CEDA CEO update: 13 April 2021

It has been great to get positive feedback on our recent migration report A good match: Optimising Australia’s permanent skills migration, including last week when I attended the Vice Chancellors panel event in Adelaide, our first public event in South Australia since last year.  

Migration was very much on the agenda, with a strong and clear message delivered by the panel on the importance of international students to our economy, and the need for proactive and concrete plans to get international students back into the country as soon as possible or risk losing our place in this critical and competitive market. We also heard very personal accounts of the costs and impacts of closed borders to students overseas in terms of courses and lives put on hold. These concerns take on greater importance in light of the slow vaccine roll-out and increased uncertainty around lifting boarder restrictions.   

Improving our temporary and permanent migration system is an issue firmly on CEDA’s radar, particularly in the context of meeting existing and emerging skills needs and following the release of our A good match report in late March, we have also made a submission to the Senate Inquiry into Australia’s skilled migration program. A common theme I have been hearing from many members is that they are struggling to access the skills they need, notwithstanding an unemployment rate higher than usual. We are working to make sure this message is being heard and would welcome any further feedback and evidence from members.  

We also have a livestream event next week on 20 April with Federal Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migration Services and Multicultural Affairs, the Hon. Alex Hawke to further unpack the issues and examine the role of migration in Australia’s economic recovery.  Thanks to CEDA member Fragomen for supporting this event.

The  Adelaide event also raised concerns about Federal Government support for the tertiary sector. 

Switching gears, I was very pleased to see the long-awaited Federal Government response to the Respect@Work report last week and I look forward to seeing serious progress against the recommendations and committed actions. CEDA Chair, Diane Smith-Gander has been a strong and tireless champion of women and you can read her opinion piece in the AFR last week on the four things women want now. 

New membership model 

CEDA has been modernising our membership model to support members’ engagement with our purpose through policy discussions, research projects and our wider activities. By broadening the opportunities for engagement across the country we want to connect members across regions and sectors, broaden our reach and impact and create wider and more diverse networks. 

CEDA exists to identify the policy issues that matter for Australia’s future and pursue solutions that deliver better economic and social outcomes for the greater good. Based on feedback from members and our wider network, we have designed this engagement-based model to deepen partnerships and collaboration with and between members, and enrich policy discussions, strengthening our ability to deliver on this purpose. 

Under our new model, we have retained a three-tier membership structure designed to reflect an organisation’s objectives and aspirations in becoming a CEDA member. The model provides greater flexibility and maintains the benefits and opportunities you have relied on in the past such as the Trustee program and member rates for face-to-face events and livestreams. 

If you’re interested in what the new model can do for you and your organisation, please get in touch with our membership team at: membership.enquiry@ceda.com.au 

Key membership benefits:   

• Support your organisation with access to independent research and discussion through CEDA research, events, livestreams, opinion articles and podcasts.  
• Contribute to targeted policy discussion and research through Member Advisory Committees, roundtables and working groups.  
• Access CEDA’s member-only Trustee program of roundtables, networking events and C-suite discussions on key topics.  
• Build cross-sector networks and engage with CEDA’s Trustee community of senior leaders across the country.  
• Demonstrate your commitment to better economic and social outcomes and lift your profile through exclusive sponsorship and hosting opportunities.  

New categories 

Our new membership tiers are designed to reflect an organisation’s aspirations and purpose in becoming a CEDA member. 

Discover – designed for growing organisations with smaller leadership teams and less capacity to engage but who are committed to supporting better outcomes across the policy landscape.  

Elevate – for organisations with larger leadership teams who are looking to build their profile, have national influence and interest, and who are committed to actively engaging in public policy debate on critical issues for their business and for Australia.  

Lead – for industry leaders dedicated to proactively leading public policy debate, driving innovative policy solutions and who actively share and support CEDA’s purpose and vision. 

We’re confident this new membership model will bring more opportunities for your organisation to engage with and contribute to our work, and I encourage you to get in touch with the membership team or visit our website to find out more.

Watch/attend: 

In addition to The role of migration in Australia’s economic recovery livestream mentioned above, we have a hybrid event on Strength and resilience in Australia’s financial system with a keynote address by Australian Prudential Regulation Authority Chair, Wayne Byres. Given the national relevance of this presentation for our members across the country, this event will include both a livestream as well as a face-to-face event in Sydney on 28 April, so if you are keen to get back out and about in Sydney, book your tickets now. Thanks to Gilbert + Tobin for supporting this event.  

Finally, after such a challenging year in 2020 I am super excited to announce our first face-to-face public event in Melbourne in 14 months will be with Victorian Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, the Hon. Jacinta Allan on Melbourne’s west, the next growth chapter.  The event will be held on 29 April. Western Metropolitan Partnership Chair, Louise Glanville will also speak. Thanks to CEDA members Arup and Wyndham City Council for supporting this event. 

Read: 

On the website we have two new opinion pieces exploring how to close the economic gender gap. CEDA Senior Economist, Cassandra Winzar considers how we could close the workforce participation gap by expanding access to childcare. We also have a piece from  While Corelogic Head of Residential Research Australia Eliza Owen exploring the gender gap in property ownership, and its role in Australia’s gender wealth gap.  

Members 

As always thank you to our renewing members, who are now enjoying the benefits of our new structure, I hope you make the most of the increased opportunities provided. 

Renewing Elevate members 

Audit Office of New South Wales 

Citipower and Powercor Australia 

Funds SA

IFM Investors 

Landgate 

Trade and Investment Queensland 

University of South Australia 

Renewing Discover members 

Consulate-General of New Zealand 

DMA Engineers 

Hastings Deering 

New Zealand Trade and Enterprise 

Paxon Group 

Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia 

Seymour College 

Standards Australia 

The Bethanie Group 

Wollongong City Council 

I have enjoyed the opportunity to catch up with members in Sydney and Adelaide over the past month and hope to be heading up north and out west very soon. In the meantime, I hope wherever you are activity is continuing to gain momentum – it is finally starting to feel that way in Victoria. 

Until next time, all the best.   

Melinda Cilento