O75 Public Administration

Budget sales job failing

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Original article by Philip Coorey, Jacob Greber
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1-Aug : 1-Jul-14

Some $A25 billion of the spending cuts and revenue measures in the Australian Government’s May 2014 Budget are likely to be defeated. Treasury secretary Martin Parkinson said that detractors who invoke "vague notions" of unfairness to argue against reform effectively want Australia to enter a slow decline. Parkinson addressed the Crawford Australian Leadership Forum, as did Malcolm Turnbull, the Communications Minister. Turnbull said the nation is overly-dependent on income tax revenue. He implied that the Government has not been sufficiently convincing about the need for reform

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. NATIONAL COMMISSION OF AUDIT, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HUMAN SERVICES. MEDICARE AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY. CRAWFORD SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS AND GOVERNMENT

New rule could prevent strike

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Original article by Gareth Parker
The West Australian – Page: 3 : 1-Jul-14

Unlike other states, Western Australia (WA) did not refer its industrial relations powers to the Commonwealth. However, Federal Employment Minister Eric Abetz has now launched an amendment by regulation rather than legislation to the Fair Work Act, to enable third parties to appear in federal industrial relations cases. This will allow the WA Government as well as iron ore exporters BHP Billiton and Fortescue Metals to ask Fair Work Australia for a halt to strikes at Port Hedland. Deckhands represented by the Maritime Union of Australia are threatening industrial action against Teekay Shipping at the port

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, PORT HEDLAND PORT AUTHORITY, MARITIME UNION OF AUSTRALIA, TEEKAY SHIPPING (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMERCE, AUSTRALIAN MINES AND METALS ASSOCIATION (INCORPORATED)

Call for concerns on NDIS to be voiced

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Original article by Dan Harrison
The Age – Page: 10 : 1-Jul-14

Trial sites in several states for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) were launched in mid-2013 by the previous Australian government. Mitch Fifield, the current Assistant Minister for Social Services, is calling on those who have had unsatisfactory experiences with the NDIS roll-out to come forward, so that the program can be improved where possible. There have been reports that the level of services offered under the NDIS falls short of what is recommended by experts

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. NATIONAL DISABILITY INSURANCE AGENCY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF SOCIAL SERVICES, AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION

China offers chance to take stake in banks

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Original article by Angus Grigg, Lisa Murray
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 8 : 30-Jun-14

China is offering Australian banks the opportunity to invest in its five largest banks. During a visit to China in late June 2014, Federal Treasurer Joe Hockey was informed that the Chinese Government planned to further sell down its holdings in the five lenders. They are Industrial & Commercial Bank of China, Bank of China, Bank of Communications, China Construction Bank and Agricultural Bank of China

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL BANK OF CHINA, BANK OF CHINA GROUP, BANK OF COMMUNICATIONS, CHINA CONSTRUCTION BANK, AGRICULTURAL BANK OF CHINA, CHINA. NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT REFORM COMMISSION, CHINA. MINISTRY OF FINANCE, THE GOLDMAN SACHS GROUP INCORPORATED, PEKING UNIVERSITY, CHINA CENTRE FOR ECONOMIC RESEARCH, UBS AG, ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND GROUP PLC, CITIGROUP INCORPORATED, BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION, KING AND WOOD MALLESONS, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, CHINA BANKING REGULATORY COMMISSION

Clive Palmer predicts an ETS will be law within a year

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Original article by Jacob Greber, Mark Ludlow
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 2 : 30-Jun-14

Clive Palmer says an emissions trading scheme (ETS) would protect the Australian economy against the adoption of similar schemes overseas. The carbon price in the ETS unveiled by the Palmer United Party will not increase above zero until Australia’s leading trading partners adopt ETSs as well. Palmer expressed faith that his ETS will be enshrined in law within one year. This suggests he will campaign on the proposal ahead of the next federal election

CORPORATES
PALMER UNITED PARTY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY, CLIMATE INSTITUTE (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION

CBA rip-off no setback to lighter rules

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Original article by Patrick Durkin, Jonathan Shapiro
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 30-Jun-14

The Commonwealth Bank of Australia scandal will not deter the Federal Government from its plan to lighten regulation of the financial planning sector. Federal Finance Minister Mathias Cormann said that regulation should be dropped if it increases the cost of financial advice without increasing consumer protection. However, Industry Super Australia CEO David Whiteley argued the matter shows that the Government should abandon its plan to change the Future of Financial Advice laws

CORPORATES
COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, INDUSTRY SUPER AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, MACQUARIE PRIVATE WEALTH MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION, MAURICE BLACKBURN PTY LTD

Slogan not endorsed by me: Barnett

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Original article by Daniel Emerson
The West Australian – Page: 19 : 27-Jun-14

The Western Australian (WA) Government in the state election campaign of 2013 issued advertising material that featured the slogan "fully funded, fully costed". It was often accompanied by the signature of Premier Colin Barnett, who now however claims that had not actually endorsed the pledge. The spending promises were based on expected Federal Government funding worth $A3bn that later was no longer available. Infrastructure projects such as a light rail line and a heavy rail link to Perth’s airport were deferred as a result

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

Palmer hijacks Abbott’s vow to repeal carbon tax

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1-Apr : 26-Jun-14

Australian MP Clive Palmer revealed the carbon policy of the Palmer United Party on 25 June 2014. Palmer said that he would keep his promise to repeal the carbon tax. However, he wants associated climate programs to be retained and the Federal Government’s "direct action" policy to be dropped. He also demands an emissions trading scheme. Former US vice-president Al Gore, who supports global action on climate change, appeared at Parliament House with Palmer

CORPORATES
PALMER UNITED PARTY, AUSTRALIA. CLEAN ENERGY FINANCE CORPORATION, AUSTRALIA. CLIMATE CHANGE AUTHORITY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, MINERALS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Farmers may profit from gas

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Original article by Joanna Mather
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1-Jun : 25-Jun-14

Australian Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane has argued that the current friction between farmers and the gas sector especially in New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria could be addressed by giving the former a share of the royalties. While this would overturn the long-held legal position that rural landholders do not own the resources below the ground, an access and royalty sharing regime has already been negotiated in Queensland. Santos and AGL Energy have also struck similar deals in NSW, but have upset their rivals with the move. Federal Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce backs the push as well. Meanwhile Macfarlane says there will be no domestic gas reservation policy

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF AGRICULTURE, AGL ENERGY LIMITED – ASX AGK, SANTOS LIMITED – ASX STO, COMMITTEE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF AUSTRALIA, TRANSFIELD SERVICES LIMITED – ASX TSE, AUSTRALIAN PETROLEUM PRODUCTION AND EXPLORATION ASSOCIATION LIMITED

Australian jihadists can’t be barred from returning home

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Original article by David Wroe, Mark Kenny
The Age – Page: 11 : 25-Jun-14

A legal hurdle has emerged to the plan of the Australian Government to prevent any citizens who have fought with Jihadist terrorist groups oversees from returning home. Immigration Minister Scott Morrison has conceded that the majority of the current 150 or so cases do not involve people with dual nationality. They therefore cannot simply be left stateless by revoking their Australian citizenship. Meanwhile Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has foreshadowed new counter-terrorism laws that will boost the powers of the Australian Secret Intelligence Service

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN SECRET INTELLIGENCE SERVICE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF IMMIGRATION AND BORDER PROTECTION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. INDEPENDENT NATIONAL SECURITY LEGISLATION MONITOR