POLITICAL PARTIES – AUSTRALIA – PLATFORMS

Labor split risks killing energy deal

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Original article by Simon Benson, Michael McKenna, Samantha Hutchinson, Michael Owen
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 6-Aug-18

The Labor Environment Action Network says the proposed national energy guarantee should only be supported if there is provision for carbon emissions reduction targets to be increased to match Labor’s own stated targets. Labor’s environmental wing argues that it is in the nation’s interests to resolve the impasse regarding energy policy. However, a Queensland Government source has indicated that it will not support the NEG in its current form, while Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews says his state will not back the NEG unless the Federal Government can demonstrate that its own party room will support the policy.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LABOR ENVIRONMENT ACTION NETWORK, VICTORIA. DEPT OF PREMIER AND CABINET, QUEENSLAND. DEPT OF THE PREMIER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY, AUSTRALIA. ENERGY SECURITY BOARD, COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENTS, GETUP LIMITED, GREENPEACE AUSTRALIA PACIFIC LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, LIBERAL PARTY OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Labor leaps on S&P write-off call for NBN

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Original article by Supratim Adhikari
The Australian – Page: 25 : 27-Jul-18

Labor has called for the Auditor-General to audit the National Broadband Network’s books, although Finance Minister Mathias Cormann has labelled the suggestion an "ignorant stunt". Labor’s proposal follows a report from S&P Global Ratings which states that the NBN should be written off, with Labor stating that any proposed audit should concentrate on the NBN’s market share and revenue forecasts up until 2040. Labor has not indicated whether it would write off the NBN if it wins the next federal election.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, NBN CO LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, AUSTRALIA. OFFICE OF THE AUDITOR-GENERAL, STANDARD AND POOR’S (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD

Labor ponders emissions target showdown

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 11 : 27-Jul-18

Labor is expected to support the passage of the federal government’s National Energy Guarantee in the House of Representatives. However, it is understood that Labor will seek to amend the NEG’s carbon emissions reduction target in the Senate, and it may have the numbers to achieve this. The government’s intention is that emissions be reduced to 26 per cent of 2005 levels by 2030, but Labor believes that a higher target should be set. If Labor go ahead with this strategy, it could well become a key election issue.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, CENTRE ALLIANCE, AUSTRALIA. ENERGY SECURITY BOARD

Labor move to kill off energy deal

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Original article by Ben Packham
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 26-Jul-18

The Federal Government will require the support of Senate crossbenchers for its national energy guarantee, after Labor signalled that it will oppose the policy even if it is approved by the states and territories. Labor’s energy spokesman Mark Butler has described the NEG’s carbon emissions reduction target as "un­realistic" and warned that the policy will adversely affect jobs and investment in the renewable energy sector. Smart Energy Council CEO John Grimes has expressed similar concerns, while Victorian Energy Policy Centre director Bruce Mountain has questioned the need for the NEG.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, SMART ENERGY COUNCIL, VICTORIAN ENERGY POLICY CENTRE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY, COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENTS, ONE NATION PARTY, AUSTRALIA. ENERGY SECURITY BOARD, AUSTRALIAN ENERGY MARKET OPERATOR LIMITED

Coalition mulls new company tax options

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 19-Jul-18

The Federal Government remains hopeful of gaining the support of One Nation and Centre Alliance for its full corporate tax cuts package when parliament resumes in August. The two minor parties have a combined four seats in the Senate, which would be sufficient for the tax bill to be passed. However, the Government may consider bringing forward tax cuts that have already been legislated if its full tax package is rejected by the Senate.

CORPORATES
ONE NATION PARTY, CENTRE ALLIANCE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, BUSINESS SA, COOPERS BREWERY LIMITED, THOMAS FOODS INTERNATIONAL

Shorten vows he’ll restore Sunday penalties in 100 days

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

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has told the ACTU Congress that he will reverse weekend penalty rate cuts within his first 100 days in office if Labor wins the next election. He also committed to amending the Fair Work Act to prevent penalty rates from being "arbitrarily" reduced in the future. Labor will also legislate for casual staff to become permanent employees after a certain period of continuous employment.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, ACTU

Shorten’s fair-pay pledge to workers

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 5 : 17-Jul-18

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten will use an ACTU Congress speech on 17 July to press his industrial relations credentials. He will commit to legislating to ensure that labour-hire firms face prosecution for underpaying their staff. Shorten will argue that such workers should receive the same wages and conditions as directly-employed colleagues who are covered by an enterprise agreement. The Australian Industry Group says Shorten’s proposal would reduce workplace flexibility and make local businesses less competitive.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, ACTU, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK OMBUDSMAN

Shorten’s secret vow on health cap

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Original article by Joe Kelly
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 16-Jul-18

Labor has previously announced plans to impose a two per cent cap on health insurance premium increases. However, Opposition leader Bill Shorten is understood to have told the Members Health Fund Alliance – which represents 23 small funds that cover 1.7 million Australians – that its members would not be affected by the proposed cap. Labor sources have indicated that the cap is aimed more at larger health insurance providers, and that imposing it on smaller providers would lead to more consolidation in the sector.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, MEMBERS HEALTH FUNDS ALLIANCE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HEALTH, AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION, PRIVATE HEALTHCARE AUSTRALIA LIMITED

PM pushed on power prices

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Original article by Greg Brown
The Australian – Page: 1 & 5 : 9-Jul-18

The Greens will push for a commission of ­inquiry into retail electricity pricing, with energy spokesman Adam Bandt urging Coalition backbenchers to cross the floor and support the proposed bill. A number of Senate crossbenchers have expressed support for an inquiry into retail electricity prices, while several Coalition MPs have advocated holding a royal commission unless electricity retailers take action to reduce their prices. However, Deputy Prime Minister ­Michael McCormack says a royal commission is not on the Coalition’s agenda at present.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN GREENS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AGL ENERGY LIMITED – ASX AGL, ORIGIN ENERGY LIMITED – ASX ORG, ENERGYAUSTRALIA PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN ENERGY MARKET COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION

Abbott call: pull out of Paris deal

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Original article by Joe Kelly
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 4-Jul-18

Former prime minister Tony Abbott says Australia should withdraw from the Paris Agreement on climate change, arguing that it would be the best way to preserve jobs and keep electricity prices down. Meanwhile, the National Party wants its proposed $A5bn government energy fund to be used to finance the construction of at least three new baseload power stations and to both increase the capacity and extend the operational life of existing power stations.

CORPORATES
LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, LIBERAL-NATIONAL PARTY OF QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY