POLITICIANS – AUSTRALIA

‘We’re not doing it’: PM quickly nixes call to raise GST

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 29-Oct-19

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has ruled out any changes to the goods and services tax regime without seeking a mandate from voters. Morrison has indicated that the federal government looked at broadening the GST when he was Treasurer, but such a move was deemed to have little economic benefit. Liberal senator Dean Smith recently broke ranks with his Coalition colleagues by advocating an increase in the rate and scope of the GST, arguing that the additional revenue would allow the states to abolish payroll taxes.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, NEW SOUTH WALES. THE TREASURY

Setka forks out $40k of members’ funds on ad

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 5 : 26-Sep-19

Embattled Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining & Energy Union official John Setka has criticised senator Jacqui Lambie in a full-page advertisement in the ‘Herald Sun’. Lambie has signalled that she will support the federal government’s Ensuring Integrity Bill unless Setka steps down as Victorian secretary of the CFMMEU. Setka has accused her of attempting to blackmail himself and the union’s members. A spokesman for Setka says the ad was "union business", so it was funded by the CFMMEU rather than Setka.

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CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MARITIME, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA

Time to stay calm on Iran, says Frydenberg, despite perfect storm

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Original article by Simon Benson, Ben Packham
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 17-Sep-19

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has urged business leaders and investors not to overreact to recent events such as the attacks on Saudi oil facilities. He said on 16 September that the attacks, along with Brexit and trade tensions, give "investors cause to pause". The attacks, which took place on 14 September, have sparked fears of war in the Middle East, with Donald Trump saying the US is "locked and loaded" to take action over them. Iran has denied allegations it was responsible for the attacks, which saw the price of Brent crude oil jump almost 20 per cent when markets opened on 16 September.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY

PM lashes Liu security risk claims as racism

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 6 : 13-Sep-19

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has told Parliament he is satisfied Gladys Liu is not a national security risk, while claiming those who questioned her fitness to serve in parliament were racist. Liu has been under the spotlight recently over allegations regarding her connections to organisations in China, one of which is Beijing’s propaganda arm, and Labor and Centre Alliance have both called for her to be investigated. Morrison has declined to answer what steps he took to assure himself that Liu was not a security risk, while Victorian Liberal president Michael Kroger said he knew nothing about suggestions raised in a newspaper that ASIO had advised the Liberal Party against pre-selecting Liu.

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

Liberal MP Gladys Liu says she was not clear in gaffe-ridden interview

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Original article by Rob Harris
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: Online : 12-Sep-19

Labor’s foreign affairs spokeswoman Penny Wong has called on Prime Minister Scott Morrison to assure Parliament that Gladys Liu is a "fit and proper person" to be there. Liu, who is the Liberal member of Chisholm and who was born in Hong Kong, has been the subject of allegations that she has links to Chinese propaganda units. In an error-ridden interview with Andrew Bolt on Sky on 10 September, Liu said she could not recall being a member of groups with connections to the Chinese Communist Party’s United Front Work Department. Liu said in a statement on 11 September that she could have chosen her words better, while she said any suggestion that she was not loyal to Australia was "deeply offensive".

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AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Shorten to soldier on after disappointing poll defeat

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Original article by Richard Ferguson
The Australian – Page: 5 : 31-Jul-19

Former Labor leader Bill Shorten has ruled out quitting politics, saying he is committed to holding the federal government to account. Shorten says Labor’s shock election defeat in May was "very disappointing" personally, for the nation and for Labor voters. Shorten, who has had a low profile since stepping down as Labor leader, adds that he does not want to pre-empt the party’s review of its election campaign.

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AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Lawyer flags Frydenberg eligibility challenge

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Original article by Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 4 : 17-Jul-19

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg says the Coalition is confident that all of its MPs are eligible to be in parliament. However, the Kooyong Independents Group is said to be planning to challenge the citizenship status of Frydenberg, arguing that he is a Hungarian citizen by descent. The Kooyong Independents Group is associated with Oliver Yates, who contested Frydenberg’s seat of Kooyong at the 18 May election.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, KOOYONG INDEPENDENTS GROUP, HIGH COURT OF AUSTRALIA, COURT OF DISPUTED RETURNS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

RBA chief backs Frydenberg plan

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Original article by Richard Ferguson, Rachel Baxendale
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 12-Jul-19

Reserve Bank of Australia governor Philip Lowe says he is in full agreement with Treasurer Josh Frydenberg’s view that the Australian economy remains sound. Lowe and Frydenberg met for two hours in Melbourne on 11 July. Lowe said after the meeting that it was a "remarkable achievement" that more Australians have a job now than at any previous time in the country’s history, while shadow treasurer Jim Chalmers claimed that Frydenberg is letting the RBA do nearly all of the heavy lifting.

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RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC

Hanson flirts with Labor, warns PM

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Original article by Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 2 : 11-Jul-19

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson says she has a much better working relationship with Anthony Albanese than she had with former Labor leader Bill Shorten. Hanson says she is "cautious" of all major political parties, but adds that it is important talk to all sides of politics to ensure the best legislative outcomes. Hanson also says she has had no "meaningful engagement" with Prime Minister Scott Morrison since the federal election, but adds that he should not disregard her as she intends to contest the next election.

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

Dutton puts end to MP eligibility row

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Original article by Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 6 : 28-Jun-19

A spokeswoman for Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton says he formally relinquished his interest in a family trust before nominating for the 18 May federal election. Dutton’s eligibility to be in parliament came under scrutiny in 2018 due to his pecuniary interest in a childcare centre which is owned by his wife and which had received federal government subsidies. The spokeswoman has stressed that two constitutional law experts had previously advised Dutton that he was not in breach of section 44 of the Constitution.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HOME AFFAIRS, RHT FAMILY TRUST, UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY