O77 Public Order Safety and Regulatory Services

ASIC’s fresh bid to access telco intercepts

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Original article by Annabel Hepworth
The Australian – Page: 17 : 27-Oct-14

The Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC) is urging the Government to grant it greater powers in the areas of search warrants and access to telecommunications data. The watchdog argues that traditional telephone intercepts are decreasing in importance due to the rise of online social media and the national broadband network roll-out. It also says it current search warrant procedures are not "entirely satisfactory" as enshrined in the ASIC Act and the Crimes Act. ASIC’s demands are being criticised by the Institute of Public Affairs

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION, INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS LIMITED, NBN CO LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE, SKYPE TECHNOLOGIES SA, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF COMPANY DIRECTORS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Great wagyu debate put to the taste test

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Original article by Sue Neales
The Australian – Page: 5 : 23-Oct-14

The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) will conduct an investigation into whether consumers are potentially being misled by the labelling of beef as coming from wagyu cattle. The main issue is whether only full-blood animals should qualify for this descriptor. The Australian Wagyu Association and breeder David Blackmore welcome the move by the ACCC, which has previously looked into claims about free-range eggs and extra virgin olive oil

CORPORATES
BLACKMORE WAGYU BEEF PTY LTD, BLACKMORE GENETICS PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN WAGYU ASSOCIATION LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION

Tide of regulation is still coming in, directors warn

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Original article by Annabel Hepworth, Andrew White
The Australian – Page: 23 : 21-Oct-14

A business leaders’ forum has heard that despite recent positive efforts by the Australian Government, the burden of excessive regulation is still increasing. Among the examples cited was the likely tightening of capital requirements for banks after the financial system inquiry hands down its report. It was also noted that many smaller companies are better served by abandoning a sharemarket listing and instead operating in the less restrictive privately-held sector. However others argued that corporate boards must adapt to changing values and expectations to remain relevant in modern society

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. FINANCIAL REPORTING COUNCIL, AGL ENERGY LIMITED – ASX AGK, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, EVANS AND PECK PTY LTD, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF COMPANY DIRECTORS, BANK FOR INTERNATIONAL SETTLEMENTS. BASEL COMMITTEE ON BANKING SUPERVISION, INSURANCE AUSTRALIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX IAG, COCHLEAR LIMITED – ASX COH, BEYOND BANK AUSTRALIA, COMMUNITY CPS AUSTRALIA LIMITED, EQUITY TRUSTEES LIMITED – ASX EQT, GROUP OF TWENTY (G-20), ARRIUM LIMITED – ASX ARI, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. CORPORATIONS AND MARKETS ADVISORY COMMITTEE

State needs better heatwave plan, says auditor

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Original article by Julia Medew
The Age – Page: 2 : 15-Oct-14

Victorian Auditor-General John Doyle has issued his "Heatwave Management: Reducing the Risk to Public Health" report. He argues that there are concerning deficiencies in the preparations for any new catastrophic heatwave. A total of 374 casualties were caused by such a crisis in 2009, and 167 in early 2014. While the Health Department has made some progress on the issue, Doyle notes shortcomings at Victoria Police, Ambulance Victoria, local councils and public hospitals

CORPORATES
VICTORIA. DEPT OF HEALTH, VICTORIA. AUDITOR-GENERAL’S OFFICE, VICTORIA POLICE, AMBULANCE VICTORIA FIRST AID

Competition a minefield for unis

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Original article by Jonathan Chew, Brian Parmenter
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 14 : 13-Oct-14

The Australian Government’s planned changes to the universities sector, such as full deregulation of course fees and public funding for private education providers, raise competition policy issues as well. It may be necessary to gauge the factor valuable real estate assets held by prestige institutions can be in the setting of fees under the new model. Competition rules should also apply to education that already cover research, where the cross-subsidising of that activity is the issue. Watchdog agencies could look at possible fee-setting collusion, and mergers between providers

CORPORATES
COUNCIL OF PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION, UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND, VICTORIA. ESSENTIAL SERVICES COMMISSION, ACIL ALLEN CONSULTING PTY LTD

Murray debate off course: Maxsted

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Original article by Richard Gluyas
The Australian – Page: 19 : 10-Oct-14

The financial system review conducted by David Murray for the Australian Government is widely expected to recommend stricter capital requirements for the banking sector, in line with global regulation efforts. However Lindsay Maxsted, chair of Westpac Banking, argues that this would be short-sighted and neglect to take into account the important role banks play in financially supporting businesses and the economy. Leading staff from the four major lenders have held talks with Murray on the issue

CORPORATES
WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, TRANSURBAN GROUP LIMITED – ASX TCL, GROUP OF TWENTY (G-20)

Competition watchdog won’t call for Woolies liquor split

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Original article by Julie-Anne Sprague
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 & 22 : 6-Oct-14

A former Woolworths executive has claimed that the retail giant has too much market power in the liquor sector. Tony Leon says Woolworths should be forced to divest one of its liquor chains, as its market dominance allows it to put pressure on liquor suppliers. However, Australian Competition & Consumer Commission chairman Rod Sims says forcing companies to offload assets should not be within the regulator’s purview, arguing that it can already address concerns about abuse of market power

CORPORATES
WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, BWS – BEER WINE SPIRITS, DAN MURPHY’S, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, COLES GROUP LIMITED, WESFARMERS LIMITED – ASX WES, IBISWORLD PTY LTD, LIQUORLAND (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, VINTAGE CELLARS (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, FIRST CHOICE LIQUOR SUPERSTORE, AUSTRALIAN LEISURE AND HOSPITALITY GROUP LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL RETAILERS ASSOCIATION LIMITED, STEVE’S LIQUOR, METCASH LIMITED – ASX MTS, AUSTRALIAN LIQUOR MARKETERS PTY LTD, CELLARBRATION PTY LTD, BOTTLE-O, IGA LIQUOR

Aurizon warns over competition limits

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Original article by Sarah-Jane Tasker
The Australian – Page: 23 : 1-Oct-14

The Queensland Competition Authority has ruled that freight rail services operator Aurizon may gain no more than $A4.02bn in annual revenue from its coal haulage assets, compared with the $A4.86bn determination sought by the company. In response to the draft decision, Aurizon has warned of declining maintenance standards for the infrastructure if capital investment has to be curtailed. The final outcome will be known by May 2015

CORPORATES
AURIZON HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX AZJ, QUEENSLAND. COMPETITION AUTHORITY

Don’t ‘scare’ housing: Triguboff

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Original article by Turi Condon
The Australian – Page: 22 : 26-Sep-14

Apartment developer Harry Triguboff has warned against restrictions on residential property lending. The Reserve Bank of Australia has indicated that it may impose restrictions on bank lending for housing. Triguboff said that prices had risen in Melbourne and Sydney, but there was little growth in prices in the rest of the country. He said that restrictions could have unintended consequences and damage confidence in the housing market

CORPORATES
RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, MERITON APARTMENTS PTY LTD, HOUSING INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION LIMITED, RP DATA LIMITED, CORELOGIC AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Drunk, speeding diplomats give police the finger

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Original article by Marcus Mannheim
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: 9 : 19-Sep-14

Police officers in Canberra are powerless when they stop diplomats who drive while intoxicated or use a mobile telephone while driving. They cannot press charges because of diplomatic immunity. Diplomats abuse their status often enough for the police to become alarmed. The Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade has been asked to counsel those who were stopped by the police on several occasions

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE