AUSTRALIA – POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

PM’s house of chaos

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Simon Benson, Geoff Chambers, Joe Kelly, Rachel Baxendale
The Australian – Page: 1 & 8 : 24-Aug-18

Mathias Cormann and Mitch Fifield are among 10 ministers who resigned on 23 August, as the federal government’s leadership crisis deepened. A second leadership spill is expected to be held on 24 August, with Peter Dutton, Scott Morrison and Julie Bishop set to run. Coalition MPs who have backed a petition for a second ballot are believed to be close to securing the 43 signatures which Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull says will be necessarily for a spill to be held; he has also threatened to resign from parliament if there is a second spill. Thirteen ministers in total have offered to resign since the leadership crisis began.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF AGRICULTURE AND WATER RESOURCES, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND SCIENCE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, AUSTRALIA. OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL, AUSTRALIA. OFFICE OF THE SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Nats to reclaim power in new deal

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Tom McIlroy
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 7 : 24-Aug-18

National Party MP Kevin Hogan claims he will move to the crossbenches if Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is replaced as Liberal leader on 24 August. Hogan, who represents the seat of Page in New South Wales, says the Liberal Party does not "deserve my support". It is understood that the Nationals will move to reassert their power within the Coalition agreement if Turnbull is ousted, while Nationals leader Michael McCormack says the decision as to who should be Liberal leader is up to its MPs.

CORPORATES
NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA 21 LIMITED

‘I was not in breach’: Peter Dutton releases new legal advice on eligibility to be MP

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Latika Bourke
The Age – Page: Online : 24-Aug-18

Former Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has used social media to publish legal advice which suggests that his beneficial interest in several child care centres is not in breach of the Constitution. Dutton said he was advised by former solicitor-general David Bennett that he is eligible to be in parliament, and noted that Guy Reynolds SC has also previously advised that he is not in breach of section 44 of Constitution. Bennett has also provided Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull with advice regarding section 44 in the past.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. OFFICE OF THE SOLICITOR-GENERAL, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, ONE NATION PARTY

Australians worried about Government’s instability, favouritism towards big business and climate change if an L-NP Government is re-elected. Concerns if the ALP is elected to Government centre on union influence, poor economic management and policies on immigration and refugees

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 24-Aug-18

Australians have responded to the unprecedented leadership instability at the head of the Turnbull Government by outlining their concerns about a re-elected L-NP Government and their worries about an ALP Government should it be elected at the next Federal Election – which could be held at any time between now and May 2019. Australians are most concerned about the continuing instability that would impact on a re-elected L-NP Government while the L-NP’s perceived favouritism towards "big business", and policies towards climate change and refugees and immigration are pressing concerns. If an ALP Government were elected at the next Federal Election Australians are worried about the perceived strong union influence on a Bill Shorten-led Government as well as the ALP’s poor economic management abilities, reckless spending and concerns from both ALP & L-NP supporters about the ALP’s policies towards immigration and refugees. For full details, including verbatim responses from Australian electors, click through.

CORPORATES
MORGAN POLL, ROY MORGAN LIMITED, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Latest Morgan Poll shows Julie Bishop (64%) easily preferred as Prime Minister to Bill Shorten (36%)

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 24-Aug-18

Deputy Liberal Leader Julie Bishop has easily the strongest performance against Opposition Leader Bill Shorten in a head-to-head matchup while fellow leadership aspirant Scott Morrison is in a virtual "dead-heat" with Shorten. Julie Bishop (64%) clearly leads Bill Shorten (36%) while Bill Shorten (50.5%) and Scott Morrison (49.5%) can barely be separated according to a special Snap SMS Morgan Poll conducted with a cross-section of more than 2,000 Australian electors on Thursday. An earlier SMS Morgan Poll showed PM Malcolm Turnbull (54%) ahead of Shorten (46%) while Shorten (62%) easily leads Peter Dutton (38%). Bishop’s strong performance in a head-to-head match-up with Shorten shows that if the Liberal Party wants its best chance of winning the next Federal Election Julie Bishop is the smart choice to lead the party. Follow this link to see the latest Morgan Poll results with interview between Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine and ABC TV’s Matter of Fact with Stan Grant to follow.

CORPORATES
MORGAN POLL, ROY MORGAN LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Dutton’s $7.5b GST idea a budget blower

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

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

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Treasurer Scott Morrison have criticised a proposal by Peter Dutton to reduce the cost of electricity by exempting household power bills from the goods and services tax. Turnbull has warned that the states would have to be compensated for loss of GST revenue, while Morrison says it would result in a Budget blowout. Dutton has also proposed royal commissions into the electricity and fuel sectors, as well a reduction in Australia’s annual migrant intake.

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

PM dumps big business tax cuts

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 6 : 23-Aug-18

The Senate has voted against the Federal Government’s company tax cuts package, which would have progressively reduced the tax rate for businesses with turnover of more than $50m from 30 per cent to 25 per cent. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull says tax cuts for larger companies will not be on the Coalition’s agenda for the next election. The government will instead look at options for bringing forward tax cuts for businesses with turnover of up to $50m that have already been legislated. An amendment to exclude the major banks from the proposed tax cuts was also rejected by the upper house.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, CENTRE ALLIANCE, ONE NATION PARTY, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP

Snap election would catch Coalition with its pants down

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Rachel Baxendale, Sam Buckingham-Jones
The Australian – Page: 9 : 23-Aug-18

Analyses shows that since 1983, federal political parties that have changed leaders more than halfway between an election have generally won office at the next election. There is speculation that the Coalition’s current leadership crisis could prompt an early election, but Labor has made a lot more progress in selecting candidates than the Liberal Party. Labor has completed the pre-selection process for candidates in the 20 most marginal seats that are held by the Coalition. In contrast, the Liberals have named just one candidate in the 20 most marginal Labor-held seats.

CORPORATES
LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL-NATIONAL PARTY OF QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, ELECTORAL COMMISSION OF NEW SOUTH WALES

D-day for PM as allies desert

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Simon Benson, Dennis Shanahan, Joe Kelly, Ben Packham, Greg Brown, Primrose Riordan, Rosie Lewis, Rachel Baxendale
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 23-Aug-18

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull could face another leadership challenge before Parliament rises for two weeks. Supporters of Peter Dutton have petitioned Coalition MPs to hold a partyroom meeting and another leadership ballot on 23 August. Meanwhile, Finance Minister Mathias Cormann has told Turnbull that he has lost the support of the partyroom, while Attorney-General Christian Porter has confirmed that he has sought advice from the Solicitor-General regarding Dutton’s eligibility to be in parliament. His financial interest in two childcare centres that receive government subsidies could potentially be a breach of the Constitution.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HEALTH, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Labor win a housing game changer

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Sarah Turner
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 8 : 23-Aug-18

Brett Gillespie of Ellerston Capital says financial markets are not giving much consideration to the possibility that Labor will win the next federal election. He notes that a Labor government would have a major impact on the property market, given that Labor proposes to restrict negative gearing to new homes. Gillespie adds that a Labor win would also have implications for the sharemarket and the broader economy.

CORPORATES
ELLERSTON CAPITAL PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, BELL POTTER SECURITIES LIMITED, PERPETUAL LIMITED – ASX PPT, REA GROUP LIMITED – ASX REA, DOMAIN HOLDINGS AUSTRALIA LIMITED – ASX DHA, McGRATH LIMITED – ASX MEA, BORAL LIMITED – ASX BLD, CSR LIMITED – ASX CSR, FLETCHER BUILDING LIMITED – ASX FBU, ADELAIDE BRIGHTON LIMITED – ASX ABC, DULUXGROUP LIMITED – ASX DLX, GWA GROUP LIMITED – ASX GWA, BLUESCOPE STEEL LIMITED – ASX BSL, HARVEY NORMAN HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX HVN, LEND LEASE GROUP LIMITED – ASX LLC, MIRVAC GROUP – ASX MGR, STOCKLAND – ASX SGP, GENWORTH MORTGAGE INSURANCE AUSTRALIA LIMITED – ASX GMA, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET