POLITICIANS – AUSTRALIA

I just wanted the truth: PM addresses debate’s space invader moment

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Original article by Primrose Riordan
The Weekend Australian – Page: Online : 4-May-19

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says he was simply trying to get Opposition Leader Bill Shorten to tell him the truth during their debate in Brisbane on 3 May. Morrison was responding to claims that he got too close to Shorten during the debate, with Shorten having accused Morrison of being a "space invader". Morrison claims Shorten sought to win their debate using "stunts" and "wise cracks", with Morrison contending Shorten’s antics were not what you would want from someone who seeks to run the country. The Brisbane audience had Shorten as winning the debate narrowly.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Phelps should quit after alleged breach

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Original article by Ean Higgins
The Australian – Page: 7 : 15-Apr-19

It has been revealed that independent federal MP Kerryn Phelps is treating patients one day a week as a GP. Phelps has previously claimed that she has legal advice that her actions do not place her in breach of section 44 of the Constitution, which states that persons who receive money from the Commonwealth under a financial arrangement with it are ineligible to sit in parliament. Former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce says Phelps should not seek re-election if she is not willing to release that legal advice.

CORPORATES
NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

PM declares peace despite ongoing coal push

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 14-Mar-19

National Party MP Barnaby Joyce is still advocating the use of taxpayers’ funds to build new coal-fired power stations in Queensland. However, Joyce has put his leadership ambitions on hold, declaring that Scott Morrison and Michael McCormack will lead the Coalition into the federal election. Joyce has also backed down on his claim that he is the legitimately elected deputy prime minister, describing it as a "misstep". Meanwhile, Morrison has stressed the need for Australia to have reliable and sustainable power that is "technology and resource agnostic".

CORPORATES
NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND SCIENCE, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Morrison snuffs out Nationals’ power push

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Original article by Andrew Tillett
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 8-Mar-19

The federal government has rejected a bid by six National Party MPs to revive its "big stick" legislation prior to the upcoming election. The bill to force energy companies to divest assets if they fail to reduce electricity price was recently put on hold. The Nationals MPs also want the government to commit to underwriting a new power generation project in regional Queensland before the election. Prime Minister Scott Morrison says the April 2019 Budget and flood relief measures for Queensland are his legislative priorities.

CORPORATES
NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS

Nat MPs ignite energy war

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Original article by Joe Kelly
The Australian – Page: 1 & 5 : 7-Mar-19

Michelle Landry and George Christensen are among six National Party MPs who have called for the federal government to press ahead with legislation to force energy companies to divest assets if they fail to reduce electricity prices. The legislation was recently put on hold, but the six Nationals MPs want it to be debated by parliament in April. They also want the government to agree to underwrite a new power generation project in regional Queensland prior to the upcoming election, and some have expressed a preference for a clean coal plant.

CORPORATES
NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS

Coal collapse ‘a good thing’, Labor MP says

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Original article by Ben Packham, Joe Kelly
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 21-Feb-19

Resources Minister Matt Canavan has criticised comments made by Labor MP Richard Marles about the coal industry. Marles said the decline of the global thermal coal industry is "a good thing" as it implies that action is being taken to address climate change. Canavan argues that both coal prices and demand for coal are strong, and he says Marles’ comments show that Labor wants to shut down Australia’s largest export industry with the loss of more than 50,000 jobs. Marles later sought to clarify his comments.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND SCIENCE, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, MINERALS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, NEW SOUTH WALES MINERALS COUNCIL, ADANAC MOLYBDENUM CORPORATION, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MARITIME, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA

Police wanted to prosecute at least one over AWU leak

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Original article by Andrew Tillett
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 8 : 19-Feb-19

The Australian Federal Police have disclosed that there seemed to be enough evidence to justify charging at least one person for leaking details of raids on the offices of the Australian Workers’ Union in October 2017. However, the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions ruled against any prosecutions. The AFP’s Deputy Commissioner Leanne Close has also revealed that former industrial relations minister Michaelia Cash and former justice minister Michael Keenan declined to provide witness statements on two separate occasions, and had instead submitted written letters to the AFP.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN WORKERS’ UNION-FEDERATION OF INDUSTRIAL, MANUFACTURING AND ENGINEERING EMPLOYEES, AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE, AUSTRALIA. DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC PROSECUTIONS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF JOBS AND SMALL BUSINESS, AUSTRALIA. REGISTERED ORGANISATIONS COMMISSION, FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Raid leak designed to damage Shorten

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 2 : 14-Feb-19

David De Garis has told the Federal Court that he cannot recall if he told Michaelia Cash that he intended to give the media advance notice of police raids on the offices of the Australian Workers’ Union. However, Cash’s former media adviser revealed that he had not acted alone, stating that he leaked details of the raids in partnership with Michael Tetlow, who was the media adviser to former justice minister Michael Keenan at the time.

CORPORATES
FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN WORKERS’ UNION-FEDERATION OF INDUSTRIAL, MANUFACTURING AND ENGINEERING EMPLOYEES, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF JOBS AND SMALL BUSINESS, AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Cash forced to explain union raids evidence

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Original article by Ewin Hannan, Tessa Akerman
The Australian – Page: 4 : 13-Feb-19

Following police raids on the offices of the Australian Workers’ Union in October 2017, Senator Michaelia Cash told a Senate estimates hearing that no member of her staff had prior knowledge of the raids. However, her former media adviser David De Garis has told the Federal Court that Ben Davis – who was Cash’s chief-of-staff at the time – had informed him of the raids several hours before they occurred. De Garis later resigned after admitting that he had leaked details of the raids to the media.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF JOBS AND SMALL BUSINESS, AUSTRALIAN WORKERS’ UNION-FEDERATION OF INDUSTRIAL, MANUFACTURING AND ENGINEERING EMPLOYEES, FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Argus warns Shorten on silly class war

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Original article by Patrick Durkin
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 22-Jan-19

Former BHP chairman Don Argus says Labor leader Bill Shorten could divide the nation if he contests the 2019 election on the basis of class warfare. Argus adds that despite Shorten’s rhetoric, the majority of employers and workers recognise the need to work together. Wesfarmers chairman Michael Chaney and AustralianSuper chair Heather Ridout are among the other business leaders who have cautioned Shorten against engaging in populist politics.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, WESFARMERS LIMITED – ASX WES, AUSTRALIANSUPER PTY LTD, ASX LIMITED – ASX ASX, SIMS METAL MANAGEMENT LIMITED – ASX SGM, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, BLUESCOPE STEEL LIMITED – ASX BSL, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP