Ai Group Podcasts

Significant Workplace Relations Issues June 2025

Significant Workplace Relations Issues June 2025 by Ai Group

Significant Workplace Relations Issues - April 2025

Brent Ferguson, Ai Group's Head of National Workplace Relations Policy, joins Yoness Blackmore, Principal Advisor Workplace Relations Policy, to discuss the latest Significant Workplace Relations Issues report. This podcast provides an update on some of the key issues outlined in the report: the Fair Work Commission's Working from home model term proceedings, and the annual wage review the passing of the Workplace Gender Equality Amendment (Setting Gender Equality Targets) Bill 2024 Government consultations and announcements on restraint of trade / non-compete clauses

A Masterclass in SME Supply Chains with Russell Gibbons, Co-Founder Huds and Toke Pty Ltd.

Listen in to get an amazing insight into how one family has gone taken an idea from start-up to international business in just 10 years. Huds & Toke is a pet food company based on the Sunshine Coast, with a great story to tell. Co-founder Russell Gibbons provides a masterclass on the keys to building vertically integrated businesses with complex omni-channels pathways to market. This is a must-listen episode for ALL business managers. It’s a great insight into taking an idea and a market opportunity to a successful business. Podcast host James Scotland does a fascinating deep dive into the business with Russell. They discuss: • The market opportunity, and the owner’s clear-eyed ability to verbalise the target market segment: both domestically and in the U.S. • An insight into the global pet food market and how Huds & Toke adds value to the target sector. • Innovative ways to create and build a brand that accurately reflects the values of the business – including a creative and surprising approach to deciding on a company name (it’s a magical and heart-warming story) • How to make a husband-and-wife team work as a strong management team, and how to make building a business a lifestyle. • The decision protocols around the selection of channels to market that suit the business and adds value (including an amazing story of Krispy Kreme dog treats) • How not to be blinded by ‘dazzling lights’ and ‘big opportunities’ that aren’t as good as they initially seem. • The keys to creating a vertically integrated business from regional Australia • The constant challenge of cashflow, including an excellent approach to using debt collection as a way to create strong relationships with customers. • The challenge of sustainable product packaging • And much much more. A wonderful masterclass of business management today. Not to be missed.

Inside the unique mind of a procurement professional with Andy Brightmore

Today episode is an engaging café style chat with two supply chain specialists: Host James Scotland sits down with his old mate Andy Brightmore for a wandering and endearing chat on all things supply chain. Listen in to hear the two have another of their usual fun and unstructured wanderings through the issues of business and life today. Topics covered this time include: • Why is Andy no longer considered one of the ‘youngest and the brightest’? (It’s a sad story) • Andy’s fascinating multi-industry, multi-national, multi-discipline supply chain career. • Andy and James’ learnings of supply chain management from the covid and post-covid years. • The importance of relationships, resilience, and good people in building sustainable supply chains. • The emerging challenge of a world economy that seems to be turning once again. • The generational differences and what it means for markets and supply chains ( is there one?) • And much more. If you love a good chat, if supply chain and business improvements interest you, this episode is for you.

‘The state of the nation’ with Innes Willox, CEO Australian Industry Group

Everyone’s favourite CEO returns to the podcast to talk us through the current issue facing the Australian economy, and what impact could they have on business operations. Innes delivers a masterclass in macro-economics covering such as issues as - The upcoming Federal election: when will it be held and who will win. - The latest on the significant changes to Workplace Relations laws, why Ai Group is running an extensive marketing campaign to highlight the issues and what businesses need to do to not get caught out. - Why the conduct of the CFMEU is unacceptable, why Ai Group’s has strongly called for the construction part of the union to be deregistered. And what this means for businesses in other sector. - Why the new ‘Safeguarding Australian Military Secretes’ Act is having an immediate and worrisome impact on business resulting in unexpected (and unacceptable) consequences. Innes calls this ‘complete over -reach by government). - The impact of ongoing inflation and why this is creating an economy operating at different speeds and with different success - The impact of geopolitics and other global activity on the economy and the uncertainty this is causing businesses in Australian and around the world. - What’s going on with Australian Ports and why efficiency and productivity needs to be increased - Why there is not ‘magic bullet’ to solving the challenges of the Australian economy, especially in terms of Digitalisation and Decarbonisation - And much more more. This is a MUST-LISTEN episode, especially for businesspeople keen to get deep insights intothe challenges facing Australia.. and what to do about it.