Independent Contractors Australia
Abbreviation | ICA |
---|---|
Formation | 1999 |
Type | Not-For-Profit |
Legal status | Association |
Purpose | Representation of independent contractors in the Australian workplace |
Headquarters | Melbourne, Victoria |
Location | |
Website | http://www.independentcontractors.net.au |
Independent Contractors of Australia (ICA) was established in 1999, with the aim to create a national association to represent
Governance
ICA is governed by a
Articles of Association
The articles[6] under which ICA was established determine that the purpose of the association is:
- to uphold and defend the right of all eligible Australians to engage in the independent contractors;
- to engage in lobbying and public debate to ensure that the Australian community is aware that if Australians' rights to engage freely in the labour market are impaired or denied, then the rights of all Australians to live in freedom will be at risk;
- to maintain the common law distinctions which the courts have made between employment and contract in labour marketrelationships;
- to take all such action as the association or the committee shall think conducive to the attainment of these objectives.
Board
The ICA constitution requires the election of ten Board members, with four who are
Past presidents
- The Hon Norman Lacy (November 2008 – Present)
- Marie-Louise MacDonald (December 2007-November 2008)
- Michael Kelson (April 2007-December 2007)
- Angela MacRae (July 2005-April 2007)
- Bob Day (2001-July 2005)
Executive Director
Ken Phillips has been Executive Director of ICA since 2000.[7][8][9]
Funding, membership, and location
ICA is funded by its membership fees and revenue raised from sponsorship, advertising and events. Membership is open to
There are 1.1 million independent contractors in the Australian workforce of 11.3 million.[citation needed] However, Other Business Operators (OBOs) are also self-employed and make up another 1 million workers.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) separates OBOs from independent contractors on the basis that they are self-employed workers whose primary activity is managing others (i.e. they have employees) and/or selling goods and services to earn income rather than relying on the provision of their labour. Whereas independent contractors are defined as workers who provide their time and labour and who only manage themselves. Hence the self-employed total 2.1 million and make up 18.6% of the total workforce.[10]
FORM OF EMPLOYMENT | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2008/2010 |
---|---|---|---|---|
(000) | (000) | (000) | (%) | |
Total Workforce | 10,651.1 | 10,664.9 | 11,300.0 | 5.74 |
Employees | 8,619.6 | 8,660.9 |
9,2000.0 !! 6.31 | |
Independent Contractors | 967.1 | 1,029.0 |
1,100.0 !! 12.08 | |
Other Business Operators | 1,064.4 | 975.0 |
1,000.0 !! -6.44 | |
Total Self Employed | 2,0331.5 | 2,004.0 | 2,100.0 | 3.26 |
Self Employed/Workforce (%) | 19.07 | 18.79 | 18.58 |
ICA is based in
Mission
ICA's mission is to:
- present to Government and the public a clear and positive view of independent contractors;
- provide an ideal legal and professional framework in which independent contractorscan thrive and feel legally secure;
- support members by creating an environment that allows them to grow within the economy;
- provide members with access to relevant services, including education, literature and news updates.
Campaigns
ICA's lobbying campaigns have focused on:
2000-2001 the introduction of the Personal Services Income (Tax) legislation;[13][14][15]
2003–6 participation in the
2005–6 the introduction of the Independent Contractors' Act (2006).[16][17][18]
2007-2011 the establishment of Small Business Commissioners in each state and territory and in the
2009-12 the development and promotion of Charter of Contractual Fairness[19] to governments and corporations and to have the Trade Practices Act amended to extend the protections for contractual fairness, available to consumers, to small businesses.
References
- ^ Australian Broadcasting Commission The Drum
- ^ "Australian Chambers Business Congress 1-3 June 2011". Archived from the original on 3 March 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2012.
- ^ Fairwork Australia Fact Sheet
- ^ "Independent Contractors The Essential Handbook Commonwealth of Australia (Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education)2011 pp 2-3" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-03-28. Retrieved 2012-10-17.
- ^ Directory of Government and Business Associations in Australia
- ^ a b c "ICA brochure" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-02-18. Retrieved 2014-12-01.
- ^ Business Spectator
- ^ The NAB National Small Business Summit
- ^ Online Opinion
- CFMEU, Race to the Bottom - Sham Contracting in Australia's Construction Industry. A report by CFMEU Construction & General, March 2011, p 11
- ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics, Form of Employment Survey, Cat. 6359.0, published data, November 2008, (updated with 2010 figures).
- ^ [1]Independent Contractors: How Many?
- ^ Income tax: the meaning of personal services income
- ^ Australian Financial Review, Plea for Leniency on Contractors, "The Howard Government may be forced to accept a lower revenue yield from its planned crackdown on contractors, prompting industry to lobby senior ministers for a more sympathetic contractor test." 24 March 2000
- ^ Australian Financial Review, ATO unreasonably rejects travel claims of IT contractors, 7 August 2012
- ^ ABC transcript from The World Today, Government Introduces Independent Contractors Bill to Parliament, 22 June 2006
- ^ Independent Contractors Act 2006
- ^ O'Malley Nick, Workplace Reporter, New Law Threatens Pay Rights of Workers, Sydney Morning Herald, June 23, 2006
- ^ Charter of Contractual Fairness