US tariff decision is disappointing but not unexpected

“The news Australia has not secured a US tariff exemption is disappointing but not unexpected,” Innes Willox, chief executive of national employer association the Australian Industry Group, said today. “The decision does send an unfortunate signal about the broader state of the economic relationship between our two countries and sets the scene for more uncertainty […]

12/03/2025 - 13:43 pm

Retirement of Brendan O’Connor and Linda Burney

Brendan O’Connor and Linda Burney have both made significant contributions to building a better Australia, Innes Willox, chief executive of the national employer association Australian Industry Group, said today. “Mr O’Connor has pursued reform and alignment to build an inclusive skilling system that engages and better prepares Australians for a productive future. “Notable has been […]

26/07/2024 - 11:36 am

Contractionary conditions continue  

The Ai Group Australian Industry Index fell in June 2023, losing 1.1 points to -11.9 points (seasonally adjusted). This indicates contractionary conditions. The index has been in contraction for the last fourteen months. The contraction indicated by the Ai Group Australian Industry Index continued in June. The index has indicated contracting conditions for fourteen months […]

05/07/2023 - 11:30 am

Interest rate decision: Ai Group comment

“Today’s decision by the Reserve Bank of Australia to raise the cash rate target to 3.6% is an unfortunate but necessary step to ensure price stability”, said Innes Willox, chief executive of the national employer association Ai Group. “High inflation impacts both households and businesses, who are facing rapidly increasing input costs. In a period […]

07/03/2023 - 10:17 am

Ai Group latest Skills Survey a ‘call to arms’

“An Ai Group skills survey – Listening to Australian businesses on skills and workforce needs – sounds yet another alarm on the skills shortages and gaps plaguing the Australian economy,” Innes Willox chief executive of the national employer association Ai Group said today. “Our survey of close to 350 business leaders from a wide range […]

17/11/2022 - 14:24 pm

Signs of manufacturing slowing in August

The Australian Industry Group Australian Performance of Manufacturing Index (Australian PMI) dropped 3.2 points to 49.3 in August, indicating a slight contraction (readings below 50 points indicate contraction in activity, with lower results indicating a faster rate of contraction). This is the first time the index has contracted since January 2022 following the Omicron outbreak. […]

01/09/2022 - 12:31 pm

Ai Group welcomes Federal interest in Australian industry

Innes Willox, chief executive of the national employer association, Ai Group, said today (1 Feb), “Both the Prime Minister in today’s National Press Club address and the Leader of the Opposition’s speech last week, showed renewed interest in the development of Australian industry in the lead-up to the federal election,” “These are welcome indications that […]

01/02/2022 - 12:14 pm

Mild manufacturing rebound in November

The Australian Industry Group Australian Performance of Manufacturing Index (Australian PMI) rose by 4.4 points to 54.8 in November – the first month of improvement following three months of flat results for the Australian PMI (readings above 50 points indicate expansion in activity, with higher results indicating a faster rate of expansion). All activity indexes […]

01/12/2021 - 18:10 pm

Australian manufacturing recovery slows  

The Australian Industry Group Australian Performance of Manufacturing Index (Australian PMI) eased by 0.4 points to 51.2 in September, indicating a weaker rate of expansion across manufacturing and effectively stalling a solid period of recovery since late 2020 (readings above 50 points indicate expansion in activity, with higher results indicating a faster rate of expansion). […]

01/10/2021 - 13:30 pm

Restrictions destroying what is left of business confidence says Ai Group CEO

“The ever tightening state government Covid restrictions are strangling what is left of business confidence and are likely to push Australia back into recession,” said Innes Willox, Chief Executive of the national employer association Ai Group. “With around 70% of our domestic economy subjected to a variety of draconian curfews, lockdowns, border closures, enforced business […]

16/08/2021 - 14:22 pm

New Issue

ALH Summer 2024

In this month's issue