Coalition declines more IR changes

Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 6 : 1-Jul-16

Cabinet secretary Arthur Sinodinos has indicated that the Coalition will consider the Productivity Commission’s recommendations on workplace reform if it wins the federal election. The Coalition has in the past expressed its intention to respond to the recommendations prior to the poll, but Sinodinos said the Coalition will consult with all interested parties before issuing a formal response. Australian Chamber of Commerce & Industry CEO James Pearson says the business sector will continue to push for industrial relations reform.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. ROAD SAFETY REMUNERATION TRIBUNAL, ACTU

PM puts tax cuts on first day agenda

Original article by David Crowe
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 1-Jul-16

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull says the Coalition is a united team and is committed to implementing its economic plan. In his last major speech of the election campaign, Turnbull identified tax cuts for employees and small businesses as the Coalition’s top priority if it is re-elected. Industrial relations will also be a priority, including legislation to reinstate the Australian Building & Construction Commission. Turnbull also emphasised that a strong economy is essential for the delivery of government services such as healthcare and education.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HUMAN SERVICES, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, IPSOS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, VICTORIA. COUNTRY FIRE AUTHORITY, NATIONAL PRESS CLUB (AUSTRALIA)

‘US has Trump, you’ve got me’: Hanson ready to rock the boat

Original article by Michael McKenna
The Australian – Page: 7 : 29-Jun-16

One Nation Leader Pauline Hanson has identified immigration and foreign investment as her key priorities if she is elected to the Senate on 2 July 2016. Hanson is confident of winning a Queensland seat in the Senate, and some public opinion polls suggest that she will be elected to the upper house two decades after she first made her present felt in the nation’s parliament. Hanson is critical of Coalition policies such as the national broadband network and the construction of a new submarine fleet, while she has reservations about the proposed company tax cuts.

CORPORATES
ONE NATION PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Developers will cut jobs if Labor wins

Original article by Michael Bleby
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 6 : 27-Jun-16

Research by the Urban Development Institute of Australia has found that the Federal Opposition’s proposed changes to the negative gearing regime would prompt many residential property developers to shed staff and build fewer homes. The survey also found that 72 per cent of respondents expect that rents would rise as a result of the changes to negative gearing, while more than 50 per cent expect that house prices would fall.

CORPORATES
URBAN DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, SQM RESEARCH PTY LTD, PROPERTY COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED, THE REAL ESTATE INSTITUTE OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED, STOCKLAND – ASX SGP, NATIONAL SHELTER

Find that extra faith as true believers: Shorten

Original article by Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 7 : 27-Jun-16

The Australian Labor Party held its second federal campaign launch on 26 June 2016, on the same day that the Coalition officially launched its election campaign. Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said the future of Medicare will be a key theme for Labor during the remainder of the election campaign, and he warned of the risks of re-electing a "divided" Coalition government.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HUMAN SERVICES. MEDICARE AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, QUEENSLAND. DEPT OF THE PREMIER AND CABINET

PM’s Brexit pitch for stability

Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 27-Jun-16

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull officially launched the Coalition’s election campaign on 26 June 2016. He warned that voting for minor political parties could result in the Opposition forming a minority government, arguing that the economic and financial market uncertainty created by the UK’s vote to leave the European Union means the Coalition is best-placed to manage the Australian economy. Turnbull also announced some $A390m of new spending measures.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HUMAN SERVICES. MEDICARE AUSTRALIA

$123bil Green splurge

Original article by Annika Smethurst, Ellen Whinnett
Herald Sun – Page: 1 & 10 : 24-Jun-16

The Australian Greens have announced a range of election policies that will collectively cost some $A123bn. In contrast, the Coalition and the Australian Labor Party have respectively announced $A10.5bn and $A20bn worth of new spending measures during the election campaign. The Greens’ policies include an increase in the pension, which has been costed at $A10bn. The party also proposes the introduction of a tax on soft drinks, a new carbon tax, a tax on banks and a reduction in university fees. Greens leader Richard Di Natale says the policies will be funded via revenue measures and spending cuts.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN GREENS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Keating slams unaffordable tax cut

Original article by Jacob Greber
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 7 : 24-Jun-16

Former prime minister Paul Keating has criticised the Coalition’s proposal to progressively cut the corporate tax rate from 30 per cent to 25 per cent. He described the tax cut as irresponsible and unaffordable. Keating warned that it would damage Australia’s fiscal position because of lower tax revenue. According to Paul Abbey, a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers, low corporate taxes are necessary to attract foreign investment, although it can take decades for the benefits of such a policy to be noticeable.

CORPORATES
PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, VICTORIA UNIVERSITY, AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY. CRAWFORD SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS AND GOVERNMENT, LOWY INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL POLICY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, UNIVERSITY OF NEW SOUTH WALES

Turnbull vows new laws to protect CFA volunteers

Original article by Matthew Knott, Richard Willingham, Nicole Hasham
The Age – Page: 6 : 24-Jun-16

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull visited the seat of Corangamite in Victoria on 23 June 2016, where he said that amending the Fair Work Act to protect volunteer firefighters will be a priority for the Coalition if it is re-elected. Turnbull praised the Country Fire Authority, which is the subject of a power grab by the United Firefighters Union. Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten reiterated that the CFA dispute is a state issue, and suggested that Turnbull has only intervened due to the federal election.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, VICTORIA. COUNTRY FIRE AUTHORITY, UNITED FIREFIGHTERS’ UNION OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

‘Mediscare’ delivers poll boost for Labor

Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 24-Jun-16

The Australian Labor Party believes that it could gain more seats than expected in the 2016 federal election due to concerns about the privatisation of Medicare under a Coalition government. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull sought to deflect attention from Medicare on 23 June by continuing to warn of an influx of asylum seekers if Labor wins the election, while Opposition Leader Bill Shorten reiterated that Labor will protect weekend penalty rates.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HUMAN SERVICES. MEDICARE AUSTRALIA, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, RETAIL TRADERS ASSOCIATION, VICTORIA. COUNTRY FIRE AUTHORITY, VICTORIA. DEPT OF PREMIER AND CABINET