THE Queensland Resources Council (QRC) supports the state government’s release of land in the Surat Basin for gas exploration.

QRC’s Chief Executive Ian Macfarlane said the pilot exploration project announced today will see the gas produced with an Australia-only sale condition.
 
“The gas produced will only be sold domestically that will help secure a reliable and affordable supply of gas to business and industry,” Mr Macfarlane said.
 
“It’s common knowledge the eastern seaboard of Australia is facing a gas shortage and instead of putting their head in the sand the government is opening up 58 square kilometers of land for exploration.
 
“Once again Queensland is leading the way in securing the energy security of Australia.
 
“The proactive release of new tenure conditioned for domestic market is an innovative response by the Queensland government to the lack of political back-bone shown by the governments of NSW and Victoria.
 
“The pilot should also be seen as chance to demonstrate best-practice regulations in action – fast, effective and focussed on outcomes.
 
“The Queensland government has set an aspirational goal of 50 percent renewables by 2030 and to achieve this goal will require a lot more gas if we are to keeping the lights on and protect Queensland jobs in manufacturing and energy intensive export industries.”

www.qrc.org.au

ends

NEW United States President Donald Trump has honored his election commitment, and withdrawn the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations and agreement (TPP). 

QUT Faculty of Law intellectual property expert and international trade, Professor Matthew Rimmer, said Mr Trump had directed the United States Trade Representative ‘to begin pursuing, wherever possible, bilateral trade negotiations to promote American industry, protect American workers, and raise American wages.’
 
Professor Rimmer said Mr Trump’s clear opposition to the TPP was one of the reasons why he prevailed against Hillary Clinton in the presidential race.
 
“The Republican candidate was able to win key Midwest states in a Rustbelt Brexit, highlighting the impact of trade deals upon the manufacturing sector of the United States,” he said.
 
“Hillary Clinton flip-flopped on her position over the TPP during the campaign. Trump was able to exploit this equivocation during the presidential race.”
 
Professor Rimmer said Donald Trump seemed to be focused on the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), with Canada and possibly Mexico and was keen on a trade agreement with the United Kingdom Post-Brexit.
 
The US President has also engaged in threats of action against China over trade, currency, and intellectual property.

“It remains to be seen whether such policies will ‘Make America Great Again’ and revive United States manufacturing, particularly in light of the fast pace of technological change and innovation.”
 
Professor Rimmer said the withdrawal of the United States from the TPP had caused consternation within the Australian Government.
 
“The Turnbull Government has said that it will explore the possibility of a TPP – without the participation of the United States. This would be a complex undertaking.
 
“Many of the key chapters of the TPP – focused on intellectual property, investment, and
electronic commerce– were dictated by the United States Trade Representative. Such measures make little sense, without the countervailing access to United States markets.”
 
He said China had seized its diplomatic opportunity and promoted the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).
 
“Australia has shown great interest in this alternative regional agreement as a means of consolidating a range of bilateral initiatives.
 
“Europe and Germany have also expressed a desire to forge fair trade deals with nations in the Asia-Pacific. The Turnbull Government is excited about the prospects of a partnership with the European Union.”
 
Professor Rimmer said the collapse of the TPP highlighted the need for Australia to modernize its model of conducting trade negotiations. The Productivity Commission report on Australia’s Intellectual Property Arrangements highlights the need for an open and transparent approach to trade, and independent, economic assessments of new trade agreements. There is also a need to better take into account the impact of trade agreements upon public health, the environment, and labor rights.
 
“The Turnbull Government has shown an interest in aligning its trade policy and its innovation policy.  This could be a fruitful and strategic approach in the future.”
 
Professor Rimmer convened a symposium on the topic of whether the TPP would be trumped in 2016.

www.qut.edu.au

 
ends

LION has posted the fifth biggest opening weekend for an Australian film of all time and the biggest ever opening weekend for an independent Australian film.

The box office for the weekend of  $4,155,636 (unaudited) puts Lion behind only the studio films The Great Gatsby, Australia, Happy feet and Mad Mad: Fury Road in the opening weekend record books.  Lion's total box, including previews, now stands at $4,967,656 (unaudited).

Lion is also taking the world by storm. The film has also opened at number 1 at the NZ box office, number 4 at the UK box office and in the US has already taken $14.5m before going into wide release, with strong releases also posted in Canada, Italy and other major territories.
 
“It is exhilarating to see audiences both here and internationally engaging with this incredible true story.  The fact that it is an Australian story and an Australian film makes it all the more satisfying.  It is a privilege to be releasing this film on behalf of Saroo, his family and the filmmakers,” said Richard Payten and Andrew Mackie from Transmission Films.
 
Lion was nominated for four Golden Globe awards, has received SAG, DGA, BAFTA and Critics Choice nominations and is the winner of more North American film festival awards than any other film this year.  Oscar nominations will be announced Tuesday US time.
 
Lion stars Nicole Kidman, Dev Patel, Rooney Mara, David Wenham and the captivating Sunny Pawar as the young Saroo.  Adapted from the incredible true story “A Long Way Home” by Saroo Brierley, LION is directed by Garth Davis (TOP OF THE LAKE) from a screenplay by Luke Davies (CANDY, LIFE).

The film was produced by See-Saw Films in association with Aquarius Films and Sunstar Entertainment. Emile Sherman, Iain Canning and Angie Fielder are producers with Andrew Fraser, Shahen Mekertichian and Daniel Levin executive producing.

ends

THE shock resignation of a senior and well-respected member of Australia’s national employment tribunal, the Fair Work Commission, raises serious questions about the operation, effectiveness and relevance of the Commission and the workplace relations laws it administers.

The Australian Financial Review today reports longstanding FWC Vice President Graeme Watson has resigned from his position and written a letter to Minister for Employment Michaelia Cash outlining grave concerns with the way workplace relations is regulated and administered in Australia.
 
“Vice President Watson is well respected by all users of Australia’s workplace system and, in almost 10 years’ service to the employment tribunal, has proven to be fair, objective and pragmatic in his application of Australia’s workplace relations laws,” AMMA chief executive Steve Knott said.
 
“While VP Watson’s resignation is a real loss to the Fair Work Commission, of even greater concern is the dysfunction in the tribunal and our workplace laws that has prompted the early resignation of one of its most senior and widely respected members.
 
“This is the second senior FWC member to have recently left the tribunal well before their statutory retirement date. Senior Deputy President Peter Richards, a Howard Government appointee like VP Watson, left in September 2016.”
 
Many of the concerns outlined by VP Watson to Minister Cash echo those detailed by AMMA in a letter to the Minister last October, which included:
 

• Increasing evidence that the FWC is dysfunctional, not serving users well and appearing to pursue political agendas rather than assisting constructive workplace relations outcomes.
   
• The growing need for an independent appeals tribunal to ensure greater rigour and consistency in the decisions of the FWC, including that its members respect established Full Bench principles.
   
• The application of the Fair Work Act’s unfair dismissal and adverse action provisions seeing employees rewarded for making speculative claims against their employers, even where their actions clearly justify dismissal from their workplaces.
   
• The failure of enterprise bargaining to support productivity and industrial harmony in Australian workplaces, and instead rewarding unions for threatening and taking strike action.
   
• Increasing instances where the FWC is not approving agreements based on technicalities such as minor typos in forms or documents incorrectly stapled together.

“The issues raised in the Vice President’s resignation letter add further weight to previous calls from the business community for the government to conduct an urgent review of the Fair Work Commission, its structures, powers and decision making,” Mr Knott said.

“The serious problems identified by VP Watson also reaffirm the importance of the government acting on the Productivity Commission’s 2015 review of Australia’s workplace relations framework, and implementing the majority of its recommendations for reform during 2017.”

Click here to learn more about AMMA’s workplace relations reform priorities.

www.amma.org.au

ends