MELBOURNE will host its first Retail Week from today (Monday), as we welcome 10,000 retail industry delegates to celebrate our thriving retail industry and collaborate on new ways to ensure its profitability.

Acting Lord Mayor Arron Wood said the event has previously been based in Sydney.

“Australia’s fashion and shopping capital is looking forward to hosting Retail Week for the first time in 2018 as we welcome 10,000 industry delegates to a range of events that will inspire collaboration, innovation and excellence,” the Acting Lord Mayor said.

“Retail Week is the latest recognition of Melbourne’s growing identity as a globally sought after retail destination and comes after David Jones relocated its head office here, from Sydney.

WHEN the Institute of Public Accountants (IPA) partnered Deakin University last year to deliver a Master of Business Administration (MBA) as its professional program, there was deliberate focus on small business.

“The accounting profession continues to evolve and we want our members undertaking the IPA’s MBA professional program to be well-placed to provide the essential advice their small business clients are seeking as their trusted advisers,” said IPA chief executive officer, Professor Andrew Conway. 

“The IPA MBA has a dedicated small business advisory unit to help members, better service small business clients, extending from planning and marketing to socioeconomic factors affecting small business, including their mental health and wellbeing.

“The IPA is the only Australian professional accounting body offering an MBA as its Professional Program and we believe this will keep our members ahead of the competitive pack and help to provide the high quality, professional services that the small business owner needs and deserves. 

“The Program is structured to be very flexible, providing members with a streamlined system to achieve one of the most sought-after MBA degrees in the southern hemisphere.

“New or Associate members who have studied the six units required to complete the former IPA Professional Program, are eligible to commence the Deakin MBA at the second stage of the IPA Program which means they can attain a fully-fledged MBA in half the time and half the cost.

‘Small business clients can only benefit from their trusted adviser having this prestigious qualification.

“Globally, an MBA has the track record of increasing employment and promotion opportunities as well as rises in income,” said Prof Conway.

For more information on IPA’s MBA go to http://bit.ly/2v11huG

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AUSTRALIANS should have direct input into the decisions of their local government via digital engagement platforms according to software company, SAP Australia Pty Ltd.

SAP Australia will spruik the benefits of deploying technology to collect and analyse community data, share local government solutions to common problems and empower residents to decide on the allocation of resources, when they appear before a public hearing in Canberra tomorrow.

The public hearing is part of the House Standing Committee on Infrastructure, Transport and Cities’ inquiry into the Australian Government’s role in the Development of cities.

In a joint submission to the inquiry SAP Australia and the Regional Australia Institute argued that although government rhetoric highlights the importance of consultation and community engagement, it isn’t necessarily occurring.

“Our experience is that what is termed to be consultation fatigue, ie lack of participation which frustrates a central agency’s ability to convene the meetings it needs to demonstrate its engagement, is in fact a patronising term hiding the reality that those who do the consulting don’t take the outcomes and act on them,” the two organisations submitted, “…ongoing citizen engagement is vital for better local outcomes.”

Committee Chair, John Alexander OAM MP, said the Committee is very interested in exploring how the Australian Government can foster ‘smart’, engaged communities.

“The evidence presented to the Committee has highlighted the importance of data to informal decision making,” Mr Alexander said.

“The Committee is keen to explore access to better data to promote improved decision making and community engagement.”

Public hearing details: 5pm–6.30pm, Tuesday, 27 February 2018 Committee Room 1R3, Parliament House, Canberra

5.00 pm: SAP Australia Ptd Lty and the Regional Australian Institute
6.30 pm: Close

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

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THE Indigenous Affairs Committee will be holding public hearings in Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne in the first two weeks of March 2018 for its inquiry into the growing presence of inauthentic Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander 'style' art and craft products and merchandise for sale across Australia.

The Canberra hearings will include government agencies such as the Australian Institute for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, IP Australia, and the Department of Communications and the Arts.

The Sydney hearings will feature a number of industry experts, peak organisations, and state government agencies including Ms Terri Janke, the Indigenous Art Code, and the Aboriginal Arts Association of Australia.

In Melbourne, the committee will hear from the Victorian Government and also organisations such as Creative Economy.

In 2018, the Committee intends to travel to other urban, regional and remote areas to hold further hearings.

New Committee Chair, Ann Sudmalis MP, said “The Committee welcomes all interested parties to our hearings and encourages individuals and organisations to continue to make submissions via our website.”

Canberra public hearing details

Time:              11.45 – 12.15
Date:              Thursday, 1 March 2018
Location:       Committee Room 1R3, Parliament House

Time:              09.00 – 13.20
Date:              Friday, 2 March 2018
Location:       Committee Room 1R3, Parliament House

Sydney public hearing details

Time:              09.00 – 17.00
Date:              Tuesday, 6 March 2018
Location:       Macquarie Room, Parliament of New South Wales

Time:              09.00 – 10.20
Date:              Wednesday, 7 March 2018
Location:       Meeting Room 1, Commonwealth Parliamentary Offices, 1 Bligh Street

Melbourne public hearing details

Time:              09.00 – 13.20
Date:              Thursday, 8 March 2018
Location:       Room G7, Victorian Parliamentary Offices, 55 St Andrews Place, East Melbourne

The hearings will be broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live.

To keep up to date with where and when the hearings will be held, track the inquiry from the website. Click on the blue ‘Track Inquiry’ button and use the form to log-in or register for a My Parliament account.

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THE Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security has today presented its Advisory Report on the Home Affairs and Integrity Agencies Legislation Amendment Bill 2017.

The Bill amends the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2006, Independent National Security Legislation Monitor Act 2010, Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security Act 1986 and Intelligence Services Act 2001 to give effect to Ministerial powers following establishment of the Home Affairs portfolio on 20 December 2017.

The amendments include a heightened and strengthened oversight role for the Attorney-General.

The Chair of the Committee, Andrew Hastie MP said ‘the Committee is pleased to support the Attorney-General’s oversight role as proposed in the Bill".

The Committee made four recommendations in its report.

First, upon considering evidence from the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security, the Committee recommended that the Bill be amended so that only the Prime Minister has the power to direct the Inspector-General to undertake an inquiry under section 9 of the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security Act 1986.

Second, to more clearly reflect the Government’s intent concerning the Attorney-General’s oversight role, the Committee recommended that explicit reference to the Attorney-General be included in the Independent National Security Legislation Monitor Act 2010 and Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security Act 1986.

The Committee noted that 33 other Acts will be amended to implement the Home Affairs portfolio.

The Committee considered these amendments should be brought forward as soon as possible and, third, recommended that amendments to the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Act 1979 and Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Act 1979 to facilitate the Attorney-General’s ongoing role be introduced to the Parliament prior to the conclusion of debate on this Bill.

Finally, subject to implementation of these recommendations, the Committee recommended that the Bill be passed.

The report is available on the Committee’s website at www.aph.gov.au/pjcis.

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THE Institute of Public Accountants (IPA) has announced its partnership with the St.George Banking Group (St.George Bank, Bank of Melbourne and BankSA) as part of its suite of member benefits.

“We are delighted to form an alliance with such strong and reputable brands in the banking sector,” said IPA chief executive officer, Andrew Conway.

“Our members can access very competitive home loans or refer clients seeking home loans and mortgage advice to any of the three banks.

“This is a great advantage for our members and their small business clients in particular,” said Mr Conway.

St.George’s Head of Home Lending, Gavan Thompson, said that all of the brands were excited to be aligned with the IPA.

“We feel that our brands fit well with the IPA, particularly with their strong service delivery and community focus.

“Accountants are vital as trusted advisers to their clients and we look forward to being of assistance to them with any home lending needs,” said Mr Thompson.

publicaccountants.org.au

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QUEENSLAND’s attractiveness as an investment destination for mining has dropped out of the global top ten according to a report from Canada’s Fraser Institute highlighted by the Queensland Resources Council (QRC).

QRC Chief Executive Ian Macfarlane said the clear message is that global investors have marked Queensland down because of policy uncertainty. 

"Investors don’t like surprises, which is why the sector is always talking about the need for policy certainty," said Mr Macfarlane. 

"The Queensland Government needs to be aware investors are watching every potential change in policy as having a direct impact on the investment profile of the State.

THOUSANDS of anonymous reports from concerned members of the community are assisting the Fair Work Ombudsman to target unlawful practices in workplaces across Australia and deliver outcomes for workers who might otherwise not seek help.

Since the launch of its Anonymous Report tool in mid-2016, the regulator has received more than 20,000 tip-offs alleging potential workplace breaches.

The reports from the public are leading to positive outcomes for vulnerable workers who may be unwilling or unable to reveal their identity and approach the Fair Work Ombudsman.

In one matter, Fair Work inspectors conducted an unannounced visit at a Sydney retail business after receiving an anonymous report alleging employees received as little as $8 per hour, cash in hand.

An audit of the company’s records uncovered evidence of contraventions in relation to pay rates, break entitlements and pay slip requirements.

Inspectors issued the company with a Compliance Notice and a contravention letter, resulting in approximately $50,000 in wages and entitlements being paid back to workers.

The company also increased pay rates to ensure compliance in the future.