Federal Parliament has returned and aside from what now seem to be the customary leadership challenges, it’s clear there are some big issues for the Government to deal with in coming weeks and months.
First and foremost, supporting those communities affected by the devastating summer bushfires which continue to burn in many areas.
If you attend one of our Office Market Report events tomorrow you’ll have the opportunity to support our fundraising for bushfire relief, as well as explore ways of providing practical or in kind assistance through the BizRebuild initiative chaired by Sir Peter Cosgrove.
The coronavirus outbreak will also impact the Australian economy, especially the tourism and education sectors, with travel restrictions in place for people coming from China. Our health authorities are managing a comprehensive response within Australia to treat those affected and prevent its spread. I strongly recommend checking the latest updates and advice from the Federal Health Department.
We’ll be listening carefully when the Reserve Bank Governor, Philip Lowe, addresses the National Press Club in Sydney today for his assessment of the economic outlook, including the prospect of any future interest rate cuts.
We’re also beginning our discussions with governments in Canberra and around the country as they start to shape their budgets for the next financial year.
There’s no doubt that the challenge for policy makers is how to spur sustainable economic growth, so infrastructure, productivity enhancements and tax settings will all be vital. We’ll have more to say on these issues in coming weeks.