AUSTRALIA – POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Upgraded NBN a more attractive takeover target

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Original article by Sally Patten
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 2 : 28-Sep-20

Telstra chairman John Mullen has welcomed the federal government’s decision to upgrade the national broadband network by rolling out fibre-to-the-premises to more households and businesses. He says the NBN will be easier to maintain than the current hybrid system, which includes fibre-to-the-node and the existing copper network. Amid speculation that the NBN will eventually be sold, Mullen says the upgraded network will be more attractive to potential investors, including Telstra’s own infrastructure division. However, InfraCo would need to be demerged in order to buy the NBN.

CORPORATES
TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS,INFRACO,NBN CO LIMITED

A-G slams wharfies holding state to ransom

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Original article by Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 3 : 28-Sep-20

The federal government may intervene to end an industrial dispute at the Port Botany terminal of stevedoring firm Patrick. Attorney-General Christian Porter has indicated that he would be open to supporting Patrick if it applies to the Fair Work Commission to halt the Maritime Union of Australia’s industrial action. The MUA’s national secretary Paddy Crumlin says it is negotiating with stevedoring companies in good faith. He rejects suggestions that the legal industrial action has caused the massive delays at Port Botany that have been alleged by Patrick.

CORPORATES
PATRICK CORPORATION LIMITED,MARITIME UNION OF AUSTRALIA,AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION,AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT

Manufacturing vision drives blueprint for future

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Original article by Geoff Chambers,Simon Benson,Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 28-Sep-20

Sectors such as defence, medical technology, biotechnology, agriculture and resources are expected to be the focus of the federal government’s strategy to boost Australia’s manufacturing capacity in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. Prime Minister Scott Morrison will reveal details of the manufacturing strategy ahead of the federal Budget on 6 October. The push to increase local manufacturing is part of the government’s five-year plan to revive the economy and increase jobs.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

NBN push for fibre to the home

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 11 : 23-Sep-20

The federal government has forecast that a major upgrade of the national broadband network will boost GDP by $6.4bn a year by 2024. The $4.5bn upgrade project is also expected to generate about 25,000 jobs over coming years as more businesses and households gain fast internet access. NBN Co will allocate $3.5bn to rolling out high-speed fibre cables to nearly 10 million households and businesses, which will be given the option of taking up a fibre-to-the-premises connection. Communications Minister Paul Fletcher says it was always the Coalition’s intention to upgrade the NBN to full fibre when the initial rollout was completed.

CORPORATES
NBN CO LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORT, REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS

Time to get back to work: PM

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Original article by Geoff Chambers
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 18-Sep-20

The federal government will introduce stricter mutual obligation rules for JobSeeker recipients as part of its push to get more people into the workforce. The unemployed will have to apply for up to eight jobs a month from 28 September; this had been reduced to just four jobs per month in August, compared with 20 prior to the coronavirus pandemic. However, mutual obligation requirements will remain suspended in Victoria for the time being. The government will also require JobSeeker recipients to accept any offer of ‘suitable work’, while the ‘work-for-the-dole’ program will resume.

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Australia’s top cop says raiding journalist’s home was no mistake

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Original article by Jennifer Dudley-Nicholson
Herald Sun – Page: Online : 1-Sep-20

Australian Federal Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw appeared before a Senate inquiry into press freedom on 31 August. He told the inquiry that the AFP had been right to raid the home of News Corp Australia journalist Annika Smethurst in mid-2019, despite the fact that the search warrant was subsequently ruled to be invalid by the High Court. Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance CEO Paul Murphy told the inquiry that contestable search warrants are necessary to ensure press freedom. However, Kershaw and Department of Home Affairs secretary Michael Pezzullo argued that allowing such warrants would be "detrimental to the workings" of the police.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, MEDIA, ENTERTAINMENT AND ARTS ALLIANCE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HOME AFFAIRS

Migration, tax reform key to revival

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Original article by Geoff Chambers
The Australian – Page: 4 : 24-Aug-20

The Australian Industry Group has urged the federal government to pursue major changes to the nation’s tax system. The employers’ group says long-term tax reform measures should include an overhaul of the goods and services tax, the abolition of mining royalties and replacing fuel excise with road-user charges. It has also called for scheduled personal income tax cuts to be brought forward and business income tax relief to be extended. The AiGroup also wants the migrant cap to be increased, with priority given to skilled migrants.

CORPORATES
THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP

Morrison wins crossbench support for jobs plans

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Original article by Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 4 : 24-Aug-20

Centre Alliance will back the federal government’s push to extend temporary changes to the Fair Work Act which allow bosses to vary the hours an employee works and the duties they perform. One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts has signalled that he is also likely to side with the government, which would require only one more crossbench vote in the Senate. The industrial relations changes are linked to the government’s revised JobKeeper scheme. The bill will be put before parliament within days.

CORPORATES
CENTRE ALLIANCE, ONE NATION PARTY

Aim is for 95pc to have corona jab: Morrison

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Original article by Richard Ferguson
The Australian – Page: 6 : 20-Aug-20

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has emphasised that it will not be compulsory for Australians to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. He had initially stated that vaccination would be "as mandatory as possible" and people would only be exempted on medical grounds. However, Morrison says his preference is for 95 per cent of Australians to be vaccinated, and the government will introduce measures aimed at encouraging a high rate of immunisation when and if an effective COVID-19 vaccination becomes available.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Business groups push to open international borders for economic boost

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Original article by Jennifer Duke
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: Online : 20-Aug-20

Australian Chamber of Commerce & Industry CEO James Pearson is among the business leaders who have urged the federal government to re-open the nation’s international borders as soon as possible. He describes it as a "critically important step" in the Australian economy’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, and he argues that domestic markets cannot sustain high employment and living standards. Australian Industry Group CEO Innes Willox and Business Council of Australia CEO Jennifer Westacott have also called for international travel restrictions to be eased as soon as possible.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA