The Business Council says today's unemployment figures show unemployment rising to 4.1 per cent for the first time in two years which means it is time to get serious about reform that supports businesses to grow and create more jobs.
BCA Chief Executive Bran Black said employment rose by just 500 jobs in January with unemployment rising higher than expected to 4.1 per cent.
"We are seeing a significant slowdown of employment across Australia with the latest figures and unless we get serious about addressing business conditions, the economy will continue to slow and that's bad for workers and bad for businesses," Mr Black said.
"The latest anti-business IR policies will just make it harder and harder to do business in Australia, creating more cost and complexity for businesses and ultimately that will mean less jobs.
"This adds to an already heavy regulatory burden that businesses are carrying while trying to invest, hire and produce goods and services.
"We urgently need to see some productivity boosting policies which support successful businesses and help workers see real wage increases."
