AUSTRALIA – POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Ownership laws set to face cabinet test

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Original article by Jake Mitchell, Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 23 : 22-Feb-16

Communications Minister Mitch Fifield is expected to present proposed cross-media ownership reforms to Cabinet on 22 February 2016, with legislation likely to be tabled in Parliament in mid-March. The reforms are likely to include the abolition of the "reach rule" and the "two-out-of-three" rule, although there may be no changes to the anti-siphoning list for sports broadcasts. The reforms are also likely to include measures to ensure that regional broadcasters continue to provide local content in the event of mergers in the sector.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, SINGTEL OPTUS PTY LTD, YOUTUBE INCORPORATED, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY LIMITED – ASX NEC, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, STAN ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Coalition has ‘failed’ to deliver on workplace policy promises

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Original article by James Massola
The Age – Page: 4 : 18-Feb-16

The Australian Government has made just four changes to industrial relations laws since taking office in September 2013. However, it has failed to make much progress on most of the 14 election policy commitments it made regarding industrial relations. Key policies such as reinstating the Australian Building & Construction Commission and changes to union right of entry laws have been stalled in the Senate.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. ROAD SAFETY REMUNERATION TRIBUNAL, AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT

Negative gearing debate sparks divisions, passion

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Original article by Anne Hyland, Larry Schlesinger
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 17-Feb-16

Mayne Pharma director Roger Corbett has urged the Australian Government to leave the negative gearing regime unchanged, arguing that it has increased the wealth of people on middle incomes. Yellow Brick Road’s Mark Bouris also opposes any change to negative gearing, warning of the impact on economic growth and the investment market. However, former Perpetual fund manager Peter Morgan and ex-Reserve Bank board member Warwick McKibbin favour the abolition of negative gearing.

CORPORATES
MAYNE PHARMA GROUP LIMITED – ASX MYX, YELLOW BRICK ROAD HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX YBR, PERPETUAL LIMITED – ASX PPT, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, WAL-MART STORES INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN TAXATION OFFICE, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY

Ministers told: stop spending

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Original article by Dennis Shanahan
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 17-Feb-16

Treasurer Scott Morrison will use a National Press Club speech on 17 February 2016 to stress the need to ensure that government spending does not exceed revenue. He will argue that increased taxation should not be used to lift revenue above expenditure, and caution against justifying new spending measures by offsetting them against savings achieved elsewhere. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has officially ruled out an increase in the GST but says action must be taken on the issue of income tax "bracket creep".

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, NATIONAL PRESS CLUB (AUSTRALIA), AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Liberals warn Nats could derail media changes

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Original article by Dominic White
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 17-Feb-16

Communications Minister Mitch Fifield hopes to introduce legislation to abolish the "reach rule" and the "two-out-of-three rule" by mid-2016. However, there are concerns that the cross-media ownership reform agenda may be threatened by the National Party’s stance on local content requirements for regional TV broadcasters. Liberal Senator Dean Smith says regional broadcasters are already struggling financially and any media reforms should not subject them to increased regulation.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA AUTHORITY, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, PRIME MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX PRT, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC

Liberal MPs wary on negative gearing

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

Discussions about negative gearing have a political aspect. Both the Coalition and the Opposition want to impose restrictions in this area despite resistance from investors. The Australian Labor Party has proposed limiting negative gearing to new homes, while Treasurer Scott Morrison favours limits on the number of negatively geared properties or a cap on annual tax deductions. Coalition MPs are worried about a backlash from voters.

CORPORATES
LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, PROPERTY COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Soaring tax load hits workers

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Original article by Dennis Shanahan, Sid Maher
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 16-Feb-16

The Heritage Foundation forecasts that Australia’s tax-to-GDP ratio could potentially rise to 27.5 per cent by 2019. The think tank has warned that this ratio will reach 25.9 per cent unless the Federal Government pursues tax reforms or there is a significant increase in global economic growth. The May 2015 Budget had projected a rise in the tax-to-GDP ratio to just 23.2 per cent by 2019. It had peaked at 24.2 per cent in 2005-06. Treasurer Scott Morrison has signalled that income tax reform remains on the agenda.

CORPORATES
THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL OF SOCIAL SERVICE, MINERALS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, IPSOS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, 2GB

Media shakeup: extra points for local TV news

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Original article by Laura Tingle
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 16-Feb-16

Proposed changes to Australia’s cross-media ownership laws will be presented to Cabinet ministers shortly. The National Party is believed to be close to accepting a deal to ensure that regional TV broadcasters continue to provide local content if the "reach rule" and the "two-out-of-three rule" are abolished. The Federal Government has proposed the introduction of a points system which would require regional broadcasters to provide around 30 minutes of local content each day.

CORPORATES
NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA AUTHORITY

Maurice Blackburn tops the list of political party donors

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Original article by Marianna Papadakis
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 32 : 12-Feb-16

Figures from the Australian Electoral Commission’s political donations register show that law firms donated $A287,551 to political parties in 2014-15. Some firms chose to make donations to both major parties, with Arnold Bloch Leibler being the biggest contributor in this category, donating $A89,400 in total. Maurice Blackburn emerged as the biggest donor to any one party, donating $A80,237 to the Australian Labor Party.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN ELECTORAL COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, ARNOLD BLOCH LEIBLER, MAURICE BLACKBURN PTY LTD, SLATER AND GORDON LIMITED – ASX SGH, THE CIVIC GROUP PTY LTD, WOODSIDE ENERGY LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN HOTELS AND HOSPITALITY ASSOCIATION, PRATT GROUP HOLDINGS PTY LTD, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, HOLDING REDLICH, CORRS CHAMBERS WESTGARTH, TURNER FREEMAN, KPMG AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, DELOITTE TOUCHE TOHMATSU LIMITED

Joyce’s ascension to spark PM’s overhaul

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Original article by Sid Maher, Joe Kelly
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 12-Feb-16

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull will make changes to his Cabinet team following the election of Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce as leader of the National Party. Joyce was the only contender for the leadership, while Fiona Nash won a fiercely-contested ballot for the role of deputy leader. The National Party is set to gain an additional Cabinet portfolio under a new agreement between the Coalition parties. Outgoing National Party leader Warren Truss has expressed confidence in his successor as party leader and Deputy Prime Minister.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF AGRICULTURE AND WATER RESOURCES, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HUMAN SERVICES, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA