TODAY 10 coal producers – among them Australia’s largest coal producers – have filed an application to join the judicial review application commenced by Aurizon Network against the Queensland Competition Authority (QCA) in the Supreme Court of Queensland.

The coal producers who have applied to join the judicial review application are:

• AngloAmerican
• BHP Mitsubishi Alliance and BHP Mitsui Coal
• Coronado
• Glencore
• Idemitsu
• Jellinbah Mining and Lake Vermont Resources
• Peabody, and
• Yancoal.

Aurizon Network commenced the judicial review application on 30 April 2018.

Aurizon Network stated at the time it commenced the application:

“Aurizon Network has today applied to the Supreme Court of Queensland for the Judicial Review of the Queensland Competition Authority’s (QCA) Draft Decision on the 2017 Draft Access Undertaking (UT5) for Aurizon’s Central Queensland Coal Network (CQCN) on the basis of apprehended bias. This application results from the QCA Chairman, Professor Roy Green also being the Chairman of the Port of Newcastle in NSW, part of the Hunter Valley coal supply chain. Aurizon Network is seeking Judicial Review of the Draft Decision on the basis that it was affected by legal error because the Queensland Competition Authority did not afford procedural fairness to Aurizon Network due to Professor Green’s conflict of interest and the apprehension of bias.”

The coal producers have an interest in the application by virtue of their interests in, among other things, the process giving rise to the QCA’s draft decision and the outcome of the QCA’s final decision on UT5.

It is not yet known when the coal producers’ application will be heard by the Court.

www.qrc.org.au

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THE FEDERAL Government’s proposed one‑off, 12-month amnesty for historical underpayment of Superannuation Guarantee (SG) to complement the sweeping SG integrity package has been passed by the House of Representatives.  It now needs to go through the Senate and Australia needs to get on with it, according to the Institute of Public Accountants (IPA).

“Any non-payment of this worker entitlement represents wage theft; a practice never to be condoned," IPA chief executive officer, Andrew Conway said.

“However, we acknowledge that small businesses can sometimes experience cash flow issues, making them vulnerable when it comes to meeting their SG obligations by the required due date.

“The IPA supports this amnesty period as it incentivises employers to come forward and do the right thing by their employees by paying any unpaid superannuation in full.

“Employers that do not take advantage of the one-off amnesty will face significantly higher penalties if they are subsequently caught (a minimum 50 percent on top of the SG Charge they owe). In addition, throughout the amnesty period the ATO will still continue its usual enforcement activity against employers.

“We are now urging all parties to push this through the Senate and make it happen and for employers to make the most of the situation.

“This one-off amnesty should be supported to allow employers to wipe the slate clean and pay their workers what they're owed, as all Australian workers should be paid their entitlements in full.

“We also want to remind employees to be cognizant of their rights and take personal responsibility for checking to make sure their superannuation payments are being made correctly,” Mr Conway said.

publicaccountants.org.au

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THE House of Representatives Standing Committee on Economics tabled the report of its Review of the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) Annual Report 2017.

The report provides a summary of issues raised at the public hearing with APRA in Canberra on March 28, 2018.

During the hearing, the committee scrutinised APRA on its work on issues of governance, risk management and culture in financial institutions. In particular, the committee examined measures to reinforce sound lending practices and ensure that Australian banks remain prudentially strong.

The chair of the committee, Sarah Henderson MP, said, "While APRA has been working on improving responsible lending practices in the Australian financial sector, there is still a lot of work to be done in this area."

The Government has been taking action in a number to areas to enhance APRA’s prudential oversight tools. Recent measures have included: 

• the Banking Executive Accountability Regime (BEAR)
• introducing new crisis management powers to empower APRA to better address crises in Australia’s financial system, and
• proposed changes to superannuation, which will improve governance and transparency in the industry.

The BEAR will take effect from July 1, 2018, for the major banks. There will be a measured transition for smaller institutions. 

Ms Henderson said, "The BEAR will provide mechanisms to make senior bank executives more accountable and subject to additional oversight by APRA."

"Strengthening accountability measures for senior executives was a key recommendation of the committee's Review of the Four Major Banks.’

The report and hearing transcript are available at: www.aph.gov.au/economics 

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A MAJOR national poll has shown that the majority of Australians do not feel they have personally gained or don’t know if they have gained from Australia’s record run of economic growth.

Instead, Australians were more likely to report that large companies, senior executives and foreign shareholders have gained the most.

Releasing CEDA’s latest report Community pulse 2018: the economic disconnect, CEDA chief executive, Melinda Cilento said the report, based on a nation-wide poll of almost 3000, showed that government delivery of critical services and support in health, aged care and law and order are top priorities for Australians.

“The expectation that government should provide the services fundamental to the quality of life in Australia remains strong,” she said.

“Over recent decades there has been a narrative that growth equals prosperity but the results suggest that many Australians do not feel like they are getting ahead.

“Only five percent of Australians reported having personally gained a lot from our record run of growth, while 74 percent felt larger corporations and senior executives have gained a lot.

“A decade of stagnant incomes and cost of living pressures in areas like health and electricity are contributing to this feeling but waning trust in business and politics are also likely factors.

“Economic development and reform are important for improving Australians' quality of life, but if the community feel removed from the benefits or have lost trust that the benefits from growth will be broadly shared, then gaining traction on economic reform becomes more difficult.

“The poll results support this. Key issues around supporting business competitiveness, from reducing the company tax rate and red tape to supporting new industry ranked as least important for poll respondents.

“Australia’s competitiveness is fundamental to future economic opportunities. There is more work to do if Australians are to feel that their aspirations and expectations are genuinely connected to the actions and activities of business.

“Supporting a stronger, more productive economy through economic reforms and improving the way that government deliver services must go hand in hand. This will be the surest way to meet community expectations in the future.”

The poll also showed that people over 50 and those outside of capital cities were more likely to feel they had not gained at all from economic growth; the majority of Australians do not think the gap between the richest and poorest in Australia is acceptable; and more than 30 percent are finding it difficult or very difficult to live on their current incomes.

Ms Cilento said in addition to exploring who Australians feel has benefited most from our record run of economic growth, the poll also examines their attitudes to work and national and personal policy priorities.

“The poll shows that Australians generally have reasonable levels of job satisfaction, although it is lower for those Australians in the most insecure forms of work,” she said.

“Almost one-third of respondents would like to work more hours to earn more.

“This poll also shows that Australians are optimistic about new technology in the workplace, with 71 percent welcoming it and only 12 percent concerned that it would replace them.

“The top five most important issues to people were reliable, low cost basic health services; reliable, low cost essential services; access to stable and affordable housing; affordable, high quality chronic disease services; and reduced violence in homes and communities.

“The most important issues nationally were high quality and accessible public hospitals; strong regulation to limit foreign ownership of Australian land/assets; increased pension payments; high quality and choice of aged care services; and high quality and accessible public schools.

“The least important national issues were a strong private school system; lower company tax; increased humanitarian intake of refugees; less business regulation; and less restrictions on using our natural resources.

“The issues of least importance personally were access to exercise and recreation facilities; ability to move between jobs/sectors with ease; increased competition from new entrants in key consumer sectors; strong regulation of new technologies to protect people and reduced commuting times.”

Key results from CEDA’s poll include:

Who has gained from 26 years of economic growth?

• Five per cent of people believe they have personally gained a lot
• 44 per cent of people did not feel like they had gained at all
• 11 per cent didn’t know if they had gained
• Those outside capital cities were less likely to feel they had gained
• People over 50 were more likely to feel they had not gained at all
• 31 per cent of people are finding it difficult to live on their current income
• 74 per cent of people believe large corporations have gained a lot
• 79 per cent of people believe the gap between the richest and poorest Australians is unacceptable.

The report can be downloaded here.

CEDA’s report is being officially launched today at CEDA’s two-day State of the Nation conference in Canberra. The conference includes more than 30 speakers and is being live streamed via www.ceda.com.au.

Speakers include: Treasurer Scott Morrison, Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack, COTA chair and ANZ Banking Group non-executive director, Jane Halton, AO PSM, CSIRO chair David Thodey AO and Infrastructure Australia CEO Philip Davies.

The launch will be followed by a series of events in Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Sydney in July and August where additional state-specific data will be released.

To find out more about these events click here.

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WITH UP TO 15 percent of global Gross Domestic Product (GDP) lost each year to illicit trade, the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) believes more needs to be done to combat such a severe issue.

According to the World Economic Forum, US$2.2 trillion worth of global GDP is lost a year, due to organised crime and corruption.

To counter this serious issue the ARA have been working with various government organisations and associations forming the Australians to Stop Counterfeiting and Piracy (AUCAP) industry group to stop the illegal trade in consumer goods.

The ARA and AUSCAP have been working closely together recently commissioning Chris Clague, managing editor Asia and global editorial lead of trade and globalisation, to develop The Global Illicit Trade Environment Index to evaluate 84 nations around the world and their efforts in combating this scourge on the world’s economy and what we can do better.

Russell Zimmerman, executive director of the ARA, said this progressive report proves Australia is tracking well in its fight against illicit trade due to the country’s strong policy implementation.

“Australia’s approach to tackling illicit trade were highlighted in this latest Index, due to the success of the Government’s policy to tackle the $2 trillion global black market,” Mr Zimmerman said.

“Our recent initiative to combat the illicit tobacco trade, whose global value is some $35 billion annually, means Australia is well placed to support the Asia-Pacific region’s otherwise, frankly, weak performance in areas relating to Government policy.”

Although Australia received the highest score in government policy in the Asia-Pacific region, Mr Clague believes there is much to be done to build a better environment and prevent illicit trade.

“Illicit trade affects businesses, people, nations, and in the present transnational environment, and what the Index shows is that while some nations are striding forward, others are falling behind,” Mr Clague said.

"By taking lessons from the nations that have been successful, approaches to illicit trade can be strengthened, improving the situation from a business and taxation perspective.”

The ARA believes this new report demonstrates that Australia can, and should be keeping its foot on the throat of illicit trade, spreading its experience and lessons learned with international trade partners.

“The Index applauds our domestic accomplishments, but points to a lot more work ahead to build a global, legal trade system that works,” Mr Zimmerman said.

“An Australia that is strong against illicit trade, that supports its region to be the same, is a safer and more prosperous Australia for all.”

Report author, Chris Clague, was in Canberra on Monday 25 June to launch the report at Parliament House and discuss Australia’s role in shaping the progress of illicit trade in the Asia-Pacific region. To access The Global Illicit Trade Environment Index click here.

About the Australian Retailers Association

Founded in 1903, the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) is Australia’s largest retail association, representing the country’s $310 billion sector, which employs more than 1.2 million people. As Australia’s leading retail peak industry body, the ARA is a strong pro-active advocate for Australian retail and works to ensure retail success by informing, protecting, advocating, educating and saving money for its 7,500 independent and national retail members throughout Australia. For more information, visit www.retail.org.au or call 1300 368 041.

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ABB and Kawasaki Heavy Industries, both global leading players in industrial automation and robotics, are showcasing the world’s first common collaborative robot operating interface at automatica in Munich, Germany from June 19-22, 2018.

The common interface will also help address the shortage of skilled workers in many industries. In Japan for example, one person in five is within a decade of retirement.

Demand for collaborative robots has outpaced the rapidly-growing industrial robot market, as easier-to-use robots open doors to new users. The fact that collaborative robots can be programmed and operated by people without specialized training helps small and medium enterprises, in particular, to leapfrog traditionally longer industrial robot learning curves.

Collaborative robots (cobots) that can be operated by nearly any user can help offset labor shortages. Their flexibility to work nearly anywhere in a factory without safety barriers also makes them ideal for meeting sudden and unexpected demand peaks.

“The new state-of-the-art, industry-standard operating interface will accelerate the already rapid growth we see in collaborative robots,” said Per Vegard Nerseth, managing director of Robotics for ABB.

"It will give many new manufacturers flexibility and scalability, while providing more interesting jobs for the world’s vital industrial workforce.”

The interface is a result of the collaboration between ABB and Kawasaki announced in November of 2017, designed to share knowledge and promote the benefits of collaborative automation, in particular dual-arm collaborative robots. It includes a simplified human–robot interface with intuitive, smartphone-like navigation and icons.

Yasuhiko Hashimoto, managing executive officer and president of the Precision Machinery and Robot Company, Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd said: “We are proud to take this first big step together with ABB and it is entirely appropriate that we usher in a new age of collaboration automation with a collaborative approach. Collaborative robots will make a large contribution to society in making manufacturing more flexible and efficient and in keeping our factories productive with an increasingly scarcer workforce.”

A joint collaborative automation demonstration located at the East Entrance of automatica will feature Kawasaki’s unique and innovative Dual-Arm SCARA Robot 'duAro' working together with ABB’s dual-arm YuMI robot.

In addition to continued development of the operating interface, the collaboration also focuses on other topics such as common safety standards. Traditional industrial safety standards are based on years of practice, supported by very specific parameters. The goal for collaborative automation is to develop safety standards which ensure worker safety, but also allow for entirely new ways of working together without unduly restricting collaborative robots’ many benefits.

About the partners:

ABB (ABBN: SIX Swiss Ex) is a pioneering technology leader in electrification products, robotics and motion, industrial automation and power grids, serving customers in utilities, industry and transport and infrastructure globally. Continuing a history of innovation spanning more than 130 years, ABB today is writing the future of industrial digitalization with two clear value propositions: bringing electricity from any power plant to any plug and automating industries from natural resources to finished products. As title partner of Formula E, the fully electric international FIA motorsport class, ABB is pushing the boundaries of e-mobility to contribute to a sustainable future. ABB operates in more than 100 countries with about 135,000 employees. www.abb.com

ABB Robotics is a pioneer in industrial and collaborative robots and advanced digital services. As one of the world’s leading robotics suppliers, we are active in 53 countries and over 100 locations and have shipped over 400,000 robot solutions in a diverse range of industries and applications. We help our customers to improve flexibility, efficiency, safety and reliability, while moving towards the connected and collaborative factory of the future. www.abb.com/robotics

Kawasaki was founded more than 120 years ago and has been developing globally while producing revolutionary products by working together to ensure technology synergies across its different divisions.

Kawasaki is now recognized as a global leader in diverse industries in wide ranging fields going beyond land, sea and air, offering state-of-the-art technologies for environmental and energy infrastructure, machinery and robotics, and various types of transportation in marine, railway and aerospace to a leisure vehicles as motorcycles and personal watercraft in global basis with about 35,800 employees. global.kawasaki.com

Kawasaki Robotics is a leading supplier of industrial robots and robot automation systems with a broad product portfolio having shipped 180,000 robots in about 50 countries. As a pioneer in Japan, Kawasaki celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2017. As one of the world’s leading robotics suppliers, we are now transforming ourselves from an industrial to a fully integrated robot supplier. Kawasaki is a solution provider having deep application know-how through diverse business and products on land, sea and air. robotics.kawasaki.com

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CEDA’s annual two-day State of the Nation Conference continues tonight in Canberra with Victorian and NSW Treasurers to present at the National Gallery of Australia.

Day two will begin with a keynote address from Federal Leader of the Opposition, Bill Shorten.  

To see the full State of the Nation program and speaker times click here.

State Treasurers' Panel at the National Gallery of Australia
Event overview
Delivering policy outcomes for the community across a range of areas requires more effective Commonwealth-State collaboration and healthy budgets. This State of the Nation session will involve a discussion between Victoria and NSW State Treasurers on how governments face up to these challenges across the federation.

Presentation times (AEST) 
7.05pm Welcome by Paul McClintock AO, National Chairman, CEDA
8.00pm Introduction by Damian Graham, Chief Investment Officer, First State Super
8.05pm Facilitated panel discussion 

• Tim Pallas, Treasurer of Victoria
• Dominic Perrottet, Treasurer of NSW  

Day two State of the Nation speakers at the National Convention Centre​

• Gerard Brody, Chief Executive Officer, Consumer Action Law Centre
• Paul Fletcher, Federal Minister for Urban Infrastructure and Cities
• Nicholas Gruen, Chief Executive Officer, Lateral Economics
• Amanda Hagan, Chief Customer Officer and Group Executive Digital, Australian Unity
• Delia Rickard PSM, Deputy Chair, ACCC 
• Bill Shorten, Federal Leader of the Opposition
• Andrew Stevens, Chair, Data Standards Body, Consumer Right Data
• Dan Tehan, Federal Minister for Social Services

Live stream: 
The State of the Nation conference will be live streamed via www.ceda.com.au.

The live stream on day two will begin with Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten's address at the following times:
ACT, NSW, QLD, TAS, VIC  8.25am   |    SA, NT  7.55am   |    WA  6.25am 

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BP AUSTRALIA will not continue with the proposed acquisition of Woolworths’ retail fuel and convenience business, originally announced on December 28, 2016.

Despite its best efforts, BP has determined the transaction cannot be structured to meet its strategic objectives.

The decision does not deter BP Australia from its strategy to transform the retail convenience sector in Australia.  BP has a proven track record in delivering leading fuel and convenience offers to millions of customers around the world, through partnerships with strong local brands including Marks and Spencer in the UK and REWE in Germany.

Andy Holmes, BP chief operating officer for Asia Pacific, said today: “I am very confident in what the future holds and the delivery of BP’s strategy for strong market-led growth to 2021 with a continued focus on safe and reliable operations, increasing efficiency, simplification and modernisation.

“Our ambitions are underpinned by our long-standing strong relationships and partnerships. We are committed to working with our commercial partners, new and existing, to continue our transformational agenda for the integrated fuels value chain, and deliver innovation, technology and a best-in-class offer consumers expect,” Mr Holmes said.

“BP is making good on its promise and continues to grow across the Downstream. In marketing, BP has differentiated and material businesses, underpinned by strong brands, distinctive premium offers and increasing exposure to growth markets. In manufacturing, the refining portfolio is geographically balanced with good access to advantaged feedstocks. BP is also growing here in Australia with investments at Kwinana Refinery and growing midstream volumes. In retail, BP is transforming convenience with new in-store offers and leading-edge technology, like BPme.”

About BP in Australia

BP is one of Australia’s leading premium fuel retailers with around 1,400 branded retail fuel sites across the country, of which approximately 350 are company-owned, and more than 1,000 are owned and operated by our independent business partners. BP is one of Australia’s most significant investors, contributing to local economies, building infrastructure and creating jobs through our upstream and downstream businesses. BP directly employs around 5,700 people with many thousands more indirectly employed through our partners, contractors and suppliers. For more information about BP in Australia please visit www.bp.com.au.

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