The ACCI Small Business Survey has found that small business conditions have continued to deteriorate over the September quarter with this index falling to 38.6 - its lowest level since the Survey began in December 1996 and over 15 points below its five year average of 54.2. In the midst of a continued slowdown in employment growth, wage and non-wage labour costs continued to moderate and fell below their five year average. The ACCI Small Business Survey also discovered that business expects a further... ...Read more »

The October 2008 ACCI (Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry) Survey of Investor Confidence shows business trading conditions have continued to deteriorate in the September quarter. Business’ own conditions and profits are at their lowest level in six years, sales have fallen to below their five year average and future expectations for these measures are down further still. The slowing global and domestic economy has also reduced the expected rate of growth for own business employment,... ...Read more »

The Australian Retailers Association and Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry have welcomed the Productivity Commission’s recommendation that a paid parental leave scheme would be tax-payer funded but remain concerned about the financial burden of compliance costs to SME (small to medium) retailers. The plan proposed provides 18-weeks of tax-payer funded leave for working mothers and two-weeks for working fathers. It would also result in an overhaul of the current baby bonus arrangement,... ...Read more »

The simplified draft award handed down by the Australian Industrial Relations Commission (AIRC) today will increase cost pressure on employers, according to the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) and the Australian Retailers Association (ARA). The ACCI, the peak council of Australian businesses, contends that the proposed new rules are not consistent with the Government’s direction that the creation of modern awards “is not intended to… increase costs for... ...Read more »

The ACCI Small Business Survey highlights that small business conditions have continued to deteriorate over the June 2008 quarter with this index falling to 43.4 - its lowest level since this Survey began in December 1996 and over 10 points below its five year average of 54.8. In the midst of continued moderation in employment growth, wage growth moderated slightly but non-wage labour costs continued to increase. The ACCI Small Business Survey also found that: • Business expects a further decline... ...Read more »

The June quarter Commonwealth Bank - ACCI Business Expectations Survey shows a significant fall in business confidence and reported business conditions. Business confidence fell to its lowest level since the survey began in 1994 and general business conditions were at the lowest level for five years. The news comes on a day when the Reserve Bank of Australia has decided to leave the cash rate steady at 7.25%. The RBA decision was expected but, unlike previous months, their primary concern now appears... ...Read more »

The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), Australia’s largest and most representative business organisation, supported by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Western Australia (CCIWA), has called for greater national awareness of the impact on the national economy of Western Australia’s (WA) current gas crisis, which has resulted in a 30% reduction in supplies of natural gas. This follows a meeting of business leaders comprising the ACCI Council in Brisbane last Friday,... ...Read more »

Even though agriculture cannot be covered by an Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), the Australian Government must take steps to ensure consumers can still afford basic food items, the National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) warned today. “Any ETS will cause pain to businesses and households… people are slowly coming to grips with that reality,” NFF President David Crombie said. “But it could be crippling for Australia’s food production, threatening to damage our... ...Read more »

The Australian Fair Pay Commission (AFPC) has announced a 4.2% rise in the minimum wage, which will come into effect in October this year. The rise, equivalent to $21.66 per week, has been met with concern from the Australian National Retailers Association (ANRA) and the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI). ANRA believe it will put increasing cost pressures on retailers who are already feeling the pinch, with the ACCI adding that it is “economically risky”. “We... ...Read more »

The official cash rate has been kept at 7.25% by the Reserve Bank of Australia. The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), Australia’s largest business organisation, has supported the decision, suggesting that the current economic environment did not provide support for a decision to increase rates. Recent ACCI surveys and official data suggest that the economy is slowing and the impact of the four previous interest rates increases may not yet have had their full flow-on impact... ...Read more »