Debts waived for ineligible MPs
The Minister for Finance has waived the debts to the Commonwealth of a number of former Parliamentarians found by the High Court to have been ineligible to serve.
The Departmental Advisory Committee determined that all those affected performed their duties in good faith for a proper purpose and that it was difficult for individuals at the time of nomination to know that they were ineligible for nomination.
Debts have been waived for David Feeney, Skye Kakoschke-Moore, Jacqui Lambie (pictured) and Stephen Parry.
These debts include salaries, superannuation and electorate allowances, as well as non-salary expenses such as staff, office and travel expenses.
New Indonesian consulate
Australia’s first Consulate-General in Surabaya, East Java, has been officially opened by the Minister for Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop.
The new consulate is Australia’s fourth diplomatic post in Indonesia and will focus on enhancing trade and building economic partnership opportunities.
It comes one year to the week since Chris Barnes was appointed Australia’s first Consul-General to Surabaya.
Fee relief for used car buyers
The Australian Financial Security Authority has announced reductions in the fees for accessing the Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR), which is accessed by used car buyers to find out whether a vehicle has any money owing on it.
The fee to do an online PPSR check will now be $2 — a reduction from $3.40.
Registrations fees have also been reduced, with a seven-year registration to cost $6 instead of $6.80, $25 for a seven–25-year registration (down from $34) and $115 for a registration with no end date (down from $119.)
ATO raids stop phoenix rising
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has launched raids on 11 sites across Victoria, involving more than 250 of its officers, to crack down on phoenix activity and tax avoidance.
The ATO raids targeted a group of tax agents suspected of facilitating phoenix activity and promoting avoidance of tax involving GST, income tax and the failure to remit pay-as-you-go withholding tax payments.
It is suspected the agents used phoenix techniques to assist clients to avoid paying tax on millions of dollars of income.
Victoria Police supported ATO officers at several of the sites.
Investigations continue.
Ban imposed on Fairy capsules
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has issued a public warning against using a product labelled Fairy capsules, which it says could pose a serious risk to a person’s health.
TGA tests found the capsules contained the undeclared substance sibutramine, a prescription-only substance in Australia.
Sibutramine was withdrawn from world markets in 2010 due to increased risk of cardiac events and stroke.
The TGA is now working with the Australian Border Force to help stop future shipments of Fairy capsules from entering Australia.
Trusted Traders hit 200
The 200th member has been accredited to the Australian Trusted Traders program, which makes it easier for businesses to trade on the world stage.
The new member is York Foods, a natural food manufacturer located in Goulburn, NSW.
The program is estimated to be worth $3.2 billion to Australian industry over the next 10 years.
It gives importers and exporters a competitive edge and greater access to global markets.
Exports pass $4 billion
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has announced that goods and services exports reached a record $401 billion in 2017–18, bolstered by strong growth in the Chinese market.
Exports to China grew by 11 per cent in 2017–18, exceeding the $100 billion mark for the first time and reflecting the benefits of the China–Australia Free Trade Agreement.
Australia’s exports to Japan rose by 16.4 per cent to $48.2 billion over 2017–18; exports to Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries grew by 16.1 per cent to $32.7 billion; and exports to India grew 7 per cent to $16.1 billion.
