Abbott: PM must sell penalty rates cut harder

Original article by Joe Kelly, David Crowe, Ewin Hannan, Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 3-Mar-17

Some Coalition MPs have urged Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to more actively promote the economic benefits of the Fair Work Commission’s decision on Sunday penalty rates. Former prime minister Tony Abbott has also urged Turnbull to place more emphasis on the potential for job creation as a result of the ruling, and says a proposal by Coalition backbencher Eric Abetz to "grandfather" the new penalty rates regime has merit. However, this is opposed by employers’ groups and the Australian Labor Party.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. OFFICE OF THE AUSTRALIAN SMALL BUSINESS AND FAMILY ENTERPRISE OMBUDSMAN, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Coles to reduce pay time for suppliers to 14 days

Original article by Fleur Anderson
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 2 : 3-Mar-17

Small Business & Family Enterprise Ombudsman Kate Carnell will shortly make recommendations on sanctions for large companies that do not pay suppliers promptly. Meanwhile, Coles has committed to reducing its payment terms for many smaller suppliers from an average of 30 days to no more than 14 days. Coles MD John Durkan stresses that the new policy, which takes effect from mid-2017, is being introduced independently of Carnell’s review of payment terms.

CORPORATES
COLES SUPERMARKETS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. OFFICE OF THE AUSTRALIAN SMALL BUSINESS AND FAMILY ENTERPRISE OMBUDSMAN, RED KELLY’S GOURMET FOODS PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND SCIENCE, MARKET INVOICE

Thrills and spillage: the changing tastes of Australia’s cordial drinkers (or the Bickford’s phenomenon)

Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 2-Mar-17

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey has found that 26% of Australians aged 14+ (5.2 million people) consumed cordial at least once in an average four weeks during the year to December 2016. This compares with 34.9% (6.2 million people) in the year to December 2009. While Cottee’s remains the leading cordial brand, it is now consumed by 1.8 million people in an average four weeks, down from 2.4 million in 2009. In contrast, consumption of Bickford’s has risen by 125 per cent, from 622,000 consumers in any given four weeks to just over 1.4 million.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, COTTEE’S, BICKFORD’S AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, GOLDEN CIRCLE LIMITED, SCHWEPPES AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, COLES SUPERMARKETS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, WOOLWORTHS SUPERMARKETS

ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence rebounds sharply – up 4.7% to 119.1

Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 1-Mar-17

ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence rose 4.7% to 119.1 in the week ended 26 February 2017, following a disappointing performance the previous week (down 2.3%). The increase in confidence was broadly based with all five sub-indices posting gains. Households’ views of current finances rose a sharp 9.3%, more than reversing last week’s 7.5% fall. Sentiment towards future finances also rose a solid 6.3%, bringing the index to its highest value since March 2016. Households’ views of economic conditions over the next 12 month bounced 4.4%, while sentiment towards the longer term outlook rose a more modest 1.7%.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ

Roy Morgan Customer Satisfaction Awards 2016: Australia’s most service-oriented retailers announced

Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 28-Feb-17

The winners of the 14 retail categories in the Roy Morgan 2016 Customer Satisfaction Awards include a mix of first-timers and veterans. Jeanswest (Clothing Store of the Year), Guzman y Gomez (Quick Service Restaurant of the Year) and First Choice Liquor (Liquor Store of the Year) were among the first-time winners. Meanwhile, among the repeat champions were Rebel Sport (Sports Store of the Year), ALDI (Supermarket of the Year) and The Good Guys (Furniture/Electrical Store of the Year), celebrating their third, fourth and fifth victories respectively.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, JEANSWEST CORPORATION PTY LTD, GUZMAN Y GOMEZ PTY LTD, FIRST CHOICE LIQUOR SUPERSTORE, REBEL SPORT LIMITED, ALDI STORES SUPERMARKETS PTY LTD, THE GOOD GUYS, SUPER CHEAP AUTO, MUFFIN BREAK, MYER HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX MYR, TARGET AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, THE REJECT SHOP LIMITED – ASX TRS, HOME TIMBER AND HARDWARE, SOUL PATTINSON, SPENDLESS SHOES PTY LTD

2016 Roy Morgan Customer Satisfaction Awards: Telecommunications and Utilities winners revealed

Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 28-Feb-17

Australia’s most satisfying home phone, mobile phone, internet, and utilities service providers were announced last week at the 2016 Roy Morgan Customer Satisfaction Awards. Southern Phone scored its fourth consecutive Home Phone Service Provider award, with a clean sweep of the year’s monthly awards and a peak of 90 per cent of customers satisfied. Internode made it two in a row in the category of Home Broadband Service Provider and claimed all 12 monthly awards in 2016. Meanwhile, iiNet won five monthly awards in the category of Mobile Phone Service Provider, taking out the annual award against strong competition. Red Energy took out the award for Electricity Provider for a second successive year, while Lumo Energy was Gas Provider of the year, with eight monthly awards and a peak of 78% of customers satisfied.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, SOUTHERN PHONE COMPANY LIMITED, INTERNODE SYSTEMS PTY LTD, IINET LIMITED, RED ENERGY PTY LTD, LUMO ENERGY AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, APPLE PTY LTD

Shorten pays penalty as IR attack undermined

Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 24-Feb-17

The ACTU estimates that employees affected by the Fair Work Commission’s ruling on Sunday penalty rates face a reduction of between $1,800 and $A6,600 in their take-home pay. Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has committed to overturning the FWC’s decision, but Employ­ment Minister Michaelia Cash notes that the FWC was given powers to review penalty rates when Shorten was workplace relations minister. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in turn noted that Shorten has previously said he would accept the FWC’s ruling on penalty rates.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, ACTU, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, TOURISM ACCOMMODATION AUSTRALIA, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION

Earnings the focus as Nine pledges to regain revenue share

Original article by Mitchell Bingemann
The Australian – Page: 21 : 24-Feb-17

Nine Entertainment Company has posted a 2016-17 interim loss of $A236.9m, after writing down the value of its TV assets by $A260m. Underlying net profit fell by four per cent to $A75m, and group revenue was five per cent lower at $A659.2m. The TV division’s revenue was also down five per cent, at $A578.2m. Nine CEO Hugh Marks is upbeat about the outlook for the second half, noting a rise in its TV ratings and indications of an improvement in the advertising market.

CORPORATES
NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, WARNER BROS

Roy Morgan announces winners of the 2016 Customer Satisfaction Awards

Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 23-Feb-17

Roy Morgan Research announced the winners of its sixth annual Customer Satisfaction Awards for Australia on 22 February 2017. The awards recognise outstanding levels of customer satisfaction, as judged by more than 50,000 consumers via the Roy Morgan Single Source survey. The award categories cover sectors such as banking, insurance, superannuation, automotive, travel and hospitality, retail, telecommunications and utilities. Roy Morgan Research CEO Michele Levine says the Roy Morgan Customer Satisfaction Awards continue to be the benchmark by which customer satisfaction is measured, and the 32 businesses honoured in the 2016 awards share one crucial characteristic: their unrivalled dedication to ensuring their customers are satisfied, and their success as rated by their customers.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, GREATER BANK LIMITED, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, PEOPLE’S CHOICE CREDIT UNION, RACT INSURANCE PTY LTD, ST LUKE’S HEALTH INSURANCE, ALLIANZ AUSTRALIA LIMITED, MACQUARIE SUPERANNUATION, CATHOLIC SUPER, SUPER CHEAP AUTO, MUFFIN BREAK, JEANSWEST CORPORATION PTY LTD, MYER HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX MYR, TARGET AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, THE REJECT SHOP LIMITED – ASX TRS, THE GOOD GUYS, HOME TIMBER AND HARDWARE, SOUL PATTINSON, GUZMAN Y GOMEZ PTY LTD, FIRST CHOICE LIQUOR SUPERSTORE, SPENDLESS SHOES PTY LTD, REBEL SPORT LIMITED, ALDI STORES SUPERMARKETS PTY LTD, SOUTHERN PHONE COMPANY LIMITED, INTERNODE SYSTEMS PTY LTD, APPLE INCORPORATED, IINET LIMITED, QANTAS AIRWAYS LIMITED – ASX QAN, EMIRATES AIRLINES, RED ENERGY PTY LTD, LUMO ENERGY AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, LEXUS AUSTRALIA

Australia’s internet affordability improves, but big gaps remain between capital city residents and the rest

Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 22-Feb-17

The Australian Digital Inclusion Index, which is powered by Roy Morgan Research’s Single Source survey, includes three key elements: internet Access, Ability and Affordability. Nationally, Australia scored 52.1 on Affordability in the 12 months to September 2016 (up from 51.2 in March, but still below the level of 53.5 in 2014). However, a clear divide exists between capital cities and the rest of the country. Overall, Australia’s State capitals together scored 54.6, compared with 47.5 for the 36 per cent of the population living outside those six cities. Overall, capitals average 6.5 points higher for Affordability than the rest of their State – and the larger the State, the larger the divide. Sydney is the most affordable place in Australia for internet with a score of 57.3 – almost 10 points higher than the rest of NSW (47.5).

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, SWINBURNE UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY