AUSTRALIA's GDP, in seasonally adjusted chain volume terms, grew 0.6 percent in the December quarter 2015, according to figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

The growth in expenditure was driven by a rise of 0.8 percent in Household final consumption expenditure and a rise of 6.0 percent in Public gross fixed capital formation. These were partially offset by a fall in private business investment (-3.3 percent), driven by a fall in new engineering construction (-12.3 percent). 

The growth in Household final consumption was reflected in the service industries of Information, media and telecommunications (2.7 percent), and Retail trade (1.0 percent). Other industries that had significant growth were Rental, hiring and real estate (2.8 percent) and Wholesale trade (1.6 percent).

The December quarter saw the Terms of trade decrease 3.2 percent in seasonally adjusted terms.

Further details can be found in Australian National Accounts: National Income, Expenditure and Product, (cat no. 5206.0) available for download from the ABS website www.abs.gov.au.

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WHILE acknowledging the Government’s Innovation Statement, the Institute of Public Accountants (IPA) is using its 2016 pre-Budget submission to encourage the Government to support innovative small to medium enterprises (SMEs).

“Australia needs sound public policy to be developed to encourage innovation amongst small to medium enterprises (SMEs), said IPA chief executive officer, Andrew Conway.

“Around 10 per cent of Australian businesses produce innovative goods and services, while between 16 and 21 per cent innovate in their underlying business processes.

“Even if Australian SMEs are not the initial investors or innovators, they can still capture some of the value of innovations developed elsewhere.

“New-to-country, and particularly new-to-firm, innovations are often more economically important for improving national productivity.  Innovation policy should include measures to encourage the diffusion and uptake of existing innovations to a broad range of firms, as well as encouraging new innovations.

“Firms that can adopt continuous improvement methods to imbed incremental innovation can generate large productivity improvements.

“SMEs are an excellent starting point. Large firms often find it hard to change their business model to capture value, but SMEs can change them more easily.

“Accordingly, public innovation policy should encourage value capture and business model innovation more generally.  It is important that regulation helps firms capture value while balancing the benefits other firms receive from the wider diffusion of value.

“Talent not technology is the key.  Without addressing wider skills requirements, research indicates it is likely to create bottlenecks downstream in the innovation process.

“We believe that government plays an important role. They can provide strong research and development support, enabling better linkages between cutting edge universities and industry; provide support to firms to adapt existing technologies and innovation; and, encourage firms to develop their ability to search for new options, evaluate them and successfully implement and adapt them to their specific context,” said Mr Conway. 

For further detail refer to the IPA’s pre-Budget submission for 2016-17 on the IPA website at http://bit.ly/1PVGJX7

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TOWNSVILLE Enterprise chairman Kevin Gill said his organisation believed everything possible must be done to keep the doors of Queensland Nickel open.

"With much uncertainty around the future of Queensland Nickel (QNI) now is the time all levels of government must come together to keep the doors of QNI open and to save hundreds of jobs," Mr Gill said.

"Under no circumstances can the doors of QNI be allowed to close without every option being explored. No stone must be left unturned.

"Unemployment is a serious issue. We all know that the economy is vulnerable," he said.

"All levels of governments must stand shoulder to shoulder and do whatever is needed to find a solution to save the 550 jobs in jeopardy and the livelihoods of families.

"QNI contributes $1.3 billion into the local economy annually – once its gone, that’s it."

He said Townsville Enterprise had spoken with the State Government to urge it to explore all options to keep QNI afloat.

"The Government must lead this process – it has levers that it can pull if necessary," Mr Gill said.

www.tel.com.au

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NW DATA released today by the National Centre for Vocational Education and Research (NCVER) shows that steps to lower employment costs, stimulate economic growth and improve training quality are needed to address falling apprenticeship and traineeship numbers.

The NCVER report shows that nationally there were 295,300 apprentices and trainees in-training as at September 2015, a decrease of almost 14 percent from September 2014. Disturbingly, this represents a fall of around 40 percent from 2012 levels, when cuts to employer incentives were made by the federal government.

The drop off in the number of Victorian apprentices and trainees is even greater. There were 69,100 apprentices and trainees in-training in Victoria as at September 2015, a drop of 44 percent from 2012 levels.

“The alarming fall in national and Victorian apprentice and trainee numbers is damaging Victoria’s current workforce capacity and undermining our ability to develop a strong future workforce,” said Victorian Chamber Chief Executive Mark Stone.

“It can take a number of years for a young person to commence and successfully complete an apprenticeship, find work and become fully productive in their employment. This means addressing barriers to hiring apprentices and trainees must be a priority for governments at all levels.”

A recent Victorian Chamber survey found that business will be more inclined to hire apprentices and trainees if the cost of employing an apprentice or trainee is reduced, demand for business products and services is stimulated and confidence in the training system is improved.

“With youth unemployment a persistent problem, policy makers, business and education providers must work together to ensure young Victorians have the best chance of gaining a foothold in the workforce,” said Mr Stone.

“Failure to do so risks creating a lost generation of workers and damaging the ability of business to compete and innovate.”

The Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, established in 1851, is the most influential business organisation in Victoria, informing and servicing more than 15,000 members, customers and clients around the state.

victorianchamber.com.au  

THE Parliamentary Trade and Investment Growth Committee will resume public hearings in Canberra on Thursday, 3 March 2016 as part of its Inquiry into Australia’s Future in Research and Innovation.

The Committee is investigating how the research and innovation sector can better assist in overcoming Australia’s geographic, economic, and labour challenges, with a focus on commercialisation including, how technology imports and exports could be further facilitated.

The hearing will focus on strengthening links between innovative ideas and the commercialisation of innovation with the appearance of the Chief Scientist, the Innovation Australia Board, and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO).

Advice to the Government on matters relating to science, technology and innovation is provided by the Chief Scientist and will be complemented by the soon-to-be-created Innovation and Science Australia which will be chaired by the chair of the Innovation Australia Board.

Support for public sector spin-off and start-up companies will be provided by the new $200 million Innovation Fund created under the National Innovation and Science Agenda and administered by the CSIRO.

The Chair of the Committee, Mr Ken O’Dowd MP said, “It is important to create a framework in Australia that fosters innovation, encourages and facilitates the proving of innovative ideas, and enables successful commercialisation. The Committee has previously met with the Chief Scientist of Israel to discuss the very successful Israeli innovation/commercialisation framework and is interested to hear how Australia will approach the same issues.”

“Innovation and Science Australia when established will be undertaking a review of the R&D Tax Incentive. Setting appropriate research and development tax incentives as well as providing support through CSIRO’s Innovation Fund for early stage commercialisation will be pivotal to establishing successful Australian start-up companies and diversifying the Australian economy,” Mr O’Dowd said.

Date: Thursday 3 March 2016, 9.00 am – 10.30 am
Location: Committee Room 1R6, Parliament House, Canberra.
The Committee will hold additional hearings in Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne in March.

More information is available at: www.aph.gov.au/ResearchandInnovation

For background information: Contact the committee secretariat: Phone: (02) 6277 2233 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Website www.aph.gov.au/ResearchandInnovation

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PUBLIC and commercial broadcasters, peak industry bodies and arts groups will address the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Communications and the Arts next week in Sydney for its inquiry into broadcasting, online content and live production to rural and regional Australia.

Committee Chairman the Hon Bronwyn Bishop MP said the Committee is keen to hear about the services currently being provided to rural and regional Australia by broadcasters, as well as the experiences of key arts groups in promoting and delivering the arts in non-metropolitan settings. 

Mrs Bishop said that the evidence received from a variety of groups and individuals emphasises that access to the arts, news and other services, and local content, contributes significantly to the vibrancy of Australia’s rural and regional communities. 

“The Committee is pleased with the response it has received to the inquiry, with many informative submissions from a variety of places throughout Australia and we look forward to hearing from as many stakeholders and interested parties as possible during the conduct of the inquiry,” she said.

Public hearing details

Date: Monday, 7 March 2016 
Time: 9.00am to 5.00pm 

Hearing program: 
9.00am     Australian Broadcasting Corporation
10.00am   Free TV Australia
10.30am   Commercial Radio Australia
11.15am     Special Broadcasting Service Corporation
12.15pm    Lunch break
1.15pm      Prime Media, WIN Network and Southern Cross Austereo
2.15pm      Seven West Media
3.10pm      APN News and Media
3.40pm     Community Broadcasting Association of Australia
4.10pm     Optus
4.40pm     Aurora Community Television
5.00pm     Finish

Date: Tuesday, 8 March 2016 
Time: 9.00am to 1.30pm 

Hearing program: 
9.00am    Opera Australia
9.45am     Australian Major Performing Arts Group
10.30am   Sydney Dance Company
11.00am    Break
11.15am     ABC Regional
11.45am    Australia Council for the Arts
12.30pm   The Australian Ballet
1.00pm     Screen Producers Australia
1.30pm      Finish

Location for both days: Commonwealth Parliamentary Offices, Level 21, Meeting Room 2, 1  Bligh Street, Sydney.  Live webcast (audio only) 

For further background information, including programs for the hearing and copies of submissions, visit the Committee website www.aph.gov.au/communications or contact the secretariat: (02) 6277 4386 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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ON MONDAY 7 March, the House Infrastructure, Transport and Cities Committee will be meeting with a range of witnesses at a public hearing for the inquiry into the role of transport connectivity on stimulating development and economic activity.

The hearing will be held at the Commonwealth Parliament Offices, Level 21, 1 Bligh St Sydney.

Due to the security arrangements in place at these offices, members of the media and public interested in attending this hearing should register their interest with the secretariat before midday on Friday 4 March on (02) 6277 2352 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Further details on the hearing will be made available closer to the date.

Hearing details
Date: Monday, 7 March 2016
Time: 8:30 am–4:00 pm
Venue: Meeting Room 1, Commonwealth Parliament Offices, Level 21, 1 Bligh St Sydney

The public hearing will be webcast live at http://www.aph.gov.au/live

Further background information on the inquiry, including the full terms of reference and how to prepare a submission, can be obtained from the Committee’s website at www.aph.gov.au/itc or from the Secretariat on (02) 6277 2352 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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THE PRIVACY of Australia’s 11 million employees is under threat following a decision of the national employment tribunal to allow a trade union to access personal information of non-union members.

The Fair Work Commission (FWC) has allowed an organiser of the Australasian Meat Industry Employees Union (AMIEU) to access employment records, which often contain names, addresses and other highly personal information, for non-union employees at a major Brisbane meat processor.
 
National resource industry peak employer group, AMMA, is calling for changes to Australia’s workplace laws to ensure such invasions of privacy do not become commonplace.
 
“There is no justification for our workplace laws to allow any union official to access the personal employment records of non-union members,” says AMMA executive director Scott Barklamb.
 
“No one outside of the employee, the employer or government inspectors has any business seeing employment records that may include sensitive health, performance and financial information.
 
“Working Australians are entitled to ask why any union official should be able to know their employment history, where they live, whether they’ve had time off on mental health grounds, or if they are paying child support.”
 
AMMA understands the application was made in a longstanding pay dispute between the union and meat giant Teys Australia. Mr Barklamb points out that the Australian Government has inspectors in each state and territory who are highly trained and subject to public sector standards in dealing with personal information.
 
“The Fair Work Ombudsman, which receives more than $120 million annually in taxpayer funds, is quite capable of dealing with such matters,” he says.
 
“Any notion of granting unaccountable union officials access to employees’ private information without their permission is absurd, unsafe and a breach of freedom of association.
 
“There are no guarantees that union officials will protect personal information. This is a serious concern following evidence of union links to criminality and improper access to personal files uncovered by the Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption.
 
“AMMA calls for changes to our workplace laws to specifically prohibit union officials from ever having access to the personal and employment information of non-union members. To protect employees, it should also be an offence for any union official to seek access to such information.”

AMMA (Australian Mines and Metals Association) is Australia's national resource industry employer group.

www.amma.org.au

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