Australians have cast a resounding vote for political and social transformation, with climate action, gender equity and industrial relations reform in the spotlight this election. As Anthony Albanese takes the helm, and the ALP prepares to form government, PKN asked industry organisations who work closely with and lobby government, what the change will mean.
Labor’s victory in last weekend’s Federal Election is a huge moment for Australia, with this change of government coming at a critical time in Australia’s push towards achieving the 2025 National Packaging Targets and a heightened national focus on key environmental challenges. Leading this charge is the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO).
APCO CEO Brooke Donnelly said, “It is vital that the fantastic work already delivered to this point by industry and government alike is continued and we look forward to working with the incoming government to pursue Australia’s sustainable packaging priorities towards 2025.
“We are especially looking forward to working closely with government to progress the key recommendations of the NEPM Review and the co-design of the future sustainable packaging framework in Australia.
Since 2017, APCO, its members and stakeholders have made considerable progress in transitioning towards a circular economy for packaging in Australia. Donnelly, and the APCO membership, sees the continuation of the collaboration between government and industry as essential.
“Ongoing facilitation of this work will progress through APCO programs and partnerships, along with a focus on the next horizon for sustainable packaging management in Australia through effective implementation of the NEPM Review recommendations,” Donnelly told PKN.
The Printing and Visual Communications Association (PVCA) and The Real Media Collective (TRMC), the soon-to-merge peak industry bodies representing the printing and packaging industry, are primed and ready to lobby on key issues impacting the industry.
After the swearing in this week by the Governor General, the printing industry’s soon-to-merge peak associations PVCA and TRMC conveyed best wishes to Prime Minister Albanese, and each of his currently appointed Ministers.
Kellie Northwood, CEO, TRMC and incoming CEO of PVCA told PKN, “We informed them that as the combined industry body representing the largest manufacturing sector in the country, we look forward to working closely with their government across all industry related issues and matters of interest.”
Northwood noted that both the Coalition and the ALP have supportive policies across sovereign manufacturing, which provides opportunity for the printing industry. She said the association will be engaging with the appropriate Minister, as soon as caucus is announced, to ensure the National Skills Council reviews its removal of the apprentices across the industry's Awards.
As previously reported in PKN's stablemate Print21, the Coalition government shocked the industry by dumping five of the six print apprentices from its new priority list, but the industry is coming together to fight to reverse the decision, which it says is alarming, and of great concern.
“Skills and training further requires serious review, and the ALP has strong policies across this to which we will refer,” Northwood said. “Additionally, we have begun a proposal to Treasury to implement a procurement policy across all government print procurement to be locally manufactured and print management contracts reviewed accordingly to comply with local manufacture. This will be communicated to the incoming Treasurer and Finance Minister in Chalmers and Gallagher.
“Finally, we have been working on a policy across gender equity and carbon emission targets for our industry since Glasgow to establish a standard that we can then develop a target by size and industry sector for packaging, commercial print, signage, heatset and more – all of which align with the new government's policies and provide opportunity for our industry to prepare for a strong manufacturing future,” Northwood said.
