PEAK retail industry body the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) lead the fight on behalf of the retail sector in opposition of the Carbon Tax and now can celebrate with the Government at long last getting its way in the Senate with the abolition of the tax.

ARA Executive Director Russell Zimmerman said the cost impact was not only felt by business but also consumers who were hit with less disposable income as a result of the tax.

“We have given direct evidence to both the former and new Governments over how much this tax impacted retailers.

“Bakeries reported additional costs at over $20,000 per annum, and these are small independent businesses, let alone the costs to supermarkets and even the roll-on effect and general energy costs hitting specialty retail such as clothing and fashion stores.
 
“There is no doubt this boost to retailer’s bottom lines and the pockets of consumers will assist the sector to overcome pressures from excessive costs and be a boost to current low consumer confidence.
 
“On behalf of the ARA I would like to thank our fellow industry groups who have fought this tax from day one, and also thank the new Government for removing a measure which undoubtedly damaged the retail sector,” Mr Zimmerman said.
 
Since 1903, the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) has been the peak industry body representing Australia’s $265 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.

ONE of Australia’s biggest public policy mistakes in decades has been fittingly consigned to the dustbin with today’s repeal of the carbon tax legislation.

Queensland Resources Council Chief Executive Michael Roche said that with the net cost of the carbon tax to the Queensland resources sector approaching $700 million this financial year, its axing would come as welcome relief for mineral and energy exporters. 

"Repeal of the carbon tax is good news for the Queensland economy," Mr Roche said.

"The carbon tax was a massive double-fail.

"It failed to achieve its environmental objective of reducing greenhouse gas emissions while loading the Australian economy with costs over and above anything imposed on minerals and energy export competitors.

"Report after report found that energy-intensive industries were likely to shift out of Australia to countries without an onerous tax on carbon."

A Griffith University study for the US-based Institute for Energy Research released last September concluded that carbon leakage was one of the most important lessons learned from the introduction of Australia's carbon tax.

The report said: "The effect of a carbon tax on emissions-intensive, trade-exposed industries is similar to a tax on exports or a tax on import-competing industries. Domestic emissions in these industries may fall after a carbon tax is imposed, but that cannot be counted as an environmental gain if the ultimate effect is that emissions simply rise overseas. The net effect is a pure deadweight cost to the economy." (link to report below) 

Mr Roche said the resources sector had argued consistently that without global alignment in emissions management, the imposition of a broad and expensive domestic carbon price would damage the Australian economy without benefit to the environment.

"Fixing the carbon tax – as advocated by the federal opposition – is not just a question of the price. 

"Dropping the carbon tax and adopting Europe’s emissions trading system would require a massive design overhaul as the European scheme provides genuine protection for the international competitiveness of its trade-exposed industries. 

"Furthermore, and crucially for Queensland, it excludes fugitive emissions from coal mining. Australia’s carbon tax regime afforded no such protections."

Mr Roche said the Queensland resources sector supported a measured transition to a low-emissions economy, subject to major global emitters and Australia’s resource competitors moving in the same direction.

"An effective policy response to managing climate change requires a global agreement on greenhouse gas abatement including comparable emissions-reduction commitments from all major emitting nations, substantial global investment in low emissions technologies and mechanisms to encourage the lowest-cost abatement.

"The Abbott Government’s Direct Action model correctly targets abatement where it is achievable through the provision of direct incentives.

"This contrasts with the approach of the former carbon pricing scheme which was characterised by a blunt and punitive tax on a firm’s entire CO2 emissions footprint, irrespective of whether the firm had the capacity to reduce those emissions," he said.

www.qrc.org.au

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THE Council of Small Business Australia (COSBOA) has announced today that Gerardine Kearney, President, Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) and Chris Jordan, Australian Taxation Office (ATO) Commissioner will deliver key plenaries at the National Small Business Summit (NSBS) to be held in Melbourne on 7 – 8 August 2014.

Peter Strong, Executive Director of COSBOA says the calibre and number of keynote speakers and attendees at this year’s NSBS reinforces the importance and impact of small businesses on the Australian economy and culture.

“We’re pleased to see so many quality speakers and attendees already confirmed for this year’s event, ensuring that small business issues remain at the top of the public and political agenda,” Mr Strong said.

The annual two-day summit will also feature presentations from industry leaders including:

• Mark Brennan, Australian Small Business Commissioner;
• Geoff Browne, Victorian Small Business Commissioner;
• Natalie James, Fair Work Ombudsman;
• Dr Michael Schaper, Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC)
• Warren Day, Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC)
• Plus many others.

Industrial relations, workplace relations, productivity for Gen-Y and Baby Boomers, and women in business are just some of the hot topics that will be discussed and debated as part of this year’s event, bringing together the country’s most influential small and big business delegates, senior politicians and bureaucrats.

Visit: www.nationalsmallbusinesssummit.com.au to see the program and register for the 2014 National Small Business Summit.

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Resource industry employer group AMMA (Australian Mines and Metals Association), statement by Steve Knott, Chief Executive.

TODAY’S passing of the carbon tax repeal legislation is welcomed as the first of several critical measures required to put Australia back on a level playing field with our international competitors.

Australia has a strong track record as a leader on important social and environmental issues, however any program to reduce our emissions must be closely calibrated with international efforts to avoid damaging our globally exposed industries and living standards.

Repealing the carbon tax removes one of two ideologically driven, flawed taxes imposed by the former government that have added unnecessary costs and risk to investing and doing business in Australia.

The next step in restoring Australia’s global competitiveness should be repealing the Minerals Resources Rent Tax (MRRT).

We need to remove the impediments that stand in the way of further development of our resources sector and secured the associated employment opportunities and economic growth.

Following that, as a nation we need to get back in the business of long-term, sustainable workplace relations reform that will address deeper issues of productivity and competitiveness and bolster our reputation in the international marketplace.

www.amma.org.au

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