BILL DRAFTING – AUSTRALIA

Diversity laws ‘outdated’

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 29 : 26-Sep-16

Communications Minister Mitch Fifield argues that existing cross-media ownership laws are outdated as they were introduced before the development of the internet. He adds that the internet has made the issue of media diversity less important, and the continued viability of media companies is the greatest threat to diversity. The Senate committee that is reviewing the Federal Government’s media reform bill accepted submissions until 23 September 2016.

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

Company tax cuts to be scaled back

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by David Crowe
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 15-Sep-16

The Australian Government plans to introduce legislation in the lower house to implement its full 10-year plan to reduce the company tax rate for all businesses. However, it is preparing to prioritise tax cuts for small businesses when the legislation is debated in the Senate, due to expectations that the full policy will be rejected by the upper house. The Government plans to reduce the tax rate for businesses with annual turnover of up to $A10m to 27.5 per cent, although the Opposition favours a turnover threshold of just $A2m.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, ONE NATION PARTY

Hanson offers hope for ABCC bill

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Sarah Martin
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 30-Aug-16

Incoming senator Pauline Hanson will consult with both sides of politics before deciding her stance on the Australian Building & Construction Commission. However, Hanson has indicated that she opposes "union thuggery" and says small contractors and subcontractors must be protected from such union practices. Hanson is yet to decide her position on proposed company tax cuts, but warns of the risk that companies may relocate to countries with lower tax rates unless the tax burden is reduced.

CORPORATES
ONE NATION PARTY, AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Government faces delay on ‘urgent’ cuts

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 30-Aug-16

The Australian Government will introduce 26 separate bills to Parliament in coming days, although its "omnibus" and superanuation reform bills will be delayed. The Australian Labor Party was not given a copy of the omnibus bill at its caucus meeting on 29 August 2016, while some Labor MPs oppose several of the proposed measures to reduce government spending. Meanwhile, the Government is yet to reach consensus within its own ranks regarding the lifetime cap on non-concessional super contributions.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. PARLIAMENTARY BUDGET OFFICE, COUNCIL ON THE AGEING, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, AUSTRALIAN RENEWABLE ENERGY AGENCY, VICTORIA. COUNTRY FIRE AUTHORITY, UNITED FIREFIGHTERS’ UNION OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Coalition backs media reforms

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Jake Mitchell
The Australian – Page: 23 : 30-Aug-16

The Australian Government will push ahead with cross-media ownership media reforms after the policy was endorsed by the Coalition’s partyroom on 29 August 2016. The legislation will be introduced to Parliament within days, although the Government may need to rely on the support of crossbenchers as the Opposition has yet to decide its stance on abolishing the "two-out-of-three" rule. Media industry executives will also hold meetings with the major political parties and crossbenchers in coming days.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, PRIME MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX PRT, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, HERALD AND WEEKLY TIMES LIMITED, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL

Labor: pass our budget cuts too

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 24-Aug-16

The Australian Government’s $A6.5bn spending cuts will be presented to Parliament in a single bill. The Australian Labor Party has yet to decide its position on several of the 21 measures in the "omnibus" bill, but Opposition Leader Bill Shorten says that if the Government wants Labor’s support for its spending cuts it should in turn vote in favour of the $A8.1bn worth of cuts that Labor has proposed. Meanwhile, the proposed lifetime cap on non-concessional superannuation contributions will be increased to $A750,000 after Treasurer Scott Morrison reached a compromise with Coalition MPs, although it will still be backdated to 2007.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, NATIONAL PRESS CLUB (AUSTRALIA), AUSTRALIAN RENEWABLE ENERGY AGENCY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, AUSTRALIA. PARLIAMENTARY BUDGET OFFICE

PM’s $6.5b budget challenge to Labor comes with AAA warning

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 17-Aug-16

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull will call for bipartisan political support for the Coalition’s economic agenda in a Committee for Economic Development of Australia speech on 17 August 2016. Turnbull will also reveal plans to present a single bill to Parliament which will include 21 separate initiatives aimed at reducing government spending by $A6.49bn in total. He will stress the need for action in order to protect Australia’s coveted "AAA" credit rating. The Australian Labor Party is expected to support some of the measures.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, COMMITTEE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN RENEWABLE ENERGY AGENCY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION

Unhappy crossbenchers threaten IR laws

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Primrose Riordan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 7 : 8-Aug-16

Liberal Democrat senator David Leyonhjelm has accused the Coalition of reneging on a deal to include a sunset clause in legislation to extend a ban on the importation of the Adler A110 shotgun. He says that the Coalition may now not be able to count on his support for a bill to reinstate the Australian Building & Construction Commission. Senator Leyonhjelm also intends to introduce legislation to scrap section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act, a reform which the Coalition had backed down on.

CORPORATES
LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY, AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Hanson’s power bloc holds key in ABCC union battle

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by David Crowe
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 5-Aug-16

The support of One Nation in the Senate may be crucial to the Coalition’s chances of passing legislation to reinstate the Australian Building & Construction Commission. The Coalition will have 30 seats in the new Senate, while the Australian Labor Party and the Greens will have 26 and nine respectively. The Coalition will need 39 votes to pass the ABCC bill in the upper house, or 114 in a joint sitting of Parliament. One Nation senator-elect Brian Burston has indicated that he is likely to support the ABCC bill.

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

Senate count favours ABCC bill

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by David Crowe
The Australian – Page: 6 : 4-Aug-16

The Federal Government’s chances of getting its Australian Building & Construction Commission legislation passed by a joint sitting of Parliament have been bolstered after the Liberal Party’s Jane Hume won the final Senate seat in Victoria. The Government needs 114 votes in a joint sitting, and it will commence negotiations with crossbenchers to support the bill. The final two Senate seats are expected to be decided shortly.

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