THIS FRIDAY, June 25, the Trade and Investment Growth Committee will commence its program of public hearings on the prudential regulation of investment in Australia’s export industries, with representatives from export businesses.

Committee Chair, George Christensen MP, said the committee was interested in hearing from export businesses in the resources sector about any challenges they have faced in accessing insurance and financial services.

"Australia’s export industries, including the resources sector, are critical in supporting our national economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. As such, it is timely that this Committee examine the challenges and opportunities for these industries in accessing financial services and insurance," Mr Christensen said.

Witnesses include the Minerals Council of Australia, the Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association, Adani Australia and other peak associations and businesses. Future hearings in coming weeks will feature witnesses from banks and financial institutions, government agencies and a wide range of stakeholder groups.

Public hearing details

Date: Friday, 25 June 2021
Time: 9am–3.10pm
Location: Committee Room 2R2, Parliament House, Canberra

The hearing will be broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live. Further information about the committee’s inquiry, including the public hearing program is available on the committee’s webpage.

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THE Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson has welcomed a new online tool for small business owners, designed to take the stress out of hiring their first employee.

The Employment Contract Tool – recently launched by the Australian Government – guides small business owners through a series of questions to generate an employment contract based on the specific terms and conditions of the relevant award.

Mr Billson said the tool would significantly reduce red tape for small business owners who want to expand their business, saving time and money.

“This technology has been developed in close consultation with small business owners to ensure it meets their needs in regards to making the hiring process far simpler,” Mr Billson said.

“We know that small business owners have found the experience of hiring their first staff member to be overwhelming.

“Research published by NAB shows a small business hiring its first worker can spend up to 18 hours understanding awards and pay rates and complying with taxation, OH&S and record-keeping obligations. That’s about five times more than a large business with more than 200 employees, when hiring additional staff.

“Unfortunately this can lead small business owners to delay their hiring plans or put it off altogether because they are afraid of making a mistake.

“The Employment Contract Tool aims to remove those headwinds by taking the employer through the process step-by-step giving them confidence they are meeting their legal obligations.

“Ultimately it is smart technological solutions like this that will cut red tape and reduce the regulatory burden on small business owners to make Australia the best place to start, grow and transform a business.

“The tool provides another support to help small business employers navigate this difficult space, alongside the valuable role that industry and professional associations continue to play in this complex area.”

To access the Employment Contract Tool and explore hiring options visit https://employ.business.gov.au/

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A NATIONAL awareness campaign about a free tailored mental health support service for small business owners has begun, amid new research revealing the emotional toll on small business owners during the past year.

The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, Bruce Billson said the campaign would raise awareness about Beyond Blue’s New Access for Small Business Owners program, which offers free one-on-one telehealth sessions with specially trained mental health coaches.

“It is vital small business owners know that help is available if they need it,” Mr Billson said.

“New Access for Small Business Owners offers free one-on-one telehealth sessions with specially trained mental health coaches providing evidence-based advice on strategies for managing stress.

“Crucially, the New Access for Small Business Owners program is delivered by coaches that have experience in small business. It really helps to know that the person you’re speaking with understands what it takes to run a small business.

“We know many small business owners have been hit hard throughout the pandemic, particularly with going in and out of lockdowns and restrictions, and that has understandably taken a toll.

“New research released by Xero has found almost seven out of 10 (68%) of 500 small business owners surveyed reported the past 12 months have been more emotionally draining than any other year they’ve been in business.

“It also found small business leaders have collectively lost more than eight million hours of sleep each week due to the demands of running their small business. Trouble sleeping can be a sign of stress.

“It’s important small business owners understand if they look after their mental health, they can also help their business.

“Our My Business Health web portal is an excellent support tool for small business owners and it links with the New Access for Small Business Owners program, while also providing easy-to-read, practical tips on the day-to-day tasks of running a small business.”

Beyond Blue’s New Access for Small Business Owners program is available now.

mybusinesshealth.gov.au

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IN SUPPORT OF a buoyant marine sector, the Marina Industries Association (MIA) in partnership with the Boating Industry Association (BIA) and Superyacht Australia has launched Marine Jobs.

Marine Jobs is an online ‘career centre’ designed to make it easier for employers to advertise vacancies and for people to find the right job for them in the marine industry. 

This new industry jobs platform provides a range of career resources, including information on apprenticeships and industry training, writing a resume and preparing for an interview.

“Until now there hasn’t been a single recruitment website that the marine industry could go to and find every job available in the marine sector.  Using generic platforms is completely unsatisfactory, and often results in literally hundreds of unqualified applications to sift through," MIA CEO Suzanne Davies said. “Marine Jobs offers a place where like-minded employers and job seekers can connect."

Employers can quickly and easily post opportunities to the Jobs Board in the same way they currently post opportunities on platforms such as Seek.  Job seekers can anonymously post their resume to the board while remaining in complete control over which employers they reveal their information to.

BIA co-general manager Nik Parker said, “It’s another example of the type of practical career support we provide to the industry.  It will be available to non-member businesses also, but MIA, BIA and Superyacht Australia members will receive a significant discount in recognition of their on-going commitment to their association.”

CEO of Superyacht Australia, David Good said, “Australians are some of the most sort after superyacht crew, making up about 25 percent of all international crew or around 14,000 mostly young Australians. It is important that this experience is not completely lost to the marine industry when they decide to return home to Australia.

"Marine Jobs will be able to connect these experienced seafarers to marine employers, so this experience is harnessed back into the Australian Marine Industry.”

Marine Jobs is powered by a specialist jobs board provider which delivers such online recruitment solutions to over 3000 industry associations world-wide.

www.marinejobs.org.au

www.marinas.net.au

www.bia.org.au

www.superyacht-australia.com.

About the Marina Industries Association (MIA)

The MIA is the peak body representing the interests of club, recreational and commercial marinas, boatyards and industry suppliers in Australia and the wider Asia-Pacific region.  Working closely with other marina associations around the world, the MIA works in support of developing sustainable marina industries through the delivery of strong leadership, industry guidance, education, accreditation and research.  The MIA has over 300 corporate members and connects over 2000 industry leaders and decision makers.  About 75 percent of members are marinas, clubs and boatyards and over 80 percent of larger marinas (over 100 berths) in Australia are members of the MIA.

About the Boating Industry Association (BIA) 

The BIA is the peak body in Australia that represents the interests of recreational and light commercial boating. BIA is an advocate for boaters and the boating lifestyle and supports safe, responsible, and enjoyable boating. This is achieved with a focus on three key objectives: Grow participation in recreational boating; strengthen government advocacy and support for members; and expand professional development and career pathways. The boating economy generates significant social benefits through employment, much of which is supported by family businesses. In 2019 the industry had a turnover of $7.95 billion, directly employed more than 25,320 people with more than 10,000 contractors. Seventy-five per cent are in small businesses, employing local workers and supporting local communities. The BIA is a not-for-profit that reinvests any surplus towards the organisation's purposes.

About Superyacht Australia 

Superyacht Australia is the peak body for the Australian Superyacht Industry. Its key focus is to develop and promote the South Pacific’s international competitiveness as a destination for the global superyacht fleet, to increase visitations of superyachts to Australia and to promote the capabilities of the Australian superyacht industry to service a visiting vessel’s every need.

About Marine Jobs

Marine Jobs is a ‘career centre’ dedicated to the marinas and boating industry and is a collaboration between the Marina Industries Association (MIA), the Boating Industry Association (BIA) and SuperYacht Australia to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of recruitment processes for employers and increase industry employee retention.  Its primary purpose is a recruitment platform where employers can post jobs to a qualified and targeted job seeker market, but Marine Jobs also provides a range of career resources, including information on apprenticeships and industry training.

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CHANGES to skilled migration rules announced by the Federal Government this week will have a positive effect on the engineering profession and have been endorsed by Engineers Australia.

The Priority Migration Skilled Occupation List (PMSOL) has been expanded to include civil, structural, electrical, geotechnical, transport, mining and petroleum engineering occupations. This is in addition to the already-listed occupations of mechanical and software engineer.

Engineers Australia chief executive officer, Bronwyn Evans said, “Engineers Australia welcomes the addition of seven engineering occupations to the Priority Migration Skilled Occupation List. This is an excellent outcome which is set to benefit many companies across a range of engineering-intensive sectors in Australia.

“On behalf of the profession, Engineers Australia has been engaging with the Commonwealth Government about improvements to skilled migration as Australia moves towards the economic recovery phase of the coronavirus pandemic and it’s pleasing that the government has listened and taken appropriate steps," Dr Evans said.

“Some 58.5 percent  of engineers in Australia’s labour force are born overseas, compared with 30 percent for the broader population, which demonstrates a high degree of reliance on skilled migration and the value of this week’s changes to the PMSOL.

“Resolving long-term skills supply challenges will require further action. Notably, less than half of overseas-born qualified engineers are in engineering roles, compared with two-thirds for their Australian-born peers.

“More support is needed for migrant engineers to break into the domestic employment market to ensure the nation benefits from this under-utilised skills supply.”

Engineers Australia is conducting research into the reasons for different employment outcomes for migrant engineers, which will be finalised next month.

“Engineers Australia is also keen to see the development of a long-term policy for the re-opening of Australia’s international borders,” Dr Evans said.

“This could include metrics that indicate when it is safe for the international border to re-open, such as vaccination rates, and nationally-aligned protocols for management of outbreaks.”

About Engineers Australia

With over 100,000 individual members, Engineers Australia is the profession’s peak body and is the voice of the profession, existing to advance the science and practice of engineering for the benefit of the community. High standards, globally-recognised credentials and international agreements enable Engineers Australia members to live and work around the world – with members currently in more than 120 countries.

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PRIVATE sector employers across the country should expect a new form of paid leave for grieving parents to apply to their own workers in the future, following the announcement of such a policy for public sector employees in New South Wales.

Under the scheme announced in the state budget, all full-time, part-time, permanent or temporary public sector workers will be able to access five days of leave following a miscarriage or stillbirth. The spouses of public service employees who have a miscarriage or stillbirth can also take advantage of the same paid leave.

Mothers who prematurely give birth will also be given paid pre-term birth leave up until the date their child would have normally been expected. Both measures will come into effect from July 1, 2021.

While this is a first for the country and is limited to public workers in one state, Employsure, workplace relations advisor to more than 29,000 SMEs across Australia and New Zealand, believes it will eventually extend to other states and into the private sector.

“Typically when a new workplace benefit, particularly one as sensitive as this, is introduced, it doesn’t take long until it becomes a nationwide policy,” Employsure employment relations specialist Nicholas Hackenberg said.

“Private employers should take note of what this newly announced leave in New South Wales entails, and if they discover the added cost might negatively impact their business, should it ever apply to them, then they should use the time they have to make necessary changes to their cash flow to accommodate for it.”

The introduction of such a scheme in Australia is comparable to the one that has been in place in New Zealand since March. While similar, New Zealand’s form of bereavement leave only provides those eligible with three days of paid leave, as opposed to the five announced for New South Wales.

Grievances in the workplace are something employers across both countries have long needed guidance on. In the first five months of 2021 alone, an average of 530 calls a month have been made to Employsure’s advice line from employers specifically seeking grievance-related help.

Employers typically need advice relating to compassionate leave (such as when an employee’s family or household member dies) and what steps they should take. Calls also extend to personal or carer’s leave (sickness/support) and how to handle employees.

“This is clearly a delicate topic employers will always need guidance on, and if this scheme in New South Wales ever extends to the private sector or others states, it will no doubt cause extra confusion for small business owners, who don’t tend to have a dedicated HR department to help them,” Mr Hackenberg said.

www.employsure.com.au

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“Employers, regardless of state or industry, should familiarise themselves with this policy in New South Wales, so if it ever does apply to them in the future, they can implement it into their workplace without it being a sudden shock to the business.”

THE House of Representatives Standing Committee on the Environment and Energy will today hold the first public hearing for its inquiry into dispatchable energy generation and storage capability in Australia. 

Committee Chair, Ted O’Brien MP said, “Australia’s energy system is evolving, with the rapid growth in renewables and the retirement of thermal energy capabilities creating risks for reliability and security within the system.

“In assessing Australia’s future energy mix, it is important to ensure that Australia can capitalise on the opportunities presented by new and emerging energy technology, that the lights stay on, and that Australian business can be competitive in seizing new local and global opportunities,” Mr O’Brien said.

At Wednesday’s hearing the committee will hear from the Australian Energy Market Operator, which is responsible for the operations and security of the National Energy Market; and from the Department of Infrastructure, Science, Energy and Resources, about the policy framework and settings for Australia’s dispatchable energy future.

Public hearing details

Date:               Wednesday 23 June 2021
Time:               10.30am to 11.30am (see program below)
Location:         Parliament House, Canberra

Program

10.30am – 11am: Australian Energy Market Operator

11am – 11.30am: Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources

11.30am: Close

​

Due to Covid-19 restrictions, Committee proceedings held in Parliament House are not currently open to the public. The hearing will be broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live.

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UNEMPLOYED seafarers are demanding urgent action from the Federal Government to address the decline of the nation’s shipping industry, including investment in a strategic fleet of Australian flagged and crewed vessels to move essential goods around the coast.

Seafarers who have lost their jobs after Australian vessels were replaced by foreign ships — many registered in notorious tax havens — were joined in their protest on the lawns of Parliament House by fellow maritime workers, trade unionists, and members of parliament.

The rally heard that while 98 percent of Australia’s imports and exports arrive by sea, only 12 Australian flagged and crewed cargo ships still operate. Australia’s fuel security is even more precarious, with not one Australian oil tanker remaining.

Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) national secretary Paddy Crumlin said shipping was an essential industry that was the backbone of the nation’s economy, but the Federal Government was making a choice to allow Australia seafarers to be replaced with exploited foreign workers.

“The Morrison Government hasn’t just stood by and watched the decline of Australian shipping, they have actively approved the replacement of Australian ships with foreign flag vessels crewed by exploited workers paid as little as $2 per hour,” Mr Crumlin said.

“Many of these vessels work exclusively on the Australian coast, moving cargoes between Australian ports, yet the Federal Government issues them temporary licences that allow them to avoid local wages and conditions.

“The crew of the MV Portland saw this policy first hand, finding out from media reports that they were losing their job, with the ship to be replaced by a foreign vessel.

“When they attempted to defend Australian jobs by refusing to take the MV Portland on its final voyage to Singapore, they were dragged from their bunks in the dead of night by security guards and replaced by a foreign crew,” Mr Crumlin said.

“Five years on, the work the MV Portland did bringing alumina to Alcoa’s Portland Aluminium Smelter in Victoria continues to be done by a foreign vessel under temporary licences issued by the Federal Government.

“Since the Coalition Government was elected in 2013, we’ve lost half our remaining fleet of Australian cargo vessels, taking with them the jobs of more than 500 Australian seafarers.

“This campaign isn’t just about getting Australian seafarers back up the gangways of Australian ships, it’s about the importance of a strong shipping industry to the economic success of an island nation.

“The importance of fixing this broken system has been highlighted by COVID, with international shipowners using the crisis to gouge freight rates, seriously impacting Australian businesses,” Mr Crumlin said.

“These same shipowners are responsible for keeping exploited seafarers effectively imprisoned on vessels, with hundreds of thousands unable to return home to their families for more than a year.

“As an island nation, we need to be reliant on ourselves, which means having a strategic fleet that can ensure our fuel security and keep essential goods supplied during a conflict, economic crisis, or pandemic.

“Australia is a great trading nation with a fantastic merchant navy tradition, yet the Morrison Government continues to preside over the demise of Australian shipping for purely ideological reasons.”

www.mua.org.au

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