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Launch of Defence Industry Skilling Survey

AUSTRALIAN businesses and organisations will be given the opportunity to have their say about the workforce challenges and skills-related barriers affecting their contribution to the modernisation of Australian Defence Force capabilities.

In another initiative to assist the Australian defence industry in having the workforce with the right skills to meet future capability requirements, the Federal Government has appointed Stephen Hayes MBE, an international management expert, as the National Defence Industry workforce and skills facilitator.

Minister for Defence Industry, Christopher Pyne said that the survey was important and the Defence industry sector was not well identified in broader workforce data and many defence firms work across other multiple sectors.

By participating in the Defence Industry Skilling Survey, businesses and other interested parties will help inform the development of the Defence Industry Skilling, and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Strategy to be launched this year, Minister Pyne said.

“The survey will help us build a better picture of defence sector skills and identify trends that may impact capacity to meet Defence’s current and future capability needs," Mr Pyne said.

“The survey will also help identify priorities to be addressed through the strategy.

“The strategy will help ensure that the defence industry workforce and skills base is in place when required to support Defence’s capability needs over the next decade, and to maximise the opportunities for supporting Australian industry workforce capability, innovation, and capacity.

“It is important that we highlight what our defence industry is and does, promote awareness and practical career paths in defence industry for Australian workers at all stages of their careers, and ensure that we can retain and upskill our defence industry to build greater capability today and for the future”, Mr Pyne said. 

The strategy is an important component in the implementation of the government’s 2018 Defence Industrial Capability Plan released on 23 April 2018.

Mr Pyne said the appointment of Mr Hayes, former CEO of the International Centre for Complex Project Management, will assist Defence in identifying and assessing defence industry skills issues across government, industry and the education sector to achieve stronger collaboration and to support defence industry workforce needs. 

“Mr Hayes brings an international reputation and expertise in the coordination of complex projects and will provide strategic advice to Defence, support and consultation with a range of stakeholders on Australia’s defence industry skilling and STEM challenges and gaps,” Mr Pyne said.

“Mr Hayes will also examine international defence industry skills approaches to draw together best practice and suggest options to Defence to address the long term need for a skilled defence industry workforce.” 

The Defence Industry Skilling Survey is anonymous and will be open until 20 July 2018.  The survey is available at: https://defencesurveys.com.au/anon/2440.aspx

Further information on defence industry careers can be found at: http://www.defenceindustry.gov.au

About Stephen Hayes 

Stephen Hayes is the executive director of the Gravity Group, a global innovation company focussed on the future of work and leadership. He was the founding managing director and former chief executive of the International Centre for Complex Project Management and the founding chair of the International Complex Project Management Research Council.

In 2010 Mr Hayes chaired an International Task Force which developed the report ‘Complex Project Management – Global Perspectives and the Strategic Agenda to 2025’. Building on this extensive government and industry expertise, Stephen supports government and industry in the successful delivery of complex endeavours including the transformation of strategy execution and business performance.

Mr Hayes has a Masters of Management and is a graduate of Australian Defence Command and Staff Course. He served in the Royal Australian Air Force for 29 years and has held a military command and led the RAAF School of Technical Training (RAAFSTT), a tri-Service training organisation providing VET training for Navy, Army and Air Force personnel in support of ADF aviation.

Mr Hayes has held posts in program management, systems engineering and human resource management. He had six appointments within the then Defence Materiel Organisation including as Director Maritime Aircraft Project and Director Emerging Aerospace Projects, in addition to a project management exchange with the Royal Air Force. Stephen Hayes' project management work in the United Kingdom was recognised with the honour of being made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1996. He also received the United States Defence Acquisition University President’s Medal for international leadership in the field of complex project management.

Mr Hayes was responsible for the development and delivery of the Australian Department of Defence’s Complex Project Management initiatives. These included the competency standard for complex project managers, the Executive Masters in Complex Project Management and formation of the International Centre for Complex Project Management.

Stephen Hayes was the chair of the Global Access Partners (GAP) Taskforce on Leadership in Education and a member of GAP Australian National Task Force on Cyber Security. He is currently a member of the GAP National Standing Committee on Digital Trade. SMr Hayes also provides strategic advice as a member of a number of corporate boards that have included the Corporate Advisory Group of Victoria Police and Queensland University of Technology’s Graduate School of Business.

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Govt consults with industry on Land 400 Phase 3 vehicles

DEFENCE is seeking input from Australian industry on the proposed tender timeline for Land 400 Phase 3. 

The acquisition of mounted close combat vehicle capability through the tender will be one of Army’s largest purchases.

Minister for Defence Industry, Christopher Pyne said consulting on the draft timeline would lead to a smoother and better informed tender process reducing the cost of tendering to industry.

“Just as with the Phase 2 Combat Reconnaissance Vehicles, Australian industry involvement and Australian workers will be critically important to this project,” Mr Pyne said.

“This project is another exciting opportunity for Australian industry to deliver leading edge technology in support of the Army.”

Minister Pyne said the government was committed to investing in advanced vehicles that are better equipped to meet the range of current and emerging threats which are becoming more lethal and sophisticated.

“This multi-billion dollar project will replace Army’s M113 Armoured Personnel Carriers with a fleet of up to 450 modern Infantry Fighting Vehicles and 17 Manoeuvre Support Vehicles,” Mr Payne said.  

“These will provide new levels of protection, firepower, mobility and enhanced communications. The new vehicles are expected to enter into service by the mid-2020s.

“The proposed tender timeline identifies key milestones in the tender evaluation. We welcome industry’s feedback on the timeline to better enable both industry and defence to plan for this significant boost to capability.”

The government provided First Pass approval for Land 400 Phase 3 on 13 March 2018 to acquire the Infantry Fighting Vehicle and Manoeuvre Support Vehicle capabilities.

The opportunity to review and comment on the timeline will remain available until Monday, 9 July, 2018 and can be viewed at: http://www.defence.gov.au/casg/EquippingDefence/Land400.

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House Economics Committee to scrutinise ASIC

THE House of Representatives Standing Committee on Economics will scrutinise the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) as part of its review of the performance of Australia’s corporate, market and financial system regulator.

Committee chair, Sarah Henderson MP, said "given there are legitimate community concerns about misconduct in the financial sector, the hearing provides a timely opportunity for the Committee to scrutinise ASIC on its performance and operation".

Ms Henderson commented, "The Government has recently announced a range of measures to strengthen ASIC, including increased criminal and civil penalties for corporate misconduct, and new powers to strip wrongdoers of profits.

"The Government is also taking action to protect consumers, by placing new design and distribution obligations on financial service providers to ensure their products are appropriately marketed and sold," Ms Henderson said.

ASIC is an independent Commonwealth statutory authority whose role is to administer the Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001 (ASIC Act), the Corporations Act 2001 (Corporations Act) and a range of additional legislation.

ASIC’s aims include promoting investor and financial consumer trust and confidence, ensuring fair, orderly and transparent markets, and providing efficient and accessible registration for businesses and companies.

Ms Henderson said,"As this will be the first time the new chairman of ASIC, James Shipton, has appeared before the committee, it will be a chance to question the chair on his priorities."

Public Hearing Details:

Time:               8.30am to 11am

Date:               Friday 22 June 2018

Venue:             Committee Room 2R1, Parliament House, Canberra

The hearing will be broadcast live at www.aph.gov.au/live

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SMSF audit cycle: more than one way to skin a rabbit say accountants

THE ASSERTION that moving self-managed superannuation funds’ (SMSF) annual audits to a three-year cycle will reduce compliance costs for trustees may be flawed; or it could be a cost deferral at best, according to the Institute of Public Accountants (IPA).

“The Government’s proposal to change the annual audit requirement to a three-yearly cycle for SMSFs with a history of good record-keeping and compliance may be very well intended but could well be misdirected,” said IPA chief executive officer, Andrew Conway.

“There are other ways to reduce the red tape involved in managing SMSFs.

“A well-functioning SMSF sector is a by-product of good regulation. The SMSF auditor plays a vital role in providing the regulator with assurances that SMSF trustees are playing by the rules.

“According to the latest ATO statistics, the percentage of the SMSF population with auditor contravention reports (ACRs) is approximately two percent of all SMSFs each year.

“Having one audit every three years that covers the three year period may seem more efficient but may not translate to cost savings.  The question needs to be asked if the potential cost savings, if any, are worth the risk of SMSF trustees becoming non-compliant.

“Does the Government want to put at risk the current record of good compliance?

“Not working with trustees in the unsupervised (unaudited) years may result in an increase in contraventions if this measure proceeds. Not addressing contraventions on a timely basis can result in the costs growing exponentially; as well as presenting a systemic risk.

“The annual audit cost may be begrudgingly paid by trustees but most trustees would see this as a form of insurance as the penalties imposed by the ATO for contraventions can be significant.

“Without the annual and timely audit oversight, we are concerned that the low rate of contraventions may start to reverse, for the sake of a potential small reduction in costs over time. A loss of integrity in the SMSF sector is simply not worth the risk.

“We urge the Government and regulators to look at alternative ways to reduce the compliance burden and cost associated with SMSFs,” said Mr Conway.

 

publicaccountants.org.au

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Queensland Government partners with industry to tackle waste

LIGHTING Council Australia relaunched Exitcycle, an industry-led battery recycling initiative, at Parliament House in Brisbane today.

The product stewardship arrangement was first trialed in 2015 and aimed to improve the recycling rates of emergency and exit lights. The program is supported by the Queensland Government, which recently confirmed an extension to the original program.

“With some 30 million emergency and exit lights across the country, it is critical that industry works with government and the community to improve environmental outcomes”, said Lighting Council Australia national environment manager, Roman Gowor.

“The majority of the green-emergency lights we see across all buildings are powered by a combination of older battery technologies, which often use cadmium, nickel metal hydride or sealed lead acid. In the coming years, newer generation batteries will use more sustainable components, however multiple sectors — government, industry and end users—must work together to find the best way of increasing recycling rates.

“We are very pleased with the leadership that the Queensland Government has shown on this issue.”

Today’s event included representatives from signatories to the Exitcycle scheme, recyclers, government officials and the lighting industry.

“The Exitcycle approach is successful because it is very well suited at addressing the specific waste issue," Mr Gowor said.

“Unlike a great proportion of batteries used across the economy, emergency and exit lights are not typically used in households and, by law, can only be serviced by electrical contractors.  The Exitcycle program is more targeted than other programs and focuses on electricians and facility and building managers.”

www.lightingcouncil.com.au

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New ARA poll: Australians want e-cigarettes legalised

AN OVERWHELMING 61 percent of Australians support the Federal Government regulating to make e-cigarettes, personal vaporisers and other less harmful alternatives to smoking available alongside cigarettes at retail so smokers have access to these products, according to a new poll conducted on behalf of the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) by Crosby Textor Group.

The poll found two-thirds of smokers support the legalisation of e-cigarettes and personal vaporisers and over two-thirds of all voters agree that the Australian Government should regulate, and make available, less harmful alternatives to cigarettes ‘as a way to completely phase out cigarette smoking in this country’.

Russell Zimmerman, executive director of the ARA, said regulating access to less harmful alternatives is a no-brainer for Australians, and the Government should get on with the job of making them available.

“More and more Australians are buying personal vaporisers with nicotine online from overseas, simply because they can’t buy them locally and this is affecting local retailers who are subject to an effective ban,” Mr Zimmerman said.

“The government needs to act so that responsible local retailers can compete on a level playing field and sell less harmful products for Australians trying to change their habits. Failure to regulate only increases the risks and there are currently no Commonwealth laws prohibiting advertising to children, or Australian standards for ingredients or vaporiser design to keep people safe.”

The ARA’s new poll has identified that 61 percent of voters place importance on the strain of smoking-related diseases on the health system, and 93 percent of voters are also interested in the state of the public health system.

“Allowing retailers the opportunity to sell these less harmful alternatives is a win-win, as it provides monetary benefits for local retailers and public health benefits for the wider community,” Mr Zimmerman said.

Countries all around the world including Canada, UK, New Zealand, Europe and the US, have legalised and regulated these products, which are not only beneficial for current smokers, but allow retailers to fairly compete in the market.

“It is clear that smokers are not prepared to wait around for the Government to act and improve their health, as hundreds of thousands of Australians are already using these products,” Mr Zimmerman said.

“Australians have been purchasing e-liquids containing nicotine through online marketplaces for years, and unfortunately consumers cannot guarantee the quality of the purchase and are unaware of the risks.”

 

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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National Congress calls on governments to increase Newstart immediately

NATIONAL CONGRESS of First Peoples has urged government to immediately raise the single rate of Newstart -  which has not increased in real terms in 24 years - while "the cost of living and essentials has risen dramatically".

A National Congress spokesperson said this disproportionately impacts Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, as approximately 20 percent of First Peoples receive Newstart. 

“The shockingly low rate of Newstart makes it near impossible for many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to break the cycle of poverty or find a job," National Congress co-chair Jackie Huggins said.

"National Congress calls on governments to raise Newstart immediately to enable these peoples to make meaningful change in their lives."

Ms Huggins said a single person on Newstart Allowance receives $39 per day, and most are left with only $17 per day after paying for housing.

"This shockingly low figure means that over 800,000 people on Newstart struggle to afford essentials such as shelter and food," Ms Huggins said.

"The government’s decision not to raise Newstart while giving $13 billion of personal income tax cuts has been controversial. It would cost the budget approximately this figure to increase Newstart by $75 per week, as called for by the Australian Council of Social Services’ (ACOSS) ‘Raise the Rate’ campaign. 

"Recent polling reveals that more than two-thirds of Australians support an increase to Newstart, with 92 percent of people agreeing that no-one should go without basic essentials like food, healthcare and electricity."

A number of prominent business, non-government and political figures have called for its raise, including the Business Council of Australia, Deloitte Access Economics and former Prime Minister John Howard, who established the work-for-the-dole scheme. 

"I was in favour of freezing that when it happened, but I think the freeze has probably gone on too long,” Mr Howard stated at the PricewaterhouseCoopers post-budget breakfast.

"Congress urges governments to immediately increase Newstart to break the cycle of poverty and its severely damaging impacts on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities," Ms Huggins said.

https://nationalcongress.com.au

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DTA launches new government template for digital sourcing

THE DIGITAL Transformation Agency is simplifying its contract templates to make it easier for government to source digital products and services.

As part of the Digital Transormation Agency's ICT procurement reforms, it is continuing to review the government's  policies and contracts to make sure they reflect best practice in a rapidly changing technology environment, a spokesperson said.

"This week we released the Digital Sourcing Contract Template," the agency reported. "This is the first in a suite of model contracts to make it easier for government departments to buy digital products and services."

The new contract replaces SourceIT Plus and is simpler and more flexible than the previous template.

"By using the new template, those who are buying ICT and digital products for government don’t have to reinvent the wheel each time," the agency spokesperson said. "Contracts with government for simple and semi-complex procurements will be more consistent for sellers.

"Work is underway to update and simplify the other templates which are designed to be used when purchasing hardware, software and consultancy services."

The new contract template and the additional contract templates can be accessed through the Department of Finance website.

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Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra hearings for inquiry into impediments to business investment

THE House of Representatives Standing Committee on Economics will hold hearings in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra for its inquiry into impediments to business investment in Australia.

The chair of the committee, Sarah Henderson MP, said the committee would examine how government at all levels can better support business investment in Australia.

Ms Henderson said, "The committee looks forward to hearing from a range of stakeholders and interested parties to gain a better understanding of the current impediments to business investment."

Public hearings scheduled include:

SYDNEY

Date:     Tuesday, 31 July 2018

Time:     9.15am to 5.15pm

Venue:  Macquarie Room, Parliament House, 6 Macquarie St, Sydney

MELBOURNE

Date:     Wednesday, 1 August 2018

Time:     9.30am to 1.30pm

Venue:  Room G3, Parliament of Victoria Committee Rooms, 55 St Andrews Place, East Melbourne

CANBERRA

Date:     Tuesday, 7 August 2018

Time:     9.15am to 5.00pm

Venue:  Committee Room 2R1, Parliament House, Canberra

Further public hearings will also take place in Canberra during sitting weeks. Program information will be available closer to the event.

All hearings will be webcast live (audio only when outside Canberra).

A number of submissions have been received and are available on the committee’s webpage at: www.aph.gov.au/economics.

Submissions can still be made online or by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Further information about the inquiry, including the terms of reference is available on the inquiry webpage.

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Integrating solar and storage into the grid: have your say

STAKEHOLDER input is being sought on how best to integrate solar and energy storage into electricity networks to help ensure quality and reliability of supply and lower household power bills.

Released today by Energy Networks Australia and the Australian Energy Market Operator, the Open Energy Networks Consultation Paper proposes options for improving the electricity system to ensure household solar and storage work in harmony and deliver the most value for all customers.

Energy Networks Australia CEO Andrew Dillon said the consultation built on the work of the joint CSIRO-Energy Networks Australia Electricity Network Transformation Roadmap, released in 2017.

“The huge uptake of rooftop solar systems and the increasing growth of both household batteries and electric vehicles poses great opportunity but also significant technical challenges for the distribution and transmission of electricity,” he said.

“This is changing how our energy system has been designed to work for more than a century - from a centralised one-way flow of electricity to consumer to a decentralised system where many households feed power back into the grid.

“Until now, our distribution networks have done a remarkable job as a sponge, soaking up all this solar generation and managing the growing two-way flows.

“However, parts of our networks already can’t handle any more solar and as many of the early adopters also install batteries and buy electric vehicles, we will see major electricity flows that reverse in a millisecond that could cause major problems.”

Mr Dillon said effective management or ‘optimisation’ of a decentralised energy system would not only support its safe and reliable integration into the grid, but also unlock the true value of customer investment in these resources.

“If no action is taken, it will be bad news for everyone, especially consumers,” Mr Dillon said.

“Electricity quality may degrade, with volatile voltage reducing the lifespan of appliances, investment in solar or batteries may take longer to repay as customers are constrained in the amount of electricity they can put back into the grid or they may not even be allowed to connect a new rooftop system if their local area is saturated.

“Without a proper management framework, it also could mean distributors are forced to make costly investments in infrastructure that would push up network charges in household power bills.”

Mr Dillon said there were significant financial benefits to be gained from optimising solar and storage resources.

“The Roadmap identified that getting this optimisation right could avoid some $14 billion worth of investment and ultimately lower household electricity bills by more than $400 a year,” he said.

“Optimising the local grid to get solar and storage working in harmony with the system will maximise value for all. The question we are consulting on is how we best make this happen.”

The paper is available here.

Consultation is open until 3 August, 2018.

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Aurizon coal export threat would derail State Budget surplus hopes

FUTURE State Budget surpluses are under threat if monopoly rail operator Aurizon continues with its plans to halt the movement of up to 20 million tonnes of coal each year for the next four years, Queensland Resources Council chief executive Ian Macfarlane said.

Mr Macfarlane said Aurizon told the Australian Stock Exchange in March its action to change rail maintenance practices on the Central Queensland Coal Network would impact on the movement of up to 20 million tonnes of coal per annum.

“Based on that impact, the Queensland Resources Council expects up to $500 million in reduced royalties to the Palaszczuk Government each year. Over four years, the lost royalties could be up to $2 billion. While there was reference to a likely impact of Aurizon’s action in the Budget papers, there was no estimate of the damage,” he said.

In her Budget reply speech to State Parliament, Liberal National Party Leader Deb Frecklington made the very important point that all Queenslanders would pay the cost of Aurizon’s actions.

Ms Frecklington said: “Our royalties are being threatened with a $2 billion hit because of Aurizon’s dispute with the Queensland Competition Authority.”

Mr Macfarlane said the lost royalties to the Queensland Government would mean less funds to reinvest in services and infrastructure for all Queenslanders.

“If Aurizon continued with its threat to stop these tonnages of coal, the wafer-thin budget surpluses of $148 million next financial year (2018-19), the $160 million in 2019-20 and only $110 million in 2020-21 would be quickly wiped out,” Mr Macfarlane said.

www.qrc.org.au

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