{SPAC}AUSTRALIA – POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Greens to push for right to disconnect in next wave of IR changes

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Original article by Angus Thompson
Brisbane Times – Page: Online : 7-Dec-22

The federal government’s Secure Jobs, Better Pay Bill was recently passed by parliament with the Greens’ support. The government will pursue further industrial relations reforms in 2023, and Greens leader Adam Bandt says his party will push for this to include a legislated "right to disconnect" from work outside of an employee’s official working hours. He notes that many employers now expect their workers to respond to emails and telephone calls at all times. Workers in several European countries already have a right to disconnect. The Greens will also push for casual workers to have greater input into the scheduling of their work hours.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN GREENS

PM tells states to cap coal price

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Original article by Simon Benson,{SPAC}Geoff Chambers
The Australian – Page: 1 & 5 : 7-Dec-22

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is said to be confident of securing a deal with state and territory leaders on gas and coal price caps before Christmas. The federal government will intervene in the gas market, although it is likely to wait until February to legislate its mandatory code of conduct, which will impose a floating price mechanism on gas producers as part of its strategy to reduce energy prices. However, the government will push for NSW and Queensland to impose their own price caps on coal; the states have warned that this would require the government to compensate coal producers.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

US awards $5 million to BHP Billiton whistleblower

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Original article by Nick McKenzie,{SPAC}Michael Bachelard,{SPAC}Richard Baker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 8 : 29-Aug-16

Crossbenchers will seek legislative reforms to strengthen Australia’s laws on the protection of corporate whistleblowers. Financial Services Minister Kelly O’Dwyer has indicated that changes to the whistleblower regime are on the agenda. At present, Australian laws provide little protection for people who expose corrupt conduct. US laws allow whistleblowers to receive a percentage of any fine imposed on a company. A BHP Billiton employee has been paid $US3.75m ($A4.96m) under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act for exposing corrupt practices at the mining giant.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE,{SPAC}BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP,{SPAC}UNITED STATES. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION,{SPAC}AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION,{SPAC}AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE,{SPAC}AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION,{SPAC}THIESS PTY LTD,{SPAC}CIMIC GROUP LIMITED – ASX CIM,{SPAC}AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION,{SPAC}AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF DEFENCE,{SPAC}AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

PM fires up with 25-point battle plan

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Original article by David Crowe
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 29-Aug-16

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull will ramp up his economic reform agenda with plans to introduce 25 bills to Parliament on 31 August and 1 September 2016. Turnbull has insisted that the bills must be approved by the Coalition’s backbench committees before Parliament resumes on 30 August. The bills cover a range of policies, including personal income tax cuts, a reduction in the corporate tax rate, welfare reforms and tobacco excise. Turnbull has indicated that he is willing to negotiate with crossbenchers, amid signs that they may oppose key reforms such as the reinstatement of the Australian Building & Construction Commission.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET,{SPAC}LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA,{SPAC}NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA,{SPAC}AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION,{SPAC}AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY,{SPAC}NICK XENOPHON TEAM,{SPAC}LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY,{SPAC}ONE NATION PARTY,{SPAC}AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY,{SPAC}AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT,{SPAC}AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF SOCIAL SERVICES

Turnbull reopens reform push

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Original article by Jake Mitchell,{SPAC}Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 23 : 29-Aug-16

The Australian Government is expected to amend its cross-media ownership bill to change the local content requirement to take into account a regional network’s acquisition of a metropolitan broadcaster. The previous clause only applied to a metro network’s takeover of a regional counterpart. The revised bill is likely to be introduced when Parliament resumes, after being put to the Coalition’s communications backbench committee and the party room.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS,{SPAC}LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA,{SPAC}NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA,{SPAC}AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY,{SPAC}NICK XENOPHON TEAM,{SPAC}SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL,{SPAC}NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC,{SPAC}WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD,{SPAC}TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN

Union funds may lose inside run

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Original article by Sally Patten
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 19-Jan-15

The Australian Government aims to enhance competition in the superannuation industry by making changes to the MySuper system. Assistant Treasurer Josh Frydenberg argues that any super fund that offers a MySuper product should take contributions from all employees, regardless of whether they chose their own super fund. He wants to have super funds removed from workplace agreements and require funds to improve their disclosure practices. Frydenberg also proposes to introduce a requirement for more directors of super funds to be independent

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY,{SPAC}AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION,{SPAC}AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY,{SPAC}INDUSTRY SUPER AUSTRALIA PTY LTD,{SPAC}AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION,{SPAC}COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA,{SPAC}ASIAN FINANCIAL FORUM,{SPAC}FINANCIAL SERVICES COUNCIL

Abbott to pick winners not losers

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 12-Sep-14

The Australian Government has revealed details of its National Industry Investment and Competitiveness Agenda, which will give priority to industries and sectors in which the nation is a leader. These include the energy, mining, agriculture and services industries. As part of its new industry policy, the Government will seek to encourage more co-operation between the business, education and research sectors, while training of apprentices will be focused on providing skills that are needed in the workforce

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY,{SPAC}BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA,{SPAC}IBM CORPORATION