ELECTIONS – AUSTRALIA

Snap election would catch Coalition with its pants down

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Original article by Rachel Baxendale, Sam Buckingham-Jones
The Australian – Page: 9 : 23-Aug-18

Analyses shows that since 1983, federal political parties that have changed leaders more than halfway between an election have generally won office at the next election. There is speculation that the Coalition’s current leadership crisis could prompt an early election, but Labor has made a lot more progress in selecting candidates than the Liberal Party. Labor has completed the pre-selection process for candidates in the 20 most marginal seats that are held by the Coalition. In contrast, the Liberals have named just one candidate in the 20 most marginal Labor-held seats.

CORPORATES
LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL-NATIONAL PARTY OF QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, ELECTORAL COMMISSION OF NEW SOUTH WALES

Missing PM not sign of white flag

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Original article by Luke Griffiths
The Australian – Page: 4 : 27-Jul-18

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has not campaigned in the seat of Mayo since 4 July, ahead of the by-election on 28 July. Georgina Downer, who is contesting the seat for the Liberals, denies that Turnbull’s recent absence is a sign that the party has given up on winning Mayo, which her father Alexander held from 1984 to 2008. The seat is being contested as a result of Centre Alliance MP Rebekha Sharkie having to resign over her dual citizenship.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, CENTRE ALLIANCE, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, GALAXY RESEARCH PTY LTD

Nine-week campaign might save us: Labor

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 26-Jul-18

The seats of Longman and Braddon will be the focus of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten in the last two days before the by-elections on 28 July. The Liberal Party and Labor agree that the outcome of both by-elections is now too close to call. Meanwhile, a Labor source says the party has benefited from the marathon nine-week election campaign, as its internal polling suggests that Labor would have lost both seats if the election campaign had been shorter.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Ignore One Nation at your peril, says Roy

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Original article by Mark Ludlow
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 26-Jul-18

One Nation’s preferences contributed to the Liberal-National Party’s loss of Longman at the 2016 federal election. The minor political party is likely to have an impact on the outcome of the by-election on 28 July, with expectations that it will gain about 20 per cent of the primary vote. Wyatt Roy, who lost the seat to Labor’s Susan Lamb in 2016, says both of the major parties must listen to the concerns of One Nation supporters. He notes that L-NP candidate Trevor Ruthenberg should benefit from One Nation preferences.

CORPORATES
ONE NATION PARTY, LIBERAL-NATIONAL PARTY OF QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AFINITI

Labor spends up big as leadership pressure builds

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Original article by Mark Ludlow, Andrew Tillett
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 25-Jul-18

Labor has made spending commitments totalling $155m during campaigning in the seat of Longman, compared with the $44.6m that has been pledged by the Coalition. Likewise, Labor has announced spending measures in excess of $183m in the seat of Braddon, while the Coalition has committed to spending $122.7m. The other three seats in which by-elections will be held on 28 July have attracted significantly fewer spending promises from both sides of politics.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, LIBERAL-NATIONAL PARTY OF QUEENSLAND, ONE NATION PARTY, CENTRE ALLIANCE

Dismay as candidates snub dual-citizenship checklist

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Original article by Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 4 : 10-Jul-18

New voluntary checklists aimed at assuring voters that political candidates are eligible under Australian citizenship laws were introduced in the wake of the dual-citizenship fiasco. It has been revealed that of the 48 candidates taking part in five upcoming by-elections, 17 have either not completed the checklist or chosen not to have the details made public. Constitutional law expert Anne Twomey says electors may decide not to vote for candidates who have decided not to fully participate in the checklist process.

CORPORATES
UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY, LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN ELECTORAL COMMISSION, CENTRE ALLIANCE

Braddon business writes off Shorten’s write-off

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Original article by Matthew Denholm
The Australian – Page: 5 : 5-Jul-18

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten is campaigning in the seat of Braddon in Tasmania ahead of the by-election on 28 July. Local business owner Shane Smith says the Coalition’s company tax cuts package would be of more benefit to businesses in Braddon than Shorten’s alternative of a tax deduction on capital investments of at least $20,000. Smith argues that many businesses in the electorate would not qualify as they lack the capital to make such a large investment.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, PENSTOCK DISTRIBUTORS, DEVONPORT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Foreign spy threat to by-elections

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Original article by Simon Benson
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 8-Jun-18

The joint committee on intelligence and security has made 60 recommendations in its report on the Federal Government’s Espionage and Foreign Interference Bill. Attorney-General Christian Porter says the committee should also report immediately on the Foreign Influence and Transparency Scheme Bill. He argues that both bills must be passed by Parliament prior to the five by-elections on 28 July, to ensure that the outcome of the polls is not affected by the actions of foreign agents. He says the threat of foreign interference has increased in recent months.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. JOINT PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE ON INTELLIGENCE AND SECURITY, AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT, AUSTRALIAN SECURITY INTELLIGENCE ORGANISATION, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, COMMUNIST PARTY (CHINA)

GetUp! accused of strategy switch in support of Labor

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Original article by Brad Norington
The Australian – Page: 4 : 7-Jun-18

The role of activist group GetUp in Labor’s "Mediscare" campaign during the 2016 federal election is under scrutiny. Liberal MP Ben Morton has questioned why GetUp put healthcare funding at the top of its campaign agenda for the election. He notes that the issue of Medicare ranked eighth in GetUp’s membership survey in 2015, but it suddenly ranked as a high priority in the election year. Morton alleges that GetUp switched its campaign focus in order to complement Labor’s Medicare campaign.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, GETUP LIMITED, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, AUSTRALIAN ELECTORAL COMMISSION

Shorten to face leadership test

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Original article by Simon Benson, Ben Packham
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 10-May-18

Labor MPs Susan Lamb, Justine Keay and Josh Wilson have resigned from parliament after the High Court ruled that Labor senator Katy Gallagher is disqualified due to dual citizenship. The eligibility of the three MPs, as well as Centre Alliance MP Rebekha Sharkie – who has also resigned – had also been uncertain. Senior officials of both the Liberal and Labor parties concede that the outcome of the resulting by-elections could put pressure on the leadership of both Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten. The four lower house by-elections are expected to be held on the same day.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, CENTRE ALLIANCE, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, HIGH COURT OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, ONE NATION PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY