AUSTRALIA – POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Migration a net boost to economy

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Original article by Simon Benson, Sam Buckingham-Jones
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 17-Apr-18

The Treasury and the Department of Home Affairs have released a report which highlights the economic benefits of Australia’s immigration policy. It concludes that at current levels, the nation’s permanent migrant intake will boost average GDP growth by between 0.5 per cent and one per cent annually over the three decades to 2050. Amongst other things, the report estimates that skilled migrants who were granted permanent visas in 2014-15 will make a combined net contribution of $A6.9bn to government revenue over their lifetime. Treasurer Scott Morrison says the report supports the government’s policy of not having a fixed annual permanent migrant intake.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HOME AFFAIRS, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Million job milestone under federal scheme

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Original article by Joe Kelly
The Australian – Page: 10 : 13-Apr-18

Jobs Minister Michaelia Cash says the best form of welfare is getting a job. Cash is due to announce that more than one million people have now been helped in securing a job through the federal government’s jobactive scheme, with those under the age of 30 benefiting the most. Nearly 80 per cent of those who have been helped in finding work have secured permanent positions, while 65.8 per cent of placements have been in metropolitan areas and 34.2 per cent have been in regional areas.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF JOBS AND SMALL BUSINESS

Migrant numbers in sharp plunge

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Original article by Simon Benson
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 13-Apr-18

Australia’s permanent migrant intake fell to 183,608 in 2016-17, and stricter scrutiny of visa applicants is expected to see it fall to between 160,000 and 170,000 in 2017-18. The downturn in permanent migrant numbers will require the Federal Government to adjust its estimates in the 2019 Budget, although the May 2018 Budget will not be affected. Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton proposed reducing the permanent migrant intake by 20,000 in 2017. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has confirmed that the issue had been discussed by ministers, he says it was not put before Cabinet.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HOME AFFAIRS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF IMMIGRATION AND BORDER PROTECTION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

ACTU’s new bargaining bid risks industrial chaos

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Original article by David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 11 : 13-Apr-18

The Federal Government and business leaders have criticised the ACTU’s push for changes to the Fair Work Act to allow employees and employers to negotiate wages and conditions at the industry level rather than the enterprise level. The ACTU’s six-point plan also includes the right to take protected industrial action at industry level. Workplace Relations Minister Craig Laundy warns that the proposals would see industrial action rise to the levels of the 1970s, while Australian Industry Group CEO Innes Willox says militant unions would be the sole beneficiaries of any such reforms.

CORPORATES
ACTU, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF JOBS AND SMALL BUSINESS, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANIZATION, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Business urges Turnbull to patch China rift

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Original article by Andrew Tillett, Jennifer Hewett, Michael Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 13-Apr-18

Business leaders have urged Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to take steps to improve Australia’s seemingly strained relationship with China. There are a number of factors behind the recent poor relationship between the two countries, including attacks on China’s Pacific foreign aid policy by International Development Minister Concetta Fierravanti-Wells and the federal government’s foreign interference laws. Former Labor foreign minister Bob Carr contends that the government has increased its "anti-Chinese rhetoric" since the start of 2017 in an attempt to impress Donald Trump.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA CHINA BUSINESS COUNCIL, AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE (CHINA), UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, SYDNEY

Any reforms of tax is better than none: BCA

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Original article by Tom McIlroy
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 11 : 12-Apr-18

The Federal Government still needs the support of crossbench senator Tim Storer for its corporate tax package. Storer has called for a broader range of tax reforms rather than simply reducing the tax rate for all companies. However, the Business Council of Australia has used a submission to a Senate inquiry to argue that changes to the company tax rate should not be stalled, as broader reforms will take too long to achieve. Storer has hired journalist Jim Middleton as a senior adviser.

CORPORATES
BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, VICTORIA UNIVERSITY, THE AUSTRALIA INSTITUTE LIMITED

Shorten sets sights on safe-seat shift

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Original article by Andrew Tillett
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 12-Apr-18

Changes to electoral boundaries in Victoria will result in about 40 per cent of voters in the seat of Maribyrnong being transferred to the newly-created seat of Fraser. Opposition Leader Bill Shorten holds Maribyrnong with a margin of 12.3 per cent, although this will be reduced to around 10 per cent following the changes. Shorten is said to be contemplating switching from his current electorate to Fraser, where Labor is expected to have a margin of around 20 per cent. This would allow Shorten to focus on campaigning nationally rather than in his own seat.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Hopes lift for pact on power

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Original article by Ben Packham
The Australian – Page: 6 : 12-Apr-18

The Federal Government will seek in-principle support for its proposed national energy guarantee at an upcoming meeting of the Council of Australian Governments’ energy council. The Australian Capital Territory’s Energy Minister Shane Rattenbury has indicated that he may be willing to support the NEG in return for some concessions from the federal government. Meanwhile, federal counterpart Josh Frydenberg has warned that failure to implement the NEG will result in higher electricity prices.

CORPORATES
COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENTS, AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY. DEPT OF ENVIRONMENT, PLANNING AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY, AUSTRALIA. ENERGY SECURITY BOARD

Bishop’s support for Syria airstrike

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Original article by Primrose Riordan
The Australian – Page: 2 : 12-Apr-18

A US-led military strike on Syria seems increasingly likely in the wake of the gas attack that killed 60 people. Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has indicated that Australia would support any military intervention by the US if it is "targeted, calibrated and proportionate". However, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten says it is too soon to start talking about military action against Syria. UK Prime Minister Theresa May and French President Emmanuel Macron also support military action.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, GREAT BRITAIN. OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

Budget blitz: PM signs off on key measures early

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Original article by Simon Benson, Greg Brown
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 10-Apr-18

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull still believes that he can win the next federal election, despite consistently underperforming in public opinion polls. He argues that polling is not always reliable, and notes that most polls suggest that the outcome of the next election will be very close. Meanwhile, senior government sources have indicated that Turnbull has endorsed the majority of policy initiatives in the May 2018 Budget, including personal income tax cuts. There had been dissent between Turnbull and his Cabinet colleagues regarding measures in the 2017 Budget.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, NEWSPOLL, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HOME AFFAIRS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING