O75 Public Administration

Labor all at sea as boats view thrown overboard

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Original article by Rosie Lewis, Alice Workman
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 3-Jun-19

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has criticised Labor’s decision to appoint Kristina Keneally to the portfolio. Dutton claims that she is the "least qualified" to be the shadow home affairs minister. Keneally has previously opposed the federal government’s policy of turning back asylum-seeker boats and expressed support for on-shore processing. However, she now says Labor fully supports boat turnbacks and offshore processing. Meanwhile, former shadow treasurer Chris Bowen will step into the health portfolio, while Bill Shorten has been given the National Disability Insurance Scheme portfolio. The new shadow cabinet has equal representation of men and women.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HOME AFFAIRS

Business Confidence soars 11% to 114.4 as L-NP win election and majority say now is a good time to invest

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 3-Jun-19

In Australia, Business Confidence rose 11.5pts (+11.2%) to 114.4 in May 2019, according to the latest Roy Morgan Business Single Source survey, in a month in which the L-NP Government was re-elected against the expectations of many. The increase was across the whole month, although the small proportion of interviews conducted after the election had a higher level of Business Confidence (118.4) than the pre-election period (113.5). The jump in Business Confidence in May is the biggest monthly increase since a 14.7pt (+12.3%) jump to 134.3 in September 2013, when the L-NP Government was first elected. Business Confidence is now only 2.7pts below its level in May 2018 and 1.3pts less than its long-term average of 115.7. Now 44.5% (up 9.3ppts) of businesses expect the business to be ‘better off’ financially this time next year, while just 15.7% (down 6.1ppts) expect the business to be ‘worse off’ financially. Meanwhile, 47.4% (up 6.4ppts) of businesses expect the Australian economy to have ‘good times’ over the next year, while 41.3% (down 6.6ppts) expect the economy to have ‘bad times’. Now 51.3% (up 3.6ppts) of businesses also say the next year will be a ‘good time to invest in growing the business’, while 36% (down 2.9ppts) say it will be a ‘bad time to invest’ (the lowest figure for this indicator since February 2018).

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED

Gas producers face export curbs

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Original article by Perry Williams, Greg Brown
The Australian – Page: 17 & 26 : 31-May-19

Manufacturing Australia CEO Ben Eade says the federal government must impose LNG export controls due to the high cost of gas in the domestic market. Resources Minister Matt Canavan has signalled that the government may be open to triggering the Australian Domestic Gas Security Mechanism if domestic gas prices remain well above those in Asia. Manufacturers in the eastern states are currently paying more than $10 a gigajoule for gas, and Australian Competition & Consumer chairman Rod Sims has warned that many will be forced to close if gas prices do not fall.

CORPORATES
MANUFACTURING AUSTRALIA LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND SCIENCE, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN ENERGY MARKET OPERATOR LIMITED, INCITEC PIVOT LIMITED – ASX IPL, QENOS PTY LTD, EXXONMOBIL CORPORATION, AUSTRALIAN PAPER LIMITED, DOW CHEMICAL AUSTRALIA LIMITED, CLAYPAVE PTY LTD, REMAPAK PTY LTD

Adani to get the all-clear on finch

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Original article by Sarah Elks
The Australian – Page: 2 : 31-May-19

Queensland’s Environment Department is expected to announce on 31 May that it has approved Adani’s management plan for the black-throated finch at its proposed Carmichael coal mine. Approval for the plan could mean Adani just needs approval for its groundwater-management plan for construction of the $2 billion mine to commence. Meanwhile, Opposition leader Deb Freck­lington has accused Queensland Treasurer Jackie Trad of holding the mining industry to ransom over her proposed ‘voluntary’ $100 million regional infrastructure fund.

CORPORATES
QUEENSLAND. DEPT OF ENVIRONMENT AND HERITAGE PROTECTION, ADANI MINING PTY LTD, BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, ANGLO AMERICAN AUSTRALIA LIMITED, PEABODY COALTRADE AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, GLENCORE COAL HOLDINGS LIMITED, QUEENSLAND. TREASURY

Albo to set off on straight-talking tour

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Original article by Greg Brown
The Australian – Page: 6 : 31-May-19

Federal Labor leader Anthony Albanese intends to travel around Australia over the next few weeks to find out how Labor can do better, saying that he is a good listener. Labor’s new frontbench will have its first meeting in Brisbane in early June, with the party having only secured 27 per cent of the primary vote in Queensland at the 18 May election. Former Labor leader Bill Shorten will be on the frontbench, but Albanese has declined to say what portfolio he will be allocated.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Minimum wage will rise 3 per cent to $740.80 a week on Fair Work ruling

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Original article by Stephanie Chalmers
abc.net au – Page: Online : 31-May-19

The ACTU has described the Fair Work Commission’s decision to increase the minimum wage by three per cent as a "win" for low-paid workers. The minimum wage will be increased to $19.49 an hour, or $740.80 per week, but the peak union body says it is still not a living wage. The ACTU had sought a six per cent increase in the minimum wage, after it rose by 3.5 per cent in 2018. The latest Wage Price Index data shows that annual growth in wages is currently about 2.3 per cent.

CORPORATES
ACTU, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA

LNG exporters tell Coalition to back off

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Original article by Perry Williams
The Australian – Page: 20 : 30-May-19

Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association CEO Andrew McConville says the federal government should avoid further intervention in the east coast gas market. The government’s Australian Domestic Gas Security Mechanism has helped to put downward pressure on gas prices, and large industrial gas users have called for further intervention.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN PETROLEUM PRODUCTION AND EXPLORATION ASSOCIATION LIMITEDAUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND SCIENCESANTOS LIMITED – ASX STOORIGIN ENERGY LIMITED – ASX ORGROYAL DUTCH SHELL PLC

ALP to miners: give us millions or risk tax hike

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Original article by Michael McKennaPerry Williams
The Australian – Page: 6 : 30-May-19

Queensland Treasurer Jackie Trad has indicated that coal royalties will not be increased in the state’s June 2019 Budget. However, she has not ruled out an increase in royalties if coal producers fail to contribute to the state government’s proposed community infrastructure fund. Trad has stressed that industry contributions to the fund are "completely voluntary". The government will contribute $30m to the fund, and it hopes the coal industry will pitch in with a further $70m.

CORPORATES
QUEENSLAND. TREASURYQUEENSLAND RESOURCES COUNCIL LIMITEDAUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTYADANI MINING PTY LTDLIBERAL-NATIONAL PARTY OF QUEENSLAND

D-day for new minimum wage

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 2 : 30-May-19

The Fair Work Commission will announce its decision in the annual minimum wage case on 30 May. The ACTU lobbied for a six per cent increase in the minimum wage, although employers’ group used their submissions to the FWC to argue for a wage increase that is in line with the inflation rate. Meanwhile, Restaurant & Catering Australia called for no increase in the minimum wage. The new wage rate for 2.2 million workers will take effect on 1 July, when the next round of penalty rate cuts are also due to take effect.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSIONACTUAUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRYTHE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUPRESTAURANT AND CATERING INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA INCORPORATED

Labor clears decks for policy refit

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 30-May-19

Labor will decide the composition of its shadow cabinet team on 30 May. Finance spokesman Jim Chalmers is expected to replace Chris Bowen as shadow treasurer, and there is speculation that the latter could be given the infrastructure or industry portfolio. Senator Kristina Keneally will be given a frontbench portfolio on the insistence of Labor leader Anthony Albanese. Meanwhile, Albanese has ruled out backing the Coalition’s so-called ‘big stick’ energy policy, while he may resist a growing push within Labor’s ranks to support the government’s income tax cuts package.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY