O75 Public Administration

Convene COAG over disasters: Albanese

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Original article by Joe Kelly
The Australian – Page: 4 : 25-Nov-19

Labor leader Anthony Albanese has called for an emergency meeting of the Council of Australian Governments in the wake of deadly bushfires. He says the agenda for a COAG meeting should include Australia’s preparedness for natural disasters, the development of an action plan on adaptation to climate change, and increased investment in research on natural disaster response, recovery and mitigation. The federal government will provide grants of up to $15,000 to assist farmers and small businesses to recover from the recent bushfires in New South Wales.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENTS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF AGRICULTURE AND WATER RESOURCES, NEW SOUTH WALES. DEPT OF PREMIER AND CABINET

Westpac execs still in the money

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Original article by Richard Gluyas, Joe Kelly
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 25-Nov-19

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has stressed the need for accountability over Westpac’s massive breach of anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing laws. He notes that in addition to Austrac’s civil prosecution, there is the potential for Westpac executives and directors to be disqualified under the Banking Executive Accountability Regime. Meanwhile, Westpac chairman Lindsay Maxsted says executives’ short-term bonuses will be frozen; however, their long-term bonuses are not expected to be affected. Other measures taken by Westpac in response to the scandal include shutting down the LitePay international fund transfer network.

CORPORATES
WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT. AUSTRALIAN TRANSACTION REPORTS AND ANALYSIS CENTRE, AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY

Lift super to 12pc to defuse age time bomb

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Original article by Richard Gluyas
The Australian – Page: 21 : 22-Nov-19

AustralianSuper CEO Ian Silk appeared before federal parliament’s economics committee on 21 November, where he emphasised the need to increase the superannuation guarantee from 9.5 per cent to 12 per cent. He warned that the legislated increase is necessary to avert the ‘economic time bomb’ of the nation’s ageing population, arguing that the pension system alone is not sufficient to provide Australians with a comfortable retirement. Silk also expressed support for consolidation in the super sector, and the exit of funds that consistently underperform.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIANSUPER PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES STANDING COMMITTEE ON ECONOMICS, INDUSTRY SUPER AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

One Nation backtracks on unions

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Original article by David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 22-Nov-19

The federal government is expected to release proposed amendments to the Ensuring Integrity Bill on 22 November. It is believed to have backed Centre Alliance’s proposal for a demerit points system for unions and officials who breach workplace laws, as well as amendments put forward by One Nation. However, One Nation has withdrawn proposed amendments that would have allowed unions to be deregistered over unprotected industrial action that could have a ‘substantial adverse effect’ on the economy.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, SKILLS, SMALL AND FAMILY BUSINESS, CENTRE ALLIANCE, ONE NATION PARTY, ACTU, AUSTRALIAN MINES AND METALS ASSOCIATION (INCORPORATED), CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MARITIME, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA

Taylor buys off NSW with big energy deal

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Original article by Angela Macdonald-Smith, Mark Ludlow
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 11 : 22-Nov-19

The New South Wales government has backed a proposal by federal Energy Minister Angus Taylor to pursue bilateral negotiate bilateral energy and climate policy agreements with each state. NSW Energy Minister Matt Kean had previously advocated an integrated national policy on climate and energy policy, as well as the revival of the shelved National Energy Guarantee. Details of a bilateral deal between the two governments is expected to be disclosed within weeks, and Kean says the deal will be much better for the state than the NEG.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY, NEW SOUTH WALES. DEPT OF PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT, COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENTS, QUEENSLAND. DEPT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, MINES AND ENERGY, VICTORIA. DEPT OF ENVIRONMENT, LAND, WATER AND PLANNING

Complex awards on IR agenda

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 22-Nov-19

Industrial Relations Minister Christian Porter will release a discussion paper on workplace relations in 2020. He has flagged a review of the modern awards system, reiterating recent comments by Prime Minister Scott Morrison that it has become too complex. Porter notes that awards in the hospitality, retail and restaur­ant sectors in particular merit review. Australian Industry Group CEO Innes Willox has suggested simplifying awards by enshrining some employee entitlements in the Fair Work Act, such as leave, redundancy pay and requests for flexible work arrangements.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, SKILLS, SMALL AND FAMILY BUSINESS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, ACTU, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN PAYROLL ASSOCIATION, CENTRE ALLIANCE, ONE NATION PARTY, WOOLWORTHS GROUP LIMITED – ASX WOW, 7-ELEVEN STORES PTY LTD, SUPER RETAIL GROUP LIMITED – ASX SUL, MICHAEL HILL INTERNATIONAL LIMITED – ASX MHJ, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION

Forget tax and spend, go for productivity: Albanese

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 22-Nov-19

Labor leader Anthony Albanese will emphasise the need to prioritise increased productivity in a speech on 22 November. He will identify microeconomic reform, fiscal management, infrastructure, and investment in people through skills and training as the key policy initiatives to lift productivity. He will also argue that the legislated increase in the superannuation guarantee must proceed, as it will encourage super funds to invest in productivity-boosting infrastructure.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Porter flags big Westpac penalty

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Original article by James Eyers, Michael Pelly
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 22-Nov-19

Attorney-General Christian Porter says he will keep a "watching brief" on the prosecution of Westpac for breaching anti-money laundering laws. He has also warned that Westpac is likely to incur a much bigger financial penalty than the Commonwealth Bank’s record $700m fine for far less serious breaches. Meanwhile, the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority will look into the potential application of the federal government’s Bank Executive Accountability Regime to the Westpac case, while ASIC may investigate whether the bank has breached the Corporations Act.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT. AUSTRALIAN TRANSACTION REPORTS AND ANALYSIS CENTRE, AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, MACQUARIE UNIVERSITY

One Nation bill changes get nod

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 2 : 21-Nov-19

Attorney-General Christian Porter says the federal government is open to One Nation’s proposed amendments to the Ensuring Integrity Bill. One Nation wants to increase the threshold for banning union officials under Centre Alliance’s proposed demerits points system. One Nation leader Pauline Hanson argues that sanctions such as the deregistration of a union should not apply for minor breaches of workplace laws. One Nation’s two votes in the Senate would give the government sufficient numbers to pass the bill before parliament rises for the year.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT, ONE NATION PARTY, CENTRE ALLIANCE, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, ACTU

PM to take a sword to red tape, boost jobs

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 6 : 21-Nov-19

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has outlined a range of initiatives aimed at boosting investment and jobs. He has used a Business Council of Australia speech to reveal plans for a one-stop online portal for companies to lodge applications for environmental approvals; he says it could slash the amount of time required to approve major mining and infrastructure projects by 6-18 months. Morrison also flagged an overhaul of the industry awards system, arguing that while the number of awards was reduced by Labor, many have become more complex.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY