SYDNEY, Jan. 12 (Xinhua) -- Australian business chief executives are more optimistic about their business prospects in 2017, though it's not without concern.
Australian Industry (Ai) Group said Thursday only 23 percent of businesses expect conditions to take for the worse, according to a survey of 285 chief executives, down from over 41 percent a year earlier who were increasingly pessimistic about how their business would fare.
"This outlook comes after an extended period of only very gradual recovery from the global financial crisis and amid the major transitions underway in the wake of the recent mining investment and commodity price booms," Ai Group chief executive Innes Willox said in a statement.
But the optimism is not without concern. The lack of business investment is hindering the non-mining sector to secure funds to ensure Australia's transition to a broad based economy, while growing energy prices are impeding growth, Willox said.
Authorities must "address the clear and present dangers facing industry from the lack of energy affordability and energy reliability," Willox said.
