November 2021
Voter ID plan faces fresh roadblock in Parliament
Centre Alliance could thwart Scott Morrison’s push for the new laws to be in place before next year’s federal election.
- Tom McIlroy
Key MPs want progress on corruption body before backing voter ID push
Tasmanian independent Jacqui Lambie says the government’s urgency on voter ID laws is a “slap in the face”.
- Tom McIlroy
June 2021
Government’s super reforms likely to pass Senate
The government appears to have the support of Centre Alliance and One Nation, heralding the biggest shake-up of the $3 trillion superannuation sector in years.
- Michael Read
March 2021
Bankers press Senate on responsible lending
The government is struggling to win Senate support to dump responsible lending laws, despite reassurance from NAB boss Ross McEwan that the proposed changes will not lead to more risky bank lending.
- John Kehoe and Matthew Cranston
February 2021
IR bill faces rough ride with the crossbench
The government will have to make significant changes to its industrial relations bill if it wants to secure its passage through the Senate.
- Phillip Coorey
October 2020
University funding plan set to pass after special deal for SA
After securing more funding for places on South Australian campuses, the minor party Centre Alliance will support the government's shake-up of university payments.
- Tom McIlroy and Ronald Mizen
Universities fight it out for a crucial vote in the Senate
The sector has mixed opinions about the Jobs-ready Graduates package, which is splintering their efforts to oppose the legislation.
- Robert Bolton
June 2020
Financial advisers get last-minute lifeline on exams
The Senate passed legislation extending a deadline for advisers to strengthen their accreditation. Failure to enact the extension could have resulted in up to 2 million investors being blocked from receiving advice during the coronavirus downturn.
- Aleks Vickovich
Financial advisers in limbo as Parliament delays exam deadline
Seventy per cent of financial advisers have not yet passed the new mandatory exam and could be forced to cease trading if the extension is not granted.
- Tom McIlroy and Aleks Vickovich
Financial advisers' exam deadline caught in Senate power play
The federal government's plan to extend the deadline for financial advisers to qualify for new performance standards has been thrown into doubt after Senate crossbencher Rex Patrick added measures to boost corporate transparency.
- Tom McIlroy, Aleks Vickovich and John Kehoe
February 2020
'Populist politics': Business slams Rex Patrick over tax attacks
The Centre Alliance senator has slammed the bosses of ExxonMobil and EnergyAustralia, but business is pushing back against his campaign.
- Tom McIlroy
EnergyAustralia boss targeted over corporate tax bill
EnergyAustralia boss Catherine Tanna has been labelled a "swindler" and a "corporate tax dodger", as a high profile Senate crossbencher called for her resignation from the Reserve Bank board.
- Tom McIlroy
Pauline Hanson backflip saves Coalition on sports rorts saga
Senior minister Mathias Cormann avoided embarrassment over a secret report into sports funding due in part to a split in the Centre Alliance.
- Tom McIlroy
- Exclusive
- Defence spending
Submarine jobs poised to go west
The Morrison government is leaning towards sending ASC's submarine maintenance blue collar jobs to Perth, risking its relationship with key senator Rex Patrick.
- Andrew Tillett
January 2020
Union-busting bill 2.0 hinges on Jacqui Lambie
A second attempt to have the Senate pass the Ensuring Integrity Bill could boil down to Jacqui Lambie after One Nation ruled out reversing its opposition.
- Phillip Coorey
December 2019
- Opinion
- Trade unions
Unreformed IR system is more standover than sit down
Why shouldn't unions be subject to the same transparency and standards that companies are?
- Updated
- Jennifer Westacott
November 2019
- Opinion
- The AFR View
Uphold the law and stop 'union theft'
It's only fair to insist that unions obey the industrial laws that grant them enormous privileges in the workplace.
- The AFR View
Federal contractors to disclose tax haven links
Rex Patrick has introduced legislation he promised after Barnaby Joyce said he was unaware the recipient of an $80 million water buyback deal made while he was water minister was based in the Caymans.
- Tom McIlroy
July 2019
Senate delivers tax cut triumph
The re-elected Morrison government has scored a major victory with the passage of its $158 billion income tax cut package but is on a collision course with the gas industry.
- Phillip Coorey
- Opinion
- Tax cuts
How Hanson was sidelined in tax cut deal
While One Nation watched from the sidelines, two senators helped secure Scott Morrison's biggest policy of this entire term. The Centre Alliance is a socially progressive, pro-business party. It's also a savvy political operation, writes Phil Coorey.
- Phillip Coorey