Unions, business vie for spot at productivity jamboree

Jim Chalmers faces a growing list of business and union figures vying for an invitation to his productivity roundtable.

Jim Chalmers faces a growing list of business and union groups vying for an invitation to his productivity roundtable. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Unions and business groups are jostling for a seat at Jim Chalmers’ productivity roundtable, with the Treasurer signalling the gathering will be small and focused, centred on a “targeted agenda” to deliver tangible outcomes.

Unlike Labor’s 1985 tax summit, which drew 160 delegates including premiers, unions, business leaders, welfare groups and tax experts, Dr Chalmers’ upcoming productivity summit, slated for August, is expected to be a more modest affair.

Set to be held in the cabinet room at Parliament House and co-ordinated by Treasury, the roundtable will be limited to 25 invitees, drawn from government, business, unions, civil society and expert ­circles.

Speaking at the National Press Club, Dr Chalmers said the roundtable would be small and targeted. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

While the Business Council of Australia, the ACTU, and Australian Council of Social Services are expected to be among the invitees, the full guest list is yet to be determined – prompting speculation within business and union ranks about who will make the cut.

One key question is whether the ACTU – led by secretary Sally McManus and president Michele O’Neil – will represent the union movement alone, or if a handful of affiliated unions will also be there.

The former option would leave several blue-collar unions without representation at the roundtable such as the Electrical Trades Union, which disaffiliated from the ACTU in 2024.

The latter option could result in the guest list being broadened to include some of Australia’s largest unions, such as the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Association, which has more than 345,000 members and whose interests align with Dr Chalmers’ support for the care economy.

Among employer groups, the Business Council of Australia is all but certain to receive an invitation, according to industry insiders. However, other broadbased organisations such as the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Australian Industry Group are also likely contenders.

Also among potential invitees is the Council of Small Business Organisations Australia (COSBOA), whose chief executive Luke Achterstraat on Wednesday signalled his interest in taking part.

“As the only national peak body solely dedicated to representing small business, COSBOA would be willing to engage and respectfully hopes to be involved in the roundtable,” he said.

Employer groups representing narrower sectoral interests are unlikely to be included, according to a source familiar with the roundtable’s planning – potentially ruling out industry-specific bodies such as the Australian Retailers Association or Master Builders Australia.

Having already received a bevy of invitation requests, Dr Chalmers said there would be other avenues for interested stakeholders to make a contribution via a Treasury-run submission process.

The attendance of any representatives from the Coalition also remains in doubt, with Dr Chalmers on Wednesday declining to say whether they would receive an invite.

“I think regardless of the final invitation list, it would be a very good thing for Australia if we all did take a constructive approach to it,” he said.