A Network That Speaks with Authority
In a fragmented policy landscape, the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) functions as the connective tissue between thousands of businesses and the levers of government. As Australia’s largest and most representative business network, ACCI’s advocacy spans tax, trade, regulation, skills, and digital policy—making it a central actor in nearly every significant economic debate of 2026.
The chamber’s influence is not theoretical. When it releases a report, it shapes headlines. When it makes a submission, it enters the legislative record. When it convenes its General Council, senior ministers attend.
The Tax Debate: A Line in the Sand
Few issues have tested ACCI’s advocacy muscle more than the 2026-27 Federal Budget’s proposed tax changes. The chamber joined forces with state and territory chambers and dozens of other business groups to warn that capital gains tax reform and a 30 per cent minimum tax on trusts could cause “collateral damage” across the business sector. ACCI estimated the overall cost to business of the proposed increase at $14.7 billion.
The pushback was forceful and, in some respects, effective. The federal government ultimately backed down on elements of its budget tax changes, announcing larger concessions for small business and carve-outs for startups. McKellar’s assessment was characteristically blunt: the reforms resembled a “freak show”.
Convening Power: Where Business Meets Government
ACCI’s role extends beyond advocacy to convening. In August 2026, Trade Minister Don Farrell used the ACCI General Council in Adelaide to urge business to publicly back the Australia-Europe free trade agreement, accusing the Coalition of preparing to block its ratification. That a senior minister would choose a chamber forum to make such a strategic appeal underscores ACCI’s position as a critical intermediary between the public and private sectors.
Similarly, the Australia China Business Council—closely networked with ACCI—hosted high-level member briefings on China’s 2026 Two Sessions and the implications of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan, providing businesses with insight that would otherwise require expensive consultancies.
Economic Fundamentals: The Productivity Argument
At the core of ACCI’s advocacy is a consistent economic argument: government spending must be wound back, productivity reforms must be accelerated, and the private sector must be allowed to drive growth. Commenting on the December 2025 National Accounts—which showed annual growth of 2.6 per cent—McKellar noted that “productivity remains anaemic at zero for the quarter and just one per cent for the year”. He called for government spending to be reduced to under 25 per cent of GDP.
This is not a partisan position. It is a structural argument about the conditions required for sustainable business growth. Whether the issue is red tape, tax, trade, or AI, ACCI’s policy prescriptions share a common thread: reduce the burden, increase the incentive, and let Australian business compete.
For the thousands of businesses in its network, that consistency is the chamber’s greatest asset—a steady, authoritative voice in an otherwise turbulent policy environment.