BILL DRAFTING – AUSTRALIA

Softened spy laws sent for scrutiny

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Original article by Simon Benson
The Australian – Page: 4 : 6-Mar-18

The Federal Government has amended proposed foreign interference laws in response to the media industry’s concern about the impact on freedom of the press. Although journalists will not be exempt from the laws, they will only face criminal prosecution for reporting on classified documents if their actions pose a threat to public safety or national security, or affect an ongoing criminal investigation. The amendments will be scrutinised by the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence & Security.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. JOINT PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE ON INTELLIGENCE AND SECURITY, AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE, AUSTRALIAN SECURITY INTELLIGENCE ORGANISATION

PM switches to plan B on tax reform

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Original article by Joe Kelly, Simon Benson
The Australian – Page: 1 & 8 : 9-Feb-18

The Senate is set to reject the Federal Government’s corporate tax cuts package after One Nation and the Nick Xenophon Team advised that they will vote against it. The two minor parties have a combined six seats in the Senate, and just three cross-benchers currently support the tax reforms. The lower house passed the company tax cuts bill on 8 February, and Treasurer Scott Morrison says the Government remains committed to getting the tax cuts through the Senate. However, the package’s looming defeat in the upper house will allow the Government to focus on personal income tax cuts in the May 2018 Budget.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, ONE NATION PARTY, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY, AMP LIMITED – ASX AMP

Labor backs changes to protect journalists

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Original article by Greg Brown
The Australian – Page: 2 : 9-Feb-18

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has welcomed the Federal Government’s decision to provide greater protection for journalists in its proposed espionage laws. Attorney-General Christian Porter has indicated that journalists will not face prosecution for publishing classified information if they had believed that doing so was in the public interest. The media industry had expressed concern that journalists could face criminal prosecution for receiving classified information.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT

Spy laws: New A-G concedes ground

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Original article by Simon Benson, Nicola Berkovic
The Australian – Page: 1 & 8 : 8-Feb-18

The Federal Government has responded to the media industry’s concerns about its proposed foreign interference laws by agreeing to some safeguards for journalists. Attorney-General Christian Porter has advised that journalists who receive classified information will only face criminal prosecution under certain circumstances, such as if reporting on the information could potentially affect public safety or pose a threat to national security. However, commonwealth officers who leak confidential information will not receive any such exemption.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT, LAW COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN SECURITY INTELLIGENCE ORGANISATION, AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE, ASHURST AUSTRALIA

New spy laws to hinder legitimate work of media

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Original article by Ean Higgins
The Australian – Page: 1 & 5 : 6-Feb-18

Attorney-General Christian Porter has conceded that some changes to proposed foreign interference laws may be needed to alleviate the concerns of the media industry. Robert Todd of law firm Ashurst has warned that the laws as presently drafted could potentially make a wide range of persons criminally liable for dealing with confidential information. He says the proposed laws provide very limited protection for journalists, while there would be almost no protection for other people, including social media users.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT, ASHURST AUSTRALIA, MEDIA, ENTERTAINMENT AND ARTS ALLIANCE, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS

Spy law imperils journalists, ex-judge warns

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Original article by Nicola Berkovic
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 2-Feb-18

Transparency International Australia chairman and former Supreme Court of New South Wales judge Anthony Whealy has warned about the potential effects of the Federal Government’s proposed foreign interference laws. He says the new secrecy laws could be used to prosecute journalists if they receive classified ­information. Whealy has called for the Government to provide an exemption for journalists if they are acting in the public interest. The media industry has expressed similar concerns about the proposed laws.

CORPORATES
TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL AUSTRALIA, SUPREME COURT OF NEW SOUTH WALES, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT, HUMAN RIGHTS LAW CENTRE LIMITED

Nats push much wider bank probe

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 7 : 24-Nov-17

Nationals senator Barry O’Sullivan released on 23 November details of his private members’ bill that calls for a commission of inquiry into the banking sector. Its release comes as efforts to have its tabling thwarted intensify. Former prime minister John Howard described the bill as "rank socialism", while Treasurer Scott Morrison met with the chairman of the big four banks, suggesting the need for them to come up with reforms that might reduce the impetus for an inquiry.

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

Bernardi’s bid to lift bans on nuclear power

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Original article by Michael Owen
The Australian – Page: 6 : 13-Nov-17

Australian Conservatives leader Senator Cory Bernardi will table a bill on 13 November that would remove a ban on nuclear power plants, along with nuclear processing and enrichment. His bill follows on from a call by former prime minister Tony Abbott in October that the construction of nuclear power plants should be allowed. Bernardi notes that Australia has ample uranium supplies, but at the moment is just exporting it.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN CONSERVATIVES, SOUTH AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PREMIER AND CABINET

Tensions increase over rival SSM bill

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Original article by Joe Kelly
The Australian – Page: 6 : 10-Nov-17

Liberal MP Ian Goodenough has expressed concern about the limited focus of religious protections in a private members’ bill to legalise same-sex marriage. He says some Coalition MPs are developing a separate bill on same-sex marriage that will provide greater protection for religious freedoms if the majority of Australians support marriage equality in the postal survey. Meanwhile, Australian Conservatives founder Cory Bernardi says resolving parliament’s dual citizenship crisis should take priority over the issue of same-sex marriage.

CORPORATES
LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN CONSERVATIVES, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, FREEDOM FOR FAITH, UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY. UNITED STATES STUDIES CENTRE

Coalition rejects ACTU push to delay IR agenda

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 6 : 10-Nov-17

ACTU president Ged Kearney says the Federal Government does not have a mandate for industrial relations reform while doubts remain about the eligibility of some MPs to be in parliament. Five bills relating to unions are currently before the Senate, but Kearney argues that they should be shelved until the dual citizenship crisis is resolved. Unions have raised the prospect of a legal challenge if any of the bills are passed.

CORPORATES
ACTU, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, MARITIME UNION OF AUSTRALIA, MASTER BUILDERS AUSTRALIA INCORPORATED