In an open letter to the Prime Minister, State Premiers and Chief Ministers, 28 industry bodies, including ACAPMA, have expressed their concern over the “piecemeal implementation of complex and inconsistent domestic border restrictions” that has resulted in “a patchwork of inconsistent state and territory-based rules that ignore the reality of the way small and large businesses operate across borders and Australians live their lives”.
While ackowledging from the opening that the health of Australians must be put first, the collected bodies have called for change.
“Many of the employers worst hit by the COVID-19 crisis have been forced to apply significant resources to comply with rapidly-changing and variable rules across the nation. This cannot continue unchecked.”
According to the letter a focus is needed on the fact that Australia is a nation, and that supply chains, lives and emplyoment flows freely over borders…or it did.
The call for consistency is clear; “A transparent and easily understood set of nationally consistent principles is urgently needed. This would allow states and territories to apply a uniform set of internal border controls in response to outbreaks or changes in conditions”
The letter states that failure to achive a national set of principles and a nationally applicable framework for border operations, crossing and exemptions, will cost the economy and jobs.
The Letter is signed by;
- Airlines for Australia and New Zealand (A4ANS)
- Australian Airports Association
- Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry
- Australasian Convenience and Petroleum Marketers Association (ACAPMA)
- Australian Hairdressers Coucil (AHC)
- Australian Industry Group (AiGroup)
- Australian Logistics Council (ALC)
- Australian Retailers Association (ARA)
- Australian Tourism Export Council (ATEC)
- Australian Tourism Industry Council (ATIC)
- Business Council of Australia (BCA)
- Business Events Council of Australia (BECA)
- Business NSW
- The South Australian Employers’Chamber of Comers and Industry (Business SA)
- Canberra Business Chamber
- Chamber of Minerals and Energy WA (CME)
- Chamber of Commerce & Industry Norther Territory
- Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland (CCIQ)
- Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Western Australia
- Commercial and Asset Finance Brokers Association of Australia (CAFBA)
- Council of Small Business Organisations of Australia (COSBOA)
- Freight and Logistics Council WA
- Master Grocers Australia and Timber Merchants Australia (MGA TMA)
- National Farmers Federation
- Regional Aviation Association of Australia (RAAA)
- Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TCCI)
- Transport and Tourism Forum Australia (TTF)
- Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry
For a copy of the letter please see below;
ACAPMA
