POLITICIANS – AUSTRALIA

ABC regrets unfairness in finance probes

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Original article by Sophie Elsworth
The Australian – Page: 19 : 26-Apr-21

Liberal senator Andrew Bragg has criticised the ABC over a lack of balance in its business and economic reporting. It has been revealed that Bragg wrote to the public broadcaster in March to complain about its coverage of the federal government’s proposed changes to responsible lending laws. He contends that the article failed to present the government’s reasons for the legislative changes. The ABC has conceded that the article should have been more balanced. It has also recently corrected a series of reports about the alleged rorting of the JobKeeper scheme.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Andrew Laming to quit politics after unacceptable behaviour

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Original article by
SBS News – Page: Online : 29-Mar-21

The Liberal-National Party has confirmed that Queensland MP Andrew Laming will not contest the next federal election. The announcement came one day after a woman accused him of taking a picture of her bottom on his mobile phone in 2019, and two days after he apologised for trolling two women from his constituency online. The announcement that Laming would step down from Parliament had been made by Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, who said that Laming’s behaviour had been "unacceptable".

CORPORATES
LIBERAL-NATIONAL PARTY OF QUEENSLAND, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY

PM backs Reynolds despite offensive slur on ex-staffer

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Original article by Rosie Lewis, Sharri Markson, Tom Dusevic
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 5-Mar-21

Defence Minister Linda Reynolds faces renewed scrutiny and potential legal action as the fallout from the alleged rape of an ex-staffer continues. The media has reported that Reynolds described Brittany Higgins as a "lying cow" in her office on the same day that the former media adviser publicly revealed that she had been raped by a colleague in March 2019. Higgins’ lawyers has raised the threat of legal action if Reynolds does not publicly withdraw her comment and apologise. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has described Reynolds’ comment as ‘inappropriate and wrong’, but stresses that she not referring to Higgins’ rape allegation.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF DEFENCE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Porter’s alleged victim insisted we shut the case: police

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Original article by Rosie Lewis, Sharri Markson
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 5-Mar-21

The family of the woman who was allegedly raped by Attorney-General Christian Porter in 1988 has expressed support for an inquiry into the circumstances that led to her death. Labor leader Anthony Albanese has also pushed for an independent inquiry into the allegations against Porter, but Prime Minister Scott Morrison says there is no precedent for such an inquiry. Meanwhile, New South Wales police say the alleged victim advised that she did not want to make a formal statement on 23 June, citing medical and personal reasons. The woman took her own life the following day.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, NEW SOUTH WALES POLICE FORCE

ABC ignored ‘don’t broadcast’ plea from family of alleged rape victim

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Original article by Sharri Markson
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 1-Mar-21

The federal government is under further scrutiny following allegations that a current cabinet minister raped a woman in 1988. Labor leader Anthony Albanese says Prime Minister Scott Morrison should consider removing the minister concerned until the matter is resolved. Meanwhile, a friend of the alleged victim – who took her own life in mid-2020 – has criticised the ABC for reporting the story, arguing that her family had been through enough. The allegation against the unnamed minister follows revelations that a former government staffer was raped by a colleague in March 2019.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION

Canavan calls for retaliatory levy on iron ore to China

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Original article by Ben Packham
The Australian – Page: 6 : 14-Dec-20

Former resources minister Matt Canavan contends that the federal government should respond to China’s import bans and punitive tariffs by imposing a levy on iron ore exports. Australia ships nearly 900 million tonnes of iron ore to China each year, and Canavan argues that a levy of just one per cent would raise more than $800m annually; this could be used to compensate companies that have been hit by China’s trade sanctions. Canavan notes that iron ore has not been affected by the trade war, as China cannot quickly and easily source an alternative supply.

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Regulator urged not to curtail BNPL

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Original article by Richard Gluyas
The Australian – Page: 21 : 20-Nov-20

Liberal senator Andrew Bragg will use a StartUp Aus speech on 20 November to caution against over-regulating the ‘buy now, pay later’ sector. In the wake of the Australian Securities & Investments Commission’s recent report on the sector, Bragg will emphasise the need for ASIC to enforce the law rather than "pontificate on policy". Bragg will also use the speech to argue that the new national security in Hong Kong presents an opportunity for Australia to become a regional financial centre.

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LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION

Labor bans all MPs from sexual relationships with their staff

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Original article by Latika Bourke
The Age – Page: Online : 12-Nov-20

The conduct of federal MPs has come under renewed scrutiny in the wake of an ABC report on the extramarital activities of cabinet ministers Christian Porter and Alan Tudge. Labor leader Anthony Albanese has announced that all of his party’s MPs will be prohibited from having intimate relations with members of their staff. The federal government’s so-called ‘bonk ban’ applies only to ministers rather than backbenchers. It was introduced by former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull following a series of indiscretions by Coalition MPs.

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AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Labor hardhead urges Premier to approve coalmine

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Original article by Michael McKenna
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 13-Jul-20

Labor senator Anthony Chisholm has urged the Queensland government to approve the $900 million expansion of the New Acland coal mine, despite a legal challenge before the High Court. Labor’s former state secretary was considered the architect of Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s election win in 2015. Chisholm notes that the government has been "cautious" in its handling of the New Acland approval, opting to wait until all legal issues have been resolved . However, he contends that circumstances have changed, and that jobs will be lost if approval for the extension is not granted.

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NEW HOPE CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX NHC, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Explosive text messages of a political assassin

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Original article by John Ferguson
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 18-Jun-20

The crisis over Victorian Labor’s branch-stacking crisis has deepened, after details of text messages that federal MP Anthony Byrne sent to Adem Somyurek over several years were disclosed. The recordings that led to Somyurek’s downfall were made in Byrne’s electoral office; the two were once close allies, and friends of Somyurek say he cannot understand why Byrne turned against him. Amongst other things, the text messages that Byrne sent to Somyurek include derogatory comments about Labor colleagues.

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AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY