AUSTRALIA – POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Bosses demand clause ban on CFMEU

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 6 : 8-Oct-24

The CEOs of four construction-related employers’ groups have joined forces to urge the federal government to remove certain clauses from enterprise agreements. The clauses in question includes ones that give the CFMEU a right of veto over the use of subcontractors and require subcontractors to be paid the same as those engaged by the head contractor. Amongst other things, the letter to Workplace Relations Minister Murray Watt calls on the government to ban the Fair Work Commission from approving any enterprise agreements that include the clauses.

CORPORATES
CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY AND MARITIME EMPLOYEES UNION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT AND WORKPLACE RELATIONS

Roy Morgan Poll: Federal voting intention tied in early October: Coalition 50% cf. ALP 50%

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 8-Oct-24

If a Federal Election were held now the result would be ‘too close to call’ with the ALP 50% (up 1%) tied with the Coalition 50% (down 1%) on a two-party preferred basis, the latest Roy Morgan survey finds. Neither major party has held a decisive election-winning lead above 52% two-party preferred since the first week of June. ALP primary vote support increased 1.5% points to 31.5% while Coalition dropped 0.5% points to 37.5%. Support for the Greens was down 1% to 12.5% while One Nation increased 1% to 5.5%. Support for Other Parties dropped 0.5% to 4% and support for Independents was down 0.5% to 9%.

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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

Jeers for Albanese and cheers for Dutton as leaders join Jewish communities to mark 7 October atrocities

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Original article by Benita Kolovos, Daisy Dumas
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 8-Oct-24

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese attended a vigil in Melbourne on Monday to mark the one year anniversary of the 7 October Hamas attack on Israel. Walking alongside rabbi Gabi Kaltmann, Albanese was met with some jeers, while he did not speak at the event. Opposition leader Peter Dutton spoke at a Sydney commemoration organised by the Zionist Council of NSW and the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, with Dutton receiving a loud cheer when he walked on to the stage. He claimed there had been a "vacuum of leadership" and "moral fog" in Australia since the 7 October attack, while he said he wanted to make it very clear that he believed that Israel has every right to defend its territory

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, ZIONIST COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, NEW SOUTH WALES JEWISH BOARD OF DEPUTIES INCORPORATED

Albanese targets grocery shrinkflation in battle to curb cost-of-living poll risk

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Original article by Tom McIlroy
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 3-Oct-24

The federal government has indicated that it will review the Unit Pricing Code of Conduct, and potentially expand its coverage to include more retailers. The government has been targeting supermarket pricing ahead of the federal election, and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says that addressing the problem of ‘shrinkflation’ is part of its strategy to "get a better deal" for consumers. It is a common practice for manufacturers of packaged food and groceries to downsize their products while leaving the prices unchanged or even increasing them.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

ACTU takes sledgehammer to economy

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 6 : 3-Oct-24

Business Council of Australia CEO Bran Black has urged the federal government to reject the ACTU’s push for further changes to industrial relations laws. They include abolishing junior pay rates, extending the minimum standards for gig-economy workers to freelancers and scrapping non-compete clauses. Black says businesses are still contending with the most recent tranche of IR reforms, and any further changes would boost inflation and stall economic growth if they are not linked to productivity.

CORPORATES
BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, ACTU

Double dissolution election threat is serious, says Labor

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Original article by Tom McIlroy
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 3-Oct-24

The Greens recently blocked the federal government’s Help to Buy legislation in the Senate, forcing a vote on the bill to be delayed until November. However, Housing Minister Claire O’Neil has confirmed that Labor intends to reintroduce the bill for a shared equity scheme to the lower house when parliament resumes next week. The bill could potentially be used as a trigger for a double dissolution election, and O’Neil says this remains a "live option". The window for a double dissolution election is very narrow, and the government is likely to stick to the regular election cycle.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN GREENS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF SOCIAL SERVICES

War and appeasement

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Original article by Rosie Lewis, Greg Brown
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 3-Oct-24

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the federal government is very concerned about Iran’s ballistic missile attack on Israel and condemns the action. Albanese adds that Israel has a right to defend itself, but he has urged a diplomatic solution to the crisis in the Middle East rather than an escalation of the conflict. He has also called for an immediate ceasefire in both Gaza and Lebanon. The government has ‘directly’ raised its concerns about Iran’s missile attack with the nation’s ambassador to Australia, Ahmad Sadeghi. Meanwhile, Opposition leader Peter Dutton says the Coalition "will not waver" in supporting both Israel and Jewish Australians.

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

October 7 rally organisers to push ahead with grotesque gathering

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Original article by Jade Gailberger, Carly Douglas, Mitch Clarke, Clare Armstrong
Herald Sun – Page: Online : 3-Oct-24

The organisers of a pro-Palestine rally to be held in Melbourne on Monday have refused to back down and reschedule the event. Victoria Police have warned that they lack the power to stop the rally from proceeding on the first anniversary of the Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel, given that the state has no permit system for protests. NSW police are continuing to seek a court order preventing similar rallies being staged in Sydney on the same day. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says it is not an appropriate date to hold a rally in support of Palestine, while Opposition leader Peter Dutton says the government should do it all can at both state and federal level to stop the rallies from going ahead.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, VICTORIA POLICE

Sex work, yoga banned from disability scheme

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Original article by Tom McIlroy
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 2-Oct-24

The federal government’s first list of approved services for National Disability Insurance Scheme participants will take effect on Thursday. Participants will be banned from using their NDIS funding to pay for a range of products and services; this includes groceries, cigarettes, accommodation costs, sex work and cuddle therapy. Items on the approved list include assistance animals, mobility supports, transport costs, prostheses and nursing care. There will be a 12-month transition period, and NDIS Minister Bill Shorten says remedial action will only be taken if there has been a clear breach of the rules.

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Double dissolution election threat to be revived in parliament over housing fight, as $100m crisis fund opens

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Original article by Tom Lowrey
abc.net.au – Page: Online : 2-Oct-24

The federal government hopes to resolve an impasse over its Help to Buy housing bill when it is put before parliament again next week. The Coalition opposes the shared equity scheme, while the Greens have sought major concessions in other areas of housing policy in return for supporting the bill. Housing Minister Claire O’Neil has left open the possibility of a double-dissolution election if the bill continues to be stalled in the Senate. Meanwhile, the government has begun accepting applications for grants via the Crisis and Transitional Accommodation Program, which will provide financial assistance for victims of domestic violence.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF SOCIAL SERVICES, AUSTRALIAN GREENS