O75 Public Administration

Fair Work slams Caltex franchise model

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Original article by Adele Ferguson
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 & 18 : 5-Mar-18

Service station operator Caltex Australia advised in the week ending 2 March that it will abandon the franchise model for its outlets. Its announcement preceded a rather damning report into its franchise model by the Fair Work Ombudsman, with an audit finding that 76 per cent of franchised Caltex stores it examined were exploiting their staff. Fair Work Ombudsman Natalie James says that in light of its report, she is not surprised by Caltex’s decision to exit franchising.

CORPORATES
CALTEX AUSTRALIA LIMITED – ASX CTX, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK OMBUDSMAN, DOMINO’S PIZZA ENTERPRISES LIMITED – ASX DMP, 7-ELEVEN STORES PTY LTD, RETAIL FOOD GROUP LIMITED – ASX RFG, PIZZA HUT AUSTRALIA, UNITED PETROLEUM PTY LTD

Underpaid, overworked, fearing sack

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Original article by Adam Gartrell
The Age – Page: 8 : 2-Mar-18

Fifty-nine per cent of workers who took part in an ACTU survey stated that they are worried that they will lose their current job in the next couple of years. Over 70 per cent expressed the view that they felt as if they are working harder for less pay, while 80 per cent stated that getting a reasonable pay rise was difficult. ACTU Secretary Sally McManus, says the crux of the survey results is that workers want reasonable wage rises and more job security. The ACTU intends to use the results of the survey to back its case for an increase in the minimum wage.

CORPORATES
ACTU, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION

Trump trade war fears sparks stock plunge

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Original article by John Kehoe
The Australian Financial Review – Page: Online : 2-Mar-18

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell sharply after US President Donald Trump announced plans to impose a 25 per cent tariff on imported steel and a 10 per cent tariff on foreign aluminium. His announcement came less than one hour after Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell had told US legislators that he did not think tariffs were the best way of addressing the possible negative side-effects of international trade. Trump’s announcement is not expected to be well-received by China.

CORPORATES
DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE INDEX, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, UNITED STATES. FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD, BLUESCOPE STEEL LIMITED – ASX BSL, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, FARR, MILLER AND WASHINGTON LLC, US STEEL MINING COMPANY INCORPORATED, CENTURY ALUMINIUM COMPANY, CATERPILLAR INCORPORATED, BOEING COMPANY, ALLIANZ GLOBAL INVESTORS US, OXFORD ECONOMICS LIMITED

Australian Inflation Expectations unchanged at 4.5% to start 2018

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 2-Mar-18

Australians aged +14 expect inflation of 4.5% per year over the next two years, according to the Roy Morgan Inflation Expectations Index for January 2018. This is unchanged for a third straight month and also unchanged from January 2017. Inflation Expectations have levelled off in recent months after rising throughout the last year; 2017 was the first year since the series began in 2010 that Inflation Expectations were higher year-over-year in every month. Despite the increases throughout 2017, Inflation Expectations remain well below the seven-year average of 5.0%. Analysis by State shows that Inflation Expectations remain the highest in Queensland at 4.8%, with the southern States of Victoria and Tasmania both on 4.7%, and South Australia on 4.6% also above the national average. Analysis by Federal voting intention shows that ALP supporters (4.5%) have Inflation Expectations equal to the national average, above those of L-NP supporters (4.1%).

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Gold traders’ scam ripped off $1bn GST

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Original article by Ben Butler
The Australian – Page: 21 : 1-Mar-18

The Australian Taxation Office estimated in February 2017 that goods and services tax fraud by gold traders had cost the federal government around $A700m in revenue. However, ATO deputy commissioner Timothy Dyce has told a Senate committee that the forgone revenue may now be almost $A1bn. He added that legislation enacted in April 2017 has closed the loophole which enabled gold traders to avoid GST liability.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN TAXATION OFFICE, AUSTRALIA. SENATE STANDING COMMITTEE ON ECONOMICS, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Treasury boss backs company tax cuts

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Original article by David Uren
The Australian – Page: 5 : 1-Mar-18

Treasury secretary John Fraser appeared before the Senate economics committee on 28 February, arguing the case for the Federal Government’s corporate tax package. He warned that Australia will have one of the highest company tax rates among developed nations following tax cuts in the US, the UK and France, and its international competitiveness will be adversely affected if across-the-board company tax cuts do not proceed. Meanwhile, Treasury adviser Michael Kouparitsas refuted Labor’s claim that foreign investors would be the main beneficiaries of the tax cuts.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. SENATE STANDING COMMITTEE ON ECONOMICS, AUSTRALIAN TAXATION OFFICE

Shorten’s excellent $17,000 coral and coal adventure

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Original article by Joe Kelly, Sarah Elks
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 1-Mar-18

Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has disclosed that the Australian Conservation Foundation paid for him to tour the Great Barrier Reef and take a chartered flight over the site of Adani’s proposed Carmichael coal mine. ACF CEO Kelly O’Shanassy says Shorten subsequently discussed Labor’s options for blocking the Carmichael project with herself and environmentalist Geoff Cousins. Shorten has attracted criticism over his inconsistent stance on coal mining.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN CONSERVATION FOUNDATION INCORPORATED, ADANI MINING PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Contempt case threatens super union

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Original article by David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 8 : 28-Feb-18

Victorian International Container Terminals’ contempt of court lawsuit against the Maritime Union of Australia could prevent its proposed merger with the Construction, Forestry, Mining & Energy Union. The Fair Work Commission, which is shortly slated to issue a ruling on the merger, has received a submission which argues that contempt charge constitutes criminal proceedings under the Fair Work Act. The Registered Organisations Act in turn states that a union merger cannot by approved if there is outstanding criminal proceedings. The unions contend that the contempt charge is civil rather than criminal.

CORPORATES
CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, MARITIME UNION OF AUSTRALIA, VICTORIAN INTERNATIONAL CONTAINER TERMINAL PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN MINES AND METALS ASSOCIATION (INCORPORATED), MASTER BUILDERS AUSTRALIA INCORPORATED

Nats urged to opt for reshuffle-lite

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Original article by Phillip Coorey, Andrew Tillett
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 12-Jan-18

A National Party insider has cautioned against a major revamp of the junior Coalition partner’s ministerial team under new leader Michael McCormack. The source also warned that the Nationals would face unrest within its ranks if McCormack is seen to be rewarding his supporters when allocating portfolios. Meanwhile, there is speculation that Darren Chester will replace McCormack as the Minister for Veterans Affairs, with the latter set to become Minister for Infrastructure.

CORPORATES
NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF VETERANS’ AFFAIRS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. INDEPENDENT PARLIAMENTARY EXPENSES AUTHORITY

Energy mess deters US investors

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 28-Feb-18

DowDuPont’s executive chairman Andrew Liveris has warned that uncertainty over Australia’s energy policy is adversely affecting foreign investment intentions. He recently participated in a round-table discussion in the US with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, state and territory leaders and the CEOs of major US companies. Liveris told the meeting that while Dow is keen to further invest in Australia, this is dependent on a competitive and reliable energy market. He also urged bipartisan support for the Federal Government’s National Energy Guarantee.

CORPORATES
DOWDUPONT INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND SCIENCE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENTS