Business sceptical of pro-union productivity rhetoric

Business leaders face Anthony Albanese’s sudden concern over productivity with justified scepticism (“Bosses wary but ready to smoke peace pipe on crisis”, 11/6).

Investment is flat even in the renewables industry, which is padded with subsidies yet plagued with dead ends such as the green hydrogen fiasco.

Energy costs are shutting down other industries or driving them offshore, while the whip hand given to unions has proved a dead weight on productivity. So far, only a few words from Housing Minister Clare O’Neil on speeding up building approvals and a provisional go-ahead for the North West Shelf gas project have given any indication that this government is sincere about cutting red and green tape, which strangle productivity.

As Geoff Chambers notes, Albanese is committed to delivering his marquee election promises, which involve spending, which can only increase his government’s inordinate share of the economy.

The Prime Minister’s rhetoric about the private sector driving the economy and opportunities presented by artificial intelligence sits oddly with his declaration that the government will not be stepping back from its level of involvement in the economy.

It is ideology that drives this government in its belief that it can lead an economic resurgence from the low point to which its policies have led us. The socialist experiment has already failed across the globe.

John Morrissey, Hawthorn, Vic

The Prime Minister’s avenue to real reform includes a productivity roundtable of business, union and community leaders (“PM’s avenue to real reform”, 11/6). If there is to be any chance of real reform and productivity improvement, it is hoped business leaders will put on a better performance at the upcoming roundtable. At the previous roundtable in 2022, the business community was sucked in and totally outclassed by the government and unions, and it was this inept business approach that led to the loss of productivity and weak economy we have today.

Business should be under no delusion that the Albanese government and unions will be coming to the roundtable with a long list of targets and demands that can only further undermine business activity.

Geoff Ellis, Smithfield, Qld

The key issue to Australia’s future prosperity is the dire need to drastically increase our productivity and make Australia once again a great place for local and overseas investment.

Australia is now behind the eight ball on this issue. Industrial regulations framework favouring the union movement is one of the main causes for this situation. Red and green tape is another.

A ridiculous situation such as Victoria constructing gas import terminals while we are sitting on huge gas reserves is another factor contributing to our low productivity and high cost of living.

Two issues that amaze me are that projects such as Victoria’s Big Build and the construction of renewables infrastructure seem to have escaped all of the regulations that private enterprise must adhere to. The playing field is definitely uneven. The lack of investment in production because of increased costs will see unemployment begin to grow.

Peter D. Surkitt, Sandringham, Vic

Business leaders will push for numerous reforms for a second-term economic agenda when Anthony Albanese holds a productivity roundtable. Ahead of this roundtable, the Prime Minister has vowed to cut red tape; shape our government’s growth and productivity agenda; focus on facilitating private sector activity and private sector investment; and leave the door open to spending more on defence. However, he has declined to say if China is a security threat to Australia. Haven’t we heard all this before?

Peter Clarke, Corinda, Qld

The Prime Minister should first be meeting business leaders, as they are the ones at the cutting edge. Negotiating their aspirations with the unions should follow. A PM who enters any negotiating session publicly supporting penalty rates and increasing real wages, without associated productivity increase, will struggle to convince business leaders he is fair dinkum. The past three years have convinced us he cares more about the politics of survival, and pandering to the elites.

Jeffrey Cox, North Boambee Valley, NSW