AUSTRALIA – POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Berry ‘poo’ scandal splits Abbott, Joyce

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Original article by Joanna Mather
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 10 : 19-Feb-15

Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Agriculture Minister Barnaby Jones disagree on product labelling rules. Joyce believes that stricter rules are necessary to protect consumers from health hazards. At least 11 Australians have contracted hepatitis after eating imported Chinese berries. Abbott opposes new regulations because they would lead to a greater bureaucratic burden for companies and higher prices for consumers

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF AGRICULTURE, PATTIES FOODS LIMITED – ASX PFL, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC

Morrison prefers housing carrot to pension stick

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 18-Feb-15

The Australian Government has ruled out subjecting a retiree’s home to an assets test for eligibility for the aged pension. Social Services Minister Scott Morrison has instead proposed allowing retirees to downsize to a smaller home without having their pension affected by the proceeds from the sale. Morrison notes that retirees who opt to downsize their home are currently penalised financially

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF SOCIAL SERVICES, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, COUNCIL ON THE AGEING, NATIONAL SENIORS AUSTRALIA LIMITED

Hockey puts tax debate on hold

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 13-Feb-15

The Australian Government will issue its tax white paper after the release of its intergenerational report. Treasurer Joe Hockey said on 12 February 2015 that the intergenerational report will provide significant information about factors that are likely to affect Australia’s tax policy. The Government had originally planned to release the tax white paper before Christmas 2014

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Hockey pushes for cuts

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 11-Feb-15

Treasurer Joe Hockey has conceded that the Federal Government’s May 2014 Budget may have been too ambitious. However, he argues that the Government must persist with Budget measures that have failed to pass the Senate if it is to achieve a surplus. These include the Medicare co-payment, deregulation of university fees and changes to the welfare system. Meanwhile, the Senate has passed the Government’s reforms to the regime for R&D tax breaks

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, PALMER UNITED PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HEALTH, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HUMAN SERVICES. MEDICARE AUSTRALIA, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, ASC PTY LTD

Rethink call for two-tier tax

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 7 : 11-Feb-15

Employers’ groups have expressed concern about a proposal to reduce the corporate tax rate for small businesses while retaining the existing rate that applies to large companies. Australian Chamber of Commerce & Industry CEO Kate Carnell says businesses will face more red tape if the Federal Government implements a "two-tiered" corporate tax system. She has urged the Government to consult the business sector on the issue

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT

Foreign property buyers face stiff fees amid crackdown

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Original article by Joanna Heath
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 10-Feb-15

The Treasury is investigating a number of cases of suspected illegal residential property acquisitions in Australia. A parliamentary inquiry into the matter issued a report in November 2014 which contains 12 recommendations. The committee recommended the introduction of an administrative fee for foreign buyers of between $A500 and $A1,500 to fund the compliance work of the Foreign Investment Review Board and the Treasury

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. FOREIGN INVESTMENT REVIEW BOARD, AUSTRALIA. PARLIAMENTARY BUDGET OFFICE, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Budget the big casualty

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Original article by Laura Tingle
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 10-Feb-15

The Liberal Party of Australia’s motion for a leadership spill failed on 9 February 2015, although the future of Prime Minister Tony Abbott remains tenuous. The motion to dump Abbott was defeated by just 11 votes, but the leadership turmoil will put the Federal Government’s Budget strategy under scrutiny. Abbott has conceded that the May 2014 Budget may have been overly ambitious, and many of the initiatives outlined on Budget night are in doubt. There will also be much uncertainty about the upcoming 2015 Budget

CORPORATES
LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HUMAN SERVICES. MEDICARE AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

ALP increases lead before Abbott’s ‘Pyrrhic victory’ in today’s L-NP leadership vote; Government Confidence drops to 89

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Morgan Poll Update – Page: Online : 9-Feb-15

A multi-mode Morgan Poll on Federal voting intention has found that support for the Coalition on a two-party preferred basis has fallen by one per cent to 42.5 per cent. The poll, which was carried out on the weekends of 31 January-1 February and 7-8 February 2015, also shows that support for the Australian Labor Party has risen by one per cent to 57.5 per cent. Roy Morgan Research executive chairman Gary Morgan says that following the defeat of the motion for a leadership spill, the New South Wales election will be the next test for Prime Minister Tony Abbott, and a close result or a loss would throw the Liberal Party back into "crisis mode"

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

Abbott to keep challenge at bay

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 9-Feb-15

Sources within the Federal Government suggest that between 35 and 40 Coalition MPs are likely to vote in favour of a leadership spill on 9 February 2015. Supporters of the attempt to oust Prime Minister Tony Abbott require at least 52 of the 102 votes to be cast in order for the spill to proceed. However, some observers believe that even if Abbott triumphs it could be only a matter of time before he faces another leadership challenge

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, 2GB, MACQUARIE RADIO NETWORK LIMITED – ASX MRN, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, THE NIELSEN COMPANY (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, LIBERAL PARTY OF NEW SOUTH WALES, NEW SOUTH WALES. DEPT OF PREMIER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT

Dump Credlin or Turnbull gets it, warn supporters

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

There is growing speculation that Prime Minister Tony Abbott will face a leadership spill when Parliament resumes in the week beginning 9 February 2015. One MP has said that Abbott is "on the brink" and say he should sack chief of staff Peta Credlin to gain himself some time to turn around the government’s fortunes. The MP adds that the Coalition could dump Abbott in favour of Malcolm Turnbull if Credlin remains in her post. National Party leader Warren Truss has declared his support for Abbott

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA