THE Australian Retailers Association (ARA) today welcomed the re-elected Baird Government’s announcement of new vocational education and apprenticeship measures – making it easier for at least 240,000 young people to gain employment.

The plan is to make it free for 200,000 disadvantaged young people to go to TAFE and other vocational education and training providers.

ARA Executive Director Russell Zimmerman said the program will fit perfectly into the work retailers are already doing to skill staff into jobs.

“The ARA has been running a number of programs to assist job seekers with the assistance of the NSW and Federal Governments, with today's announcement an fitting addition to help young job seekers into known retail developments and new career pathways.

“Premier Baird is continuing to support retail in NSW as a corner stone of the state's growing economy and this initiative will see benefits for job seekers and employers alike,” Mr Zimmerman said.

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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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PARLIAMENT’s Intelligence and Security Committee will hold public hearings this Thursday and Friday for its inquiry into the Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Amendment (Data Retention) Bill 2014.

A wide range of government and non-government organisations will be represented at the hearings, including telecommunications companies, IT industry bodies, legal experts, media and consumer organisations.

The Committee will also hear from state and federal police forces, as well as independent statutory authorities including the Commonwealth Ombudsman, the Australian Privacy Commissioner, the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security and the Australian Human Rights Commission.

The Data Retention Bill seeks to implement a mandatory telecommunications data retention regime. It contains measures to require telecommunications suppliers in Australia to retain certain data for two years.

The data would not include a person's web-browsing history, or the content of a communication, email or social media post. The Bill would also limit those able to access telecommunications and stored data to enforcement agencies with a demonstrated need and with appropriate internal procedures to protect privacy.

The Chair of the Committee, Mr Dan Tehan MP, said “While the Committee’s first hearing in December focused on the nature of the proposed data set and the utility of that data for law enforcement and security agencies, at this week’s hearings we expect to discuss a very broad range of issues.

“We will be considering the appropriateness of the data retention regime proposed in this Bill and its application to the investigation and prosecution of serious criminal offences and to countering threats to national security. Safeguards and oversight will be a key focus for the Committee.”

Details of the hearings are as follows:

Thursday, 29 January 2015 – 8.30am to 6.20pm
Committee Room 2R1, Parliament House, Canberra

Friday, 30 January 2015 – 8.00am to 1.30pm
Committee Room 2R1, Parliament House, Canberra

The committee has received nearly 200 written submissions to date from a broad range of sources. The due date for submissions passed on 19 January, and the Committee intends to report by 27 February 2015.

Further information about the inquiry, including programs for the two hearings and copies of submissions, can be accessed via the Committee’s website at http://www.aph.gov.au/pjcis.

The Bill and Explanatory Memorandum can be accessed via http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Bills_Legislation.

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DIVERSITY Council Australia welcomes the Prime Minister’s announcement that the Government would shelve the expanded Paid Parental Leave scheme in favour of reforms focusing on improving access to and affordability of childcare.

Lisa Annese, DCA’s CEO, said one of the biggest factors affecting the participation of female employees in organisations is childcare.

“In a survey of our employer member organisations in 2014, nearly 95% of employers said access to and availability of affordable childcare presented difficulties for their employees," Ms Annese said.

"There is no doubt that this is a major disincentive to women participating more fully in the workforce.”

Paid Parental Leave (PPL) is important but childcare is a bigger issue for employers, according to Ms Annese.

“The existing government funded PPL scheme provides a very important safety net for new parents," she said.

"However, as suggested by the Productivity Commission and in line with feedback from our members, we support the Government’s plan to direct funds allocated for the expanded PPL scheme towards improving accessibility and affordability of childcare as this is likely to have a greater positive impact on the workforce participation of women,” said Ms Annese.

Access to flexible working and careers is also critical to women’s workforce participation, added Ms Annese.

“DCA encourages the Government to ensure that an emphasis on workplace flexibility is promoted and supported as a critical part of maintaining progress on workplace gender equity and supporting parents – especially those with younger children – to remain in paid work. Clearly, more needs to be done to support the cultural shift in Australian business necessary to mainstream flexibility to the benefit of Australian parents."

www.dca.org.au

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QUEENSLAND'S peak industry body for tourism, the Queensland Tourism Industry Council (QTIC), believes now is the time to seize upon major tourism opportunities to accelerate employment figures and business prosperity.

QTIC Chief Executive Daniel Gschwind said employment and investment in tourism will energise Queensland’s prosperity.

“Tourism contributes $23 billion to the state’s economy and more than 241,000 Queenslanders are directly and indirectly employed within the tourism industry,” Mr Gschwind said.

“One in 10 Queenslanders are already working within the state’s tourism industry and we think more tourism jobs can be created, significantly assisting other state priorities.

“The global market opportunities are there to increase the benefits from tourism, particularly in regions where many people are looking for work and could become employed within the tourism industry.”

Tourism is projected to be among the world’s fastest growing industries with growth forecasts at four per cent per year between 2013 and 2033 – more than doubling in size over the next two decades.

Tourism is the second largest export earner for Queensland and already delivers one in every 12 dollars to the state’s economy through tourism spending.

Mr Gschwind said using the right approach could see Queensland take a bigger market share of this growth.

“QTIC expects the next state government to re-commit to work with tourism businesses to accelerate the momentum gained from the hard work achieved in recent years,” he said.

“We want to see continuity in working towards the 2020 tourism targets and the 20 year plan. We don’t want these changed. We’ve made good progress and we need to stick with this course.

“Tourism operators are looking for an increased, competitive investment from the government for marketing and events with budget certainty for the next four years.

“We expect tourism’s importance to the Queensland economy will be further escalated as the size and contribution of other major industries and sectors changes and reduces in the future.”

QTIC believes it is critical for Queensland to sustain its natural assets and pull out all the stops to protect and preserve the state’s special destinations such as the Great Barrier Reef.

“We want to see the government provide certainty and reassurance to industry and communities that environmental management and protection policies also reflect tourism and residents interests,” Mr Gschwind said.

“We’re also calling for increased infrastructure investment in transport amenities including roads and national park facilities.”

QTIC is the peak industry body for tourism in Queensland, acting as “The Voice of Tourism”. QTIC is a private sector, membership-based organisation representing the interests of the tourism and hospitality industry across Queensland.

Tourism Priorities for Queensland

Accelerate investment in infrastructure for jobs growth and economic stimulus

• Accelerate investment in major infrastructure, including the Bruce Highway, sport and entertainment/convention facilities,national park facilities and multimodal transport systems that support regional communities, deliver benefits for other industries and locals and provide capacity to cater for future demand.

• Boost investment and cooperation in aviation and air route development.

• Stimulate private sector investment in tourism infrastructure through incentive programs and efficient regulatory frameworks.

• Invest in digital infrastructure to enhance accessibility and availability of services for visitors, industry, regional communities and governments to create consumer and business opportunities.

Invest in innovation to drive individual and collective business and product development

Business
• Support the development of an industry-led framework for business standards, as an alternative to regulation, which raises quality business and product development outcomes.

• Invest in industry-led capacity building programs that recognise the entrepreneurship mindset and encourage future innovation, workforce, business and product development.

• Invest in Open Data initiatives that enable business, industry, regional communities and governments to access and share information to remain globally competitive.

Workforce
• Accelerate the establishment of an industry-led partnership with the education and training sector to raise the quality of training and re-position the sector to meet current and future tourism skills, business and workforce demands.

Competitive investment in tourism for marketing, events and industry capacity building

• The current marketing and events investment of $100 million achieves $17 billion in visitor expenditure and supports 241,000 jobs. Other states and overseas destinations have been able to take market share off Queensland with increased investment. To achieve $30 billion by 2020 Queensland’s investment must be set at a more competitive level and be assured over a period of at least 3-4 years to build business partnerships and allow for effective event planning.

Maximise Queensland’s destination advantage

• Commit resources to regional tourism destinations to continue to deliver economic and community benefits.

• Support local governments to deliver positive social and economic tourism returns to regional communities.

• Stimulate public and private sector investment in regional tourism infrastructure through the adoption of the Next Generation Tourism Planning guidelines in local government planning schemes.

Preserve Queensland’s natural assets and cultural heritage

• Provide certainty for industry and communities that environmental management and protection policies will reflect tourism interests, particularly in areas of state and national significance. The capacity of governments and industry to sustainably manage these areas is an integral part of Queensland’s global competitive advantage.

• Allocate funding for industry partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through tourism activities, providing employment and Indigenous business development outcomes.

Advance industry structural reform designed for global competitiveness

• Work with industry to develop an industry structure that is more efficient, effective and coordinated.

• Progress the strong industry-government partnership through recognition of tourism as one of the economic drivers of the state’s economy.

www.qtic.org.au

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QUEENSLAND will stage Australia’s only Baroque festival under a new three-year agreement, reinforcing the state’s reputation as a cultural mecca.

Tourism and Events Queensland (TEQ) CEO, Leanne Coddington, said the popular festival, previously hosted in Hobart, would see a series of exclusive cultural events staged in Brisbane in April.

“The nine-day Brisbane Baroque, artistically directed by art impresario Leo Schofield AM, is the only one of its kind dedicated to this art form in Australia,” Ms Coddington said.

“Cultural tourism is a significant contributor to the economy and vibrant events such as Brisbane Baroque are an important lure in attracting more visitors to Queensland. 

“We anticipate that this event will generate more than 36,000 visitor nights and $9 million in visitor spending through until 2017. 

Brisbane Baroque is a cultural celebration of late 17th and early 18th century music, which will be staged at venues such as the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC), Brisbane City Hall, the Queensland Conservatorium Theatre, and select churches throughout Brisbane.

Brisbane Baroque will feature an exclusive Australian-first production of Faramondo, a rare opera by George Frideric Handel, one of the most prolific composers of the Baroque era.  

“With continued growth, TEQ expects the event to compete globally with other major international Baroque festivals such as the Valletta International Baroque in Malta, the Boston Early Music Festival in the USA, and the Göttingen International Handel Festival in Germany,” Ms Coddington said.

“Brisbane Baroque will be promoted as part of It’s Live! In Queensland, an initiative which highlights the perfect union of world-class events and destinations.” 

Brisbane Baroque Artistic Director, Leo Schofield, said he was delighted the event was making its way to Queensland’s capital city in 2015.

“This city aspires to be the cultural capital of Australia and in recent years has made huge strides towards that goal,” said Mr Schofield.

“Queenslanders certainly understand the value of cultural tourism which is why a unique festival of early music has such appeal.” 

Executive Director, Jarrod Carland, said Brisbane provides the perfect backdrop for locals and visitors to experience unique cultural offerings.

“Not only will Brisbane Baroque feature leading overseas artists, it will also provide an opportunity to showcase the talents of young Australian and Queensland musicians,” Mr Carland said.  

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THE deadline for NAB customers to reclaim potentially millions of dollars in unfairly charged exception fees is fast approaching, with just 24 hours remaining according to Financial Redress, which is managing a series of class actions on behalf of bank customers.

James Middleweek, Managing Director of Financial Redress, said today that any NAB customers who believe they have been hit by excessive exception fees in the past should complete the registration process on www.financialredress.com.au  by 4pm on Tuesday 27 January, so as not to miss out on any compensation.

NAB exception fees were on average around $30 before the bank reduced or eliminated them altogether in 2010.

More than 40,000 NAB customers have so far joined the NAB Class Action, which is part of a wider group of legal actions relating to exception fees launched against eight of the major banks in Australia. The lead case, against ANZ, is awaiting judgment in the Court of Appeal (class action members were successful in the Federal Court on late fees). 

“When we launched the registration process for the Class Actions back in May 2010 the response was overwhelming. I commend NAB for its willingness to seek a settlement leading to compensation for its customers. It’s high time that the other banks followed suit.” Mr Middleweek said.

The deadline for NAB customers to join the proposed settlement comes as new research shows that Australian banks are charging Australians households six times more than the average person believes is fair, and twice as much as they think they are paying.

The research, conducted by Lonergan Research on behalf of Financial Redress and based on a survey of 1,026 people nationwide, found that Australians on average consider a reasonable level for bank fees to be $3 per month. They also estimate that they pay $8.70 per month in bank fees.

However, the latest Australian Bankers’ Association (ABA) data shows that Australian households in fact paid $4.14 billion in fees in 2013, which equates to an average monthly fee of $19.05 per person.

Mr Middleweek said that the research showed that the practice of banks charging excessive fees in general remained a massive sore point.

“According to the survey 90% of respondents believe that banks should charge lower fees even if it means they are less profitable,” he said.

“Most consumers understand the fairness of paying a reasonable fee when it reflects the bank’s costs. However, they object to being hit with an excessive fee, especially when it appears unlinked to the amount in question or the time period involved.”

The survey found that dishonour fees (a charge imposed by banks for refusing to honour a transaction) are the biggest point of frustration for Australians, with almost half (46%) of respondents considering these fees to be ‘unacceptable’.

Two in five (41%) respondents indicated they would prefer not to have the ability to overdraw or go over their limit at all. The remainder of respondents declared they would, on average, be willing to pay up to $5.70 when they overdraw, go over limit or pay a credit card late.

“It is hard to believe that banks routinely used to charge customers $30 to $40 in these situations. Some still do charge that much and nearly all charge much more than $5.70,” Mr Middleweek said.

Mr Middleweek also pointed to banks’ pursuit of higher fees aimed at Australian small businesses.

According to the ABA, Australia’s approximately two million small businesses paid $4 billion in bank fees in 2013, compared with $3.2 billion in 2009 - a 25% increase.

“This means the average small business in Australia is paying on average $2,000 per year, or $166 a month, in bank fees,” Mr Middleweek said.

“Collectively, banks are charging Australian households and small businesses $8 billion in fees each year,” he said.

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THE Australian Retailers Association (ARA) said the Consumer Price Index (CPI) released today showed inflation of 0.2 percent in the 2014 December quarter which followed a rise of 0.5 percent in the September quarter providing explanation of reduced pricing during the 2014 Christmas period.

The CPI rose 1.7 percent in the year to the December quarter compared with a rise of 2.3 percent in the September quarter showing a slow yet steady pace in the lead up to Christmas 2014 sales.

ARA Executive Director Russell Zimmerman said retailers kept prices low through discounting over the Christmas period and the ARA was hopeful competition in the supermarket sector would also continue to put pressure on prices.

“Competition on everyday prices in the supermarket sector has shown benefits in the latest CPI figures and the ARA calls for the government to increase that competition in its current competition review process.

“There is no doubt lower fuel costs will flow through the supply chain which will further reduce costs, leaving more cash in consumer pockets to drive retail sales,” Mr Zimmerman said.

While there has been some pressure from the higher Australian dollar on imports, all indications show lower fuel costs and fierce competition to drive costs lower.

The Australian Retailers Association now looks towards the release of the December retail trade figures to confirm its pre-Christmas predictions of $45 billion which is expected to be an influence of today’s CPI December quarter figures.

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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.

TEN passionate travellers have been invited to visit Tropical North Queensland in February to capture the destination’s visitor experiences as part of a new global tourism marketing campaign.

The travellers range from a Kiwi drive-holiday enthusiast and Canadian documentary filmmaker, to a former professional Australian snowboarder. 

Tourism and Events Queensland (TEQ) Group Executive, Marketing, Steve McRoberts said the campaign was the third instalment of the destination’s Paradise-themed marketing initiatives, led by TEQ in partnership with Tourism Tropical North Queensland and Qantas.

“A world-wide search began in November for 10 global travellers to visit the destination and capture the beauty of Tropical North Queensland paradise through their lens,” Mr McRoberts said.

“The campaign attracted almost 100 entries from 15 countries which were of a particularly high standard and were published on ExploreTNQ.com.au.

“Entries closed on 21 December and were reviewed, with nine finalists chosen and a tenth decided based on the high level of engagement they achieved for their entry on social media.

“It has been terrific to see the passion and creativity the entries have demonstrated for Tropical North Queensland’s visitor experiences.”

Mr McRoberts said following the visit, the films would be reviewed by a panel of tourism and marketing experts and the person with the most captivating story would win a prize worth AUD$20,000.

“Vision captured during the trip will focus on the Tropical North’s Indigenous culture, the reef and rainforest, wildlife and outdoor adventure.

“The films will feature on ExploreTNQ.com.au, social media, and television commercials in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, which will also promote Qantas travel deals.

“The footage will also appear abroad in four of Queensland’s key international markets, including New Zealand, the US, Europe and the UK.”

Tourism Tropical North Queensland CEO Alex de Waal said having visitors to Tropical North Queensland become advocates for the region was a powerful form of marketing.

"Paradise Through Your Lens encourages travel enthusiasts to share their perspective of our paradise and is a primary component of TTNQ's advocacy strategy," he said.

Ten finalists (in no particular order):

1. Ben Williams, USA 

2. Brodie Rocca, Australia 

3. David Copithorne, Canada

4. Edward Saltau, Australia 

5. Jarrad Seng, Australia

6. Nicholas Covelli, Australia

7. Romain Leclerc, France 

8. Ross Mackay, New Zealand 

9. Shawn Lowe, USA 

10. Jemma Craig, Australia 

For more information about the finalists or Paradise Through Your Lens, visit ExploreTNQ.com.au

To book a holiday in Tropical North Queensland paradise visit Queensland.com

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