Print leaders meet over carbon tax discussion

Constructive sustainability agendas will always deliver benefits, yet adding a carbon tax to the current business climate is cause for concern, a group of the industry’s leading CEOs heard in Melbourne recently.

Key speaker Peter Anderson, Chief Executive of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, gave an update on the government’s current assessment on this issue at the Printing Industries CEOs Lunch.

According to Anderson, even if a carbon tax were accepted as the correct mechanism, timing is critical. The broader economic situation and a strong Australian dollar make this the worst possible time for such change.

“Any major reform which is going to affect the economy has to work in the real world context of people doing business. Current trading conditions would make a strong case for any government to hold back on policy change that would embed costs into globally competing products and services.

“While the carbon tax issue is highly political, a great disservice is done to the issue by the oversimplification which characterises political debate. In this instance, this has led to a most unfortunate view that to be opposed to the tax equates to being opposed to the sustainability agenda, a view that is simply not true,” he says.

He says printers are a great example of manufacturing businesses that are strongly committed to sustainability. “Not just from an ideological viewpoint but because it makes sense on an economic basis, driving stronger business and meeting commercial imperatives.”

Pictured: Bill Healy (Left), CEO Printing Industries; Peter Anderson, Chief Executive, Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Michael Honeybone, Media Super and Ron Patterson, GM – Victoria and Tasmania, Printing Industries.


Anderson maintains that structuring Gillard government’s key policy for tackling climate change as a tax, before a proper global emission-trading scheme has been put into practice, means it is a policy likely to collect revenue rather than drive behavioural change.

“Trying to bring about a faster rate of change to our behaviour and methods of production is not a silly idea. The motivation is right, but the mechanism and the timing are both open to debate and, I believe, are significantly flawed.”

Ron Patterson, Printing Industries general manager Victoria & Tasmania, says the event was a great success with more than 40 business owners, CEOs and other industry leaders attending.

“The lunch provided important opportunity for these key decision makers to meet together, discuss this important issue and inform themselves of the current state of debate.

“We were delighted with the turnout and thank Peter Anderson from ACCI for sharing his knowledge and Media Super for supporting this important event,” says Patterson.