Senate count favours ABCC bill

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

Fate of bill to be played out by the numbers

Original article by Rachel Baxendale
The Australian – Page: 4 : 15-Jul-16

The reintroduction of legislation to reinstate the Australian Building & Construction Commission will be one of the Federal Government’s priorities when parliament resumes. However, at best the Coalition is likely to have 79 seats in the lower house and 29 in the Senate, which means it would need the support of at least five crossbenchers if the ABCC bill is put before a joint sitting of parliament.

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

Coalition set to govern in own right

Original article by James Massola
The Age – Page: 1 : 12-Jul-16

The Coalition has won the seats of Flynn and Capricornia, giving it 76 seats in the lower house. Meanwhile, the ABC’s election analyst Antony Green expects the Coalition to have about 30 seats in the Senate. Two seats in the lower house and three in the Senate remain undecided, but the Coalition is optimistic that it will have the numbers to pass its industrial relations reforms in a joint sitting of both houses. One Nation will boast three senators, and their support may be crucial for the Coalition to pass legislation to reinstate the Australian Building & Construction Commission and establish a Registered Organisations Commission.

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

Numbers don’t stack up for joint sitting on unions crackdown

Original article by Laura Tingle
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 6 : 4-Jul-16

Resources Minister Josh Frydenberg has conceded that the Federal Government would not have sufficient numbers to pass its industrial relations reforms in a joint sitting of parliament following the 2016 federal election. With the Coalition uncertain to be returned to office, it seems likely to have a combined maximum of 108 of the 226 seats in the upper and lower houses. Legislation to reinstate the Australian Building & Construction Commission was a trigger for the double-dissolution election.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND SCIENCE, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA

Watchdog drops action against CFMEU boss

Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 9 : 25-May-16

Fair Work Building & Construction will not proceed with legal action against Michael O’Connor, the national secretary of the Construction, Forestry, Mining & Energy Union. In February 2016, FWBC accused O’Connor and 12 other union officials of engaging in unlawful industrial action by targeting construction contractor De Martin & Gasparini. FWBC has conceded that O’Connor was not in a photograph that was presented as evidence in the case against the CFMEU officials.

CORPORATES
FAIR WORK BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, DE MARTIN AND GASPARINI PTY LTD, BORAL LIMITED – ASX BLD, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Morgan Poll, the ABCC and banking industry regulation

Original article by Gary Morgan, Roy Morgan Research
Morgan Poll Update – Page: Online : 18-Apr-16

Despite Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull receiving good publicity surrounding last week’s visit to China, today’s Morgan Poll shows the L-NP 50% (down 2.5%) dead-locked with the ALP 50% (up 2.5%) on a two-party preferred basis after Opposition Leader Bill Shorten called for a Royal Commission into the Banking & Finance industry – an idea which found widespread public support. The next three weeks leading into the Federal Budget will play an important role in determining whether the Turnbull Government can show leadership and live up to its image as the better economic managers. Malcolm Turnbull needs to convince Australian electors on "why" the construction industry needs to be subjected to additional regulation and the ABCC legislation must be passed; and why the banks are already sufficiently controlled by Government regulation (APRA, ASIC and the RBA). If not the ALP will continue to undermine the Government’s narrative and present itself as a credible Government in waiting.

CORPORATES
MORGAN POLL, ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA

PM rolls DD poll dice

Original article by David Crowe
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 19-Apr-16

The Senate’s rejection of a bill to reinstate the Australian Building & Construction Commission means a double-dissolution election on 2 July 2016 is almost certain. However, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is unlikely to seek the dissolution of Parliament until after the Budget is handed down on 3 May. Four of the crossbench senators voted against the ABCC bill, which was defeated by just two votes. Meanwhile, both houses of parliament have passed legislation to abolish the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. ROAD SAFETY REMUNERATION TRIBUNAL, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, AUSTRALIA. OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF DEFENCE, AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT, NEWSPOLL

Crossbenchers open to negotiate stricter IR laws

Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 30-Mar-16

Seven of the eight crossbench senators say they are willing to hold talks with the Australian Government regarding its proposed industrial relations reforms. The Government requires the support of at least six crossbenchers for its reforms to be passed by the upper house. Senator Glenn Lazarus has indicated that he will support the bill to reinstate the Australian Building & Construction Commission provided its powers are broadened to cover other industries. Senator Jacqui Lambie is the only crossbencher to have ruled out negotiating with the Government.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS

PM seeks deal to avoid DD election

Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 29-Mar-16

The Australian Government requires the support of at least six crossbench senators for its industrial relations reforms to be passed by the upper house. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has asked Family First Party’s Bob Day to intervene and persuade the other crossbenchers to negotiate with the Government. Turnbull has indicated that he is willing to broaden the legislation to address corruption in sectors other than the construction industry in order to avert a double dissolution election.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, FAMILY FIRST PARTY AUSTRALIA LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL, NEW SOUTH WALES. INDEPENDENT COMMISSION AGAINST CORRUPTION, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Voters missing full picture on ABCC

Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 8 : 24-Mar-16

Voters are confused about the Federal Government’s plans to reinstate the Australian Building & Construction Commission. The Australian Labor Party opposes the creation of the ABCC, whose role would be limited to monitoring one industry sector. Yet when Labor was in power, former prime minister Julia Gillard argued at the ACTU Congress in Brisbane in 2009 that such a body was necessary. Her government subsequently established the Fair Work Building & Construction inspectorate.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, FAIR WORK BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION, AUSTRALIA. OFFICE OF THE FAIR WORK BUILDING INDUSTRY INSPECTORATE, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, ACTU, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION