AUSTRALIA – POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Labor gains ground as Coalition bickers

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1&8 : 17-Aug-15

The latest Fairfax-Ipsos poll shows that the Australian Opposition is ahead of the Coalition by 54 per cent to 46 per cent on a two-party preferred basis. The poll was conducted on 13-15 August 2015. Opposition Leader Bill Shorten’s approval rating increased four points to 39 per cent. Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s approval rating declined a point to 35 per cent.

CORPORATES
FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, IPSOS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO TRADE UNION GOVERNANCE AND CORRUPTION, AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT, AUSTRALIAN GREENS

Boral lobbies senators for ABCC

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 8 : 12-Aug-15

Boral CEO Mike Kane has met with Senate crossbenchers to persuade them to support the legislation that reinstates the Australian Building & Construction Commission (ABCC). The Senate will vote on the ABCC bill in mid-August 2015. Australian Mines & Metals Association CEO Steve Knott urged crossbenchers to support the bill.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION, BORAL LIMITED – ASX BLD, AUSTRALIAN MINES AND METALS ASSOCIATION (INCORPORATED), AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Gay marriage rocks PM

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Phillip Coorey, Laura Tingle
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1&8 : 12-Aug-15

A special meeting of Coalition MPs and senators, held on 11 August 2015, was devoted to the divisive issue of gay marriage. The proposal to introduce same-sex marriage through legislative changes was defeated by 66 votes to 33. Prime Minster Tony Abbott said the issue will be considered again in the next term of Parliament. His preferred option is a referendum which would allow the public to decide on gay marriage.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Heat is on as emissions goal goes to cabinet

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Laura Tingle
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 10-Aug-15

The Australian federal cabinet will meet on 10 August 2015 to discuss the emissions target. The cabinet is likely to endorse a reduction in Australian carbon emissions by between 15 and 25 per cent by 2030. The Climate Change Authority recommended a much higher target, but Prime Minister Tony Abbott argued that a "practical approach" was more appropriate.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. CLIMATE CHANGE AUTHORITY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, CLIMATE INSTITUTE (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

ACTU insider says Work Choices scare campaign will fail

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Ewin Hannan, Patrick Durkin
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1&7 : 7-Aug-15

Former ACTU assistant secretary Tim Lyons dismisses comparisons between the WorkChoices regime and the Productivity Commission’s recommendations on industrial relations reform. The proposed reforms have been criticised by unions and the Australian Labor Party, but Lyons warns that younger workers in particular are unlikely to be swayed by any campaign linking the recommendations to WorkChoices. The proposed reforms have been welcomed by business leader Tony Shepherd.

CORPORATES
ACTU, AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, 3AW SOUTHERN CROSS RADIO PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, PER CAPITA AUSTRALIA LIMITED

Hunt slams lobbyists for Adani hold-up

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Mark Ludlow
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 6-Aug-15

Federal Environment Minister Greg Hunt has accused environmental activists of using litigation as often as possible to obstruct the approval process for mining projects. On 5 August 2015, the Federal Court of Australia set aside environmental approval for the Carmichael coal mine project in Queensland, to be developed by Indian company Adani. The litigant, the Mackay Conservation Group, is confident that the mine will not be built, but Hunt has vowed to issue a new approval as quickly as possible.

CORPORATES
FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA, ADANI MINING PTY LTD, MACKAY CONSERVATION GROUP INCORPORATED, QUEENSLAND. DEPT OF MINES AND ENERGY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT

Billson slams BCA ‘utter nonsense’

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 5-Aug-15

The Australian Government’s cabinet ministers have endorsed a proposal to add a so-called "effects test" to the Competition and Consumer Act. The reform was one of 56 recommendations made by the Harper review of competition laws, and is supported by the Australian Chamber of Commerce & Industry. However, the Business Council of Australia maintains that an effects test would adversely affect competition and make companies more vulnerable to litigation.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, THE AVALON, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY AND SCIENCE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Softly, softly IR push

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 8 : 5-Aug-15

Tourism Accommodation Australia chairman Martin Ferguson has urged the Federal Government to look at implementing the Productivity Commission’s proposed changes to penalty rates. The draft report recommends reducing Sunday penalty rates for workers in sectors such as hospitality and retailing to the level that applies for people who work on Saturdays. It also recommends allowing small and medium enterprises to offer new employees a statutory enterprise contract that does not have to be approved by the Fair Work Commission.

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

Softly, softly IR push

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 8 : 5-Aug-15

Tourism Accommodation Australia chairman Martin Ferguson has urged the Federal Government to look at implementing the Productivity Commission’s proposed changes to penalty rates. The draft report recommends reducing Sunday penalty rates for workers in sectors such as hospitality and retailing to the level that applies for people who work on Saturdays. It also recommends allowing small and medium enterprises to offer new employees a statutory enterprise contract that does not have to be approved by the Fair Work Commission.

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

Billson slams BCA ‘utter nonsense’

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 5-Aug-15

The Australian Government’s cabinet ministers have endorsed a proposal to add a so-called "effects test" to the Competition and Consumer Act. The reform was one of 56 recommendations made by the Harper review of competition laws, and is supported by the Australian Chamber of Commerce & Industry. However, the Business Council of Australia maintains that an effects test would adversely affect competition and make companies more vulnerable to litigation.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, THE AVALON, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY AND SCIENCE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY