AUSTRALIA – POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Coalition to reshape workplace landscape

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 4 : 27-Jun-19

Industrial Relations Minister Christian Porter says the federal government’s review of industrial relations laws will take 6-9 months. He adds that the government may pursue legislative changes before the next election if such reforms would increase jobs, boost wages and strengthen the economy. Amongst other things, the review will consider changes to unfair dismissal laws, the processes for approving enterprise agreements and a revised definition of ­casual employment. The government’s more immediate legislative priorities include passing the Ensuring Integrity Bill and stricter regulation of workers’ entitlement funds.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF JOBS AND SMALL BUSINESS, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MARITIME, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION

PM calls for US-China calm

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Original article by Simon Benson
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 26-Jun-19

Prime Minister Scott Morrison will use his first foreign policy speech since the 18 May election to urge the US and China to resolve their trade dispute, stressing that they must act in the global interest rather than their own interests. Morrison’s speech on 26 June will also warn that the trade tensions are causing "collateral damage" in the Asia-Pacific region, and that Australia is prepared to act in its own economic and security interests if the dispute worsens.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, GROUP OF TWENTY (G-20), WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION

IR law too complex to get pay right

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Original article by David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 26-Jun-19

Former Fair Work Ombudsman Natalie James says the employee underpayment scandal demonstrates that Australia’s workplace relations system is too complex and needs to be reviewed. She argues that "fundamental misunderstandings" about industrial awards and enterprise agreements are causing workers to be underpaid. Employers’ groups have advocated changes to the procedures for approving enterprise bargaining agreements, amid a blowout in the average number of days the Fair Work Commission takes to approve them and a sharp increase in EBAs that are approved only after employers agree to additional undertakings.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK OMBUDSMAN, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, SUPER RETAIL GROUP LIMITED – ASX SUL, BEAUREPAIRS, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, AUSTRALIAN MINES AND METALS ASSOCIATION (INCORPORATED), ACTU, DELOITTE TOUCHE TOHMATSU LIMITED, COLES SUPERMARKETS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, THE AUSTRALIA INSTITUTE LIMITED. CENTRE FOR FUTURE WORK

Coalition slams Labor on tax cut rollback option

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 26-Jun-19

Shadow treasurer Jim Chalmers has indicated that Labor’s policy platform for the next federal election could potentially include scrapping the Coalition’s stage-three tax cuts that have already been legislated. He says the shadow cabinet continues to have reservations about both the legislated and unlegislated components of the third stage of the Coalition’s income tax cuts package. Chalmers’ comments have been criticised by Acting Treasurer Simon Birmingham, while Centre Alliance senator Rex Patrick remains open to supporting the full tax package.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, CENTRE ALLIANCE

Green tape priority for red tape review

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Original article by Andrew Tillett, Matthew Cranston
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 6 : 25-Jun-19

EnergyAustralia chairman Graham Bradley has welcomed the federal government’s decision to undertake a review of red tape. However, he notes that the regulatory burden on businesses has increased over the last 15 years, despite efforts to address the problem. Bradley has identified the duplication of approval processes between state and federal governments as one of the key contributors to project cost blowouts. Minerals Council of Australia CEO Tania Constable agrees that duplication is a problem, and she stresses the need for better regulation rather than simply more regulation.

CORPORATES
ENERGYAUSTRALIA PTY LTD, MINERALS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, COUNCIL OF SMALL BUSINESS ORGANISATIONS OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

PM’s tax cut ultimatum to senators

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Original article by Simon Benson, Joe Kelly
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 25-Jun-19

The federal government will push for the Senate to pass its full income tax cuts package after Labor advised that it will not support the third stage of the tax cuts. A meeting of Labor’s frontbench endorsed the first stage of the tax package on 24 June, while Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese has urged the government to bring forward the second stage of the tax cuts to stimulate the economy. The government will require the support of four crossbench Senators if Labor votes against the full tax package.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, CENTRE ALLIANCE, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

Business urges new work rules

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Original article by David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 25-Jun-19

Prime Minister Scott Morrison discussed the federal government’s industrial relations policy in a speech to the Chamber of Commerce & Industry of Western Australia on 24 June. Business leaders have outlined the workplace reforms they would like to see during the Coalition’s third term in office. Australian Mines & Metals Association CEO Steve Knott says an overhaul of the enterprise bargaining system should be a priority, as well as changes to the ‘better off overall test’. Australian Chamber of Commerce & Industry CEO James Pearson in turn has called for changes to small business dismissal laws.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA (INCORPORATED), AUSTRALIAN MINES AND METALS ASSOCIATION (INCORPORATED), AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, ACTU, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF JOBS AND SMALL BUSINESS, WOOLWORTHS GROUP LIMITED – ASX WOW, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, THE AUSTRALIA INSTITUTE LIMITED. CENTRE FOR FUTURE WORK

Albanese’s letter details the Setka sins hurting Labor

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 24-Jun-19

Federal Labor leader Anthony Albanese wants its national executive to expel CFMMEU Victorian secretary John Setka from the party when it meets on 5 July. Albanese has written to Labor’s national secretary Noah Carroll outlining the reasons why he thinks Setka should be expelled. Albanese says that Setka’s conduct in recent years has caused harm to Labor, as has the negative media coverage of his actions. Albanese says that Labor has "critical work" to do on behalf of Australians, and that it cannot be distracted from its goals.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MARITIME, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA

PM targets red tape, IR reform

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Original article by Andrew Tillett
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 24-Jun-19

Prime Minister Scott Morrison will use a speech on 24 June to signal that the federal government may be open to industrial relations reform. He will stress that any such reforms must be evidence-based and protect the rights and entitlements of workers, and he will urge the business sector to build a case for workplace reforms. Morrison will also commit to a review of regulatory and bureaucratic processes that deter companies from investing in their business, while he will identify changes to the vocational training sector as a priority for the Council of Australian Governments.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENTS, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA (INCORPORATED)

Minister cans visit after waste rebuff

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Original article by Amanda Hodge
The Australian – Page: 8 : 20-Jun-19

The future of Lynas Corporation’s rare earths processing plant in Malaysia remains uncertain after the nation’s Environment Minister Yeo Bee cancelled a trip to Australia. Yeo was scheduled to meet federal Environment Minister Sussan Ley on 19 June and Western Australian Mines Minister Bill Johnston on 20 June. Yeo advised that her visit would not proceed after Johnston indicated that the talks would be a waste of time as WA will not allow Lynas’s low-level radioactive waste to be imported from Malaysia. Ley is also of the view that disposal of the waste material is Malaysia’s responsibility.

CORPORATES
LYNAS CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX LYC, MALAYSIA. DEPT OF ENVIRONMENT, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY, WESTERN AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF MINES, INDUSTRY REGULATION AND SAFETY