Anthony Klan JUNE 18, 2014 THE AUSTRALIAN THE circulation of illegal cigarettes is a growing concern for authorities, with the number of illicit sticks Customs has seized at borders and the extent of crops uncovered by authorities on the ground growing in recent years. According to Customs and Border Protection, the number of illegal cigarette “sticks” seized has swollen from 50 million five years ago to 200 million last financial year. During the same period the number of annual detections of illegal hauls at borders grew from 33 to 76 annually. “Detection figures over this year, as well as the previous two years, indicate a gradual increase in detections of illicit cigarettes and a corresponding decrease in detections of loose tobacco,” a Customs and Border Protection spokeswoman said. The Australian Taxation Office, which is responsible for policing domestically grown and produced cigarettes, said it had last month conducted the nation’s…

Chris Merritt JUNE 18, 2014 THE AUSTRALIAN THE ABC’s Media Watch has ­declined to explain why it sought to defend the effectiveness of the Gillard government’s plain-packaging laws for tobacco by ­relying on analysis by two of the Gillard government’s advisers. Based on the views of those ­advisers, Media Watch concluded on Monday that The Australian was wrong when it reported plain- packaging laws had led to an ­increase in cigarette consumption. The political involvement of one of these advisers, Mike Daube, was disclosed by Media Watch while the other, Stephen Kouk­oulas, was described only as a well-known economist. Professor Daube had chaired a government panel that favoured plain-packaging laws while Mr Koukoulas had been Julia Gillard’s senior economics adviser. Media Watch executive producer Tim Latham declined to say whether he knew Mr Koukoulas had been on Ms Gillard’s staff and instead issued a statement describing him as a well-respected…

Esther Han June 18, 2014 The Age Furore: the case was triggered when former Victorian premier Jeff Kennett discovered his ‘freshly baked’ breads and muffins were made in Ireland. Furore: the case was triggered when former Victorian premier Jeff Kennett discovered his ‘freshly baked’ breads and muffins were made in Ireland. Coles has been declared guilty by the Federal Court of misleading shoppers with claims its bread and other baked good were “freshly baked” when that was not the case. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission launched proceedings against Coles in June last year, accusing the supermarket giant of misleading consumers into thinking bread was made on the day at the store when, in some cases, the bread had been partially baked months earlier in overseas factories. Federal Court chief justice James Allsop said Coles had breached three sections of Australian Consumer Law, in his ruling, handed down on Wednesday.…

Ewin Hannan JUNE 20, 2014 THE AUSTRALIAN A NATIONAL union has launched Federal Court action in a bid to overturn a contentious Fair Work Commission decision to cut the Sunday pay of casual restaurant workers. Revealing the court action yesterday, United Voice attacked last month’s commission decision, which the Abbott government has hailed and employer groups have seized on to try to give momentum to their campaign to reduce penalty rates. Acting national secretary David O’Byrne linked the Fair Work Commission decision to strident employer criticism of commission decisions and the government proposal to impose an appeals body over the tribunal. “We respect the independence of the commission,’’ Mr O’Byrne said. “But I don’t think anyone can walk away from the pressure they are under from this government to have a more aggressive approach, and an approach that takes into account the extreme views of the federal government on this…

June 19, 2014 CSNews Fresh & Easy Market EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Now under new ownership, Fresh & Easy is freshening up its image with the launch of a high-visibility marketing campaign inviting customers to rediscover the 167-store chain. Comprised of radio, outdoor, digital and social media elements running in all markets, the multi-platform campaign launches this week and is centered on five pillars: · Affordable organics; · Handmade in our kitchen; · Delivered fresh daily; · No hidden unpronounceables; and · Meal solutions. The company’s new leadership is aiming to reinvigorate the Fresh & Easy brand and its stores as the “anytime, anyway, anywhere solution for getting healthy, convenient and affordable food.” “Our goal with this marketing campaign is to welcome shoppers to see the new Fresh & Easy,” said Mike Evans, who leads the company’s marketing efforts. “We set out to make our stores and our brand fresher,…