PARLIAMENTARY PRACTICE – AUSTRALIA

Government accused of censoring Parliament over inquiry into China ties

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Original article by Samantha Maiden
The New Daily – Page: Online : 12-Aug-19

Centre Alliance Senator Rex Patrick has accused the federal government of effectively censoring Parliament over its refusal to support an inquiry into Australia’s relationship with China. Patrick is the co-sponsor of the proposed inquiry, along with Labor Senator Kimberly Kitching. He claims the government is worried about how China might react to such an inquiry, but Patrick says it is not intended to be inflammatory. Labor frontbencher Richard Marles notes Australia’s relationship with China "is a very complex question".

CORPORATES
CENTRE ALLIANCE, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Senate crossbench jury out on union bashing bills

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 30-Jul-19

The federal government needs the support of Senate crossbenchers to pass its Ensuring Integrity Bill. Cory Bernardi has indicated that he will support it, leaving the government to get three more votes. One Nation, Centre Alliance and Jacquie Lambie have five votes between them, but they are all are undecided at the moment. Both One Nation and Centre Alliance have indicated that they would like to see the legislation amended so that it is more in harmony with corporate law, although the government is of the opinion that this is already the case. The bill has been referred to a Senate committee and will not be debated until October.

CORPORATES
ONE NATION PARTY, CENTRE ALLIANCE, ACTU, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MARITIME, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, CROWN RESORTS LIMITED – ASX CWN, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF JOBS AND SMALL BUSINESS

Open banking delayed due to data concerns

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 7 : 4-Jul-19

The federal government’s open banking regime is slated to begin on 1 February 2020, although this will require the Consumer Data Right bill to be passed by the end of July. Shadow financial services minister Stephen Jones says Labor has some concerns about how customers’ data is used and retained under the new regime, which will need to be addressed if Labor is to support the legislation. Jones has questioned whether there will be sufficient time to pass the bill before parliament rises for the winter break.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG

PM wins battle over tax cuts

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Original article by Simon Benson, Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 4-Jul-19

Senior federal government sources have indicated that independent senator Jacqui Lambie has agreed to support the Coalition’s full income tax cuts package. Lambie had pushed for the government to waive the $157m public housing debt of her home state of Tasmania in return for backing the tax bill. Fellow independent Cory Bernardi and Centre Alliance’s Rex Patrick and Stirling Griff will also support the full tax package, giving the Coalition sufficient numbers in the Senate to pass it. Labor will decide its stance on the tax package before it is put before the Senate on 4 July.

CORPORATES
CENTRE ALLIANCE, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, ONE NATION PARTY

Tax cut row blunting attacks, ALP MPs warn

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Original article by Geoff Chambers, Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 2-Jul-19

The federal government will introduce its income tax cuts package to the lower house on 2 July before putting it to the Senate, where the Coalition needs the support of four crossbenchers if it is opposed by Labor and the Greens. Centre Alliance is open to supporting the tax package if the government agrees to measures aimed at addressing the issue of high domestic gas prices, while independent senator Jacqui Lambie may also be open to backing the tax cuts. Meanwhile, shadow treasurer Jim Chalmers says Labor may be willing to support the tax package if the Senate rejects its proposed amendments to the bill.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, CENTRE ALLIANCE, ONE NATION PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY

Morrison tax assault on Labor arrogance

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Original article by Simon Benson, Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 1-Jul-19

Prime Minister Scott Morrison expects Labor to pass the federal government’s income tax cuts package in the lower house on 2 July, and he says it would be an act of "belligerent arrogance" for Labor to then block it in the Senate. A senior Labor source has indicated that the party will wait until it knows if the Coalition has the support of crossbenchers before deciding whether to pass the tax package in the Senate. Labor continues to have concerns about the third stage of the tax cuts package, but the Coalition has ruled out splitting the tax bill.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, CENTRE ALLIANCE, ONE NATION PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY

Coalition to strike amid Setka strife

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 13-Jun-19

Labor has been urged to support the federal government’s Ensuring ­Integrity Bill in the wake of the controversy surrounding Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining & ­Energy Union official John Setka. Labor opposed the bill – which amongst other things would allow courts to disqualify union officials for repeated breaches of civil law – in the previous parliament. Setka has refused to stand down as the CFMMEU’s Victorian secretary in the wake of comments he allegedly made about domestic violence campaigner Rosie Batty, while Labor leader Anthony Albanese is seeking to have him expelled from the party.

CORPORATES
CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MARITIME, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, ACTU, MARITIME UNION OF AUSTRALIA, ELECTRICAL TRADES UNION, UNITED VOICE

Big stick returns in power fight

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Original article by Simon Benson
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 29-May-19

Energy Minister Angus Taylor says legislation aimed at forcing power companies to reduce electricity prices will be a priority for the federal government when parliament resumes. The so-called ‘big stick’ bill was put on hold in March after being rejected by parliament, and the CEOs of major energy companies still have concerns about the proposed legislation. Taylor also says the federal government will encourage its state counterparts to take action to increase electricity and gas supply.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY, ORIGIN ENERGY LIMITED – ASX ORG, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, CENTRE ALLIANCE, AUSTRALIAN CONSERVATIVES, ONE NATION PARTY

Fightback on penalty rates

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Original article by Ben Packham, Dennis Shanahan, Alice Workman
The Australian – Page: 1 & 5 : 22-Apr-19

Labor plans to reconvene federal parliament before 30 June if it wins the election, in order to capitalise on a Senate that may be more amenable to its proposed industrial relations reforms. Amongst other things, Labor intends to reverse cuts to penalty rates within its first 100 days in office. However, Australian Industry Group CEO Innes Willox has written to Senate crossbenchers warning that Labor’s workplace reforms would require more extensive consultation than would be possible by the end of June.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, CENTRE ALLIANCE

Coalition to fast-track post-election tax cuts

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Original article by Michael Roddan, Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 6 : 9-Apr-19

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg says the timing of the election will not affect the federal government’s plans to provide tax relief via the low- and middle-income tax offset. He says that if the government wins the election, it will reconvene parliament in June to vote on its tax cuts so they can take effect from the start of the new financial year. A spokesman for the Australian Taxation Office stresses that the tax offset will only be available to taxpayers lodging their 2018-19 tax returns if the legislation is passed by 30 June.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN TAXATION OFFICE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET