O75 Public Administration

‘Medicinal cannabis use should be approved now’

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Original article by James Robertson
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: 9 : 2-Feb-15

The 2014 "Victorian of the Year", Melbourne University emeritus professor David Penington, has argued in an article published in the "Medical Journal of Australia" that medicinal cannabis use should be made legal now. He points to the fact that other nations and 23 US states have already taken that step. Penington also criticises a planned clinical trial of the drug in New South Wales, as it will give a control group of patients with severe pain only a placebo

CORPORATES
UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE, THE GREENS NSW INCORPORATED

Abbott reels from Qld debacle

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 2-Feb-15

A Fairfax Media/Ipsos poll shows that the Australian Labor Party now boasts 54 per cent support on a two-party preferred basis, compared with 46 per cent for the Coalition. The approval rating of Prime Minister Tony Abbott is nine points lower at just 29 per cent, while his rating as preferred prime minister has fallen to 34 per cent. Abbott’s future is under scrutiny in the wake of the poor performance of the Queensland Government in the state election, with some backbench MPs agitating for a leadership change

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, FARINDO HOLDINGS (MAURITIUS) LIMITED, IPSOS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, QUEENSLAND. DEPT OF THE PREMIER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, NATIONAL PRESS CLUB (AUSTRALIA), AUSTRALIA. FOREIGN INVESTMENT REVIEW BOARD, AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT, AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION

Coalition lashed in car-industry states

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Original article by Sarah Martin
The Australian – Page: 2 : 30-Jan-15

Public opinion polls show that support for the Australian Government is falling in states that will be hard hit by the end of local car manufacturing. The South Australian federal seat of Boothby is comfortably held by the Liberal Party, but Newspoll shows a 10.1 per cent swing against the Federal Government in the electorate. Likewise, there has been a 9.9 per cent swing against the Government in the Liberal-held seat of Hindmarsh

CORPORATES
NEWSPOLL, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, MILLWARD BROWN AUSTRALIA, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Liberals give Abbott six months

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 30-Jan-15

Senior members of the Liberal Party of Australia are believed to have given Prime Minister Tony Abbott six months to repair his reputation among voters. If he fails, he may be replaced as the leader of the party, possibly by Foreign Minister Julie Bishop. Abbott has recently made a series of mistakes that made him unpopular even within his own party

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PRESS CLUB (AUSTRALIA), AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HEALTH

Trade backs ALP call on liquor laws

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Original article by Gareth Parker, Daniel Emerson, Gabrielle Knowles
The West Australian – Page: 16 : 29-Jan-15

Western Australian Opposition Leader Mark McGowan wants the views of tourism organisations to be considered in assessing applications for liquor licences. McGowan says outdated regulations affecting the hospitality industry should be scrapped, and he intends to pursue reforms to the Liquor Control Act if the Australian Labor Party wins the next state election

CORPORATES
WESTERN AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PREMIER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Voters to decide on minimum wage

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Original article by Fleur Anderson
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 28-Jan-15

The Productivity Commission is to investigate whether penalty rates are effective and whether the minimum wage erodes jobs. Australian Treasurer Joe Hockey says that any major recommendations on minimum wages by the inquiry will be voted on at the next federal election. Research in 2013 found that there is a nearly negligible, negative impact on employment from raising the minimum wage. Some 1.5 million people receive the minimum wage

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, ACTU, 2GB, MACQUARIE RADIO NETWORK LIMITED – ASX MRN, UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE

Apple revenue drops during ATO talks

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Original article by Neil Chenoweth, Paul Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 6 : 28-Jan-15

Global technology firm Apple is one of eight such businesses accused of using overseas tax havens to engage in base erosion and profit shifting, substantially reducing its tax liabilities in Australia. A Singaporean holding company received $A2bn worth of the profits from Australia in 2014, before passing them on to an entity registered in Ireland. Sales were down 1% at $A5.86bn, but Apple paid a mere $A80.4m in local tax that at least was higher than the $A36.4m for 2013. Its practices are also attracting scrutiny by the European Commission

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APPLE INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIAN TAXATION OFFICE, EUROPEAN COMMISSION

New pool rules to stop owners selling units

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Original article by Jimmy Thomson
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: 11 : 27-Jan-15

The New South Wales (NSW) Government has introduced new regulations on swimming pools, which are due to come into effect on 29 April 2015. Under the changed rules, owners of apartments in blocks with swimming pools and spas will not be able to sell or let their properties if these facilities do not meet safety standards. They must register their swimming pools and spas with the NSW Swimming Pool Register

CORPORATES
MAKINSON D’APICE, STRATA COMMUNITY AUSTRALIA LIMITED, OWNERS CORPORATION NETWORK OF AUSTRALIA INCORPORATED

Regulate Uber and Airbnb, urges Labor’s Andrew Leigh

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Original article by Nassim Khadem
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 9 : 27-Jan-15

Australian shadow assistant treasurer Andrew Leigh believes more regulation is needed to make it more difficult for online companies to engage in tax avoidance practices. He said in late January 2015 that income generated by individual taxpayers through companies such as Uber and Airbnb should be reported in tax returns

CORPORATES
UBER TECHNOLOGIES INCORPORATED, AIRBNB INCORPORATED, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, APPLE INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, McKELL FOUNDATION INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIAN TAXATION OFFICE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE

Clive Palmer absent from Parliament more than any other MPs

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Original article by Lisa Cox
The Age – Page: 4 : 23-Jan-15

Australian federal MP Clive Palmer attended only 17 of 33 sitting days in Parliament between 26 August and 4 December 2014. No other member of the House of Representatives was absent so often. Palmer offered a number of explanations, including the birth of his second child and his political tactics

CORPORATES
PALMER UNITED PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. CLEAN ENERGY FINANCE CORPORATION, AUSTRALIA. CLIMATE CHANGE AUTHORITY