AUSTRALIA – POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Morrison to boost small end of town

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Original article by John Kehoe
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 29-Oct-18

The federal government is understood to be working on various measures aimed at assisting small business. They include helping small companies to get paid more quickly by larger firms, increasing their access to finance and improving dispute resolution with the Australian Taxation Office. Tax Commissioner Chris Jordan recently criticised suggestions that the ATO has a vendetta against small business, while Assistant Treasurer Stuart Robert says the government will review measures aimed at protecting small businesses against unfair contract terms.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN TAXATION OFFICE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF JOBS AND SMALL BUSINESS, AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. OFFICE OF THE AUSTRALIAN SMALL BUSINESS AND FAMILY ENTERPRISE OMBUDSMAN

LaTrobe University Bold Thinking Series – Is Democracy Broken featuring Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine, Tony Walker, Mark Textor and others (Video)

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 29-Oct-18

The high turnover of Prime Ministers in Australia suggests a democratic system showing signs of a broader political malaise. Analysing the state of Australian politics means understanding the interplay of "trust" and, even more importantly "distrust" in politics. (Vid 15:40). Levine asserts that "Trust is more important than ever before. When we’re all unnerved and uncertain, trust is absolutely critical. So trust is really the foundation of all human connections. It’s the glue." (Vid: 23:15). Levine on the importance of polls even considering the challenges faced in this day and age: "It’s really really important and we shouldn’t knock these polls completely. Polls are actually the voice of the people" and "Our leaders really need to understand what people, everybody’s fears, are." (Vid: 1:04:30) Roy Morgan Executive Chairman Gary Morgan posed a question about Australian democracy – to Katharine Murphy of the Guardian – "What have you done about correcting the error on what you published in the Guardian the ReachTel poll commissioned by Greenpeace" (on the Wentworth by-election). Murphy responded by expressing concern about "single seat polls" and "the rise of activists groups commissioning polls in order to massage public opinion in various ways and a lot of those activist commissioned polls have push poll questions that elicit certain responses from voters". For the full video of the discussion access the video here:

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ROY MORGAN LIMITED

Windfall tax take balancing the books

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Original article by David Uren
The Australian – Page: 4 : 26-Oct-18

New figures show that the federal government had a balanced Budget in the 12 months to September, with cash receipts and expenditure both totalling $257.4bn. Meanwhile, the deficit for the first three months of 2018-19 was just $10.5bn, well below the forecast of $19.5bn in May. The figures also show that company tax revenue was 13.8 per cent higher than in the first quarter of 2017-8 and personal income tax revenue was 6.3 per cent higher. Finance Minister Mathias Cormann says the improved Budget position will be at risk if Labor wins the next election.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, DELOITTE ACCESS ECONOMICS PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY

Cut power bills by new year or else

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 24-Oct-18

The Business Council of Australia has warned that some of the federal government’s proposed measures to put downward pressure on electricity prices could create investment uncertainty. Amongst other things, energy retailers will be required to offer default price contracts from mid-2019, while energy companies could be forced to divest assets if they fail to take sufficient action. The government also proposes to underwrite investment in new reliable energy sources. Prime Minister Scott Morrison says reducing electricity prices and cutting carbon emissions are not mutually exclusive.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN ENERGY COUNCIL, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY, VICTORIA. DEPT OF ENVIRONMENT, LAND, WATER AND PLANNING, AUSTRALIAN ENERGY REGULATOR, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION

Voters will clip cocky Labor’s wings: Pyne

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Original article by Michael Owen, Luke Griffiths
The Australian – Page: 4 : 24-Oct-18

Defence Minister Christopher Pyne has accused Labor of being overconfident about its chances of winning the next federal election. Pyne holds the seat of Sturt in South Australia with a margin of 5.9 per cent. However, Labor senator Don Farrell believes that Pyne’s chances of retaining the seat have been significantly reduced following the ousting of former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, who was popular in Sturt. Meanwhile, counting of votes in the Wentworth by-election is continuing; independent candidate Kerryn Phelps had 51.05% of the vote on a two-party preferred basis at 3.3pm on Tuesday.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF DEFENCE, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Industrial ‘anarchy’: MP warns

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Original article by Dana McCauley
The Age – Page: 1 : 23-Oct-18

Employer groups estimate that the ACTU’s "Change the Rules" rallies will cost $250 million in lost productivity. Meanwhile, Industrial Relations Minister Kelly O’Dwyer claims that the ACTU is inciting union members to break the law, and that Australia faces a "bleak future" if a Labor government changes industrial relations laws to please the ACTU. The peak union body contends that the rallies should be viewed as political protests rather than industrial action.

CORPORATES
ACTU, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF JOBS AND SMALL BUSINESS, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

McGowan threat to unruly Nationals

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 23-Oct-18

Independent MP Cathy McGowan has signalled that she may not continue to support the federal government on confidence and supply if there is a change of leadership at the National Party. McGowan has warned that her constituents in rural Victoria would not welcome more leadership turmoil in Canberra. The future of Nationals leader Michael McCormack has been under scrutiny, amid speculation that he may face a challenge from predecessor Barnaby Joyce.

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

Morrison in bid for unity on energy

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Original article by Joe Kelly, Ben Packham
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 23-Oct-18

The federal government will establish a price benchmark for electricity retailers, which was a key recommendation of the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission’s review of electricity prices. The "default market offer" rate will take effect from mid-2019, and is part of the government’s commitment to reducing power bills. Meanwhile, National Party MP Keith Pitt rejects suggestions that the Coalition’s climate change policy was the main cause of its poor performance in the Wentworth by-election.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. OFFICE OF THE CHIEF SCIENTIST, AUSTRALIAN ENERGY REGULATOR, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND SCIENCE

Libs millions shy in campaign fighting funds

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Original article by Andrew Clennell
The Australian – Page: 7 : 23-Oct-18

The Liberal Party is estimated to have spent about $1m on contesting the Wentworth by-election, while independent candidate Kerryn Phelps is believed to have had a campaign budget of about $300,000. Sources within the Liberal Party have indicated that it is still well short of the campaign funding target it requires for the 2019 federal election, following a number of other by-elections in recent months. Phelps holds a 1,626-vote lead over Liberal candidate Dave Sharma, with 51.11% of the vote on a two-party preferred basis at 6pm on Monday. Phelps has ruled out claiming victory until all votes are counted.

CORPORATES
LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

No, minister: ABC defiant

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Original article by Stephen Brook, Sascha O’Sullivan
The Australian – Page: 24 : 22-Oct-18

Communications Minister Mitch Fifield has requested information on the scope and time frame of the ABC’s investigation into issues raised by former MD Michelle Guthrie before she was sacked. However, the ABC’s acting chair Kirstin ­Ferguson has told Fifield that it would be inappropriate for herself or any other board member to comment, as they could potentially be in breach of their fiduciary duty to act in the best interests of the public broadcaster. The ABC’s acting MD David Anderson will appear before the Senate estimates committee on 23 October.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIA. SENATE STANDING COMMITTEE ON ECONOMICS, SPECIAL BROADCASTING SERVICE (SBS), AUSTRALIAN COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA AUTHORITY