VICTORIA – POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

CFA bosses all aboard

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Matt Johnston
Herald Sun – Page: 13 : 20-Jul-16

The Victorian Government will be able to press ahead with plans to impose a contentious enterprise bargaining agreement on the Country Fire Authority, after confirming the last four appointments to its board. The Government had sacked the previous board due to its opposition to the EBA, amid concerns that it represented a takeover of the CFA by the United Firefighters’ Union. The last four appointees are CFA nominees, although the Government’s nominees dominate the new board.

CORPORATES
VICTORIA. COUNTRY FIRE AUTHORITY, UNITED FIREFIGHTERS’ UNION OF AUSTRALIA, VICTORIA. DEPT OF PREMIER AND CABINET, SUPREME COURT OF VICTORIA, AUSTRALASIAN FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES AUTHORITIES COUNCIL LIMITED

Burn the votes

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Ellen Whinnett, Rob Harris, Annika Smethurst
Herald Sun – Page: 1 & 4 : 1-Jul-16

There is concern within the Australian Labor Party that the dispute over union control of Victoria’s Country Fire Authority may cost it the federal election. Labor must win 21 seats nationwide in order to win the election, but it now seems unlikely to win the Victorian marginal seats of Dunkley and Corangamite due to the CFA dispute. Some federal Labor MPs have criticised the handling of the dispute by Premier Daniel Andrews, with federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten also expressing dissatisfaction with the state government’s actions.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, VICTORIA. COUNTRY FIRE AUTHORITY, VICTORIA. DEPT OF PREMIER AND CABINET, UNITED FIREFIGHTERS’ UNION OF AUSTRALIA, VICTORIA. DEPT OF JUSTICE AND REGULATION, GALAXY RESEARCH PTY LTD

CFA fury as union wins demands

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Rick Wallace
The Australian – Page: 4 : 3-Jun-16

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has described the Fair Work Commission’s recommendations on unionisation of the Country Fire Authority as "fair and balanced". However, Opposition Leader Matthew Guy says the recommendations are biased, adding that Andrews should support the state’s volunteer firefighters in their stance against the United Firefighters’ Union’s enterprise bargaining agreement. It is estimated that only 1,000 of the CFA’s 60,000-plus members are also members of the UFU.

CORPORATES
VICTORIA. COUNTRY FIRE AUTHORITY, UNITED FIREFIGHTERS’ UNION OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, VICTORIA. DEPT OF PREMIER AND CABINET, LIBERAL PARTY OF VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, VOLUNTEER FIRE BRIGADES VICTORIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN MANUFACTURING WORKERS’ UNION, MELBOURNE METROPOLITAN FIRE BRIGADE

Victoria unlikely to lift ban on coal seam gas

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Lucille Keen
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 7 : 24-May-16

The Victorian Government has announced a ministerial reshuffle, with Wade Noonan replacing Lily D’Ambrosio in the resources portfolio. Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association CEO Malcolm Roberts has urged Noonan to end the state’s moratorium on coal seam gas exploration. D’Ambrosio will take on the energy, environment and climate change portfolios, which has prompted the Opposition to express concern about a potential conflict of interests.

CORPORATES
VICTORIA. DEPT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, JOBS, TRANSPORT AND RESOURCES, VICTORIA. DEPT OF ENVIRONMENT, LAND, WATER AND PLANNING, AUSTRALIAN PETROLEUM PRODUCTION AND EXPLORATION ASSOCIATION LIMITED, SHOP, DISTRIBUTIVE AND ALLIED EMPLOYEES’ ASSOCIATION, TRANSPORT WORKERS’ UNION, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, VICTORIA. DEPT OF PREMIER AND CABINET

Surpluses stockpiled to protect state for rainy day

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Rick Wallace
The Australian – Page: 6 : 28-Apr-16

Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas unveiled the state’s 2016 Budget on 27 April. The State Government expects to achieve Budget surpluses of $A9.3 billion over the next four years. Capital spending has been increased to $A7 billion a year. Health and education will receive capital investment funding of about $A1 billion each. The Government intends to borrow up to $A16 billion, but it aims to keep net debt below five per cent of gross state product.

CORPORATES
VICTORIA. DEPT OF TREASURY AND FINANCE, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

No option for state but to make switch too

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Rick Wallace
The Australian – Page: 8 : 22-Mar-16

The Victorian Government has been forced to change the date of its 2016 Budget from 3 May to 27 April, in response to a move to bring forward the Federal Budget by one week. However, the Opposition’s Budget reply is still scheduled for its original date in May, which has attracted criticism from treasury spokesman Michael O’Brien.

CORPORATES
VICTORIA. DEPT OF TREASURY AND FINANCE, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Penalty rates ‘help lowest paid’

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Benjamin Preiss
The Age – Page: 3 : 14-Mar-16

The Victorian Government’s submission to a Fair Work Commission review of penalty rates in the hospitality and retail industries argues that many people on low incomes rely on penalty rates for basic household expenses. It also argues that penalty rates often cost companies less than expenses such as taxes and local council rates.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP

Penalties on table for leave review

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Rick Wallace
The Australian – Page: 2 : 17-Feb-16

Victoria’s Industrial Relations Minister Natalie Hutchins has proposed a review of regulations governing long-service leave. Options that are canvassed in a discussion paper include allowing workers to cash out their long-service leave or take it in small amounts rather than one or two large blocks at a time. The Victorian Trades Hall Council also advocates portability of long-service leave entitlements and applying penalty rates to such leave.

CORPORATES
VICTORIA. DEPT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, JOBS, TRANSPORT AND RESOURCES, VICTORIAN TRADES HALL COUNCIL, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Victoria to ‘waste’ smart power meters

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Ben Potter
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 4-Feb-16

The Victorian Government has decided that households will be able to choose to be placed on flexible electricity tariffs. However, Tony Wood of the Grattan Institute warns that the "opt-in" policy will result in a low take-up rate for the flexible tariffs scheme, which offers lower electricity rates in off-peak periods. He adds that the decision means Victorian households will not gain most of the benefits of the state’s $A2bn smart meter rollout.

CORPORATES
GRATTAN INSTITUTE, VICTORIA. DEPT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, JOBS, TRANSPORT AND RESOURCES, AGL ENERGY LIMITED – ASX AGL, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN ENERGY REGULATOR, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND SCIENCE, COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENTS

Trafficking of workers ‘a spider’s web’

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Ben Schneiders, Royce Millar
The Age – Page: 8 : 5-Oct-15

Victoria’s Industrial Relations Minister, Natalie Hutchins, says the exploitation of both local and foreign workers is widespread. She warns that many people are setting up labour hire companies with the intention of hiring workers on below-standard wages and conditions. The State Government will shortly release a discussion paper as part of its inquiry into illegal labour practices. A recent Fairfax Media expose revealed the existence of a "black economy" in Australia, whereby overseas workers are employed for less than the minimum wage.

CORPORATES
VICTORIA. DEPT OF STATE DEVELOPMENT, BUSINESS AND INNOVATION, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, 7-ELEVEN STORES PTY LTD