O75 Public Administration

Foreign property buyers face stiff fees amid crackdown

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Original article by Joanna Heath
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 10-Feb-15

The Treasury is investigating a number of cases of suspected illegal residential property acquisitions in Australia. A parliamentary inquiry into the matter issued a report in November 2014 which contains 12 recommendations. The committee recommended the introduction of an administrative fee for foreign buyers of between $A500 and $A1,500 to fund the compliance work of the Foreign Investment Review Board and the Treasury

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. FOREIGN INVESTMENT REVIEW BOARD, AUSTRALIA. PARLIAMENTARY BUDGET OFFICE, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Concerns grow over NSW asset sales

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Original article by Will Glasgow
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 8 : 10-Feb-15

A new public opinion poll shows that support for asset sales in New South Wales is waning. The Fairfax Media/Ipsos poll, which was carried out from 5-7 February 2015, shows that 23 per cent of electors support the partial sale of the electricity network. This is six per cent lower than in November 2014. The State Government will use proceeds from the partial privatisation to fund new infrastructure projects if it wins the 28 March election

CORPORATES
FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, IPSOS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEW SOUTH WALES. DEPT OF PREMIER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, LIBERAL PARTY OF NEW SOUTH WALES, LIBERAL-NATIONAL PARTY OF QUEENSLAND

Budget the big casualty

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Original article by Laura Tingle
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 10-Feb-15

The Liberal Party of Australia’s motion for a leadership spill failed on 9 February 2015, although the future of Prime Minister Tony Abbott remains tenuous. The motion to dump Abbott was defeated by just 11 votes, but the leadership turmoil will put the Federal Government’s Budget strategy under scrutiny. Abbott has conceded that the May 2014 Budget may have been overly ambitious, and many of the initiatives outlined on Budget night are in doubt. There will also be much uncertainty about the upcoming 2015 Budget

CORPORATES
LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HUMAN SERVICES. MEDICARE AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

ALP increases lead before Abbott’s ‘Pyrrhic victory’ in today’s L-NP leadership vote; Government Confidence drops to 89

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Morgan Poll Update – Page: Online : 9-Feb-15

A multi-mode Morgan Poll on Federal voting intention has found that support for the Coalition on a two-party preferred basis has fallen by one per cent to 42.5 per cent. The poll, which was carried out on the weekends of 31 January-1 February and 7-8 February 2015, also shows that support for the Australian Labor Party has risen by one per cent to 57.5 per cent. Roy Morgan Research executive chairman Gary Morgan says that following the defeat of the motion for a leadership spill, the New South Wales election will be the next test for Prime Minister Tony Abbott, and a close result or a loss would throw the Liberal Party back into "crisis mode"

CORPORATES
MORGAN POLL, ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, PALMER UNITED PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Abbott to keep challenge at bay

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 9-Feb-15

Sources within the Federal Government suggest that between 35 and 40 Coalition MPs are likely to vote in favour of a leadership spill on 9 February 2015. Supporters of the attempt to oust Prime Minister Tony Abbott require at least 52 of the 102 votes to be cast in order for the spill to proceed. However, some observers believe that even if Abbott triumphs it could be only a matter of time before he faces another leadership challenge

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, 2GB, MACQUARIE RADIO NETWORK LIMITED – ASX MRN, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, THE NIELSEN COMPANY (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, LIBERAL PARTY OF NEW SOUTH WALES, NEW SOUTH WALES. DEPT OF PREMIER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT

Woodside urges end to Sunrise deadlock

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Original article by Angela Macdonald-Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 9-Feb-15

Rui Araujo is widely tipped to succeed outgoing East Timor Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao. Deakin University’s Damien Kingsbury says Araujo might be more amenable to negotiations regarding the Sunrise gas field in the Timor Sea, which has been the subject of a maritime boundary dispute between Australia and East Timor. Woodside Petroleum wants the impasse to be resolved so it can move forward with its $US13bn ($A17bn) Sunrise gas project

CORPORATES
WOODSIDE PETROLEUM LIMITED – ASX WPL, DEAKIN UNIVERSITY, EAST TIMOR. OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, FRETILIN, AUSTRALIA. NATIONAL SECURITY COMMITTEE, ROYAL DUTCH SHELL PLC, CONOCOPHILLIPS, INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY AND SCIENCE

Australian unemployment down in January to 9.8% as full-time employment increases to new record high despite shrinking workforce

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 6-Feb-15

A Roy Morgan survey on Australia’s unemployment and under-employed shows that the real unemployment rate fell to 9.8 per cent in January 2015. This compares with an official unemployment rate of 6.1 per cent in December 2014. The total workforce has fallen by 127,000 to 12,627,000 since January 2014, and the number of Australians who are under-employed has fallen by 72,000 to 1,033,000 in the last 12 months. Roy Morgan Research executive chairman Gary Morgan notes that more than 2.27 million Australians are either unemployed or under-employed, and the Federal Government must look seriously at industrial relations reform

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS

NSW OSR takes action to wind up Jets over unpaid debts

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Original article by Donna Page, Brett Keeble, James Gardiner
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: 38 : 6-Feb-15

Businessman Nathan Tinkler recently stated that the Newcastle Jets soccer team’s debts will be repaid in full. However, the New South Wales Office of State Revenue has made an application to the Supreme Court to have Newcastle Jets Football Operations wound up due to an outstanding debt, which is believed to concern payroll taxes. The Jets have won only one match in the 2014-15 season

CORPORATES
NEWCASTLE UNITED SPORTS CLUB LIMITED, NEWCASTLE JETS FOOTBALL OPERATIONS PTY LTD, NEW SOUTH WALES. OFFICE OF FINANCE AND SERVICES. OFFICE OF STATE REVENUE, FOOTBALL FEDERATION AUSTRALIA LIMITED, BRISBANE ROAR FOOTBALL CLUB PTY LTD, SUPREME COURT OF NEW SOUTH WALES

Cuts, tax hikes critical to AAA rating

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Original article by Jacob Greber
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 6-Feb-15

Australian Treasurer Joe Hockey said on 5 February 2015 that there is "no easy path" to a Budget surplus. The Federal Government seems to have given up aiming for large savings in the May 2015 Budget. Ratings agencies contend that for Australia to preserve its "AAA" credit rating in the long term, the Government must raise taxes or reduce spending. Andrew Colquhoun of Fitch Ratings notes that New Zealand’s Budget was revised without the political turmoil seen in Australia

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, STANDARD AND POOR’S (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, FITCH RATINGS LIMITED, FITCH AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, MOODY’S ANALYTICS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Dump Credlin or Turnbull gets it, warn supporters

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 6-Feb-15

There is growing speculation that Prime Minister Tony Abbott will face a leadership spill when Parliament resumes in the week beginning 9 February 2015. One MP has said that Abbott is "on the brink" and say he should sack chief of staff Peta Credlin to gain himself some time to turn around the government’s fortunes. The MP adds that the Coalition could dump Abbott in favour of Malcolm Turnbull if Credlin remains in her post. National Party leader Warren Truss has declared his support for Abbott

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA