O75 Public Administration

Previously NEGative, Shorten attacked for reviving dead policy

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Original article by Greg Brown
The Australian – Page: 4 : 17-Sep-18

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has criticised Opposition Leader Bill Shorten for signalling that Labor could potentially implement a policy that is similar to the national ­energy guarantee if it wins the next federal election. Frydenberg says Shorten is merely playing politics with regard to energy policy and is not concerned about reducing electricity prices. The NEG included a carbon emissions reduction target of just 26 per cent, compared with Labor’s proposed target of 45 per cent. Liberal MP Trent Zimmerman says the Labor target is "ridiculous" and would destroy the economy.

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

Direct Action back on the agenda

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Original article by Graham Lloyd
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 17-Sep-18

Environment Minister Melissa Price has indicated that the Federal Government will revive key elements of the Direct Action climate change policy of former prime minister Tony Abbott. Price says she supports the Direct Action policy but stresses that the government’s stance does not signal a return to Abbott-era policies. Amongst other things, Price will seek additional funding for the Emissions Reduction Fund, of which around $250m of its original funding has not yet been spent. Price has also proposed reactivating the Green Army program, which ended on 30 June.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, CLIMATEWORKS PTY LTD, GREAT BARRIER REEF FOUNDATION, ADANI MINING PTY LTD

Pantscraper park under attack from heritage group

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Original article by Clay Lucas
The Age – Page: Online : 14-Sep-18

Melbourne Heritage Action is critical of a small park that is being built as part of the $1 billion Collins Arch development that is being constructed by Cbus. The tower that used to be on the site incorporated a large plaza, while half the park is being built on what used to be part of Market Street. Tristan Davies, who is the president of Melbourne Heritage Action, says it is "not great" that the new park is about half the size of the old plaza, and that part of it is being built on a section of road.

CORPORATES
MELBOURNE HERITAGE ACTION,{SHARE}CBUS PROPERTY PTY LTD,{SHARE}CITY OF MELBOURNE

Boost women or pay the price, Credlin warns

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Original article by Rachel Baxendale
The Australian – Page: 6 : 14-Sep-18

Peta Credlin says the Liberal Party faces "electoral annihilation" if it does not achieve a 50/50 gender balance by 2025. Credlin, who was Tony Abbott’s chief of staff, says she is not a supporter of quotas, but that targets are reasonable, provided they are sufficiently enforced. Julia Banks, who recently stated she would not recontest her seat of Chisholm and who claimed she had been the target of bullying and intimidation, called for the Liberal Party to introduce gender quotas in a recent speech to the House of Representatives.

CORPORATES
LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA,{SHARE}UNITED NATIONS

Wentworth by-election: Dave Sharma wins Liberal pre-selection

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Original article by Olivia Caisley
The Australian – Page: Online : 14-Sep-18

Dave Sharma has won Liberal Party pre-selection for the seat of Wentworth, previously held by former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull. Sharma, who is a former Australian ambassador to Israel, won from seven other candidates, including Katherine O’Regan, who had been backed by Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Sharma had been pressured to stand aside for a female candidate, with internal party polling indicating the Liberals would have a better chance of retaining Wentworth with a woman candidate. The Wentworth by-election will be held on 20 October.

CORPORATES
LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA,{SHARE}AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY,{SHARE}DOUBLE BAY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION INCORPORATED

Scott Morrison tells Malcolm Turnbull to back off

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Original article by Simon Benson,{SHARE}Ben Packham
The Australian – Page: Online : 14-Sep-18

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has called on predecessor Malcolm Turnbull and his supporters to stop trying to undermine his government, stating they are putting its future at risk. Turnbull tweeted recently that Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton should be referred to the High Court over his interest in two child care centres that received over $5.5 million in taxpayer-funded rebates in eight years, while former deputy Liberal leader Julie Bishop has hinted she might cross the floor should a motion to refer Dutton to the High Court be put to the House of Representatives.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET,{SHARE}AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HOME AFFAIRS,{SHARE}LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA,{SHARE}HIGH COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Unemployment at 11% in August highest for more than two years

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 14-Sep-18

The latest Roy Morgan figures on employment in Australia show that unemployment increased to a two-year high of 11% in August. This is more than twice as high as the current Australian Bureau of Statistics estimate for July of 5.3%. According to Roy Morgan, the increase has come about due to a rise in people looking for a job, despite the solid growth in employment. A further eight per cent of the workforce are now under-employed, working part-time and looking for more work. Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine says over 250,000 jobs have been created over the last year, but the even faster growth in the Australian workforce means unemployment has increased by over 150,000 to 1.48 million.

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ROY MORGAN LIMITED

Law partner forced staff to watch porn

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Original article by David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 7 : 13-Sep-18

Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins says the Australian Human Rights Commission survey on sexual harassment has received some shocking claims since it was launched in June. Jenkins, who was speaking to the National Press Club on 12 September, said one claim involved young female employees at a law firm being forced to watch pornography by a senior male partner. The survey has revealed that the number of women who state they have been sexually harassed has doubled in the past five years. Jenkins says that sexual harassment "continues with impunity", despite the expectation that "things were getting better".

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION, NATIONAL PRESS CLUB (AUSTRALIA)

Employer wins costs after baseless dismissal claim

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Original article by Adam Zuchetti
mybusiness.com.au – Page: Online : 11-Sep-18

A woman who lost an unfair dismissal case against her former employer has subsequently been directed by the Fair Work Commission to pay their costs. Joan Obuchowski lost her claim against RNTT in May, with RNTT applying two weeks later for costs to be awarded in defending the case. In agreeing with RNTT’s application in the week beginning 10 September, FWC senior deputy president Jonathan Hamberger said Obuchowski must have known her case had "no reasonable grounds for success". Business groups note it is almost unheard of for employers to be awarded costs in such cases.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, RNTT, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF JOBS AND SMALL BUSINESS

Employers face $8b back pay bill for casuals

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Original article by David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 13-Sep-18

The Australian Industry Group estimates employers may have to fork out as much as $8 billion in back pay to "regular" casuals following a recent court decision. The decision involved Workpac and a casual mine driver, with the Federal Court finding he was entitled to be paid accrued annual leave because the hours he worked were regular and predictable, even though he received additional pay in lieu of leave entitlements. The AIG estimates around 1.6 million workers could be deemed "regular casuals", with its calculation of how much they might be owed based on granting them paid leave for the past five years. Employer groups were hoping Workpac would challenge the decision in the High Court, but it has elected not to do so.

CORPORATES
THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, WORKPAC PTY LTD, FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA, HIGH COURT OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF JOBS AND SMALL BUSINESS, UNIVERSITY OF ADELAIDE