THE Australian Retailers Association (ARA) encourages all retailers to understand the trading restrictions that apply to their business this ANZAC Day – Saturday 25 April.

ARA Executive Director Russell Zimmerman said confusion is common for business owners when it comes to organising rosters around public holidays and trading hours.

“There has been a lot of confusion as to whether businesses can trade on ANZAC Day and whether the following Monday is a public holiday or not.

"Given the fact that all states and territories have quite different restrictions when it comes to public holiday trade, it's important for retailers to do their research and ensure they understand their legal obligations during this time. For example, the only state this year to grant workers a replacement day off on Monday, April 27, is Western Australia. The below summary is a general guide to ANZAC Day retail trading hours, however, the ARA urges all retailers to contact the ARA for any specific enquiries.

“Across the country many retailers will be closing to commemorate ANZAC Day and the centenary of the Gallipoli landing. To this day many Australian retailers carry honour boards in public areas in their businesses as commemoration of the significant sacrifice made by so many,” Mr Zimmerman said.

ANZAC Day retail trade state by state breakdown:

Victoria

Victorian based retailers cannot trade between midnight and 1pm on Anzac Day, unless they fall into the category of “exempt shops”, which includes businesses with 20 or fewer employees or businesses with no more than 100 workers at any one time in the seven days prior to Anzac Day. After 1pm, all businesses may open, however, some shops are free to trade all day, including chemists, petrol stations, cafes, restaurants, takeaway outlets and hire outlets such as video stores.

New South Wales

NSW follows similar rules to Victoria, with most businesses unable to open prior to 1pm. However exempt or small shops can open, including bookshops, chemists, newsagencies, petrol stations and convenience stores. There are also a number of exempt trading areas, based on local government areas.

Tasmania

Tasmanian retailers are restricted from opening before 12.30pm, with some exemptions. Service stations, pharmacies and newsagents are able to trade, as are businesses that are not part of a shopping centre or mall, where the number of employees having worked there in any day during the previous March did not exceed 10.

ACT

Anzac Day is considered a normal day of trade in the ACT, however, many businesses choose to follow the tradition in other states of not trading before 1pm.

South Australia

Adelaide based retailers are prohibited from opening before 12pm as are hardware, furniture, floor coverings and motor vehicle parts businesses. Non-exempt businesses in the Greater Adelaide shopping district and other proclaimed shopping districts cannot trade on Anzac Day. Exempt businesses include service stations, restaurants, cafes, real estate auctions and night clubs and hotels where the main business is selling alcohol.

Queensland

Independent shops must wait until 1pm to trade on Anzac Day, unless they are predominately food and/or grocery stores. However, supermarkets are closed on the Gold Coast, Cairns CBD and Port Douglas. There are exemptions for businesses involved in printing, publishing and distributing newspapers, utility companies, mining businesses, supplying milk, bakeries, cafes and takeaway food kitchens.

Particular areas of Queensland come with restrictions on trading before 1pm, including South East Queensland, New Farm, Yeppoon Tourist Area, Townsville (excluding the CBD and North Ward), Tourist and Seaside resorts, Great Barrier Reef Wonderland, Cairns Tourist Area, Port Douglas Tourist Area and Mossman, Whitsunday Shire Tourist Area, Hervey Bay Area, Townsville CBD (including North Ward, Toowoomba, Mackay, Innisfail, Atherton, Mereeba, Gladstone, Rockhampton, Emerald, Moranbah, Bundaberg, Fraser Coast, Gympie and Biloela.

Northern Territory

Anzac Day is considered a normal day of trade in the Northern Territory, although businesses many opt to remain closed before 1pm as a sign of respect.

Western Australia

Retailers in the Perth metropolitan area cannot trade on Anzac Day, with the exemption of small shops and “special retail shops” which can trade between 6am and 11.30pm. These include pharmacies, garden nurseries, hardware businesses, newsagencies, boating shops, shops at sporting venues and international standard hotels. All retailers in the Perth metropolitan area will be free to trade between 8am and 6pm on the replacement public holiday on Monday, April 27.

Since 1903, the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) has been the peak industry body representing Australia’s $265 billion retail sector, which employs over 1.2 million people. The ARA ensures retail success by informing, protecting, advocating, educating and saving money for its 5,000 independent and national retail members throughout Australia.

Visit www.retail.org.au or call 1300 368 041.
                                                                                                         
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VECCI Chief Executive Mark Stone said the organisation has been a long-standing supporter of the East West Link project and is obviously disappointed that the project will not proceed under the Andrews Government.

"The project would have reduced congestion, made the movement of freight more efficient and improved the amenity of Melbourne’s growth areas," Mr Stone said.

"We acknowledge that in the 2014 state election campaign, Daniel Andrews promised that a Labor Government would not proceed with the project. 

"VECCI acknowledges that the Victorian Government has reached a good faith agreement with the East West Link consortium to terminate the contract without compensation or legislation. 

"However, the fact that a substantial $339 million in bid process, design and pre-construction costs have already been incurred is unfortunate for taxpayers. 

"In addition, $81 million in fees were incurred to establish a credit facility for the East West Link project. However, this facility will now be used to support the Melbourne Metro Rail Project.

"The costs and complexities associated with East West Link confirms the establishment of Infrastructure Victoria, an independent body to advise on significant infrastructure planning and development matters, must be a priority. 

"We need to ensure there is a long-term approach to capital works beyond election cycles.  Key to this process is not only a broad and strong consensus on Victoria’s infrastructure priorities, but clarity, confidence and certainty for the private sector. 

"A priority of Infrastructure Victoria will be to determine what needs to occur to offset the loss of East West Link and reduce rapidly expanding congestion on Melbourne’s roads. This needs to encompass a second river crossing," Mr Stone said.

"In the interim, the State Government must use the coming State Budget to make an unequivocal commitment to deliver its forward infrastructure agenda, including the Melbourne Metro Rail Project, the removal of level crossings and vital capacity-enhancing regional projects."

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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AUSTRADE, the Australian Government’s international education promotion agency, is holding a series of open workshops across Australia seeking input on future directions for Australia’s international education and training sector.

The workshops are part of the AIE 2025 Roadshow and will help develop a long-term market plan, Australian International Education (AIE) 2025. They are open to all industry representatives and interested parties.

Austrade’s General Manager, Education, John Angley, said international education contributed $17.6 billion to the national economy last year, making it Australia’s fourth-biggest export, and this could grow considerably.

“To unlock the potential we are seeking creative and bold thinking to identify sustainable opportunities matching Australia’s strengths and global trends,” Mr Angley said.

“We need ongoing investment and innovation to recruit students to Australia and to build on opportunities to deliver Australian courses, skills and content in overseas countries, often with local partners,” he said.

“As highlighted by Trade and Investment Minister, Andrew Robb, there is potential not only to double the number of students coming to Australia, but also to engage millions of people in their own countries in Australian education, training and skills, through offshore delivery, blended learning and digital technologies,” Mr Angley said.

Development of the plan will complement the Draft National Strategy for International Education launched by Minister for Education and Training, Christopher Pyne, on 1 April 2015. The plan aims to support a competitive, innovative and sustainable industry and generate jobs and prosperity for Australia and our partners around the world.

So far the AIE 2025 roadshow has met with more than 300 people in Darwin, Townsville, Sydney and Brisbane. Austrade invites participation in upcoming workshops in Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne and Hobart and via a webinar on 28 April.

For information visit www.austrade.gov.au/AIE2025 or emailThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Twitter #AIE2025.

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THE resource industry employer group AMMA (Australian Mines and Metals Association) chief executive, Steve Knott, has welcomed the scrapping of the Federal Government's 1.5 percent levy to fund the Paid Parental Leave (PPL) scheme.

"THE Prime Minister’s announcement that he will not proceed with the 1.5 percent business levy to fund the government’s former paid parental leave scheme comes as welcome news to the Australian resource industry," Mr Knott said.

"Our industry strongly backs government and private sector initiatives to improve support for working parents, but has long argued that those larger businesses who already innovate and lead the way should not be penalised, nor asked to subsidise social policies that should be paid for from general revenues.

"AMMA has been on the record as early as 2010 highlighting the significant investments individual resource employers put into their own PPL and other parental support packages. It is not their role to then provide special funding for smaller businesses who don’t have internal PPL schemes," Mr Knott said.

"The decision to scrap the promised 1.5 percent corporate tax cut will therefore be of no practical consequence to those large employers which would have also been required to pay the PPL levy.

"The more fundamental consideration must be whether our levels of corporate taxes for all sizes of business are competitive and the extent to which they encourage or discourage investment and job creation in this country.

"With all areas of the resource industry under increasing pressure, the cost of operating in Australia needs to reduce if we are to remain globally competitive."

Mr Knott said Australia must have a national taxation system that can effectively progress important social and economic policies, without the need for additional levies.

"This must be balanced with the need for competitive Australian businesses and a competitive tax platform for attracting global investment," he said.

"The Treasurer recently called for a national conversation on our taxation system, which business will strongly support if it engages with fundamental questions affecting Australia’s competiveness.

"In the lead up to the 2015 Budget, we urge the government to carefully consider the comparative levels of all taxes, including levies and royalties, across our global competitors and start to address incentives and disincentives to investing and doing business in Australia."

www.amma.org.au

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AS AT 5pm AEST Thursday April 16, 2015, the bidding window has officially closed for the first Emissions Reduction Fund auction.

In line with the auction guidelines, the Clean Energy Regulator has five business days to compile and publish the outcomes from the auction.

All bidders will be notified of the outcome of their bid and the auction results will be published on our website by 2pm on Thursday  April 23, 2015.

No information will be released before this date.

The Clean Energy Regulator will publish:

• the total volume of abatement to be delivered by the successful bidders
• the average price per tonne of abatement and,
• for each successful bid:
• the name of the contractor
• the project(s) covered by the contract
• the volume of abatement committed under the contract
• the duration of the contract.

Chloe Munro, Chief Executive Officer and Chair of the Clean Energy Regulator, will be available for media interviews on Thursday April 23, 2015.

www.cleanenergyregulator.gov.au

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THE Commonwealth Science Council, chaired by the Prime Minister, met for the second time today in Canberra.

The meeting was also attended by the Minister for Industry and Science, the Minister for Health, the Minister for Education, and the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry and Science.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott said:

"Science is at the centre of Australian industry and science and technology are central elements to improving our productivity and competitiveness.

"The Commonwealth Science Council is an important source of advice to the Government in this respect.

"Amongst the discussions today, the Council focussed on STEM and future Science Research Priorities.

"The Government, with the Chief Scientist, will consult the science sector and industry to bring together a whole of government policy for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

"These consultations will help formulate a policy that will enhance Australian competitiveness, support high quality education and training, maximise research potential and strengthen international engagement through STEM.

"The STEM agenda will help ensure that Australia’s world-class science and world-leading industry collectively secure our future economic strength and prosperity.

"Building our STEM capability is critical to increasing Australia’s future scientific performance.

"It is vital that we have a strong and effective national approach.

"In addition to discussing STEM, items for the Commonwealth Science Council included setting national science and research priorities, implementation of the Boosting the Commercial Returns from Research strategy, carrying out the Industry Growth Centres initiative and the Research Infrastructure Review.

"The Commonwealth Science Council, which includes representatives from Government, business and science, provides strategic advice to Government on science and technology issues and is building stronger collaboration between scientists, researchers and industry."

Information about the consultation and how to be involved will be available on www.science.gov.au in coming weeks.

The Commonwealth Science Council will meet again in the second half of 2015.

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THE Australian Retailers Association (ARA) welcomed NSW Minister for Regional Development, Skills and Small Business, John Barilaro at its Learning and Development meeting yesterday in Sydney.

ARA Executive Director Russell Zimmerman said the ARA Learning and Development Committee encompasses some of NSW biggest employers, representing hundreds of thousands of jobs.

“We were honoured to have Minister Barilaro attend our meeting yesterday and provide an overview of the NSW Governments small business and skills policies. The NSW Government is seeking consultation with the retail industry as to how the Government can best provide workforce development and skills from entry to management level retail staff.

“It was welcoming to see how passionate the Minister was about the retail sector. Retail is the largest private sector employer, encompassing 10.6% of the total workforce. Our industry is responsible for jobs creation and career opportunities for thousands of Australians, and we look forward to working alongside the NSW Government to ensure these opportunities are available to retailers both now and in the future,” Mr Zimmerman said.

Since 1903, the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) has been the peak industry body representing Australia’s $265 billion retail sector, which employs over 1.2 million people. The ARA ensures retail success by informing, protecting, advocating, educating and saving money for its 5,000 independent and national retail members throughout Australia.

Visit www.retail.org.au or call 1300 368 041.

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THE Victoria Tourism Industry Council (VTIC) has applauded the outstanding results of the state’s tourism operators at the 2014 QANTAS Australian Tourism Awards in Adelaide on Friday night.

“The awards recognise the valuable contribution individual tourism and events operators make to our industry nationally and it is wonderful to see so many Victorians being acknowledged,” said VTIC Chief Executive Dianne Smith.

Ms Smith’s comments come as Victorian businesses took out four gold, seven silver and three bronze medals; an increase of two medals on the previous year.

Victoria’s gold winners (including award category):

- Frankston Visitor Information Centre (Visitor Information and Services)

- Enchanted Adventure Garden & Tree Surfing (Adventure Tourism)

- Riviera Nautic (Unique Accommodation)

- Drift House (Luxury Accommodation) 

Frankston Visitor Information Centre won gold for the third time in a row, securing it a place in the awards Hall of Fame.

The awards cover 28 categories including adventure, various types of accommodation, tours, restaurants, wineries, events and festivals.

Victoria’s significant contribution to the national industry was also acknowledged through the announcement that Melbourne will host the 2015 QANTAS Australian Tourism Awards next year.

Ms Smith encourages Victorian operators to nominate for the 2015 RACV Victorian Tourism Awards, which recognises business excellence at a state level.

For details of the application process and workshops to assist those considering entering, please visit www.victoriantourismawards.com.au

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