THE head of peak employer body, the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) says the relationship between the national and state chambers is more important now than ever before.

Peter Anderson, who was in Tasmania recently meeting with the Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s (TCCI) new chief executive Robert Wallace, the TCCI board and the business community, said more policy and regulatory issues were now being decided in concert by both federal and state governments.“What’s been happening over the past five years is that state governments are being brought into the national decision-making process much earlier which means it is now more important that we as an employer group and business network,  synchronise our messages and the timing of those messages.  We need to ensure we are representing all members’ interests quickly and directly at a national level, as well as in the states.

“As employer advocates with differing state needs, we must be ready to represent all of those state interests at the national level so that we are speaking with one voice,” he said.

Mr Anderson said it was also important to work with states like Tasmania to determine how the Chamber could improve the environment of doing business in the State to encourage other business to Tasmania.

“We don’t have to be in major population centres for business to happen. It can happen anywhere as long as the business environment is right.

“We must employ all of our business advantages and use technology to break down the barriers.

Mr Anderson said that some of the challenges that Tasmanian businesses were now facing were the low rates of worker participation.

“With improvements in skills training and more skilled staff, Tasmanian employers can benefit from greater productivity and that is an important priority as we move forward.”

Mr Anderson said that newly-appointed TCCI CEO Robert Wallace was an asset because of his local, national and international experience, his knowledge of the Tasmanian economy and understanding of the way government works.

“His positioning of the Chamber in his short term at the helm in the areas of infrastructure, skills development, logistics and land tax reform have all been spot on,” he said.

Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Peter Anderson, left, discusses Tasmanian business challenges with Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Robert Wallace.