WITH recent retail sales showing a weak trading environment for retailers, the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) proposes a 1.9 percent minimum wage increase to bring balance back into such a difficult operating environment.

Russell Zimmerman, Executive Director of the ARA, said Australian retailers are continuing to face an overwrought market and an increase in line with inflation is the best way to preserve employment within the retail sector.

“Given the constant rise in rental prices, energy costs and slow retail growth, this 1.9% increase will allow retail to maintain its position as Australia’s largest private employer,” Mr Zimmerman said.

“Last week’s January trade figures highlighted the incessant struggle retailers are facing, therefore this year’s minimum wage review needs to benefit both employers and employees working in the sector.”

With many of Australia’s best-known retailers facing re-structuring and store closures, the ARA have consulted their membership base in order to make their recommendation.

Numerous small, medium and large retailers have told the ARA that an increase in the minimum wage beyond 1.9 percent would be detrimental to their businesses, leading to negative impacts for employees.

“The ARA’s submission has outlined the difficult trading environment in the retail sector due to rising cost pressures, unsustainable rents, increasing competition and weak consumer confidence,” Mr Zimmerman said.

“With weak sales growth and wage levels well above our international competitors, it’s critical that the Fair Work Commission (FWC) acknowledge the volatile economic trading conditions when making their decision,” Mr Zimmerman said.

The ARA’s position preserves the value of the minimum wage over the recent years where wages have been outstripped by increasing price growth throughout the industry.

“We strongly recommend this wage increase remains realistic and reasonable for all businesses as our members are constantly experiencing significant cost pressures through international competition and reduced margins,” Mr Zimmerman said.

“We trust the FWC will determine the best federal minimum wage increase during this shifting period where large sectors of the economy are either in decline or receiving minimal growth.”

To view the ARA’s Minimum Wage submission to the FWC, 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 body industry, 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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THE Queensland Resources Council (QRC) has welcomed the announcement by Minister Anthony Lynham to grant four new mining leases to extend Stanmore Coal’s production in central Queensland for seven years.

QRC Chief Executive Ian Macfarlane said the coal industry continues to deliver for Queensland and applauded Minister Lynham for backing the industry and the communities it supports.

“These new leases will secure the jobs of 210 workers and deliver an extra $75 million in royalties to pay for teachers, nurses and police. What we are seeing right across the coal industry is people being employed in high skilled and high tech jobs, billions of dollars in royalties being paid to the State Government and small businesses benefiting from servicing the industry,” he said.

“Stanmore’s clear-sightedness after purchasing the mine for $1 is again demonstrated with the company looking to use existing infrastructure and equipment to develop the leases.

“The resources sector provides one in every $6 dollars in the Queensland economy, sustains one in eight jobs, supports more than 16,400 businesses, all from 0.1 percent of the state’s land mass.”

QRC’s current data shows that in 2016-17, the state’s coal industry contributed $37.8 billion to the state’s economy and supported 189,995 full time jobs.

www.qrc.org.au

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The 2018 ASEAN-Australia Codeathon, which brings together experts from around the region to work on new approaches to counter terrorism financing, will get underway in Sydney on Wednesday, March 14.. 

AUSTRAC, Australia’s financial intelligence agency, will host the 32-hour event involving about 100 technology and innovation specialists in the lead up to this week’s ASEAN-Australia Special Summit 2018. 

AUSTRAC CEO, Nicole Rose PSM, will formally launch Codeathon on Wednesday morning, with the theme ‘Leveraging innovation to combat money laundering, terrorism financing and cyber risks’. 

On Friday March 16, the Minister for Law Enforcement and Cyber Security, Angus Taylor MP, will announce the Codeathon event winners.

The Judging Panel includes, Tony Sheehan, the Commonwealth Counter-Terrorism Co-Ordinator, Dr Maria Milosavljevic, Chief Information Security Officer for the NSW Government, Dr Alex Johnston, Head of Technology, Thomson Reuters Australia, Alex Scandurra, CEO Stone and Chalk, Paul Xuereb, Secretary Blockchain Association of Australia, Dr John Moss, National Manager, Intelligence, AUSTRAC and Leanne Fry, Chief Information Officer, AUSTRAC. 

Wednesday 14 March

Opening Ceremony
7.45am - Registration opens. You will be required to present photo ID.
8.30am to 9.00am - Opening ceremony, including announcement of challenges, with celebrity MC Adam Spencer.

Friday 16 March

Awards Ceremony
7.45am - Registration opens. You will be required to present photo ID if it is your first time attending this event.
8.00am to 10.00am - Awards Ceremony, including door stop interviews.

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IN CELEBRATING International Women’s Day, Master Builders Australia is calling for more women to pursue careers in the building and construction industry to help tackle the gender pay gap. 

“There is profound community concern about the gender pay gap. Getting more women into well-paying jobs in growing industries like building and construction has a big role in closing it,” Denita Wawn, CEO of Master Builders Australia said. 

“Building and construction is the nation’s second largest industry and one of the highest paying.   It currently employs more than a million Australians but only 11 percent of them are women,” she said. 

“There are great opportunities for women to achieve financial security and independence through a wide range of careers in our industry now and in the future,” Denita Wawn said. 

“On-site or off it, on the tools or in the office or, as is often the case both, women need to know that building and construction is an industry that will welcome them and where they can achieve both financially and in their careers,” she said. 

“Master Builders is committed not just to talking but to achieving real change. Women Building Australia is an initiative to change perceptions and raising awareness so the industry can recruit, train and retain more women,” Denita Wawn said. 

“We want our members businesses to benefit from the skills and aptitudes that women bring to building and construction workplaces,” she said. 

“Master Builders has also launched a National Mentoring Program to support women in their choice of a construction industry career. It brings together women who are just starting out in their careers or are training to attain a building industry qualification,” Denita Wawn said. 

“As an industry a key priority it is ensuring that we can provide the skills that young people need and that employers want. The Women Building Australia initiative is a great example of how industry can invest in the future of its workforce and help tackle the gender pay gap,” Denita Wawn said.

www.masterbuilders.com.au

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THE LATEST quarterly figures from Queensland Treasury again demonstrate exports from resources are powering ahead and lifting the state’s prosperity.

Queensland Resources Council (QRC) Chief Executive Ian Macfarlane said the sector is a key driver of growth in Queensland and its top-drawer deposits are in high demand.

"Despite the predictions of green activists, the value of thermal coal exports surged 18 percent while the worth of LNG exports lifted 15 percent. Demand for these commodities is expanding from both developing economies in Asia and established economies," he said.

“Thermal coal and LNG increased 34 percent and 36 percent in value over the 12 months.

“A good sign the global economy is healthy is reflected in copper demand and the base metal outshone all other commodities over the three months achieving 60 percent growth. The copper story in Queensland looks good with the Australian Bureau of Statistics recording a 41 percent jump in exploration funding last week.

“Coking coal was still feeling the effects of Cyclone Debbie down for the quarter but still achieved a 23 percent increase in value over the year.

“Resources are the state’s largest export industry which last year generated more than 70 per cent of total merchandise export value and supported close to 300,000 jobs including a 12 percent lift in full-time employment.”

www.qrc.org.au

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THE national secretary of the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU)  Michael O’Connor has welcomed the decision of the Fair Work Commission (FWC) to approve the formation of the new union by the amalgamation of the CFMEU, TCFUA and the MUA.

“We will hit the ground running immediately, with the first meeting of our senior national officials this Friday, March 9, in Melbourne,” Mr O’Connor said.

“Big business has too much power, we have record levels of inequality in our community, and working families are finding it hard to make ends meet. We will be fighting every day to restore the fair go.

“What you can expect from us is a clear focus on what we have to do to turn our country around," Mr O'Connor said.

“We are absolutely committed to a change of government, to changing the rules to restore balance and fairness into our communities, and to growing our movement.

“It’s time for big business to stop riding on the coattails of everyday working Australians, time the banks stopped ripping people off, and time for every business in this country to pay tax. Nearly 700 big corporations pay no tax, which is a national scandal.”

Michele O’Neil, the Textile Clothing and Footwear Union of Australia (TCFUA) national secretary, welcomed the decision.

"The TCFUA has a proud history of fighting for the rights of some of Australia’s lowest paid and most exploited workers," Ms O'Neil said.

“The combined strength of the CFMEU, MUA and TCFUA in our new union will write a new chapter in Australia’s union movement. Ordinary workers now have a powerful new force for change on their side.

“Big business and the Federal Government should now get out of the way so we can get on with winning better pay, conditions, rights, and secure jobs for our members.”

International President of the new union, Paddy Crumlin, called the decision a proper recognition of trade union rights being directed towards the will of the membership.

“Today is an important part of the renewal of our union and of our movement,” Mr Crumlin said.

“Wherever there is a need to defend the interests of Australian workers, we will be there with them in their workplaces and communities.

“The failure of government to protect those workers from international and national tax avoidance, deregulation driven by corporate self-interest and elitism, and a continuous ideological attack on workers’ rights by many multinational corporations and service providers, means we will also be there globally with other working men and women similarly affected and mobilised.”

www.cfmeu.asn.au

www.tcfua.org.au

www.mua.org.au

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THE House Select Committee on Regional Development and Decentralisation will hear about Toowoomba’s success as a regional town on Tuesday.

The Deputy Chair of the Committee, Meryl Swanson MP, said “Toowoomba has been consistently highlighted as a successful example of regional development in Australia.  A region that is doing things well.”    

“Public and private investment in Toowoomba has led to major infrastructure projects such as the Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport, the Toowoomba Second Range Crossing, and the Inland Rail project.  Redevelopment of the City’s retail precinct has also transformed the area.”

“The Committee is keen to explore what drives this success.” Ms Swanson said.

Witnesses appearing at the hearing include the Toowoomba Regional Council, Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce, Regional Development Australia, Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise, Regional Solutions, the University of Southern Queensland, Oakey Beef Exports and the Darling Downs Hospital and Health Service.

The Committee will also conduct site visits at the Pulse Data Centre and Interlink SQ.

The hearing will be broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live and a transcript will be available on the Committee’s website.

Public hearing details:

Toowoomba
Time:                    8.30am – 1.30pm (click to listen live)
Date:                     Tuesday, 13 March
Location:             Toowoomba City Library

For the full programs of this public hearing, see the Committee’s website.

Interested members of the public may wish to track the committee via the website.

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ALLOWING the CFMEU and MUA to form a new militant 'super-union' will put the economy and jobs in jeopardy, accpording to Master Builders Australia CEO Denita Wawn.

"The creation of a militant 'super-union' is a backwards step that will have far reaching consequences for the construction industry and the community,” Ms Wawn said.

“No government – Labor or Coalition – would allow a corporate merger which resulted in the formation of an entity with the capacity to shut down multiple supply chains and effectively hold the economy to ransom. But this is exactly what this decision will create,” Ms Wawn said.

"The MUA and CFMEU appear to share a common belief that they are above the law and are renowned for using tactics such as bullying, intimidation, and industrial thuggery on anyone who disagrees with them,” she said.

"Merging these two unions into one new, militant 'super-union' will see these illegal tactics become more prevalent, giving them even greater power to coerce business, put jobs at risk and bring the economy to a standstill.

“The community has every right to question how two of the most militant unions in Australian history could be allowed to get bigger,” she said.

"It is hard to imagine any other situation where a merger with ramifications so dire would be allowed to happen, and the community has every reason to hold serious concerns about what this means for them.

“Even worse, the key partners in this 'super-union' seem to take pride in taking illegal action, believing they are above the law which applies to the rest of the community.

“There are countless decisions where courts have determined that breaking the law is part of the business model under which these militant unions operate,” Ms Wawn said.

"They simply pay the fines the courts impose and then repeat offend. With more than $310 million in assets and $150 million in annual turnover even the maximum fines the courts can impose will be irrelevant to the super-union and their ability to expand this business model unrestrained."

Master Builders agreed with recent observations of Federal Court Judge Salvatore Vasta who noted, "It seems that the CFMEU feel that they can usurp Parliament and that they can set the law in this country. There is no place for such an attitude in Australian society.”

The new militant 'super-union' and its officials now face some important tests, according to Master Builders.

"Will they embark on a new era of lawful activity or revert to thuggery and intimidation? Will they continue to think that there is one law for militant unions and another for everyone else? Will they continue to put their own interests above those of the community, workers and normal people?,” Ms Wawn said.

"If history is anything to go by, we think they'll fail these tests fairly soon."

www.masterbuilders.com.au

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