BILL DRAFTING – AUSTRALIA

Unionists face bans

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Original article by Annika Smethurst
Herald Sun – Page: 13 : 11-Jan-16

The Australian Government will resubmit the Registered Organisations Bill to the Senate when Parliament resumes in February 2016. The revised bill is expected to include measures aimed at union officials who breach the law, including financial penalties and bans on them holding office. They are among the recommendations of the final report of the Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO TRADE UNION GOVERNANCE AND CORRUPTION, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, VICTORIA POLICE, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT

Retail chiefs resist super fund choice

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Original article by Joanna Mather
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 7-Jan-16

Retail industry superannuation fund REST opposes new legislation giving workers a choice of super fund and making changes in the process of selecting default funds by employers. REST chairman Ken Marshman argues in a letter sent to the Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption that employers do not want to be burdened with the obligation to choose a default fund, preferring to leave this task to those having expert knowledge of super.

CORPORATES
REST SUPER PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO TRADE UNION GOVERNANCE AND CORRUPTION, WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, COLES GROUP LIMITED, MYER HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX MYR, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, INDUSTRY FUND SERVICES PTY LTD

Government to debate media reform format

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: Online : 18-Nov-15

The Australian Government’s proposed cross-media ownership reforms are expected to be presented to cabinet in late November 2015. The Government is initially expected to focus on scrapping the so-called "reach rule" and the "two-out-of-three rule", but it is still to decide whether to pursue both reforms in a single bill or put two separate bills to Parliament. The Opposition favours abolishing the reach rule, although there is less support for scrapping the two-out-of-three rule.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS

Government cracks down on dodgy private colleges

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Original article by Tim Dodd
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 11 : 16-Oct-15

The Australian Government has introduced a bill in Parliament to make it easier to cancel students loans that are issued under the VET FEE HELP scheme. Vocational Education and Skills Minister Luke Hartsuyker said on 15 October 2015 that said the bill will offer students more protection against unscrupulous private colleges.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING, AUSTRALIAN CAREERS NETWORK LIMITED – ASX ACO

Termination changes for 7-Elevens worry franchisees

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Original article by Adele Ferguson, Sarah Danckert
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 13-Oct-15

Australian Greens MP Adam Bandt wants an amendment to the Fair Work Act in the wake of the wage exploitation scandal at 7-Eleven. His private members’ bill would make a franchisor liable if a franchisee fails to pay staff the correct wages. Meanwhile, 7-Eleven franchisees in Melbourne are concerned that they will not gain much from a proposed change in the way profits are split with head office. They also fear that new termination clauses could be exploited by head office.

CORPORATES
7-ELEVEN STORES PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN GREENS

Penalty rates a relic of class war

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Original article by David Leyonhjelm
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 38 : 9-Oct-15

If the Australian Government is serious about job creation, it should remove penalty rates. A bill introduced by Senator David Leyonhjelm, of the Liberal Democratic Party, would remove obstacles to job creation in the restaurant, retail and tourism industries. The bill removes penalty rates for working on Saturday and Sunday. However, penalty rates would apply after the first 10 hours of work on any day.

CORPORATES
LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY

Boral lobbies senators for ABCC

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 8 : 12-Aug-15

Boral CEO Mike Kane has met with Senate crossbenchers to persuade them to support the legislation that reinstates the Australian Building & Construction Commission (ABCC). The Senate will vote on the ABCC bill in mid-August 2015. Australian Mines & Metals Association CEO Steve Knott urged crossbenchers to support the bill.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION, BORAL LIMITED – ASX BLD, AUSTRALIAN MINES AND METALS ASSOCIATION (INCORPORATED), AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Abbott lines up double-D unions poll

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Original article by Phillip Coorey, Patrick Durkin
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1& 6 : 13-Jul-15

The Australian Government plans to use the Registered Organisations Commission Bill as one of two potential triggers for a double-dissolution election. Officials of unions and employers’ groups who are found to be corrupt will be subject to the penalties that currently apply to corporate executives. The Government will also reintroduce its bill on the Australian Building & Construction Commission to the Senate when parliament resumes in August 2015.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO TRADE UNION GOVERNANCE AND CORRUPTION, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, AUSTRALIAN ELECTORAL COMMISSION

Government’s finger on double-dissolution trigger

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 2-Apr-15

The Australian Government insists on continuing with its policy of university fee deregulation. Education Minister Christopher Pyne said on 1 April 2015 that he will present the proposed legislation to the Senate again, despite the fact that it has already been rejected twice. If the bill is rejected again, it may trigger a double dissolution election

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING, THE GROUP OF EIGHT LIMITED

University deregulation looks doomed

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 17-Mar-15

The Australian Government has failed to gain enough support for its proposal to deregulate universities. The proposed legislation is likely to be rejected by the Senate. Senators Nick Xenophon, Jacqui Lambie, Glenn Lazarus, Dio Wang and Ricky Muir indicated that they would vote against deregulation. The vote will take place on 18 March 2015

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, UNIVERSITIES AUSTRALIA LIMITED, THE GROUP OF EIGHT LIMITED