LOBBYING – AUSTRALIA

Australian ministers met Japanese gas companies 20 times amid fossil fuel lobbying push

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Original article by Adam Morton
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 10-Feb-26

Thinktank InfluenceMap claims that federal resources minister Madeleine King met at least 17 times with representatives from Japanese liquefied natural gas firms in the last term of parliament, with InfluenceMap finding its information through freedom-of-information documents. Those documents also show that four other ministers had single meetings with Japanese gas companies, including prime minister Anthony Albanese, with the details of the meetings contained in a report by InfluenceMap in which it argues that Japanese LNG companies have worked with Australian gas interests to lobby for favourable local government policy to prolong the life of the industry and slow a shift to clean energy in Asia Pacific.

CORPORATES
INFLUENCEMAP, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, SCIENCE AND RESOURCES, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Slash green tape to hit 2035 target

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Original article by Greg Brown, Perry Williams
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 26-Aug-25

Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen is set to reveal the federal government’s 2035 carbon emissions reduction target in September. A group of Australian companies have joined forces under the Business For 75 banner to lobby the government, calling for an emissions target of at least 75 per cent. The Climate Change Authority is considering a target of 65-75 per cent, but the Business For 75 members contend that a target at the higher end of tis range would increase investment by $20bn a year. Bowen has indicated that the government may adopt a target range for reducing emissions, rather than a specific figure.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF CLIMATE CHANGE, ENERGY, THE ENVIRONMENT AND WATER

Roundtable revolt on super

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Original article by Matthew Cranston
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 2-Jul-25

The federal government’s economic reform roundtable is set to be inundated with submissions from business leaders, the union movement and special interest groups. Many of these submissions are likely to propose alternatives to Labor’s superannuation tax reforms, particularly the controversial plan to tax the unrealised capital gains of super funds. Critics of this provision of the reforms contend that at the very least the $3m threshold should be indexed to inflation. Financial services industry veteran Geoff Wilson has previously warned that taxing unrealised gains will have a negative impact on productivity.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Axe the red tape: Big business presses for Trump-like attack on regulation

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Original article by Shane Wright
The Age – Page: Online : 4-Feb-25

The Business Council of Australia has urged the federal government and the opposition to adopt a Donald Trump-like attack on red tape, contending living standards will fall if business regulation is not reduced. The BCA’s biggest wish is for the creation of a minister for deregulation, while the BCA would like to see the Productivity Commission come up with an annual list of regulations that could be eliminated. Along with reduced regulation, the BCA would also like to see the company tax rate cut to 25 per cent, the adoption of investment allowances for all businesses and a possible increase to the GST.

CORPORATES
BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA

Free TV networks push for anti-siphoning laws to include streaming services

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Original article by Parker McKenzie
The New Daily – Page: Online : 14-May-24

Australia’s free-to-air networks have joined forces to launch the ‘Free for Everyone’ advertising campaign. The networks are urging the federal government to update the nation’s anti-siphoning laws to specifically include streaming services. They argue that the existing laws only guarantee that major sporting events are broadcast on linear TV rather than the streaming platforms of FTA networks, and at present there is nothing to prevent companies such as Netflix from buying the exclusive digital broadcasting rights to flagship events. The networks note that many consumers now watch broadcast TV via the internet rather than using a traditional aerial.

CORPORATES
NETFLIX INCORPORATED

Meta fixer flew in for half-hour delivery

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Original article by Ronald Mizen
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 7 : 5-Mar-24

Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones was informed by Meta’s vice president of public policy for Asia Pacific Simon Milner that the social media firm would no longer pay Australian publishers for their content 24 hours before its decision was made public. Milner is a typical example of the policy and government relations professionals that the tech firms employ to deal with irate politicians and inform them of the ‘company line from Silicon Valley’ at a time when their activities are coming under growing global scrutiny, with their work backed up by local lobbyists.

CORPORATES
META PLATFORMS INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY

Plea to save media jobs in the regions

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 2 : 30-May-20

Regional media companies such as WIN Corporation and Australian Community Media have lobbied the federal government to further relax cross-media ownership laws. Concerns about the future of the regional media sector have been heightened by News Corp Australia’s decision to axe 36 regional and community newspapers and shift 76 titles to digital-only editions. The move will also result in the loss of hundreds of jobs. Further job cuts in the regional media are possible when the JobKeeper wage subsidy scheme ends in September.

CORPORATES
WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN COMMUNITY MEDIA, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORT, REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS

Catalano takes aim at irrelevant rules restricting rural TV

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Original article by John Stensholt
The Australian – Page: 24 : 25-Nov-19

Antony Catalano contends that a rule which limits media companies to one TV broadcasting licence in a single market is "antiquated" and "completely outdated". He notes that the so-called ‘one-in-a-market rule’ does not apply to radio stations, newspapers or news websites. Catalano adds that he has discussed the issue with Communications Minister Paul Fletcher and is prepared to launch a campaign for reform via Australian Community Media if the federal government does not take action. Catalano and Alex Waislitz bought the regional newspaper business earlier in 2019.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN COMMUNITY MEDIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, PRIME MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX PRT, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL

BHP to review membership of coal lobby

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 23 : 6-Sep-19

BHP says the latest review of its membership of industry associations will include Coal21, which has links to the Minerals Council of Australia. The resources giant is under growing pressure to sever its links with pro-coal lobbyists, but it has recommended that shareholders vote against a resolution calling for it to cancel its membership of the MCA due to the latter’s stance on climate change. Meanwhile, CFO Peter Beaven says BHP would be open to selling its coal assets at the right price; he adds that a decision on a proposed brownfield expansion of the Olympic Dam copper mine may be delayed until 2022.

CORPORATES
BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, MINERALS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, COAL21 LIMITED, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA

Shorten slaps down union super bosses

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Original article by Joanna Mather
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 2 : 20-Mar-19

The union movement continues to attract scrutiny for using industry superannuation funds to promote its industrial relations agenda. Labor leader Bill Shorten says the legal requirement of super fund trustees to act in the best interests of members overrides any other allegiances they may have. ACTU president Michele O’Neil recently urged super funds to use their influence as investors to ensure that companies offer secure and well-paid jobs. O’Neil is an alternate director on the board of AustralianSuper, which is partly owned by the ACTU.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, ACTU, AUSTRALIANSUPER PTY LTD, TRANSPORT WORKERS’ UNION, TWUSUPER, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY, EQUIPSUPER PTY LTD, SUNSUPER PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION