POLITICAL PARTIES – AUSTRALIA – PLATFORMS

Electric car transition unstoppable: Labor

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Original article by Richard Ferguson
The Australian – Page: 2 : 28-Aug-19

The federal government will contribute $15m to the cost of building 48 electric vehicle charging stations in the eastern states. Meanwhile, shadow energy minister Mark Butler has doubled down on his recent comments regarding Labor’s election policy on electric vehicles, stating that the transition to electric cars is "unstoppable". Butler has maintained that Labor’s target for electric vehicles to account for 50 per cent of new car sales by 2030 was ambitious but "very sensible".

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, ABMARC

Economic socialism cost Labor

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 28-Aug-19

Labor has come under intense scrutiny following its federal election loss on 18 May. Finance Minister Mathias Cormann has attributed the election defeat to Labor’s adoption of socialist economics, which prompted voters to overlook the Coalition’s own shortcomings. Cormann has also used a Sydney Institute speech to argue that Labor won the 2007 election because Kevin Rudd persuaded voters that he was an economic conservative in the same mould as John Howard, but Labor subsequently re-embraced the socialist left under treasurer Wayne Swan.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, SYDNEY INSTITUTE

Climate failures cost us: ALP poll review

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Original article by Troy Bramston
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 21-Aug-19

A submission to Labor’s review of its 2019 federal election campaign has contended that lack of sufficient detail of the party’s climate change policy contributed to its surprise defeat on 18 May. The Labor Environment ­Action Network’s submission notes that the Opposition’s climate change action plan did not outline how much it would cost, how it would be funded or what economic benefits it would have. LEAN members also argue that Labor’s franking credits policy and its stance on Adani’s Carmichael coal mine also contributed to its election loss.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, ADANI MINING PTY LTD

Negative gearing a $1.5bn turn-off

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Original article by Olivia Caisley
The Australian – Page: 4 : 1-Aug-19

Research undertaken by Deloitte Access Economics on behalf of the Property Council of Australia suggests that Labor’s proposed negative gearing reforms would have slashed the nation’s GDP by about $1.5bn. It is also estimated that the policy would have resulted in the loss of 7,800 construction industry jobs and cost the sector around $766m. A separate survey of voters in 16 marginal electorates has found that 34 per cent indicated that Labor’s negative gearing and capital gains tax reforms were a key reason why they did not vote for the party at the 18 May election.

CORPORATES
PROPERTY COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED, DELOITTE ACCESS ECONOMICS PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Calls to further limit cash payments

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Original article by Tom McIlroy
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 31-Jul-19

Business owners who accept large cash payments would face a fine of $25,000 and jail terms of up to two years as part of the federal government’s crackdown on the cash economy. Cash payments will be restricted to $10,000 under the reforms announced in the 2018 Budget. However, KPMG tax partner Grant Wardell-Johnson says the government should consider lowering the threshold over time, suggesting that a limit of $5,000 or even just $2,000 may be appropriate. Tony Greco of the Institute of Public Accountants agrees that reducing the threshold may be justified.

CORPORATES
KPMG AUDIT PLC, INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT. AUSTRALIAN TRANSACTION REPORTS AND ANALYSIS CENTRE, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA

Insurers to be barred from using unfair contracts in new legislation

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Original article by James Fernyhough
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 31-Jul-19

Labor is expected to support the Coalition’s proposal to subject insurers to the same rules with regard to unfair contract terms as other financial services providers. The final report of the Hayne royal commission recommended abolishing the exemption, which arose because insurers are regulated by the Insurance Contracts Act. In contrast, rules on unfair contract terms are covered by the ASIC Act. The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission has also made a number of recommendations for changes to the regulatory regime for insurers.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO MISCONDUCT IN THE BANKING, SUPERANNUATION AND FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION

Lib MPs in bid to ditch super boost

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Original article by Adam Creighton
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 22-Jul-19

The federal government is facing growing pressure from within its ranks to reconsider an increase in the superannuation guarantee from 9.5 per cent to 12 per cent by mid-2025. Andrew Hastie is among seven backbenchers who oppose the increase; he says it would be preferable for people to use this income to pay off their mortgage now rather than have to wait until they retire. Senator Amanda Stoker in turn says wage increases should be a higher priority at present than changes to the superannuation guarantee.

CORPORATES
LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, GRATTAN INSTITUTE, AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. PARLIAMENTARY BUDGET OFFICE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY

No surplus sacrifice for dole boost

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 22-Jul-19

The federal government is resisting pressure from welfare groups and unions to increase the Newstart allowance by $75 a week. The Treasury estimates that this would cost $12.5bn over four years and $39bn over a decade, and it would slash the projected Budget surplus for 2019-20. Labor has also called for Newstart to be increased, although it has not nominated a figure. Employment Minister Michaelia Cash says the government’s priority is getting people off welfare and into the workforce, and notes that Labor has opposed or criticised all of the Coalition’s employment programs.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF JOBS AND SMALL BUSINESS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, ACTU, NATIONAL SENIORS AUSTRALIA LIMITED, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, KPMG AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Hues of Brazil dictatorship in anti-union bill

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Original article by David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 18-Jul-19

The Ensuring Integrity Bill’s compliance with international conventions to which Australia is a signatory has been called into question. The International Centre for Trade Union Rights claims that the bill breaches international conventions regarding freedom of association and collective bargaining. Amongst other things, the bill is aimed at making it easier to deregister unions and to ban union officials. The federal government hopes the bill will be passed by the lower house within weeks.

CORPORATES
INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR TRADE UNION RIGHTS, ACTU, AUSTRALIA. REGISTERED ORGANISATIONS COMMISSION

Revamped bill to test ALP on forcing out rogue union bosses

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 17-Jul-19

The House of Representatives is slated to vote on the federal government’s amended Ensuring Integrity Bill within weeks. There have been significant changes to the bill in response to Labor’s concerns about the proposed legislation, but shadow industrial relations minister Tony Burke has warned that the amendments are insufficient and are also likely to be opposed by Labor. The bill is aimed at making it easier to deregister unions and ban union officials.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF JOBS AND SMALL BUSINESS, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MARITIME, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, MARITIME UNION OF AUSTRALIA