THE House of Representatives Standing Committee on Communications and the Arts will conduct public hearings in Katoomba and Brisbane next week as part of its inquiry into factors contributing to the growth and sustainability of Australia’s film and television industry.

The Chair of the committee, Luke Howarth MP, stated that ‘the Committee is looking forward to hearing perspectives from industry participants from the greater Blue Mountains area, where the creative industries are a significant employer.’

"The film and television industry also makes an important contribution to culture and the economy in Queensland, where the Committee will hear from Screen Queensland and others," Mr Howarth said.

Public hearings will take place in Sydney and Melbourne later this month.  

Public hearing details

Katoomba: 10am - 11:30am, Wednesday 12 July, Blue Mountains Cultural Centre, 30 Parke Street, Katoomba NSW

10:00am     Blue Mountains Economic Enterprise
11:30am      Finish

Brisbane: 9:15am - 11:30am, Thursday 13 July, Level 36 conference room, Commonwealth Parliament Offices, 1 Eagle Street Brisbane QLD

9:15am     Screen Queensland
10:15am     Dr Anna Potter
11:00am     BMC Productions Pty Ltd
11:30am     Finish

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

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

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THE Australian Retailers Association (ARA) said the positive trade figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) represent a better than expected trade in May with 3.82 percent total growth year-on-year.

ARA Executive Director Russell Zimmerman said the May retail trade figures illustrate a positive outlook for the industry as retailers head into winter.

“Retail figures have improved from April across the board with the cold winter snap driving consumers indoors,” Mr Zimmerman said.

“Clothing Footwear and Personal Accessories figures have levelled out in May, showing a 3.76 percent increase year-on-year.”

Household Goods (5.11%), Electrical (5.80%) and Furniture (8.62%) have seen the strongest year-on-year growth with many new electronic products launched to the public in late April.

Mr Zimmerman said the late arrival of cold weather might have had a positive effect on retail sales but some retailers are still not getting the sales volume they need due to the considerable amount of discounting happening across Australia.

“Although liquor has slowed down considerably as we move away from Easter, Supermarkets, Cafés Restaurants and Takeaway Food remain strong.”

May trade figures remained steady across the board with all states showing a stable growth. Australian Capital Territory (5.68%), Victoria (5.19%), South Australia (4.90%) and Tasmania (4.53%) lead the pack with modest year-on-year growth.

While New South Wales (3.93%) and Queensland (3.07%) also show a moderate year-on-year increase. Both Western Australia (0.98%) and the Northern Territory (0.62%) might trail behind the other state still show fairly stable figures.

“As we enter the colder months we will see retail growth remain strong, giving retailers breathing room in the tough trading environment,” Mr Zimmerman said.

“We look forward to seeing consumers take advantage of the end of financial year sales in June giving retailers another boost in sales.” 

MONTHLY RETAIL GROWTH (April 2017– May 2017 seasonally adjusted) 

Household goods retailing (2.2%), Clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing (1.3%), Cafés, restaurants and takeaway food services (0.6%), Other retailing (0.6%), Food retailing (0.1%) and Department stores (-0.7%). 

New South Wales (1.3%), Victoria (1.2%), South Australia (0.8%), Western Australia (0.3%), Tasmania (1.2%), Australian Capital Territory (1.0%), Queensland (-1.1%) and the Northern Territory (-0.5%).

Total sales (0.6%).

YEAR-ON-YEAR RETAIL GROWTH (May 2016 – May 2017 seasonally adjusted)

Household goods retailing (5.11%), Clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing (3.76%), Cafés, restaurants and takeaway food services (5.26%), Other retailing (2.89%), Food retailing (3.75%) and Department stores (-0.32%). 

New South Wales (3.93%), Victoria (5.19%), South Australia (4.90%), Western Australia (0.98%), Tasmania (4.53%), Australian Capital Territory (5.68%), Queensland (3.07%) and the Northern Territory (0.62%). 

Total sales (3.82%).

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 7,000 independent and national retail members throughout Australia. For more information, visit www.retail.org.au or call 1300 368 041.

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IT IS TIME to penalise states that do not develop resources because of pressure from foreign-funded green activists, the Queensland Resources Council (QRC) Chief Executive Ian Macfarlane told the Queensland Media Club today.

Queensland and Western Australia are currently disadvantaged by having resource royalties counted against the Grants Commission per capita distribution of the Goods and Services Tax (GST).

“States that do the heavy lifting by supporting job creating resource projects and supplying the electricity market shouldn’t be worse off,” Mr Macfarlane said.

“Politicians can’t keep ignoring the science and running away at the first sign of chanting and placard waving from green activists. If you want to fall to the ideology and expect other states to provide your energy needs, then the federal government should cut your GST distribution.

“Overseas in resource rich countries such as Canada, royalty income is discounted by 50 per cent before it is added to the equalisation calculations. If such a system was adopted here, Queensland would gain about an extra $100 million a year – which is money in the bank to pay for infrastructure and services to make our state an even better place to live.”

Mr Macfarlane also called out foreign-funded green activists who use deceptive tactics along with misinformation campaigns.

“The optimist in me knows that good journalism isn’t dead and that the reason behind no fact-checking is an under-resourced newsroom – but the cynic in me sees a pattern of behaviour from the same journalists at the same news outlets," Mr Macfarlane said.

“I call on everyone to question and check everything they are told, especially if the consequences have the potential to cause harm, to health, business or reputation.”

www.qrc.org.au

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THE Australian Retailers Association (ARA) Executive Director Russell Zimmerman today joined Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to support young people entering the retail workforce with the assistance of the Government’s Youth Jobs PaTH (Prepare-Trial-Hire) program.

The ARA are committed to growing employment in the retail sector and have been working with the Federal Government to assist internships to young Australians looking to get into retail through the Youth Jobs PaTH program being run by Employment Minister Michaelia Cash.

Mr Zimmerman said retail is transforming from a stepping-stone industry into a long-term and professionally fulfilling career, with some of Australia’s most successful business people starting on the shop floor.

“We are very excited to be a part of the PaTH program. Our retailers are already major employers of young people and these PaTH internships will now provide another way that employers can give young people a fair go,” Mr Zimmerman said.

“With the diverse range of careers in the retail industry, we need our young staff to not only have basic vocational skills but also have a wide range of qualifications before they can start on the job.”

The ARA already support people entering the retail workforce through the Retail Institute’s Retail Ready Jobs Program and will now also be working with the Government’s PaTH program to place young people seeking work in the retail sector.

“It is great to see the Prime Minister today supporting young people looking for work in the retail sector as the industry can deliver a successful and diverse career,” Mr Zimmerman said.

Further information about Youth Jobs PaTH program, including internships, is available at jobactive.gov.au/path

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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AS THE RETAIL industry’s peak representative body, the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) recognised the Fair Work Commission’s decision today which requires retailers to offer casual staff part-time employment after being with the business for 12 months.

ARA Executive Director, Russell Zimmerman said while today’s decision gives retail staff employment security, the ARA are concerned the decision will reduce flexibility for retailers.

“We acknowledge Fair Work’s decision today, however we fear this verdict will significantly impact retailers as casual’s flexible hours are essential to the industry,” Mr Zimmerman said.

“Given the current change-of-hours rules around part-time employees, there is a continual need for casual employees and their flexible working arrangements.”

The ARA believes the decision will only be operationally viable if retail employers are able to offer part-time workers additional hours without incurring overtime penalties, as the procedural requirements for changes to the rostered hours of part-time employees can be unrealistic for retailers.

“The ARA believes that if there were flexibility in the hours of part-time employees this decision might have made sense, but the retail industry experiences peaks and troughs in trade which are an impediment to offering fixed hours for part-time employees,” Mr Zimmerman said.

“Retailers would of course love to reward those long-term staff with a set amount of hours per week and an option to increase those hours without paying overtime, however the existing award provisions around part-time employees, highlight the necessity of casual employees. We will be acting to have those provisions changed.”

The ARA believe the existing requirements, combined with the new casual conversion provisions, will only bring further challenges to Australian retailers who are already facing a difficult operating environment.

“Retail employees are an important asset for retailers and the overall industry, therefore the ARA will be seeking more flexible part-time arrangements through the Award Review process,” Mr Zimmerman said.

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 7,000 independent and national retail members throughout Australia. For more information, visit www.retail.org.au or call 1300 368 041.

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CELEBRATE the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples at our national cultural institutions from July 2-9.

30 June 2017

Highlights include the National Gallery of Australia’s Defying Empire: 3^rd National Indigenous Art Triennial, which showcases a diverse range of works by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists. Featured artist Tony Albert is holding two workshops during NAIDOC week, which encourage the whole family to create art with playing cards and found objects.

The National Library of Australia is commemorating this year’s NAIDOC Week theme Our Languages Matter with a collection talk, presenting some of the earliest written records of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages.

Get creative with Kalkadoon woman Ronnie Jordan as she shares her skills at the National Museum of Australia’s (NMA) traditional weaving workshop. There is also still time to see the NMA’s Evolution: Torres Strait Masks exhibition, which celebrates the rich and continuing tradition of mask making in Zenadh Kes (Torres Strait).

The National Film and Sound Archive, in association with the NMA, is presenting a screening of Mabo: Life of an Island Man, followed by a Q&A with director Trevor Graham and special guest Gail Mabo. The award winning documentary follows the life of Indigenous Australian land rights campaigner Eddie Koiki Mabo.

Below is the full list of events during NAIDOC Week:

Tuesday 4 July

NAIDOC Week Event: Collection Talk – National Library of Australia (Canberra, ACT)

Wednesday 5 July

Kids and family: Jasper Jones – National Film and Sound Archive (Canberra, ACT)

Mabo: Life of an Island Man – National Film and Sound Archive (Canberra, ACT)

Thursday 6 July

NAIDOC Collection Talk: Our Voice – National Library of Australia (Canberra, ACT)

Friday 7 July to Saturday 8 July

NAIDOC Week – Traditional Weaving Workshop – National Museum of Australia (Canberra, ACT)

Kids and family: Create space with Tony Albert – National Gallery of Australia (Canberra, ACT)

Ongoing

Defying Empire: 3^rd National Indigenous Art Triennial – National Gallery of Australia (Canberra, ACT)

A Change is Gonna Come – National Museum of Australia (Canberra, ACT)

Evolution: Torres Strait Masks – National Museum of Australia (Canberra, ACT)

First Australians – National Museum of Australia (Canberra, ACT)

Collection in Focus: Brook Andrew – National Portrait Gallery (Canberra, ACT)

Yes: The Ongoing Story of the 1967 Referendum – Museum of Australian Democracy (Canberra, ACT)

Lustre – Australian National Maritime Museum (Sydney, NSW)

Eora First People – Australian National Maritime Museum (Sydney, NSW)

For more information about NAIDOC Week celebrations around Australia, visit the NAIDOC website.

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QUEENSLAND Resources Council chief executive Ian Macfarlane has released the following comment on the Kevin's Corner coal mine in the Galilee Basin:

"TODAY the Land Court of Queensland recommended Minister Lynham grant the Mining Lease and the Environmental Authority be issued for the Kevin’s Corner coal mine in the Galilee Basin, subject to the original draft conditions.

"The GVK backed mine would inject billions of dollars into regional Queensland with 1,800 construction jobs, 1,600 operational and thousands more through indirect employment for the life of the mine.

"The findings clearly recognise that both the Queensland and Commonwealth impact assessment frameworks are rigorous and appropriate.

"It is very disappointing to see green activists, yet again, attempting to derail a job creating mine after it had already passed through processes administered by democratically elected state and federal governments.

"Coast and Country, through the taxpayer-funded Environmental Defenders Office, have repeatedly failed in their combined attempts to stop the coal industry and deny Queenslanders jobs.

"In its decision, the Land Court had demonstrated the court system is starting to identify where activists’ claims have little or no basis other than to delay or attempt to jeopardise the project.

"Once operational the mine would produce up to 30 million tonnes of coal which provides the government with an extra $168 million of royalties to the Budget annually or 2,600 extra nurses or 3,000 police officers or 3,100 teachers.

"The Queensland coal industry delivered $32.7 billion dollars to the state’s economy last financial year while employing directly and indirectly 183,000 people."

WITH the changes to Sunday penalty rates due to take effect this weekend, the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) is conscious the minimum wage increase will counteract the impact of the first stage reduction in penalty rates.

ARA Executive Director, Russell Zimmerman, said while the first stage of penalty rates reduction will commence this weekend there will be little benefit to retailers with the recent minimum wage increase.

“This first stage of the penalty rates transition will only see a five percent reduction in Sunday penalty rates, meaning retailers and the wider industry will not be able to see the immediate benefits to employment and growth within the sector,” Mr Zimmerman said.

“The four-stage transitional arrangement is a much slower approach to what the industry hoped for, and now with the high increase to minimum wage taking affect on July 1, retailers won’t be able to reap the benefits from the penalty rate cuts for a number of years.”

The ARA was hoping for a faster transitional arrangement, allowing retailers to increase trading hours, ramp up employment and offer additional hours to employees.

“Retail employees are the heart and soul of the industry, and we need to ensure both employers and employees are being looked after,” Mr Zimmerman said.

“With the current pressures already affecting the retail market, retailers need to invest in their customer service and staff.”

Mr Zimmerman said the unions have been broadcasting outlandish statements about the penalty rate reduction and they should instead get behind the reduction to improve employment across the nation.

“Retail is the largest private employer in Australia and we want to ensure employees working within the sector are supported, and to do that we must first address the issues their employers are facing in the current retail environment.”

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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