AUSTRALIA – POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Free-power plan to raise prices

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Original article by Paul Garvey
The Australian – Page: 4 : 5-Nov-25

MST Marquee analyst Saul Kavonic has described the federal government’s Solar Sharer scheme as "another poorly thought through market intervention" by the Climate Change and Energy Minister, Chris Bowen. Kavonic warns that the proposed three-hour block of ‘free’ electricity during the day will inevitably be offset by higher electricity prices at other times. David Dixon from Rystad Energy in turn says households may become more reluctant to invest in rooftop solar if they can use electricity for free.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF CLIMATE CHANGE, ENERGY, THE ENVIRONMENT AND WATER, MST MARQUEE, RYSTAD ENERGY AS

Canberra lays out terms for support of Rex Airlines rescue

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Original article by Chris Zappone
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: Online : 5-Nov-25

The federal government will provide Rex Airlines with a new $60m commercial loan, lifting taxpayers’ total financial support for the carrier to more than $200m since it went into administration. US-based Air T will in turn contribute $50m to the recapitalisation of Rex as part of its deal to acquire the failed airline. The government will also restructure about $90m of Rex’s debt on terms that will allow repayments to be made over time via a profit-sharing arrangement. In addition, the government will retain its security over Rex’s fleet of Saab 340s aircraft and its flight simulator. Meanwhile, administrator EY has confirmed that Rex’s creditors will not recover any of their money.

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REX AIRLINES PTY LTD, REGIONAL EXPRESS HOLDINGS LIMITED, AIR T INCORPORATED, ERNST AND YOUNG

Netflix, Disney and other streamers to be forced to pay for more Australian-made content

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Original article by Karl Quinn
The Age – Page: Online : 5-Nov-25

The federal government will legislate an ‘Australian content obligation’ for streaming video-on-demand platforms. It will require streaming services that have more than one million subscribers in Australia to invest at least 10 per cent of their total expenditure in Australia or 7.5 per cent of their revenue in this country on producing local content. This will include local drama, children’s TV shows, documentaries, and educational or arts programs. Screen Producers Australia’s CEO Matthew Deaner has described the move as a "landmark day" for the nation’s screen industry.

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SCREEN PRODUCERS AUSTRALIA

Business wants states to handle environmental approvals

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Original article by Greg Brown
The Australian – Page: 2 : 29-Oct-25

The federal government’s proposed changes to the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act will be put before the lower house on Thursday. The government aims to have the Environmental Protection Reform Bill passed by parliament before it negotiates s separate deals with each state and territory regarding the streamlining of environmental approvals. The Business Council of Australia has called for the states and territories to be given responsibility for assessment and approval rights; CEO Bran Black says this is necessary to lock in faster approvals for housing, critical minerals and infrastructure projects.

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BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA

ALP subsidy too late to save 1200 smelter jobs

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Original article by Perry Williams, Jack Quail, Lachlan Leeming
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 29-Oct-25

Tomago Aluminium’s CEO Jerome Dozol says the fate of its NSW smelter is likely to be decided long before the federal government’s $2bn green production credit scheme becomes available. The smelter’s current electricity supply deal will expire in 2028, and it faces the prospect of negotiating a new coal-fired supply deal at much higher prices until it has access to sufficient renewable generation. Dozol says this is unlikely to occur until "well into the 2030s". The Energy Users Association of Australia says the shutdown of the Tomago smelter due to high electricity prices is an "unimaginable situation", given the nation’s abundant energy resources. Tomago’s closure would result in the loss of about 1,200 direct jobs.

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TOMAGO ALUMINIUM COMPANY PTY LTD, ENERGY USERS ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA

Audit for PM’s flagship housing fund

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Original article by Matthew Cranston
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 29-Oct-25

The Australian National Audit Office will undertake a review of the federal government’s $10bn Housing Australia Future Fund, amid growing criticism of the fund. Auditor-General Caralee McLiesh has advised that the ANAO wil also examine the effectiveness of the Treasury’s design and delivery of the HAFF. Liberal senator Andrew Bragg has described the HAFF as one of the nation’s biggest public policy disasters, likening it to the previous Labor government’s Pink Batts home-insulation scheme. The HAFF aims to build 40,000 social and affordable homes by 2028, and it is part of the government’s target of building 1.2 million new dwellings over five years.

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AUSTRALIA. HOUSING AUSTRALIA FUTURE FUND, AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL AUDIT OFFICE, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Employers urge Ley to expand IR changes

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 22-Oct-25

Opposition leader Sussan Ley has committed to reviewing the federal government’s multi-employer bargaining laws. However, business groups want the Coalition to consider more extensive industrial relations reforms. The Australian Chamber of Commerce & Industry’s CEO Andrew McKellar says the Coalition should look at increasing the legal definition of a small business from 15 employees to 25, contending that getting a fair deal for small business should be a priority. The Australian Resources & ­Energy Employer Association’s CEO Steve Knott in turn has identified the abolition of laws expanding union delegate rights, right-of-entry provisions and the Fair Work Commission’s intractable bargaining powers as reforms the Coalition should be pursuing.

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LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, AUSTRALIAN RESOURCES AND ENERGY EMPLOYER ASSOCIATION

Scientists slam budget cuts that threaten Nobel Prize-generating research

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Original article by Liam Mannix, Angus Dalton
The Age – Page: Online : 22-Oct-25

Science Minister Tim Ayres recently described Professor Richard Robson’s Nobel Prize in chemistry as a "tribute to the effectiveness and capability" of Australia’s research sector. However, the federal government proposes to shut down two of the beamlines at the Australian Synchrotron, which is being used to study the metal-organic frameworks that were pioneered by Professor Robson. Professionals Australia estimates that about 10 per cent of the synchrotron’s 150 employees are likely to be retrenched. The government also proposes to shut down the KOALA Laue diffractometer at the Lucas Heights nuclear reactor in Sydney. Critics have warned that this will jeopardise Australia’s progress in achieving net-zero emissions.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, SCIENCE AND RESOURCES, AUSTRALIAN SYNCHROTRON COMPANY LIMITED

Companies could have profits from breaking environment laws stripped under Australian reforms

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Original article by Graham Readfearn
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 22-Oct-25

The federal government hopes to get its proposed changes to the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Act passed by the end of this year, with the legislation to be put before parliament in coming weeks. Environment Minister Murray Watt says he wants the overhauled environmental laws to include a definition of "unacceptable impact". He has also flagged harsher penalties for breaching environmental laws, including giving the government powers to strip companies of any financial gains made from such breaches. Watt adds that the proposed federal Environmental Protection Authority will be able to issue a ‘stop work order’ to prevent environmental harm.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF CLIMATE CHANGE, ENERGY, THE ENVIRONMENT AND WATER

Roy Morgan Poll: In October, ALP and One Nation support up and support for the Coalition down

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 22-Oct-25

The latest Roy Morgan survey shows that primary support for the ALP was up 1% to 35% in October, with One Nation up 2.5% to 12% and the Greens up 1% to 13%; however, support for the Coalition dropped 3% to 27%, and support for Independents/Other Parties was down 1.5% to 13%. On a State-by-State basis support for the ALP increased significantly in the two largest States of New South Wales and Victoria, while One Nation support surged in all States (now at least 10% in all States except Victoria); in contrast, Coalition support fell in all States except Western Australia. On a two-party preferred basis the ALP increased its lead to 57% (up 1.5% from September) ahead of the Coalition on 43% (down 1.5%). If a Federal Election were held now the ALP would be returned to Government with an increased majority. The latest Roy Morgan survey is based on interviewing a representative cross-section of 4,908 Australian electors from 22 September 22 to 19 October 2025.

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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