AUSTRALIA – POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

TV on track for licence fee cut

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Original article by Dominic White
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 25-Jan-16

The Department of Communications has recommended a reduction in the annual licence fee paid by Australia’s free-to-air TV networks. Such a move could increase industry support for proposed changes to cross-media ownership laws, although Communications Minister Mitch Fifield has warned that any reduction in licence fees would have to be accompanied by increased revenue or measures to cut costs elsewhere.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN SUBSCRIPTION TELEVISION AND RADIO ASSOCIATION (ASTRA) INCORPORATED, SCREEN PRODUCERS AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Morrison vows strong changes to tax system

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Original article by Primrose Riordan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 22-Jan-16

The GST and superannuation tax concessions may be the Australian Government’s tax reform agenda, while Treasurer Scott Morrison has indicated that the corporate tax rate may also be under scrutiny. Meanwhile, Morrison says recent financial market volatility is likely to influence the timing of the 2016 federal election, and will most likely rule out an early poll. Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has warned that increasing the GST in the wake of the sharemarket rout would hurt consumer confidence.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, SOUTH AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PREMIER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

ICAC clears Sinodinos over corruption claims

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Original article by Sharri Markson
The Australian – Page: 4 : 21-Jan-16

The New South Wales Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) has found no evidence of corruption involving Senator Arthur Sinodinos. The ICAC investigated claims of funds being fraudulently donated to the Liberal Party by Sydney Water, through Australian Water Holdings. The anti-corruption body stated that no public official was involved in the case.

CORPORATES
NEW SOUTH WALES. INDEPENDENT COMMISSION AGAINST CORRUPTION, SYDNEY WATER CORPORATION, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN WATER HOLDINGS PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, HIGH COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Call for local news content ‘Stalinist’

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Original article by Dominic White
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 6 : 18-Jan-16

The issue of local news coverage by regional TV broadcasters is under scrutiny as the Australian Governments prepares to pursue changes to cross-media ownership laws. WIN Corporation and Prime Media Group generally exceed their local content requirements, but the National Party has proposed that the regional broadcasters be subject to new requirements regarding local content in return for the abolition of the "reach rule".

CORPORATES
NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, PRIME MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX PRT, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL-NATIONAL PARTY OF QUEENSLAND, SMI MEDIA INCORPORATED, SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA AUTHORITY

Security ‘key to foreign investing’

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Original article by Brendan Nicholson
The Australian – Page: 2 : 18-Jan-16

Offshore investment in key Australian infrastructure is under scrutiny in the wake of the Northern Territory Government’s deal to lease the Port of Darwin to a Chinese company. The Australian Strategic Policy Institu­te’s submission to a Senate inquiry argues that the existing procedures for assessing proposed foreign investments are insufficient. It adds that while Australia must continue to welcome offshore investment, the question of national security must be given precedence.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN STRATEGIC POLICY INSTITUTE LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. FOREIGN INVESTMENT REVIEW BOARD, AUSTRALIA. NATIONAL SECURITY COMMITTEE, PORT OF DARWIN, LANDBRIDGE GROUP COMPANY LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. SENATE STANDING COMMITTEE ON ECONOMICS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF DEFENCE, AUSTRALIAN SECURITY INTELLIGENCE ORGANISATION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ

L-NP lead down over ALP – now 56% (down 1.5%) cf. 44% (up 1.5%) although L-NP would still win Federal Election easily

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Morgan Poll Update – Page: Online : 11-Jan-16

A multi-mode Morgan Poll on Federal voting intention has found that support for Australia’s ruling Liberal-National Coalition on a two-party preferred basis has fallen by 1.5 per cent to 56 per cent. The poll, which was carried out on the weekends of 2-3 and 9-1 January 2016, also shows that the Coalition’s primary vote has fallen by one per cent to 47 per cent, but the Roy Morgan Government Confidence Rating has risen by 1.5 points to 116.5. Roy Morgan Research executive chairman Gary Morgan says that although the latest Morgan Poll shows that the L-NP Government continues to enjoy widespread support, the sharp falls on the Australian sharemarket last week show that the Australian economy faces a tough year as the Chinese economy slows and the Australian mining industry is heavily impacted by falling commodities prices across the board. Apart from overseas concerns the main issue for the Government as it faces re-election this year is to outline a credible plan to tackle Australia’s high real unemployment rate.

CORPORATES
MORGAN POLL, ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, KATTER’S AUSTRALIAN PARTY, PALMER UNITED PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Coalition starts IR charm offensive

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Original article by Primrose Riordan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 2 : 12-Jan-16

The Australian Government will need the support of six crossbench senators to get the Australian Building and Construction Commission Bill through the upper house. The Senate has already rejected the legislation twice, but the Government is committed to introducing it again when Parliament resumes in early February 2016. The proposed industrial relations reforms are aimed at cracking down on unions in the wake of the Royal Commission into Trade Union Corruption and Governance.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO TRADE UNION GOVERNANCE AND CORRUPTION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HEALTH

Bosses want ban on union tactic

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Original article by Joanna Mather
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 11-Jan-16

The final report of the Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption noted that pattern bargaining is a major issue in the construction industry. However, it not recommend a total ban on the practice as it does not seem to be widespread in other industries. Master Builders Australia CEO Wilhelm Harnisch has urged the Federal Government to introduce laws to prohibit pattern bargaining in the building industry, arguing that it increases construction costs and undermines productivity.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO TRADE UNION GOVERNANCE AND CORRUPTION, MASTER BUILDERS AUSTRALIA INCORPORATED, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO THE BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

Unionists face bans

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Original article by Annika Smethurst
Herald Sun – Page: 13 : 11-Jan-16

The Australian Government will resubmit the Registered Organisations Bill to the Senate when Parliament resumes in February 2016. The revised bill is expected to include measures aimed at union officials who breach the law, including financial penalties and bans on them holding office. They are among the recommendations of the final report of the Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO TRADE UNION GOVERNANCE AND CORRUPTION, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, VICTORIA POLICE, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT

ACCC wants to curb oligopoly power

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Original article by Misa Han
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 7 : 11-Jan-16

Australian Competition & Consumer Commission chairman Rod Sims has urged the Federal Government to strengthen laws aimed at companies that abuse their market power. He advocates scrapping rules which require the competition regulator to prove that a company took advantage of its market power. He notes that large companies can use this defence by arguing that small business could do the same thing, even if they are not in a position to do so.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, TYRO PAYMENTS, CLIFFORD CHANCE, APPLE INCORPORATED, BLACKBERRY LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, UBER TECHNOLOGIES INCORPORATED, AIRBNB INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, GOOGLE INCORPORATED