O75 Public Administration

PM wants tax stoush before Super Saturday

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Original article by Joe Kelly
The Australian – Page: 4 : 29-May-18

The Federal Government aims to have its proposed corporate and personal income tax cuts passed by the Senate prior to the five by-elections on 28 July. Finance Minister Mathias Cormann has advised that the tax packages will be put to the upper house before the end of June, despite the fact that the government currently has insufficient support for either of them. Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has ruled out supporting the company tax cuts package, while One Nation leader Pauline Hanson argues that the full reduction in the corporate tax rate should be implemented immediately.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, ONE NATION PARTY, NEWSPOLL

Labor leader vows to end great divide, revive wages

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Original article by Samantha Hutchinson, John Ferguson, Ben Potter
The Australian – Page: 4 : 28-May-18

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten told Victorian Labor’s state conference on 27 May that inequality is increasing in Australia. With federal Labor due to face five by-elections on 28 July, Shorten flagged plans to reduce national debt, cut income taxes, and boost education and health funding if Labor wins the next election. The previous day had seen Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews promised to impose jail terms on employers who underpay staff or whose employees are killed on the job.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA

One Nation open to cutting deal on company tax cut

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 25-May-18

One Nation may be crucial to the Federal Government’s prospects of getting its company and personal income tax packages through the Senate. One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has indicated that the party may be willing to agree to a revenue threshold of $A500m for the company tax cuts. One Nation also supports the first two stages of the government’s three-stage personal income tax package, and if it backs the final stage the government would be able to pass the entire package without Labor’s support.

CORPORATES
ONE NATION PARTY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, CENTRE ALLIANCE, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS

Shorten blasted for doctored notes

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Original article by Joe Kelly
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 25-May-18

Opposition leader Bill Shorten has denied suggestions that his office doctored the transcript of a TV interview given by Labor MP Linda Burney. Her staffer, David Tan, transcribed the interview that appeared on Sky News. Tan contends that he made an "innocent mistake", while Burney says Tan has been counselled over what has been described as a "grossly inaccurate transcription". Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton said the transcript amounted to a "deliberate act of fabrication", while Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the interview was "falsified".

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HOME AFFAIRS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

Trump calls off N Korea summit

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Original article by Cameron Stewart
The Australian – Page: 1 : 25-May-18

US President Donald Trump has attributed his decision to withdraw from a summit with Kim Jong-un on 12 June to the "tremendous anger and open hostility" of recent statements issued by the North Korean leader. Trump described the cancelled summit as a "missed opportunity" in a letter to Kim, but indicated that he is open to proceeding with the summit if North Korea is prepared to do so. Trump also thanked Kim for releasing three US hostages.

CORPORATES
UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

Australia rises to 19th in IMD rank of competitiveness

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Original article by Jacob Greber
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 8 : 24-May-18

Australia has risen from 21st to 19th in the International Institute for Management Development’s latest "World Competitiveness Yearbook". The IMD has attributed Australia’s improved global competitiveness to factors such as population growth, a stable exchange rate and a strong investment environment. However, Committee for Economic Development of Australia CEO Melinda Cilento notes that the nation is still underperforming with regard to metrics such as productivity and tax rates.

CORPORATES
INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT, COMMITTEE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF AUSTRALIA

ACCC has no power to break up AGL

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Original article by Ben Potter
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 10 : 24-May-18

AGL Energy’s market power has come under scrutiny in the wake of its refusal to back down on plans to shut down the Liddell coal-fired power station in 2022. However, former Australian Competition & Consumer Commission chairman Allan Fels says neither the competition regulator or the federal government have the power to force a company to sell assets or take action to reduce its market share. Fels says there may be a case for adding divestiture powers to section 46 of the Competition and Consumer Act, although the Harper review in 2015 rejected this in favour of an "effects test".

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AGL ENERGY LIMITED – ASX AGL, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, ORIGIN ENERGY ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED, ENGIE SA, ENERGYAUSTRALIA PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY, DELOITTE ACCESS ECONOMICS PTY LTD

Senate showdown looms on tax cuts

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Original article by Joe Kelly
The Australian – Page: 5 : 24-May-18

Treasurer Scott Morrison has revealed that the Federal Government’s three-stage personal income tax package will cost $A143.95bn in total, with the first two stages to cost $A102.35bn. The tax bill was passed by the House of Representatives on 23 May, although it is likely to face resistance in the Senate. Labor and crossbench senators have urged the Government to legislate the first stage of the tax cuts separately. Meanwhile, Finance Minister Mathias Cormann says the company tax cuts package will be part of the Coalition’s policy agenda for the next election.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, ONE NATION PARTY

PM tax plan in turmoil

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Original article by David Crowe, Eryk Bagshaw
The Age – Page: 1 : 23-May-18

The Federal Government’s corporate tax cuts package will be part of its policy agenda at the next election, according to Finance Minister Mathias Cormann. However, some Liberal MPs are concerned that the tax package could affect the Coalition’s prospects for re-election, while others have conceded that it has little chance of being passed by the Senate. Business leaders want the government to persist with the tax package, warning that shelving it would adversely affect six million "mum and dad” investors.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, ONE NATION PARTY, AUSTRALIAN PETROLEUM PRODUCTION AND EXPLORATION ASSOCIATION LIMITED

Labor open to union demands, rejects strike bid

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 2 : 23-May-18

Shadow workplace relations minister Brendan O’Connor has indicated that Labor will consider a proposal for rules governing unions’ right to enter workplaces to be relaxed. The Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining & Energy Union’s Victorian secretary John Setka has also called for Labor to make changes to the provisions of the Fair Work Act with regard to protected industrial action, although O’Connor says this will not be on the party’s agenda.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MARITIME, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, ACTU, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION