AUSTRALIA – POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

PM’s big stick to be stuck in Senate

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Original article by Greg Bright
The Australian – Page: 6 : 7-Dec-18

The Senate’s standing committee on economics will examine the federal government’s bill to force electricity retailers to divest assets after Labor referred it to the upper house. The lower house debated the bill on 6 December, before parliament rose for the year, but further debate will not be possible until early April as the committee is not slated to report on the bill until 18 March. Shadow treasurer Chris Bowen has accused the government of trying to push the bill through the lower house with no scrutiny and minimal debate.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. SENATE STANDING COMMITTEE ON ECONOMICS

One-year delay likely for negative gearing changes

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 6-Dec-18

It is unlikely that Labor would be able to legislate its proposed negative gearing reforms in time for the start of the 2019-20 financial year if it wins the next federal election. The poll is tipped to be held on 11 or 18 May 2019, which would give a Labor government just six weeks to enact its reforms for them to take effect on 1 July. This means the reforms would most likely take effect in July 2020, although a Labor source has raised the possibility that the legislation could be backdated if it is passed after 1 July.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, CENTRE ALLIANCE, ONE NATION PARTY

Divestment powers put on fast track

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 6-Dec-18

Australia Energy Council CEO Sarah McNamara has flagged a possible legal challenge to the federal government’s legislation to force the divestment of energy assets. McNamara says there is still uncertainty regarding the constitutional validity of the bill, despite a compromise which will require the Federal Court to approve any application for asset sales. The bill is expected to be passed by the lower house after four crossbenchers backed a motion for it to be debated and voted upon before parliament rises for the year.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN ENERGY COUNCIL, FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA, ORIGIN ENERGY LIMITED – ASX ORG, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Barnaby backs unions on casuals

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 2 : 5-Dec-18

A parliamentary committee has expressed concern about the growing use of casual labour in Australia’s mining industry. The committee has supported the union movement’s proposal to allow casual mining workers to become permanent employees after a certain period of employment. Industrial Relations Minister Kelly O’Dwyer says the federal government will consider the committee’s recommendations. Australian Mines & Metals Association CEO Steve Knott argues that many employees prefer the increased flexibility and higher wages offered by casual work.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES STANDING COMMITTEE ON INDUSTRY, INNOVATION, SCIENCE AND RESOURCES, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF JOBS AND SMALL BUSINESS, AUSTRALIAN MINES AND METALS ASSOCIATION (INCORPORATED), LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, ACTU

Labor backs down over encryption laws

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Original article by Primrose Riordan
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 5-Dec-18

The federal government aims to pass its encryption legislation before parliament rises for the year after reaching a compromise with Labor. The Opposition has reached agreement with the government that only state anti-corruption commissions will not be given new powers to access encrypted data and devices. Labor had also sought to have state police excluded from the legislation, which is intended to target terrorists, paedophiles and organised crime.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT, ATLASSIAN CORPORATION PLC

Morrison’s energy big stick cut down to size

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Original article by Ben Packham
The Australian – Page: 4 : 5-Dec-18

The federal government has agreed to a compromise on its proposal to intervene in the electricity market. Following a Coalition joint partyroom meeting, the government has advised that the Federal Court will be required to approve any application for the divestment of energy assets if a power company is found to have manipulated electricity prices. Shadow treasurer Chris Bowen says the policy would deter investment in the energy sector and have no impact on electricity prices. Several Liberal backbenchers have also expressed concern about the policy.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN ENERGY COUNCIL

Avalanche of renewables may threaten power grid

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Original article by Perry Williams
The Australian – Page: 1 & 8 : 5-Dec-18

Bloomberg New Energy Finance estimates that clean energy will account for the bulk of investment in Australia’s electric power generation capacity in the next two decades or so. However, the International Energy Agency’s executive director Fatih Birol says the stability of Australia’s energy grid may be jeopardised if measures are not in place to ensure that it can cope with a big influx of renewables. Birol adds that increasing renewables’ share of the energy mix is not the sole solution to global warming. Labor proposes to implement the national energy guarantee as part of its climate change policy.

CORPORATES
INTERNATIONAL ENERGY AGENCY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, BLOOMBERG NEW ENERGY FINANCE, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN ENERGY MARKET OPERATOR LIMITED

Sparks fly in ex-PM’s energy war

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Original article by Simon Benson, Joe Kelly
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 5-Dec-18

Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull says the federal government should implement his signature national energy policy, noting that it had been strongly supported by his successor Scott Morrison. Turnbull has also rejected suggestions that the government had shelved the NEG shortly before he was ousted, stating that Cabinet had agreed to put it on hold until there was sufficient support in parliament to pass the legislation. A spokesman for Turnbull has also denied claims that he has discussed the NEG with Opposition Leader Bill Shorten since the leadership spill.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, SMART ENERGY COUNCIL

PM to end leadership turmoil

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Original article by Joe Kelly
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 4-Dec-18

The federal government has announced changes to the Liberal Party’s leadership rules that will prevent a prime minister from being challenged during their term in office. Prime Minister Scott Morrison says the government understands the frustration and disappointment of ordinary Australians when an elected prime minister is ousted in a partyroom ballot. Morrison sought the views of former prime ministers John Howard and Tony Abbott regarding the reforms, although his immediate predecessor Malcolm Turnbull was not consulted. Labor implemented similar reforms under Kevin Rudd in 2013.

CORPORATES
LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HOME AFFAIRS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, LIBERAL-NATIONAL PARTY OF QUEENSLAND

Turnbull’s bid to force early poll

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Original article by Andrew Clennell, Greg Brown
The Australian – Page: 1 & 5 : 3-Dec-18

The future of Liberal MP Craig Kelly remains uncertain, with former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull urging several members of the party’s moderates faction to reject his pre-selection. Kelly has threatened to resign from the Liberal Party and become an independent MP if he is disendorsed. Turnbull told New South Wales minister Matt Kean that he had reached agreement with Scott Morrison while in office that an election would be held on 2 March, three weeks before the state election. Turnbull also said an early federal election would boost the re-election prospects of the NSW government, allowing it to avoid an anti-Coalition backlash.

CORPORATES
LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, LIBERAL PARTY OF NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, NEW SOUTH WALES. DEPT OF PREMIER AND CABINET