LOBBYING – AUSTRALIA

Super fund targets dirty dozen firms

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Original article by Joanna Mather, Tom McIlroy
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 22-Feb-19

The Climate Action 100+ investor group has more resources companies in its sights after its lobbying compelled Glencore to restrict its annual coal production to current levels. Australian companies in the sector that it will target include BHP, Rio Tinto, South32 and Woodside Petroleum, as well as other listed companies such as Woolworths, Qantas and Adelaide Brighton. Andrew Gray of industry fund AustralianSuper is a member of the Climate Action 100+ group’s global steering committee.

CORPORATES
CLIMATE ACTION 100+, GLENCORE PLC, BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, SOUTH32 LIMITED – ASX S32, WOODSIDE PETROLEUM LIMITED – ASX WPL, SANTOS LIMITED – ASX STO, WOOLWORTHS GROUP LIMITED – ASX WOW, QANTAS AIRWAYS LIMITED – ASX QAN, ADELAIDE BRIGHTON LIMITED – ASX ABC, BORAL LIMITED – ASX BLD, AGL ENERGY LIMITED – ASX AGL, ORIGIN ENERGY LIMITED – ASX ORG, BLUESCOPE STEEL LIMITED – ASX BSL, AUSTRALIANSUPER PTY LTD, WASHINGTON H SOUL PATTINSON AND COMPANY LIMITED – ASX SOL, NEW HOPE CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX NHC, WOOD MACKENZIE, DALIAN PORTS GROUP, TRIBECA INVESTMENT PARTNERS PTY LTD, TERRA CAPITAL PTY LTD, ADANI MINING PTY LTD, QUEENSLAND RESOURCES COUNCIL LIMITED, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MARITIME, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, QUEENSLAND. DEPT OF THE PREMIER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND SCIENCE, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, INVESTOR GROUP ON CLIMATE CHANGE AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND, MINERALS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, CALIFORNIA PUBLIC EMPLOYEES’ RETIREMENT SYSTEM, HSBC GLOBAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED, IRCANTEC, MANULIFE ASSET MANAGEMENT, HEALTH EMPLOYEES’ SUPERANNUATION TRUST AUSTRALIA LIMITED, CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING UNIONS’ SUPERANNUATION FUND, AMP CAPITAL INVESTORS LIMITED, BT FINANCIAL GROUP PTY LTD, COLONIAL FIRST STATE GLOBAL ASSET MANAGEMENT

Super loopholes cost retirees billions

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Original article by Anthony Klan, Olivia Caisley
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 3-Dec-18

Professor Thomas Clarke says lobbyists from the financial sector have done a good job in persuading governments to go easy on the regulation of superannuation over recent decades. The University of Technology, Sydney academic says this has come at the expense of workers and retirees, who he claims are losing billions each year because of exemptions in various pieces of superannuation legislation. The Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees, which funded Clarke’s research, states that both sides of politics have been guilty of watering down legislation.

CORPORATES
UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, SYDNEY, AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF SUPERANNUATION TRUSTEES, RICE WARNER ACTUARIES PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, SUPERRATINGS PTY LTD

Mitchell gets ready to return ASIC tennis deal serve

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Original article by Ben Butler, John Stensholt
The Australian – Page: 2 : 22-Nov-18

Free TV Australia chairman Harold Mitchell has stepped down in the wake of legal action arising from his former role as a director of Tennis Australia. He has described the Australian Securities & Investments Commission’s allegations as false and has vowed to "vigorously defend" the legal action. ASIC alleges that Mitchell withheld information from TA’s board about potential bids for tennis broadcasting rights. The rights were awarded to the Seven Network, which has disputed ASIC’s claim that it had received confidential information from Mitchell about rival bids.

CORPORATES
FREE TV AUSTRALIA LIMITED, TENNIS AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION, SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED, IMG AUSTRALIA, FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Mitchell under pressure to quit Free TV after ASIC court action

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 18 : 21-Nov-18

Free TV Australia has declined to comment on the future of chairman Harold Mitchell, amid speculation that he may be forced to step down after the Australian Securities & Investments Commission launched legal action against him. ASIC’s civil action concerns Mitchell’s role as a former director of Tennis Australia, where he is alleged to have failed to advise the board that it was likely to secure more money if its TV broadcasting rights were put out to a competitive tender. Sources have suggested that Mitchell’s position at the TV industry lobby group may be untenable.

CORPORATES
FREE TV AUSTRALIA LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION, TENNIS AUSTRALIA, SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

The Saltbush Club: skilled and thinking Australians concerned at the huge costs and unproven benefits of the climate, energy and infrastructure policies on both sides of Federal Parliament

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Original article by Viv Forbes
pickeringpost.com – Page: Online : 16-Nov-18

A newly formed lobby group called the Saltbush Club is calling for Australia to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement. Jerry Ellis, founding chairman of the Club and a former chairman of BHP, contends that Australia’s efforts to reach its Paris targets have led to higher electricity prices and unreliable power supply. Hugh Morgan, a former CEO of Western Mining and director of the Saltbush Club, states that the Climate Agreement is really about the transfer of wealth to less developed nations. Saltbush organiser Viv Forbes claims that the United Nations is seeking to cripple western industry with high and unreliable electricity in a “futile attempt to control global climate”.

To learn more about the Saltbush Club please contact:
Viv Forbes (forbes@carbon-sense.com).

Also read a more detailed article in regards to the Saltbush Club available here: http://pickeringpost.com/story/the-saltbush-club/8689

CORPORATES
THE SALTBUSH CLUB, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, WESTERN MINING CORPORATION, UNITED NATIONS

Union funds call a truce

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Original article by Joanna Mather
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 24-Sep-18

Industry Super Australia CEO Bernie Dean says the lobby group has "shelved indefinitely" its anti-bank "fox and henhouse" advertisements. Dean, who has succeeded David Whiteley, was responsible for creating the commercials, which were launched in March 2017. AustralianSuper CEO Ian Silk had been queried by the banking royal commission as to why it had helped to finance what the commission described as political advertising. Silk stated that it was in the best interest of AustralianSuper’s members. Dean says this was a reasonable comment.

CORPORATES
INDUSTRY SUPER AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, AUSTRALIANSUPER PTY LTD, HOST-PLUS, ACTU, VICTORIAN WORKCOVER AUTHORITY, AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION

Militant to strike tough line for ACTU

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

Michele O’Neil has called for changes to Australia’s laws on the right to strike in her first speech as the newly-elected president of the ACTU. She has told the peak union body’s congress that the right to strike is a basic human right that is now highly regulated and restricted. O’Neil also favours changes to workplace laws to allow enterprise bargaining to occur at industry-wide level. O’Neil was the only contender to succeed Ged Kearney. Meanwhile, ACTU secretary Sally McManus has urged the union movement to step up its campaign for industrial relations reform.

CORPORATES
ACTU, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, TEXTILE, CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR UNION OF AUSTRALIA, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MARITIME, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP

Rio Tinto climate policy resolution expected to fall short

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 17 : 1-May-18

A motion calling for Rio Tinto to review its relationship with industry groups will be put it shareholders at its AGM on 2 May. The motion has been filed by the Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility and has the support of investors such as HESTA and the California Public Employees’ Retirement System. However, other Rio Tinto investors are expected to vote against it, and the motion is not expected to secure a majority. Nonetheless, ACCR executive director Brynn O’Brien will deem the motion to have been a success if 10 per cent of Rio Tinto’s shareholders vote for it.

CORPORATES
RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, AUSTRALASIAN CENTRE FOR CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY, HEALTH EMPLOYEES’ SUPERANNUATION TRUST AUSTRALIA LIMITED, CALIFORNIA PUBLIC EMPLOYEES’ RETIREMENT SYSTEM, LGIM, AEGON ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, MINERALS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIANSUPER PTY LTD

ACSI backs Rio lobby group review

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Original article by James Thomson
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 21 : 20-Apr-18

The Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility and Local Government Super will ask Rio Tinto shareholders to back a motion calling for the mining giant to review its relationship with industry groups. BHP Billiton undertook such a review after the ACCR instigated a similar push prior to its AGM in November. The Australian Council of Superannuation Investors is understood to be supportive of the ACCR’s motion at Rio Tinto’s AGM, which will be held in May. BHP’s review prompted it to leave the World Coal Association.

CORPORATES
RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, AUSTRALASIAN CENTRE FOR CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY, LGSS PTY LTD, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL OF SUPERANNUATION INVESTORS INCORPORATED, WORLD COAL ASSOCIATION, UNITED STATES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, MINERALS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, GLASS LEWIS AND COMPANY LLC

Billson faces rebuke for working two jobs

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Original article by Adam Gartrell
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: 11 : 27-Mar-18

Federal parliament’s privileges committee has recommended amending parliamentary rules so that MPs are banned from undertaking any paid lobbying. This follows its finding that former Small Business Minister Bruce Billson had not followed parliamentary standards when he undertook paid lobby work while he was still an MP. Billson, who left parliament after the June 2016 election, took on a paid role with the Franchise Council of Australia in March of that year. However, he did not disclose his appointment in the register of interests. Billson is expected to be censured by federal parliament as a result of the privileges committee’s findings.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND SCIENCE, FRANCHISE COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED, AGILE ADVISORY PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY