About
The Business Council of Australia represents Australia’s largest employers, advocating for good policy on behalf of the business community and the Australians they employ.
Purpose and Mission Statement
Vision
The Business Council of Australia strives for a stronger Australia.
Purpose
We work to ensure Australia is economically strong to support a fair, free and inclusive society for all Australians. Achieving this requires successful, well-run businesses that create meaningful jobs and inclusive work environments which reflect and are accountable to the broader Australian community.
The Business Council champions the role that responsible businesses play in generating sustainable economic growth and advocates for policy settings that are in the national interest.
Mission
We believe the role of business is to generate returns for shareholders over the medium to long term, and that doing this requires businesses to be good corporate citizens, and for big and small business to work together across our cities and regions.
This means to act in good faith, have products and services that are fit for market, represent those products fairly and balance the needs of all stakeholders and interests including employees, shareholders, customers, suppliers, the community and the environment.
Role
The Business Council will actively collaborate with other community and business groups, political leaders at all levels of government and engage directly with the community to achieve our vision and purpose.
2023 - 2024 policy platform
The Business Council will anchor its advocacy priorities in the following key policy platforms:
- Australia remains an open, competitive, trading nation that supports private enterprise, free markets and innovation and entrepreneurship through efficient supply chains and access to talent.
- A modern, diversified and resilient economy underpinned by stronger productivity, research, innovation and competitiveness, a tax system that drives investment and a regulatory environment that makes it easier to do business and meets community expectations.
- Australia pursues a national goal of net-zero emissions by 2050, including working on a 2035 target, through a coordinated and well managed transition that drives investment in new technologies, develops new export industries, preserves energy security and affordability and actively supports regions and communities.
- A simplified workplace relations framework that supports productive, inclusive, flexible and diverse workplaces that maximise the potential of employees and businesses, supports innovation and competitiveness, and includes policy settings to encourage equity through greater economic participation.
- Australia should lead the world in talent, skills and capabilities, driven by a world class modern education, research and training system and complemented by an effective, targeted skilled migration program that tackles immediate workforce shortages and resets skilled migration to drive innovation and productivity.
- Empowerment of Indigenous Australians through full participation in the Australian economy and constitutional recognition of a Voice to the parliament.