AUSTRALIA – POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Dutton sets scene for election tax battle

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 7-Feb-24

The Coalition agreed to support changes to the legislated stage-three income tax cuts at a partyroom meeting on Tuesday. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton says the Coalition will back the tax cuts for people on low incomes, in order to support families amid the cost-of-living crisis. However, Dutton has indicated that the Coalition will take a "significant" tax policy to the next election; he says the Coalition will reduce taxes for Australian families, as they will need a lot of support to recover from Labor’s current term in office. Shadow treasurer Angus Taylor says ‘bracket creep’ is among the tax issues that the Coalition will aim to address.

CORPORATES
LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Crossbench close to workplace deal

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Original article by David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 7-Feb-24

The federal government and crossbench senators David Pocock and Jacqui Lambie are said to be close to a deal on key provisions of the Closing Loopholes No. 2 Bill. This includes the right of employees to ‘disconnect’ from their workplace outside of their standard hours of work. Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke has backed down on a contentious provision that could have resulted in employers being fined for unreasonably contacting staff outside of working hours. He says workers should also be entitled to ignore after-hours phone calls and emails from their employer without fear of being penalised for doing so. Burke and the crossbenchers are also believed to have reached agreement on the right of casual workers to request conversion to permanent employment.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT AND WORKPLACE RELATIONS

Exit stage three: Libs in tax pivot

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Original article by Geoff Chambers, Joe Kelly, Patrick Commins
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 6-Feb-24

The Coalition will finalise its position on the proposed changes to the stage-three tax income cuts at a joint partyroom meeting on Tuesday. Sources have indicated that the Liberal and National parties are unlikely to oppose the federal government’s changes, although they are expected to seek some amendments to Labor’s legislation. Opposition leader Peter Dutton will also use parliament’s first question time of the year to attack the government and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for reneging on an election commitment to implement the stage-three tax cuts in full. He will also contend that the government plans to target the negative gearing regime, trusts and the family home.

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

ALP support jumps strongly (up 2.5%) after detail of Stage 3 tax cuts is revealed: ALP 53% cf. L-NP 47%

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 6-Feb-24

Labor government support jumped 2.5% to 53% well ahead of the Coalition on 47% (down 2.5%) on a two-party preferred basis, according to the latest Roy Morgan survey on Federal voting intention. Support rebounded after the Albanese Government provided detail on its changes to the ‘Stage 3 tax cuts’ due in mid-year. Treasury analysis shows 84% of taxpayers will be better off under the changes. If this week’s result was repeated at a Federal Election the Albanese government would be returned with a large majority. ALP primary support increased 2% to 33%, Coalition support dropped 0.5% to 37%, the Greens dropped 1% to 12% and One Nation dropped 0.5% to 5%. Support for Independents & Other Parties was unchanged at 13%. The latest Roy Morgan survey is based on interviewing a representative cross-section of 1,709 Australian electors from January 29 – February 4. Further details will be released in Roy Morgan’s weekly video update presented by Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine.

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

PNG backs down on China security deal

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Original article by Andrew Tillett
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 8 : 31-Jan-24

Papua New Guinea’s Foreign Minister Justin Tkachenko has emphasised that security and defence agreements with Australia and the US are the nation’s top priority. This follows revelations that China had approached the PNG government in September about a possible security and policing deal. Tkachenko says PNG will not jeopardise or compromise relations with its two traditional security partners. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the nation is the security partner of choice for PNG and most of the countries in the Pacific region. Australia signed a $200m security agreement with PNG in December.

CORPORATES
PAPUA NEW GUINEA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, TRADE AND IMMIGRATION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Sovereign Borders wasted and mismanaged millions, claims senior official

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Original article by Nick McKenzie, Michael Bachelard
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: Online : 31-Jan-24

The former Coalition government’s offshore detention regime for asylum seekers is under renewed scrutiny following the release of sworn evidence given by the Department of Home Affairs’ assistant secretary Derek Elias. It has been revealed that Elias raised concerns about the waste and misuse of taxpayers funds via the so-called Pacific Solution policy in evidence given to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal in his claim for workers’ compensation. The federal government has yet to release a report on the offshore processing regime by the nation’s former director-general of security, Dennis Richardson.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HOME AFFAIRS, AUSTRALIA. ADMINISTRATIVE APPEALS TRIBUNAL

Coalition voters win in Labor’s tax U-turn: PM

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 7 : 31-Jan-24

Treasury analysis shows that the federal government’s proposed changes to the stage-three income tax cuts package will strongly benefit Coalition voters. The analysis suggest that about 85 per cent of voters in seats held by the Liberal or National parties will be better off than they would have been if the tax cuts had gone ahead in their original form. The federal government will use the Treasury data to seek the Coalition’s support for its changes. The Opposition will not decide its formal stance on the changes until parliament resumes next week; however, it will continue to reiterate that Labor has broken an election promise regarding the tax cuts.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Burke open to IR bill concessions

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 2 : 31-Jan-24

A Senate inquiry’s report on the federal government’s Closing Loopholes Bill will be tabled on Thursday, and the remaining provisions of the bill are set to be debated in parliament next week. Sources have indicated that the government is prepared to make some amendments to the bill in order to secure the support of Senate crossbenchers. These could potentially include delaying the starting date for measures relating to casual employment and the gig economy. However, Business Council of Australia CEO Bran Black says the bill requires substantial changes rather than ‘technical amendments’, given that it will have a significant economic impact on jobs and employment.

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BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA

‘Very dangerous prime minister’: Turnbull attacks Abbott in new ABC documentary

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Original article by Paul Sakkal
The Age – Page: Online : 30-Jan-24

Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull has told an ABC documentary that chronicles the former Coalition government’s nine years in power that Tony Abbott was a "very dangerous prime minister". Turnbull, who toppled Abbott in 2015, claims that Abbott sought to exaggerate the threat of terrorism in order to frighten people, and that he was too forceful in his response to Russia in the wake of the downing of flight MH17 in 2014 in which 38 Australians died. Abbott, who did not take part in the documentary, has been approached for comment.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION

Surprise support for airline compo scheme

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Original article by Robyn Ironside
The Australian – Page: 15 : 30-Jan-24

Emirates president Tim Clark has expressed support for compensating Australian airline passengers for flight delays or cancellations. A compensation scheme for travellers is among the options that will be considered in the federal government’s aviation white paper. Clark contends that airlines should be held to account for putting their own financial interests ahead of those of their passengers. However, he cautions that the government must consult with the aviation industry regarding any such scheme.

CORPORATES
EMIRATES AIRLINES