Business lobby pushes for regulation overhaul to boost international investment
Make us a preferred source
Make us a preferred source on Google
The news: Newly released Business Council global index has found Australia ranked 21st out of 42 countries in investment competitiveness, citing changes must be made to achieve a top 10 ranking.
The context: The Business Council of Australia’s Global Investment and Competitiveness Index (BCA) 2026 outlines 17 international indexes across seven key areas to determine whether investments, including trade, regulation, energy, business taxation, investment restrictions, rule of law and labour policies come to Australia or goes directly offshore.
In accordance to becoming part of the top 10 investment destinations, BCA said Australia must cut regulatory costs by 25% by 2030, fast track lower-risk foreign investment, implement targeted incentives, remove current tariffs and restore balance to support labour productivity and wage growth.
The push comes in the final couple of months before the federal government hands down its May budget.
What they said: “We must remember that global capital is mobile and increasingly contested,” Business Council CEO Bran Black said.
“Investors compare jurisdictions side by side. If other countries are making it simpler and more attractive to invest, making simple once-off changes won’t be enough on their own, we need to outpace and keep outpacing our main competitor countries- Australian jobs rely on it,” he said.
The source: Business Council media release
