Business Council of Australia
Encyclopedia
The Business Council of Australia (BCA) represents the chief executives of approximately 100 large Australia
n corporation
s. It was formed in 1983 by the merger of the Business Roundtable - a spin-off of the Committee for Economic Development of Australia
- and the Australian Industry Development Association. The organisation is headquartered in Melbourne
with offices in Sydney and Canberra.
Its stated reason for existence is to give the business community a greater voice in public policy debates about the direction of Australian society.
Current Business Council of Australia Board members are:
The Secretariat comprises the Chief Executive, Deputy Chief Executive and Policy Directors to support, co-ordinate and facilitate the work of each Task Force. Research assistance and secretarial support is also provided. Current secretariat members are:
policies, including its industrial relations reforms
. The reform agenda of the BCA ranges from industrial relations such as WorkChoices
and tax reform, to the more controversial full privatisation of major national and state utilities such as the Snowy Mountains Scheme
. It also advocates the privatisation and commodification of water rights. While it backed the Labor Government's original emissions trading scheme proposed under Kevin Rudd's leadership and negotiated with the Coalition, it opposes the scheme agreed between Julia Gillard's Labor Government, Greens and Independents. The BCA has advocated higher pay for outstanding teachers.
The BCA lobbies the Australian Government and the Council of Australian Governments
to effect policy changes.
In June 2009, it called for taxes to be increased on consumer goods but halved for corporations. The council made the call in a submission, entitled Unrealised Gains, to the Henry Tax Review. It said the Goods and Services Tax
should be increased from its current rate of 10 per cent; while corporate tax should be cut to 15 per cent, from its current rate of 30 per cent.
and Rio Tinto
, as well as the 4 major banks - National Australia Bank
, Commonwealth Bank, ANZ and Westpac
- and most of Australia's largest manufacturers and business services firms.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n corporation
Corporation
A corporation is created under the laws of a state as a separate legal entity that has privileges and liabilities that are distinct from those of its members. There are many different forms of corporations, most of which are used to conduct business. Early corporations were established by charter...
s. It was formed in 1983 by the merger of the Business Roundtable - a spin-off of the Committee for Economic Development of Australia
Committee for Economic Development of Australia
is an independent, bipartisan, non-profit forum and think tank. Its expressed aim is to "promote national economic development in a sustainable and socially balanced way." Sydney Morning Herald economics editor Ross Gittins has described CEDA as seeking to "inform the public debate without lobbying"...
- and the Australian Industry Development Association. The organisation is headquartered in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
with offices in Sydney and Canberra.
Its stated reason for existence is to give the business community a greater voice in public policy debates about the direction of Australian society.
Structure
While all members of the Business Council of Australia have equal representation, decision-making is often delegated to the Board, Council Task Forces and the Secretariat.Board
The BCA Board has responsibility for the administration of the Secretariat and makes recommendations to the full Business Council on issues concerning membership and Task Force appointments. It is also responsible for identifying policy issues, proposing the Council's policy agenda, and general agenda-setting and policy-making.Current Business Council of Australia Board members are:
- Tony Shepherd, President
- Graham Bradley, Vice President
- John Denton, Partner and Chief Executive Officer, Corrs Chambers Westgarth
- Richard Goyder, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Wesfarmers Limited
- Gail Kelly, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, The Westpac Group
- Grant King, Managing Director, Origin Energy Limited
- Graeme Liebelt, Managing Director and CEO, Orica Limited
- Robert Milliner, Chief Executive Partner, Mallesons Stephen Jaques
- Jennifer Westacott, Chief Executive, Business Council of Australia
The Secretariat comprises the Chief Executive, Deputy Chief Executive and Policy Directors to support, co-ordinate and facilitate the work of each Task Force. Research assistance and secretarial support is also provided. Current secretariat members are:
- Jennifer Westacott, Chief Executive
- Maria Tarrant, Deputy Chief Executive
- Peter Crone, Chief Economist and Director Policy
- Claire Tedeschi, Executive Director Communications and Advocacy
- Patrick Coleman, Director Policy
- Ruth Dunkin, Director Policy
- Simon Pryor, Director Policy
- Claire Thomas, Director Policy
Policy
The BCA supported many of the Howard Government'sJohn Howard
John Winston Howard AC, SSI, was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. He was the second-longest serving Australian Prime Minister after Sir Robert Menzies....
policies, including its industrial relations reforms
WorkChoices
The Workplace Relations Act 1996, as amended by the Workplace Relations Amendment Act 2005, popularly known as Work Choices, was a Legislative Act of the Australian Parliament that came into effect in March 2006 which involved many controversial amendments to the Workplace Relations Act 1996, the...
. The reform agenda of the BCA ranges from industrial relations such as WorkChoices
WorkChoices
The Workplace Relations Act 1996, as amended by the Workplace Relations Amendment Act 2005, popularly known as Work Choices, was a Legislative Act of the Australian Parliament that came into effect in March 2006 which involved many controversial amendments to the Workplace Relations Act 1996, the...
and tax reform, to the more controversial full privatisation of major national and state utilities such as the Snowy Mountains Scheme
Snowy Mountains Scheme
The Snowy Mountains scheme is a hydroelectricity and irrigation complex in south-east Australia. It consists of sixteen major dams; seven power stations; a pumping station; and 225 kilometres of tunnels, pipelines and aqueducts and was constructed between 1949 and 1974. The Chief engineer was Sir...
. It also advocates the privatisation and commodification of water rights. While it backed the Labor Government's original emissions trading scheme proposed under Kevin Rudd's leadership and negotiated with the Coalition, it opposes the scheme agreed between Julia Gillard's Labor Government, Greens and Independents. The BCA has advocated higher pay for outstanding teachers.
The BCA lobbies the Australian Government and the Council of Australian Governments
Council of Australian Governments
The Council of Australian Governments is an organisation consisting of the federal government, the governments of the six states and two mainland territories and the Australian Local Government Association. It was established in May 1992 after agreement by the then Prime Minister, Premiers and...
to effect policy changes.
In June 2009, it called for taxes to be increased on consumer goods but halved for corporations. The council made the call in a submission, entitled Unrealised Gains, to the Henry Tax Review. It said the Goods and Services Tax
Goods and Services Tax (Australia)
The GST is a broad sales tax of 10% on most goods and services transactions in Australia. It is a value added tax, not a sales tax, in that it is refunded to all parties in the chain of production other than the final consumer....
should be increased from its current rate of 10 per cent; while corporate tax should be cut to 15 per cent, from its current rate of 30 per cent.
Membership
, membership of the BCA totals 106 companies http://www.bca.com.au/Content.aspx?ContentID=100830, and includes Australia's mining giants, BHP BillitonBHP Billiton
BHP Billiton is a global mining, oil and gas company headquartered in Melbourne, Australia and with a major management office in London, United Kingdom...
and Rio Tinto
Rio Tinto Group
The Rio Tinto Group is a diversified, British-Australian, multinational mining and resources group with headquarters in London and Melbourne. The company was founded in 1873, when a multinational consortium of investors purchased a mine complex on the Rio Tinto river, in Huelva, Spain from the...
, as well as the 4 major banks - National Australia Bank
National Australia Bank
National Australia Bank is one of the four largest financial institutions in Australia in terms of market capitalisation and customers. NAB is ranked 17th largest bank in the world measured by market capitalisation...
, Commonwealth Bank, ANZ and Westpac
Westpac
Westpac , is a multinational financial services, one of the Australian "big four" banks and the second-largest bank in New Zealand....
- and most of Australia's largest manufacturers and business services firms.
See also
- Economy of AustraliaEconomy of AustraliaThe economy of Australia is a developed, modern market economy with a GDP of approximately US$1.23 trillion. In 2011, it was the 13th largest national economy by nominal GDP and the 17th largest measured by PPP adjusted GDP, representing about 1.7% of the World economy. Australia was also ranked...
- Australian Competition and Consumer CommissionAustralian Competition and Consumer CommissionThe Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is an independent authority of the Australia government. It was established in 1995 with the amalgamation of the Australian Trade Practices Commission and the Prices Surveillance Authority to administer the Trade Practices Act 1974...
- Council of Australian GovernmentsCouncil of Australian GovernmentsThe Council of Australian Governments is an organisation consisting of the federal government, the governments of the six states and two mainland territories and the Australian Local Government Association. It was established in May 1992 after agreement by the then Prime Minister, Premiers and...
- List of Australian companies
- National Competition PolicyNational Competition PolicyThe term National Competition Policy refers to a set of policies introduced in Australia in the 1990s with the aim of promoting microeconomic reform.-Origins:...