PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS – AUSTRALIA

Australian Medical Association calls for overhaul of national cabinet secrecy rules

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Original article by Paul Karp
The Guardian – Page: Online : 17-Jun-22

National cabinet will meet for the first time since Anthony Albanese became Prime Minister on 17 June. Albanese was critical of its secrecy prior to Labor’s election, while he also said that local government should be added to it. Australian Medical Association president Omar Khorshid says Australians have a right to know what is being discussed by national cabinet, and that he disagreed with the practice of the previous Coalition government of exempting national cabinet documents from freedom of information laws.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION LIMITED

7-Eleven founder resigns from AOC

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Original article by Adele Ferguson, Sarah Danckert
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 11 : 10-Sep-15

The wages scandal at 7-Eleven Stores has prompted chairman and founder Russell Withers to step down from the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) board. Withers had been on the AOC board since 2001. Meanwhile, 7-Eleven board member Michael Smith has stood down as the chairman of the Australian Institute of Company Directors while the convenience store chain undertakes an investigation into the affair.

CORPORATES
7-ELEVEN STORES PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN OLYMPIC COMMITTEE, AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF COMPANY DIRECTORS, INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ

Patients face $20 GP bill

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Original article by Julia Medew
The Age – Page: 1 : 13-Jan-15

The Australian Medical Association (AMA) opposes changes to Medicare rebates, which are due to come into effect on 19 January 2015. From that day, Medicare will pay only $A16.95 towards visits lasting six to 10 minutes. The current rate is $A37.05. The AMA warned that many doctors will cease bulk billing shorter consultations

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HUMAN SERVICES. MEDICARE AUSTRALIA

Co-pay fight in waiting rooms

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Original article by Joanna Heath
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 11 : 19-Dec-14

The Australian Medical Association opposes the introduction of a $A5 co-payment for visits to the doctor. It intends to send campaign posters and pamphlets to doctors around the country. The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners has also expressed its opposition to the proposed changes

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION LIMITED, THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN COLLEGE OF GENERAL PRACTITIONERS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HEALTH, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HUMAN SERVICES. MEDICARE AUSTRALIA, THE PHARMACY GUILD OF AUSTRALIA

Banks lobbied to ‘feather nests’

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Original article by Anthony Klan
The Australian – Page: 31 : 4-Dec-14

It has emerged that nine financial services industry bodies lobbied the Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC) in mid-2013 against the proposed Consultation Paper 212 regulations. They were meant to raise the standard of professional qualifications to be held by financial planners. ASIC chair Greg Medcraft has sharply criticised the industry, and noted the impact flawed advice has on clients. Meanwhile the Association of Independently Owned Financial Professionals argues the lobbying effort was indicative of the major banks and their aligned planning groups trying to defend their market share

CORPORATES
ASSOCIATION OF INDEPENDENTLY OWNED FINANCIAL PLANNERS INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION, FINANCIAL PLANNING ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN BANKERS’ ASSOCIATION, FINANCIAL SERVICES COUNCIL, CPA AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PRESS CLUB (AUSTRALIA)

ASIC forced to fold on reform plan

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Original article by Anthony Klan
The Australian – Page: 22 : 3-Dec-14

The Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC) will not go ahead with the proposed Consultation Paper 212 regulations, which were designed to lift the level of professional qualifications to be held by financial planners. ASIC maintains that the decision is due to the Federal Government failing to get amendments to the Future of Financial Advice laws passed by the Senate, making the issue less urgent. However it has emerged that nine industry bodies wrote to the watchdog in 2013 and argued against the push

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION, FINANCIAL PLANNING ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN BANKERS’ ASSOCIATION, FINANCIAL SERVICES COUNCIL, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY

AMA demand could cost $2b

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Original article by Joanna Heath, Jacob Greber
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 4-Aug-14

The Australian Medical Association (AMA) has proposed a compromise regarding the Federal Government’s Medicare co-payment. The AMA wants pensioners to be excluded from the $A7 co-payment regime, while it continues to oppose the Government’s plan to reduce the Medicare rebate for GPs. The Government’s May 2014 Budget forecast that these measures would result in cost savings of about $A3.5bn, but this would be slashed by up to $A2bn if it agrees to the AMA’s proposals

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HEALTH, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, PALMER UNITED PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA

Boards seeking new legal shields

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Original article by Annabel Hepworth
The Australian – Page: 20 : 31-Jul-14

Attorney-General George Brandis and other politicians are being lobbied by the Australian Institute of Company Directors. It wants to see the inclusion of an "honest and reasonable director" defence in the Corporations Act, to give company boards better protection in cases launched over alleged breaches of the law as well as of the Australian Securities & Investments Commission Act. The professional body notes that the majority of serious offences in the Corporations Act feature a dishonesty component. The call for reform is separate to any expansion of the current business judgment rule

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF COMPANY DIRECTORS, AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, ASX LIMITED – ASX ASX

AMA wants GP fee gone

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Original article by Dan Harrison
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: 11 : 6/19/2014

The Australian Government’s May 2014 Budget contained a new co-payment of $A7 for visits to general practitioners bulk-billed to Medicare. However, Australian Medical Association (AMA) president Brian Owler has spoken out against the measure, arguing it is based on ideology as well as "unfair and unnecessary". Health Minister Peter Dutton had said the AMA was backing the initiative

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HEALTH, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HUMAN SERVICES. MEDICARE AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET