Australian Industry Group welcomed the opportunity to provide feedback to the Treasury's Competition Taskforce in response to the Consultation Paper on Reform to non-compete clauses and other restraints on workers.

It continues to be Australian Industry Group's position that there is no basis for making any change to the law surrounding non-compete and other restraint clauses. These clauses are essential to support business productivity, business innovation, investments by business in employees, business continuity and growth, and the capacity of business to compete on a level playing field both domestically and overseas.

Also, businesses must retain the freedom to contract as they choose. Further, legitimate business interests such as trade secrets, confidential information, customer connections and supplier connections can only be adequately protected through the use of non-compete and other restraints. There are no other appropriately balanced options and no relevant or appropriate evidence justifying a policy change.