History
NSW Business Chamber has undergone a number of name changes and mergers with other business organisations since its founding in 1885 as the Chamber of Manufactures of NSW as it has adapted to the changes in the Australian economy over the past century.
The Chamber of Manufactures of New South Wales was established with the inaugural meeting in August 1885 at Sydney's Town Hall in which the rules and regulations were adopted and Archibald Forsyth was elected as its first president.
The Chamber got off to an initial slow start with its primary supporters focusing most of their efforts on tariff policy lobbying, especially in setting up a "Protection Union", in direct opposition to the "Free Traders" led by Sir Henry Parkes.
The Chamber was finally re-constituted in June 1895 at a meeting at the Hotel Australia. The Chamber abandoned the idea of partisan political lobbying and conscientiously adopted a position of a non-political organisation which has continued to the present day.
In 1912, the Chamber of Manufactures of NSW set up the Manufacturers Mutual Insurance Company (now MMI). The insurance company arm was established primarily to indemnify employers against claims that might be made by their employees who were injured at work, and was in direct response to the new Workmen's Compensation Act of 1910.
The Chamber continued to expand in NSW over the following years opening offices in Newcastle, Lismore, Wollongong and Ballina while pursuing possible amalagations with other business organisations such as the Australian Chamber of Manufactures and Employer's Federation, most of these options were explored but not acted upon.
In 1995, the Chamber of Manufactures of NSW broke its tie with MMI, selling its shares of the company and changing its name to Australian Business Limited. The sale of MMI shares made Australia Business Limited one of the most well funded business organisations in Australia.
In 2006, Australian Business Limited merged with the State Chamber of Commerce (NSW) to become Australian Business Limited (incorporating the State Chamber of Commerce) then later ABL/State Chamber.
In January 2007, ABL/State Chamber changed its name to the NSW Business Chamber.
Read more about this topic: NSW Business Chamber
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