EX-PRIME MINISTERS – AUSTRALIA

‘Blew up the government’: Malcolm Turnbull challenges plotters in defence of his government

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Original article by David Crowe
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: Online : 9-Nov-18

Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull has told a special edition of "Q&A" that he does not blame Prime Minister Scott Morrison for his downfall as Liberal leader. Turnbull named Peter Dutton, Tony Abbott and Mitch Fifield as being among the main "plotters" in the bid to oust him, while he said that Seven Network chairman Kerry Stokes had relayed a comment to him from News Corp executive chairman Rupert Murdoch that "Malcolm’s got to go". Turnbull called on those who conspired against him to explain why "they blew up the government", while he endorsed claims that some MPs had been "bullied and intimidated" to vote against him.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Legacy war: Turnbull threat to haunt ScoMo

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Original article by Simon Benson, Primrose Riordan, Ben Packham
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 2-Nov-18

Tensions between Prime Minister Scott Morrison and predecessor Malcolm Turnbull have increased in the wake of the latter’s recent visit to Indonesia. Morrison was forced to retract comments he made in a radio interview on 1 November; he said that Turnbull had not been asked to discuss trade and the possible relocation of Australia’s embassy in Israel during meetings with Indonesian officials, but Turnbull responded by stating that he had been asked to do so. Turnbull has also signalled that he will publicly defen­d his record as prime minister. Liberal Party of Victoria president Michael Kroger has called on Morrison and Turnbull to present a unified front.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, LIBERAL PARTY OF VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HOME AFFAIRS, HIGH COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Howard in late bid to rescue Libs

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Original article by Dennis Shanahan
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 18-Oct-18

Former prime minister John Howard will campaign in the seat of Wentworth on behalf of Liberal candidate Dave Sharma. Malcolm Turnbull held the seat with a margin of 17 per cent, but Howard has warned that there is a high risk that the Liberals will lose Wentworth for the first time. He has also sent a letter to voters stressing that a Liberal win is necessary to ensure a stable government. Meanwhile, independent candidate Kerryn Phelps has condemned an email campaign in which it was alleged that she has withdrawn from the by-election after being diagnosed with HIV.

CORPORATES
LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

‘Standards have deteriorated’: Malcolm Turnbull weighs in on ABC accusation

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Original article by Matthew Knott
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: Online : 27-Sep-18

Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull says there has been a decline in the ABC’s editorial standards in recent years. Turnbull has confirmed that he had raised concerns about the quality of the public broadcaster’s coverage with chairman Justin Milne and other members of the ABC’s board. However, he stresses that he has never complained about any perceived bias in the ABC’s coverage or requested that any ABC staffer be dismissed. Turnbull add that it is the ABC board’s responsibility to address unfair or inaccurate reporting.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Malcolm Turnbull’s daughter scolds Liberal Party over female representation

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Original article by Sam Clench
news,com.au – Page: Online : 6-Sep-18

Daisy Turnbull Brown agrees with former foreign minister Julie Bishop that it is "unacceptable" that less than 25 per cent of federal Liberal MPs are female. Turnbull Brown, who is the daughter of former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, says it is not just parliament’s "kid/family unfriendly" nature that puts women off wanting to become MPs, but its toxic culture as well. Although not a big fan of the idea of quotas, Turnbull Brown says they may be the only way to boost the number of female federal Liberal MPs.

CORPORATES
LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Turnbull to walk away on Friday

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Original article by Andrew Clennell
The Australian – Page: 8 : 28-Aug-18

Nominations for the federal seat of Wentworth will be sought until 3 September, after former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull indicated that he intends to formally resign from Parliament on 31 August. Dave Sharma, Christine Forster and Andrew Bragg are said to be among the contenders for pre-selection, with the by-election likely to be held on 6 October. Turnbull’s son-in-law James Brown has ruled himself out of contention.

CORPORATES
LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, THE RETURNED AND SERVICES LEAGUE OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED, SYDNEY CITY COUNCIL, WOOLLAHRA MUNICIPAL COUNCIL

Howard urges action on unfinished IR reform

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Original article by David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 9-Aug-18

Ex-prime minister John Howard has highlighted the contribution that his government’s commitment to industrial relations reform had on wages growth and the labour market. In a recent address at a private dinner, Howard expressed concern about the lack of government action on workplace reform in recent years, and urged the Coalition to take more action on the issue. Howard praised the Coalition for reinstating the Australian Building & Construction Commission, but argued that further workplace reform is needed.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN MINES AND METALS ASSOCIATION (INCORPORATED), AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND SCIENCE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, ACTU, PATRICK CORPORATION LIMITED

Howard: End freeze with China

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Original article by Dennis Shanahan
The Australian – Page: 1 & 8 : 1-Jun-18

Former prime minister John Howard has made the point that Chinese president Xi Jinping likes Australia. With the relationship between Australia and China somewhat strained at the moment, Howard suggests that a face-to-face meeting between their respective leaders would be a good starting point in helping to ease tensions. He notes that the "turning point" in a 1996 dispute between Australia and China over naval rights in the Taiwan Straits was a meeting in Manila between himself and Jiang Zemin, China’s president at the time.

CORPORATES
LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, SYDNEY. AUSTRALIA-CHINA RELATIONS INSTITUTE

Howard in warning on mega-union

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 6-Apr-18

Former prime minister John Howard says the Federal Government should press ahead with its Ensuring Integrity Bill, which would subject union mergers to a public interest test. The bill was recently shelved after it was not passed by Parliament prior to the formal completion of the merger between the Construction, Forestry, Mining & Energy Union and the Maritime Union of Australia. Howard is concerned that the merger will lead to an "ultra-­concentration" of union power. Chris Corrigan, the former CEO of stevedoring firm Patrick Corporation, has expressed similar concerns.

CORPORATES
CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, MARITIME UNION OF AUSTRALIA, PATRICK CORPORATION LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF JOBS AND SMALL BUSINESS

Keating’s praise for Curtin vision of war

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Original article by Troy Bramston
The Australian – Page: 7 : 28-Nov-17

Former Prime Minister Paul Keating has referred to Sir Robert Menzies as a "woeful coward". Keating made his comments while speaking at the launch of "John Curtin’s War" at the Lowy Institute on 27 November. The book was written by John Edwards, a one-time adviser to Keating. Keating said that Menzies failed to understand the threat that Japan posed to Australia in the lead-up to World War II. Keating said that Curtin, who became prime minister in 1941, made decisions "quickly and resolutely".

CORPORATES
LOWY INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL POLICY