AUSTRALIA – POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

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.

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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.

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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

Turnbull told he was losing quiet Australians

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Original article by Aaron Patrick
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 15-Nov-19

Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull was advised to change his political strategy by Angus Taylor after the Coalition almost lost the 2016 election. Taylor sent Turnbull a confidential memo in the wake of the election, but Turnbull never acknowledged it. Taylor eventually became so frustrated with Turnbull that he became one of the ministers who quit on him, with their actions leading to Turnbull being replaced by Scott Morrison. Taylor’s revelations are contained in a new book ‘The Surprise Party, How the Coalition Went from Chaos to Comeback’; his underlying message to Turnbull in his memo was that Turnbull was losing the ‘quiet Australians’.

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

Albanese to dodge unions’ walkout

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Original article by Ewin Hannan, John Ferguson
The Australian – Page: 1 & 8 : 15-Nov-19

Labor leader Anthony Albanese has refuted claims that he will not attend the party’s Victorian state conference on 16-17 November because unions planned to stage a mass walkout when he gave the keynote speech. Albanese says the decision was made several months ago, while Deputy Leader Richard Marles will be at the conference but has declined to deliver the keynote speech. The proposed walkout by unions that are aligned with Labor’s Left faction is primarily in response to the party’s support for free-trade agreements with Indonesia, Hong Kong and Peru.

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AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MARITIME, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, ACTU, VICTORIA. DEPT OF PREMIER AND CABINET

Coalition flags press freedom law changes

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Original article by Rosie Lewis, Olivia Caisley
The Australian – Page: 6 : 14-Nov-19

Attorney-General Christian Porter and Communications Minister Paul Fletcher met with media industry executives to discuss the issue of press freedom on 13 November. News Corp Australasia’s executive chairman Michael Miller says the talks were "encouraging", and further meetings will be held after the parliamentary joint committee on intelligence and security hands down its report at the end of the month. Nine Entertainment CEO Hugh Marks and ABC MD David Anderson also attended the meeting.

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AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION

‘We won’t be shy’: Company bosses could face Senate probe into wage theft

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Original article by David Crowe, Rob Harris
The Age – Page: Online : 14-Nov-19

The Senate’s economics references committee will undertake an inquiry into the issue of wage and superannuation theft. Labor put forward the motion to hold an inquiry in response to recent wage underpayment scandals, although the federal government opposed it. Liberal senator Jonathon Duniam says the Coalition is taking action on the issue, and another ‘talkfest’ is not necessary. Shadow industrial relations minister Tony Burke has described the inquiry as a "win" for Australian workers.

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AUSTRALIA. SENATE STANDING COMMITTEE ON ECONOMICS, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, WOOLWORTHS GROUP LIMITED – ASX WOW, 7-ELEVEN STORES PTY LTD, CENTRE ALLIANCE, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK OMBUDSMAN

Union-buster bill faces delay

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 6 : 14-Nov-19

The federal government is likely to put the Ensuring Integrity Bill on hold until the Senate resumes later in the month unless it secures a deal with crossbenchers on 14 November. Independent senator Jacqui Lambie and One Nation leader Pauline Hanson have reservations about the proposed demerit points system. Meanwhile, the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining & Energy Union has been fined $38,000 for unlawful industrial action at a building site in Melbourne in April 2015. Two CFMMEU officials have in turn been fined $12,500 in total.

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ONE NATION PARTY, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MARITIME, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, CENTRE ALLIANCE, ACTU, FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION

Tax breaks to fast-track big projects

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Original article by Simon Benson
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 14-Nov-19

The federal government will provide a concessional tax rate of 15 per cent for foreign investments in qualifying infrastructure projects that are worth more than $500m. This will include ­energy, transport, water and communications projects. Meanwhile, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg will use the Sir John Downer Oration in Adelaide on 14 November to urge greater co-operation between the federal and state governments to address inefficiencies in the economy. He will also stress the need for responsible fiscal management.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY

Union integrity bill in doubt as senators waver

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 7 : 13-Nov-19

Industrial Relations Minister Christian Porter is confident that the federal government can reach a "sensible compromise" with Senate crossbenchers regarding the Ensuring Integrity Bill. The government had hoped to put the bill to a vote on 13 November, but independent senator Jacqui Lambie has reservations about the proposed demerit points system for unions. She is concerned that the bill would make it harder to deregister "union thugs" than officials who make minor administrative errors. One Nation leader Pauline Hanson also has concerns about the proposed system.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, SKILLS, SMALL AND FAMILY BUSINESS, ONE NATION PARTY, CENTRE ALLIANCE, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MARITIME, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA