O75 Public Administration

‘Orwellian merger test an affront to democracy’

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 4 : 18-Aug-17

The Federal Government’s proposal to subject trade union mergers to a public interest test has been criticised by ACTU secretary Sally McManus. Factors such as a union’s history of compliance with workplace laws and the merger’s effect on businesses would be taken into account when deciding whether to approve it. McManus claims that the bill breaches the International Labour Organization’s conventions on freedom of association, and that the Government is using the bill as a distraction.

CORPORATES
ACTU, INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANIZATION, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, MARITIME UNION OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT

Mining-state revival drives ‘best job growth in 40 years’

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Original article by David Uren
The Australian – Page: 2 : 18-Aug-17

Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows that 202,000 jobs have been created so far in 2017, including 153,000 full-time jobs. Some 27,900 jobs were created during July, with the official unemployment rate easing to 5.6 per cent and the labour force participation rate rising to a new high of 77.4 per cent. The major mining states of Western Australia and Queensland have recorded jobs growth of 35,400 and 70,900 respectively in the year to date. Meanwhile, the average full-time wage has risen to $A80,250, according to separate data from the ABS.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, SEEK LIMITED – ASX SEK

Directors slam bank exec rules

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Original article by James Eyers
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 2 : 17-Aug-17

The Australian Institute of Company Directors has concerns about the Federal Government’s proposed Banking Executive Accountability Regime. The AICD’s submission to the Government warns that rather than increasing the accountability of financial industry executives, the reforms could in fact lead to greater risk aversion in the sector. The AICD is also concerned about the increased powers of the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority under the reforms, particularly with regard to executive remuneration.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF COMPANY DIRECTORS, AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT. AUSTRALIAN TRANSACTION REPORTS AND ANALYSIS CENTRE, UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY, BANK OF MELBOURNE LIMITED, INSTITUTIONAL SHAREHOLDER SERVICES INCORPORATED

CFMEU target for laws against militant unions

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

Australian Mines & Metals Association CEO Steve Knott has welcomed the Federal Government’s move to crack down on unlawful conduct by unions. The legislation introduced to Parliament on 16 August would strengthen the Government’s powers to deregister unions and disqualify union officials. It would also subject union mergers to a public interest test, which could be used to block the Construction, Forestry, Mining & Energy Union’s proposed merger with the Maritime Union of Australia.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN MINES AND METALS ASSOCIATION (INCORPORATED), CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, MARITIME UNION OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, AUSTRALIA. REGISTERED ORGANISATIONS COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY

Wages stall at record low of 1.9 per cent

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Original article by Eryk Bagshaw
The Age – Page: 11 : 17-Aug-17

Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows that there was overall wage growth of 0.5 per cent in the June quarter, and 1.9 per cent in the year to June. Private sector wages grew by 1.8 per cent in the year to June, although there was 2.5 per cent growth in public sector wages. ABS chief economist Bruce Hockman says underemployment partially contributed to the low growth in wages. The May 2016 Budget had forecast wage growth of 2.5 per cent in 2016-17.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, CAPITAL ECONOMICS LIMITED, GOLDMAN SACHS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Coalition tips Medicare Levy will get over the line

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Original article by David Crowe
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 17-Aug-17

The Federal Government is optimistic that its proposed 0.5 per cent increase in the Medicare levy will be passed by the Senate. The bill will be put before the upper house on 17 August, although a vote is unlikely before September. The increase in the levy is one of 10 bills that were endorsed by the Coalition’s partyroom on 16 August. The Opposition is pushing for the increased levy to be restricted to people whose annual income exceeds $A87,000. The Government hopes to secure the support of crossbenchers.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, ONE NATION PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS

Trump’s bid for Sydney casino killed off by his ‘mob connections’

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Original article by Tessa Akerman, Michael McKenna, Troy Bramston, Emily Ritchie
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 16-Aug-17

A consortium comprising Donald Trump and Kern Corporation submitted one of four bids to develop Sydney’s first casino in the 1980s. Cabinet minutes from May 1987 show that the New South Wales Police Board had recommended that the Trump consortium’s bid should be rejected. Amongst other things, the confidential report expressed concern about Trump’s alleged links to the mafia. A separate report by the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Australia questioned whether the Trump bid was financially viable. Two of the other bidding consortiums also failed the police probity checks.

CORPORATES
KERN CORPORATION LIMITED, NEW SOUTH WALES POLICE BOARD, CANADA IMPERIAL BANK OF COMMERCE, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL HOTELS, SABEMO (NSW) PTY LTD, GENTING BERHAD, CIVIL AND CIVIC PTY LTD

CFMEU loss as bench rules code-compliant deal OK

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 2 : 16-Aug-17

The Fair Work Commission has ruled that Lendlease Engineering’s enterprise bargaining agreement in New South Wales is valid. The Construction, Forestry, Mining & Energy Union had appealed against the FWC’s June 2017 decision to approve the EBA, which complies with the Federal Government’s building code. Employment Minister Michaelia Cash has urged the CFMEU to negotiate code-compliant EBAs. Cash also wants union mergers to be subject to a public-interest test.

CORPORATES
CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, LEND LEASE GROUP LIMITED – ASX LLC, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, MARITIME UNION OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL UNION OF WORKERS, UNITED VOICE, AUSTRALIAN WORKERS’ UNION-FEDERATION OF INDUSTRIAL, MANUFACTURING AND ENGINEERING EMPLOYEES, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, ONE NATION PARTY

Probe for Shorten over AWU’s GetUp! donation

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Original article by Brad Norington
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 16-Aug-17

Employment Minister Michaelia Cash has formally referred a union donation to activist group GetUp to the Registered Organisations Commission. The Australian Workers’ Union made the donation of about $A100,000 in 2005, when current Opposition Leader Bill Shorten was the union’s national secretary. A spokesman for Shorten has indicated that the donation had been approved by the AWU’s national executive. However, some members of the national executive at the time say they have no recollection of the donation being formally approved.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN WORKERS’ UNION-FEDERATION OF INDUSTRIAL, MANUFACTURING AND ENGINEERING EMPLOYEES, GETUP LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, AUSTRALIA. REGISTERED ORGANISATIONS COMMISSION, HEALTH SERVICES UNION OF AUSTRALIA, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence dips again to 111.7 (down 2pts)

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 16-Aug-17

ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence fell 1.8% to 111.7 in the week ended 13 August 2017, and it is now below the long-term average of 112.9. Three out of the five sub-indices posted declines, with the sharpest fall in current economic conditions. Consumers’ sentiment towards current economic conditions remained sombre, with a fall of 6% coming straight after the prior week’s sharp decline of more than 10%. In contrast, the measure of future economic conditions was up a touch to 105.1, just above the long-term average for the first time since March. Attitudes toward current financial conditions fell 2%, largely reversing the previous week’s improvement. On the flipside, views towards future financial conditions were up 1.9% but are still below the long-run average.

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