Qantas and BHP among businesses urging leaders to make changes to red tape and tax in Australia

20 representatives of Australia’s business moguls, including Qantas and BHP, have called on the PM and Dutton to make urgent changes to the nation’s red tape and tax.

Australia’s biggest employers, small businesses, farmers, grocers, mining and retail companies will make an unprecedented intervention in the federal election, begging Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton produce a “clear agenda” to boost business growth and improve living standards.

With US tariffs pushing the world toward a global recession, 20 of the nation’s business groups, representing companies like BHP and Qantas, property developers, tourism operators and energy producers, are calling for tax and red tape changes that make it easier to do business in Australia.

The united approach is an indictment on both parties’ limited offerings so far this election, with letters sent to the Prime Minister and Opposition leader this week urging them to address the challenges making it “harder for (businesses) to succeed and thrive”.

“We have one of the least competitive tax systems among comparable nations,” the letter said.

“We’ve burdened our economic engine room with countless new pieces of regulation and red tape.”

The united approach is an indictment on both parties’ limited offerings so far this election, with letters sent to the Prime Minister and Opposition leader this week urging them to address the challenges. Picture Thomas Lisson / NewsWire

Business Council of Australia chief Bran Black said global uncertainty driven by US tariffs and other world events only “intensifies” the need to make the economy more resilient and competitive.

“We need both parties to deliver a long-term economic plan to turbo-charge growth to generate prosperity for all Australians,” he said.

National Farmers’ Federation boss Troy Williams said family farms were the “engine room” of regional Australia and the broader economy, and needed “less red and green tape”.

The Tourism & Transport Forum, the Minerals Council of Australia and Property Council of Australia were also among the letter’s signatories.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers, who on Wednesday met with key finance figures like Reserve Bank governor Michele Bullock, Treasury Secretary Steven Kennedy and ACCC chair Gina Cass-Gotlein, to discuss the uncertain global economic climate, said Australia was “well placed and well prepared” to confront “extreme uncertainty and volatility in the global economy”.

“But we’re not complacent,” he said.

National Farmers’ Federation boss Troy Williams said family farms were the “engine room” of regional Australia and the broader economy. Picture: Supplied

One week on from Donald Trump’s “liberation day” tariffs, which included a 10 per cent hit on all Australian exports to the US, Anthony Albanese said there have been “continued” representations to the White House about the tariffs, but the Prime Minister would not say who, if anyone, had spoken directly with Mr Trump this week.

“We’re in caretaker mode at the moment, but we’ll continue to engage as we are through our officials.”

A free trade deal with the European Union has become a priority for Australian exporters to diversify away from the volatile situation in the US, but Trade Minister Don Farrell said new agreement would only progress if it gave “meaningful market access” particularly for agriculture.

In an initial phone meeting with his new EU counterpart overnight, Mr Farrell was expected to raise access for sheep-meat and beef.

Meanwhile, Peter Dutton said a Coalition government was best placed to deal with the “economic headwinds” add uncertainty currently facing the world.

“I want to make sure that we can help families and, unfortunately, the bad decisions of this government over three years have really left people in a very difficult position,” the Opposition leader said.

Originally published as Qantas and BHP among businesses urging leaders to make changes to red tape and tax in Australia