AUSTRALIA – POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Bank GST for company tax cut plan

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Original article by Jacob Greber
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 9-Nov-15

The Parliamentary Budget Office estimates that the goods and services tax will generate revenue of $A18bn over the next four years. However, increasing the tax to 15 per cent and broadening its scope to include financial services could potentially lift revenue to around $A27bn over four years. This is one of the options that will be considered by the Federal Government, and has been advocated by South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. PARLIAMENTARY BUDGET OFFICE, SOUTH AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PREMIER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND

BCA says cut taxes for business first

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 6-Nov-15

Business Council of Australia president Catherine Livingstone argues that a lower corporate tax rate should be at the top of the Federal Government’s tax reform agenda. She notes that reducing the corporate tax burden has been proven to be most effective at boosting innovation and economic growth in other countries. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has stressed that tax reforms will not gain widespread public support unless they are seen to be fair.

CORPORATES
BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, DELOITTE TOUCHE TOHMATSU LIMITED

Turnbull lays path to tax reform

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Original article by Sid Maher
The Australian – Page: 4 : 5-Nov-15

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull will use the Rebuilding Foundations for Reform conference on 5 November 2015 to outline the Federal Government’s reform agenda, which will include changes to the tax system. Treasurer Scott Morrison will also address the conference, and he will emphasise the need for changes to an "inefficient and costly" tax regime that will eventually hinder jobs growth and Australia’s attraction as an investment destination. Morrison’s speech will also embrace issues such as competition laws and innovation policy.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE. INSTITUTE OF APPLIED ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL RESEARCH, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION

Federal Voting Intention virtually unchanged – L-NP (56.5%) leads ALP (43.5%) – biggest lead for L-NP since April 2013

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Morgan Poll Update – Page: Online : 3-Nov-15

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 is at 56.5 per cent (up 0.5 per cent) compared to the Australian Labor Party’s 43.5 per cent (down 0.5 per cent). If a Federal Election were held now the Coalition would win easily. The poll, which was carried out on the weekends of 24-25 October 2015 and 31 October – 1 November 2015, also shows that the Roy Morgan Government Confidence Rating is unchanged at 112, with 48 per cent (up one per cent) of Australians saying Australia is "heading in the right direction" and 36 per cent (up one per cent) saying Australia is "heading in the wrong direction". Roy Morgan Research executive chairman Gary Morgan says the Turnbull Government’s honeymoon continues.

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

Budget bottom line to take $5b hit

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Original article by Laura Tingle
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 2-Nov-15

The Australian Government’s mid-year Budget review is expected to include lost revenue and spending costs of about $A5bn over the next four years. Some informed sources have suggested that this figure could even be within the range of $A6bn to $A8bn. Much of the cost blowout is expected to be included in the 2015-16 Budget.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, DELOITTE ACCESS ECONOMICS PTY LTD, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING

Government prepares to move on reach rule

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Original article by Dominic White, Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 28 : 2-Nov-15

The Australian Government is believed to be planning to legislate to abolish the so-called "reach rule" before the end of 2015. However, it is uncertain whether scrapping the "two-out-of-three" rule is also on the agenda at present. The Government’s proposed changes to cross-media ownership laws have some support within the Australian Labor Party, although there are some concerns within both the Opposition and the Australian Greens about the impact on media diversity if the "two-out-of-three" rule is abolished.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, PALMER UNITED PARTY, PRIME MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX PRT, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, IMPARJA TELEVISION PTY LTD

Media reach rule set to be axed

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Original article by David Crowe
The Australian – Page: 2 : 30-Oct-15

The Australian Labor Party supports the Federal Government’s plan to abolish the so-called "reach rule" as part of its proposed cross-media ownership reforms. However, there is less support within Labor’s ranks for scrapping the "two-out-of-three rule". Communications Minister Mitch Fifield has signalled that he is keen to proceed with media reforms, but concedes that it will depend on support in the Senate.

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

Coalition warms to nuclear

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Original article by Laura Tingle
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 28-Oct-15

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has responded to calls for a moratorium on coal exports and new coal mines by arguing that doing so would actually increase carbon emissions. He notes that Australian coal tends to be much cleaner than that of other countries. Meanwhile, the Federal Government’s submission to the Nuclear Royal Commission in South Australia presses the case for considering nuclear power as part of the nation’s future energy mix.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND SCIENCE, AUSTRALIA. OFFICE OF THE CHIEF SCIENTIST, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN CONSERVATION FOUNDATION INCORPORATED, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS

Coalition plans innovative tax breaks

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 28-Oct-15

Innovation Minister Christopher Pyne has indicated that tax measures will be a focus of the Australian Government’s innovation statement. The statement will propose measures aimed at encouraging greater collaboration between science and industry. Australian Chamber of Commerce & Industry CEO Kate Carnell has stressed the need for greater co-operation between the business sector and universities.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND SCIENCE, AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, AUSTRALIA. OFFICE OF THE CHIEF SCIENTIST, CSIRO, ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Union influence out of control: Ferguson

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 27-Oct-15

Former ACTU president Martin Ferguson believes that trade unions have too much influence over the Australian Labor Party. The former federal MP has criticised Labor’s resistance to changes to the industrial relations system. Australian Workers’ Union national secretary Scott McDine has dismissed Ferguson’s criticism as hypocritical. As chairman of Tourism Accommodation Australia, Ferguson represents the interests of employers in the tourism sector.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, ACTU, AUSTRALIAN WORKERS’ UNION-FEDERATION OF INDUSTRIAL, MANUFACTURING AND ENGINEERING EMPLOYEES, AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE, TOURISM ACCOMMODATION AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN HOTELS ASSOCIATION