THE House of Representatives Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Sport will hold its first public hearing for the Inquiry into the Hearing Health and Wellbeing of Australia in Sydney on Tuesday, 15 November.

The hearing will focus on the treatment options for deaf and hearing impaired children. The Committee will meet with the Shepherd Centre, an organisation that provides intensive listening and speaking training to children fitted with hearing devices. Over 90% of the Shepherd Centre’s graduates enter mainstream schooling, the majority with communication skills on par with their hearing peers.

The Committee will also meet with Cochlear, the developer and manufacturer of one of the world’s leading implantable hearing devices, and with audiologists from the Sydney Children’s Hospital Network.

The Committee Chair, Mr Trent Zimmerman MP, stated ‘detecting and treating hearing impairment from an early age is vital to enable children to fully develop their listening and speaking skills. The Committee will be investigating the options available to the families of  deaf and hearing impaired kids and how Government can ensure that all children have the opportunity to receive the best treatment available’.

Further information about the Committee’s inquiry, including the program for the public hearing are available on the Committee’s website.

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THE Institute of Public Accountants Deakin University SME Research Centre launched this week, is intent on ensuring that small business productivity and wellbeing remains a focal point within Australia’s economic agenda.

Speaking at the launch, IPA chief executive officer, Andrew Conway said that the emergence and evolution of the research centre comes at a critical time for the Australian economy.

“For too long it has been too easy for too many to claim to represent small business interests without concrete evidence. The IPA Deakin SME Research Centre changes that significantly,” said Mr Conway.

“We have already seen the impact of the publication of the first ever Australian Small Business White Paper. Our publication is generating a new level of public policy discourse that shifts the focus from the duality of government being seen as both the cause of small business regulation and the panacea.

“We know there are no easy fixes but what is important is robust, evidence-based policy input that draws on the combined wisdom of accountants as trusted advisers, regulators, policy makers and most importantly small businesses themselves. 

“We have to move the language, and we believe we have, away from small business as the "engine room" and "backbone".

“Small business is not just the engine room. Small business is the fuel, the labour, the foundation, the entire plant and equipment.

“And small business is not just the backbone; it is the circulatory and nervous system of the economy. Moreover, small businesses keep our communities and families going.

“We have an obligation to understand their drivers, their challenges and assist them to realise their potential. Through the realisation of their potential, we will realise our collective potential.  These factors will be key drivers for our SME research centre,” said Mr Conway.

publicaccountants.org.au

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THE Standing Committee on Employment, Education and Training has launched a new inquiry into Innovation and Creativity: Workforce for the New Economy

The inquiry is a re-referral of a similar inquiry started by the Standing Committee on Education and Employment in the 44th Parliament. That inquiry lapsed when the Parliament was dissolved in May this year. The revised terms of reference have a renewed emphasis on public and not-for-profit incubators and accelerators, doctoral training practices and opportunities for generating increased economic activity through greater synergies among publicly funded research agencies and can be found here.

Committee Chair Mr Andrew Laming MP said continuing the work started in the last Parliament was important.

“An innovative and creative approach to building businesses will be a key to employing people in the future. I look forward to engaging with innovative businesses during the course of this inquiry.” Mr Laming said.

Committee Deputy Chair Ms Terri Butler MP endorsed this view.

“Innovation and creativity will be the key to educating people to be ‘job ready’ in the future. We need to find out what changes need to be made so that our education system inspires our next generation of innovators and creative thinkers,” Ms Butler said.

Issues the Committee has been asked to look into include:

• The extent to which students are graduating with the skills needed for the jobs of today and of the future;
• laws and regulations that may act as a barrier to education providers being able to offer qualifications that meet the needs of the new economy and fastest growing sectors;
• Factors that discourage closer partnerships between industry; in particular small and medium enterprises, the research sector and education providers;
• Opportunities for generating increased economic activity, including further investment and jobs, through greater synergies among publicly funded research agencies, universities and other Australian research institutions with businesses and industry; and
• Relationships between tertiary education entrepreneurship programs and public, private and not-for-profit incubators and accelerators.

Submissions are open until 13 January 2017. Please notify the This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you intend to make a submission.

Further information on the inquiry, including the full terms of reference, is available on the Committee website.

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THE new 10 Year Sector Competitiveness Plan for Australia’s mining equipment, technology and services (METS) industry provides a clear roadmap for the development of a sector that is poised to drive significant economic and employment opportunities for Australia, says national resource employer group AMMA

Launched today at the International Mining and Resources Conference (IMARC), the 10 year plan is the result of extensive research by industry-led ‘growth centre’ METS Ignited in consultation with federal and state governments, industry peak bodies, and Australia’s national resource industry employer association, AMMA.

“Australia has an opportunity to be at the fore of an increasingly important global industry that is driving technology advancements, productivity and efficiency improvements across all key resource markets,” says AMMA head of policy Scott Barklamb.

“Australia’s resource riches, long established and highly innovative resource industry, and world leading education and research position our country to be global leader in this exciting area.

“AMMA congratulates METS Ignited on providing industry and government with a comprehensive plan for the future of Australia’s METS sector.”

AMMA strongly supports the five work programs identified in the 10 Year Competitiveness Plan:

• Aligning the strategies of METS providers, miners and research institutions to ensure future innovations are driven by customer demand and industry needs.
• Developing a stronger sense of value and brand identity for Australia’s METS sector.
• Increasing the participation of Australian METS companies in domestic and global supply chains.
• Providing platforms, both virtual and physical, for METS companies and researchers to come together to tackle practical problems for resource producers.
• Supporting skills and employability to ensure Australia’s technical capabilities keep pace with evolving technical and industry demands.

“As a contributor to the 10 Year Plan, AMMA looks forward to continuing to work with METS Ignited, particularly in our key areas of expertise across productivity, social licence to operate, skilling, human resources and other people-related matters,” Mr Barklamb continues.

“Governments and regulators also have a significant role to play in reforming regulatory processes that impose unnecessary costs and compliance burdens on Australia’s METS industry.

“This includes an unproductive and often cumbersome workplace relations system, inconsistencies in OHS laws, serious issues in exploration and mining project approvals, and a lack of protection against increasing vexatious environmental and social activism.”

Click here to visit the METS Ignited website and download its 10 Year Sector Competitiveness Plan.

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