BILL DRAFTING – AUSTRALIA

Leyonhjelm attacks anti-corruption bill

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Original article by Andrew Tillett
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 7-Aug-17

Liberal Democrats senator David Leyonhjelm has concerns about the Federal Government’s proposed union anti-corruption legislation. The legislation, which has been drawn up in response to the royal commission into union corruption, is due to be tabled in the Senate in the week beginning 7 August 2017. Leyonhjelm is worried that people who have made what they believe to be legitimate payments to a union could find themselves coming under the legislation, and could end up going to jail. He wants it amended to protect such situations.

CORPORATES
LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, ACTU, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT

Fifield to broker media deal with Greens or One Nation

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 29 : 7-Aug-17

The Australian Government’s cross-media ownership reform bill is slated to be debated in the Senate on 9 August. The Government is said to be confident of negotiating a deal with either the Greens or One Nation to support the bill. The Greens have previously been opposed to abolition of the "two out of three" rule. However, the party may be prepared to back the bill if there are measures to protect media diversity, which is also a key issue for the Nick Xenophon Team.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN GREENS, ONE NATION PARTY, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, SPECIAL BROADCASTING SERVICE (SBS)

Hanson uses media votes as clout for ABC review

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Original article by Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 4 : 4-Aug-17

The Federal Government’s cross-media ownership bill will be on the Senate’s agenda when Parliament resumes in the week beginning 7 August. One Nation continues to have concerns about the impact on media diversity of abolishing the "two-out-of-three" rule, although the minor party has signalled that it may be open to supporting the media reforms if the Government agrees to a review of the ABC and SBS. The proposed review would include the public broadcasters’ costs and the number of TV channels they operate.

CORPORATES
ONE NATION PARTY, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, SPECIAL BROADCASTING SERVICE (SBS), NICK XENOPHON TEAM, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS

Bosses face super gap crackdown

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Original article by Michael Roddan
The Australian – Page: 1 & 5 : 14-Jul-17

The Australian Government will take legislative action to close a loophole that allows companies to reduce compulsory superannuation contributions if the worker has opted to make voluntary contributions via salary-sacrificing. At present employers can legally pay less than 9.5 per cent of an employee’s salary into their super fund by basing it on the worker’s post-sacrificing wage. The reform is one of several recommendations of a report that was jointly produced by several regulatory agencies.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, AUSTRALIAN TAXATION OFFICE, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK OMBUDSMAN, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY, INDUSTRY SUPER AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. OFFICE OF THE AUSTRALIAN SMALL BUSINESS AND FAMILY ENTERPRISE OMBUDSMAN

Media bill set to be left in the cold

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Original article by Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 4 : 23-Jun-17

Independent senator Nick Xenophon wants an impasse over cross-media ownership reforms to be resolved during Parliament’s winter break. The media bill has been sidelined, with the Federal Government focusing on passing its schools funding package. The Nick Xenophon Team will press for safeguards to ensure media diversity if the "two-out-of-three" rule is abolished. The media industry has backed the reforms, but one TV industry source has warned that this will not be the case if the Government seeks to split the bill.

CORPORATES
NICK XENOPHON TEAM, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS

‘Libs have Buckley’s chance’ of quick win on media reform

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Original article by Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 2 : 22-Jun-17

The Australian Government has prioritised its schools funding package over the media reform bill in the Senate, although Communications Minister Mitch Fifield is said to still be aiming for a vote on the latter in coming days. However, independent senator Nick Xenophon says there is little chance of the media reforms getting through the Senate before Parliament’s winter recess. The Nick Xenophon Team and the Greens are open to supporting the reforms, subject to measures aimed at safeguarding media diversity.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, ONE NATION PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Fifield wants Senate media vote this week

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Original article by Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 2 : 21-Jun-17

Communications Minister Mitch Fifield is keen for the Senate to vote on cross-media ownership reforms as soon as possible, although One Nation’s Brian Burston says a vote on the bill is unlikely this week. One Nation opposes abolition of the "two-of-three" rule, and Burston notes that his party’s alternative of a "three-out-of-four rule" has had a lukewarm response from the Government. Meanwhile, the Greens may be willing to support scrapping the two-of-three" rule, but only if action is taken to safeguard media diversity.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, ONE NATION PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

National crosses floor to save penalty rates

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Original article by Joe Kelly
The Australian – Page: 4 : 21-Jun-17

The Australian Labor Party’s proposed change to the Fair Work Amendment bill has been defeated by one vote in the House of Representatives. Labor had sought to use legislation to overturn the Fair Work Commission’s decision to reduce weekend penalty rates for employees in the retail and hospitality sector. The Labor amendment was defeated 73-72 after Coalition backbencher George Christensen voted with the Opposition.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, LIBERAL-NATIONAL PARTY OF QUEENSLAND

Crunch time as Coalition woos Hanson media vote

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Original article by Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 4 : 20-Jun-17

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten says the Australian Labor Party supports key elements of the Federal Government’s proposed media reforms, but it still opposes scrapping the "two-out-of-three rule". Labor’s caucus will decide its stance on the bill on 20 June 2017, ahead of debate in the Senate. The support of One Nation may be crucial to passage of the legislation in the upper house, and the party has suggested the alternative of a "three-out-of-four" rule.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN ABALONE EXPORTS PTY LTD, ONE NATION PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, NICK XENOPHON TEAM

Levy a shock for foreign investors: NAB

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Original article by James Eyers
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 18 : 16-Jun-17

The Senate Economics Legislation Committee is currently investigating the bill to implement the Federal Government’s proposed bank levy. National Australia Bank CFO Gary Lennon says foreign investors have expressed concern to him about the tax, including the rushed manner in which it has been adopted. Amongst other things, submissions to the committee have argued that the bill should include a "sunset clause" and that the tax should cover foreign banks.

CORPORATES
NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, AUSTRALIA. SENATE ECONOMICS LEGISLATION COMMITEE, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, MACQUARIE BANK LIMITED – ASX MBL, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, AUSTRALIAN BANKERS’ ASSOCIATION, ME BANK, BENDIGO AND ADELAIDE BANK LIMITED – ASX BEN, CUSTOMER OWNED BANKING ASSOCIATION, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS