ACCI Statement on AI and Australia's economy

ACCI Statement on AI and Australia's Economy

1 September 2026

Quotes attributable to the CEO of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Andrew McKellar:

Today's reporting on the forthcoming Intergenerational Report demonstrates that the Federal Government is rightly focusing on Artificial Intelligence. Artificial intelligence is reshaping Australia's economy. It is changing how businesses deliver services and how Australians access them.

The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry believes Australia can seize its share of the AI opportunity, but only if our economic settings are calibrated correctly. Currently regulatory and tax settings are not where we need them to make the most of this AI moment in Australia.

AI offers the opportunity to lift Australia's ailing productivity growth over the next decade, but only if we get the fundamental regulatory environment right.

Australian business and industry will be able to compete in the AI-era if given a fair go and a level playing field with international competitors. Expecting Australian businesses to globally compete on AI while loading them up with excessive tax and regulatory burdens does not compute.

Australian businesses should not have to engage in this competition with one hand tied behind their backs.

Australian businesses are not only handicapped by one of the highest company tax rates in the developed world, but our business tax settings are getting worse with the Budget introducing a major tax hike on business investment.

We also must ensure Australia has policy settings that enable the responsible growth of data centres not stand in their way. Data centres are critical infrastructure and an essential component of Australia's future prosperity. The policy challenge is not whether data centres should be built, but how they can best be planned, powered and resourced efficiently while maintaining community and investor confidence.