POLITICAL PARTIES – AUSTRALIA – PLATFORMS

Shaky Liberals fears party split

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Original article by Phillip Coorey, Ryan Cropp
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 19-Nov-25

There is growing concern within the Liberal Party of Australia that its stance on net-zero emissions could potentially cause the party to split. Multiple sources have indicated that some members of the Liberals’ moderate faction have held discussions about splitting from the party. However, Liberal senator and moderate Andrew Bragg contends that the recent decision to abandon the commitment to net-zero is not a reason to walk away from the party, and he argues that the fragmentation of the centre-right of Australian politics would result in less coherent policy.

CORPORATES
LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Employers urge Ley to expand IR changes

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 22-Oct-25

Opposition leader Sussan Ley has committed to reviewing the federal government’s multi-employer bargaining laws. However, business groups want the Coalition to consider more extensive industrial relations reforms. The Australian Chamber of Commerce & Industry’s CEO Andrew McKellar says the Coalition should look at increasing the legal definition of a small business from 15 employees to 25, contending that getting a fair deal for small business should be a priority. The Australian Resources & ­Energy Employer Association’s CEO Steve Knott in turn has identified the abolition of laws expanding union delegate rights, right-of-entry provisions and the Fair Work Commission’s intractable bargaining powers as reforms the Coalition should be pursuing.

CORPORATES
LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, AUSTRALIAN RESOURCES AND ENERGY EMPLOYER ASSOCIATION

Ley attacks idea of free everything

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 17-Sep-25

Opposition leader Sussan Ley will use a Committee for Economic Development of Australia speech to call for action to curb government spending. Amongst other things, Ley will contend that the culture of dependency on the government that has emerged since the pandemic is not sustainable and must end. She will argue that providing people with everything for free merely diverts resources from those who need help the most, while she will advocate increased use of means-testing. Ley’s speech today will coincide with growing scrutiny of the Coalition regarding its stance on net zero emissions.

CORPORATES
LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, COMMITTEE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF AUSTRALIA

PM leaves door ajar to super tax compromise

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Original article by Greg Brown, Matthew Cranston
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 4-Jun-25

The federal government will require the support of either the Coalition or the Greens to pass legislation in the Senate from 1 July. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has given indications that Labor may be willing to make changes to its superannuation tax reforms to secure the Coalition’s support for the legislation. Shadow treasurer Ted O’Brien recently stated that the Coalition would consider a deal with Labor if it agreed to abandon plans to tax the unrealised capital gains of super funds. Australian Chamber of Commerce & Industry CEO Andrew McKellar says the business community would welcome greater co-operation between the major political parties if it results in policy outcomes that are in the national interest.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

Labor to push ahead on super tax

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Original article by Phillip Coorey, Sumeyya Ilanbey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 8-May-25

The federal government has indicated that reducing the higher education debt of students and graduates by $16bn with be its first legislative priority for its second term in office. Labor has also reaffirmed its commitment to superannuation reform, including the controversial tax on unrealised capital gains. The reforms had been intended to take effect on 1 July but were rejected by the Senate earlier in 2025 due to opposition from a number of crossbenchers; however, they will be sidelined in the new Senate given that Labor and the Greens will have a majority in the upper house.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS

$250bn GDP forgone on weaker growth

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Original article by Matthew Cranston
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 30-Apr-25

Australia’s productivity growth has averaged just 0.2 per cent a year over the last decade. The Coalition has committed to a new productivity growth target of 1.5 per cent a year if it wins the election on Saturday. In contrast, Labor’s first budget in 2022 included the assumption that productivity growth would average 1.2 per cent over the long-term. The Coalition contends that annual GDP would be about $250bn higher if productivity had grown at this pace, while annual tax revenue would have been $50bn higher.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Tax warning for 130,000: Labor out to get you

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Original article by Matthew Cranston
The Australian – Page: 6 : 29-Apr-25

The federal government is continuing to attract scrutiny over its plans to tax the unrealised capital gains of superannuation funds. Shadow treasurer Angus Taylor says Labor is "coming after superannuation", despite stating prior to the 2022 election that it did not plan to do so; he adds that the policy will particularly affect people such as farmers and small business owners. However, Treasurer Jim Chalmers says it is only a "modest change" that will affect a small number of people with more than $3m in their superannuation fund. Meanwhile, Wilson Asset Management chairman Geoff Wilson has expressed concern about the policy in a letter to the firm’s 130,000 investors.

CORPORATES
LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, WILSON ASSET MANAGEMENT

Cultural heritage laws face overhaul

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Original article by Mohammad Alfares
The Australian – Page: 9 : 29-Apr-25

Shadow Indigenous Australians minister Jacinta Nampijinpa Price says a Coalition government will overhaul the nation’s cultural heritage protection laws, and that it will introduce a "national interest test" for cultural heritage claims. Nampijinpa Price said a national register of culturally significant sites would be set up to accelerate approvals, fees and processing times for cultural heritage applications will be capped, and penalties for making false cultural heritage claims would be introduced. She accused Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek of "dropping the ball" on promised heritage reforms, saying the federal government had preferred to listen to ‘fringe groups’ rather than doing what was best for Indigenous Australians and local communities.

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

Labor releases election promise costings including saving of $6.4bn from cutting more consultants

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Original article by Henry Belot, Patrick Commins
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 29-Apr-25

Treasurer Jim Chalmers released the federal government’s election policy costings on Monday. Amongst other things, Labor expects to reduce government expenditure by about $6.4bn over four years by further reducing the use of consultants and labour firms. Finance Minister Katy Gallagher says the proposed cutbacks will not affect the quality of the service provided by federal public servants. The government’s plan to increase visa application fees for international students is in turn expected to boost revenue by about $760m.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE

Super tax plan risks $25bn exodus

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Original article by Matthew Cranston
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 24-Apr-25

Financial services industry veteran Geoff Wilson says Labor’s proposed tax on the unrealised capital gains of superannuation funds is the ‘sleeper’ issue of the federal election campaign. He adds that the policy should be enough for Labor to lose office on 3 May. Labor intends to set the threshold at $3m, but the Greens will demand that it be reduced to $2m in return for supporting it. Wilson says he is receiving enquires from clients about shifting money from self-managed super funds into property due to concerns about the proposed tax, and he estimates that around 24,500 members of SMSFs could seek to withdraw money to avoid the threshold.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS