POLITICIANS – AUSTRALIA

Coalition’s $50 JobSeeker rise more generous than Labor’s proposal, Pocock says

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Original article by Amy Remeikis, Paul Karp
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 3-May-23

The federal government is under scrutiny over reports that an increase in the JobSeeker payment in the 9 May budget will be restricted to people aged 55+. Independent senator David Pocock has called for an across-the-board increase in unemployment benefits and the youth allowance, saying it appears that younger people are being "left behind". Pocock adds that Labor risks being unfavourably compared to the former Coalition government, which increased JobSeeker and other support payments by $50 a fortnight in April 2021. Liberal MP Bridget Archer and teal MPs have also called for an increase in JobSeeker for all recipients.

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AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Put stop to Senate defectors

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Original article by Joe Kelly, Angelica Snowden, Rachel Baxendale
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 15-Feb-23

Centre for Public Integrity chair Anthony Whealy says federal parliament should pursue reforms to address the issue of senators who quit their political party but remain in the upper house. He contends that when electors vote for a party’s candidate in the Senate they are registering a vote for that party, so the "will of the people should prevail". Former Greens senator Lidia Thorpe has joined a growing list of upper house members who have switched political allegiances in the last decade. Former attorney-­general George Brandis has described Thorpe’s decision to become an independent as a "cynical and egotistical act" and a "blatant insult" to people who had voted for the Greens rather than Thorpe.

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THE CENTRE FOR PUBLIC INTEGRITY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS

‘Hand back your seat’, says Greens candidate who lost to Thorpe

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Original article by David Crowe
The Age – Page: Online : 8-Feb-23

Barrister and human rights activist Julian Burnside lost the Greens’ 2020 preselection race for the Senate seat that was ultimately won by Lidia Thorpe. Her decision to quit the Greens and become an independent has prompted Burnside to call for her to vacate her seat, arguing that it belongs to the party rather than Thorpe, as voters had backed the Greens and not her. David Risstrom was also a candidate for preselection in 2020; he says the process was fair and Greens members should accept it.

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AUSTRALIAN GREENS

Lib’s Senate push for Abbott

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Original article by Dennis Shanahan
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 19-Jan-23

Liberal Party powerbroker Michael Kroger has suggested that former prime minister Tony Abbott should replace the late Jim Molan in the Senate. Kroger says he believes there is "no better candidate" than Abbott to fill the upper house vacancy, arguing that his experience in opposition would help the Coalition. However, Kroger emphasises any decision as to who will replace Molan for the remaining five years of his eight-year term is entirely up to the Liberals’ NSW division. Abbott lost the seat of Warringah at the 2019 election.

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LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, LIBERAL PARTY OF NEW SOUTH WALES

Wong warns of hard issues

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Original article by Andrew Tillett, Michael Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 21-Dec-22

Foreign Minister Penny Wong is the first federal government minister to visit China since 2019. Her meeting with Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Wednesday will coincide with the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Wong has downplayed expectations that her visit to China will result in an improvement in the strained relations between the two nations, noting that many of the hard issues will take time to resolve in Australia’s interests. Wong has indicated that she will push for China to ease restrictions on Australian exports and to release two Australians who have been detained on national security charges.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE

Morrison urged to take over NSW Liberal division after psycho texts

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Original article by David Crowe
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: Online : 3-Feb-22

Senior federal cabinet ministers have denied involvement in a series of text message exchanges with former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian in which Prime Minister Scott Morrison was allegedly described as a ‘complete psycho’ and a ‘horrible’ person. Morrison says he is confident that the minister in question was not in cabinet and that there is no need for an investigation into the incident. However, some ministers believe that the leaking of the text messages is linked to a factional brawl within the Liberal Party’s NSW division, and have called for a federal intervention. A senior federal Liberal says the leaks were an "orchestrated hit" on Morrison, with the aim of ousting him before the election.

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LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, LIBERAL PARTY OF NEW SOUTH WALES

PM warns rebels could cost election

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 24-Nov-21

The federal government remains divided over the issue of COVID-19 vaccine mandates by its state counterparts. The government is under pressure from senators Gerard Rennick and Alex Antic to take legislative action to override such mandates, and they have raised the prospect of voting against government bills in the final session of parliament for the year. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has told a party room meeting that the Coalition risks losing the 2022 election if the dissent within its ranks continues.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

News site losing millions but increasing in value

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Original article by John Rolfe
The Daily Telegraph – Page: Online : 2-Nov-21

The financial accounts of Industry Super Holdings shows that The New Daily lost $2.7m in 2020-21. The superannuation industry-backed news website has not booked a profit since it was founded nearly a decade ago, but its book value has been upgraded from zero to $4.4m following a review by an independent valuation expert. Liberal senator Andrew Bragg has questioned why super fund members are continuing to fund The New Daily, and reiterated his view that it is a "propaganda outfit" for union-linked super funds.

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THE NEW DAILY, INDUSTRY SUPER HOLDINGS PTY LTD, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

ABC says sorry for Bernardi episode

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Original article by Sophie Elsworth
The Australian – Page: 6 : 7-Sep-21

The ABC has apologised to Sky News host and former senator Cory Bernardi for the airing of allegations against him in an episode of the four-part series ‘Ms Represented’. The allegations against Bernadi were made by Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young, with Bernardi having strongly denied them. In acknowledging Bernardi’s letter of complaint, the ABC conceded that it failed to give him the opportunity to respond to the allegations, and that the program breached its editorial standards

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AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION

Angus Taylor and Keith Pitt asked by Senate inquiry chair to explain dealings with firm awarded Beetaloo gas grants

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Original article by Christopher Knaus
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 2-Sep-21

Two federal government ministers are under scrutiny over the decision to award $21m in grants for gas exploration in the Beetaloo Basin to Empire Energy, which has close links with the Liberal Party. It has been revealed that the company enquired about the eligibility criteria and application process for the grants some time before the guidelines for the program were released in March. Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young says Energy Minister Angus Taylor and Resources Minister Keith Pitt must disclose whether they had any communications with Empire Energy prior to this date.

CORPORATES
EMPIRE ENERGY GROUP LIMITED – ASX EEG, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF AGRICULTURE, WATER AND THE ENVIRONMENT, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, SCIENCE, ENERGY AND RESOURCES, AUSTRALIAN GREENS