AUSTRALIA – POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Tech giants face $10m fines under security laws

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Original article by Andrew Tillett
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 8 : 14-Aug-18

The federal government will introduce new laws that aim to boost efforts to detect terrorist and criminal activity via electronic surveillance. The laws, which were developed in consultation with telcos, internet firms and telecommunications device makers, include fines of up to $10 million for companies that refuse to provide access to secret data. They have been introduced after Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull complained in 2017 that terrorists and criminals are using secret message services such as WhatsApp to avoid surveillance; he promised to take action to require technology firms to work with law enforcement agencies to detect such activity.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN SECURITY INTELLIGENCE ORGANISATION, AUSTRALIAN SECRET INTELLIGENCE SERVICE, AUSTRALIAN SIGNALS DIRECTORATE, AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT

Gas cost killing industry, Dow says

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Original article by Perry Williams
The Australian – Page: 17 & 28 : 14-Aug-18

Dow Chemical’s Australian head Louis Vega has urged support for the National Energy Guarantee, while calling on states and territories to allow new gas developments. He hopes both initiatives will put downward pressure on gas prices, warning that some heavy industries may have to shut down if gas prices remain high. Tomago Aluminium, which is the biggest user of energy in Australia, says the life of the nation’s coal-fired power plants need to be extended to help maintain the stability of the national grid.

CORPORATES
DOW CHEMICAL AUSTRALIA LIMITED, TOMAGO ALUMINIUM COMPANY PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY

Face climate truths: farmer’s plea to PM

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Original article by Ben Potter
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 14-Aug-18

Drought-affected grain and cattle farmer Peter Mailler says it is time for the federal government to have a honest debate about climate change, rather than trying to undermine the science behind it. Mailler recently had to send pregnant cows to the abattoir because he did not have enough grain to feed them. He says that unless the government is prepared to tackle climate change, it should not "pretend to champion" farmers who are affected by drought. He accused some politicians of trying to give the electricity sector a "free kick" on carbon emissions reduction, while at the same time expecting farmers to reduce their emissions output.

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

Power firm eyeing coal plant deal

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Original article by Joe Kelly, Simon Benson
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 14-Aug-18

Former prime minister Tony Abbott says it is by no means certain that the Coalition’s joint party room meeting will endorse the national energy guarantee on 14 August. He says it would be "appalling" if the NEG is approved, warning that it could result in Australia’s "de-industrialisation". Meanwhile, Delta Electricity chairman Trevor St Baker says the company will build a new high-efficiency, low-emissions coal-fired power station if the NEG is endorsed by Coalition MPs. This could be a replacement for the Hazelwood power station in Victoria or a new one at the site of its Vales Point power station in New South Wales.

CORPORATES
DELTA ELECTRICITY AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, ALINTA ENERGY (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, BLUESCOPE STEEL LIMITED – ASX BSL, SHELL COMPANY OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED, JBS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, TOMAGO ALUMINIUM COMPANY PTY LTD, ALCOA OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS

Coalition works on fallback tax plan

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 13-Aug-18

The Federal Government remains hopeful of gaining One Nation’s support for its full company tax cuts package when it is put to the Senate in mid-August. However, sources have indicated that the government is looking at alternative options in the event that the tax package is rejected by the upper house. These include limiting the turnover threshold for the tax cuts to $500m or bringing forward tax cuts for small businesses that have been legislated. The government may also opt to abandon any tax measures that are rejected by the Senate or put them on hold until after the next election.

CORPORATES
ONE NATION PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, CENTRE ALLIANCE, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION

PM pushes coal-friendly NEG plan

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 13-Aug-18

The Federal Government may adopt the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission’s recommendation to underwrite new dispatchable power generation, which could include coal-fired power. ACCC chairman Rod Sims will brief National Party MPs on the proposal ahead of a joint party room meeting at which the national energy guarantee will be on the agenda. The Labor-led states agreed to allow the NEG to be put to the Coalition’s party room at the recent Council of Australian Governments meeting. However, Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg is resisting their push for any changes to the NEG’s emissions reduction targets to be enacted via regulation rather than legislation.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY, COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENTS, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. ENERGY SECURITY BOARD, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN GREENS

Hydrogen industry to future-proof coal

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Original article by Simon Benson
The Australian – Page: 4 : 10-Aug-18

Chief Scientist Alan Finkel will make recommendations on the development of a hydrogen energy industry in Australia to federal and state energy ministers. He will advise that the cheapest way to produce hydrogen energy is via the gasification of brown coal. However, the process must involve carbon capture and storage if it is to be a viable source of renewable energy. Finkel’s hydrogen strategy is backed by both the renewable energy and mining sectors. Minerals Council of Australia CEO Tania Constable says it could mean a new industry for Victoria’s Latrobe Valley, which has been impacted by the closure of the Hazelwood power station.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. OFFICE OF THE CHIEF SCIENTIST, MINERALS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENTS

Victoria digs in on bare minimum NEG demands

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 6 : 10-Aug-18

Federal Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg will meet with his state counterparts on 10 August to discuss ratifying the National Energy Guarantee. Victoria’s Energy Minister Lily D’Ambrosio says Frydenberg needs to be prepared to compromise with Labor states on the NEG if they are to agree to it. Victoria’s conditions for agreeing to the NEG include that its renewable emission targets will never go backwards and that future targets are to be set every three years.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY, VICTORIA. DEPT OF ENVIRONMENT, LAND, WATER AND PLANNING, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, AUSTRALIA. ENERGY SECURITY BOARD

Howard urges action on unfinished IR reform

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Original article by David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 9-Aug-18

Ex-prime minister John Howard has highlighted the contribution that his government’s commitment to industrial relations reform had on wages growth and the labour market. In a recent address at a private dinner, Howard expressed concern about the lack of government action on workplace reform in recent years, and urged the Coalition to take more action on the issue. Howard praised the Coalition for reinstating the Australian Building & Construction Commission, but argued that further workplace reform is needed.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN MINES AND METALS ASSOCIATION (INCORPORATED), AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND SCIENCE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, ACTU, PATRICK CORPORATION LIMITED

Shorten calls for states, feds to do NEG deal

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 6 : 9-Aug-18

Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has urged Labor-led states to support the national energy guarantee at the Council of Australian Governments meeting on 10 August. The Victorian government maintains that the NEG’s carbon emissions reduction target should be subject to regulation rather than legislation, which is the federal government’s preferred approach. The federal Labor party supports the NEG, although it is advocating a higher emissions reduction target than that proposed by the Coalition.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENTS, VICTORIA. DEPT OF ENVIRONMENT, LAND, WATER AND PLANNING, VICTORIA. DEPT OF PREMIER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, GETUP LIMITED