O75 Public Administration

Dole compromise to win budget deal

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 13-Sep-16

The Australian Government has backed down on a key measure in its "omnibus bill" to secure the Opposition’s support for the majority of its cost-saving initiatives. The Government is believed to have agreed to abandon its proposal to cease compensating welfare recipients for the impact of the carbon tax. Some Family Tax Benefit payments are also expected to be reduced as part of the compromise deal. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has noted in Parliament that the unemployed rate has fallen from 6.3 per cent to 5.7 per cent in the 12 months since he ousted Tony Abbott.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, GROUP OF TWENTY (G-20)

Super cuts ‘will leave people poorer’

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Original article by Sarah Martin
The Australian – Page: 4 : 12-Sep-16

The Institute of Public Affairs warns that the Australian Government’s proposed superannuation tax reforms will adversely affect the retirement income of the people it targets. Simon Breheny of the IPA says the reforms will slash the retirement income of middle-income earners to about 58 per cent of their pre-retirement earnings. In contrast, he notes that people on low incomes can expect to receive almost 90 per cent of their pre-retirement income. Breheny argues that the Government should provide super tax relief for people on middle incomes.

CORPORATES
INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Union deals make project costs double US

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Original article by Rick Wallace
The Australian – Page: 5 : 12-Sep-16

A report produced by the Menzies Research Centre and the HR Nicholls Society highlights the impact that union influence has on construction costs in Australia. The report concludes that the cost of building infrastructure such as hospitals, schools and airports is typically much higher than in the US. It cites a range of factors, including high labour costs and excessive wage claims, the pattern bargaining system and rostered days off. The report supports measures such as reinstatement of the Australian Building & Construction Commission.

CORPORATES
THE MENZIES RESEARCH CENTRE LIMITED, HR NICHOLLS SOCIETY, AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION, BUSINESS COUNCIL (UNITED STATES), AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, MARITIME UNION OF AUSTRALIA

Howard urges PM on tax, IR reform

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Original article by Jacob Greber
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 6 : 12-Sep-16

Ex-prime minister John Howard believes that Malcolm Turnbull can successfully lead the Coalition to the next federal election, but stresses that he must have a united team. Howard has also identified industrial relations and tax reform as policies that the Federal Government must pursue, although Turnbull says both issues are on the legislative agenda. Meanwhile, Treasurer Scott Morrison says the government has had "constructive" talks with the Opposition regarding Budget savings measures.

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

Now ‘too close to call’ in New South Wales as Baird support slips while ALP has slight lead in Western Australia and a clear lead in Victoria

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Morgan Poll Update – Page: Online : 9-Sep-16

In NSW the Baird Government has now lost its strong lead: L-NP 50.5% (down 3%) cf. ALP 49.5% (up 3%) and in WA the Mark McGowan-led ALP Opposition now has the lead heading towards next year’s WA State Election: ALP 51% (up 2%) cf. L-NP 49% (down 2%). In Victoria support for the Andrews Government is virtually unchanged with two-party support: ALP 55.5% cf. L-NP 44.5% while in Queensland support for the ALP 50% (unchanged) is level with the L-NP 50% (unchanged). This SMS Morgan Poll on State voting intention was conducted in August with a representative cross-section of 5,490 Australian electors.

CORPORATES
MORGAN POLL, ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED

Turnbull suggests foreign donor ban

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Original article by Primrose Riordan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 9-Sep-16

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has suggested allowing only those who are eligible to vote to make political donations. The issue of political donations gained national prominence after revelations that Australian Labor Party senator Sam Dastyari accepted payments from Chinese-backed companies. The Liberal Party of Australia wants the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters to suggest appropriate changes, but the Opposition says the matter is urgent.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG

Taxpayer funds hold up economy, families ease back

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Original article by David Uren
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 8-Sep-16

The latest national accounts data shows that the Australian economic expanded by 3.3 per cent in the year to June 2016. It is now 25 years since the last recession in Australia, and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has attributed the almost unprecedented period of economic growth to factors such as the nation’s commitment to free trade and economic reform. However, growth in household spending slowed to just 0.4 per cent in the June quarter, while growth in household incomes is also subdued. A sharp rise in government spending contributed to GDP growth in 2015-16.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, EAST ASIA SUMMIT

Shamed Dastyari bites the dust

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Original article by Primrose Riordan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 5 : 8-Sep-16

Senator Sam Dastyari has stood down as Shadow Minister for Consumer Affairs to allow the Australian Labor Party to focus again on policies rather than his behaviour. He announced his resignation on 7 September 2016. Dastyari was found to have had a legal bill paid by Yuhu Group’s Huang Xiangmo, who is also the head of the Australia Council for the Promotion of Peaceful Reunification of China. On another occasion, Dastyari’s travel bill was paid by Top Education’s Minshen Zhu.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, YUHU GROUP (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, TOP EDUCATION INSTITUTE, COMMUNIST PARTY (CHINA), AUSTRALIAN FELLOWSHIP OF CHINA GUANGDONG ASSOCIATIONS INCORPORATED

ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence falls again – down 4.1pts to 114.3

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 7-Sep-16

ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence has fallen fell for the second week in a row, down 3.5 per cent to 114.3 in the week ending 4 September 2016. The sizeable decline more than offset the jump in confidence three weeks ago, which took the index to a 33-month high. The decline in confidence was largely driven by households’ views over the economic outlook. Households’ views of the economic outlook in the next 12 months fell by 7.6 per cent, while consumers’ views of their current and future finances fell by 2.7 per cent and 1.2 per cent respectively.

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

Bullion and coins seized as police spread the net wider

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Original article by Neil Chenoweth
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 7-Sep-16

Australia’s Justice Minister Michael Keenan has confirmed that a joint operation has carried out a series of raids in Queensland against clients of Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca. The Australian Federal Police, the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission and Australian Taxation Office operation resulted in the seizure of 170kg of silver bullion and coins as part of the investigation into the use of offshore tax havens by high net worth individuals.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE, AUSTRALIAN CRIMINAL INTELLIGENCE COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN TAXATION OFFICE, MOSSACK FONSECA, AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT, INTERNATIONAL CONSORTIUM OF INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISTS