CHANGES TO LENDING markets over the last decade means there are now a wide range of finance options available for small businesses that don’t require property as security, according to a new report by the Productivity Commission.

“Every year, one in six small and medium enterprises (SMEs) seeks finance to fund and grow their business. Traditional SME loans are usually secured by property. But spurred by new technology and new data, lenders now have more capacity and confidence to lend to SMEs using other forms of collateral or even lending unsecured,” Productivity Commissioner Catherine de Fontenay said.

There are 2.4 million SMEs in Australia employing more than 7.4 million Australians.

“These businesses are the engine room of the Australian economy and a healthy small business sector is vital to the economy, especially as we recover from the COVID pandemic,” Commissioner de Fontenay said.

The report points to a significant evolution in the lending market for SMEs over the last decade, driven by technology and new business models.

While SMEs still mainly obtain their finance from the major banks, there is now a much broader range of products available from traditional and new lenders.

“A broader range of products can provide SMEs with finance more quickly and flexibly, allowing them to seize opportunities. Some SMEs may even be able to borrow for the first time,” Productivity Commissioner Malcolm Roberts said.

SMEs may not be aware of all their lending options and may not feel confident about new options. Brokers can help match them with appropriate lending options.

“Finding the right product may be challenging, but the benefits can be significant,” Commissioner Roberts said.

The report found the finance market is increasingly competitive, which will drive further improvements in access to finance for SMEs.

The full report on Small business access to finance: The evolving lending market can be found at: www.pc.gov.au.

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THE Queensland Resources Council (QRC) has welcomed the Federal Government’s decision to encourage new investment in Queensland’s critical minerals sector through a $2 billion loan facility.

QRC chief executive Ian Macfarlane said the loan facility would help secure the vital resources needed to drive the new energy economy and support ‘green’ resources jobs of the future.

"The announcement of a new, $2 billion loan facility for critical minerals projects will help convert exploration interest into long-term job opportunities and support Australia’s transition to a lower emissions future,” Mr Macfarlane said.

A recent International Energy Agency (IEA) report -- referred to in the QRC’s State of the Sector report for the March quarter -- showed that a concerted effort to reach the goals of the Paris Agreement would lead to a quadrupling of mineral demand for clean energy technologies by 2040.

“The IEA report demonstrates Queensland explorers and potential explorers are in a prime position to capitalise on growing global interest in our minerals sector,” Mr Macfarlane said.

“Queensland mineral exploration expenditure has already grown by 32 percent over the past two financial years, according to the latest ABS exploration data, and we expect today’s announcement will help Queensland capitalise on the increased activity.”

Queensland Exploration Council (QEC) chair Kim Wainwright said Queensland had a range of critical mineral exploration projects underway that would support the world’s transition to lower emission energy.

“Queensland is highly prospective for many of the minerals used to manufacture everyday items such as smart phones, and renewable energy products like wind turbines, electric cars, solar panels and batteries,” Ms Wainwright said.

“For example, we have some critical minerals projects underway involving commodities such as vanadium, tungsten and rare earths as well as the more traditional minerals required like copper, gold and zinc, but the sector will need to expand further to realise its full potential.”

Ms Wainwright said the Queensland Government’s approval of Multicom Resources’ Saint Elmo vanadium mine near Julia Creek last week was a sign of more to come, with vanadium an in-demand component used to strengthen steel alloys and vanadium batteries, which complement lithium battery options.

“Queensland is in prime position to provide the rare earths and other critical minerals that are essential to the supply chains of the new economy minerals,” she said.

www.qrc.org.au

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THE Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) has backed the passage of urgent reforms as part of a proposed two-step approach to protect Australia’s critical infrastructure from cyber threats. 

In its Advisory report on the Security Legislation Amendment (Critical Infrastructure) Bill 2020 and Statutory Review of the Security of Critical Infrastructure Act 2018 tabled in late September, the committee has recommended that emergency powers be swiftly legislated in a standalone bill, with a second, separate bill to be introduced following further consultation.

This recommended two-step approach will enable the quick passage of laws to counter looming threats against Australia’s critical infrastructure, while giving businesses and government additional time to co-design the most effective regulatory framework to ensure long-term security of our critical infrastructure.

The PJCIS has made 14 recommendations in relation to the Bill, including proposing a split in the current proposed framework into two amended Bills:

• Bill One for rapid passage – to expand the critical infrastructure sectors covered by the Act, introduce government assistance measures to be used as a last resort in crisis scenarios as well as mandatory reporting obligations; and
• Bill Two for further consultation – including declarations of systems of national significance, enhanced cyber-security obligations and positive security obligations which are to be defined in delegated legislation

Chair of the committee, Senator James Paterson, said, “The committee received compelling evidence that the complexity and frequency of cyber-attacks on critical infrastructure is increasing globally. Australia is not immune and there is clear recognition from government and industry that we need to do more to protect our nation against sophisticated cyber threats, particularly against our critical infrastructure.

“However, as the regulatory framework is still undergoing co-design with each of the eleven sectors and will not be finalised until after passage of the bill, many businesses have expressed concern about this uncertainty and asked for the entire bill to be paused in the current economic climate.

“While sympathetic to the concerns of industry leaders, the committee does not believe that pausing the entire bill is in Australia’s national interests given the immediate cyber threats that our nation faces.

“The committee’s recommended solution allows for the urgent measures to pass now to equip the government with the emergency powers it needs while allowing additional time for co-design to overcome the concerns of industry about the regulatory impact.

“The passage of both bills is essential because cyber-security is not just the government’s job. Industry has a role to play too and the second bill which imposes obligations on businesses is an important part of a comprehensive response to the serious challenges we face,” Senator Paterson said.

Further information on the inquiry as well as a copy of the report can be obtained from the inquiry website.

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LAST YEAR’s eCommerce boom, after Australia went into lockdown, has continued well into 2021 while restrictions across the states continues. This year, with Victoria and NSW likely to continue lockdowns into the third quarter of the year, parcel delivery service CouriersPlease (CP) is forecasting a second parcel boom before Christmas.

Between March and May 2020, CP experienced an 80 percent spike in parcel volumes on the previous year. After lockdowns ended and restrictions began to ease, parcel volumes stabilised to a level that was still 53 percent higher than in 2019.

October to December is peak period for the logistics industry, given the popularity of major shopping events such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday, as well as Christmas shopping.

At CP, parcel volumes grew to more than 4.6 million in 2019, an increase of just 1 percent (52,000 parcels) on the 2019 September quarter. During last year’s December quarter, however, CP handled more than 8 million parcels. While this was a 4 percent increase in volumes (340,000 parcels) on the 2020 September quarter, it amounted to a significant 71 percent growth on the 2019 December quarter.

This year, from June 25 when Sydney went into lockdown, CP was well on its way to surpassing 2020 December quarter volumes while lockdowns continue, delivering more than 5.6 million parcels in just eight weeks. As a result, the company expects a further 30 percent growth in the December quarter compared with the same period last year.

This is about 2.4 million more parcels than the company delivered last December quarter, and 122 percent (5.7 million parcels) more than the 2019 December quarter.

CouriersPlease chief operations officer, Phil Reid said, “We’ve has continued to experience a surge in parcel volumes and the current lockdowns have seen volumes soar to the levels we see during peak periods.

“Since last year’s boom, we expanded the business rapidly, doubling our franchisee network and hiring hundreds more delivery drivers. However, volumes continue to soar to record levels, and a second parcel boom this November and December is inevitable.

"We are preparing for a more than 30 percent increase in volumes during this period and have already started recruiting more warehouse staff and delivery drivers where possible.

“It is important for shoppers to understand that couriers across the country are delivering more parcels than ever before, particularly as lockdowns continue in Australia’s two largest cities. While it is a challenge for the industry to keep up and deliver within timeframes, we do know how frustrating it can be for those waiting to receive essential and urgent items.

"There are several recommendations retailers can share with their customers to minimise delivery delays. However, preparing for potential delays remains important and shoppers should pay particular attention to notifications from couriers, who are updating delivery timeframes and communicating delays to the best of their ability.”

About CouriersPlease

CouriersPlease (CP) is a leading courier and freight service that delivers tens of millions of parcels each year. CP offers a network of pick up and drop off locations comprising more than 3500 lockers in 45 locations and more than 1000 retail outlets to enable consumers and businesses to pick up or post their parcels more securely and out of hours. Owned by Singapore Post (SingPost), a leader in eCommerce logistics in the Asia Pacific and USA, CP’s international and domestic air services connect customers to countries all around the world. couriersplease.com.au

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