O75 Public Administration

Militant super union a step closer

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

The Construction, Forestry, Mining & Energy Union has submitted a formal application to merge with two smaller unions. It wants the Maritime Union of Australia and the Textile, Clothing & Footwear Union to be exempt from a ballot, given their much smaller membership bases. Meanwhile, the Australian Mines & Metals Association has expressed concern about the potential impact of the proposed mega-union on the supply chain across the resources and energy sector. It will lobby the Federal Government to introduce laws requiring union mergers to satisfy a public interest test.

CORPORATES
CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, MARITIME UNION OF AUSTRALIA, TEXTILE, CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR UNION OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN MINES AND METALS ASSOCIATION (INCORPORATED), AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, CHEVRON CORPORATION, GORGON PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Qld targets zero carbon emissions by 2050

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Original article by Mark Ludlow
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 8 : 12-Jul-17

The Queensland Government has set a target date of 2050 for the state to become carbon neutral. As part of this strategy, the Government wants the state’s carbon emissions to be 30 per cent lower than 2005 levels by 2030. It has previously set a target date of 2030 for renewable energy to comprise 50 per cent of the state’s electric power generation by 2030, compared with just seven per cent at present.

CORPORATES
QUEENSLAND. DEPT OF THE PREMIER AND CABINET, QUEENSLAND. DEPT OF ENVIRONMENT AND HERITAGE PROTECTION

Get on with energy fix

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Original article by Ben Potter
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 8 : 12-Jul-17

The Finkel energy review will be on the agenda for the Council of Australian Governments Energy Council meeting on 14 July. Australian Energy Market Operator CEO Audrey Zibelman has urged the nation’s energy ministers to endorse the Finkel review to enable appropriate action to be taken to ensure Australia’s energy security. Zibelman notes that the falling cost is prompting businesses, consumers and power companies to embrace renewable energy without the presence of a clean energy target.

CORPORATES
COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENTS. ENERGY COUNCIL, AUSTRALIAN ENERGY MARKET OPERATOR LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN ENERGY MARKET COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN ENERGY REGULATOR, COMMITTEE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF AUSTRALIA

Enterprise bargaining looks irrelevant

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Original article by Jennifer Hewett
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 2 : 12-Jul-17

There is a growing shift away from enterprise bargaining in Australia, as the system has generally failed to meet expectations in the last two decades or so. The industrial awards system still dominates many workplaces, and even large companies such as Coles intend to base new enterprise agreements on the minimum award conditions. Meanwhile, unions often use enterprise agreements to secure additional concessions for their members rather than to increase workplace productivity and flexibility.

CORPORATES
COLES SUPERMARKETS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN MINES AND METALS ASSOCIATION (INCORPORATED), MURDOCH UNIVERSITY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY

PM’s pitch as business rebounds

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Original article by Adam Creed
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 2 : 12-Jul-17

National Australia Bank’s latest business survey shows that there was a month-on-month improvement in sales, profits and trading conditions in June 2017. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who addressed a business forum in London on 11 July, cited the data as proof that the Australian economy is growing and has not been unduly affected by a fall in mining investment. He attributed the continued resilience of the domestic economy to factors such as Australia’s stance on free trade. Shadow treasurer Chris Bowen argues that low wages growth is the main issue of concern for workers.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, ARRIUM LIMITED – ASX ARI, PACIFIC INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT COMPANY LLC, HSBC AUSTRALIA HOLDINGS PTY LTD, ENERGYAUSTRALIA PTY LTD, HARVEY NORMAN HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX HVN, AMAZON.COM INCORPORATED, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence steady at long-term average – now 113.0

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 12-Jul-17

ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence slipped 1.3% to 113.0 in the week ended 9 July 2017, following a 2.4% rise the previous week. The details were mixed. Consumers were less optimistic about economic conditions but relatively more upbeat about their current finances. Households’ views around current financial conditions continued to climb last week, (up 1.4%) after a solid 3.8% rise previously. Consumers were less optimistic about future financial conditions, however. This sub-index fell 0.8% last week, entirely unwinding its previous rise. Confidence around current economic conditions fell 6.2%, largely reversing gains over the previous three weeks. Views around future economic conditions fell 2.5%. This sub-index remains below its long-term average.

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

Set energy target or feel price pain: gas boss

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Original article by Matt Chambers
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 11-Jul-17

EnergyAustralia has urged the Federal Government to introduce a clean energy target within 12 months. This would allow the company to proceed with two gas-fired power stations in New South Wales. EnergyAustralia says the two plants would help offset the loss of the output from AGL Energy’s Liddell coal-fired power station, which is slated to close in 2022. However, EnergyAustralia warns that there is a limited time-frame to commence these projects, as gas-fired power stations typically take three years to build.

CORPORATES
ENERGYAUSTRALIA PTY LTD, AGL ENERGY LIMITED – ASX AGL, CLP HOLDINGS LIMITED, ALCOA OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY

Fears a Trump tariff will spike dumping

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Original article by Andrew Tillett
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 11-Jul-17

Australian Steel Institute CEO Tony Dixon has welcomed reports that Australian steel and aluminium will be exempt from proposed new US import tariffs. However, Dixon has raised concerns that Australia could face an influx of low-cost imported steel from countries that are barred from the US market under the new tariffs regime. The Opposition has also stressed the need to protect local industries and jobs by ensuring that anti-dumping laws are enforced.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN STEEL INSTITUTE LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, BLUESCOPE STEEL LIMITED – ASX BSL

We’re not conservatives: PM

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Original article by Simon Benson, Tony Shepherd
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 11-Jul-17

Amid growing tensions between the moderate and conservative factions of the Liberal Party, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has argued that the party has always been centrist rather than conservative. He said Robert Menzies’ intention was for the party to be centre-right when it was founded in 1944. Turnbull held talks with British Prime Minister Theresa May on 10 July, covering issues such as trade and investment between the two nations when the UK leaves the European Union.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, GREAT BRITAIN. OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, POLICY EXCHANGE

Company tax cut eligibility ‘mind-boggling’

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Original article by Joanna Mather
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 11-Jul-17

Tax experts say the Australian Taxation Office’s updated advice on the application of small business tax cuts to passive family investment companies does little to clarify the situation. The ATO previously advised that the 27.5 per cent tax rate will apply to companies whose activities are "passive", but this has been changed to "relatively passive" in a revised statement. Mark Leibler of law firm Arnold Bloch Leibler says the Federal Government clearly intended for the tax cuts to apply solely to businesses that actively trade.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN TAXATION OFFICE, ARNOLD BLOCH LEIBLER, THE TAX INSTITUTE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL OF SOCIAL SERVICE