on the Parliament to pass the Government’s personal income tax...
1/07/2019
Australian Chamber – Tourism, the peak body of Australia’s tourism organisations welcomes the expansion of the Working Holiday Maker visa program. “The Australian Chamber-Tourism has...
24/06/2019
Australia’s largest and most representative business network, the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, welcomes the Prime Minister’s commitment to review Australia’s Industrial Relations system...
19/06/2019
Australian Chamber – Tourism, the peak body of Australia’s tourism organisations, acknowledges the release of the International Visitors Survey today. The survey shows strong performance for...
18/06/2019
The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry – Westpac Survey of Industrial Trends for the June quarter 2019 released today, shows a slowing in manufacturing business...
11/06/2019
By James Pearson With the final seats being declared in the federal election, the government and opposition frontbench teams in place and parliament set to...
5/06/2019
The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Australia’s largest and most representative business network, today expressed disappointment at the latest National Accounts figures showing lower...
4/06/2019
The Reserve Bank Board’s decision to lower the cash rate to 1.25% today has been welcomed by Australia’s largest business network, the Australian Chamber of...
3/06/2019
Australia’s largest business network, the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, congratulates the new Labor Shadow Ministry on their appointments and welcomes Federal Opposition Leader Anthony...