VICTORIA – POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Record $9.7b port sale rides boom

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Original article by Patrick Durkin, Jenny Wiggins, Sarah Thompson, Anthony Macdonald
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 26 : 20-Sep-16

The Victorian Government had expected to gain between $A5bn and $A7bn from the privatisation of the Port of Melbourne. The $A9.7bn deal with the Lonsdale Consortium reflects an EBITDA multiple of 25 times earnings, while the State Government will also receive a payment of $A1.45bn from its federal counterpart under the asset-recycling scheme. Proceeds of the sale of the port’s 50-year lease will be reinvested in road and rail infrastructure, including the Government’s level crossing removal program.

CORPORATES
PORT OF MELBOURNE, LONSDALE CONSORTIUM, AUSTRALIA. FUTURE FUND MANAGEMENT AGENCY, QIC LIMITED, GLOBAL INFRASTRUCTURE PARTNERS, ONTARIO MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT BOARD, VICTORIA. DEPT OF TREASURY AND FINANCE, PORT BOTANY, PORT KEMBLA, INFRASTRUCTURE PARTNERSHIPS AUSTRALIA, IFM INVESTORS PTY LTD, GIP AUSTRALIA

Union leader denies threats of violence

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Original article by Patrick Durkin, Aaron Patrick, David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 1-Sep-16

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews triggered a political crisis when he decided to give the union more influence over the Country Fire Authority. The Volunteer Firefighters Association Victoria took the matter to the Supreme Court. Jane Garrett resigned as Emergency Services Minister in June 2016 as she did not agree with Andrews’ tactics. She was allegedly bullied by United Firefighters Union leader Peter Marshall who was reported as telling Garrett "I am coming to get you" and "you’re all f—ing dead".

CORPORATES
VICTORIA. COUNTRY FIRE AUTHORITY, SUPREME COURT OF VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, UNITED FIREFIGHTERS’ UNION OF AUSTRALIA, VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION VICTORIA, VOLUNTEER FIRE BRIGADES VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA. NATIONAL OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY COMMISSION, VICTORIA. DEPT OF PREMIER AND CABINET

New rules for better apartments

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Original article by Nick Lenaghan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 32 : 15-Aug-16

Victoria’s Planning Minister Richard Wynne has revealed new draft standards for apartments. The proposed rules include minimum standards for ventilation and access to natural daylight, with all habitable rooms in an apartment required to have at least one window. However, Wynne has ruled out imposing minimum sizes for apartments, which has been welcomed by Asher Judah of the Property Council of Australia.

CORPORATES
VICTORIA. DEPT OF ENVIRONMENT, LAND, WATER AND PLANNING, PROPERTY COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED, LEND LEASE GROUP LIMITED – ASX LLC, GROCON PTY LTD

CFA bosses all aboard

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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’

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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