Resolute Actions Needed from WTO Nations to Recover Lost Ground With Doha
18 December 2005: The meeting of the world’s trade ministers in Hong Kong has fallen well short of achieving the modest aim of agreeing a basic platform from which the Doha Round could have been concluded in 2006.
[more]
Business Leaders Challenge WTO Trade Ministers
17 December 2005: World Business Leaders for Growth today expressed growing concern that trade ministers appear to be falling short of setting the stage to complete the Doha Development Agenda by the end of 2006.
[more]
Reinvest Surplus in Tax Reform
15 December 2005: The upward revisions to the Budget surplus figures released today as part of the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook again underscored the capacity for fundamental tax reform in next year’s federal Budget, the Business Council said today.
[more]
World Business Leaders Urge Trade Ministers to Seize the Opportunity to Save the Doha Round
15 December 2005: Trade ministers from around the world need to focus their efforts in Hong Kong on resurrecting the Doha Round by providing the basis for a substantial trade liberalisation agreement to be achieved before the end of 2006.
[more]
Red Tape Needs Systematic Overhaul, Not Quick Fixes Says BCA Submission to Regulation Review
12 December 2005: The problems of over-regulation could only be solved by long-term systemic changes and not quick fixes, the Business Council of Australia said today.
[more]
BCA Congratulates Winners of the ACCI/BCA National Work & Family Awards 2005
25 November 2005: The Business Council of Australia congratulated the winners of the 2005 ACCI/BCA National Work & Family Awards, announced by the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations Kevin Andrews in Sydney last night.
[more]
Tax Page Cull a Step in the Right Direction for Red Tape Reform
24 November 2005: The Business Council of Australia has welcomed the federal government’s decision to cut the number of income tax pages by more than 2,000, saying the move should be a template for a comprehensive cull of unnecessary red tape across the economy.
[more]
BCA Newspaper Ads Warn of Low-Growth Future Without Further Reform
20 November 2005: Advertisements placed by the Business Council of Australia calling for further economic reform to lock-in prosperity will appear in major metropolitan and regional newspapers throughout Australia tomorrow.
[more]
Second BCA TV Ad Goes to Air
6 November 2005: The second of the BCA’s ‘Four Reform Steps’ television advertisements has gone to air on stations around Australia today.
[more]
BCA Calls for Reinvigorated Competition Policy Reforms to Boost Productivity
2 November 2005: The BCA has called for National Competition Policy to be reinvigorated and expanded to help Australia boost its productivity and lock in economic growth and prosperity.
[more]
BCA Reform Advertisements Go to Air Around Australia: ‘Economic Reform Vital For Australia’s Future’
30 October 2005: The Business Council of Australia will begin running this evening the first of a series of advertisements throughout Australia explaining why economic reform is vital for Australia’s future.
[more]
BCA Elects Michael Chaney as New President
28 October 2005: The Business Council of Australia has elected Mr Michael Chaney AO as its new President for a term of two years.
[more]
BCA Global Survey Finds Australia’s Company Tax Burden Too High
17 October 2005: Australia’s corporate tax regime was quickly becoming uncompetitive and would act as a brake on economic growth if it was not brought into line with its competitors, according to the new report released by the Business Council today.
[more]
BCA Welcomes Red Tape Reform Taskforce
12 October 2005: The BCA welcomed today’s announcement of a special taskforce to reduce red tape saying it was a first step towards addressing Australia’s regulatory blow-out.
[more]
Senator Joyce’s Concerns Baseless
12 October 2005: The BCA is extremely disappointed at the decision of Senator Barnaby Joyce to vote against part of the Dawson reforms to the Trade Practices Act.
[more]
Business Council Endorses Workplace Changes
9 October 2005: The Business Council of Australia has welcomed planned changes to the workplace relations system detailed today by the federal government.
[more]
Business Council of Australia Renews Calls for Economic Reform
3 October 2005: The Business Council of Australia has renewed its calls for further economic reform to promote ongoing growth and prosperity in Australia.
[more]
Strong Budget Result Continues to Extract Heavy Burden From Corporate Australia
23 September 2005: Another stronger than expected result in the Final Budget Outcome showed again the significant and growing contribution of corporate Australia to the government’s coffers, the BCA said today.
[more]
BCA Urges Federal Government to Stand Firm on Trade Practices Reform
20 September 2005: The Business Council of Australia today urged the federal government to resist last-minute calls to reduce competition in Australia through ill-conceived amendments to the Trade Practices Act.
[more]
World Business Leaders Call For Urgent Action to Save Doha Trade Round
6 September 2005: Six of the world’s leading business organisations today called on member nations of the World Trade Organization (WTO) to intensify their efforts to achieve a successful conclusion to the Doha Development Agenda (DDA).
[more]
Business Council of Australia: Trade Principles
24 August 2005: The Business Council of Australia has compiled a set of formal principles to guide its policy agenda on trade.
[more]
Australia’s Infrastructure in Need of an Audit: BCA
21 August 2005: The Business Council of Australia has called for a biennial ‘state of the nation’ audit to assess the adequacy and performance of Australia’s key infrastructure.
[more]
Principal for a Day Program Celebrates 5th Birthday
17 August 2005: Katie Lahey, Chief Executive of the Business Council of Australia participated in this year’s Principal for Day program today at Preston Girls Secondary College, Victoria.
[more]
Big Gains for Average Australians if Reforms Continue says BCA Research
6 August 2005: Every Australian would be more than $70,000 wealthier by 2025 and the nation would rise to a ranking of third richest in the developed world but only if important reforms to the economy are made now.
[more]
Victoria Setting the Pace in Education and Training – But for How Long?
4 July 2005: Victoria leads the nation in the educational attainment of young people and in successful transitions from school, according to the most comprehensive analysis of Victorian education, training and employment outcomes in the state since the election of the Bracks Government in 1999.
[more]
BCA Backs National Competition Plan for Infrastructure
29 June 2005: Business today welcomed moves by the federal government to make reform of Australia’s vital infrastructure a central part of a reinvigorated national competition policy.
[more]
Business Backs Extended Parliamentary Terms
27 June 2005: Four-year parliamentary terms would be good for government and business decision making and should be supported, the BCA said today.
[more]
Australia Needs a More Dynamic COAG Process
6 June 2005: A series of committees established by COAG last week should have tighter reporting timelines and be subject to greater transparency in order to achieve the reform outcomes that are needed to lock in prosperity.
[more]
Youth Education and Training Completions Provide Intergenerational Economic Benefit
2 June 2005: Boosting the proportion of young people completing school or an apprenticeship to 90 per cent by the end of the decade would increase workforce numbers by 65,000, boost economic productivity, and expand the economy by nearly $10 billion (in today’s money) by 2040.
[more]
Export Infrastructure Report: The Right Approach to Part of the Problem
1 June 2005: The report into the capacity of Australia’s infrastructure to handle growing exports should now form the basis of a major Council of Australian Governments review into infrastructure generally, the Business Council of Australia said today.
[more]
Business Council Endorses Workplace Changes
26 May 2005: Major workplace relations reforms unveiled by the federal government today were endorsed by the Business Council of Australia which said they would help to underpin renewed productivity growth and prosperity.
[more]
Regulation Blow-Out Risks Economic Growth and Prosperity
23 May 2005: The amount and complexity of new regulation imposed on business and the general community far outstripped the benefits and would damage the economy if left unchecked, according to a new report released by the Business Council of Australia today.
[more]
With ‘Election’ Budget Out of the Way, Focus Can Now Switch to Serious Reform
10 May 2005: The BCA today welcomed the federal Budget which contained a number of important initiatives and measures to address short-term priorities but has also cleared the way to continue with a comprehensive economic reform program.
[more]
Effective Market Access the Key to China FTA
19 April 2005: A free trade agreement with China had the potential to achieve significant long-term gains for the Australian economy, provided the agreement delivered effective market access and competition for Australian business, the BCA said today.
[more]
Business Supports Japan–Australia Free Trade Feasibility Study
19 April 2005: Business today underlined the importance of a feasibility study to explore the potential scope and benefits of a potential free trade agreement between Japan and Australia.
[more]
CEDA Report Underlines Need for New Approach to Nation’s Infrastructure
14 April 2005: The Business Council of Australia said today a report released today by CEDA examining widespread shortfalls in infrastructure planning and coordination underlined the imperative for a new approach by federal and state governments on the issue.
[more]
Governments Must Target Tax System for Fundamental Reform
11 April 2005: Business today called for a broad review of fundamental aspects of the tax system that pose major threats to Australia’s future prosperity while proposing a series of reforms to address immediate problem areas.
[more]
Urgent National Plan Needed for Infrastructure Says BCA
26 March 2005: Business today called for an urgent national approach to Australia’s infrastructure problems, warning the problem was the single, biggest barrier to the nation’s future prosperity.
[more]
BCA Backs New Call to Help Young People Plan for Work
20 March 2005: The Business Council of Australia has backed research calling on schools to provide more support for disadvantaged young people to make realistic plans that match their work aspirations.
[more]
Business Outlines Workplace Reform Plan to Lock in Prosperity
15 February 2005: Australia’s peak business group today released an action plan for reform of workplace relations to underpin economic growth, employment opportunities and rising prosperity.
[more]
Business Leaders Urge Plan of Action for Future Growth
6 February 2005: Business leaders today called for an action plan for the economy focused on productivity improvements, saying Australia’s strength and resilience as an economy were likely to erode if major reforms were not started quickly.
[more]