AUSTRALIA – POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

$30bn boost for PM’s tax reform plan

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Original article by Simon Benson
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 8-Nov-17

A new report from the Treasury has concluded that the Federal Government’s proposed $A65bn corporate tax cuts proposal would result in a total tax revenue gain of about $A30bn. The research paper estimates that reducing the company tax rate from 30 per cent to 25 per cent will increase the size of the domestic economy by more than one per cent over the long-term. The report also notes that the average company tax rate among OECD nations has fallen to 24 per cent, compared with 32 per cent in 2000, and it warns that Australia could face a permanent reduction in both GDP and real wages if it fails to take similar action.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

Malcolm Turnbull moves on citizenship, orders full disclosure

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: Online : 7-Nov-17

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has called for all federal politicians to declare to the parliament that they are not dual citizens as a way of resolving the current citizenship saga. However, he continued to resist calls for a citizenship audit of federal MPs, as has been sought by the minor parties. Turnbull’s proposal would apply to both sitting and new MPs, with new MPs being required to make declarations within 21 days of being sworn in. Supporting documentation would be required by MPs when making their declaration.

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

Citizenship debacle a trust breaker: Goyder

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Original article by Jacob Greber
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 3-Nov-17

Wesfarmers CEO Richard Goyder says political uncertainty is weighing on consumer confidence and retail sales. He used a National Press Club speech on 2 November to criticise former Senate president Stephen Parry over a long delay in disclosing concerns that he may have British citizenship by descent. Goyder added that Parry’s inaction has contributed to the general public’s lack of trust in politicians and heightened the perception that they are not addressing the needs of electors.

CORPORATES
WESFARMERS LIMITED – ASX WES, NATIONAL PRESS CLUB (AUSTRALIA), HIGH COURT OF AUSTRALIA, AMAZON.COM INCORPORATED

Minister rebuffs ACTU pay push

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 2 : 3-Nov-17

The ACTU is seeking to have the minimum wage increased to 60 per cent of the median wage. This would equate to an $A80-per-week rise in the minimum wage, which ACTU secretary Sally McManus says should be phased in as quickly as possible. However, employers’ groups warn that a sharp rise in the minimum wage would deter businesses from taking on more staff, while Employment Minister Michaelia Cash has ruled out any changes to the existing minimum wage regime.

CORPORATES
ACTU, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Parry makes brexit from Senate

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 2-Nov-17

Former senator Richard Colbeck is expected to replace the Liberal Party’s Stephen Parry in the upper house, after the latter advised that he will resign after receiving confirmation that he has British citizenship by descent. Meanwhile, acting Prime Minister Julie Bishop and acting Opposition Leader Tanya Plibersek have both dismissed a push by the Greens and some Liberals for an audit of the citizenship status of all federal parliamentarians.

CORPORATES
LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, HIGH COURT OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL, GREAT BRITAIN. HOME OFFICE, ONE NATION PARTY, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND SCIENCE

NBN needs subsidies: Sims

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 9 : 1-Nov-17

The national broadband network’s uniform pricing policy means capital city users are effectively subsidising the provision of NBN’s fixed wireless and satellite services in regional and rural areas. ACCC chairman Rod Sims argues that these unprofitable services should instead be subsidised via the Budget, adding that the Federal Government should make a decision on whether to do so in mid-2018. Sims adds that it may be appropriate to write down the value of the NBN.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, NBN CO LIMITED, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS

British link drops top Lib in crisis

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Original article by Joe Kelly, Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 1-Nov-17

Federal Parliament’s dual citizenship crisis has deepened after Senate president Stephen Parry revealed that he may hold British citizenship by descent. He is the first Liberal whose eligibility for parliament has come under scrutiny, after the party had previously criticised its Coalition partner for the citizenship crisis. Senator Parry has indicated that he will resign from parliament if he is deemed to be a British citizen, rather than allow the matter to be referred to the High Court. Other parliamentarians may attract greater scrutiny in the wake of Parry’s revelation.

CORPORATES
LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, HIGH COURT OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT, UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY, GREAT BRITAIN. HOME OFFICE

Unions to take attack on Cash to marginals

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 4 : 31-Oct-17

ACTU secretary Sally McManus says growth in wages has reached a record low since Michaelia Cash became the Employment Minister. The union movement intends to highlight Cash’s ministerial record in an advertising campaign that will focus on Coalition-held marginal seats in Western Australia. Cash has continued to attract scrutiny after her office leaked details of a police raid on Australian Workers’ Union offices.

CORPORATES
ACTU, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, AUSTRALIAN WORKERS’ UNION-FEDERATION OF INDUSTRIAL, MANUFACTURING AND ENGINEERING EMPLOYEES, AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Labor to target Nats’ decisions

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 9 : 30-Oct-17

A study of the Constitution suggests that any ministerial decisions made by the National Party’s Barnaby Joyce and Fiona Nash after 20 October 2016 could be legally challenged after the High Court ruled that they are not eligible to sit in parliament. Labor has made no secret of the fact that it plans to make life difficult for the Federal Government during Joyce’s absence from the House of Representatives. Joyce will have recontest his seat of New England in a by-election on 2 December.

CORPORATES
HIGH COURT OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, AUSTRALIAN PESTICIDES AND VETERINARY MEDICINES AUTHORITY, ONE NATION PARTY, QUEENSLAND. DEPT OF THE PREMIER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, AUSTRALIA. JOINT STANDING COMMITTEE ON ELECTORAL MATTERS

Cash staves off calls to quit, calls in cops

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Original article by Phillip Coorey, David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 27-Oct-17

Employment Minister Michaelia Cash continues to attract scrutiny over allegations that her office leaked details of a police raid on the offices of the Australian Workers’ Union. She has suggested that the Australian Federal Police should investigate the source of the leak, and raised the possibility that it may have been the Registered Organisations Commission. Meanwhile, the Opposition has accused Cash of misleading Parliament after stating that her office was not the source of the leak. Her media adviser subsequently resigned after admitting that he had given the media advance notice of the raids.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN WORKERS’ UNION-FEDERATION OF INDUSTRIAL, MANUFACTURING AND ENGINEERING EMPLOYEES, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE, AUSTRALIA. REGISTERED ORGANISATIONS COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK OMBUDSMAN