A NEW parliamentary inquiry will look into the merits of expanding the membership of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement.

Chair of the Trade Sub-Committee of the Joint Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee, Ted O’Brien, said now is the time to look at the opportunity for freer trade between Australia and potential new members.

"More trade equals more jobs and that’s precisely what we need right now," Mr O’Brien said.

"The question is, who should we be trading more with and is the TPP the right vehicle to make it happen?" Mr O’Brien said.

"We will examine the case for expanding the TPP to include new members that can commit to the existing Agreement, including on issues such as standards and market access," Mr O’Brien said.

"We want to examine whether the TPP can be a vehicle to realise freer trade opportunities for Australian exporters as we seek to not only increase trade, but also diversify our trading relationships."

Signed in Chile in 2018, the agreement more formally known as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) is a trade bloc of 11 countries that includes Australia, is an export market of 500 million consumers worth nearly $14 trillion.

The agreement is now in force for most member states such as Australia, Canada, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Singapore, and Vietnam, with Brunei Darussalam, Chile, Malaysia and Peru set to join after they complete their respective ratification processes. Importantly for Australia, this Agreement delivered its first ever trade deal with Canada and Mexico – both top 20 economies in the world.

"As an example of one sector benefitting from the CPTPP, near $500 million or 16 percent of Australia’s wine exports in 2019 went to CPTPP countries and winemakers are now benefitting from elimination of all Canada's tariffs on wine," Mr O’Brien said.

Submissions from any person, businesses or organisations with an interest in the issues raised by these terms of reference are welcome. Submissions addressing all or some of the terms of reference should be lodged by February 18, 2021.

Further details about the about the inquiry, including terms of reference, details on how to contribute a submission and, when available, details of public hearings and roundtable discussions, can be obtained from the Committee’s website.

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EMPLOYERS need to educate themselves on all aspects of the new JobMaker scheme to avoid discriminating against older workers, according to Employsure, Australia’s largest workplace relations advisor to more than 28,000 small and medium-sized enterprises.

The JobMaker wage subsidy, which has been designed to avoid youth unemployment and boost the job prospects of those aged 16 to 35 years old, has officially passed Parliament.

The hiring credit will allow employers to receive $200 per week if they hire workers between 16 to 29, or $100 a week for workers hired between 30 to 35. The money will be paid quarterly by the ATO starting from February.

“This is a big win for small business owners and will help assist them in their recovery, after a year of financial struggle brought on by COVID-19,” said Employsure managing director Ed Mallett.

“JobMaker will help provide that bit of extra support for employers who desperately need any help they can get and will assist in bringing more young people back into the workforce.”

Since the details of the scheme were announced in the October budget, there have been concerns raised by some groups, including Federal Labor, that it would lead to older workers being let go and replaced by younger staff.

However, to qualify for the scheme, employers will have to increase their headcount and payroll, meaning the subsidy will only apply to new recruits, and employers can’t simply replace older staff with a younger worker.

The prospective employee must also be already receiving a government payment such as JobSeeker or Youth Allowance for at least one of the three months prior to their date of employment and must work at least 20 hours of paid work a week.

“This is a complex scheme, and employers need to ensure they are abiding by all aspects of it before attempting to take on anyone new,” Mr Mallett said.

“SMEs need to know their obligations while abiding by discrimination laws. What we don’t want to see is employers being caught out by letting go of older staff for the sake of hiring new people.

“An employer can land themselves in hot water under either the Fair Work Act or various anti-discrimination bodies if they fire someone due to their age, regardless of their intention.

“The scheme also only applies to workers who have been hired since October 7, so employers who haven’t hired anyone since then need to know they won’t be eligible until they bring in someone else new.

“JobMaker has been designed to help keep struggling businesses open by allowing them to hire younger staff to help in their rebuild. As long as they abide by the rules, this could be that bit of extra support needed to start 2021 on the front foot,” he concluded.

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THE Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) and the Master Builders Association (MBA) are uniting to develop proposals that will help strengthen homes and communities against natural disasters. 

The industry groups have heeded key findings from the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements and will host a series of roundtable discussions to create a pathway towards national policies that improve property resilience, building standards and land-use planning. 

The Building Stronger Homes Roundtable will enable builders and insurers to work together, harnessing industry insights from both insurance data and builders experience, to help map actions that can improve the resilience and insurability of existing and future Australian homes.  

The final report of the Royal Commission recognised the importance of mitigation and resilience, better building standards and land-use planning in protecting properties and communities from natural disasters. 

It recommended the establishment of a national body to champion making Australia more resilient to natural disasters, focusing on reducing long-term disaster risk and harmonising approaches. It also recommended mandatory consideration of natural disaster risk in land-use planning decisions and stronger building standards. 

ICA CEO Andrew Hall said, “Australians’ homes are their greatest financial asset. The Royal Commission has identified clear priorities that can reduce the risks to homes. Whatever efforts we can take to reduce vulnerability and reduce the risk of loss must be a priority for industry and Australian governments.” 

MBA CEO Denita Wawn said, “The building and insurance sectors are committed to exploring practical and effective ways to deliver better building quality outcomes that enable industry to deliver more resilient buildings and give consumers confidence. 

“This includes keeping premiums at a sustainable and affordable level for consumers and the building and construction supply chain.” 

The first roundtable will be convened in Canberra on Thursday, November 26, attended by senior industry and government leaders. Experts in science, banking and finance, behavioural and market economics will also be invited to participate in the roundtables. 

The joint mitigation and resilience roundtables will identify key national priorities for ensuring Australian homes (including apartments and social housing) are resilient, secure and insurable in the long term. They will focus on: 

• The built environment and codes;  
• The importance and structure of land-use planning; 
• Current and potential mitigation and hazard reduction investment priorities; 
• The importance of information systems, data, and coordination.

A final report from the roundtables will be presented at the conclusion by mid-2021.

www.masterbuilders.com.au

www.insurancecouncil.com.au

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PARLIAMENT’s Joint Standing Committee on the National Capital and External Territories has opened an inquiry into enabling communications infrastructure in Australia’s external territories of Norfolk Island, Christmas Island, and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands.

Committee Chair, Anne Webster MP, said, “The remoteness of Australia’s external territories makes providing communications infrastructure, technology and services particularly challenging, while at the same time even more important to the daily lives of residents.

“In addition, ensuring communications infrastructure is fit for purpose is important for the ongoing social and economic development of Australia’s external territories.

“The Committee will examine the current communications situation in each of the territories, activity underway to enhance connectivity and services, and the options and opportunities for improving availability of and access to communications infrastructure," Dr Webster said.

“We look forward to hearing from all interested people and organisations, including residents and businesses in the external territories.”

The Committee is accepting submissions addressing the terms of reference until January 27, 2021. Further information on how to prepare and lodge a submission can be found on the inquiry website. Public hearings are expected to be held during 2021.

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