BILL DRAFTING – AUSTRALIA

Unions run riot to kill workplace relations deal

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by David Crowe
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 29-Nov-16

The Federal Government is said to be close to securing a deal with Nick Xenophon regarding water reform in return for his support for its bill to reinstate the Australian Building & Construction Commission. However, the Construction, Forestry, Mining & Energy Union is launching a series of rolling stoppages at building sites in a campaign against the ABCC bill. The protected industrial ­action is aimed at putting pressure on construction firms to endorse enterprise bargaining agreements that do not comply with the new building code.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, KANE CONSTRUCTIONS PTY LTD, CIMIC GROUP LIMITED – ASX CIM, LEND LEASE GROUP LIMITED – ASX LLC, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, MASTER BUILDERS AUSTRALIA INCORPORATED, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, SPECIAL BROADCASTING SERVICE (SBS)

Turnbull in race to save IR agenda

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by David Crowe
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 28-Nov-16

The Australian Government has agreed to introduce a proposed "security of payments" regime for subcontractors in order to gain Senate crossbenchers’ support for a bill to reinstate the Australian Building & Construction Commission. However, the increased protection for subcontractors will be conditional on the passage of the ABCC bill through the upper house. Meanwhile, Senator Nick Xenophon will continue to push for increased water flows in the Murray-Darling river system.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF AGRICULTURE AND WATER RESOURCES, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, SOUTH AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF ENVIRONMENT, WATER AND NATURAL RESOURCES, LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY, NEW SOUTH WALES. DEPT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, QUEENSLAND. DEPT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND MINES, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Super win sparks stoush

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Phillip Coorey, Joanna Mather
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 8 : 24-Nov-16

Federal Treasurer Scott Morrison has ruled out further changes to superannuation after the Senate passed tax reforms that had been announced in the May 2016 Budget. The changes that take effect on 1 July 2017 include restricting annual concessional contributions to no more than $A25,000 and imposing a $A1.6m cap on super retirement accounts. The reforms are expected to generate total savings of $A3bn over four years. However, the Government has stressed the need for a further $A20bn of Budget repair measures if the nation is to retain its "AAA" credit rating.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION, S&P GLOBAL RATINGS

ABCC set for action on site by year’s end

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by David Crowe
The Australian – Page: 4 : 23-Nov-16

The Federal Government may wait until the final week of parliament to pursue its bill to reinstate the Australian Building & Construction Commission. It is optimistic that the majority of Senate cross-benchers will support the ABCC bill, after all but one voted for the bill to establish a registered organisations commission. The Government is holding talks with the Nick Xenophon Team regarding amendments to the ABCC bill to provide subcontractors with security of payment in the proposed building code.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, FAIR WORK BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, ONE NATION PTY LTD, LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS

Senate deal could see whistleblower bounty

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Matthew Knott, Georgia Wilkins
The Age – Page: 4 : 23-Nov-16

Senate crossbenchers Nick Xenophon and Derryn Hinch have warned that the Australian Government will face a backlash if it tries to back down on a deal to increase protection for whistleblowers. The Government agreed to the reforms in return for support for its bill to establish a registered organisations commission. The US system of paying bounties to whistleblowers is being considered by a parliamentary inquiry, which will report its recommendations by mid-2017.

CORPORATES
NICK XENOPHON TEAM, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, UNITED STATES. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION, 7-ELEVEN STORES PTY LTD, GRIFFITH UNIVERSITY

Employers fear deals at risk with federal code

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 5 : 17-Nov-16

The Federal Government’s proposed building code will apply retrospectively to enterprise agreements signed since April 2014. Employers want the code to apply only to agreements struck after the code takes effect. Employment Minister Michaelia Cash has stressed that anxiety about the code is not warranted as it would apply only to new government contracts. The code will be introduced if the Australian Building & Construction Commission legislation is passed by Parliament.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP

PM offers changes to secure IR bills

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by David Crowe
The Australian – Page: 5 : 17-Nov-16

The Australian Government is willing to make amendments to its industrial relations bills in order to gain the Senate’s support when Parliament resumes. The Government will push ahead with the bill to establish a Registered Organisations Commission on 21 November 2016, and the proposed amendments are believed to include protection for whistleblowers and a stricter audit regime. The bill to reinstate the Australian Building & Construction Commission will be debated on 22 November. The bills will require the support of at least eight cross-benchers.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, FAMILY FIRST PARTY AUSTRALIA LIMITED, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, ONE NATION PARTY, LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY

Super shapes as an election issue yet again

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 8 : 9-Nov-16

The Federal Government’s superannuation tax reforms are set to be passed by parliament, after the Australian Labor Party agreed to back the measures. However, Labor will seek a mandate for further super tax reform at the next election after Treasurer Scott Morrison refused to support the Opposition’s proposed changes to the Government’s reforms. Amongst other things, the Australian Labor Party had sought to have non-concessional contributions capped at $A75,000 per year, rather than $A100,000 as proposed by the Government.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, FINANCIAL SERVICES COUNCIL

Media law changes rest in crossbenchers’ hands

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Primrose Riordan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 9 : 9-Nov-16

Communications Minister Mitch Fifield has criticised the Australian Labor Party for its stance on cross-media owership reform. Labor will vote against legislation to abolish the "two-out-of-three rule", arguing that it will lead to greater consolidation in the media sector and reduced diversity of voices. Although Labor supports scrapping the "reach rule", the Government will need the support of at least eight Senate crossbenchers for its media reform bill.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, NETFLIX INCORPORATED

Senate committee backs media bill

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Jake Mitchell
The Australian – Page: 4 : 8-Nov-16

The Senate environment and communications legislation committee has released its report on proposed changes to cross-media ownership laws. It has recommended that the upper house vote in favour of abolishing the "reach rule" and the "two-out-of-three" rule, although Australian Labor Party members of the committee opposed the latter reform. Labor believes that scrapping the "two-out-of-three" rule would particularly benefit News Corp Australia. However, the party supports another reduction in TV broadcasting licence fees.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. SENATE ENVIRONMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS LEGISLATION COMITTEE, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, PRIME MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX PRT, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS