AUSTRALIA – POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Labor likely to back extension of IR changes

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 6 : 15-Jul-20

Labor has given indications that it will support an extension of coronavirus-induced temporary changes to workplace laws that allow employers to reduce their employees’ hours of work and change their duties and location of work. However, this would be conditional on the JobKeeper scheme being extended in the federal government’s upcoming economic statement. Labor leader Anthony Albanese says the government should announce details of any changes to the JobKeeper program immediately.

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AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Queen played no role in Whitlam dismissal

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Original article by Paul McIntyre, Troy Bramston
The Australian – Page: 1 & 7 : 15-Jul-20

Labor maintains that Queen Elizabeth was involved in the dismissal of the Whitlam government, despite the release of correspondence between former governor-general Sir John Kerr and Buckingham Palace. The letters show that although Sir John kept the palace informed of the unfolding constitutional crisis in November 1975, the Queens was not told in advance that he intended to dismiss the government. Buckingham Palace has released a statement confirming this, and stating that the Queen respects the independence and primacy of the Australian Constitution.

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AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL

JobKeeper could send firms broke

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 14-Jul-20

The federal government will announce details of its revised JobKeeper wage subsidy scheme on 23 July, when it will also release an economic update. Council of Small Business Organisations Australia CEO Peter Strong says JobKeeper has enabled employers to retain staff. However, he warns that many businesses will need to think carefully about signing up for the revised scheme, as employees on JobKeeper are accruing entitlements such as annual leave that will have to be paid out if they are laid off. These will have to be paid from cash reserves if the company is not making a profit.

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COUNCIL OF SMALL BUSINESS ORGANISATIONS OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED

HomeBuilder package most effective stimulus in a decade

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Original article by Simon Benson, Mackenzie Scott
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 14-Jul-20

Nearly 40,000 people are believed to have registered for the federal government’s HomeBuilder grants since the scheme was launched on 4 June. Data from the Housing Industry Association shows that sales of new homes increased by 77 per cent in June; however, chief economist Tim Reardon says the data for July and August will indicate whether the surge in June was a one-off. Assistant Treasurer Michael Sukkar says HomeBuilder is working as intended, by stimulating construction and renovation activity and generating work for tradespeople.

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HOUSING INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY

Covid strategy clarion call

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Original article by Greg Brown, Rachel Baxendale
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 13-Jul-20

Business Council of Australia CEO Jennifer Westacott says the nation cannot afford to maintain a ‘stop-start’ approach to re-opening the economy. She stresses that Australia needs to learn to live with the coronavirus, as it may be two years before a vaccine is available. Australian Industry Group CEO Innes Willox has expressed similar sentiments, arguing that the nation’s response to the pandemic must be "proportionate and logical", rather than "hysterical and irrational". Flight Centre CEO Graham Turner has called for a nationally consistent strategy in dealing with the pandemic.

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BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, FLIGHT CENTRE TRAVEL GROUP LIMITED – ASX FLT

Morrison: Stay course on reopening economy

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Original article by Tom McIlroy, Mark Ludlow
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 10-Jul-20

The national cabinet meeting on 10 July will discuss issues such as Victoria’s new coronavirus outbreak, the hotel quarantine system and border controls. Prime Minister Scott Morrison will argue the need for the other states and territories to open their borders. South Australia will impose a mandatory testing and quarantine regime on all residents who are returning from Victoria, while Western Australia will ban entry to anybody who has been to Victoria in the last two weeks.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

China’s fury at HK haven

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Original article by Andrew Tillett, Michael Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 9 : 10-Jul-20

Australia has suspended its extradition treaty with Hong Kong in response to China’s imposition of new national security laws on the former British colony. Prime Minister Scott Morrison says the new laws undermine Hong Kong’s autonomy, while he has offered a ‘pathway to permanent residency’ in Australia to more than 12,000 resident of Hong Kong. The Chinese embassy in Canberra has attacked the federal government over its actions, as has China’s foreign ministry; Australian government officials expect the federal government’s actions to result in trade retaliation by China.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

ACTU boss opposes tax cut for workers

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Original article by Greg Brown
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 10-Jul-20

ACTU secretary Sally McManus has urged the federal government to extend the JobKeeper wage subsidy scheme for an additional six months. It is slated to end in late September, but McManus says the union movement will not support an extension of temporary changes to workplace laws unless the scheme is extended for all eligible workers. McManus also opposes bringing forward personal income tax cuts, arguing that it will lead to less money being spent on essential services. She adds that company tax cuts should not be considered until tax loopholes and rorts have been addressed.

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ACTU

PM vows to break Victoria’s fall

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Original article by Matthew Cranston, Andrew Tillett
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 9-Jul-20

Victoria recorded 134 new coronavirus cases on 8 July, as metropolitan Melbourne prepared to go into lockdown for six weeks. The virus outbreak in Victoria is set to dominate the national cabinet’s agenda when it meets on 10 July, while Prime Minister Scott Morrison has flagged extending the JobKeeper wage subsidy beyond late September. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg in turn says the federal government will look at bringing forward legislated personal income tax cuts in order to stimulate the economy. The government is also considering measures such as providing greater incentives for business investment.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY

Beware Beijing’s ‘arbitrary detention’: DFAT

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Original article by Olivia Caisley, Geoff Chambers
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 8-Jul-20

The growing tensions between Australia and China have prompted the federal government to upgrade its travel advice. The Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade has warned that Chinese authorities have detailed foreign travellers on the grounds of ‘endangering national security’, adding that Australians may be at risk of detention. DFAT also recently advised caution about travelling to Hong Kong after China introduced new national security laws for the former British colony. DFAT recommends that Australian defer all overseas travel due to the coronavirus.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE