AUSTRALIA – POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Taylor buys off NSW with big energy deal

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Original article by Angela Macdonald-Smith, Mark Ludlow
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 11 : 22-Nov-19

The New South Wales government has backed a proposal by federal Energy Minister Angus Taylor to pursue bilateral negotiate bilateral energy and climate policy agreements with each state. NSW Energy Minister Matt Kean had previously advocated an integrated national policy on climate and energy policy, as well as the revival of the shelved National Energy Guarantee. Details of a bilateral deal between the two governments is expected to be disclosed within weeks, and Kean says the deal will be much better for the state than the NEG.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY, NEW SOUTH WALES. DEPT OF PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT, COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENTS, QUEENSLAND. DEPT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, MINES AND ENERGY, VICTORIA. DEPT OF ENVIRONMENT, LAND, WATER AND PLANNING

Forget tax and spend, go for productivity: Albanese

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 22-Nov-19

Labor leader Anthony Albanese will emphasise the need to prioritise increased productivity in a speech on 22 November. He will identify microeconomic reform, fiscal management, infrastructure, and investment in people through skills and training as the key policy initiatives to lift productivity. He will also argue that the legislated increase in the superannuation guarantee must proceed, as it will encourage super funds to invest in productivity-boosting infrastructure.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Complex awards on IR agenda

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 22-Nov-19

Industrial Relations Minister Christian Porter will release a discussion paper on workplace relations in 2020. He has flagged a review of the modern awards system, reiterating recent comments by Prime Minister Scott Morrison that it has become too complex. Porter notes that awards in the hospitality, retail and restaur­ant sectors in particular merit review. Australian Industry Group CEO Innes Willox has suggested simplifying awards by enshrining some employee entitlements in the Fair Work Act, such as leave, redundancy pay and requests for flexible work arrangements.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, SKILLS, SMALL AND FAMILY BUSINESS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, ACTU, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN PAYROLL ASSOCIATION, CENTRE ALLIANCE, ONE NATION PARTY, WOOLWORTHS GROUP LIMITED – ASX WOW, 7-ELEVEN STORES PTY LTD, SUPER RETAIL GROUP LIMITED – ASX SUL, MICHAEL HILL INTERNATIONAL LIMITED – ASX MHJ, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION

Porter flags big Westpac penalty

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Original article by James Eyers, Michael Pelly
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 22-Nov-19

Attorney-General Christian Porter says he will keep a "watching brief" on the prosecution of Westpac for breaching anti-money laundering laws. He has also warned that Westpac is likely to incur a much bigger financial penalty than the Commonwealth Bank’s record $700m fine for far less serious breaches. Meanwhile, the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority will look into the potential application of the federal government’s Bank Executive Accountability Regime to the Westpac case, while ASIC may investigate whether the bank has breached the Corporations Act.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT. AUSTRALIAN TRANSACTION REPORTS AND ANALYSIS CENTRE, AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, MACQUARIE UNIVERSITY

One Nation bill changes get nod

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 2 : 21-Nov-19

Attorney-General Christian Porter says the federal government is open to One Nation’s proposed amendments to the Ensuring Integrity Bill. One Nation wants to increase the threshold for banning union officials under Centre Alliance’s proposed demerits points system. One Nation leader Pauline Hanson argues that sanctions such as the deregistration of a union should not apply for minor breaches of workplace laws. One Nation’s two votes in the Senate would give the government sufficient numbers to pass the bill before parliament rises for the year.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT, ONE NATION PARTY, CENTRE ALLIANCE, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, ACTU

PM to take a sword to red tape, boost jobs

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 6 : 21-Nov-19

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has outlined a range of initiatives aimed at boosting investment and jobs. He has used a Business Council of Australia speech to reveal plans for a one-stop online portal for companies to lodge applications for environmental approvals; he says it could slash the amount of time required to approve major mining and infrastructure projects by 6-18 months. Morrison also flagged an overhaul of the industry awards system, arguing that while the number of awards was reduced by Labor, many have become more complex.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Treasurer warns of ageing bill

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 19-Nov-19

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg will use a speech on 19 November to defend the federal government’s commitment to keeping the Budget in surplus. He will tell the Committee for Economic Development of Australia that a balanced Budget will enable the government to begin paying down debt, respond to disasters and address the long-term needs of an ageing nation. Frydenberg will emphasise the importance of population, participation and productivity in addressing the latter issue, noting that action is needed to boost productivity in particular.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, COMMITTEE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Energy fix could isolate Victoria

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Original article by Mark Ludlow, Angela Macdonald-Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 18-Nov-19

Federal Energy Minister Angus Taylor will shortly meet with his state and territory counterparts at the Council of Australian Governments energy council meeting. He will use a speech in Sydney on 18 November to outline his plans to negotiate a bilateral energy and climate policy agreement with each state, based on its unique circumstances. However, Taylor has warned that he will only strike deals with states that are ‘collaborative’. Energy Security Board chair Kerry Schott is supportive of state-based deals, provided they do not undermine existing national electricity rules.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY, COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENTS, AUSTRALIA. ENERGY SECURITY BOARD, AUSTRALIAN ENERGY MARKET OPERATOR LIMITED

Privacy, ads focus of reply to report

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Original article by Leo Shanahan
The Australian – Page: 25 : 18-Nov-19

The federal government was slated to release its response to the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission’s inquiry into digital platforms by the end of 2019. However, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has indicated that this could be delayed until early 2020, noting that the government is "working through the details" of the ACCC’s final report. He has identified digital players’ dominance of advertising revenue and how they collect and monetise users’ data as key concerns.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED

Protect media freedom to protect the community

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Original article by Chris Merritt
The Australian – Page: 24 : 15-Nov-19

Law Council of Australia president Arthur Moses will use a speech on 15 November to urge the federal government to take action on the issue of media freedom. In addition to calling for better protection for journalists, Moses will argue the need for more safeguards for whistleblowers in the public service. Moses will contend that journalists need greater protection due to the important role they play in protecting the community from government abuse and misinformation.

CORPORATES
LAW COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, HOLDING REDLICH, AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, SKY NEWS, AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE