Speak up in one voice says Minister Kim Carr, CEO Forum

Management from some of the largest printing and print supply companies in Australia turned up to hear Senator Kim Carr speak at the Printing Industries' CEO Forum.

The chance to meet, and grill, a politician is always fun; especially when it is a Minister whose opinions can have some influence on the printing industry.
 
Following on from his first appearance last year, Senator Kim Carr, minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, returned to Printing Industries’ third CEO Forum.

All the big names flocked to Eden Gardens, Lane Cove (think Ikea for gardening) to hear him speak: a quick scan revealed new PMP CEO, Richard Allely, who had been lured from the company’s headquarters in nearby Chatswood, seated beside Bernard Cassell, CEO of CPI Group and chairman of the Australian Paper Industry Association (APIA) along with GEON’s Tony Onsley and the new CEO of the Australian Catalogue Association, Ken Bishop to name a few of the faces. The only face that could not be spotted amongst a sea of suited, middle-aged men was the minister himself, and indeed entree had passed before he arrived.

First speaker, Bernard Cassell, got the event off to a rip-roaring start with an impassioned speech obviously meant more for Carr himself than anyone in the room.

“It would appear to us that the government has neglected this industry – especially with the stimulus package,” he said. “We think that we could benefit from some more assistance.”

A proud paper advocate, Cassell is disgusted by corporations' sway into online communication merely as an attempt to gain their company the kudos of being good environmental citizens.

“Paper itself has a positive carbon footprint and we should be supporting this,” Cassell said. “Minister, we ask for your support against these scurrilous attacks.”

Pictured: Kim Carr with Printing Industries CEO, Philip Andersen.

Cassell’s words were met by a thunderous applause from the crowd, and presumably Carr must also have recognised there was some truth to the claims as he acknowledged that: “The printed page is one of the most effective and user-friendly ways to share information.”

Just how long these printed pages will stay in Australia remains to be seen. After the Productivity Commission delivered a damning and crushing report recommending the removal of the 30-day rule, local printers have been distressed at the thought of losing work to overseas companies, and, rather than wage in on the debate, Carr offered only the evasive comment that: “We will be making a decision sooner or later.”

Responding to criticism that the industry is ignored and, as Richard Allely suggested during question time, often has trouble accessing credit, Carr believes that the industry must reinvent itself and shout back in a single, uniformed voice (echoing similar thoughts to those expressed by Andy Vels Jensen at this year’s National Print Awards).

“This industry is too important to be put on the backburner. We must be able to articulate a vision for the industry and practical ways to make it a reality,” he said. “It is your job to sell those ideas.”