AUSTRALIA – POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Nat rebels humiliate leader

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Original article by Geoff Chambers, Greg Brown
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 11-Feb-20

Former National Party MP Llew O’Brien has been elected deputy speaker of the House of Representatives. O’Brien quit the party following Barnaby Joyce’s failed leadership challenge, although he remains a member of the Liberal-National Party of Queensland; he has also given assurances that he will support the government’s legislative agenda. Meanwhile, O’Brien has revealed that he opposed a plan by Nationals leader Michael McCormack to hold a partyroom meeting in regional Victoria during Melbourne’s 2019 spring racing carnival. Chief whip Damian Drum was McCormack’s choice as deputy speaker.

CORPORATES
NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, LIBERAL-NATIONAL PARTY OF QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Energy split as Lib says zero target too tough

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Original article by Greg Brown, Elias Visontay
The Australian – Page: 4 : 11-Feb-20

More than 80 countries have committed to a target of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, and some members of the Liberal Party’s moderate faction believe that Australia should also adopt this target. However, moderate Liberal Jason Falinski doubts that Australia could achieve this target, given that it is a major energy and agriculture exporter. Conservative Liberal senator Eric Abetz also questions the viability of a 2050 zero emissions target. There is also dissension within the Coalition’s ranks with regard to taxpayer funding for new coal-fired power stations.

CORPORATES
LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Australia prepares to extend China travel ban due to coronavirus

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Original article by Eryk Bagshaw
The Age – Page: Online : 11-Feb-20

The federal government’s 14-day travel ban on non-citizens entering Australia from the Chinese mainland will expire on 15 February, and sources have indicated that it is likely to be extended. The move will prevent about 56 per cent of the Chinese students at Australian universities from arriving in time for the start of the academic year. Meanwhile, more than 100 Australian citizens and permanent residents are still in Hubei province, but the government has no plans for a third evacuation flight.

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Australia will take new emissions reduction target to Glasgow climate summit

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Original article by Rob Harris
The Age – Page: Online : 10-Feb-20

Energy Minister Angus Taylor says the federal government will develop a new long-term carbon emissions reduction strategy ahead of the United Nations climate summit in November. He has stressed that the government is of the view that new technologies rather than taxes are the key to reducing carbon emissions. However, the government has declined to commit to a target of net zero emissions by 2050. Meanwhile, independent MP Zali Steggall plans to introduce a private member’s bill to establish an independent Climate Change Commission.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Outdated tax gives LNG away for free

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Original article by Patrick Commins
The Australian – Page: 4 : 10-Feb-20

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has downplayed speculation that the federal government will make changes to the Petroleum Resources Rent Tax. However, Jason Ward from the Centre for International Corporate Tax Accountability & Research says changes to the PRRT are needed as it was originally designed for the oil industry, and Australia’s booming LNG industry means the tax is no longer "fit for purpose". The nation is now the world’s biggest exporter of LNG.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, CENTRE FOR INTERNATIONAL CORPORATE TAX ACCOUNTABILITY AND RESEARCH, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Campuses may lose $2bn in fees

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Original article by Tim Dodd, Heidi Han
The Australian – Page: 7 : 7-Feb-20

The federal government’s travel ban has prevented nearly 100,000 Chinese university students from arriving in Australia for the start of the academic year. S&P Global says the universities’ operating margins will be hit if the travel restrictions are not lifted in the next few weeks. The firm estimates that the travel ban could cost universities up to $2bn in fees, and notes that the broader economy will also be impacted. Some universities will offer online courses for the first several weeks of the semester.

CORPORATES
S&P GLOBAL INCORPORATED

Unions lean on ALP over super choice bill

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Original article by David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 6 : 7-Feb-20

The union movement is urging Labor to vote against proposed legislation that would ban enterprise agreements from stating that workers must join a union-backed superannuation fund. Labor senator Tony Sheldon recently warned the party’s caucus against voting for the bill, while ACTU assistant secretary Scott Connolly says the proposed legislation would have a major impact on industry funds such as UniSuper.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, ACTU, UNISUPER LIMITED

Joyce warns PM: Nats to cross floor

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Original article by Dennis Shanahan, Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 7-Feb-20

The National Party remains divided in the wake of Barnaby Joyce’s failed bid to oust party leader Michael McCormack. Joyce and two other Nationals MPs have threatened to vote against Coalition bills after opponents of McCormack missed out on portfolios in a cabinet reshuffle. The rebel Nationals are in a position to block Coalition legislation, given that the government has a majority of just two seats in the lower house. Joyce has also criticised a proposal to change the party’s rules governing leadership spills.

CORPORATES
NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Darwin next stop for China evacuees

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Original article by Amos Aikman, Ben Packham
The Australian – Page: 7 : 7-Feb-20

The global death toll from the coronavirus has risen to 563, and more than 28,000 people have been diagnosed with the respiratory illness, including 15 in Australia. Meanwhile, the federal government is looking at using Inpex’s former workers’ camp near Darwin to quarantine people returning from China. It is part of a contingency plan in the event that the Christmas Island facility reaches capacity. Some 273 Australian citizens and permanent residents who have been evacuated from Wuhan are currently in quarantine on Christmas Island.

CORPORATES
INPEX CORPORATION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HOME AFFAIRS

Senate to investigate key figures in sports rorts

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Original article by Rob Harris
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: Online : 6-Feb-20

The Senate has passed Labor’s motion to hold an inquiry into the so-called sports rorts scandal. Amongst other things, the probe will seek the release of a report into the affair by top bureaucrat Phil Gaetjens. It cleared former cabinet minister Bridget McKenzie of any wrongdoing over the allocation of sports grants, but found that she had breach ministerial standards over her failure to declare her membership of a shooting club that received a grant. Shadow sports minister Don Farrell says McKenzie’s former staffers may want to appear before the inquiry.

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AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY