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Canberra
19 July to 25 August 2016
Issue 84
Letter from
Saving you time for nine years.
A Quiet Post-Election Non-Parliamentary sitting period Edition
In This Issue:
Budget Bureacracy Shemozzle • Liberal Party Peace Plan • Plebiscite Indecision
China Shut Out of Electricity Grids • Illegal Detention Ignored • The Norfolk Solution
Letter From Canberra
Canberra
Letter from
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Letter from Canberra keeps subscribers
abreast of recent developments in the policy ABOUT THE EDITOR— ALISTAIR URQUHART, BA LLB
arena on a local, state and federal level.
Alistair Urquhart graduated from the Australian
Published by A.B Urquhart & Company National University in Canberra, in Law, History
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Disclaimer: Material in this publication is
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2
19 July to 25 August 2016
EDITORIAL ISSUE ITEMS to lick private correspondence to the media. Mr
Turnbull denied he supported Mr Rudd’s till to
It has been a vey quiet public/media month on the ʇʇ Passing the Budget—Bureaucracy
lead the United Nations during a key December
federal front, as the new Government negotiates Shemozzle (Page 5)
meeting, But refuse to be drawn on Mr Rudd’s
with both the Opposition and the minor Parties ʇʇ Liberal Party Peace Plan (Page 5)
central claim that he had previously expressed
on some big economic and also some social issues. ʇʇ AusGrid— China Shut Out of
his support for the bid, as reported in The Age.
Passing the Budget is focusing on company tax, Electricity Grids (Page 9)
personal superannuation and a balanced budget, ʇʇ Detention—Illegal Detention Ignored (Page 10) Dodgy Steel Imported
not just for this year. The Big end of town is starting ʇʇ The Norfolk Solution (Page 10) Australian lives at risk because of shoddy
to join in the Debate on the economic issues and fabricated steel imported from China, according
GOVERNANCE
some of the less economic and more cultural issues to the peak welding body, which is demanding
as well. Let them make their arguments clear, bal- Slow In Syrian Intake – Immigration that Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull introduce
anced and understandable by the wider population. Nearly a year after former Prime Minister a certification regime to ensure compliance
Tony Abbott announced that Australia would with Australian standards. Welding Technology
The Smaller end of Town, the myriad of
resettle an extra 12,000 people displaced by Institute of Australia chief Executive Gough
businesses in every town, village and suburb
the Syrian conflict, fewer than 2000 refugees Crittenden told The Australian that about 85 per
in Australia, are particularly awaiting the
have arrived under the emergency program. cent of imported fabricated steel coming into the
new industrial relations freedoms that have
country failed to meet Australian standards.
been promised to them for a long while. New figures obtained by The Weekend Australian
show that work is accelerating to fill the Rise of Fresh-Faced Conservatives
The Energy debate is winding up, not just
quota, which was established to augment Matt Canavan’s elevation to Resources Minister
wind but the full bracket of energy sources,
Australia’s regular humanitarian intake. Last was the biggest boost for the rising generation
especially as South Australia have been in
financial year, a mere 758 refugees were of young conservatives in the Coalition. Zed
dream world for the last couple of years about
settled under the program. As of August 5, the Seselja, The Liberal Senator from Canberra, was
a truly reliable long term energy supply.
figure had more than doubled, to 1868. the other big winner-rising from the backbench
Chinese investment in Australia bounced off the to become the assistant minister for social
Revolution On The Back Foot
Port of Darwin possible purchase but has been services a multicultural affairs. His promotion is
Australian company Revolution IT, which was
more clearly under consideration with the seeking seen as a nod from Malcolm Turnbull that he is
paid $470,000 to ensure the IBM-built $ 9.6
by the Chinese to purchase a significant New South listening to the concerns of his party’s right wing.
million census servers posted at Baulkham Hills
Wales electricity transmission grid, without suc-
in Sydney would cope with the load of centres The son of Croatian immigrants fleeing the restric-
cess. About this time, cyber security hit the ceiling
by traffic, has defended its work. The system tions of communism, Mr Seselja is an opponent of
or at least the minds of many more Australians.
was deliberately taken offline by the ABS to deal saying-sex marriage, supports scrapping restric-
The Big Social issue. Do we have a plebiscite/a vote with a DDoS attempt, and Revolution IT director tions on racially offensive speech and reduced
for every Australian a la normal federal election said protecting against this was a security, not weekend penalty rates the hospitality workers.
mode, BEFORE the Government brings a vote to performance, issue, according to the Herald Sun. The 39-Year old knows how to operate in hostile
the Parliament where just the Representatives environments, having spent six years as Liberal
Tasmanian Instability
and the Senators have their vote on the issue leader in the ACT Parliament, as reported in The Age.
The Tasmanian Premier Will Hodgeman,
of gay marriage and related factors. Manus
followed his larger-than-life father Michael, the Land Clearing Legislation Out
Island to faze out as an asylum seeker abode
Rumpolean QC and Fraser government minister, Cape York Aboriginal leaders have attacked plans
brings another huge social issue to the fore.
into law, the Liberal Party, parliament and finally by Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk
Your editor wonders how we might ever resolve into government. Having rid Tasmania of a to crack down on land clearing, warning that it
the bigger social issue of free speech. deeply unpopular Labor-Greens government in will stop job-creation projects and enshrined
March 2014, ending the Liberals 16 years in the further ‘social and economic disadvantage’ in the
Cover. The Law is one aspect of the whole concept
political wilderness, Hodgeman has striven to indigenous communities. The proposed legislation,
(?!) of free speech and on a later page we have a pic-
deliver the nirvana he promised would flourish which includes a move to abolish the previous
ture of the present High Court of Australia, on the
under ‘stable, majority Liberal government’. Liberal National Party government permits for
banks of Lake Burley Griffin. Down Melbourne way,
‘high-value agriculture’, is seen as a pitch for critical
in a side Lane, Little Burke Street and abutting the After such a cathartic victory, a decline was bound
Greens preferences in inner-Brisbane seats next
wonderful Victorian Supreme Court Building, Our to follow. Few, however, foresaw quite how quickly
year’s state election, as reported in The Australian.
Cover shows the original High Court of Australia the Liberal Party would slide in Tasmania – and
Building. A drop of heritage involved but its how low. The former cleanskin is ducking dirt flying Abbott regrets RDA reform attempt
position is not really recognized, for all of the years from all directions, not least fallout from an energy Tony Abbott says his government should have
up until 1980 when the law of the Land/Our Land crisis, bitter bloodletting over a disastrous federal pursued less ambitious reform of section 18C of
was focused here, perhaps radiated from here. election result, and a wounded hard-Right pow- the Racial Discrimination Act, in comments that
Our Law is being perhaps edged out a bit (much) erbroker Eric Abetz cutting loose on everything will re-open debate in the conservative wing of
by other ways of changing our Australian life. Malcolm Turnbull’s mistakes to Muslim immigra- the Liberal Party about changing the Act and
tion, writes Matthew Denholm in The Australian. potentially create a new headache for Malcolm
Turnbull. In a speech to the Samuel Griffith Society
Rudd-Turnbull Letter Leak
in Adelaide, Abbott also lamented Australia’s
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has launched a
‘hyper-partisan’ politics and surprisingly suggested
singing attack on Kevin Rudd, accusing the former
that, while opposition leader in 2011, he should
PM of verballing him and plotting in advance
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3
Letter From Canberra
have allowed Julia Gillard’s government to poll, where they will be required to effectively kept secret, known only to the party’s federal
implement its so-called Malaysian solution and double their vote to retain their seats. director Tony Nutt, federal treasurer Andrew
send up to 800 asylum seekers to that country. Burnes and a small number of Mr Turnbull’s
But Pauline Hansen, Jacqui Lambie, Nick
closest confidants. Sources close to the federal
The former prime minister is also strongly Xenophon and his first running mate Stirling
campaign told The Australian the money provided
critical Liberal state premiers, including NSW Griff will take six-year terms because of the high
by Mr Turnbull was a donation not a loan. It
leader Mike Baird and former Victorian Liberal vote they received at last month’s election. The
is understood not to be tax-deductible.
leader Dennis Napthine, who opposed the Constitution requires the Senate to award six
harsh cuts to schools and hospitals in the 2014 of the 12 members elected from each state a Former party treasurer Michael Yabsley said the
federal budget. Crossbench senators David six-year term, which will expire on June 30, 2022. federal Liberal Party was an organisation that
Leyonhjelm and Bob Day have both flagged The other six received a three-you can, to expire had been struggling financially for 20 years. ‘I
they will introduce legislation to, respectively, on June 30, 2019. There are no rules about how said at the end of 2010 that the Liberal Party was
abolish section 18C of the RDA, which makes it this should be done after a double dissolution. on the brink of insolvency: that was the case
illegal to ‘offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate’ The deal means six-year terms will be given to then and I believe it’s the case now,’ Mr Yabsley
a person, or in Senator Day’s case to remove the 16 of the Coalition’s 30 senators and 13 of Labor said. ‘The fact that the Prime Minister has to put
words ‘offend’ and ‘insult’ from the clause. is 26, as reported in The Weekend Australian. his hand in his pocket is pretty strong evidence
of that.’ Mr Yabsley said the Liberal Party had a
Attorney-General George Brandis has said the Brandis Attempts Gag Act
small membership base and little engagement
issue remains off the table for the government. Attorney-General George Brandis wants cabinets
with the corporate world, while Labor was able to
Amid deep disquiet, including a cabinet revolt, to have greater opportunity to thwart the Freedom
rely on the union movement and the support of
the plan was eventually dropped in 2014 - much of Information Act, his lawyers arguing almost
other organisations such as GetUp! The Australian.
to the annoyance of free-speech advocates every meeting with minister should be regarded
within the Liberal party. Mr Abbott said in his as potentially secret or sensitive. Senator Brandis Call for Strong Leadership
speech Section 18C of the RDA was a ‘troubling – also the minister responsible for FOI – is trying to It is 10 months since Malcolm Turnbull took over
law. At its worst, it limits free speech merely to overturn an Administrative Appeals Tribunal ruling the leadership from Tony Abbott. But, having
prevent her feelings’, as reported in The Age. his office was wrong to refuse to process and FOI scraped back into government, there seems
application from Labor relating to his official diary. still to be no national agenda, no pathway,
Online Census Epic Fail
no narrative to convince us the government
Foreign cyber attackers triggered the meltdown Under the Act, an application can be rejected
knows what it is doing. Everything is directed
of Australia’s first online Census, turning the without decision if the work required to process it
to the short term. Former Victorian Premier
five-yearly population snapshot into a $340 would substantially and unreasonably interfere
Jeff Kennett writes in the Herald Sun.
million debacle. In one of Australia’s greatest with the performance of minister’s office or
bureaucratic bundles, millions of people found responsible agency, according to The Australian. The latest example is the establishment of the
themselves trapped in front of their computers royal commission into juvenile detention in
Union Reform Likely After
for hours on end, unable to lodge their forms. the Northern Territory. And ABC program, with
Liberals Win Majority
The ABS pulled its website down after its graphic pictures, goes the air and the next day the
A surprise Senate victory has given Malcolm
defences failed under the weight of the cyber Prime Minister and out of the royal commission.
Turnbull a clear chance to legislate the union
attacks and millions of people logging in to No time was taken to consider the facts or how
crackdown he put at the height of the federal
the complete their forms on Tuesday night. best to address the issue raised in the report.
election campaign, is the government opens
The government claimed it had acted decisively
Federal cyber-spy agency the Australian Signals talks with Pauline Hanson other key cross-
but the decision was made, without proper
Directorate is investigating whether another nation benchers to overcome fierce objections to the
thought or process, for short-term political
was behind what the ABS says was four ‘denial reform. The government was buoyed by South
advantage. Then followed the embarrassment.
of service’ attacks, which did not penetrate the Australia with Family First senator Bob Day
website but did tried to block it by flooding it with won the state’s final place at Labor’s expense. No Census Rerun
fake accounts. But sceptical computer experts said The Australian census has not been compromised
Adding its 76 lower house seats to a poten-
it was more likely that the website has simply been and will not need to be rerun, the Turnbull
tial Senate tally of 30, the government is
swamped by the numbers of people logging in. government says, despite a crippling series of
calculating that it could get enough support
cyber attacks leading to the decision to shutdown
The federal Opposition’s assistant treasury from the crossbench to secure the majority
the census website. But the Prime Minister
spokesman, Andrew Leigh, said that the delays of 114 votes it would need when the House of
defended the Australian Bureau of Statistics
experienced in lodging forms had compromised Representatives sits with the Senate - an event
decision to err on the side of caution in order to
the quality of the census. ‘Make no mistake: unseen since 1974, as reported in The Australian.
protect the people data. Treasurer Scott Morrison
from here, the data from 2016 census will never
Hinch to Listen and Learn dismissed suggestions the census might need
be as good as the data from previous censuses,’
Senator Derryn Hinch says he will wait to hear the to be abandoned and repeated after millions
Mr Leigh said, as reported in the Herald Sun.
arguments of other politicians, to see ‘the whites of Australians were unable to fill their forms.
Census Blame Game of their eyes’ and to listen before he makes policy
‘There is no compromise of integrity of the
Four days after millions of Australians heading to judgements in Canberra. That is already made
information,’ he said. ‘There is no need, for
bed frustrated and angry, having unsuccessfully up his mind about free speech, as per The Age.
any statistical reason, for return of the census.’
tried to complete the census online, we still don’t
Out of Favour Abetz Chief statistician David Kalisch and technicians
know exactly what went wrong, or who to blame.
Eric Abetz is one of Australia’s best-known senators at IBM opted to shutdown the website at 7:45
Politicians have chosen to blame the only non-gov-
– a conservative warrior who’s ruled the Tasmanian PM after system failures resulting from cyber
ernment entity involved - US-based tech giant IBM,
Liberal Party with the proverbial iron fist since the interferences by as-yet-identify perpetrators.
which one $9.6 million con tracts in 2014 to design,
early 1990’s. Ferociously opposed to progressive Among the errors contributing to the fiasco were
develop and implement the online census, writes
causes such as same-sex marriage (which he labels the failure of geo-location mechanism to block
Patrick Hatch and Lucy Battersby in The Age.
the ‘latest fad’ and the first step on the road to poly- international traffic and a router overload that
Senators Term Times Announced amory), he’s the bloke the Lefties most love to hate. triggered a ‘false alarm’ on the system monitors.
Derryn Hinch and Lee Rhiannon have missed out But after being dumped by Malcolm Turnbull and
Mr Turnbull assured Australians that ‘their data
on a six-year Senate term after a controversial losing his role as Leader of the Senate and employ-
is safe’ and said the decision to shut down the
countback method was rejected by the Coalition ment minister, Abetz has become an outspoken
website had been taken ‘out of an abundance
and Labor to decide term limits. Under a deal critic, according to Ellen Whinnett in the Herald Sun.
of caution’ by the ABS, as reported in The Age.
between Finance Minister Mathias Cormann
Turnbull Donates to Libs
and Labor’s Senate leader Penny Wong, just Sad Day for Labor
Malcolm Turnbull donated $1 million of his own
four of the 11 crossbenchers will get a six-year Surprise result at the end of counting in South
money to bail out the Liberal Party during the
term and only three of the nine Greens.It means Australia’s Senate race, the anti-union Family
federal election campaign, so desperate was the
seven crossbenchers and six Greens will face First Senator Bob Day Has emerged as the
party for finances. The donation was a tightly
re-election within three years at a half Senate 12th senator from the central state, displacing
419 July to 25 August 2016
Labor’s forth spot and thus ending the career total $ 699, 023, 526. Among them is a single deal right of his party, which supported Abbott in
of Anne McEwen. The final result in south with Human Services worth $484, 168, 980. the leadership spill in September last year.
Australia is: Liberal 4, Labour 3, NXT 3, Greens
The flexible, five-year contract, which began on Imagine that: a politician being political. Too
1 (Sarah Hanson-Young), Family First 1.
January 1, will see agencies hey under the DHS few have been willing to call out Shorten for the
Former housing industry entrepreneur, the umbrella such as Medicare and Centrelink use IBM fraud he and his campaign are. Let’s look at it:
conservative Senator Day secured his term with services and consultants to transform outdated
His 100 positive policies have morphed into
just 0.37 of a quota of first preferences. His return computer systems, but will not pay for a replace-
a single negative Medicare scare based on
on favourable preference flows, adds to the ment payment system, as reported in The Australian.
a lie. It is likely to persuade voters this man
numbers in favour of the government’s Australian
Federal election 2016: Conviction ‘may is just not Prime Minister material.
Building and Construction Commission and it’s
make Senate win invalid’
Registered Organisation bills, according to The Age. Shorten pledged after the budget to make the
Some constitutional lawyers say the election of
election a referendum on the government’s
Bureaucracy Shemozzle One Nation candidate Rod Culleton to the Senate
decision to cut the $4.5bn Schoolkids Bonus, only
The superannuation package Scott Morrison appears to be invalid, meaning the Australian
later to accept the revenue savings in his own
announced in this year’s budget is turning Electoral Commission may need a recount to
mid-campaign costing’s release on May 26.
into the complete shemozzle. The real reason determine who is elected in his place. Mr Culleton
Malcolm Turnbull knockback Kevin Rudd had was convicted of larceny in NSW in March but is yet After a year of criticising the 2015 Coalition
nothing to do with Rudd’s poor interpersonal to be sentenced. The offence carries a maximum changes to the pension assets test, Shorten
skills but rather Turnbull’s realisation that his sentence of between two and five years in prison. accepted the change and banked the
party base would go into complete meltdown associated revenue mid-campaign.
The charge related to the theft of a tow truck
had he supported the former Prime Minister’s
key during an attempt to repossess a vehicle Reports Chris Mitchell, Campaign Media
candidacy for the position of UN secretary-general.
that Mr Culleton was leasing. The Australian Watch columnist from Sydney
Turnbull and Morrison probably now realise they
Liberal Party Peace Plan PM Key Issues
have been played for mugs but the bureaucrats
Malcolm Turnbull is offering a peace plan to furi- Malcolm Turnbull will need to manage two key
in Treasury and Prime Minister and Cabinet Love
ous backbenchers on the warpath over tax hikes on issues during this term of government: the threat of
Long how the ambition to unwind what they see as
superannuation, tackling concerns over the $6 bil- internal divisions within the Liberal Party and the
the unjustifiable superannuation tax concessions.
lion budget plan by setting up a new forum to clear policy challenges the nation faces… Peaceful coex-
You have only to check out the highly erroneous
the way for a deal that will legislate the changes. istence between the PM and younger conservatives
but enormous values put on these concessions, as
When it became clear Michelle Landry had held is crucial. The key is that these groupings are
presented in the annual tax expenditure statement
on to her central Queensland seat of Capricornia, listened to, not bought off reports The Australian
released by the Treasury, to pick up the agenda
snaring the government its crucial 76th seat,
that the activist bureaucrats have been running, PM Backs NT Government
Malcolm Turnbull told the LNP backbencher:
according to Judith Sloan in The Australian. The Turnbull government is standing by the
‘Michelle, you have saved the nation.’ According to
increasingly embattled Giles government in the
No Plebiscite for Minority Issues the National Party, of which she is a member, her
Northern Territory and will resist calls to exclude
Australian should reject the proposal to holed victory in what has previously been regarded as a
it from joint stewardship of its royal commission
plebiscite as a precondition to the enactment safe Labor seat was no thanks to Turnbull and his
inquiry into human rights abuses within the terri-
of same-sex marriage legislation by the federal ‘innovation agenda’, as reported in The Australian
tory’s youth justice system. The Prime Minister’s
parliament. The elected politicians should get
Canberra Press Gallery Falls for Bill insistence on shared administration comes despite
to work on what we the people elected them to
Shorten’s Medicare Con growing calls for the government in Darwin to be
do – to decide on the law, one way or another, in
Labor has pulled an enormous media con job on sacked, or at least stripped of its responsibilities
parliament. Not at the hustings. A plebiscite
much of the Canberra press gallery. Journalists for juvenile detention. Details of the rapid-action
campaign unfortunately would be likely to bring
have been prepared to praise Bill Shorten royal commission are to be settled at a cabinet
out hatreds and animosities in our country that are
and his Treasury spokesman Chris Bowen for meeting in Canberra, as reported in The Age
bad for minorities generally and for the lesbian, gay,
‘doing the hard yards on policy.’ Much of the
bisexual and transsexual minority in particular. Plebiscite on the Agenda
progressive media and many vocal conservatives
No Coalition or Labor MP who opposes same sex
It is exceptional and wrong in principle to commit have spent the campaign pointing out the
marriage will be forced to vote in support of the
decisions on the basic human rights of minorities Prime Minister has softened his progressive
change should it receive majority backing at the
to majority popular vote, especially in a country positions on social issues to accommodate the
plebiscite. Instead there are various mechanisms
such as Australia which, exceptionally, has no
entrenched constitutional guarantees for equality
or fundamental human rights to protect minorities,
according to Michael Kirby in The Australian.
Coalition Clash
The West Australian government was in chaos
after former Nationals leader Brendan Grylls
called for a policy overhaul and declare Premier
Colin Barnett was headed for defeat next March.
Nameless Census
Senators Nick Xenophon, Sarah Hanson-Young and
Scott Ludlum are vowing not to put their names
on their census forms amid claims the national
survey has turned into a ‘mobile CCTV that follows
every Australian’, as reported in The Australian.
IBM’s Big Deal
The technology provider at the centre of the
census debacle, IBM, has won 136 federal
government department contracts worth
almost $700 million dollars in the past year. The
contract between IBM and departments and
agencies including Defence, Immigration and
Border Protection, Social Services, Health, IP
Australia and the Australian Bureau of Statistics
5Letter From Canberra
to ensure the Parliament votes to reflect the disillusioned, Australia could be back at the start conducting itself with the self-discipline
plebiscite result without anyone having to lose face polls in just two years. The July 2 election was a and professionalism expected of the secretary
or vote against their strong personal view. Malcolm full-Senate election, half the 76 Senators who officers, writes Chris Merritt in The Australian.
Turnbull has promised to hold a plebiscite after were elected will serve three-year terms while
Not a Gooda Appointment
the election if he wins. Labor, if it wins, will put the other half or serve the full six-new terms.
The decision of Attorney-General George Brandis
the issue straight to a vote of the Parliament.
Three-year terms are effective from July 1 this to make Mick Gooda a royal commissioner is a
Shorten Supports Radical Reform year and will expire on June 30, 2019. That means farce and a scandal. How can Gooda, a professional
Bill Shorten has imperilled the indigenous there will have to be another half-Senate election Aboriginal activist, Possibly be an impartial judge,
referendum by breaking bipartisanship on the and, by extension, a federal election, by mid-May jointly presiding over the royal commission into
issue to support a radical form of reconciliation 2019, so the Senate votes can be counted and the juvenile justice in the Northern Territory? How
aimed at pushing a treaty-like process designed newly elected senators be ready to take their seats can he be considered impartial when he’s already
to resolve grievances dating back to European on July 1, 2019. However, because of conflicts with declared the key defendant guilty – attacking the
settlement. The Opposition Leader backed plans state elections in NSW and Victoria, Prime Minister Northern Territory Government as incompetent,
unveiled by Cape York leader Noel Pearson Malcolm Turnbull may be tempted to go even vicious, dead to reform and needing to be
for constitutional reform to insert a ‘hook’ into earlier, as reported in The Australian Financial Review. sacked? If Gooda does not resign, then Brandis
the nation’s birth certificate, off which could must, writes Andrew Bolt in the Herald Sun.
PM NT Kerfuffle
then be hung a settlement process likely to see
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s troubled
individual First Nations bodies strike a network PARTY HAPPENINGS
start to his new term in office continued when he
of deals covering large parts of the continent.
had to replace the royal commission probing the Portfolios Combined
Mr Shorten sided with Mr Pearson and Arnhem Northern Territory’s Juvenile Justice System. Four Malcolm Turnbull’s moves to combine the energy
Land leader Galarrwuy Yunupingu in calling for days after his appointment, Brian Martin quit and environment portfolios has won a mixed
the radical approach just as the Referendum over concerns of perceived conflicts of interest response, as Victorian Liberal Josh Frydenberg’s
Council, established in December to chart relating to his former term is NT chief justice. record in competing areas comes under a new
the next steps, and has heard warnings from scrutiny. Greenpeace slammed Mr Frydenberg’s
Discrimination Commissioner Blunder
indigenous people that recognition without appointment to replace Greg Hunt in the expaned
The Race Discrimination commissioner has just
some form of treaty would be unacceptable. portfolio as a blow to the Great Barrier Reef, while
made it extremely dangerous for his organisation
Climate Council boss John Connor said the upcom-
‘Let’s be straight: constitutional recognition is to discharge all of its statutory duties. Tim
ing review of the government’s climate and energy
important, and it shouldn’t be beyond the wit Soutphonmmasane has encouraged people to
policy framework could deliver progress. The move
and wisdom of the nation to be able to recognise lodge complaints with the commission about Bill
follows Labor’s lead in combining energy and envi-
our First Australians in the nation’s sort of official Leak’s cartoon last week depicting an Aboriginal
ronment under Mark Butler, as reported in The Age.
birth certificate; but that is not in and of itself policeman returning a delinquent Aboriginal
going to resolve every issue for the last 200 years,’ youth to his equally delinquent Aboriginal Greens Gone Red
Mr Shorten said, as reported The Australian father. The problem is that the commissioners Greens co—founder Bob Brown has urged a
prejudge those complaints: Leak, according ‘clean-out’ of the party’s NSW division, which
NT Government Betrayal
to Soutphonmmasane’s public statements, is is dominated by extreme hardliners left over
Former chief minister Ian Tuxworth says the Giles
guilty and people should feel free to complain. from the Cold War. Although many Greens
government has betrayed the Northern Territory
spring from the environmental movement, the
he loves and fought for. Mr Tuxworth, who also Those complaints will all go to
party’s NSW leadership includes senator Lee
served as a Country Liberal Party minister for Soutphonmmasane’s organisation, where
Rhiannon, formally of the Soviet-sponsored
prisons and juvenile justice, delivered his verdict every official knows that one of those at the
Socialist Party, and convener Hall Greenland, a
on abuses in youth detention and the state of the top has already made up his mind. That means
one-time Trotskyist expelled from labour in 1984.
CLP administration in the Top End. ‘I’m appalled any attempt by the commission to deal with
and I’m ashamed,’ Mr Tuxworth said. ‘I can’t the complaints about Leak’s cartoon is now The Greens party was dumped at the federal
believe such an abomination happened.’ After vulnerable to challenge for a perception of bias. election, suffering a negative swing in the Senate
watching footage on the ABC’s Four Corners of Leak, like everyone else in this country, has a and advancing little in targeted lower-house seats
children shackled and hooded, beaten and right to procedural fairness. Decision-makers such as Grayndler and Sydney. Dr Brown, who
sprayed with tear gas, he said he sat stunned in who knowingly infringe that right might also retired from Parliament and 2012 after leading
front of the TV, as reported in The Australian be vulnerable to accusations of malice. the Greens to their best results in 2010, has taken
the division to task in an interview published
Life Insurance Crackdown In free societies, the right to a fair hearing before
in The Monthly, as reported in The Australian.
The federal government will push ahead with a an arm of the state is fundamental - a fact that has
crackdown on life insurance commissions in an long been recognised in Australian administrative Questions Over Activist Group
attempt to mend the scandal-ridden sector. law. Soutphonmmasane’s prejudgement of Partisanship
Leak’s cartoons was not a mere slip-up. It was GetUp! chairwoman Sarah Maddison campaign
In her first speech as Revenue and Financial
blatant, which can be seen from the report on for the Greens during the federal election,
Services minister, Kelly O’Dwyer said the
that affair that was published last week by Fairfax calling into question the activist group’s claim
government was working to push legislation
media. He was quoted as saying ‘our society not to support publicly any political party, and
through parliament to address upfront commis-
shouldn’t endorse racial stereotyping Aboriginal provoking outcry from conservative politicians.
sions that plagued the sector, as per The Age
Australians or any other racial or ethnic group.’ On its website, GetUp! states that its work ‘is
Banks Royal Inquiry Rethink driven by our values, and not our party politics’.
Here’s what needs to happen. Thanks to
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has leapt on the ‘GetUp! is, and always has been, an independent
Soutphonmmasane, there will be complaints to
Prime Minister’s reference to the banks operating organisation,’ it states, as reported in The Australian.
the commission about the cartoon. Somebody
under a ‘social license’ to ask Malcolm Turnbull to
will need to deal with them. In another case Cabinet Shake-Up
reconsider supporting a banking royal commission,
where the commission has been accused Malcolm Turnbull has undertaken a larger
as the opposition considers pushing the Parliament
of breaching human rights, it brought in an than expected shake-up of his frontbench by
for an inquiry. But the government has hit back,
independent silk to avoid the obvious conflict elevating two more Nationals, looking after his
saying Mr Shorten’s call is ‘completely confused’
of interest. Thanks to the Race Discrimination own supporters and controversially doing little
and accusing the opposition leader of having only
Commissioner, it needs to do the same thing now. to build bridges to disgruntled Conservatives,
a ‘crass political’ interest in pursuing the issue,
as reported in The Australian Financial Review.
as reported in The Australian Financial Review. That will be a ridiculously expensive waste
of taxpayers’ money but the alternative is Liberal Blame Game
Next Election Could Be Two Years Away
for the commission to blunder on hoping It is noteworthy that the most powerful figure
The new federal parliament will not sit
that Leak will allow his rights, as well as his in Tasmanian Liberal politics, Senator Eric Abetz,
until August 30. And, thanks to constraints
reputation, to be traduced. If the Human has in one of the most vocal critics of the national
caused by the recent election being a double
Rights Commission has a future it needs to election campaign ‘a lot of our colleagues see
619 July to 25 August 2016
the election results is that barest victories-if Beazley Questions Rudd the most recent Labor prime minister to become
we can call it is victory,’ Senator Abetz told ABC Former ALP leader and ambassador to the US Kim the next secretary-general of the United Nations.
radio. Yet Liberal sources are questioning why Beazley has questioned Kevin Rudd’s viability as Australia does not produce many political figures
things went so badly in Tasmania and who might a candidate for UN secretary-general. Mr Beazley, of such international standing to be considered
be responsible. Yes, it is conceded that in the replaced by Mr Rudd as Labor leader in 2006, said a serious prospect for one of the pinnacle jobs
often economically stretched state, the issues endorsing a male from the Asia-Pacific region of global governance suggests the Australian
of health and education hit the Coalition hard. would require an enormous effort to influence Financial Review. Mr Rudd has clear expertise
the vote at a difficult time. The Australian. and experience within the UN system, including
The 2014 budget measures continue to either way
through Australia’s successful campaign to secure
at the government’s standing with voters. Malcolm Rudd Left Waiting at the Altar After
a revolving seat on the UN Security Council.
Turnbull’s company tax cut did not resonate Turnbull Rejection
with the people worried about their blue-collar After cabinet finished meeting on a Thursday Small Business Portfolio Dropped
jobs. Yes, there was consternation that there was afternoon in late July, Malcolm Turnbull and Mr Turnbull named his ministry after a drawn-out
not a clear ‘Tasmanian package’ until measures Barnaby Joyce adjourned to the Prime Minister’s election count, dropping Small Business from
announced just days out from polling day. office to discuss the unsettled matter of Kevin Kelly O’Dwyer’s portfolio. Ms O’Dwyer remains
Rudd. There was a firm resolve between the two in the Cabinet as Minister for Revenue and
But the arguments in the state Liberal Party is
leaders of the Coalition not to endorse the former Financial Services but no longer titled Assistant
that there were a lot of other factors at play, most
prime minister for the role of UN secretary-general. Treasurer, which Turnbull says modernise the
noticeably revolving around the decision to dump
role. Controversially, the small business portfolio
Tourism Minister Richard Colebeck to an unwinna- ‘It’s like a wedding,’ Joyce said. ‘You don’t say,
will consigned to the outer ministry, after being
ble position down the Liberal party Senate ticket. ‘You should marry this guy even though he’s
handed to Nationals MP Michael McCormack.
Laura Tingle writes in The Australian Financial Review. not the right choice and it’s going to end badly.’
You don’t marry someone just because you’re ‘This is about stability and continuity and
Liberal Donors Pass
scared of hurting their feelings.’ Cabinet split significant economically and fiscally challenging
An analysis of the Liberal Party’s biggest donors
was ultimately a case of personality versus time’ Mr Turnbull said. Council of Small
ahead of the 2013 election shows two of the top
protocol, as reported in The Australian Business of Australia chief Peter Strong accused
three have since died, and several others have
big business of ‘classic behind-the-scenes
been involved in political scandals, offering some Modern Politics Has Reached a Sorry State
manipulation’ and dismissed the PM’s defence
hints as to why the party may have struggled for The rejection of Kevin Rudd lays bare our
that every minister was representing small
cash during its more recent campaign. Healthcare fractured political culture of payback. If Labor
business, as reported in the Herald Sun.
and media entrepreneur Paul Ramsay — who has an ethical standard that guides its conduct
gave the party’s top single donation, $550,000, it is no better than this: hurt your enemies
INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS
in 2013 — died in May 2014, leaving almost help your friends. Now, with the government’s
and EMPLOYMENT
all of his $3 billion fortune to charity. refusal to nominate Kevin Rudd as a candidate
for secretary-general of the UN, the Coalition CFMEU tensions rise
The third-largest donor, businessman,
risks sinking to its opponent’s level. The Age reported that Australia’s largest con-
yachtsman, winemaker and philanthropist
struction union faced a scathing rebuke for its
Bob Oatley, who contributed $400,000 in It Pays to be Independent
long record of lawlessness, which a federal judge
2013, died in January. Millionaire businessman Pauline Hanson’s success at the ballot box
has labelled an ‘embarrassment to the trade
Paul Marks, friend of then leader Tony Abbott, will mean her party will receive $1.6 million
union movement’. The CFMEU was penalised
contributed $500,000 through his business from taxpayers. Labor and the Liberal Party
nearly $180,000 in July for illegally blockading
Nimrod Resources and $431,361 through P. Marks take two-thirds of the total spending, with the
a Melbourne work site in an attempt to force
Investment Pty Ltd in 2013. The Australian Liberals receiving $23.4m, roughly the same as in
building giant Grocon to cede to union demands.
the 2013 election, while Labor’s $22.3m is about
Fundraising an Uphill Battle Justice Christopher Jessup slammed the CFMEU’s
$1.6m more than it earned from the last poll.
The Liberal Party’s fundraising efforts in the key extensive history of violating workplace law. ‘The
state of NSW were struggling months before The Greens will get $6.3m, up from $5.5m in 2013, CFMEU’s record of non-compliance with legislation
the federal election, forcing the state division and the Nationals receive the fourth-largest of this kind has now become notorious,’ he said.
to take a loan with Westpac, due to be repaid cash injection of $3.1m, the same as the last
‘That record ought to be an embarrassment
by September. The NSW Electoral Commission election. The Australian Electoral Commission
to the trade union movement.’ The Federal
is continuing to withhold about $4.3 million authorised the first payment of public election
Court handed down the heavy fines over the
in public funding, questioning the Liberals’ funding from the July 2 election. The Australian
union’s unlawful industrial action at the Yarra
disclosures about donations funnelled through
Rudd Primed for the Job Edge Tower 8 apartment complex project in
the party’s controversial Canberra-based trust,
Kevin Rudd is right about one thing at least. It Melbourne’s Docklands in February 2011. Six
the Free Enterprise Foundation. The Australian
is a great pity that Malcolm Turnbull’s Coalition CFMEU Victorian officials, including Elias
government has opted not to give its backing to Spernovasilis, Bill Oliver and Shaun Reardon,
7Letter From Canberra
were also personally fined for the three-day picket BUSINESS, ECONOMY, Super Regulations To Be Increased
that blocked access to the site and prevented MANUFACTURING, FINANCE APRA is starting to tighten the screws on
the delivery and installation of a tower crane. superannuation funds that book continual poor
Aldi Urged to be Transparent
performance and face unsustainable outflows of
Election 2016: Labor and Liberal unite Coles has urged its German rival Aldi to sign
money, suggesting it will push for more merges
against worker exploitation up to a new tax transparency code that will
between funds in the $2 trillion nest egg sector.
There can be no middle ground on scrub- lead to more big businesses, particularly
bing out worker exploitation says Adele multinationals, releasing detailed information Speaking at the Financial Services Council yester-
Ferguson, columnist for The Age about the tax they pay. Aldi has yet to signup day, Australian Prudential Regulation Authority
to the Voluntary Tax Transparency Code, which deputy chairman Helen Rowell also hit out at the
Greyhound Ban Produce Industry Fears
targets more than 1500 businesses with turnover lack of transparency over fees and costs in many
Animal-related industries are on high alert
of $100 million and follows public anger of a parts of the super industry and said the regulator
after the Baird government’s decision to outlaw
large multinational is engaging in aggressive was attempting to get access to even more fund
greyhound racing in NSW, and peak bodies
tax avoidance, as reported in The Age. information, as reported in the Financial Review.
say the same scrutiny applied to dog racing is
rippling across other sectors. Agriculture and Emergency Policy Only for Extreme Australians’ Trust Issues With Banks
food production faces the challenge of dealing Market Shocks Greg Medcraft, the nation’s top corporate cop, has
with community expectations regarding Emergency policy measures studied by the put banks’ senior executives on notice to ensure
animal welfare that have increased signifi- Reserve Bank of Australia would only be needed efforts to improve culture and conduct do not
cantly in the past decade, National Farmers if China’s financial system collapsed or similarly become ‘white noise’ for staff below them, saying
Federation chief executive Tony Mahar said. dramatic event seized up global markets, says the regulator will continue to uncover wrongdoings
a leading expert. Perpetual Investment’s head and is not intimidated by the financial might.
Livestock industries including meat production
of investment strategy Matt Sherwood said
coming under pressure to stamp out practices such At the release of the damning study revealing
simmering geopolitical tensions, even if they hit
as mulesing, some old methods of shearing and a Australians’ poor view on banks’ ethics, Australia
growth in Australia, wouldn’t be enough to force
live export have resulted in reforms throughout Securities & Investments Commission chairman
the RBA’s hand. Quantitative easing (QE) – central
the industry, as reported in The Australian. Mr Medcraft said recent scandals have clearly
bank bond-buying to stabilise long-term rates
combined to ‘fundamentally undermined
A Matter of Fair Work and push money into other assets – would only
investor trust and confidence’ in the banks.
The Australian says the independent Fair Work help if the world had another huge financial crisis,
Commission is reviewing penalty rates in seven according to The Australian Financial Review. Reform Requires Rethink
awards in the hospitality and retail sectors as Small businesses fear they could be the next target
Big Four Prevent Stimulus
part of the four-yearly review of modern awards of bad financial advice and predatory lending
The big banks have defied the reserve bank,
under the Fair Work Act introduced by Labor under the proposed low-regulation scheme
passing on barely half of the cut in the official
in 2009. The FWC decision is binding by law. for start-ups. The scheme, being considered by
benchmark cash rate to their home mortgage
the corporate watchdog, would allow financial
The Productivity Commission recommended cut- and business borrowers, reducing the stimulus
services start-ups to operate unlicensed for 6
ting Sunday penalty rates to match Saturday rates. that the central bank was trying to inject
months in the name of supporting innovation.
into the economy in favor of supporting their
Employers in some sectors want Sunday penalty
own profits, as reported in The Australian. Peter Strong, chief executive of the Council of
rates to be cut from 200% to 150% and public
Small-Business Australia, said he was concerned
holiday penalties from 250% to 200%. ACCC Gives All Clear For Port Lease
small businesses could fall victim to the same
Australia’s competition watchdog has given
Unions want to maintain the status quo. financial scandals as consumers had fallen
the green light to two major bids to lease the
pray to in recent years, as reported in The Age.
Haunted by the damage it sustained after its Port of Melbourne 50 years. Two consortia
Work Choices policy the Coalition declined for the lease were probed by the Australian Water Price Rise
to make a submission to the FWC. Competition and Consumer Commission The price of water for 4 million Sydneysiders could
because of their interests in other Australian be about to rise because of a last-minute rule
Labor’s submission argued against cutting penalty
ports. ‘The ACCC has formed the view that neither change by the Liberal government that helped it
rates. Labor will be under pressure to fight any
acquisition would result in substantial lessening raise more from that $2.3 billion privatisation of
cuts to penalty rates, even if that is the outcome of
of competition,’ ACCC chairman Ron Sims said. the Sydney Desalination Plant (SDP) in 2012. The
the ‘independent’ process it established. The LNP
arrangement comes to light as Rod Sims, chairman
state executive has voted on a motion to formally The IFM consortium is led by Australian fund
of the Australian Competition and Consumer
assess a proposed split amid anger it’s MPs and manager IFM Investors, along with a Dutch
Commission, has called for a halt to privatisations
senators are proportionally under-represented pension fund manager and a division of Macquarie
on the grounds that governments are increasingly
on the Turnbull government frontbench. Group Limited. The QIC consortium includes
running them to maximise proceeds to the state
a 40 per cent interest from a fund manager
‘It is life or death for Barnaby,’ one said. Under the budget even if it increases prices for consumers.
owned by the Queensland Government. Sims
plan, the LNP would establish a separate party
said no single consortium member would The SDP at Kurnell on Botany Bay has never
room in Canberra and strike a second Coalition
control the port, as reported in the Herald Sun. actually pumped any drinking water but
agreement with the Liberal Party with demands
Sydneysiders pay about $200 million a year to SDP
for more frontbenchers from their ranks. The LNP Tough Choices To Reduce Deficit
to keep the plant on stand-by in case of drought. A
is also divided on government plans on superan- Reserve Bank governor Glenn Stevens says
consortium led by the Ontario Teachers Pension
nuation and the backpacker tax, which could also Australians are ‘kidding ourselves’ if they think
Board bought the plant in May 2012 for $2.3 billion,
form part of negotiations, as per The Australian the federal budget can be returned to surplus
as reported in The Australian Financial Review.
without having to make tough choices. While
Unions Win Breakthrough
Australia agreed on the need to close the deficit, Properties Could Flood the Market
Unions have won an important breakthrough in the
concrete ideas got bogged down in debates The Reserve Bank has issued a fresh warning
farm sector, with Australia’s biggest horticulture
based on ‘narrow notions of fairness’ run by that developers may be sitting on a flood of
producer forced to the bargaining table. The agri-
interest groups looking to protect their patch. apartments that fail to settle flagging that
culture and horticulture industry is rife with worker
the property supply glut will worsen, given
exploitation, illegal underpayment and poor work- ‘If we think this rather other-worldly discussion
that developments already under way are still
ing conditions. Unions attract few members and will not have to give way to more hard-nosed
running near record highs despite efforts to
have barely had a presence since the 1970s. Costa conversation, we are kidding ourselves,’ Mr
cool the market. The comments came as the
Group, a big supplier to Coles and Woolworths, has Stevens said. ‘That will care should there be
central bank gave it strongest indication yet that
consistently resisted a National Union of Workers a moment of crisis, but it would be better if it
the cash rate would move closer to 1 per cent
push for a union agreement at its tomato business occurred before then.’ Mr Stevens leaves the
signalling that another cut could be on the cards
in Guyra, in northern NSW, as reported in The Age RBA in September, as reported in the Herald Sun.
this year, as reported in The Weekend Australian.
819 July to 25 August 2016
Big Business Bullies in to work with China to educate suppliers about billion ‘nation-changing project’ unveiled by the
More than 5560 small businesses have complained Australian laws, as reported in The Australian. high-powered Melbourne-based Consolidated
to the competition watchdog in the first half Land and Rail Australia. The plan is backed by
FIRB Ministerial Shakeup
of year, many directory gripes towards top former Victorian premier Steve Bracks, outgoing
Malcolm Turnbull’s government has come up
end of town. The proportion of complaints has federal trade and investment minister Andrew
with new ministerial arrangements are handling
risen in the previous six months, up from 4931, Robb and former NSW premier Barry O’Farrell.
FIRB decisions. Treasurer Scott Morrison Will
the Australian Competition and Consumer
continue to take carriage of all the big and Not Enough Investment
Commission figures revealed. The six-monthly
potentially politically hot transactions - NSW Australia is already forgoing billions of dollars
Small Business and Focus report, released
poles and wires top the lists, and with the likes in potential productivity gains after investing
yesterday, showed the biggest numbers of
of the Port of Melbourne coming down the line too little in key projects, the Committee for
complaints, at 1435, related to misleading conduct
the Kidman pastoral sale bubbling along. Economic Development of Australia says. And
and false representations from big businesses.
the damage bill will blow out to more than $50
ScoMo’s Fellow Cabinet member, Revenue
ACCC deputy chairman Michael Schaper said the billion a year in 15 years if crucial infrastructure
and Financial Services Minister Kelly O’Dwyer,
increase in complaints was ‘incremental but sub- projects in major cities do not go ahead, the
Will have it pared-back suite of F IRB duties,
stantial’. Complaints also related to product safety, committee says, as reported in the Herald Sun
looking after agriculture, well the Nationals’
consumer guarantees and unconscionable conduct.
Michael McCormack, who is Small Business Qube Getting Asciano
Misuse of power was cited in 197 grievances.
Minister (and fully occupied with the Census Asciano’s decision to hand its share of the portside
However, the ACCC said not all instances lead to
debacle), Will handle everything else. logistics business ACFS back to its business partner
breaches or investigations. ‘We’re continuing to
has cleared one of the last remaining hurdles
see in increasing number of contacts from the China Shut Out of Electricity Grids
to the $12 billion takeover of the ports and rail
Australian small and medium enterprise sector’ Scott Morrison’s decision to block two
group with the competition watchdog dismissing
Dr Schaper said, as reported in the Herald Sun. Chinese bids for NSW’s electricity assets on
concerns about the deal. Qube Holdings and an
national security grounds has cast a shadow
Qantas’ New Coat of Paint international group of investors are on track to
over Australia’s relationship with its biggest
Qantas’s freshly painted freight network has taken complete the acquisition next month following
trading partner and the prospects for foreign
to the skies to deliver domestic mail, parcels and a recommendation from the Foreign Investment
investment in critical infrastructure.
Express Post for Australia Post and its subsidiary Review Board due next week and a court hearing.
StarTrack. The dedicated sub-fleet of six freighter Treasurer said the foreign investment rejection was
The Australian Competition and Consumer
aircraft — which now feature StarTrack-branded a preliminary decision and he gave the two bidders
Commission ruling comes more than a year
livery — began flying to nine destinations exclu- - the publicly listed Hong Kong business Cheong
after Brookfield Infrastructure Partners kicked
sively for the Australia Post Group. The Australian Kong Infrastructure , CKI, and China’s govern-
off a race to buy one of Australia’s biggest
ment-owned State Grid – seven days to amend their
Innovation in Fintech is Key infrastructure operators — and a series of ACCC
offers for Ausgrid, which owns the electricity grid
Fintech leaders have urged the new-look federal inquiries — before partnering with its rivals and
from Sydney to Newcastle and the Hunter Valley.
ministry to continue with the government’s close the deal, as reported in The Australian
pre—election push on policies to create a Controversy over Ausgrid
NAB Cuts Commission Rates
thriving fintech ecosystem that will help grow The preliminary decision, which won broad domes-
National Australia Bank’s $45 billion financial
financial services exports to Asia and create tic political support the cast a cloud over the NSW
advice arm to the wealthy, JBWere, has cut commis-
more competition for incumbent banks. Ben governments budget plans, left the Hong Kong
sion rates for its 120 advisers, becoming the latest
Heap, the founding partner of fintech incubator bidder fuming and sparked fierce criticism over
major player to overhaul remuneration as the
and investor H2 Ventures, said the narrow what was underpinning foreign investment policy.
industry strives for sustainable profitability. Less
margin in the election highlighted challenges Mr Morrison announced a preliminary decision
than a month after Morgan Stanley’s pay changes,
selling the innovation message to voters fretting to veto bids by both companies for a 50.4 per
JBWere will slice advisers’ ‘grid’ rate cut by up to 1.5
about the impact of technology on their jobs cent stake in Ausgrid worth more than $10 billion
per cent and also retain a ‘small’ portion of revenue
saying they were ‘contrary to the national interest’,
But he said encouraging innovation remains from clients referred by NAB. The Australian
as reported in The Australian Financial Review.
crucial to refrain the Australian economy ‘and for
Smart Cars on Smart Roads
us to take a step backward due to machinations Revamp for PM’s Former Invesment
All vehicles on Australian roads will be driverless by
of our political system would be disaster’, as Malcolm Turnbull’s most contentious investment,
2030 and road builders must begin work to create
reported in The Australian Financial Review a failed sports media company that lost almost
smart roads that interact with them, says Telstra
$100 million conflict-of-interest row over online
Wrong Investment chief scientist Hugh Bradlow. Dr Bradlow said his
gambling, has come back to life. PlayUP, the sports
There is more than enough money in Australia’s conservative and realistic forecast was based on
start-up Mr Turnbull helped bankroll in 2012, went
multi-trillion-dollar superannuation funds to the rate of autonomous car development, where 14
into liquidation in February. It is to be relaunched
invest in start-ups and entrepreneurship, but trials were under way in California, and falling costs
this year. The key feature will be sports gambling
it is being deployed wrong, says Australian of retrofitting driverless systems to existing cars,
licensed by the embattled Norfolk Island Gaming
National University Vice Chancellor Brian which would soon be in the $US1000 ($1310) range.
Authority. While the Prime Minister will not have
Schmidt, as reported in The Australian.
a stake in the new-look PlayUP, it is likely to be an ‘My expectation is that governments will very
Foreign Bid For Ausgrid Denied unwelcome reminder of one of his more trouble- quickly realise that they need to make them
Federal Treasurer Scott Morrison has blocked some business forays, as reported in The Age. mandatory to help overcome the statistic that 90
the NSW governments planned sale of electricity per cent of road accidents are caused by human
High Speed Rail at Last?
distributor Ausgrid to foreign companies, citing error,’’ he said, as reported The Australian
A high speed rail plan would see a Melbourne
national security issues, in a preliminary decision
Sydney journey time of less than two hours via RBA Cuts Rates
that could have broader implications for foreign
eight new inland cities. The new cities including The Reserve Bank of Australia lowered the cash
investment in Australia, as reported in The Age.
two in Victoria would be high-tech centres, rate by 25 basis points to a fresh record low of 1.50
Asbestos Slipping Through The Cracks creating jobs and easing pressure on overcrowded per cent during the meeting held on 2nd August. It
Companies importing goods riddled with deadly suburbs in the nation’s two biggest centres, says was the second rate cut so far this year prompted
asbestos are not being fully investigated by the consortium behind the plan. The Herald Sun by weak inflation numbers, as reported in The Age
Austrian Border Force due to ‘time and resources’ reports the first new Victorian city, planned for the
Smart Road Technology is the
constraints and the uncertainty of prosecution, a Greater Shepparton region would be less than 30
future of collision avoidance
review Of Australia’s asbestos border controls has minutes from Melbourne on the high speed line.
Future ‘smart road’ technology will virtually
found. Amid revelations that authorities have
The second city would be in the shire of Strathbogie. be able to predict the likelihood of an
prosecuted only two companies for importing
Over the next 35 years, the eight cities of up to accident 30 minutes before it happens,
asbestos since 2008, the report calls on the Federal
200,000 homes would accommodate a quarter CityLink owner Transurban has said.
government to more forcefully pursue the offence
of Australia’s population growth, under the $200
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