O75 Public Administration

Give our girl cannabis

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Original article by Cathy O’Leary
The West Australian – Page: 32 : 5-Sep-14

Western Australian Health Minister Kim Hames opposes the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes. Shellie Martin wants to give her epileptic daughter the banned drug to control her seizures. Martin notes that about 7,000 of the 24,000 epilepsy sufferers in the state experience uncontrollable seizures. Opposition Leader Mark McGowan favours the use of cannabis by people with chronic or terminal medical conditions

CORPORATES
WESTERN AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HEALTH, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, PRINCESS MARGARET HOSPITAL

ATO sights on partners with guide to income-splitting rights and wrongs

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Original article by Katherine Towers
The Australian – Page: 31 : 5-Sep-14

The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has issued a new guidance note on the practice of splitting income from a discretionary trust. The structure is becoming increasingly popular among professionals such as law firm partners, after the deregulation of the legal services market. While conceding that the method is "legally permissible", the ATO says it will monitor whether risk reviews and audits may be required

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN TAXATION OFFICE, KING AND WOOD MALLESONS

Mail losses widen

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Original article by Joanna Heath
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 7 : 5-Sep-14

Australia Post has reported a 2013-14 profit of $A116.2m, including a profit of $A337.5m for its parcels business. However, its letters business posted a loss of $A328.4m, which is 15 per cent higher than previously. CEO Ahmed Fahour is seeking Federal Government approval to offer a two-tiered mail delivery service, with customers paying more for deliveries every weekday

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA POST, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS

Labour laws behind drop in global rank

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Original article by Rowan Callick
The Australian – Page: 20 : 5-Sep-14

The World Economic Forum has issued the 2014 version of its index of global competitiveness. Australia has lost one place to now be ranked 22nd, leap-frogged by Malaysia at number 20. The leaders are Switzerland, Singapore, US, Finland, Germany, Japan and Hong Kong. Australia is being held back chiefly by its low score of 4.3 points out of seven in the area of labour market flexibility. Meanwhile commercial lawyer Andrew Thomson warns that over-regulation in Australia is likely to erode much of the benefit gained from the new free trade agreement with Japan

CORPORATES
WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM, AUSTRALIAN MINES AND METALS ASSOCIATION (INCORPORATED), AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, PALMER UNITED PARTY, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, BM ALLIANCE COAL OPERATIONS PTY LTD, MITSUBISHI CORPORATION, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, ASAHI BREWERIES LIMITED, SCHWEPPES AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION, TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION AUSTRALIA LIMITED

Women face gender pay gap of 18.2 per cent

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Original article by Alana Schetzer
The Age – Page: 2 : 5-Sep-14

Industrial segregation and "unconscious bias" have been blamed for a pay gap between men and women. Helen Conway, the head of the Australian Workplace Gender Equality Agency, says the gap still exists because women are under-represented in management, and over-represented in lower-paid positions. Men’s average ordinary full-time weekly earnings are significantly higher than women’s, at $A1,559.10 versus $A1,275.90

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. WORKPLACE GENDER EQUALITY AGENCY, GRADUATE CAREERS AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS

National income pie shrinks

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Original article by Jacob Greber
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 8 : 4-Sep-14

New figures show that there was an 0.4 per cent decline in Australia’s real net national disposable income during the 2013-14 financial year. This followed a 1.6 per cent decline in 2012-13, and it is the first time since the early 1990s that national income has fallen in two successive years. Meanwhile, wages rose by 1.3 per cent in 2013-14, while there was 0.5 per cent growth in GDP during the June 2014 quarter

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, BANK OF AMERICA AUSTRALIA LIMITED, MERRILL LYNCH (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA

Mining tax deal delays 12pc super until 2025

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 3-Sep-14

On 2 September 2014, the Australian Government finally succeeded in repealing the minerals resource rent tax in the Senate, after striking a deal with the Palmer United Party. The superannuation guarantee will now not be increased again from its current level of 9.5% until mid-2021. It will then reach the 12% target set by the previous federal government in its mining sector tax plans by 2025. Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Treasurer Joe Hockey says the Australian Labor Party could have averted the delay, which will reduce the retirement savings pool by $A128bn over 10 years, by supporting the repeal

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, PALMER UNITED PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, THE ASSOCIATION OF SUPERANNUATION FUNDS OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED, INDUSTRY SUPER AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, FINANCIAL SERVICES COUNCIL, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA

Fewer injuries but aggression worse

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Original article by Michael Koziol
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: 4 : 2-Sep-14

A New South Wales parliamentary inquiry will hold a public hearing on lockout laws for licensed venues on 4 September 2014. The rules were introduced in February, and prohibit venues from admitting patrons after 1:30am. The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons’ submission to the inquiry notes that the laws have led to fewer people attending St Vincent’s hospital with alcohol-related injuries, although proprietors of some venues say the lockout has led to increased violence toward staff

CORPORATES
ROYAL AUSTRALASIAN COLLEGE OF SURGEONS, SIDE BAR, THE STAR, ECHO ENTERTAINMENT GROUP LIMITED – ASX EGP

Disabled bay penalty $2000

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Original article by Kate Emery
The West Australian – Page: 5 : 2-Sep-14

The Western Australian Govenment will crack down on motorists who use parking spaces that are reserved for drivers with disabilities. At present the maximum fine for using disabled parking bays without a permit is $A140, but this will be increased to $A300. However, disability advocates believe that more severe on-the-spot fines are justified. Courts will be able to impose fines of $A2,000 under the reforms, compared with $A1,000 at present

CORPORATES
NATIONAL DISABILITY SERVICES LIMITED, WESTERN AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Agents deny Asian rorts in blue-chip buys

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Original article by Larry Schlesinger
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 8 : 2-Sep-14

The Australian Parliament’s housing inquiry has heard claims about overseas buyers in the residential real estate market trying to circumvent Foreign Investment Review Board regulations. However, this is being dismissed by McGrath Real Estate Agents founder and CEO John McGrath and First National Real Estate CEO Ray Ellis. They argue against any push to lift stamp duty rates for such investors. Melbourne-based buyers’ agent David Morrell had alleged that Asian bidders were inflating prices by as much as 30% and acting illegally as they were not permanent residents

CORPORATES
MORRELL AND KOREN PTY LTD, McGRATH REAL ESTATE PTY LTD, FIRST NATIONAL REAL ESTATE GROUP, AUSTRALIA. FOREIGN INVESTMENT REVIEW BOARD, THE REAL ESTATE INSTITUTE OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED, PROPERTY COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED, HOUSING INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION LIMITED, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA