Trade associations in Australia

The Australia Institute profiled 20 Australian trade associations for its paper Trade associations – The Australian picture.

Airlines for Australia and New Zealand

Airlines for Australia and New Zealand (A4ANZ) is an industry association representing airlines based in Australia and New Zealand. Members are responsible for the majority of Australia’s domestic airline industry.

Revenue: Not found.

Australasian Gaming Council

Founded in 2000 as the Australian Gaming Council, the Australasian Gaming Council (AGC) was the industry body for gambling companies in Australia and New Zealand. It closed in March 2024.

Revenue: $500,000 (2021).

Australian Banking Association

The Australian Banking Association represents 20 member banks including the ‘Big Four’ banks.

Revenue: $14.3 million (2021).

Australian Constructors Association

The Australian Constructors Association (ACA) is an industry association representing construction and infrastructure contracting companies. Members work across a wide range of commercial, industrial and residential sectors to deliver “over 90 per cent of the nation’s major infrastructure projects”.

Revenue: $2.7 million (2021).

Australian Energy Council

The Australian Energy Council (AEC) ‘represents 20 major electricity and downstream natural gas businesses operating in the competitive wholesale and retail energy markets. These businesses collectively generate the overwhelming majority of electricity in Australia, sell gas and electricity to over 10 million homes and businesses, and are major investors in renewable energy generation’.

Revenue: $4.0 million (2021).

Australian Energy Producers

Australian Energy Producers (formerly the Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association or APPEA) is an industry association representing the oil and gas sector. Members are oil and gas explorers and producers active in Australia, with 60 full member companies representing 98% of the nation’s petroleum production, and 140 associate member companies providing upstream goods and services to the oil and gas industry.

Revenue: $17.1 million (2023).

Australian Industry Greenhouse Network

The AIGN represents a broad range of companies from the oil and gas and mining industries in matters related to the framing and implementation of emissions-related policy in Australia.

Revenue: $400,000 (2023).

Australian Industry Group (Ai Group)

Australian Industry Group (Ai Group) is Australia’s largest trade association. It represents businesses of all types and sizes.

Revenue: $68.4 million (2022).

Australian Pipeline and Gas Association

The Australian Pipeline and Gas Association (APGA) represents members involved in transmission, transportation, construction, engineering, supply, and services for the pipeline industry.

Revenue: $3.2 million (2021).

Australian Private Hospitals Association

The Australian Private Hospitals Association’s membership covers 75 per cent of private hospitals.

Revenue: $2.5 million (2021).

Business Council of Australia

The Business Council of Australia (BCA) is an industry association lobbying on behalf of the interests of major corporations owned or operating in Australia. Its members are drawn from a wide range of sectors including manufacturing, infrastructure, information technology, mining, retail, financial services and banking, energy, professional services, transport, and telecommunications. Membership is ‘suited to chief executives of Australia’s largest companies and is at the discretion of the Business Council of Australia Board’.

Revenue: $13 million (2023).

Carbon Market Institute

The Carbon Market Institute is an industry association for businesses with an interest in the carbon market – that is, the acquisition and trading of carbon credits obtained under Australia’s Emissions Reduction Fund from the reduction of carbon emissions or the sequestering of carbon. Members are organisations providing advice on carbon emissions reduction, carbon farming services, financial institutions and advisers, law firms and management consultants.

Revenue: $1.6 million (2021).

Chemistry Australia

Chemistry Australia (CA) is the national association representing the interests of the chemical industry, whose members include ‘manufacturers, importers and distributors, logistics and supply chain partners, raw material suppliers, fabricators and compounders, recyclers, research, academia, and service providers’.

Revenue: $2.2 million (2021).

Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries

The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries represents companies who import and distribute new passenger vehicles, light commercial vehicles, motorcycles, and all-terrain vehicles in Australia.

Revenue: $6.1 million (2021).

Financial Services Council

The Financial Services Council (FSC) is the peak body for organisations in the financial services sector, which comprises superannuation funds, financial advisory networks, licensed trustee company services, funds management and the life insurance industry.  Full members are drawn from ‘Australia’s retail and wholesale funds management businesses, superannuation funds, life insurers and financial advisory networks’, while supporting members are drawn from firms that provide supporting services to full members, such as ‘ICT, consulting, accounting, legal, recruitment, actuarial and research’.

Revenue: $7 million (2023).

Large Format Retail Association

The Large Format Retail Association is the peak body for large format retailers (‘big box” retailers in single or multiple premises), as well as for property owners and developers, investors, and service suppliers of the sector.

Revenue: $700,000 (2021).

Manufacturing Australia

Manufacturing Australia is a ‘CEO-led coalition of Australia’s largest manufacturers who work with all sides of government, business and community to help the sector realise its full potential’. Members’ companies produce materials used in construction, manufacturing, and packaging, including steel, aluminium and aluminium products, masonry (bricks and roofing products), packaging, explosive and industrial chemicals, paints and coatings.

Revenue: $800,000 (2021).

Minerals Council of Australia

The Minerals Council of Australia is an industry association representing the minerals mining and production sector. Members are operators of mines across Australia and are responsible for the majority of Australia’s mining production.

Revenue: $20.6 million (2021).

Property Council of Australia

The Property Council of Australia (PCA) represents the interests of Australia’s property industry. Its members ‘invest in, design, build and manage […] homes, retirement villages, shopping centres, office buildings, industrial areas, education, research and health precincts, tourism and hospitality venues and more’.

Revenue: $38 million (2023).

Tasmanian Salmonid Growers Association

The Tasmanian Salmonid Growers Association (TSGA) represented the three companies producing fish of the Salmonidae family (Atlantic salmon and ocean trout) in pens off the Tasmanian coast. It is not clear if the TSGA is still operating or if it has been superseded by Salmon Tasmania.

Revenue: $2.1 million (2021).