Business Council of Australia

The Business Council of Australia (BCA) represents the chief executives of approximately 100 large Australian corporations. 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.

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's 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.

Membership

As of 2007, membership of the BCA totals 106 companies [1], and includes Australia's mining giants, BHP Billiton 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.

See also

• Economy of Australia
• Australian Competition and Consumer Commission
• Council of Australian Governments
• List of Australian companies
• National Competition Policy

External links

• Business Council of Australia official website