INTERGOVERNMENTAL CO-OPERATION – AUSTRALIA

Australia ‘must commit to one emission target’

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Original article by Andrew White
The Australian – Page: 4 : 25-Oct-17

The Australian Greens have welcomed the release of a Productivity Commission report which advocates the adoption of a carbon price. The commission has also recommended the introduction of a national renewable energy target rather than having separate state-based schemes. It argues that a national approach would make it easier for Australia to meet its emission reduction target under the Paris agreement and do more to encourage investment in new power generation.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Gun laws ‘drifting’ as critics fight deal

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Original article by David Crowe
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 6 : 5-Oct-17

Gun Control Australia CEO Sam Lee says the Federal Government should put pressure on its state and territory counterparts to implement changes to the National Firearms Agreement. The reforms were agreed upon earlier in 2017 after extensive negotiations, but none of the states and territories have fully implemented the changes. The Sporting Shooters Association of Australia opposes the introduction of stricter gun control laws.

CORPORATES
GUN CONTROL AUSTRALIA, SPORTING SHOOTERS’ ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA INCORPORATED, THE ALANNAH AND MADELINE FOUNDATION LIMITED, THE GREENS NSW INCORPORATED, NEW SOUTH WALES POLICE FORCE, ONE NATION PARTY

‘Lift your gas exploration bans’

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Original article by Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 13-Jul-17

Federal Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg will use the Council of Australian Governments meeting on 14 July to urge state and territory energy ministers to endorse the recommendations of the Finkel energy review. He will also urge Victoria and the Northern Territory to overturn their moratoriums on onshore gas development. Victorian Energy Minister Lily D’Ambrosio argues that Australia’s current level of gas exports is not sustainable and is resulting in higher prices for domestic users. She favours the introduction of a clean energy target rather than increased gas production in Victoria.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY, VICTORIA. DEPT OF ENVIRONMENT, LAND, WATER AND PLANNING, AUSTRALIA. OFFICE OF THE CHIEF SCIENTIST, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND SCIENCE, COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENTS, AUSTRALIAN ENERGY MARKET OPERATOR LIMITED, SOUTH AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PREMIER AND CABINET, TESLA INCORPORATED, NEOEN, AUSTRALIAN ENERGY COUNCIL, ENERGY NETWORKS ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN ENERGY MARKET COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION

Get on with energy fix

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Original article by Ben Potter
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 8 : 12-Jul-17

The Finkel energy review will be on the agenda for the Council of Australian Governments Energy Council meeting on 14 July. Australian Energy Market Operator CEO Audrey Zibelman has urged the nation’s energy ministers to endorse the Finkel review to enable appropriate action to be taken to ensure Australia’s energy security. Zibelman notes that the falling cost is prompting businesses, consumers and power companies to embrace renewable energy without the presence of a clean energy target.

CORPORATES
COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENTS. ENERGY COUNCIL, AUSTRALIAN ENERGY MARKET OPERATOR LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN ENERGY MARKET COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN ENERGY REGULATOR, COMMITTEE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF AUSTRALIA

Crisis looms unless leaders grasp economic reforms

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Original article by David Crowe
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 9-Dec-16

The Council of Australian Governments meeting on 9 December 2016 coincides with the release of data showing that GDP growth fell by 0.5 per cent in the September quarter. Australian Institute of Company Directors chair Elizabeth Proust and former Business Council of Australia president Tony Shepherd have urged federal and state leaders to pursue measures aimed at boosting economic growth and investment. Former Victorian premier Jeff Kennett adds that the COAG meeting should focus on economic reform.

CORPORATES
COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENTS, AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF COMPANY DIRECTORS, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, NESTLE AUSTRALIA LIMITED, BANK OF MELBOURNE LIMITED, ORIGIN ENERGY LIMITED – ASX ORG, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP

State threats to Turnbull agenda

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Original article by Phillip Coorey, Joanna Mather
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 30-Nov-16

The Federal Government’s competition reform plan will be discussed at a meeting of federal and state treasurers on 2 December 2016. The Victorian Government has warned that it may withdraw from an intergovernmental agreement that would provide the states with financial incentives for implementing reforms that increase competition and productivity. Treasurer Tim Pallas argues that the draft agreement provides limited information on funding arrangements.

CORPORATES
VICTORIA. DEPT OF TREASURY AND FINANCE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, NEW SOUTH WALES. DEPT OF PREMIER AND CABINET, NEW SOUTH WALES. DEPT OF PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Morrison targets cost of housing

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Original article by Laura Tingle
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 24-Oct-16

Federal Treasurer Scott Morrison notes that the proportion of Australians who own their home has fallen from 71 per cent to 67 per cent over the last two decades. However, he will argue in a speech on 24 October 2016 that housing supply is the main factor that is affecting housing affordability. He will also say that a range of other factors rather than the impact of property investors is affecting housing affordability. Morrison will also flag a push for greater co-operation with state governments to make more land available for residential development.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, COUNCIL ON FEDERAL FINANCIAL REGULATION, ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT

SA crisis: PM demands cut to renewable targets

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Original article by Primrose Riordan, Mark Ludlow
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 : 30-Sep-16

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has used the blackout in South Australia (SA) to stress the need for a new national renewables target. He said on 29 September 2016 that the Labor state governments of SA, Queensland and Victoria adopted targets that are "extremely unrealistic". Queensland has a renewable target of 50 per cent, while the current level of renewables is only about 4.5 per cent. Federal Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg said the matter will be discussed at an upcoming meeting of state energy ministers.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND SCIENCE, GRATTAN INSTITUTE, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENTS

Axe state governments, says Freelancer’s Barrie

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Original article by Misa Han
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 12 : 15-Apr-16

Freelancer CEO Matt Barrie is a radical thinker. He shared his views on a number of topics with the audience at the Knowledge Nation summit on 14 April 2016. He said Australia’s state governments should be abolished because the current federal system encourages regulatory duplication, populism and bureaucratic excesses. He also advocated adding more technology subjects to the school curriculum.

CORPORATES
FREELANCER LIMITED – ASX FLN

Business urges extreme COAG makeover

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Original article by Jacob Greber
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 2 : 4-Apr-16

Australian Institute of Company Directors CEO John Brogden has called for greater co-operation between the federal and state governments. He has suggested major changes to the Council of Australian Governments, after a proposal by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull for states to raise income tax revenue was rejected. Brodgen has suggested that an independent chair and secretariat could be put in charge of COAG in order to facilitate the reform process.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF COMPANY DIRECTORS, COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENTS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. NATIONAL COMMISSION OF AUDIT