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1. Building and
Construction Newsfeed
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Annual
Retailer Performance and
Compliance Reports
The Australian Energy
Regulator (AER) has made
available the following reports
(both dated November 2015):
(Source: AER)
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3.
Employment, Workplace and Industrial Relations Newsfeed
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Senate Committee Inquiry - Long Service Leave
The Senate Education and Employment References Committee
(the Committee) has made available the
terms of reference (undated) (the ToR) for its inquiry
into "the feasibility of, and options for, creating a
national long service standard, and the portability of long
service and other entitlements".
According to the ToR, the inquiry will have particular
reference to matters including the:
- "number of Australians in insecure work";
- "extent and nature of labour market mobility";
- "objectives of portable long service leave schemes,
and the key components that might apply";
- sectors, industries or occupations that may or may
not benefit from such schemes;
- "operation of a portable long service scheme"; and
- related matters.
The Committee will report by the third sitting day in
February 2016.
Comments on the ToR should be sent to the Committee using
the
online form (registration required) by 11 December 2015.
Further information from the Parliament of Australia
Related media item:
Australian Industry Group's (Ai Group) media release (10
November 2015)
(Source: Parliament of Australia; Ai Group)
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4. Environment,
Sustainability and Climate Change Newsfeed
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Consultation
- Shortlisted Sites for the
Establishment of a Permanent
National Radioactive Waste
Management Facility
Federal Resources Minister
Josh Frydenberg has invited
public comment on six
shortlisted sites for
further evaluation for the
establishment of a permanent
national radioactive waste
management facility. The six
shortlisted locations are:
- Sallys Flat in New
South Wales;
- Hale in the Northern
Territory;
- Cortlinye in South
Australia;
- Pinkawillinie in
South Australia;
- Barndioota in South
Australia; and
- Oman Ama in
Queensland.
The Department of
Industry, Innovation and
Science (DIIS) stated that
"persons with a right or
interest in the nominated
land", as well as "persons
from the local communities
where the six land
nominations are located and
other interested persons"
are invited to comment.
Mr Frydenberg advised
that another phase of
detailed assessment will
follow this consultation
period, before a final site
is selected before the end
of 2016.
Comments on any of the
shortlisted sites should be
sent to the DIIS using the
online form by 11 March
2016.
Further information from the
DIIS
Federal Resources Minister's
media release (13
November 2015)
Related media item:
Australian Radiation
Protection and Nuclear
Safety Agency's (ARPANSA)
media release (13
November 2015)
(Source: Federal
Resources Minister; DIIS;
ARPANSA)
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5. Financial
Services Newsfeed
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Report
on
Corporate
Insolvencies
2014-15
The
Australian
Securities
and
Investments
Commission
(ASIC)
has
made
available
Report
456
-
Insolvency
statistics:
External
administrators'
reports
(July
2014
to
June
2015)
(November
2015).
The
report
summarises
information
from
8,354
external
administrators
reports
received
by
ASIC
during
the
2014-15
financial
year.
Key
highlights
outlined
in
the
report
include
that
over
the
2014-15
period:
- civil insolvent trading was alleged by external administrators in 57.1% of reports;
- criminal insolvent trading was alleged by external administrators in 1.8% of reports;
- the three most frequently nominated causes of failure were inadequate cash flow or high cash use, poor strategic management of business, and trading losses; and
- the three most frequently reported forms of misconduct were insolvent trading, failure to keep financial records, and breaches of directors' duty to exercise care and diligence.
ASIC's
media
release
(17
November
2015)
(Source:
ASIC)
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7. Governance, Risk
& Compliance Newsfeed
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Comcare to
Trial Private
Sector Claims
Managers
The Canberra
Times reports
that Comcare
will engage two
private
companies in a
trial aimed at
reducing the
costs of
managing
compensation
claims. A
Comcare
spokesperson
reportedly
stated that the
trial was not
indicative of a
"move towards
privatisation or
outsourcing",
but instead
represented "an
ideal
opportunity to
benchmark [Comcare's]
claims
management model
against industry
best practice".
The trial will
reportedly run
for 12 months
commencing in
February 2016.
The Canberra
Times:
Comcare going
private: Public
service compo
experiment
announced
(9 November
2015)
(Source: The
Canberra Times)
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9. Minerals and
Petroleum Newsfeed
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NSW Department
Conditionally Approves Coal Mine
Expansion
The NSW Department of Planning
and Environment (DPE) has
announced that it has approved
an expansion of operations at
the Wambo Coal Mine, subject to
conditions.
According to the DPE, the
modification will allow for the
production of approximately "5.6
million tonnes of extra coal
with only a minor increase in
coal processing waste".
Further information from the DPE
DPE's media release (11
November 2015)
(Source: DPE)
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for Free
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10. Occupational
Health & Safety Newsfeed
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12. Superannuation
Newsfeed
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ATO Publications
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO)
has released the following publications (all
dated 12 November 2015):
(Source: ATO)
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13. Transportation
Newsfeed
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WA Upper House Committee
Tables Report on Implications of Hydraulic
Fracturing
The Legislative Council Standing
Committee on Environment and Public Affairs has
made available
Report 42 - Implications for Western Australia
of Hydraulic Fracturing for Unconventional Gas
(November 2015).
The recommendations made in the report
include that:
- "the Department of Mines and Petroleum
develop a mechanism to consult with the
Water Corporation (or in the case of
regional areas, with the relevant water
provider) in relation to the regulation of
hydraulic fracturing activities"; and
- "resource companies in Western Australia
be encouraged to explore the recycling of
wastewater during hydraulic fracturing
operations, where practicable".
In response to the Water Corporation's
submission that a 1.5 kilometre buffer distance
should be implemented to separate drinking water
sources from hydraulic fracturing activities,
the Committee stated in the report that "there
are sufficient safeguards and water source
protection policies in place to protect Public
Drinking Water Source Areas in Western Australia
without the introduction of a 1.5 kilometre
buffer zone between water source areas and
unconventional gas activity".
Further information from the Parliament of WA
Related news item:
The West Australian: Fracking fears
'overblown' (17 November 2015)
(Source: Parliament of WA; The West
Australian)
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SAI News
