AUSTRALIA – POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

ALP links: 189-vote senator blocks $36bn tax cuts

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Original article by Michael Owen, Ben Packham
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 29-Mar-18

The Federal Government still hopes to secure the two Senate votes that are required to pass its corporate tax cuts package. The Government is continuing to negotiate with Derryn Hinch, but fellow crossbencher Tim Storer says he cannot support the bill in its current form. He argues that the forgone revenue from the company tax cuts should instead be used to finance social and economic programs. Storer gained just 189 votes as a Nick Xenophon Team candidate at the 2016 election, and he was elevated to the Senate after Skye Kakoschke-Moore was ruled ineligible due to dual citizenship. He had resigned from the Australian Labor Party in 2015.

CORPORATES
NICK XENOPHON TEAM, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN REPUBLICAN MOVEMENT

Company tax cut delayed by two holdout senators

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 28-Mar-18

The Federal Government will put its corporate tax cuts package on hold until May after failing to secure the support of Senate crossbenchers Derryn Hinch and Tim Storer. The Government had gained the support of seven crossbenchers and had hoped to pass the legislation before Easter. Meanwhile, the Business Council of Australia has launched a cross-platform campaign in support of the proposed company tax cuts, while Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has called upon the business sector to lobby crossbenchers to back the tax cuts.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS

A-G’s swipe at media for opposing spy laws

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Original article by Paul Maley
The Australian – Page: 2 : 28-Mar-18

Attorney-General Christian Porter has criticised the media and other special-interest groups for opposing the Federal Government’s proposed foreign interference and espionage laws. He noted that the introduction of similar laws in the US generally attracted consideration of whether they were in the national interest. Media companies have expressed concern about the potential implications of the proposed laws on journalists, although ASIO has argued that they should not be exempt.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT, AUSTRALIAN SECURITY INTELLIGENCE ORGANISATION, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS

Russians out: Canberra joins West’s Putin revolt

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Original article by Simon Benson, Paul Maley
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 28-Mar-18

The Australian Government has expelled two diplomats from the Russian embassy in Canberra, in response to the nerve gas attack on double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter in England. The diplomats were both undeclared intelligence officers who are said to have been under surveillance by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation. More than 100 Russian have now been expelled by 24 nations, with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull stating that the concerted response has sent a "clear and unequivocal message" to Russia in the wake of the assassination attempt. Russia continues to deny any involvement in the plot.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT, AUSTRALIAN SECURITY INTELLIGENCE ORGANISATION

Gary Morgan, Executive Chairman, Roy Morgan Research says Malcolm Turnbull is still a big chance to win the next Federal Election

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Morgan Poll Update – Page: Online : 28-Mar-18

Poll watchers will have noticed Morgan Polls have not been publicised regularly. Morgan Polls are still conducted weekly, and results are available for subscription. The Morgan Poll has been published this week to restore balance to the political agenda – which is ‘today’ dominated by Newspoll and the call by many for Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to resign. Two points are vital: Newspoll is not infallible – the accuracy of Newspoll was shown up by the South Australian Election at which Newspoll were out by 4% predicting a Liberal Party primary vote of 34% when the Liberals actually received 38% of the primary vote. Newspoll also predicted an ALP primary vote of 31%, ALP actually received 31.8%; SA Best primary vote of 17%, SA Best actually received 14.2%, Greens primary vote of 8%, Greens actually received 6.7%; Others primary vote of 10%, Others actually received 8.3%. The Federal vote can change. The latest Morgan Poll shows the two major parties neck and neck (ALP 51% cf. L-NP 49%) and if an election were held today the outcome would be too close to call.

CORPORATES
MORGAN POLL, ROY MORGAN LIMITED, NEWSPOLL, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, SA-BEST, AUSTRALIAN GREENS

Federal Election too close to call as L-NP holds big lead in Queensland

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Morgan Poll Update – Page: Online : 28-Mar-18

The latest Morgan Poll shows the Federal support for the L-NP up 3% to 49% in a fortnight narrowly behind the ALP down 3% to 51% on a two-party preferred basis. The Morgan Poll follows the SA Election won by the Liberal Party and controversial comments by Opposition Leader Bill Shorten regarding the proposed Adani coalmine in Queensland and was conducted over the last two weekends of March 17/18 & 24/25, 2018 with 1,417 electors. Primary support for the L-NP increased to 40%, up 4% in a fortnight and was led by a jump in support for the National Party up 3% to 5.5.%. Primary support for the ALP dropped 1% to 35%, support for the Greens dropped 1.5% to 12% and support for the Nick Xenophon Team was down 1% to 0.5% after its disappointing performance in the South Australian Election at which State counterpart SA Best failed to win a seat. Support for One Nation was up 0.5% to 3.5% and support for Independents/Others was down 1% to 9%. Of all electors survey a relatively high 7% were undecided.

CORPORATES
MORGAN POLL, ROY MORGAN LIMITED, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, ONE NATION PARTY, SA-BEST PARTY

Union merger test abandoned

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 27-Mar-18

The Federal Government will not seek to block a merger between the Construction, Forestry, Mining & Energy Union and the Maritime Union of Australia. The Government has shelved plans to introduce a public interest test for union mergers after failing to secure sufficient support for the bill among crossbenchers. Australian Mines & Metals Association CEO Steve Knott and Master Builders Australia CEO Denita Wawn have expressed disappointment with the decision.

CORPORATES
CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, MARITIME UNION OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN MINES AND METALS ASSOCIATION (INCORPORATED), MASTER BUILDERS AUSTRALIA INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF JOBS AND SMALL BUSINESS, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, ACTU

Labor back tracks on shares grab

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 27-Mar-18

The Australian Labor Party has announced changes to its policy to abolish cash refunds for franking credits, stating that full and part-pensioners will be exempt from its proposal. The backdown is expected to reduce the savings that Labor expects the policy to generate from $A59 billion to $A55.7 billion over the first decade of its implementation. Also exempt from the policy will be any self-managed superannuation fund that has at least one pensioner or other allowance drawing from it prior to 28 March.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HUMAN SERVICES. MEDICARE AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING

Clerks in warning on spy laws

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Original article by Simon Benson
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 27-Mar-18

Senate clerk Richard Pye and House of Representatives clerk David Elder have warned of the potential impact of proposed foreign interference and espionage laws on parliamentarians. They have used submissions to a joint committee on intelligence and security inquiry to express concern that the legislation could potentially override parliamentary privilege by requiring MPs to disclose details of any meetings they have held with foreign officials. The bill has previously attracted criticism from media companies and business groups.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. JOINT PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE ON INTELLIGENCE AND SECURITY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HOME AFFAIRS, AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Crossbenchers get green light to horsetrade on tax

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Original article by Ben Packham, Victoria Laurie
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 26-Mar-18

A report by international tax experts Jack Mintz and Philip Bazel notes that Australia’s company tax rate is currently the fourth-highest among OECD member nations. However, they warn that Australia will be ranked second within two years unless the tax rate is reduced, while the nation risks losing global capital inflows. Finance Minister Mathias Cormann says the Federal Government is open to compromises with crossbench senators Derryn Hinch and Tim Storer in return for their support for the company tax cuts bill.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT, UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY, MINERALS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, ONE NATION PARTY