ASSOCIATIONS

MCA cedes ground to BHP over climate

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 15-Mar-18

BHP Billiton may back down on its threat to withdraw from the Minerals Council of Australia after the lobby group released its revised climate policy. The MCA has been criticised by BHP for advocating coal-fired power generation, but its revised policy adopts a similar position to BHP regarding a "technology-neutral approach" to low-emission energy sources. Rio Tinto in turn has welcomed the MCA’s new policy stance and urged shareholders to reject resolutions to be put before its upcoming AGM by the Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility.

CORPORATES
BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, MINERALS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, AUSTRALASIAN CENTRE FOR CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY

Rio targeted by activist over MCA

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 6 : 30-Jan-18

The Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility will use Rio Tinto’s upcoming shareholders’ meetings in London and Melbourne to lobby the resources group to review its membership of the Minerals Council of Australia. Rio Tinto is said to have similar concerns as BHP Billiton regarding the MCA’s stance on issues such as climate change and coal-fired power generation. BHP will decide whether to retain its MCA membership by the end of 2018, in response to lobbying by the ACCR.

CORPORATES
RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, MINERALS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALASIAN CENTRE FOR CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, WHITEHAVEN COAL LIMITED – ASX WHC, WORLD COAL ASSOCIATION

Minerals Council pushes back over BHP threat

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Original article by Matt Chambers
The Australian – Page: 13 & 18 : 21-Dec-17

A Minerals Council of Australia spokesman says it intends to keep lobbying on the issues of climate and energy policy. This is despite BHP Billiton’s threat to cancel its membership if the MCA continues to advocate polices that are contrary to its own. However, BHP’s 50 per cent stake in the Bass Strait gas fields means it has less exposure to rising electricity prices on the east coast than fellow MCA members such as Rio Tinto and Glencore. BHP’s share of Bass Strait gas is equivalent to about 10 per cent of domestic demand for gas on the east coast. In contrast, BHP’s mining operations on the east coast account for around one per cent of National Energy Market demand.

CORPORATES
BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, MINERALS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, GLENCORE PLC, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY

Speculation ends as ABA names ANZ’s Elliott as chairman

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Original article by James Frost
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 : 17-Oct-17

ANZ Bank CEO Shayne Elliott will succeed his National Australia Bank counterpart Andrew Thorburn as chairman of the Australian Bankers’ Association. The role is traditionally rotated between the CEOs of the four major banks, and Ian Narev had been expected to take up the role prior to announcing that he will step down as Commonwealth Bank CEO by mid-2018. Elliott had taken a less hostile approach to the Federal Government’s proposed bank levy than his peers earlier in 2017.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BANKERS’ ASSOCIATION, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Miners hit out at industrial kill laws

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Original article by Michael McKenna
The Australian – Page: 7 : 10-Oct-17

The Queensland Resources Council has accused the State Government of not consulting it over new industrial manslaughter laws. The proposed laws, instigated as a result of union pressure, are due to go before state parliament on 11 October. However, the QRC has only just learned that the laws may be extended to cover the minerals sector, and it states that they will conflict with existing health and safety rules. The QRC has threatened to campaign against the Government at the next election if the proposed laws are not amended.

CORPORATES
QUEENSLAND RESOURCES COUNCIL LIMITED, QUEENSLAND. DEPT OF THE PREMIER AND CABINET, QUEENSLAND. DEPT OF STATE DEVELOPMENT, KATTER’S AUSTRALIAN PARTY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA

BHP clears the air on climate change disagreements

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Original article by Matt Chambers
The Australian – Page: 19 & 26 : 20-Sep-17

BHP Billiton executive Mike Henry says the resources group supports the recommendations of the Finkel Review, including the introduction of a Clean Energy Target. The head of BHP’s Australian minerals division adds that the company is of the view that reducing carbon emissions must be a key element of Australia’s energy policy, including the use of carbon capture and storage technology in coal-fired power generation. BHP’s position is at odds with that of the Minerals Council of Australia, which supports the construction of clean-coal power plants but without the use of carbon capture and storage solutions.

CORPORATES
BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, MINERALS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALASIAN CENTRE FOR CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, AUSTRALIAN COAL ASSOCIATION, AUSTRALIA-ISRAEL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Union backs ACTU boss on breaking law

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Original article by Aaron Patrick, David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 17-Mar-17

Comments by new ACTU secretary Sally McManus suggesting that it was reasonable to break unfair laws have been widely criticised. Representatives from the Business Council of Australia, the Australian Industry Group and the Council of Small Business Organisations of Australia were among those to condemn her remarks. Federal Opposition leader Bill Shorten does not support McManus, saying his approach to bad laws was to get them changed. McManus has refused to retract her comments.

CORPORATES
ACTU, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, COUNCIL OF SMALL BUSINESS ORGANISATIONS OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HUMAN SERVICES. MEDICARE AUSTRALIA, MASTER BUILDERS AUSTRALIA INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT

It’s time to raise GST, says Proust

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Original article by Glenda Korporaal
The Australian – Page: 19 & 22 : 2-Feb-17

Australian Institute of Company Directors president Elizabeth Proust says the Federal Government should pursue comprehensive tax reform. She argues that this should include increasing the goods and services tax from 10 per cent to 15 per cent, and adds that reducing personal income tax rates should also be a higher priority than company tax cuts. The AICD released a position paper in 2016 which noted that the average GST rate among OECD countries is 19.2 per cent.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF COMPANY DIRECTORS, ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

Thank me for miners’ GST push: Grylls

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Original article by Paul Garvey
The Australian – Page: 13 & 14 : 10-Jan-17

Minerals Council of Australia CEO Brendan Pearson has rejected suggestions that its proposal for changes to the system for distributing GST revenue was influenced by Western Australian National Party leader Brendon Grylls. The MCA’s submission to the Productivity Commission argues that the system disadvantages states that encourage the development of resources projects. Grylls urged the mining sector to lobby for GST reform in 2016, when he proposed to increase the state’s iron ore levy from $A0.25 per tonne to $A5.

CORPORATES
MINERALS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO

Growth-sapping GST must face overhaul: miners

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Original article by Sid Maher
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 9-Jan-17

The Minerals Council of Australia has used its submission to the Productivity Commission’s five-year productivity review to urge changes to the system for distributing goods and services tax revenue. The MCA argues that the current system redirects GST revenue from states that have encouraged the development of natural resources to states that place strictures on mining and energy projects. The MCA has also called for a reduction in the corporate tax rate and action to address the power of unions under the Fair Work Act.

CORPORATES
MINERALS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. COMMONWEALTH GRANTS COMMISSION, ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT