POLITICIANS – AUSTRALIA

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.

CORPORATES
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

Nine, News Corp resist Porter bid to protect his reputation

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Original article by Michaela Whitbourn
Brisbane Times – Page: Online : 19-Aug-21

Industry Minister Christian Porter recently filed an official notice of discontinuance of his defamation action against the ABC, several months after the parties reached a settlement. Porter is now seeking a court order to prevent News Corp Australia and Nine Entertainment from using 27 pages of the ABC’s defence document that have been officially removed from the court’s public record. The media groups had previously been given access to the ABC’s full 37-page defence; Porter and his lawyers will argue that the media companies cannot use the redacted sections for any purpose other than their previous involvement in the defamation case.

CORPORATES
NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, SCIENCE, ENERGY AND RESOURCES

Wave of sex crime cases hits federal politics

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Original article by Rosie Lewis, Geoff Chambers
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 26-May-21

The Australian Federal Police has received 40 reports of sexual and other misconduct involving federal MPs and their staffers in the wake of Brittany Higgins’ rape allegation. AFP commissioner Reece Kershaw has told a Senate estimates hearing that this includes 19 allegations of sex crimes. The AFP has referred 15 cases to state and territory police for assessment, while the AFP is still investigating one complaint. Kershaw has also advised that the Australian Capital Territory’s Director of Public Prosecutions is expected to receive a brief of evidence in relation to Higgins’ case within weeks.

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AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE

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".

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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.

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