AUSTRALIA – POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Union laws facing Senate stumbling block

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Original article by David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 19-Sep-18

The crossbenchers may determine the fate of the federal government’s Ensuring Integrity Bill, which will be put to the Senate on 19 September. Centre Alliance senator Rex Patrick says the party may support the bill, although this would be conditional on certain amendments. Other independent senators are also still considering their stance on the bill, although Tim Storer has ruled out supporting it. He is particularly concerned about the provisions that allow union officials to be disqualified for misconduct, noting that the sanctions are tougher than those for company directors under the Corporations Act.

CORPORATES
CENTRE ALLIANCE, LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY, AUSTRALIAN CONSERVATIVES, UNITED AUSTRALIA PARTY, ONE NATION PARTY, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MARITIME, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Independent’s shot at Turnbull’s old seat a gift that will keep on giving for Labor

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Original article by Deborah Cornwall
The Australian – Page: 4 & 5 : 17-Sep-18

Former Australian Medical Association president Kerryn Phelps intends to finance her by-election campaign in the federal seat of Wentworth solely via crowdfunding and volunteers. Phelps says the major political parties’ lack of action on issues such as health care and climate change prompted her to contest the seat as an independent candidate. A senior Labor source has conceded that the party has little chance of winning Malcolm Turnbull’s former seat, but notes that Phelps’ decision to run will force the Liberal Party to commit financial resources to the by-election campaign.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION LIMITED

Previously NEGative, Shorten attacked for reviving dead policy

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Original article by Greg Brown
The Australian – Page: 4 : 17-Sep-18

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has criticised Opposition Leader Bill Shorten for signalling that Labor could potentially implement a policy that is similar to the national ­energy guarantee if it wins the next federal election. Frydenberg says Shorten is merely playing politics with regard to energy policy and is not concerned about reducing electricity prices. The NEG included a carbon emissions reduction target of just 26 per cent, compared with Labor’s proposed target of 45 per cent. Liberal MP Trent Zimmerman says the Labor target is "ridiculous" and would destroy the economy.

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

Morrison bid to fast track union bill

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 17-Sep-18

The Federal Government will make a new push for the Senate to pass its Ensuring Integrity Bill, which was shelved earlier in 2018. Industrial Relations Minister Kelly O’Dwyer has urged Opposition Leader Bill Shorten to support the bill, stressing that the proposed reforms are needed to protect workers and small businesses. Amongst other things, the bill would allow union officials to be disqualified for repeated breaches of civil law while it would become easier to deregister a union. The bill is supported by employer groups, but the ACTU has called for crossbenchers to vote against it.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF JOBS AND SMALL BUSINESS, ACTU, AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, COUNCIL OF SMALL BUSINESS ORGANISATIONS OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED, MASTER BUILDERS AUSTRALIA INCORPORATED, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MARITIME, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Direct Action back on the agenda

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Original article by Graham Lloyd
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 17-Sep-18

Environment Minister Melissa Price has indicated that the Federal Government will revive key elements of the Direct Action climate change policy of former prime minister Tony Abbott. Price says she supports the Direct Action policy but stresses that the government’s stance does not signal a return to Abbott-era policies. Amongst other things, Price will seek additional funding for the Emissions Reduction Fund, of which around $250m of its original funding has not yet been spent. Price has also proposed reactivating the Green Army program, which ended on 30 June.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, CLIMATEWORKS PTY LTD, GREAT BARRIER REEF FOUNDATION, ADANI MINING PTY LTD

Scott Morrison tells Malcolm Turnbull to back off

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Original article by Simon Benson,{SHARE}Ben Packham
The Australian – Page: Online : 14-Sep-18

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has called on predecessor Malcolm Turnbull and his supporters to stop trying to undermine his government, stating they are putting its future at risk. Turnbull tweeted recently that Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton should be referred to the High Court over his interest in two child care centres that received over $5.5 million in taxpayer-funded rebates in eight years, while former deputy Liberal leader Julie Bishop has hinted she might cross the floor should a motion to refer Dutton to the High Court be put to the House of Representatives.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET,{SHARE}AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HOME AFFAIRS,{SHARE}LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA,{SHARE}HIGH COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Frydenberg mourns death of NEG

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Original article by Tom McIlroy
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 10-Sep-18

Prime Minister Scott Morrison will ask Cabinet on 10 September to dump the emissions reduction targets contained in the now defunct National Energy Guarantee. Josh Frydenberg says he is disappointed by the NEG’s scrapping, but he denies suggestions it was the cause of Malcolm Turnbull’s demise as Prime Minister. Business groups want the "reliability component" of the NEG to be included in any future energy policy, while Labor climate spokesman Mark Butler accused Morrison of giving in to the Liberal Party’s conservative wing.

CORPORATES
LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, BLUESCOPE STEEL LIMITED – ASX BSL, ORORA LIMITED – ASX ORA

Bishop condemns culture of bullying

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Original article by Stephen Brook
The Australian – Page: 5 : 6-Sep-18

Former foreign minister Julie Bishop said on 5 September that she has witnessed some appalling behaviour in federal parliament. Bishop, who was speaking at the "Australian Women’s Weekly" Women of the Future awards lunch, said that parliament’s workplace culture, which includes bullying and intimidation, would not be tolerated in any other Australian workplace. She says that parliament’s adversarial nature impacts on the political process, while she urged the Liberal Party to take steps to lift the number of its MPs who are women.

CORPORATES
LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE

Morrison resists milk levy

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

Agriculture Minister David Littleproud has proposed the adoption of a temporary $0.10 per litre on milk to help dairy farmers who are struggling with the drought and low milk prices. He says that Woolworths has indicated it was willing to support such a levy, which would raise around $250 million a year, provided that Coles did. Littleproud says he has spoken to the Coles CEO, who indicated to Littleproud that he is not so favourably disposed to the idea. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has indicated he is reluctant to support Littleproud’s proposal.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF AGRICULTURE AND WATER RESOURCES, WOOLWORTHS GROUP LIMITED – ASX WOW, COLES SUPERMARKETS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Cosgrove to retire, G-G the PM’s pick

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Original article by Sam Buckingham-Jones
The Australian – Page: 1 & 9 : 5-Sep-18

Sir Peter Cosgrove has indicated he intends to retire as Governor-General when his five-year term ends in March. With the next federal election due before May, Bill Shorten recently asked Prime Minister Scott Morrison to extend Sir Peter’s term in office for six months or until after the election, stating this would allow an incoming prime minister to appoint a successor. However, Sir Peter’s comments indicate it will be the current government that makes that decision.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, QANTAS AIRWAYS LIMITED – ASX QAN, AUSTRALIAN CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY, AUSTRALIAN RUGBY FOOTBALL UNION