THE Public Works Committee is conducting an inquiry into the proposed refurbishment of the Perth Air Traffic Services Centre (ATSC).

The ATSC at Perth Airport provides military and civilian control services. These services are managed by two separate systems, both of which require upgrading. Consequently, Airservices Australia and the Department of Defence have partnered to develop a single aviation communication and management system, OneSKY.

Airservices Australia told the committee that refurbishment of the ATSC in Perth is planned such that it will allow the current system and the new OneSKY systems to operate in parallel over a four year period, before OneSKY is fully functional. The refurbishment will extend the life of the building for a further 20 years.

Subject to parliamentary approval the work is due to commence in 2015 and be completed in early-2016. It is estimated to cost $23.05 million (excluding GST).

The Committee Chair, Senator Dean Smith, said the Committee will conduct public and in-camera hearings for the inquiry in Perth in August 2015.

Full details on the project are available on the committee’s website: www.aph.gov.au/pwc

Submissions to the inquiry close on 22 July 2015.

Full details of the public hearing will be available soon.

NB the Public Works Committee is neither involved in the tendering process nor the awarding of contracts. Enquiries on those matters should be addressed to Airservices Australia.

For further information, including how to make a submission, the public hearing times, and copies of submissions when they become available, please visit the Committee website http://www.aph.gov.au/pwc or contact the Committee Secretariat on (02) 6277 4636.

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The Chairman of the Australia Saudi Business Council, Tom Harley, will discuss how Australia can grow its $2.2 billion in exports to Saudi Arabia with federal parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade at a public hearing in Canberra tomorrow.

The Trade sub-committee’s inquiry into trade with the Middle East will also hear how to build on the nearly $5 billion of Saudi investment in Australia last year. Australia also invested nearly a $1 billion into projects and businesses in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 2014.

Saudi Arabia is the Middle East’s largest economy with a 2013 budget surplus of $55 billion and population of over 30 million. The Kingdom, which is estimated to hold more than 20 per cent of the world’s conventional oil reserves, has become Australia’s second-largest trading partner in the Middle East behind the United Arab Emirates.

This oil-rich economy has helped build massive construction projects that have in turn fed increased demand for imports, services and education. The Saudi infrastructure and transportation sectors received US$17.3 billion in their 2014 budget.  Major Saudi projects include roads, railways and sea ports, as well as upgrading airports. 

Saudi Arabia also remains the largest market for Australian-built motor vehicles, importing $748 million worth of cars in 2014 – mostly Toyota Camrys.

Food security remains a key concern for Saudi Arabia, with Australia well placed to assist by exporting more than $310 million in Australian beef and other meats to the Kingdom last year. The Australian government believes there are opportunities to increase the trade in barley and wheat to Saudi Arabia to cement Australia’s place as a long-term grain supplier.

Education for its young population is another priority area with Saudi Arabia allocating US$56 billion to education and training in 2014, including almost US$6 billion to fund 185,000 students studying abroad. More than 10,000 Saudis are enrolled at Australian universities under the global King Abdullah Scholarships Program. Vocational education and training is also seen as a growth area.  

Public hearing:
Date/Time: Wednesday 24 June 2015, 11:10 am
Location: Committee Room 1R3, Parliament House, Canberra
Organisations: Australia Saudi Business Council
Live audio broadcast will be available at www.aph.gov.au/live

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VECCI Chief Executive Mark Stone has welcomed the introduction of legislation to Federal Parliament that will extend unfair contract term protections to small business.

"This legislation will see the consumer unfair contract terms protections extended to cover contracts, fitting the prescribed criteria, entered into by small business," Mr Stone said.

"It will give a court the power to strike out a term of a small business contract that it considers unfair.

"The protections will apply to small business contracts where at least one party has fewer than 20 employees and the contract value is below the prescribed threshold of $100,000, or $250,000 for a multi-year contract.

"VECCI’s Small Business Taskforce report, Small business. Big opportunities, released in April this year, urged the Federal Government to commit to implementing the protections detailed in this legislation.

"Prior to this, leading-up to the 2013 federal election, VECCI, as part of the united chamber movement led by ACCI, ran the Small Business. Too Big to Ignore campaign in support of small business.

"The campaign highlighted the fact that there are over 2 million small businesses in Australia, employing more than 7 million Australians, which need government support to grow jobs and remain competitive.

"Today’s announcement demonstrates a commitment to help small business grow and we commend the Federal Government for this action."

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

vecci.org.au

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MORE than $2.3 billion in vocational education and training (VET), which includes a $2 billion investment in TAFE that will build the skilled workforce of the future, Minister for Skills and Small Business John Barilaro announced today.

Mr Barilaro said small businesses will also benefit from a $14 million business package that includes the Small Biz Connect program, small business advocacy services, dispute resolution and multicultural advisors, as well as $15 million over 10 years for existing lottery agents to apply for approved shop re-fits.

“The investment in TAFE NSW represents an increase of $122 million compared to last year’s budget, which will help students get the skills they need to enter the workforce and includes a $101 million capital works program to create more modern facilities,” he said.

The major capital works program includes $46 million to deliver 13 ongoing projects across NSW, a further $38 million for minor works to improve the amenity of facilities for students and staff, and $17 million for seven new projects to provide students and staff access to the most modern facilities.

The new projects include:

• Hunter Institute Newcastle Campus: Customer Service and Industry Development Centre to improve services to students, businesses and industry clients, through refurbished facilities.

• Illawarra Institute: Flexible Information Technology Infrastructure will help students to access online learning tools and offer students and employers more choice in how, when and where training is accessed.

• North Coast Institute Coffs Harbour Education Campus: The construction technologies hub will improve vocational education and training opportunities on the Mid North Coast through industry standard training facilities.

• Northern Sydney Institute: A hospitality training centre will provide essential upgrades to critical infrastructure and training facilities, strengthening the delivery of high quality training.

• South Western Sydney Institute: A specialist engineering industry standard facility with flexible workshops to meet changing demand.

• Western Institute: TAFE Western Connect stage 2 will provide learners with access to quality education and training either at a physical location or facilitated online learning. 

www.nsw.gov.au

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Australian Mines and Metals Association statement by Chief Executive, Steve Knott

AUSTRALIA’S national resource industry employer group, AMMA, congratulates the Coalition government and ALP for negotiating an agreed reduction in the Renewable Energy Target (RET) that has passed through the Senate with bipartisan support.

In principle, AMMA does not agree that legislated targets are the most effective mechanism to encourage investment in renewable energies. Our position is that there is a need for both renewables and non-renewables, and that the market remains the best determinant of the value and viability of various energy sources.

However, given political circumstances and various community views about a RET, we welcome the government providing certainty for all energy users and the reduction in the target from 41,000 gigawatt hours to 33,000GWh - aligned with changing energy demands.

Resource industry employers in particular are facing enormous global competitive pressures and are highly dependent on certainty and stability in energy cost and supply. This is especially critical when making long-term investment decisions that bring projects, jobs and economic benefits to our country.

AMMA also welcomes the agreement to exempt aluminium smelting from the RET. This represents sound political decision making that will support the ongoing competitiveness of this sector and ensure the significant employment it provides in Australia is not lost offshore.

After months of speculation and uncertainty, we are pleased to see this issue resolved through a cooperative, bipartisan process and hope such an approach can be applied to other policy issues of national significance.

www.amma.org.au

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NATIONAL resource industry employer group AMMA will work with the Western Australian Government and industry stakeholders following today’s recommendations from a parliamentary inquiry into mental health impacts of fly-in, fly-out working arrangements.

The WA Education and Health Standing Committee today outlined 42 findings and 30 recommendations in its final report: The impact of FIFO work practices on mental health.

“The resource industry is committed to the health and safety of its workforce, and continues to invest in best-practice programs and services to support employee mental health and wellbeing,” says AMMA executive director, policy and public affairs, Scott Barklamb.

“The findings in today’s report reflect challenges the industry has recognised and engaged with for some time. This includes the reality that, as is the case for all industries and communities, some employees in the resource industry can experience mental illness.

“It is vitally important that all stakeholders engage in sensible discussions on how to effectively address the complex issues covered in today’s report, particularly given the lack of sufficient data to make reliable conclusions on FIFO and mental health.

“Any actions following the Committee’s recommendations must be based on reliable evidence and resource industry input to deliver real mental health benefits and avoid unintended adverse impacts on the industry and its workforce.”

Mr Barklamb adds that it is positive that many of the recommendations are based on cooperation with industry.

“The resource industry looks forward to working with all stakeholders to increase understanding of what are very complex challenges and to translate the Committee’s aspirations into practical initiatives,” he says.

“The Committee’s report is essentially preliminary, and many of its ideas and proposals need significantly more consideration and input. 

“Today’s report should therefore be a starting point for further dialogue and engagement between government and industry stakeholders.” 

www.amma.org.au

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COUNCIL of Small Business Australia (COSBOA) will welcome the Hon Joe Hockey MP to its Vodafone National Small Business Summit, taking place on Thursday 16 and Friday 17 July, at Doltone House Jones Bay Wharf, Sydney.

The Hon Joe Hockey MP will open the Summit breakfast on Friday 17 July and will talk about passion for small business. He adds:  “This Government understands that small businesses are the engine room of the Australian economy.

“We are committed to ensuring Australia is the very best place to start and grow a small business.

“Our Jobs and Small Business package is part of that commitment. It will create the right conditions for Australian businesses to thrive and grow.”

Peter Strong, CEO for COSBOA, commented: “This year’s Summit is set to address key policies that affect small business. The attendance of Mr Hockey adds to our greater programme, which has a focus on competition policy review, workplace relations and small business influence on national security.”

Highlights of the programme also include:

The passion of small business and affect on Australian economy, with: 

NSW Government - The Hon. John Barilaro

Antony Sault – GM Sales Vodafone Australia

Chris Jordan, Commissioner, ATO

Small Business and the Workplace Relations system, with Iain Ross, President of the Fair Work Commission

Has Harper hindered or helped? An industry response to The Competition Review, with:
Matthew Lobb, General Manager of Public Policy at Vodafone
Jos de Bruin, CEO of Master Grocers Australia
Su McCluskey, Chief Executive Officer of the Regional Australia Institute, part of the Competition Review Panel with Professor Ian Harper
Danny Gilbert - from Gilbert + Tobin, an independent cooperate law firm

Registrations are open for the Vodafone National Small Business Summit. For more information please visit www.nationalsmallbusinesssummit.com.au

In 2015, small businesses will be invited to attend the inaugural Summit Start Up on Wednesday 15 July; a pre-Summit networking event where the community, culture, and diversity of small businesses will be celebrated. The Summit Start Up will be opened by Hon Bruce Billson, the Federal Small Business Minister.

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VICTORIA Tourism Industry Council (VTIC) welcomes the announcement that Jetstar will introduce daily flights between the Gold Coast and Avalon Airport, as a result of its agreement with the State Government that sees the continuation of the airport’s passenger operations.

"It is wonderful for Western Victoria to have direct access to a population of more than 500,000 people around the Gold Coast airport. The additional 65,000 seats a year coming into Avalon will provide a significant opportunity to showcase all the region has to offer throughout greater Geelong, the Bellarine Peninsula and the Great Ocean Road," said VTIC Chief Executive Dianne Smith.

“We commend the State Government for working together with Jetstar to reach this outcome and deliver a win for Victorian tourism.”

VTIC applauds Jetstar’s commitment to work closely with local and state tourism bodies to promote the greater Geelong region in the South East Queensland market and looks forward to the release of the second of the two additional routes under the agreement.

The Victoria Tourism Industry Council (VTIC) is the peak body for Victoria’s tourism and events industry, providing one united industry voice.

Tourism and events are growth industries for Victoria and contribute $19.6 billion to the state economy each year and employ more than 200,000 people.

vtic.com.au

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