THE Turnbull Government has committed to establishing a national space agency to ensure Australia has a long-term plan to grow its domestic space industry.

Acting Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, Senator Michaelia Cash, said the establishment of a space agency is one of the key issues being examined by the Expert Reference Group appointed to review Australia’s space industry capability.

“The global space industry is growing rapidly and it’s crucial that Australia is part of this growth,” Minister Cash said.

“A national space agency will ensure we have a strategic long-term plan that supports the development and application of space technologies and grows our domestic space industry.

“The agency will be the anchor for our domestic coordination and the front door for our international engagement.”

Former CSIRO Chief Dr Megan Clark is chairing the Reference Group, and its review is well advanced.

The Reference Group has sought views from across the country from industry, government and society, which will be used to inform our plan to expand this important and exciting sector.

The Reference Group has received almost 200 written submissions in response to its issues paper, and more than 400 people have been consulted through roundtables in each state and territory.

Meetings have also been held with key stakeholders, including the state and territory governments.

Feedback from the extensive consultation process has overwhelmingly shown the need for the establishment of a national space agency.

The Reference Group will now develop a charter for the space agency for inclusion in the wider strategy being brought forward by the end of March 2018.

Ms Cash will be delivering the key note address to the International Astronautical Congress Boeing Industry Luncheon in Adelaide on Tuesday 26 September 2017.

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AS THE RETAIL industry’s peak representative body, the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) continues to advocate for employment in the judicial review of the Penalty Rates Decision.

On behalf of the retail industry, the ARA have been at the forefront of the Penalty Rates Decision to increase employment rates in the sector and sustain economic growth across Australia.

ARA Executive Director, Russell Zimmerman said the ARA strongly opposes both United Voice and the SDA’s (Shop, Distributive & Allied Employees Association) application for judicial review of the Penalty Rates Decision, as this would significantly stifle employment growth within the Australian retail industry.

“We are confident the unions’ application will be rejected by the Federal Court, as the Fair Work Commission found that high penalty rates impose numerous operational limitations for retailers,” Mr Zimmerman said.

“The Full Bench accepted evidence that reducing penalty rates leads to increased trading hours on Sundays and public holidays, which provides further opportunities for employment growth within the sector.”

With the retail industry already operating in an unstable trading environment, the ARA believes a reversal of the Penalty Rates Decision would further impede on retail growth and the nation’s economic sustainability.

“We are most certain that if the Penalty Rates Decision is reversed, the Australian retail industry will fall further behind our international competitors and will no longer be able to compete with global giants entering our shores,” Mr Zimmerman said.

The judicial review of the Penalty Rates Decision will be conducted by the Federal Court on 26, 27 and 28 September in Melbourne.

About the Australian Retailers Association:

Founded in 1903, the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) is the retail industry’s peak representative body representing Australia’s $310 billion sector, which employs more than 1.2 million people. The ARA 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 Australian Securities and Investments Commission has today launched its data strategy for 2017-20. The strategy, which outlines how ASIC will capture, share and use data, will transition ASIC into a more data-driven and intelligence-led organisation.

ASIC's data strategy outlines a number of data initiatives that have been completed or will be put in place over the next three years, including:

• creating a Chief Data Office
• establishing a number of frameworks and bodies aimed at strengthening data governance
• ensuring cyber resilience and privacy protection
• establishing a data science laboratory, and
• engaging nationally and internationally to improve data management and analytics capabilities.

In launching the strategy, ASIC Chairman Greg Medcraft said that good quality, well-governed data was a key foundation for good regulatory decision making.

'Our data strategy outlines how ASIC will improve the way we capture, share and use data. The intelligence and insights we derive from analysing our data will give us a better understanding of the regulatory environment, so that we can detect, understand, respond appropriately and ultimately, contribute to the financial well-being of all Australians.'

The strategy is part of the 'One ASIC' approach, which is aimed at utilising data to connect the dots to achieve better regulatory outcomes through people, processes, technology and culture and governance.

• Read ASIC's data strategy

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THE Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman has written to Amazon to ensure the company complies with Australia’s unfair contract terms legislation.

Ombudsman Kate Carnell said the pending arrival of Amazon Marketplace in Australia represented an opportunity for many small businesses to compete online and extend their reach.

But Ms Carnell also wants to remind the company of its obligation to treat small businesses fairly in accordance with Australian law.

“Some businesses are concerned about the threat of competition while others are excited to embrace the opportunity that Amazon offers,” Ms Carnell said.

“For consumers the Amazon Marketplace promises to expand choice and put downward pressure on prices.

“I’m interested to see how Australian small businesses can accelerate sales and broaden their customer base though the Amazon platform.”

Ms Carnell said analysis of the Amazon Marketplace contract terms in the United States suggested they would have to be changed in Australia to comply with federal legislation.

“From 12 November 2016, changes to the Australian Consumer Law protect small business from unfair terms in standard-form contracts,” Ms Carnell said.

“A standard-form contract is one that has been prepared by one party and where the other party has little or no opportunity to negotiate the terms.

“An unfair term is one that causes a significant imbalance in the parties’ rights and obligations and causes detriment to a small business if it were applied or relied upon.” 

Ms Carnell said in Amazon’s United States terms and conditions, the company reserves the right to refuse service, terminate accounts, terminate rights to use Amazon services, remove or edit content, or cancel orders at its sole discretion.

“This may be considered unfair as action can be taken by one party, Amazon, but not the other party, the vendor, to terminate the contract,” she said.

“I’ve requested that Amazon review the terms and conditions in use for standard form contracts in its Australian operations to ensure they comply with the unfair contracts terms legislation.”

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WHAT DO do slush funds, smart home safety, smuggling and sport have in common? 

All will be put under the legal microscope and scrutinised at the Organised Crime and Corruption Forum (18-21 September) organised by The University of Queensland’s TC Beirne School of Law and the Australian Institute for Business and Economics (AIBE).  

TC Beirne School of Law Deputy Dean (Research) Professor Simon Bronitt said the four-day event aimed to develop practical outcomes for policy development and law reform.

“The Organised Crime and Corruption Forum will see and exchange of new ideas for combatting corporate corruption, technology-enabled domestic violence, cheating in sport, and illegal immigration,” Professor Bronitt said.

“It is about bringing together people from government, industry, the judiciary, legal professions and academia to tackle four topical law issues that Australians are concerned about.

“For example, criminalising migrant smuggling and promoting safe migration poses a complex problem for criminal justice, international relations and human rights which prompts the question – are migrant smugglers criminals or Good Samaritans?”

Another topic to be addressed will be the task of combatting uses of smart technologies and connective devices by domestic violence perpetrators.

Australia’s efforts to plug enforcement gaps and legal loopholes in instances of corporate corruption will also be discussed, as will ensuring fair play triumphs in the $US1.5 trillion global sports industry.

“These are kind of challenges each of the four sessions will pose, and we believe some very innovative solutions will emerge,” Professor Bronitt said.

International experts joining UQ academics and local specialists for the Forum include Dr Federica La Chioma (Procura della Repubblica, Italy); Professor Peter Lewisch and Dr Farsam Salimi (University of Vienna, Austria); Professor Liz Campbell (Durham University, UK); and Dale Sheehan (International Centre for Sport Security, Qatar).

The program includes public lectures, panel discussions, roundtable workshops and a mini hackathon to examine the implications of contemporary organised crime.

The forum is open to the public, with one session each afternoon:

Monday 18 September 2-5 pm –  Criminalising Migrant Smuggling; Promoting Safe Migration

Tuesday 19 September 4-7 pm – The Smart Home as a Safer Space

Wednesday 20 September 2-5 pm – Anti-Corruption in the Company

Thursday 21 September 2-5 pm – Sports Corruption: Transnational Perspectives

To register online, visit https://law.uq.edu.au/occ-forum

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FAIR WORK Ombudsman Natalie James has welcomed new laws protecting vulnerable workers coming into effect today.

After gaining royal assent yesterday, the Fair Work Amendment (Protecting Vulnerable Workers) Act 2017 has now come into effect. This means new, higher penalties for serious contraventions of workplace laws and record keeping breaches start today.

New obligations extending liability for underpayment and other breaches in franchise and subsidiary networks to head offices will start in six weeks on 28 October, 2017.

The changes apply to all employers, companies and employees covered by the Fair Work Act but are particularly important for:

• franchisors and holding companies
• vulnerable employees
• people or companies who do not voluntarily cooperate with Fair Work Ombudsman investigations.

The Fair Work Ombudsman has published a range of information and resources on its website at www.fairwork.gov.au aimed at assisting all workplace participants to understand and comply with their obligations.

This includes information on who the changes affect, what the changes mean for you and what the changes are.

The Act includes a range of measures including an increase in the maximum penalties for employers who deliberately flout the minimum wage and other entitlements under the Fair Work Act 2009.

Ms James says employers also need to make sure they are meeting pay slip and record-keeping obligations.

“Businesses that don’t keep the right records, don’t give proper pay slips, or who make false or misleading records and payslips can face higher penalties,” she said.

Ms James says franchisors and holding companies could be liable if their franchisees or subsidiaries don’t follow workplace laws, so it is important for them to make sure they take reasonable steps to prevent breaches of workplace laws in their networks.

“We will be consulting with businesses about how these laws affect them, starting with a roundtable focusing on the new franchisor liability provisions early next month,” Ms James said.

Ms James said employees should be aware that strengthening of laws relating to cashback schemes means that if their employer requires an employee to use their own money unreasonably, or makes an employee give some of their pay back to their employer or another person, this could be unlawful.

“In passing the new laws, the Parliament has reflected the community’s concerns about deliberate exploitation of vulnerable workers,” Ms James said.

“The Fair Work Ombudsman will apply the laws judiciously and fairly, and work with business to ensure employers understand their obligations under workplace laws. Employers should always check their obligations, either by accessing our free and comprehensive tools on our website, or asking their employer organisation or another qualified workplace relations adviser.

“But for those who are underpaying workers, failing to keep proper records or coercing workers to pay their wages back in cash, we will not hesitate to deploy the full set of tools in our toolbox, including using the new examination powers and seeking maximum penalties from the courts.

Employees can get help resolving workplace issues and also report a workplace concern anonymously on the Fair Work Ombudsman’s website.

The Fair Work Ombudsman’s ‘Record My Hours’ smartphone app is aimed at tackling the persistent problem of underpayment of vulnerable young workers by using geofencing technology to provide workers with a record of the time they spend at their workplace. The app can be downloaded from the App Store and Google Play.

Employers and employees seeking assistance can also contact the Fair Work Infoline on 13 13 94. A free interpreter service is available on 13 14 50.

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DIABETES Australia Walk to Work Day is just four weeks away and organisers are saying “no more excuses!”. With one Australian diagnosed with type 2 diabetes every eight minutes there has never been a better time to get walking and start on the path to a healthier workplace and a healthier you.

Now in its 19th year, Walk to Work encourages employees and employers to build walking into their everyday lives – not just on Friday 6 October 2017, but every day.

Walking meetings, walking to and from work, taking a walk at lunchtime, and using the stairs instead of the escalator or elevator are just some of the ways you can start. You also have the opportunity to help raise vital funds for Diabetes Australia.

Diabetes Australia CEO Professor Greg Johnson said while family history and cultural background play a strong role in risk of type 2 diabetes - the risk is greatly increased if people are inactive, sedentary or overweight.

"With around 280 Australians developing diabetes every day – diabetes is the single biggest challenge facing Australia’s health system. Walking is one of the best ways to help people reduce their risk of developing type 2 diabetes. It also helps people who have type 2 diabetes manage their condition,” he said.

Prof Johnson said employers can play an important role in encouraging their staff to build walking into their daily routine.

“Employees who walk regularly are generally more productive, have less stress and are less likely to be sick or absent. Companies like Energizer Australia have partnered with us this year to demonstrate their dedication to the health of their employees. We hope more will follow,” he said.

Pedestrian Council Chairman Harold Scruby said: “Taking positive steps to reduce sedentary behaviour and prevent type 2 diabetes can also reduce other risk factors like stroke, heart disease and various types of cancer.

“Let’s not make any more excuses - no more ‘due to a previous engagement’. Most of us can walk at least 1km to and from work, set the alarm 30 minutes earlier and create a great example for all Australians. Regular walking helps relieve feelings of depression or anxiety and improves our environment by reducing car dependency and traffic jams - best of all walking is free!”

Start raising money for Diabetes Australia. It’s easy to get involved:

• Go to www.walk.com.au and donate directly or fundraise vital funds for Diabetes Australia.
• Donate or collect $12 for each hour you walk to represent the 12 Australians developing diabetes every hour. Download your digital Walk to Work fundraising guide from here.

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