'The cowboys were in control': Foley attacks former colleagues

'The cowboys were in control': Foley attacks former colleagues

Inquiry to probe how regulators impact small business

07/12/2012 - The Productivity Commission will investigate how

federal and state regulators impact small business costs. Paul Osborne

Its report, due to be completed by September 2013, will examine how friendly regulatory authorities are towards small business.

Assistant Treasurer David Bradbury said on Thursday the way federal and state regulators went about their operations could have a big impact on the time and costs for small businesses.

A new regulatory and competition reform agenda was agreed at the last Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting in April following the inaugural COAG business advisory forum.

The second forum, to be chaired by Prime Minister Julia Gillard in Canberra on Thursday, has been briefed on the new Productivity Commission inquiry.

The commission's work will also complement that of the Small Business Commissioner, Mark Brennan, who starts work in January.

During the inquiry, small business operators will be able to raise concerns about their interactions with regulators, Small Business Minister Brendan O'Connor said.

Small business groups argue regulators take different approaches to their roles, with some being heavy-handed on enforcement while others work in more consultative and educational ways.

They also say many regulators don't take into account the size and nature of businesses and the cost burden of compliance.

One of the outcomes of the Productivity Commission's work is likely to be a new standard definition of a small business.

Gillards Unions Screw the rest of us with cost blow outs

A review by Chevron of the project estimates the project in north Western Australia has increased from $43 billion to $52 billion.

 

The widely expected announcement of the extra cost comes as the oil and gas giant plans its plant start-up for late 2014, leading to the first liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargo in the first quarter 2015, around a three month delay.

 

"The factors contributing to the increased costs and schedule impacts include labour costs and productivity associated with Barrow Island site infrastructure, logistics challenges and weather delays," Chevron said in a statement on Thursday.

 

In addition, a stronger Australian dollar and changes in the mix of currencies since project began accounted for approximately one third of the projected increase in US dollar outlays, the company said.

 

Chevron vice chairman George Kirkland said despite the cost blowout the economics of the project were still attractive.

 

"While investment requirements have grown, oil prices, which directly impact the overall revenue stream, have increased by approximately 80 per cent over the same time period," he said.

 

He added that the LNG capacity for Gorgon had increased by four per cent, to 15.6 million tons a year.

 

Chevron continued to discover additional gas resources which could support future expansions of our Australian LNG developments, he said.

 

The news about the Gorgon cost blowout comes as Chevron announced an overall international exploration budget of $37 billion for 2013, including major investments in Australia, Nigeria, the US deepwater Gulf of Mexico, Kazakhstan, Angola and the Republic of Congo.

 

Gorgon encompasses 11 gas fields and a 15 million tonne per annum LNG plant on Barrow Island expected to last at least 40 years.

 

Chevron operates Gorgon and has a 47.3 per cent stake, with fellow petroleum majors Exxon Mobil and Shell holding 25 per cent.

 

Sales agreements for up to 25 years have been reached for Gorgon with customers in China, India, Japan and South Korea.

 

Chevron added that its Wheatstone LNG project in WA is currently seven per cent complete and is on budget and schedule.

Gillard Looking after Cosumers

Gillard on power deal: Consumers may save $250 a year

As the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting wrapped up in Canberra on Friday, Gillard also secured signed agreements with Victoria, South Australia, NSW, Tasmania and the ACT on launch sites for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

Western Australia and Queensland signed a broader agreement to "learn" from the launch sites' development and implementation, but made no further commitments.

Gillard said COAG had agreed to a package of electricity market measures which would help families and businesses.

"The agreement that we have reached will make a difference of $250 for Australian families on power pricing," she said, adding that some savings would start to flow through from 2014.

West Australian Liberal Premier Colin Barnett said he did not think the $250 would be delivered, but "hopefully future price increases will be less than they would have been".

NSW Liberal Premier Barry O'Farrell was hopeful the figure could be achieved, but said further steps were needed, including capping wages for power sector workers in NSW and axing expensive green power schemes.

Victorian Liberal Premier Ted Baillieu, who had sought more "teeth" for the Australian Energy Regulator, said the authority's "still a bit gummy" and needed to be separate from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.

Under the reforms to be rolled out by the states are rule changes to stop over-investment in networks, a new advocacy body to give consumers a voice on price determinations and an extra $23 million in federal funds over four years to beef up the energy regulator.

Energy retailers would offer a wide range of innovative products, such as smart metering and air-conditioner technology, so consumers had more choice on how they used power.

Big corporate energy users will be rewarded for moderating the power loads they put on the system during peak times.

South Australian Labor Premier Jay Weatherill said the reforms would ease the pain of power bills while ensuring reliable supply.

"We must have an electricity market that works not just for the big end of town, but for consumers," he said.

Energy Retailers Association chief Cameron O'Reilly said the package would ease regulation and "ultimately the consumer will win".

After signing a $6 billion funding deal with NSW on Thursday for the full rollout of the NDIS in the state from 2018, Gillard said she did not expect other states to do the same immediately.

"We can now work through with other states and territories and reach long-term agreements about the NDIS," she said.

The leaders also had a "brief discussion" about schools funding and Gillard said the Gonski reforms would be the centrepiece of the next COAG meeting in early 2013.

But talks on harmonising environmental approval processes for major projects collapsed.

Gillard said the states had such divergent views on the matter that the issue was heading toward the "regulatory equivalent of a dalmatian dog".

But there was agreement on ensuring businesses only need to provide one set of documentation to state and federal environmental agencies and work on streamlining the system would continue into 2013.

Queensland Premier Campbell Newman said progress on the issue was "disappointing", while Barnett said the approvals talks had gone "backwards".

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A key attribute to the team at we at ALNO Product Services is its resourceful thinking, a skill in itself. We pride ourselves on the ability of being able to react to any situation that is presented.

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The team at Alnop Product Services  are highly skilled toolmakers the operate in a fully equipped toolroom that includes spark erosion, CNC turning and 3 axis milling ensures that we can cope with requirements ranging from simple machining to the manufacture of multistage presstools and multi cavity injection moulds.

Obviously, there are a multitude of operations and processes within these parameters so we are always willing to discuss and advise on any requirements.

 

We keep in stock a good selection of general plastics and standard colours that enable us to respond quickly to our customers needs. Finished components are checked, desprued and bulk bagged, although special requests for assembly and packaging can be accommodated.

95% of our customers’ moulds have been designed and manufactured in our toolroom are maintained and kept ready for use, again enabling a quick response to your requirements.

The production side of the business not only utilises our machining and press facilities, but can include the sawing of customers materials. For example aluminium extrusions and sections can be cut either on our automatic cut-off saws, producing high quantities of precision cut components or our double head mitre saws that are able to cope with longer sections. 

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