AUSTRALIA – POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

PM urged not to visit China till sanctions go

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Original article by Patrick Commins
The Australian – Page: 2 : 26-Jul-23

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese remains under pressure to postpone a proposed official visit to China amid ongoing trade tensions. Warwick Smith from the Business Council of Australia says China’s trade sanctions are an "endless point of contention" that must be addressed before Albanese considers visiting China. Smith says the Productivity Commission’s recent finding that the trade restrictions had resulted in little impact on the Australian economy shows that China’s stance had been a "political own-goal"; however, he notes that individual companies had been heavily impacted by the sanctions. The wine industry in particular has found it hard to secure alternative export markets.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA

Labor mulls IR relief amid employer fury

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Original article by Ewin Hannan, Glen Norris
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 26-Jul-23

Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke has indicated that the federal government may be open to exempting small businesses from its plans to allow casual workers to switch to permanent employment after six months in a job. Independent senator Jacqui Lambie has expressed concern about the potential impact of the casual labour reforms on small businesses, noting that many are already struggling in the wake of the pandemic, natural disasters and the cost-of-living crisis. Harvey Norman chairman Gerry Harvey contends that the proposed reforms do not make sense, as businesses may offset their increased costs by downsizing their workforce. He adds that most of the retailer’s casual staff prefer the increased flexibility compared with permanent employment.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT AND WORKPLACE RELATIONS, HARVEY NORMAN HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX HVN

Chalmers won’t back the unions on jobless target

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Original article by Greg Brown
The Australian – Page: 4 : 17-Jul-23

Treasurer Jim Chalmers says he will not ‘pre-empt’ the monetary policy decisions that incoming Reserve Bank of Australia governor Michele Bullock might recommend to its board. Chalmers adds that it "remains to be seen" as to whether inflation can be brought under control with higher levels of employment, and he says inflation is the main challenge facing the domestic economy. The ACTU has called for a "reset" of the RBA’s full employment target in the wake of Bullock’s appointment, while Australian Workers Union secretary Paul Farrow said the RBA should redefine full employment as being "understood as zero involuntary unemployment". Bullock had suggested in June that the unemployment rate will have to rise to 4.5 per cent to restore inflation to the target range of 2-3 per cent.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, ACTU, AUSTRALIAN WORKERS’ UNION-FEDERATION OF INDUSTRIAL, MANUFACTURING AND ENGINEERING EMPLOYEES

‘Dangerous and Orwellian’: Tech giants, lawyers warn on Labor bill

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Original article by Rhian Deutrom, Sarah Ison
The Australian – Page: 1 & 5 : 12-Jul-23

The federal government continues to attract scrutiny over proposed laws targeting online misinformation and disinformation. Josh Machin of Facebook’s parent Meta has told a parliamentary committee that the digital giant is concerned that the additional powers given to the Australian Communications & Media Authority could potentially be abused, or used in a way that inadvertently ‘chills’ free and legitimate political expression online. Liberal senator James Paterson contends that censorship is not the answer to addressing online misinformation. Paterson and some of his Coalition colleagues have previously expressed concern about the ‘Orwellian’ nature of the proposed misinformation laws.

CORPORATES
META PLATFORMS INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK, AUSTRALIAN COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA AUTHORITY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Labor targets Stuart Robert and his handling of robodebt in negative ads before Fadden byelection

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Original article by Paul Karp
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 12-Jul-23

The Coalition’s robodebt scheme has become a key focus of the campaign for the byelection in the federal seat of Fadden on Saturday. Labor has used social media and newspaper advertisements to target outgoing Fadden MP Stuart Robert and former prime minister Scott Morrison over their role in the robodebt scandal. Robert is a former government services minister, while Morrison was social services minister when the scheme was implemented. The Coalition is expected to win the byelection, having retained Fadden with a two-party preferred margin of 10.6 per cent at the 2022 election.

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AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Australia and European Union fail to resolve trade deadlock

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Original article by Latika Bourke
The Age – Page: Online : 12-Jul-23

The federal government’s negotiations over a free-trade agreement with the European Union have reached an impasse after two days of talks. Trade Minister Don Farrell interrupted his European holiday to attend the talks in Brussels. Negotiations will resume in August, but Farrell has indicated that the government is prepared to abandon the proposed trade deal if it is not finalised by the end of 2023. The European Union wants access to Australia’s critical minerals, but Australian farmers’ access to Europe’s agricultural markets remains a key issue, along with the use of geographical indicators for products such as champagne and feta.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE

Labor hints at further cost respite

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Original article by Phillip Coorey, Michael Read
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 12-Jul-23

Treasurer Jim Chalmers says the federal government’s bigger-than-expected budget surplus for 2022-23 is in addition to cost-of-living relief than than instead of it. Addressing an event hosted by the Brotherhood of St Laurence in Melbourne on Tuesday night, Chalmers said the surplus of around $20bn will give the government the flexibility to provide further cost-of-living relief if this proves to be necessary, after the 9 May budget included expenditure of $14.6bn on such measures over the forward estimates period. Meanwhile, independent economist Chris Richardson says the recent fall in commodity prices means that a second successive surplus in 2023-24 is now much less certain than on budget night.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, BROTHERHOOD OF ST LAURENCE

Gas code poised for release

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Original article by Colin Packham
The Australian – Page: 13 & 16 : 5-Jul-23

The federal government will shortly release the full text of its new mandatory code of conduct for the gas industry, which will require gas to be sold at a "reasonable price". Senex Energy and Cooper Energy are amongst the companies that have suspended or delayed gas projects due to concerns about the code, which is being introduced as part of the government’s controversial intervention in the gas industry. The Australian Consumer & Competition Commission recently concluded that the nation should have sufficient gas supplies for the next 18 months.

CORPORATES
SENEX ENERGY LIMITED, COOPER ENERGY LIMITED – ASX COE

Labor’s Voice box of priorities

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Original article by Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 5-Jul-23

Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney will address the National Press Club in Canberra on Wednesday. Burney will identify health, education, jobs and housing as the four major policy priorities on which the proposed Indigenous Voice to parliament will be asked to privide advice. Burney will also state that unlike government, the Voice will focus on the next generation rather than the next election. Burney will argue that the Voice must be enshrined in the Constitution rather than merely legislated, to ensure that it cannot be abolished by a future government.

CORPORATES
NATIONAL PRESS CLUB (AUSTRALIA), AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Albanese urged to cancel China trip as Hong Kong vows to pursue exiled democracy activists for life

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Original article by Daniel Hurst
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 5-Jul-23

The federal government has stated that it will not tolerate any foreign interference on Australian soil, in response to Hong Kong’s move to issue arrest warrants for pro-democracy advocates Kevin Yam and Ted Hui. Hong Kong’s CEO John Lee has warned that Yam, Hui and the other six activists will be "pursued for life" if they do not surrender, adding that Hong Kong authorities will continue to "monitor" their actions and behaviour while they are overseas. Shadow home affairs minister James Paterson says Prime Minister Anthony Albanese should reconsider his proposed official visit to Beijing in the wake of Lee’s threats.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET