ELECTIONS – AUSTRALIA

Minor parties warn of risks of e-voting

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Primrose Riordan, Yolanda Redrup
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 12-Jul-16

The high cost of the 2016 federal election – estimated at almost $A200m – and the lengthy delay in counting votes has prompted renewed debate about electronic voting. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten support e-voting, but the Nick Xenophon Team and the Australian Greens are concerned about security issues. The latter notes that the potential for hacking of personal devices emerged during the 2015 election in New South Wales.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, AUSTRALIAN INFORMATION INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. JOINT STANDING COMMITTEE ON ELECTORAL MATTERS, UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE

Coalition set to govern in own right

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

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

Leaders plan reshuffles to their teams

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 11-Jul-16

The Coalition and the Opposition will make changes to their frontbenches before federal parliament resumes in August 2016. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has indicated that there will be no significant changes to the Coalition’s frontbench, although there is speculation that Sussan Ley will lose the health portfolio. Three portfolios in the outer ministry are also vacant after the incumbents lost their seats in the election.

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

PM joins esteemed company in living on electoral knife’s edge

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Jared Owens
The Australian – Page: 4 : 11-Jul-16

The Coalition seems set to win the 2016 federal election with the slimmest majority on a two-party preferred basis in almost eight decades. It currently boasts 50.13 per cent of the two-party preferred vote, with counting votes not yet complete. Analysis shows that there have been only four elections since 1937 in which a party won the popular vote with a margin of less than 0.5 per cent.

CORPORATES
LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

One Nation may pull the plug on renewable energy

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Graham Lloyd
The Australian – Page: 6 : 11-Jul-16

The Coalition and the Australian Labor Party both support the introduction of renewable energy targets. However, a rise in electricity prices in some states may make the introduction of renewable energy targets more difficult, while One Nation opposes such targets and wants renewable energy subsidies to be abolished. Climate Institute CEO John Connor has cautioned against allowing clean energy and climate reforms to be derailed.

CORPORATES
LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, ONE NATION PARTY, CLIMATE INSTITUTE (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED, AGL ENERGY LIMITED – ASX AGL, ENERGYAUSTRALIA PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN ENERGY MARKET COMMISSION

PM faces budget fight after win

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 11-Jul-16

Cabinet secretary Arthur Sinodinos says the Coalition has a mandate for its Budget measures after winning the 2016 federal election. He has also downplayed the impact that proposed superannuation reforms had on the election result. The super reforms are likely to be a key issue on the agenda for a party-room meeting on 18 July, with the $A500,000 lifetime cap on contributions likely to come under particular scrutiny. There is also growing acceptance within the Coalition that its 10-year policy to reduce the company tax rate will not pass the Senate in its entirety.

CORPORATES
LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HUMAN SERVICES. MEDICARE AUSTRALIA

Shorten to keep job as party celebrates new unity

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 5 : 8-Jul-16

The Australian Labor Party’s caucus rules will require a leadership spill, but Opposition Leader Bill Shorten is poised to be re-elected unopposed on 8 July 2016. Shorten emphasised Labor’s "unity of purpose" during a visit to Perth on 7 July. Meanwhile, the party’s Left faction is expected to seek additional representation on the Opposition’s frontbench in the wake of the federal election.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Turnbull set to win majority

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by David Crowe
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 8-Jul-16

The Australian Labor Party has not yet formally conceded defeat in the 2016 federal election, but Opposition Leader Bill Shorten says the Coalition is now likely to be returned to office. The Coalition appears increasingly likely to attain the 76 lower house seats it needs to govern in its own right, with four seats still undecided. Independent MP Bob Katter has also indicated that he will support the Coalition.

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

United Voice penalty rates push key to marginal swing

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Sarah Martin
The Australian – Page: 8 : 7-Jul-16

David McElrea, the assistant secretary of United Voice, says the union movement’s campaign on the issue of penalty rates in 10 marginal was a significant contributor to the large swing to the Australian Labor Party in the federal election. The union-backed campaign included text messages, robocalling and digital advertising, and played on fears that the Coalition would reduce weekend penalty rates in the retail and hospitality sectors if it is re-elected.

CORPORATES
UNITED VOICE, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, REACHTEL PTY LTD

Negative gearing back on table

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Samantha Hutchinson
The Australian – Page: 6 : 7-Jul-16

Property industry experts are concerned that the Coalition may change its stance on the negative gearing regime in the wake of the federal election. There are indications that some crossbenchers may support the Australian Labor Party’s proposed negative gearing reforms, which could in turn force the Coalition to reconsider its commitment to the existing regime. However, at least two independents – Bob Katter and Cathy McGowan – support the existing rules on negative gearing.

CORPORATES
LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, ONE NATION PARTY, CENTURY 21 REAL ESTATE, GRATTAN INSTITUTE, PROPERTY COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED