ELECTIONS – AUSTRALIA

Media reform could be delayed until after budget, federal vote

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 20-Apr-16

Federal Parliament is unlikely to sit again until 2 May 2016, ahead of the Australian Government’s Budget on 3 May. The Government is now expected to postpone proposed changes to cross-media ownership laws until after the double-dissolution election on 2 July, in order to focus on the Budget. Abolition of the "reach rule" and the "two-out-of-three rule" is still on the Government’s agenda, while the Ten Network has again called for broadcasting licence fees to be reduced in the Budget.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION, PRIME MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX PRT, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD

PM rolls DD poll dice

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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

PM pulls the trigger

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Original article by David Crowe
The Australian – Page: 1& 4 : 22-Mar-16

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten says the Australian Labor Party and the general public are ready for the 2016 federal election. The Government is poised to use a bill to reinstate the Australian Building & Construction Commission as the trigger for a double-dissolution election on 2 July, after requesting that Parliament be recalled on 18 April to debate the bill. The Government will also hand down the Budget one week earlier than scheduled, on 3 May. The last double-dissolution election was in 1987.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, AUSTRALIA. OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL, AUSTRALIA. CLEAN ENERGY FINANCE CORPORATION

Markets not worried about an early election

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Original article by Stephen Cauchi
The Australian Financial Review – Page: Online : 22-Mar-16

Matt Sherwood of Perpetual does not expect the 2016 federal election to have much impact on the Australian sharemarket. He adds that policies such as high taxes and high government spending are likely to have the biggest adverse effect on the market. Meanwhile, David Bassanese of BetaShares says the construction sector will benefit if the Federal Government succeeds in its bid to increase regulation of the industry, while the housing sector will face a less severe crackdown on negative gearing if it is returned to office.

CORPORATES
PERPETUAL INVESTMENTS, BETASHARES CAPITAL LIMITED, BORAL LIMITED – ASX BLD, MONADELPHOUS GROUP LIMITED – ASX MND, MIRVAC GROUP – ASX MGR, AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Turnbull gets nod for early, double dissolution election

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Original article by
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 18-Mar-16

The Senate is likely to pass laws changing the Senate voting system. The purpose of the changes is to prevent micro parties using the preference system to win Senate seats. The passage of the proposed legislation would enable Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to call an early, double-dissolution election for 2 July 2016.

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

Shorten to promise full employment

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Original article by Laura Tingle
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 15-Mar-16

A commitment to achieving full employment will be part of the Australian Labor Party’s 2016 federal election platform. Opposition Leader Bill Shorten will address the National Press Club on 16 March, where he will highlight issues such as job security, wage fairness, under-employment and the high jobless rate in some parts of Australia. He will also criticise Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s lack of leadership in addressing issues facing the nation.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, NATIONAL PRESS CLUB (AUSTRALIA)

Double-D plus six: PM’s poll options narrowing

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Original article by Phillip Hudson
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 10-Mar-16

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is believed to favour 2 June as the date for the federal election if he opts for a double-dissolution poll. It is the day after changes to the voting system for the Senate are due to take effect. However, Turnbull is likely to have few alternative options for the election date, with 3 September regarded as the most likely date for a half-Senate election. Factors such as the Olympic Games and football grand finals will influence the timing of the poll.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE, NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, NEWSPOLL, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND SCIENCE, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Early budget talk, election options narrow

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 8-Mar-16

The Australian Government is considering moving the Budget forward one week to 3 May 2016. Should it opt to call a double-dissolution election, it must do so no later than 11 May in order to hold such an election on its preferred date of 2 July. A half-Senate election in August is also being considered. The bill to reinstate the Australian Building & Construction Commission remains a potential trigger for a double-dissolution election.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT, LIBERAL PARTY OF NEW SOUTH WALES

Abbott attacks fuel fears of election loss

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 7 : 4-Mar-16

Former prime minister Tony Abbott is increasingly perceived among his colleagues as a burden. Coalition MPs are concerned about his potential to alienate voters. Abbott’s contribution to the public discourse on issues such as tax cuts and the submarine contract has been judged to be damaging the chances of the Coalition for re-election.

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

‘Spending cuts must fund tax relief’

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Original article by David Crowe
The Australian – Page: 2 : 1-Mar-16

Federal Treasurer Scott Morrison has told a meeting of Coalition MPs of the need to reduce income taxes over the long-term, stressing that this must be achieved via spending cuts in the Budget. Meanwhile, backbenchers expressed concern about proposed changes to the negative gearing regime for property investors, with one MP warning that any such reforms will be rejected by the party room. Morrison also said Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is fully prepared to seek a double-dissolution election.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND SCIENCE, AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY