AUSTRALIA – POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Militant super union a step closer

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Original article by David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 13-Jul-17

The Construction, Forestry, Mining & Energy Union has submitted a formal application to merge with two smaller unions. It wants the Maritime Union of Australia and the Textile, Clothing & Footwear Union to be exempt from a ballot, given their much smaller membership bases. Meanwhile, the Australian Mines & Metals Association has expressed concern about the potential impact of the proposed mega-union on the supply chain across the resources and energy sector. It will lobby the Federal Government to introduce laws requiring union mergers to satisfy a public interest test.

CORPORATES
CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, MARITIME UNION OF AUSTRALIA, TEXTILE, CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR UNION OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN MINES AND METALS ASSOCIATION (INCORPORATED), AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, CHEVRON CORPORATION, GORGON PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Get on with energy fix

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Original article by Ben Potter
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 8 : 12-Jul-17

The Finkel energy review will be on the agenda for the Council of Australian Governments Energy Council meeting on 14 July. Australian Energy Market Operator CEO Audrey Zibelman has urged the nation’s energy ministers to endorse the Finkel review to enable appropriate action to be taken to ensure Australia’s energy security. Zibelman notes that the falling cost is prompting businesses, consumers and power companies to embrace renewable energy without the presence of a clean energy target.

CORPORATES
COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENTS. ENERGY COUNCIL, AUSTRALIAN ENERGY MARKET OPERATOR LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN ENERGY MARKET COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN ENERGY REGULATOR, COMMITTEE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF AUSTRALIA

PM’s pitch as business rebounds

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Original article by Adam Creed
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 2 : 12-Jul-17

National Australia Bank’s latest business survey shows that there was a month-on-month improvement in sales, profits and trading conditions in June 2017. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who addressed a business forum in London on 11 July, cited the data as proof that the Australian economy is growing and has not been unduly affected by a fall in mining investment. He attributed the continued resilience of the domestic economy to factors such as Australia’s stance on free trade. Shadow treasurer Chris Bowen argues that low wages growth is the main issue of concern for workers.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, ARRIUM LIMITED – ASX ARI, PACIFIC INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT COMPANY LLC, HSBC AUSTRALIA HOLDINGS PTY LTD, ENERGYAUSTRALIA PTY LTD, HARVEY NORMAN HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX HVN, AMAZON.COM INCORPORATED, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA

Set energy target or feel price pain: gas boss

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Original article by Matt Chambers
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 11-Jul-17

EnergyAustralia has urged the Federal Government to introduce a clean energy target within 12 months. This would allow the company to proceed with two gas-fired power stations in New South Wales. EnergyAustralia says the two plants would help offset the loss of the output from AGL Energy’s Liddell coal-fired power station, which is slated to close in 2022. However, EnergyAustralia warns that there is a limited time-frame to commence these projects, as gas-fired power stations typically take three years to build.

CORPORATES
ENERGYAUSTRALIA PTY LTD, AGL ENERGY LIMITED – ASX AGL, CLP HOLDINGS LIMITED, ALCOA OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY

Fears a Trump tariff will spike dumping

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Original article by Andrew Tillett
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 11-Jul-17

Australian Steel Institute CEO Tony Dixon has welcomed reports that Australian steel and aluminium will be exempt from proposed new US import tariffs. However, Dixon has raised concerns that Australia could face an influx of low-cost imported steel from countries that are barred from the US market under the new tariffs regime. The Opposition has also stressed the need to protect local industries and jobs by ensuring that anti-dumping laws are enforced.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN STEEL INSTITUTE LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, BLUESCOPE STEEL LIMITED – ASX BSL

We’re not conservatives: PM

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Original article by Simon Benson, Tony Shepherd
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 11-Jul-17

Amid growing tensions between the moderate and conservative factions of the Liberal Party, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has argued that the party has always been centrist rather than conservative. He said Robert Menzies’ intention was for the party to be centre-right when it was founded in 1944. Turnbull held talks with British Prime Minister Theresa May on 10 July, covering issues such as trade and investment between the two nations when the UK leaves the European Union.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, GREAT BRITAIN. OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, POLICY EXCHANGE

Company tax cut eligibility ‘mind-boggling’

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Original article by Joanna Mather
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 11-Jul-17

Tax experts say the Australian Taxation Office’s updated advice on the application of small business tax cuts to passive family investment companies does little to clarify the situation. The ATO previously advised that the 27.5 per cent tax rate will apply to companies whose activities are "passive", but this has been changed to "relatively passive" in a revised statement. Mark Leibler of law firm Arnold Bloch Leibler says the Federal Government clearly intended for the tax cuts to apply solely to businesses that actively trade.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN TAXATION OFFICE, ARNOLD BLOCH LEIBLER, THE TAX INSTITUTE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL OF SOCIAL SERVICE

Fifield warns ALP on job losses

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Original article by Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 24 : 10-Jul-17

Communications Minister Mitch Fifield has urged the Australian Labor Party to support cross-media ownership reforms, arguing that there is unanimous support within the media industry for change. Labor continues to oppose abolition of the "two-out-of-three" rule, and communications spokeswoman Michelle Rowland says the reforms would have been passed by Parliament long ago if the Government had dropped this aspect of its media package.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, ONE NATION PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, PRIME MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX PRT, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, AUSTRALIAN SUBSCRIPTION TELEVISION AND RADIO ASSOCIATION (ASTRA) INCORPORATED, FREE TV AUSTRALIA LIMITED, COMMERCIAL RADIO AUSTRALIA LIMITED

Disgruntled Libs line up to hear Bernardi

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Original article by Brad Norington
The Australian – Page: 2 : 7-Jul-17

Peter Wells, the former secretary of the Liberal Party’s Roseville branch, is keen for Liberal defector Cory Bernardi to speak to its members on the issue of "Is the Party Over?". Wells, who says he is disenchanted with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and does not to intend to renew his membership of the party, contends that Turnbull’s government has undermined many traditional conservative values. The policies to which Wells objects include the bank tax and the schools funding package.

CORPORATES
LIBERAL PARTY OF NEW SOUTH WALES, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, SYDNEY

Union backs new media plan

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Original article by Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 2 : 7-Jul-17

Senator Nick Xenophon has proposed a range of measures aimed at preserving media diversity in talks with Communications Minister Mitch Fifield regarding cross-media ownership reforms. Media, ­Entertainment & Arts Alliance CEO Paul Murphy has welcomed Xenophon’s proposal to provide tax breaks for small and regional publications. Abolition of the "two-out-of-three" rule remains a stumbling block for the Federal Government, with continued opposition from the Australian Labor Party and One Nation.

CORPORATES
MEDIA, ENTERTAINMENT AND ARTS ALLIANCE, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, ONE NATION PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, GOOGLE INCORPORATED