AUSTRALIA – POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Senate deal could see whistleblower bounty

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Original article by Matthew Knott, Georgia Wilkins
The Age – Page: 4 : 23-Nov-16

Senate crossbenchers Nick Xenophon and Derryn Hinch have warned that the Australian Government will face a backlash if it tries to back down on a deal to increase protection for whistleblowers. The Government agreed to the reforms in return for support for its bill to establish a registered organisations commission. The US system of paying bounties to whistleblowers is being considered by a parliamentary inquiry, which will report its recommendations by mid-2017.

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NICK XENOPHON TEAM, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, UNITED STATES. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION, 7-ELEVEN STORES PTY LTD, GRIFFITH UNIVERSITY

ABCC set for action on site by year’s end

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Original article by David Crowe
The Australian – Page: 4 : 23-Nov-16

The Federal Government may wait until the final week of parliament to pursue its bill to reinstate the Australian Building & Construction Commission. It is optimistic that the majority of Senate cross-benchers will support the ABCC bill, after all but one voted for the bill to establish a registered organisations commission. The Government is holding talks with the Nick Xenophon Team regarding amendments to the ABCC bill to provide subcontractors with security of payment in the proposed building code.

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AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, FAIR WORK BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, ONE NATION PTY LTD, LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS

ABCC could lead to rise in wages

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Original article by David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 10 : 18-Nov-16

Alice DeBoos, a partner at law firm K&L Gates, warns that wages in the construction sector could increase due to the Federal Government’s proposed building code. She says enterprise bargaining agreements that have been made since April 2014 will need to be renegotiated in order to comply with the code, and unions will seek a trade-off in return for scrapping non-compliant clauses. Senator Nick Xenophon and the Australian Industry Group have also expressed concern about the retrospective nature of the code.

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K&L GATES LLP, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA

Employers fear deals at risk with federal code

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 5 : 17-Nov-16

The Federal Government’s proposed building code will apply retrospectively to enterprise agreements signed since April 2014. Employers want the code to apply only to agreements struck after the code takes effect. Employment Minister Michaelia Cash has stressed that anxiety about the code is not warranted as it would apply only to new government contracts. The code will be introduced if the Australian Building & Construction Commission legislation is passed by Parliament.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP

PM offers changes to secure IR bills

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Original article by David Crowe
The Australian – Page: 5 : 17-Nov-16

The Australian Government is willing to make amendments to its industrial relations bills in order to gain the Senate’s support when Parliament resumes. The Government will push ahead with the bill to establish a Registered Organisations Commission on 21 November 2016, and the proposed amendments are believed to include protection for whistleblowers and a stricter audit regime. The bill to reinstate the Australian Building & Construction Commission will be debated on 22 November. The bills will require the support of at least eight cross-benchers.

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AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, FAMILY FIRST PARTY AUSTRALIA LIMITED, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, ONE NATION PARTY, LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY

Trump tax cuts must be matched

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Original article by Jacob Greber, Phillip Coorey, Misa Han
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 17-Nov-16

Federal Treasurer Scott Morrison says official data showing that annual wages growth fell below two per cent in the September 2016 quarter demonstrates the need for company tax reform. He adds that Australia will become less competitive if it does not cut the tax rate and US president-elect Donald Trump reduces company taxes to 15 per cent. Business Council of Australia CEO Jennifer Westacott will also highlight the need for corporate tax reform at the organisation’s annual dinner on 17 November.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS, LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY, AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN AUSTRALIA, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA

Business forced to train locals

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 15-Nov-16

Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten will outline plans aimed at ensuring that employers give priority to hiring and training Australian workers rather than using the 457 visa system to fill labour shortages. Data shows that more than 95,000 temporary foreign workers are currently employed on 457 visas in 20 industries. The Opposition has also signalled that it will closely scrutinise any future free trade agreements to ensure that Australian workers are not disadvantaged.

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AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, TRANS-PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP, ASIA-PACIFIC ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION, ONE NATION PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS

Gary Morgan’s comment on October unemployment: Donald Trump’s victory in US Presidential race shows electors believe real unemployment is higher than official statistics suggest

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Original article by Gary Morgan, Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 15-Nov-16

US President-elect Donald Trump consistently stated during his campaign that real unemployment in the US was well over 20% or even 25% rather than the official Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) U3 figure – now at 4.9% for October 2016. In May Trump stated: "We have tremendous deficits. Don’t believe the 5 per cent. The real [unemployment] number is 20 per cent. The United States is dying from within, its domestic infrastructure is crumbling and successive administrations have wasted $5 trillion in the Middle East instead of using the money to create jobs and prosperity at home." Trump’s successful candidacy shows that many Americans agree with the new President that the official unemployment figures are considerably under-stated. There is a clear lesson for Australian politicians in Trump’s success.

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ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, UNITED STATES. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS

TPP dead but free-trade deal still on

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Original article by Joe Kelly
The Australian – Page: 5 : 11-Nov-16

Australia’s Trade Minister Steve Ciobo has acknowledged that the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership is unlikely to proceed after Donald Trump won the US presidential election. Kim Beazley, Australia’s former ambassador to Washington, also says Trump’s victory has assured the TPP’s demise, but he stresses the need for Australia to retain strong trade ties, particularly with Asia. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull does not expect the Trump presidency to have any effect on the Australia-US free-trade agreement, which came into effect in 2005.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, TRANS-PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, REPUBLICAN PARTY (UNITED STATES)

Turnbull reaffirms Paris accord

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Original article by Sarah Martin
The Australian – Page: 4 : 11-Nov-16

The Australian Government will not change its commitment to the Paris Agreement on climate change. US President-elect Donald Trump signalled his willingness to withdraw from the Paris Agreement, but Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said Australia will continue to pursue its action on global warming. Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg will participate in a global meeting in Morocco in mid-November 2016.

CORPORATES
UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND SCIENCE, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA