POLITICAL PARTIES – AUSTRALIA – PLATFORMS

‘Libs have Buckley’s chance’ of quick win on media reform

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Original article by Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 2 : 22-Jun-17

The Australian Government has prioritised its schools funding package over the media reform bill in the Senate, although Communications Minister Mitch Fifield is said to still be aiming for a vote on the latter in coming days. However, independent senator Nick Xenophon says there is little chance of the media reforms getting through the Senate before Parliament’s winter recess. The Nick Xenophon Team and the Greens are open to supporting the reforms, subject to measures aimed at safeguarding media diversity.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, ONE NATION PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Fifield wants Senate media vote this week

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Original article by Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 2 : 21-Jun-17

Communications Minister Mitch Fifield is keen for the Senate to vote on cross-media ownership reforms as soon as possible, although One Nation’s Brian Burston says a vote on the bill is unlikely this week. One Nation opposes abolition of the "two-of-three" rule, and Burston notes that his party’s alternative of a "three-out-of-four rule" has had a lukewarm response from the Government. Meanwhile, the Greens may be willing to support scrapping the two-of-three" rule, but only if action is taken to safeguard media diversity.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, ONE NATION PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Morrison bank levy gets over the line

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Original article by Joe Kelly
The Australian – Page: 4 : 20-Jun-17

The Senate has passed a bill to impose a levy on the nation’s five largest banks, after the Australian Labor Party voted for it. However, One Nation opposed the levy, with Senator Brian Burston describing it as a "lazy, ugly, cheap solution". The Senate’s eco­nomics legislation committee has recommended that the levy should be reviewed within two years. Australian Bankers’ Association CEO Anna Bligh says any future review should consider adding a sunset clause to the legislation, but this has been ruled out by Treasurer Scott Morrison.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, ONE NATION PARTY, AUSTRALIAN BANKERS’ ASSOCIATION, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Crunch time as Coalition woos Hanson media vote

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Original article by Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 4 : 20-Jun-17

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten says the Australian Labor Party supports key elements of the Federal Government’s proposed media reforms, but it still opposes scrapping the "two-out-of-three rule". Labor’s caucus will decide its stance on the bill on 20 June 2017, ahead of debate in the Senate. The support of One Nation may be crucial to passage of the legislation in the upper house, and the party has suggested the alternative of a "three-out-of-four" rule.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN ABALONE EXPORTS PTY LTD, ONE NATION PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, NICK XENOPHON TEAM

Clean coal or bust for PM’s plan

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 15-Jun-17

Business and industry leaders have called for bipartisan support in federal parliament for a clean energy target in order to provide certainty on energy policy and ensure that electricity remains affordable. Meanwhile, the Federal Government is likely to include clean coal as a low-emissions energy source in any CET, despite certain opposition from the Australian Labor Party and the Greens. The Coalition remains divided on the issue of a CET, but Treasurer Scott Morrison has downplayed suggestions that the issue could prompt a leadership spill.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, BLUESCOPE STEEL LIMITED – ASX BSL, ENERGYAUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Crossbenchers threaten blockade on media bill

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Original article by Rosie Lewis, Joe Kelly
The Australian – Page: 4 : 15-Jun-17

The Australian Government requires the support of at least 10 Senate crossbenchers for its cross-media ownership reform bill, which will be introduced to Parliament in coming days. Gaining the support of the Nick Xenophon Team will be crucial, given that One Nation has reiterated its opposition to abolition of the "two-out-of-three" rule. The Australian Labor Party also opposes scrapping this rule, while the Greens’ Scott Ludlam has warned that the proposed reforms will reduce media diversity.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, ONE NATION PARTY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN

Finkel fires Coalition coal battle

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 13-Jun-17

The Australian Government appears to be struggling to secure backing for the Clean Energy Target (CET) proposed by Professor Alan Finkel. His recommendation involves requiring a certain percentage of electricity to be generated by low emission sources. The more conservative sections of the Liberal Party want "clean coal" to be regarded as a low emission source. However, the Australian Labor Party may not support a CET under these circumstances.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, MINERALS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, ENERGY NETWORKS ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA

One Nation seeks Qld deal in media laws

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 29 : 5-Jun-17

One Nation may be open to a compromise on the Federal Government’s cross-media ownership reforms. One Nation currently opposes the abolition of the "two-out-of-three" rule, but a spokesman says it would consider the reform if measures are put in place to prevent further concentration of media ownership in Queensland. The minor political party’s support may be crucial to the passage of the media bill, given that Labor and the Greens oppose scrapping the two-out-of-three rule.

CORPORATES
ONE NATION PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, AUSTRALIAN REGIONAL MEDIA, APN NEWS AND MEDIA LIMITED – ASX APN, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, NICK XENOPHON TEAM

Both sides dig in for battle over top tax rate

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Original article by Phillip Coorey, Laura Tingle
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 1-Jun-17

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten will reiterate his party’s stance on increasing the Medicare levy in an address to the Committee for Economic Development of Australia summit. Labor wants the income threshold for the 0.5 per cent increase in the levy to be set at $A87,000, rather than being applied to all income-earners. Shorten will also defend Labor’s own increase in the levy in 2013, arguing that there was strong growth in wages at the time, while there had also been a recent increase in the tax-free threshold.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, COMMITTEE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY

Hanson holds out on reform package

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Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 23 : 15-May-17

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has indicated that her party will not support abolition of the "two-out-of-three rule", although it will back the rest of the Federal Government’s proposed media reform package. Communications Minister Mitch Fifield is holding negotiations with senate crossbenchers to secure support for the reforms, although the Opposition also intends to vote against scrapping the two-out-of-three rule.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, ONE NATION PARTY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, FREE TV AUSTRALIA LIMITED, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN