The Economic Reform Roundtable, convened by Treasurer Dr Jim Chalmers from 19–21 August, will draw participants from business, unions, civil society and expert institutions to explore how to boost productivity, build resilience and strengthen budget sustainability.
Consult Australia will be represented through its memberships of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) and the Council of Small Business Organisations Australia (COSBOA), both confirmed attendees.
In recent weeks, Consult Australia’s Chief Executive Jonathan Cartledge met with Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King to highlight the construction sector’s central role in lifting productivity and resilience – two of the Roundtable’s headline priorities.
Consult Australia’s Head of Policy and Government Relations Kristy Eulenstein has also engaged with key Shadow Ministers to gain bipartisan support for reforms that enable business confidence, workforce capability and sustainable growth.
“Productivity reform is not a niche issue for our members. We are engaging with all tiers of government and all political parties to ensure the unique challenges and opportunities facing the design, advisory and engineering sectors are understood and addressed,” Kristy says.
Consult Australia’s advocacy reflects Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ call for “practical and pragmatic” reforms aligned with the Australian Government’s five-pillar productivity agenda: creating a dynamic and resilient economy; building a skilled and adaptable workforce; harnessing data and digital technology; delivering quality care; investing in the net zero transition.
In his June address to the National Press Club, Dr Chalmers emphasised that Australia’s “productivity problem” has persisted for decades, noting the 2022 election “coincided with the largest quarterly fall in productivity growth in almost half a century.”
Among the pathways to lift productivity, Dr Chalmers cited “making it easier to start or run a small business, faster to get approvals and simpler to trade – without reducing standards.”
Consult Australia has “long championed reforms to improve procurement practices, harmonise regulation, promote digital adoption and strengthen national coordination” – priorities that go to the heart of lifting productivity, Kristy adds.
“These reforms would give businesses the confidence they need to invest in digital transformation, grow their workforces and deliver the infrastructure and services communities rely on,” Kristy says.
“We’ll continue to advocate for these practical reforms as part of this national conversation, ensuring our members’ interests are front and centre in efforts to build a stronger, more resilient Australia.”