Issue 62 - 8 June 2009

CCI Construction Services proudly invites industry representatives to WA’s largest and most prestigious annual dinner event for the resources and construction sector.

Bringing together clients, project managers, contractors and supply companies, the CCI Construction Industry Dinner is a must attend for anyone involved in WA’s resource and construction industries.

The evening, which includes an excellent three-course dinner, premium WA wines and top quality entertainment, provides extensive opportunities for participants to network with both industry colleagues and special invited guests.

Individual Registration

Corporate Table Registration

CCI invites members to attend the annual All Member Business Briefing on Thursday, 11 June 2009. This essential briefing will provide an update on a range of issues currently facing Western Australian business and provide extensive opportunities for attendees to raise issues with key CCI staff during a question and answer session.

Click here to register or for more information.

Despite an overall drop in visitor arrivals of 3% in the three months to March 2009, some countries showed large increases in the amount of visitors.

Malaysia led the way with their visitor numbers soaring by 18% compared to the same period last year.

China also showed strong growth with a 12% increase while Indian visitors increased by 11%.

Some countries did have dramatic drops however with Japanese visitors down 22% and Korean visitors down 23%.

For the full Australian Bureau of Statistics figures click here.

Featuring speakers from a number of Australia’s largest resource companies and industry bodies, CCI’s Resource Conference, WA’s Resources Landscape: Projects on the Horizon, will provide delegates with an insight into the future of WA’s resource landscape and an update on a number of major resource projects currently planned for Western Australia.

Individual Registration

Corporate Table Registration

Australia’s new N Series passport has been launched. The passport continues Australia's reputation as a world leader in the development and production of secure travel documentation.

The N Series passport is the culmination of a highly successful partnership between Government and business to continually improve Australia’s passport.

Each passport incorporates state-of-the-art technology to help curb identity fraud and possible misuse. It was designed and manufactured by Note Printing Australia, applying the same expertise and technologies developed in printing Australia's bank notes.

The N Series features images of Australia printed throughout the document making every visa page unique. This has resulted in a passport which is very difficult to falsify through page substitution or tampering. The passport continues to use a laminate developed exclusively for Australian travel documents by the 3M Company. This laminate incorporates several new tamper-resistant technologies to assist international border control authorities to distinguish the document as a genuine Australian passport.

The N Series incorporates Active Authentication technology on the Radio Frequency Identification chip, developed in cooperation with Sharp Corporation. This technology enables border inspection authorities to determine that the data is being read from the genuine original chip and not a copy or clone.

It also provides an additional level of confidence to passport holders that their personal details contained on the chip are secure. The N Series passport will also use carbon neutral environmentally friendly paper.

At the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Banking Commission meeting of 25 October, 2007, the Task Force on Forfaiting was formed in order to analyse and give feedback on the International Forfaiting Association (IFA) Forfaiting Primary Market Guide.

After a number of discussions, ICC and IFA have agreed to work together with the objective of developing a set of global rules for the forfaiting market (both at primary and secondary levels).

On 11 March 2009, the ICC Banking Commission was asked for its agreement to launch the drafting of rules on forfaiting under the joint umbrella of IFA and ICC. The Commission unanimously agreed to launch the project, requesting that the final administrative arrangements be agreed with the two organisations and that a drafting group be formed as soon as possible.

Final agreement has now been reached between IFA and ICC and Principal of Global Trade Advisory Donald R. Smith has been nominated as chair of the Forfaiting Drafting Group. The Task Force on Forfaiting will review the various drafts of the rules. 

The Australian Bureau of Statistics has released data showing that the European Union remains the leading investor in Australia, with its level of investment rising 4% from a year earlier to $567 billion. 

This equated to 33% of total foreign investment in Australia, exceeding the United States with 24% ($418b) and well above Australia’s other major partners (Japan 5%, or $90b; ASEAN 3%, or $58b; New Zealand 2%, or $27b and China just 0.5%, or $8b). Similarly, the EU maintained its position as Australia’s largest source of foreign direct investment (FDI), which totalled $133 billion, or 34% of total FDI stocks in Australia, ahead of the United States ($95bn, or 24%) and Japan ($36bn, or 9%).

The EU also remained an important destination for Australian investment abroad, the level increasing by 5% since 2007 to $304 billion, representing 30% of Australia's total overseas investment.

This has resulted in the EU regaining its position as Australia's largest two-way investment partner, accounting for 32% of Australia's two-way investment stocks as at 31 December 2008.

Australia will join the Asia-Europe Meeting at the next ASEM Summit to be held in Brussels in 2010.

The Asia Europe Meeting process (ASEM) brings together 16 Asian nations and the ASEAN Secretariat along with the 27 European Union nations and the European Commission.

Australia's application to join the Asia-Europe meeting process was welcomed by Asian and European Foreign Ministers at a meeting in Hanoi last week. Once detailed arrangements have been effected to formalise Australia's membership, Australia will join ASEM at the 2010 ASEM Summit ("ASEM 8").

ASEM provides an important forum for leaders from the two regions to strengthen economic, political and strategic ties between Europe and Asia. ASEM encourages regional and global approaches to international problems including the global economic crisis, climate change and realisation of the Millennium Development Goals.

Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said the decision by ASEM Foreign Ministers was a collective recognition by the countries of ASEM of the strong contribution Australia can and will make to the process.

“Membership of ASEM complements our engagement in other regional groupings such as the East Asia Summit and APEC,” the Minister said.

Each week the International Trade Centre at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Western Australia receives buy/sell offers and trade enquiries from overseas.

Click here to view

Are you planning to expand offshore or grow your existing offshore presence? Gain practical insights on strategically planning and financing offshore expansion at this free workshop.

Despite the global economic downturn, the 2009 EFIC Global Readiness index shows Australian businesses are still clearly focused on offshore expansion, with 84% planning to expand their existing offshore facilities and 44% of respondents without current offshore facilities planning to establish them. Yet access to finance and effectively managing potentially complex legal and regulatory environments can be a significant barrier to success.

Presenters include:

• Olivia Coldrey, Director, SME Global Financing Solutions, Export Finance and Insurance Corporation
• Geoff Short, Managing Director, Tanda International

They will lead an interactive workshop discussion supported by real life insights from Australian case studies, providing practical stratgeies into planning and financing offshore expansion.

Participant numbers are limited to 25 to provide you with the opportunity to discuss specific issues pertaining to your business.

Registration is required by Thursday 4 June 2009. Email events@efic.gov.au or call (02) 9201 2129 for more information, or click here.

The Industrial Training Institute in Kwinana offers a variety of short courses for training of apprentices and employees.

Click on any of the below courses for more information:

Skills Assessments, RPL and Training Consultancy Services

Higher Engineering Courses

Cert IV Instrumentation

Electrical Short Courses

Mechanical Short Courses

For more information on the Industrial Skills Institute click here.

Australia’s economy continued to grow in the March quarter with the Australian Bureau of Statistics reporting a 0.4% rise in GDP.

Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry acting chief executive Greg Evans said the National Accounts figures were good news and placed the nation ahead of comparable economies across the world. He warned however it was no time for complacency and Australia needed to ensure it did not drift into a real recession.

ACCI said stimulatory measures to date including monetary policy and fiscal measures had bolstered consumer spending and helped build confidence in the housing sector.

“Despite the better GDP headline, business is still dealing with extremely difficult trading conditions and unemployment is expected to continue to increase,” Mr Evans said.  

“ACCI’s business surveys indicate that sales, profitability, investment and employment measures are at or near historic lows.”

Weakness in business investment was evident over the March quarter, with a plunge of 6.1%, mainly due to a decrease in machinery and equipment investment.

“Business investment remains an important driver of growth and employment opportunities and measures including the Government’s investment allowance are critical,” Mr Evans said.

“In this regard we consider the 30% tax break for larger business should be extended until the end of 2009.

“It is clear that private sector involvement will be necessary to build a sustainable economic recovery and this will include promoting business confidence and reducing the regulatory burden and compliance costs for business.”

Treasurer Wayne Swan said the National Accounts confirmed that the Government's economic stimulus was working well, and was helping to position Australia among the best performers in the developed world.

“The Australian economy is not out of the woods yet, and the full impacts of this global recession still have some way to run,” he said.

“But the Government's economic stimulus strategy is clearly helping to cushion Australia from the worst impacts of the global recession and ensure we are well placed to seize the opportunities presented by the global recovery when it arrives.”

In response to the figures, Federal Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull said jobs needed to be a priority for the Australian economy to keep its strength.

“It’s a reminder of the importance of ensuring that our focus is always on the real consequences of these economic developments – jobs,” he said.

“The fact of the matter is that our domestic economy is still slowing – the Reserve Bank said that only the other day – and that has consequences for jobs. We have to be focused on policies that will promote jobs.”

The State Government’s pledge to streamline the Western Australian public service by scrutinising the activities of nearly 1,300 taxpayer funded boards and committees is a step in the right direction.

The State’s peak business organisation, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Western Australia, has been calling for such a review for some time.

CCI executive director economic policy John Nicolaou said CCI was pleased the State Government recognised the need to rein in years of unsustainable spending on government operations and create an efficient public service.

"Continuous increases in government spending in recent years have not resulted in better services for the people of Western Australia. This must change," he said.

CCI’s recently released pre-budget submission identified a number of government bodies that should be scrutinised, because they might no longer be needed or their work could be done more efficiently. 

CCI is calling for removal of duplication, elimination of inefficiencies and a focus on core service delivery.

"The global financial crisis has forced businesses big and small, and households, to make tough decisions about their operations in order to ride out these difficult times. The Western Australian Government must do the same," Mr Nicolaou said.

CCI looked forward to working with the Government, and the Western Australian public service, to achieve its target of halving the number of boards and committees and ensuring core services are maintained.

Tourism Australia has launched an innovative trade marketing program to promote Australia as a business events destination and increase its share of the lucrative business events sector.

Tourism Australia managing director Geoff Buckley said the trade marketing program would address a decline in business arrivals and promote Australia as an aspirational destination that offered value for money in the current climate.

“Competition between destinations for the business events and incentive dollar is fierce and Australia is on the front foot to ensure we continue to capture our share of this important market,” Mr Buckley said.

“To stay ahead of the competition we need to market harder and smarter and that includes taking a proactive approach to highlighting Australia’s distinctive qualities.

“Australia offers a wealth of incredible locations, venues and facilities for business events and, with the shift in exchange rates presents great value for money to our international customers,” he said.

Business Events Australia head Joyce DiMascio said the Business Events marketing program was about making sure Australia got the best return for its marketing dollars.

“In developing the new campaign, our brief was to deliver a concept that was a powerful statement about Australia’s business events proposition for the corporate meeting and incentive market,” Ms DiMascio said.

“Australia is a place that engages, challenges, provokes and transforms – the print advertising campaign communicates this message in an original and creative way.

“The new marketing program signals a fresh approach to promoting Australia in a time of global uncertainty and is part of Tourism Australia’s long term commitment to building the country’s share of the global business events market.”

Tourism Western Australia is currently seeking industry input into updating its Destination Development Strategy to guide the department’s limited resources to priority projects and infrastructure in key tourism destinations around the State.

First developed in 2004 and then refreshed in 2007, the Destination Development Strategies (DDS) are a series of six documents that identify gaps in infrastructure, attractions, accommodation and other facilities in WA’s tourism regions and across the State.

Industry is invited to comment on what key infrastructure projects are important for the development of the tourism sector in the next decade.

Proposed projects and infrastructure must deliver some of the following benefits to the state:

• improve the quality of visitor experiences;
• secure the future of regional tourism;
• grow visitor expenditure faster than visitor nights;
• accelerate the development of Aboriginal tourism; or
• build recognition that tourism and events enhance the unique Western Australian lifestyle and support the natural environment.

CCI’s Tourism Committee will be consulting with Tourism WA and making a submission to the review.

For more information about the review click here.

Members are invited to send comments to CCI’s senior adviser industry policy Sharon Dignard on (08) 9365 7531 or sharon.dignard@cciwa.com.

Electronic security is an important issue for all businesses to consider and ensure they are adequately protected. Attend this free Perth event provided by the Australian Government to increase your awareness about cyber crime in businesses.

The National E-Security Awareness Week runs 5-12 June and is an important reminder for all businesses to consider and revise their electronic security measures.

Symantec small business director Steve Martin will provide an insight into how cyber crime has evolved into a mature underground economy and is impacting Australian companies.

Also learn how businesses and governments can remain protected online and take the opportunity to network with other businesses.

Five electronic security tips suggested by the Australia Government include:

• get a better, stronger password and change it at least twice a year;
• get security software, and update and patch it regularly;
• stop and think before you click on links or attachments from unknown sources;
• be careful about what information you give away about yourself and others online; and
• log on to www.staysmartonline.gov.au for further information about e-security for business.

The event will be held on Monday 8 June, 5.30pm to 7.00pm at the Technology Park Function Centre in Bentley.

For more information about CCI’s ICT policies contact CCI’s senior adviser industry policy Sharon Dignard on (08) 9365 7531 or sharon.dignard@cciwa.com

When the Fair Work Act commences on 1 July, unions will have a right to inspect the records of union members, and in limited circumstances, records of employees who are not members of the union. The inspection must relate to a suspected breach of the Act or an Award or Agreement that applies to the employee.

What process will the union need to comply with to inspect records?

1. The union official must submit a ‘notice of entry’ no more than 14 days and at least 24 hours before attending the site. It must contain:
• details of the suspected breach;
• declare that the union is entitled to represent the industrial interests of a member who works on site and that the breach relates to or affects the member, and;
• specifies the provision of the union’s rules that entitles it to represent the interests of the member.
2. The entry onto site is only permitted during normal working hours.
3. The union official must:
• have a valid entry permit, and;
• specify the member records he/she wants to inspect. 

If the records relate to a non member then the union official must produce a written authorisation from the employee to inspect their records.  Alternatively the union should have an order from Fair Work Australia allowing the inspection of the non member record.

How can I be sure that the union is only looking at member records?

Prior to the records being inspected the employer should check with those employees affected that they are happy for the union to inspect their records. This should be done quickly and not unduly delay the inspection. An extended delay could attract a penalty as this could be seen as obstructing the inspection. If the employee can’t be contacted the records should be released and a note taken of which employees’ records were examined.

If the employer subsequently discovers the union official inspected a non member’s record and no written authorisation was given (see step three above) - the employer can prosecute the union for making a misrepresentation. 

Can I stop a union from inspecting member records?

A union does have a right to inspect the records of its members irrespective of whether the member agrees or not. If an employee indicates that they are a member but they do not want their records inspected – you should direct the employee to take this up with the official when they come to site.

Union right of entry provisions may be complex under both Fair Work Act and State Legislation. Should you have any questions or are unsure which provisions will apply to your particular situation please contact the CCI Employee Relations Advice Centre on (08) 9365 7660 or email advice@cciwa.com.

Commerce Minister Troy Buswell has announced industrial relations lawyer Steven Amendola will head the State Government’s review of the Western Australian industrial relations system.

Mr Amendola, an expert with more than 20 years experience in industrial relations, will investigate reforms to WA’s unfair dismissal laws; union right of entry; agreement-making and awards; and the structure and operation of the Western Australian Industrial Relations Commission.

The review’s terms of reference also include consideration of the Federal Government’s Fair Work Act 2009, with a focus on which elements should form part of the State industrial relations system and potential areas for harmonisation of State and Federal industrial relations systems.

“The Amendola Review will be the first stocktake of the operation of the State system since the Federal Government’s use of Corporations power to make Commonwealth industrial relations laws,” Mr Buswell said.

“Mr Amendola’s work representing the Commonwealth in the 1998 waterfront dispute; the 2002 Royal Commission into the Building and Construction Industry; and his more recent involvement with the Office of Workplace shows his IR expertise is second to none.”

The Minister said the review aimed to create ‘the most fair, balanced and productive industrial relations system in the nation.’

Up to 30 per cent of WA employees are covered by the State system, mostly in unincorporated small business and the public sector.

“I think the interests of WA will be best served by the State exercising its powers to legislate on industrial matters,” Mr Buswell said.

“The review would lay the foundations for a simple, efficient system tailored to the needs of small businesses which often lack the human resources expertise of big companies.”