"THE Fair Work Commission, the independent umpire, has given us a green light to proceed to amalgamate on March 27, and that’s what we will do,” said Michael O’Connor, the presumptive National Secretary of the new Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union.

Early in the month the Fair Work Commission (FWC) approved the amalgamation of the CFMEU, the MUA and the TCFUA, setting the date of amalgamation as March 27. However, employers had appealed the decision and sought a stay on the original decision to approve the amalgamation pending the hearing of their appeal.

The decision on the stay application was handed down this morning by FWC Vice President Hatcher. The stay application was denied. The full appeal will be held on April 9.

TCFUA National Secretary Michelle O’Neil said, “The AMMA and MBA should stop wasting their members money and the Fair Work Commission’s time. Our members voted overwhelmingly to amalgamate, their democratically reached decision needs to be respected. We are getting on with the business of joining with the MUA and CFMEU and improving the lives of our members.”

Mr O’Connor said, “The full executive of the new union will meet in Melbourne on Monday March 26 to set out a detailed plan of work for the first 100 days, taking us to the inaugural Conference of our union on the Gold Coast on June 12 to 15, where nearly 400 delegates will set out a plan and direction for the next two years.”

MUA National Secretary Paddy Crumlin said, “Today we’re calling on both employers and the government to respect and accept the decision of the independent umpire. The decision to amalgamate has been overwhelmingly endorsed by our members and the FWC has, after extensive hearings, approved our amalgamation. It’s time now to move and let us do our business.”

www.fwc.gov.au

www.mua.org.au

www.cfmeu.org.au

ends

SPEAKING today (March 16) at The Tax Institute’s 33rd National Convention in Cairns, Queensland, theDavid Coleman MP, the Assistant Minister for Finance, indicated to delegates that tax policy is a useful lever with which to pursue economic growth.

Following that theme, Tax Institute Senior Tax Counsel Professor Bob Deutsch CTA commented, “Tax policy is critical to the development of the Australian economy. The next Federal election is likely to be a real battle of ideas about which levers of tax policy should be pulled."

The Assistant Minister also told delegates that while the Coalition believes that tax should be as low as possible, tax must be paid at the relevant legislated levels. He said the Government has worked tirelessly to put in place the right legislative framework to ensure that outcome, referencing in particular the Diverted Profits Tax and the Multinational Anti Avoidance law.

Prof. Deutsch also reflected on the Commissioner of Taxation’s earlier message to delegates on the need to build trust, confidence and integrity in the tax system.

"As the Assistant Minister has reminded us this morning, sound tax policy is critically important but this must occur in an environment in which all players are confident in the integrity of the system as mentioned in the Commissioner’s address."

www.taxinstitute.com.au

ENDS

The Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chief Executive Mark Stone AM urges Melbourne business owners and directors to enrol to vote for the by-election for Lord Mayor.

To be able to vote you must be enrolled by 4pm Friday, March 16, 2018).
 
“It is important that Melbourne business owners and directors enrol so they can have a voice in the election of the Lord Mayor, a position that is vital to the ongoing wellbeing of this city, and it is vital that business has a strong voice in the future of Melbourne,” Mr Stone said.
 
Mr Stone said it was important to enrol if you own or occupy rateable property within the City of Melbourne but live in a different municipality, or if you were appointed as a corporation voting representative for the 2016 council elections and still hold the position of company secretary or director of the corporation.
 
Enrolments can be made via the Victorian Electoral Commission website, vec.vic.gov.au
or on 1300 735 427.

ends

THE Queensland Resources Council (QRC) has congratulated the Turnbull and Palaszczuk Governments on the decision to award the Land 400 Defence contract to Rheinmetall Defence Australia to be based in Queensland.

QRC chief executive Ian Macfarlane said Rheinmetall Defence Australia announced last year it would establish its Australia-New Zealand headquarters and a manufacturing and vehicle maintenance facility in South East Queensland if it won the upcoming LAND 400 Phase 2 contract to supply Australia’s new armoured vehicles.

"This is a $5 billion contract and a $5 billion injection into the Queensland economy," Mr Macfarlane said.

"I congratulate Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and her Ministers for securing Rheinmetall in Queensland and I congratulate Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and his Ministers for selecting Rheinmetall and Queensland."

Last year, Rheinmetall announced a partnership with Australian steelmaker Bisalloy Steel.

"This is great news for Australian steel and coking coal needed to manufacture the steel armour for the Boxer CRV vehicles," Mr Macfarlane said. 

"For the Queensland resources sector, the Land 400 contract again highlights our role in advanced manufacturing.

"The men and women working in the Queensland resources sector are providing one in every $6 dollars in the Queensland economy, sustaining one in eight jobs for Queensland, and supporting 16,400 businesses across the State all from 0.1 percent of Queensland’s land mass."

www.qrc.org.au

ends