O75 Public Administration

Shorten facing split as Dastyari departs

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Original article by Andrew Clennell, Rachel Baxendale
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 13-Dec-17

Some members of the Australian Labor Party’s New South Wales right faction have expressed concern that Sam Dastyari was pressured into resigning from the Senate. Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has praised Dastyari’s decision to resign in the wake of revelations about his links with China. There is speculation that Dastyari’s seat in the upper house could be filled by Kristina Keneally if she fails to win the upcoming by-election in the seat of Bennelong. United Voice’s Tara Moriarty is also seen as a contender to replace Dastyari.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, UNITED VOICE, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE

Union leader ordered to halt illegal Port of Melbourne picket

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Original article by David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 13-Dec-17

Victorian Trades Hall secretary Luke Hilakari and union officials will be barred from blockading Victorian International Container Terminal’s site at Webb Dock. VICT CEO Andres Dommestrup has welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision to grant injunctions against Hilakari, the Construction, Forestry, Mining & Energy Union and the Maritime Union of Australia. VICT had claimed that Hilakari had been the leader of picketers who have blocked access to the company’s Webb Dock facility for several weeks.

CORPORATES
VICTORIAN TRADES HALL COUNCIL, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, MARITIME UNION OF AUSTRALIA, VICTORIAN INTERNATIONAL CONTAINER TERMINAL PTY LTD, SUPREME COURT OF VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, ACTU, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, HEALTH SERVICES UNION OF AUSTRALIA, COMMUNITY AND PUBLIC SECTOR UNION, QUBE HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX QUB

ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence still above average at 115.1 after 0.6% fall

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 13-Dec-17

ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence slipped 0.6% to 115.1 in the week ended 10 December, effectively unwinding the 0.7% gain in the previous week, but remaining above its long-run average. The details were mixed; sentiment around financial conditions declined, but the remaining indexes posted small gains. Households continue to remain upbeat about both current and future economic conditions, with the sub-indices up 0.9% and 0.8% respectively. In four-week moving average terms, views towards current economic conditions are at their highest point since late 2013. Views towards current financial conditions fell 2.7%, more than reversing the 1.7% gain previously, and bringing the sub-index to a six-week low. Views towards future financial conditions fell 2.8%. Even so, both sub-indices currently sit above their long-term averages.

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ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ

Conspiracy claim over docks dispute

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Original article by Nick Toscano
The Age – Page: 3 : 12-Dec-17

Victorian International Container Terminal (VICT) has told the Supreme Court that an ongoing blockade of its Webb Dock terminal is doing "immeasurable" harm to its business. VICT has alleged that Trades Hall secretary Luke Hilakari and other unionists are involved in a conspiracy against the company, and is seeking an ongoing injunction against Hilakari and the Maritime Union of Australia. Justice Michael McDonald said the ongoing blockade is an example of "plainly unlawful conduct".

CORPORATES
VICTORIAN INTERNATIONAL CONTAINER TERMINAL PTY LTD, SUPREME COURT OF VICTORIA, VICTORIAN TRADES HALL COUNCIL, MARITIME UNION OF AUSTRALIA

Widening inequality leaves low-skilled out

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Original article by Ben Potter
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 12-Dec-17

Skilled workers such as engineers and doctors have enjoyed average annual wage increases of 1.4 per cent for the past seven years, according to modelling by economists Janine Dixon and Nhi Tran. However, low-skilled workers such as cleaners and labourers have not seen any increase in their wages. Dixon says workers in this category will no doubt be tempted to blame trade or immigration for their plight, but the problem lies with automation and with not having the right skills to seek other jobs. Tran and Dixon contend that inequality in Australia will get worse if more effort is not made to boost the skills of low-paid workers.

CORPORATES
VICTORIA UNIVERSITY. CENTRE OF POLICY STUDIES, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE, UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE. INSTITUTE OF APPLIED ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL RESEARCH

IPA advocates income tax power be given to states

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Original article by Brad Thompson
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 12 : 12-Dec-17

The distribution of goods and services tax revenue between the states and territories continues to attract scrutiny. The Institute of Public Affairs has proposed the adoption of a system of "competitive federalism", whereby the states would be responsible for setting their own GST rate and retaining the revenue. IPA executive director John Roskam suggests that the states and territories could also be allowed to impose their own income taxes, but notes that they baulked at this when the idea was put forward by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in 2016.

CORPORATES
INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION

Shorten weighs up move on Dastyari

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Original article by Simon Benson, Andrew Clennell, Rachel Baxendale
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 12-Dec-17

Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten is under growing pressure to take action regarding senator Sam Dastyari, who is continuing to attract scrutiny over his links with China. Opinion within Labor’s ranks is divided, with Tony Burke and Anthony Albanese publicly supporting Dastyari, while Catherine King and Linda Burney are among those who believe that he should resign. Former Labor leader Kim Beazley has urged Dastyari to act in the best interests of his party and the nation, while Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has described Shorten’s lack of action on the issue of Dastyari as a scandal.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, CHINA. MINISTRY OF COMMERCE, UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, SYDNEY. AUSTRALIA-CHINA RELATIONS INSTITUTE

I’ve revived economy: Turnbull

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Original article by Phillip Coorey, Laura Tingle
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 12-Dec-17

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull say he hopes to have all of the states and territories signed up to the national energy guarantee by the middle of 2018. Turnbull also says that 2018 will see his government focus on the economy, including trying to get parliament to approve the rest of its corporate tax reduction program, as well as looking at the possibility of income tax cuts. He expects that there will be more to come concerning the scandal involving Labor’s Sam Dastyari.

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

Coalition cautioned on super ministry

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Original article by Joe Kelly
The Australian – Page: 4 : 12-Dec-17

There is growing speculation that the Federal Government could create its proposed ministry of home affairs before Christmas. The so-called super-ministry was slated to be set up by mid-2018, and will place federal agencies such as the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Border Force within a single ministerial portfolio for the first time. Labor’s Mark Dreyfus says Immigration Minister Peter Dutton should not be sworn in as the home affairs minister until the enabling legislation has been passed by parliament.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF IMMIGRATION AND BORDER PROTECTION, AUSTRALIAN SECURITY INTELLIGENCE ORGANISATION, AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE, AUSTRALIAN CRIMINAL INTELLIGENCE COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT. AUSTRALIAN TRANSACTION REPORTS AND ANALYSIS CENTRE, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

ATO gets personal with 1500 richest

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Original article by Joanna Mather
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 11-Dec-17

The Australian Taxation Office is taking a new approach when it comes to ensuring that the nation’s richest people are not avoiding their tax obligations. Whereas the ATO’s previous policy in this area was to rely on tax reviews and audits, its new strategy involves personal interviews with Australia’s richest people. The ATO’s current focus, which is led by Will Day, is on Australia’s top 320 private groups. Those within this group have either $A500 million or more in assets or at least $A350 million in turnover.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN TAXATION OFFICE, AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL AUDIT OFFICE