Australia's parliament meets on Sept. 28, giving Prime Minister Julia Gillard a first chance to test her ability to control a wafer-thin majority, according to Reuters. Gillard said the government would introduce 30 bills in the first week of parliament, after Tuesday's ceremonial opening and the controversial vote on the election of a new Speaker. Here are key policy priorities for the new government: CLIMATE-CARBON TRADING The government has promised to seek consensus for a price on carbon, and has left open the option of an interim carbon tax. Gillard promised the Greens that by the end of September, she would set up a committee of lawmakers and experts which will work on a new policy to put a price on carbon pollution and promote renewable energy. Companies affected include electricity generators such as AGL Energy; TruEnergy, a unit of Hong Kong-listed CLP Holdings; and Britain's International Power, which has a stake in an Australian coal-fired power station. Gillard has proposed a 30 percent tax on coal and iron ore mining profits from 2012. Her wider programme to cut company tax from 30 percent to 29 percent and have employers pay more money into worker pension funds relies on the mining tax. But the policy may need tweaks to win support from the independents, who support the concept but not necessarily the detail. Resources Minister Martin Ferguson and former BHP Billiton chair Don Argus have started consultations with mining companies on details of the tax, with draft laws due to be ready by early 2011. All major iron ore and coal miners, led by BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto, will be affected by the tax. Other companies affected include Macarthur Coal, Centennial Coal, Fortescue Metals Group, Mount Gibson Iron and Atlas Iron. GAMBLING In order to win support from a key independent, Gillard has promised to crack down on problem gambling by imposing new restrictions on gaming machines. The Greens support the plans, which should now find support in the new parliament. However, Gillard might have a fight with state governments, which rely upon gambling taxes for around 10 percent of state revenues. Assistant Treasurer Bill Shorten has set up an expert advisory group to examine the reforms. Companies which may be affected include gaming and wagering groups Tabcorp Holdings, Tatts and Crown as well as Aristocrat Leisure, the world's second-largest maker of slot machines. Gillard's promise to build a $38 billion national broadband network, involving a $10 billion deal to use the network of dominant phone company Telstra, was key to her victory. The plan was a major incentive for rural-based independent lawmakers to back Gillard to retain power. Companies which may be affected: Phone companies like Telstra and Singtel. Wireless companies like Hutch Telcom. Cable and entertainment companies like Austar and News Corp. ECONOMY-BUDGET SURPLUS Gillard has promised to return a small budget surplus from 2012-13 and a 2 percent cap on new spending. There is no change to the policy under the deals with the independents and Greens, despite presure on the government to spend more on regional Australia. Gillard wants to target a sustainable population and the government has signalled a fall in net migration from around 300,000 in 2009 to around 145,000 by 2012. Gillard also wants to set up a regional refugee processing centre on East Timor. Immigration Minister Chris Bowen will visit East Timor in coming weeks to try to convince Dili to agree.
