BUSINESS AND POLITICS – AUSTRALIA

Big stick returns in power fight

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Original article by Simon Benson
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 29-May-19

Energy Minister Angus Taylor says legislation aimed at forcing power companies to reduce electricity prices will be a priority for the federal government when parliament resumes. The so-called ‘big stick’ bill was put on hold in March after being rejected by parliament, and the CEOs of major energy companies still have concerns about the proposed legislation. Taylor also says the federal government will encourage its state counterparts to take action to increase electricity and gas supply.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY, ORIGIN ENERGY LIMITED – ASX ORG, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, CENTRE ALLIANCE, AUSTRALIAN CONSERVATIVES, ONE NATION PARTY

Porter has mandate to restructure workplace tribunal: employers

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Original article by David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 28-May-19

Australian Mines & Metals Association CEO Steve Knott says the Fair Work Commission needs to approve enterprise agreements more quickly, arguing that the often lengthy delays at present are unacceptable. He says one option may be to give the Fair Work Ombudsman responsibility for approving workplace deals. Knott has urged new Industrial Relations Minister Christian Porter to undertake a review of the FWC’s performance and processes.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK OMBUDSMAN, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF JOBS AND SMALL BUSINESS, AUSTRALIAN MINES AND METALS ASSOCIATION (INCORPORATED), RMIT UNIVERSITY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

New minister ready for big to-do list

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 29 : 27-May-19

Paul Fletcher has replaced Mitch Fifield as Minister for Communications and the Arts in a cabinet reshuffle following the federal election. The former Optus executive will face a number of challenges in the portfolio, including lobbying by telcos for a reduction in the national broadband network’s wholesale pricing and a push by TV networks for drama and children’s content quotas to be relaxed. The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission’s final report on its inquiry into digital platforms will also be released shortly.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, SINGTEL OPTUS PTY LTD, NBN CO LIMITED, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, TPG TELECOM LIMITED – ASX TPM, FREE TV AUSTRALIA LIMITED, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED

Industry seeks action on energy

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Original article by Angela Macdonald-Smith, Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 9 : 24-May-19

Coca-Cola Amatil CEO Alison Watkins has urged the Coalition government to target energy reform during its current term of office, while Alumina CEO Mike Ferraro says electricity prices need to fall if the Portland aluminium smelter is to remain viable. Australian Industry Group CEO Innes Willox says there needs to be more reward for energy users who reduce their consumption at times when the electricity grid is under stress, while Energy Users Association of Australia head Andrew Richards says the government needs to make the ongoing transition to cleaner energy more efficient.

CORPORATES
COCA-COLA AMATIL LIMITED – ASX CCL, ALUMINA LIMITED – ASX AWC, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, ENERGY USERS ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA, INCITEC PIVOT LIMITED – ASX IPL, BRICKWORKS LIMITED – ASX BKW, CSR LIMITED – ASX CSR, BLUESCOPE STEEL LIMITED – ASX BSL

Employers fear payroll nightmare

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Original article by David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 15-May-19

The Fair Work Commission is expected to make a ruling on the minimum wage before the end of May. However, employers’ groups have warned of the potential payroll complications if Labor wins the federal election and pushes ahead with plans to make a new wage submission immediately upon taking office. Any increase in the minimum wage will take effect from 1 July, and Australian Chamber of Commerce & Industry CEO James Pearson has expressed concern that employers will not have enough time to apply the new pay rates if Labor seeks to make a new submission to the FWC.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, ACTU

Workplace hitch to PM growth pitch

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Original article by Andrew Tillett, Matthew Cranston, John Kehoe
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 24-Apr-19

Council of Small Business Organisations CEO Peter Strong says industrial relations reform will be essential if the federal government is to achieve its goal of creating 250,000 new small businesses over the next five years. Australian Chamber of Commerce & Industry CEO James Pearson says that in addition to workplace reforms, the government must invest in training and take action to reduce power prices. The Institute of Public Affairs adds that action to reduce the red tape burden is also necessary.

CORPORATES
COUNCIL OF SMALL BUSINESS ORGANISATIONS OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS LIMITED, QUANTUM BUSINESS FINANCE PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Free TV miffed by government’s iceberg of policy in a sea of nothing

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 9 : 15-Apr-19

Free TV Australia CEO Bridget Fair has criticised the federal government’s failure to relax the content requirements of traditional broadcasters after nearly six years in office. She was responding to its decision to allow streaming video companies to access tax offsets for content that is filmed in Australia. Traditional broadcasters remain subject to quotas for content such as children’s programs and adult dramas. Fair contends that such quotas do not reflect changes in viewing habits.

CORPORATES
FREE TV AUSTRALIA LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, STAN ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, AMAZON PRIME VIDEO, TEN ALL-ACCESS

EV rollout threat to power grid

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Original article by Ben Packham
The Australian – Page: 4 : 5-Apr-19

Energy Networks Australia has used a submission to a Senate inquiry to warn that the nation’s electricity grid may not be equipped to cope with the growing use of electric vehicles. The peak energy network body argued that incentives will be necessary to encourage consumers to recharge their electric cars during off-peak periods. Labor recently announced that it will require electric vehicles to account for 50 per cent of new car sales by 2030 if it wins the upcoming federal election.

CORPORATES
ENERGY NETWORKS AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, INFRASTRUCTURE PARTNERSHIPS AUSTRALIA, COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENTS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY

Lack of company tax cut biggest gripe

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Original article by Ben Butler, Joyce Moullakis, Damon Kitney
The Australian – Page: 24 : 4-Apr-19

Business Council of Australia CEO Jennifer Westacott has reiterated the need for corporate tax cuts in the wake of the April 2019 Budget. She has described Australia’s current two-tiered company tax system as "bizarre", and notes that other nations are reducing their corporate tax rate while Australia’s remains one of the world’s highest. Meanwhile, the Australian Retailers Association’s executive director Russell Zimmerman says consumer spending should receive an immediate boost from the federal government’s proposed increase in the low- and middle-income tax offset.

CORPORATES
BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN RETAILERS ASSOCIATION, AUSTRALIAN BANKING ASSOCIATION, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, SUNCORP GROUP LIMITED – ASX SUN, MYOB GROUP LIMITED – ASX MYO, MORTGAGE CHOICE LIMITED – ASX MOC, STOCKLAND – ASX SGP

Start-ups reveal their federal budget wish-lists

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Original article by Liz Main
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 19 : 2-Apr-19

Clarification concerning research and development tax incentives is one of the biggest points of interest for technology start-ups with regard to the federal government’s April 2019 Budget. Des Hang, the CEO and co-founder of vehicle subscription service Carbar, says it is too easy for larger companies to be able to claim tax breaks under the R&D incentive scheme. Investment in better education programs is something else that the technology sector wants to see, along with immigration reform.

CORPORATES
CARBAR, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, ATLASSIAN CORPORATION PLC, 99DESIGNS PTY LTD, FINTECH AUSTRALIA PTY LTD