AUSTRALIA – POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

50-year rule for coal-fired power stations gathers steam

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Original article by Sarah Martin
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 11-Apr-17

The Federal Government is understood to be considering a new mechanism for ensuring a smooth transition to renewable energy. Having rejected the idea of an emissions intensity scheme, the Government is believed to be planning to adopt a "50-year rule" for coal-fired power stations. The idea has the support of the Business Council of Australia, with CEO Jennifer Westacott saying it would enable the closure of coal-fired power plants to be staggered.

CORPORATES
BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY, AUSTRALIAN ENERGY MARKET COMMISSION

Coalition forced to mull ‘broader’ media reform

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 29 : 10-Apr-17

The Australian Government will consider more extensive media reforms after failing to secure the Senate’s support for its cross-media ownership bill in the last session of Parliament before the May 2017 Budget. The reforms could include changes to the anti-siphoning list for sports events and a further reduction in broadcasting licence fees. The latter is likely to be reduced over time in order to reduce its impact on the Budget.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, PRIME MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX PRT

Networks seek end to kids’ TV quotas

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Original article by Mitchell Bingemann
The Australian – Page: 23 : 10-Apr-17

Australia’s commercial free-to-air networks have argued that the growing range of viewing options means the quota system for children’s programming is no longer appropriate. The networks’ submissions to the Federal Government’s arts inquiry noted that children are spending less time watching TV content on free-to-air, citing factors such as the emergence of streaming services and growing viewership of ABC channels among young audiences.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION

Stalled India trade reboot

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 10-Apr-17

Progressing a free trade deal will be high on the agenda of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull during his three-day visit to India. Two-way trade between Australia and India was worth over $A19 billion in 2015-16, but Turnbull believes there is no reason why it should not be worth a lot more. The major sticking points to striking a free trade deal are seen to be Australia’s wish for greater access to India’s agricultural market and India’s desire for better access to Australia’s labour market.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, ADANI MINING PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING, THE GROUP OF EIGHT LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE

Living standards leap as Asia trade deals deliver

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Original article by Simon Benson
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 3-Apr-17

Data from the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade highlights the economic benefits of Australia’s free trade agreements with Japan, South Korea and China. There has been a 140 per cent increase in goods exported to these countries since 2014. Wine, sugar, grapes and beef are among the products that have enjoyed strong growth in exports under the FTAs. Trade Minister Steve Ciobo notes that exports contributed to a five per cent increase in real disposable income during the December 2016 quarter.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. OFFICE OF THE CHIEF ECONOMIST, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY

CFMEU threatens building chaos

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 1 & 5 : 3-Apr-17

The Construction, Forestry, Mining & Energy Union will refuse to renegotiate existing enterprise bargaining agreements to ensure that they comply with the Federal Government’s new building code. The CFMEU’s stance could result in many large construction groups being banned from gaining federal government contracts. Employment Minister Mich­ael­ia Cash argues that this will prevent CFMEU members from working on government-funded projects, while Master Builders Australia CEO Denita Wawn warns that it will increase the cost of such projects.

CORPORATES
CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, MASTER BUILDERS AUSTRALIA INCORPORATED, LEND LEASE GROUP LIMITED – ASX LLC, BROOKFIELD MULTIPLEX LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION, ACTU

Sugar the sweetener for One Nation to back media reform

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Original article by Mitchell Bingemann
The Australian – Page: 23 : 27-Mar-17

One Nation will not support cross-media ownership reforms unless the Federal Government agrees to back its push for a national code of conduct for the sugarcane industry. The Senate had been scheduled to debate the media bill in the week beginning 27 March, but One Nation will only support abolition of the "reach rule" and the "two-out-of-three" rule if the Government intervenes in a stand-off between Queensland sugarcane farmers and Wilmar International. The media reform bill requires the support of One Nation and the Nick Xenophon Team.

CORPORATES
ONE NATION PARTY, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, WILMAR INTERNATIONAL LIMITED, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Turnbull and Hanson back penalty pay cut

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Original article by Laura Tingle
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 6-Mar-17

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull says the Coalition accepts and supports the Fair Work Commission’s decision to reduce Sunday penalty rates. He also favours reducing penalty rates over a period of time to offset the impact on after-tax pay. One Nation founder Pauline Hanson also says she supports lower penalty rates "in principle". Hanson argues that small food retailers cannot compete with big chains whose employees’ union-negotiated enterprise bargaining agreements do not include penalty rates.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, ONE NATION PARTY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, McDONALD’S AUSTRALIA LIMITED

Abbott: PM must sell penalty rates cut harder

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Original article by Joe Kelly, David Crowe, Ewin Hannan, Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 3-Mar-17

Some Coalition MPs have urged Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to more actively promote the economic benefits of the Fair Work Commission’s decision on Sunday penalty rates. Former prime minister Tony Abbott has also urged Turnbull to place more emphasis on the potential for job creation as a result of the ruling, and says a proposal by Coalition backbencher Eric Abetz to "grandfather" the new penalty rates regime has merit. However, this is opposed by employers’ groups and the Australian Labor Party.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. OFFICE OF THE AUSTRALIAN SMALL BUSINESS AND FAMILY ENTERPRISE OMBUDSMAN, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Shorten pays penalty as IR attack undermined

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 24-Feb-17

The ACTU estimates that employees affected by the Fair Work Commission’s ruling on Sunday penalty rates face a reduction of between $1,800 and $A6,600 in their take-home pay. Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has committed to overturning the FWC’s decision, but Employ­ment Minister Michaelia Cash notes that the FWC was given powers to review penalty rates when Shorten was workplace relations minister. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in turn noted that Shorten has previously said he would accept the FWC’s ruling on penalty rates.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, ACTU, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, TOURISM ACCOMMODATION AUSTRALIA, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION