AUSTRALIA’S peak employer organisation, the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) has established a series of business priorities it wants the Federal Government and Opposition to address in the lead up to the August 21 election.

The key issues business wants addressed include taxation reform, investment in human and physical infrastructure, budget and fiscal responsibility, skills development and workplace productivity, sustainable economic, energy and environmental policies and the restoration of the flow of capital following the global financial crisis. ACCI also wants government to facilitate the participation of small business and independent contractors in national economic affairs, Australia having deep engagement in the economic activity of our Asian region as well as in the global economy and a program of national regulatory reform.

ACCI says these are the elements of a forward-looking economic reform agenda and were developed following a survey of Australian business on priorities for the next national government.

Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TCCI) chief executive Robert Wallace said ACCI intended to promote this agenda through discussions with the Government, Opposition and the minor parties and in extensive debate in the media and community in the pre-election period.

“While business confidence has dipped in recent months, the opportunity for economic growth and national prosperity for Australia are great and will be materially supported by a conducive policy framework from the incoming national government,” Mr Wallace said.

“Neither the Labor Government nor Liberal-National Opposition have yet released their policy frameworks for the next term of government and ACCI will be taking the opportunity to provide more broadly based and integrated business input to the views and approaches of each party,” Mr Wallace said.

The ACCI survey identified three clear areas of high concern for Australian business - government spending, the high level of taxation, and high interest rates and the cost of finance.

On workplace issues, the lack of availability of skilled employees, compliance with the fair work laws and workers compensation and superannuation costs ranked as areas of high concern.

Mr Wallace said these national results mirrored the concerns of Tasmanian business.”Business welcomes a strong contest over policy ideas to reach the goal of long-term economic reform, but expects the political parties to address the key issues it has identified.”