POLITICAL PARTIES – AUSTRALIA – PLATFORMS

Labor push for 49.5pc top tax hit

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 12-May-17

Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has used his Budget reply speech to outline measures to provide funding for the National Disability Insurance Scheme. He advocated retention of the two per cent temporary deficit levy for high-income earners and increasing the Medicare levy by 0.5 per cent for people on incomes of more than $A87,000. This would increase the highest marginal tax rate to 49.5 per cent. Shorten also said the Opposition supports a proposed bank levy, although he stressed that the cost should not be passed on to customers.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HUMAN SERVICES. MEDICARE AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. PARLIAMENTARY BUDGET OFFICE, DELOITTE ACCESS ECONOMICS PTY LTD

Sugar the sweetener for One Nation to back media reform

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Mitchell Bingemann
The Australian – Page: 23 : 27-Mar-17

One Nation will not support cross-media ownership reforms unless the Federal Government agrees to back its push for a national code of conduct for the sugarcane industry. The Senate had been scheduled to debate the media bill in the week beginning 27 March, but One Nation will only support abolition of the "reach rule" and the "two-out-of-three" rule if the Government intervenes in a stand-off between Queensland sugarcane farmers and Wilmar International. The media reform bill requires the support of One Nation and the Nick Xenophon Team.

CORPORATES
ONE NATION PARTY, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, WILMAR INTERNATIONAL LIMITED, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Reforms face stiff test from Hanson

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Mitchell Bingemann
The Australian – Page: 23 : 13-Feb-17

The Federal Government’s cross-media ownership reforms will require the support of Senate crossbenchers. However, One Nation senator Pauline Hanson is said to be concerned about foreign ownership of Australian media assets, while Nick Xenophon advocates imposing a "super profits" tax on Google and Facebook due to their growing dominance of the online advertising market. Communications Minister Mitch Fifield is tipped to introduce the media reform bill in the upper house in mid-February 2017.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, ONE NATION PARTY, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS

Hanson set to scupper ownership laws

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 26 : 30-Jan-17

There is speculation that One Nation will vote against the Federal Government’s cross-media ownership reforms when Parliament resumes in February. One Nation founder Pauline Hanson has declined to comment on her party’s intentions, although the Government is likely to need its support to pass the bill in the Senate. Meanwhile, Senator Nick Xenophon will push for amendments to the bill, as well as the introduction of a "super tax" on digital players Google and Facebook.

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

Unions pressure Shorten on TPP

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Joanna Mather
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 18-Jan-17

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull believes that the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal can proceed without the US. However, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has questioned why Turnbull is still supporting the TPP when it is unlikely to go ahead. ACTU president Ged Kearney has urged Shorten to state whether the Australian Labor Party will vote against the TPP legislation if it is put before Parliament. Shorten has only indicated that Labor will consider the bill.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, TRANS-PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, ACTU, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, REPUBLICAN PARTY (UNITED STATES)

Turnbull lashes Shorten for TPP stand

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Joe Kelly, Annabel Hepworth
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 17-Jan-17

Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten will move to block a push to bring forward a parliamentary vote on ratification of the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Shorten argues that there is no point in proceeding with a vote on the TPP as the US will not ratify the 12-nation agreement under incoming President Donald Trump. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has criticised Shorten’s stance and indicated that the TPP could potentially proceed without the US. The Greens also oppose the TPP.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, TRANS-PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, JAPAN. OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, ASIA-PACIFIC ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION. BUSINESS ADVISORY COUNCIL, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA

Turnbull lashes Shorten for TPP stand

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Joe Kelly, Annabel Hepworth
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 17-Jan-17

Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten will move to block a push to bring forward a parliamentary vote on ratification of the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Shorten argues that there is no point in proceeding with a vote on the TPP as the US will not ratify the 12-nation agreement under incoming President Donald Trump. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has criticised Shorten’s stance and indicated that the TPP could potentially proceed without the US. The Greens also oppose the TPP.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, TRANS-PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, JAPAN. OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, ASIA-PACIFIC ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION. BUSINESS ADVISORY COUNCIL, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA

Fifield turns to crossbench support to force media reform over the line

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 18 : 12-Jan-17

The Australian Government’s cross-media ownership bill was passed by the lower house in November 2016. However, the support of cross-benchers may be crucial to the Government’s chances of the bill being passed by the Senate. The Australian Labor Party opposes abolition of the "two out of three rule", but the majority of cross-benchers are said to be generally supportive of the bill in its present form. Cross-benchers may seek some compromises in negotiations with the Government.

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

PM rules out carbon price

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Sarah Martin
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 7-Dec-16

The Australian Government will proceed with its review of its Direct Action climate change policy, but Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg says introducing an emissions intensity scheme will not be on the agenda. A number of Coalition MPs have warned against the introduction of any policy that resulted in higher electricity prices, including a carbon tax or an emissions trading scheme. However, the Opposition has indicated that it supports an emissions intensity scheme.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN ENERGY COUNCIL, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE

Turnbull to mount fresh IR push in 2017

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 2-Dec-16

Employment Minister Michaelia Cash has advised that the Federal Government proposes further industrial relations reform in 2017, after the Senate passed a bill to reinstate the Australian Building & Construction Commission. The Government intends to implement more of the recommendations made by the trade unions royal commission, as well as the Productivity Commission’s review of the industrial relations system. Opposition Leader Bill Shorten says the Australian Labor Party will abolish the ABCC if it wins the next election.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO TRADE UNION GOVERNANCE AND CORRUPTION, AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY