POLITICS & POLICY

Telstra gets fined for $18m

Telstra Corp. has been ordered by court to pay fines to the Commonwealth worth $18.55 million for violating the Trade Practices Act and its conditions for carrier licence by locking out other broadband companies from its telephone dealings.

Business and art sectors air opposition on some Super proposed changes

Changes suggested by the Cooper Review on Australia’s superannuation system seemed to have affected a wide array of industries as some businesses and the indigenous art market both aired their concerns on Tuesday that the revisions to be implemented by the government could severely impact their respective sectors.
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Boss fined $16,900 for underpaying staff

A Sydney company director has been fined $16,900 for underpaying eight of his former staff. The employees, who received no money at all for weeks on end, were underpaid a total of more than $31,000.

Mining tax publicity wars set to continue

A resumption of the publicity campaign against the Labor government’s Mineral Resources Rent Tax is part of political schemes aimed at the elections, Treasurer Wayne Swan claims.

Business criticise Abbott's policy on migrants

Australia's business leaders have rejected a plan by the coalition government to slash immigration intake, accusing Liberal head Tony Abbott of risking the nation's future economic viability for his short-term populist strategy.

Economists say CPI would sway RBA’s next moves on interest rates

The Reserve Bank of Australia’ (RBA) July board meeting minutes gave away clues that steady price increases seen in the last three months leading to June would be considerable factors that could sway its interest rates decision come the board’s next meeting in August 3.

SA Premier encourages green energy plan

Premier Mike Rann of South Australia says the federal government’s scheme to integrate more green energy into Australia’s power grid is very good news for their state.

Businessmen call for intake of skilled outlanders

Australia's economy will deteriorate and inflation rise if the admission of skilled migrants is not maintained at least at its current level, according to some of the nation's most prominent business figures.

NSW pork growers decry Coles’ planned sow stall ban

The New South Wales Farmers Association is raising howl that the Australian pork industry would eventually die out should major supermarkets such as Coles would sustain its current policy of forbidding pork from pigs being raised in sow stalls.

Australian Greens vow to plug Coles’ cheap selling of imported cigars

Following news of Coles’ move of countering the federal government’s policy of restricting cigarette sale by unleashing cheap imported brands in the market, the Australian Greens said on Wednesday that they intend to counter the tactic by more stringent legislative initiatives.

Queensland cattle undergoing tests for possible exposure to contaminated water

In light of the of the ensuing water contamination scare that stemmed from Cougar Energy’s coal gasification plant closure in Kingaroy, South Burnett farmers issued confirmation on Wednesday that Biosecurity Queensland is conducting tests on their cattle herds for possible exposure to chemically-smeared water supplies.

Outdated safety measures in Tasmanian airport elicit criticisms

Mounting calls for an urgent revisit and eventual upgrade of the safety measures at Launceston Airport attracted the support of the local government and business sectors with aviator Dick Smith declaring that aviation authorities must act now or any more meetings to discuss the issue would only amount to nothing.

Abbott should avoid IR talk

The Council of Small Business has advised Tony Abbott to keep quiet about industrial relations as he attempts to get the coalition's election campaign back on track.

ASIC to enforce Watson and Cornwell repayment

The ASIC (Australian Securities and Investments Commission) has initiated legal proceedings in the New South Wales Supreme Court against Newcastle Palais Holdings and Empower Invest for violation of enforceable undertakings.

Cougar plant closure sparks contamination scare in Queensland

A water contamination scare loomed over the South Burnett region in Queensland over the recent closure of Cougar Energy’s underground coal gasification (UCG) Kingaroy facility, where testing by the Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM) showed that water supplies were smeared with carcinogenic chemicals.

RBA calls for IR changes

The Reserve Bank of Australia has joined business leaders in criticising both sides of parliament for their disinclination to look at changes to workplace laws in preparations for the federal poll.

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