AUSTRALIA – POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Gold miner says $1b project unviable after Plibersek intervention

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 20-Aug-24

Regis Resources has indicated that it will consider all legal options after federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek effectively blocked its McPhillamy gold and silver project in NSW. Plibersek contended that her decision to place heritage protections over the headwaters of the Belubula River will only impact the proposed site of the mine’s tailings dam, and will not prevent the project from proceeding. However, Regis argues that there are no viable alternative sites for the tailings dam; the company adds that the approvals process would have to be restarted if it seeks a new site for the dam, which could delay the project by 5-10 years.

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REGIS RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX RRL, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF CLIMATE CHANGE, ENERGY, THE ENVIRONMENT AND WATER

ALP set to rush CFMEU law through Senate

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 4 : 14-Aug-24

The Coalition still has some concerns about the federal government’s legislation to appoint administrators to the CFMEU’s state construction divisions. However, it is ultimately expected to support the bill, although shadow employment minister Michaelia Cash will push for a Senate inquiry into the legislation. Master Builders Australia CEO Denita Wawn contends that an inquiry is not necessary and the bill should be passed as quickly as possible. Workplace Relations Minister Murray Watt intends to table a motion in parliament today for the bill to be passed by the Senate on Thursday, with a view to having it passed by the upper house either on the same day or early next week.

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CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY AND MARITIME EMPLOYEES UNION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT AND WORKPLACE RELATIONS, MASTER BUILDERS AUSTRALIA INCORPORATED

Giles ‘breached ministerial code of conduct’: Coalition

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Original article by Joe Kelly
The Australian – Page: 5 : 14-Aug-24

Former immigration minister Andrew Giles continues to attract scrutiny over his handling of the portfolio. Documents obtained via freedom of information laws show that Giles was aware that at least 83 immigration detainees had been released into the community without bridging visas in the wake of the High Court’s landmark NZYQ ruling. However, Giles had told question time in November that all detainees who were required to be released into the community were on bridging visas. Shadow home affairs minister James Paterson contends that Giles had breached the ministerial code of conduct and should resign for misleading parliament.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HOME AFFAIRS, HIGH COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Roy Morgan Poll: ALP and Coalition are tied on 50% each two-party preferred in mid-August

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 13-Aug-24

If a Federal Election were held now the result would be ‘too close to call’ with the ALP on 50% (down 1.5%) tied with the Coalition on 50% (up 1.5%) on a two-party preferred basis, the latest Roy Morgan survey finds. Based on these results the ALP or Coalition would require the support of minor parties and independents to form a minority government. The result again highlights the importance of preference flows to determine the overall two-party preferred result. The Coalition primary vote increased 1% to 38%, ALP primary support was down 1% to 29.5%, support for the Greens increased 2% to 14% and support for One Nation was down 0.5% to 5%. Smaller parties and independents lost support this week. Support for Other Parties dropped 1% to 4% and support for Independents was down 0.5% to 9.5%.

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ROY MORGAN LIMITED, MORGAN POLL, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, ONE NATION PARTY

Greens, Libs to play tough on CFMEU

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Original article by Phillip Coorey, David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 13-Aug-24

The Coalition contends that the federal government’s bill to appoint administrators to the CFMEU’s state construction divisions is "weak" and should be referred to a Senate committee. The Greens will in turn decide their position regarding the proposed legislation on Tuesday, and expressed concern that it overrides the court process. Workplace Relations Minister Murray Watt argues that forcing the bill to be scrutinised by a Senate inquiry would demonstrate that the Coalition is not serious about addressing the "criminality, bullying and thuggery" within the CFMEU. The Coalition has committed to deregistering the union if it wins the next election, although Watt believes that administration is a more practical option.

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CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY AND MARITIME EMPLOYEES UNION, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT AND WORKPLACE RELATIONS

AUKUS get-out clause for US, UK

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Original article by Ben Packham
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 13-Aug-24

Documents tabled in federal parliament on Monday have revealed new details of the AUKUS defence alliance. The documents, which include a revised AUKUS agreement, show that the US and the UK will be able to withdraw from the defence pact with only one years’ notice if the deal to provide Australia with nuclear-powered submarines is deemed to be an ‘unreasonable risk’ to their own military requirements. Meanwhile, Australia has agreed to indemnify its alliance partners for any liability, costs or injury resulting from the AUKUS program. International law expert Don Rothwell notes that the documents do not outline just how much the alliance will cost Australia.

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Centrepay report that found major failings ignored by successive Coalition governments, author says

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Original article by Christopher Knaus, Lorena Allam
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 7-Aug-24

The federal government recently launched a review of the controversial Centrepay system for welfare recipients. However, the previous Labor government had also commissioned a review of the debt recovery system in 2012. That review was undertaken by Anna Buduls, who says her report has been "mostly buried" by successive governments since it was delivered just before the Coalition took office in 2013. Her recommendations included establishing a code of conduct for approved Centrepay operators and a dedicated complaints telephone line.

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AUSTRALIA. SERVICES AUSTRALIA. CENTRELINK, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Labor’s attempts to tie gambling harm advocates into ridiculous secret agreements rejected

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Original article by Melissa Davey, Paul Karp
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 7-Aug-24

The Alliance for Gambling Reform is one of the organisations that have been invited to the federal government’s briefing on its proposed gambling advertising reforms. However, attendance at the briefing on Friday is conditional on signing a 12-page non-disclosure agreement. The Alliance’s chief advocate Tim Costello says his organisation will not sign the agreement, and he has questioned why it is necessary given that details of the reforms have been leaked to the media. The government has previously attracted scrutiny over its use of non-disclosure agreements in consultations over its legislative reforms.

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ALLIANCE FOR GAMBLING REFORM

Liontown wants lithium breaks as prices teeter

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Original article by Brad Thompson
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 19 : 7-Aug-24

Association of Mining & Exploration Companies CEO Warren Pearce says it is holding talks with the Western Australian government with regard to royalty relief for lithium producers. The price of spodumene has fallen to $US870 ($1,337) per tonne, and Liontown Resources CEO Tony Ottaviano contends that the government should intervene in order to avert a similar crisis to the rout that hit the nation’s industry. He has also suggested that the federal government should expand its production tax credit scheme to include the upstream processing of spodumene.

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ASSOCIATION OF MINING AND EXPLORATION COMPANIES, LIONTOWN RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX LTR

Greens’ divisive rhetoric is fuelling domestic terror threat: PM

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Original article by Ben Packham
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 6-Aug-24

The federal government has advised that the nation’s terrorism threat alert will be raised from ‘possible’ to ‘probable’. ASIO’s director-general Mike Burgess has warned that the chance of a terrorist attack in the next 12 months is now more than 50 per cent. He adds that young ‘lone-wolf’ terrorists armed with guns and knives pose the biggest risk. Burgess says that while the Israel-Hamas war is contributing to the growing threat of a terrorist attack, social media is being used to radicalise people and to spread ­extremist ideologies and conspiracy theories. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the Greens have contributed to the growing tensions within the community with their stance on issues such as the war in Gaza.

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AUSTRALIAN SECURITY INTELLIGENCE ORGANISATION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN GREENS