NSW’s peak business organisation, NSW Business Chamber, is pleased to announce that Terry Wetherall has been elected as the organisation’s new President.
Mr Wetherall was elected unopposed to replace Roger Hood, who will remain on the NSW Business Chamber Board as the immediate Past President.
Mr Wetherall brings to the role of President 25 years of experience in the NSW planning system, as a principal of his firm which provides a range of specialist town planning services in the Illawarra, Sydney and Hunter regions of NSW.
Mr Wetherall has had a long affiliation with the Chamber movement, having been President of the Wollongong Chamber of Commerce, President of the Illawarra Business Chamber and Vice President of the NSW Business Chamber.
“It’s a tremendous honour to be elected as the President of NSW’s largest business organisation, and one that is on track to become Australia’s largest member-based business organisation,” said Terry Wetherall.
“Having personal and professional connections to the Illawarra, I intend to be a strong advocate for NSW’s regional centres and the value that they can contribute to NSW’s economic success.”
Mr Wetherall said 2012 would present challenges for the NSW and Australian economies, but he was confident that the nation was well placed to meet those challenges.
“This year must be a year in which we do not rest on our laurels but continue the tradition of continual economic reform and good management that has seen Australia move through the GFC as one of the world’s most resilient and developed economies.
“For many businesses exposed to the high dollar, increasing energy costs, burgeoning regulatory burdens and flat demand, doing what they did yesterday won’t be enough to survive. The same holds true for governments at all levels.
“Business and the broader community are open to the changes that need to be made to improve NSW’s and Australia’s productivity performance.
“One constant that is even more apparent now is that a vibrant business sector, with sufficient confidence to plan for growth, is essential to the operation of a fair society. Policy makers must acknowledge that a buoyant businesses sector, and the resulting economic growth, are the pre-requisites for a society that can then afford to provide better care for those who need assistance. I can’t emphasise enough how central the creation and sustainability of jobs is to this endeavour.
“The Fair Work Act Review must be a frank and fair discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of Australia’s workplace relations system. Employers have legitimate grievances with how the system is operating and they must be addressed if the Government is serious about job creation and productivity growth.”
Mr Wetherall said he was concerned about the impact of the Federal Government’s carbon tax on Australia’s international competitiveness during a time of global economic uncertainty.
“No other major economy in the world is introducing an economy wide carbon tax at a time when nations are struggling to keep their citizens in jobs and control their balance sheets. I question the effectiveness of Australia’s ‘go it alone’ approach to combating climate change and the damage it will cause to Australia’s economy by shifting carbon emissions and jobs overseas.”
Looking at the health of the NSW economy, Mr Wetherall identified a need for the NSW Government to build on its momentum and use 2012 as a year to deliver significant and lasting reform of Australia’s largest state economy.
“The O’Farrell Government was overwhelmingly elected by the people of NSW to change the direction of our State. The Government should use the huge mandate given to it by the electorate to further reform the way Government operates, and the frameworks in which the business community operates, to drive economic and employment growth.”