THE Australian Government is taking another important step to improve water quality in the Great Barrier Reef with applications for the $5 million Reef Trust Tender—Wet Tropics programme now open.

“Over two hundred farmers registered an expression of interest last year and can now apply for funds to improve their farm’s nitrogen use efficiency,” said Mr Entsch.

“Farmers are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to submit a tender application to trial improvements in their fertiliser management practices.”

This is one of a number of programmes by the Australian Government, in partnership with other agencies, industry and communities, to achieve a common goal – protecting and managing the reef for current and future generations.

“This is an innovative approach to help farmers trial improved fertiliser management, leading to  cost-effective and long-term reduction in nitrogen fertiliser runoff entering the waters of the Great Barrier Reef,” said Minister Hunt.

“Nitrogen runoff from farms is a major factor affecting the health of the Great Barrier Reef and is linked to outbreaks of the damaging crown-of-thorns starfish.”

The programme is unique in its flexibility, allowing farmers to put forward a proposal and asking price to the Australian Government that meets their individual business needs and circumstances.

Terrain NRM, the programme’s delivery partner, is available to provide registered farmers with information and on ground support where needed.

Cane farmers who registered an expression of interest are invited to submit a tender application by 19 February 2015.

Tenders will be evaluated based on value for money and site visits may be conducted as part of the assessment process. Successful farmers will receive payments to implement their new fertiliser management practices from April this year.

The online tender application form, the programme’s guidelines and further information is available at:www.environment.gov.au/reef-trust-tender or www.terrain.org.au/Projects/Agriculture-and-Innovation/Reef-Trust.

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INTERNATIONAL Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Secretary General John Danilovich met with World Customs Organization (WCO) Secretary General Kunio Mikuriya at WCO Headquarters in Brussels earlier this week to discuss ways to strengthen the relationship between the world business community and Customs to facilitate cross-border trade.

Joined by Norman Shenk, Chair of the ICC Commission on Customs and Trade Facilitation and UPS Vice-President of Global Customs Policy and Public Affairs, Mr Danilovich highlighted the role of the ICC World Chambers Federation in co-administering the ATA Carnet System and cooperating with Customs in the area of Certificates of Origin, as well as through ICC's Business Action to Stop Counterfeiting and Piracy (BASCAP) initiative to stop counterfeited goods at borders and prevent free trade zones becoming hotspots for illicit trade and organized crime groups.

Discussions also included specific challenges that small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) encounter when trading across borders, customs valuation ceilings for goods known as de minimis , rules of origin and the increasing importance of e-commerce and global value chains.

Thanking Mr Mikuriya for making the customs-business cooperation a priority, Mr Danilovich also reaffirmed ICC's ongoing support for the WCO's work on trade facilitation and in particular for the implementation of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) that aims to enhance trade flows.

"Given that the agreement deals almost entirely with Customs-related topics, trade ministries, Customs and business must all be involved at country-level to ensure the TFA's successful implementation," Mr Danilovich said.

Through the Commission on Customs and Trade Facilitation, ICC is actively engaged in the WCO Working Group on the implementation of the TFA.

Under the chairmanship of Mr Schenk, the commission provides strategic advice and expertise, namely on Authorized Economic Operator Programmes, and a number of technical issues such as Customs Classification (in the WCO Harmonized System Committee) and on Customs Valuation (in the WCO Technical Committee on Customs Valuation).

In line with a longstanding relationship dating back to when the WCO was created in the 1950s, both organizations concluded the meeting by reaffirming support for the modernization of Customs as a core means of enhancing the supply chain and economic competitiveness.

Mr Mikuriya has emphasized on many occasions that Customs and business are natural allies in trade facilitation and will be a keynote speaker at the Customs and Trade Facilitation Symposium, hosted by ICC and the United States Council for International Business (ICC USA), to take place in Miami next month.The ICC Commission on Customs and Trade Facilitation has approximately 250 members from close to 50 countries.

Commission members comprise Customs representatives, transport and logistics specialists from ICC member companies and business representative organizations.

www.iccwbo.org

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AS RECOMMENDED by an independent peer review, a Technical Advisory Forum comprised of leading scientists and statisticians will review and provide advice on Australia’s official temperature data set. The Technical Advisory Forum is scheduled to meet in March.

The Bureau of Meteorology is responsible for the climate record, and as a trusted and respected organisation, welcomes robust assessment of its work in order to maintain the highest levels of public confidence.

The establishment of this Forum will provide an independent framework for quality assurance tests and analysis of the Bureau’s data sets for greater transparency.

The Bureau’s climate information services were subject to a rigorous independent peer-review in 2011. The Review was conducted by a panel of international experts and found the Bureau's data and analysis methods met world’s best practice.

The Bureau’s methods and processes are published on its website, in addition to the findings of the 2011 Review.

An important recommendation of this review was that a Technical Advisory Group should be established "in order to review progress on the development and operation of the ACORN-SAT data-set."

The establishment of this forum is in line with this recommendation in the Report of the Independent Peer Review of ACORN-SAT data-sets.

The Australian Climate Observations Reference Network - Surface Air Temperature (ACORN-SAT) dataset is an important part of Australia’s official climate record. It has been developed for monitoring climate variability and change in Australia and is held by the Bureau of Meteorology.

The members of the Technical Advisory Forum are:

www.bom.gov.au

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AUSTRALIA’s biggest ever trade mission to India will formally commence today, beginning a week-long series of events designed to enhance trade, education, investment and tourism ties with the world’s third-largest economy.

Australia Business Week in India (ABWI) will see more than 450 business leaders visit India’s major cities to meet their Indian counterparts. The mission also incorporated participation in yesterday’s Vibrant Gujarat 2015 summit.

Bruce Gosper, CEO of Austrade, said, “This trade mission is an important way to inform India’s business community about Australia’s commercial strengths and for our nation’s business people to get a closer look at what India has to offer.

“The sheer size of the mission makes it an important step in Australia’s ongoing efforts to develop trade, investment, education and tourism ties with India,” he said.

Led by Trade and Investment Minister Andrew Robb, the mission was organised by Austrade and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).

“The response to this mission has been impressive and indicates that Australian business is aware of the opportunities and interested in engaging with India in a commercial sense,” Mr Gosper said.

“What is important about ABWI is that business people will get the chance to meet their counterparts face to face, a type of engagement that helps identify real commercial outcomes.”

Nicola Watkinson, Austrade’s Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner for South Asia, said ABWI delegates would visit multiple cities, including New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata Chandigarh, Pune, Ahmedabad, Jaipur and Ludhiana. They would meet leading representatives of India’s business community and attend a series of high-level investment roundtables.

“The delegates represent a significant cross section of Australian industry in areas identified as having the best opportunities in the Indian market. These include resources and energy, tourism, infrastructure, transport, agribusiness and food, financial services, health and medical, as well as education and training,” she said.

"Australia has strong capabilities which can help India better utilise its natural resources, increase water, food and energy security, and serve its changing demography and increasingly affluent population.

"India is looking for ways to improve its innovation output and Australia’s world-class education system and strong innovation credentials can help.”

ABWI follows the successful trade mission to China in April last year, Australia Week in China (AWIC), which was also coordinated by Austrade and DFAT.

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THE Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and the Department of Communications today launched a review into information and communications technology (ICT) statistics. 

The review will assess the priority information areas for data relating to ICT statistics, as well as ways to improve the quality of digital economy data available for Australia’s decision-makers.

The public consultation phase, which opens today and is open until 27 February, invites parties to submit proposals for improving the information available on ICT statistics.

The discussion paper provides background information including the terms of reference.

This is a unique opportunity for ICT data users and the public to have their say on the current information available and how well it meets their needs says Diane Braskic from the ABS.

"Information and communications technology statistics assist government, business, researchers and the community to make informed decisions.” Ms Braskic said.

"The input from the submissions will help us make sure that these statistics continue to provide the valuable information that meet people's needs.

"I encourage anyone interested in a making a submission to go to the ABS website for more information."

The consultation period is open from today until 27 February 2015. To make a submission, visit Submission Process for the Information and Communications Technology Statistics Review.

THE Department of Immigration and Border Protection and the Ministry for the Arts are undertaking a review of the Temporary Work (Entertainment) visa (Subclass 420).

The review is in support of the Australian Government's commitment to reducing the burden and cost of unnecessary or inefficient regulation imposed on individuals, business and community organisations.

The Subclass 420 visa allows visa holders to work temporarily in Australia in the entertainment industry in film, television or live productions in either a performance or in a role behind the scenes.

• Find out more, read the discussion paper and submit comments

THE Council of Small Business Australia (COSBOA) has called for small business people across the country to use the natural awareness of their environment to provide support to the government in its security processes.

Peter Strong CEO of COSBOA has written an article calling on small business people to report anything they consider suspicious or strange to the relevant authorities.

Mr Strong stated, “Small business people by nature have an enhanced awareness of what is happening in or around them and have always been an important part of the security in our communities.  We know that the government agencies involved in national security would like small business people to report anything they consider suspicious - whether it’s the purchase of chemicals that normally wouldn’t occur, odd money transactions or any other behaviour that may be of concern.”

COSBOA and its members know that small business people are represented in every industry and in every community across Australia.  We have always kept a watch out for criminals and thieves, for fire traps and dangerous situations and we work with the relevant authorities as necessary to help minimise risk. 

Peter Strong said, “The current national security situation is challenging for all of us as we try to understand the dangers and risks.  The government agencies do not want us to be alarmed but they do want phone calls to be made if we see something of concerns. 

"We may need to get over a natural reluctance to “dob” someone in or get involved.  Make the phone call and then let the authorities deal with the issue professionally.”

Mr Strong further added, "I would like to thank the COSBOA directors and members who assisted in putting the article together as well as officials from the Attorney- General’s Department, and I would like to particularly thank Kate Carnell, CEO of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and industry for her advice and support. 

"This is a very different issue from what we normally address and the advice and information received was important in getting the message right to send to the 2.1 million small business people in Australia.”

www.cosboa.org.au

National Security Hotline:  1800 1234 00.

www.nationalsecurity.gov.au

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THE Australian Retailers Association (ARA) said the seasonally adjusted rise (0.1 percent increase) in monthly retail trade figures (month-on-month) reported today by the ABS followed a 0.4 percent rise in October 2014.

While November’s month on month growth was disappointing, year on year retail growth rose 5 percent (seasonally adjusted, compared to November 2013) - a positive sign for the retail industry.

ARA Executive Director Russell Zimmerman said retailers remain hopeful that the ARA and Roy Morgan predicted pre-Christmas sales figure of $45 billion (expected to go through retail tills from 15 November 2014 to 24 December 2014) will be achieved.

“We won’t be able to confirm the actual pre-Christmas spend until December retail figures are released next month. However, after speaking with retailers across the country, many reported a fairly slow start to Christmas sales in November due to the reluctance of consumers to start their holiday shopping early. As usual, consumers left most of their shopping until the last minute.

“Industries which experienced rises were cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services (0.8%) and household goods retailing (0.6%) and food retailing (0.6%). Department stores remained relatively unchanged (0.0%). This was partially offset by falls in other retailing (-2.1%) and clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing (-0.7%).

“The Brisbane G20 may have also affected sales in November. The Australian Retail Index (delivered by BDO and Retail Express) stated that accessibility and availability are fundamental to sales, and both were diminished in the lead up to the G20 as barricades and closures were planted to etch a safe zone for the worlds most powerful. There was less traffic in Brisbane’s CBD, shops temporarily suspended operations and a public holiday had been declared – all of which contributed to slower sales.

“In seasonally adjusted terms the states which displayed rises were Victoria (0.4%), South Australia (0.4%), the Australian Capital Territory (1.3%), Tasmania (1.1%), the Northern Territory (1.6%) and Queensland (0.1%). This was partially offset by falls in New South Wales (-0.2%) and Western Australia (-0.1%),” Mr Zimmerman said.

MONTHLY RETAIL GROWTH (October 2014 – November 2014 seasonally adjusted)

Cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services (0.8%), Household goods retailing (0.6%), Food retailing (0.6%), Department stores (0.0%),Clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing (-0.7%) and Other retailing (-2.1%).Total sales (0.1%).

Northern Territory (1.6%), Australian Capital Territory (1.3%), Tasmania (1.1%) South Australia (0.4%), Victoria (0.4%), Queensland (0.1%), Western Australia (-0.1%) and New South Wales (-0.2%). Total sales (0.1%).

YEAR-ON-YEAR RETAIL GROWTH (November 2013 – November 2014 seasonally adjusted)

Household goods retailing (11.2%), Food retailing (6.6%), Cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services (5.9%), Department stores (2.0%). Other retailing (-1.7%) and Clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing (-2.4%).Total sales (5.0%).

New South Wales (8.7%), Victoria (5.6%), Tasmania (4.6%), South Australia (4.5%), Australian Capital Territory (3.5%), Northern Territory (1.9%), Queensland (1.4%) and Western Australia (1.0%).Total sales (5.0%).

*

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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