Author: roymorgansocial

BHP expects $79b in Brazil claims to fall

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 & 18 : 22-Sep-16

The 2015-16 annual report of BHP Billiton shows that the five biggest legal claims arising from the Samarco tailings dam disaster in Brazil total 194.5 billion real ($A79.04bn). Project operator Samarco is the subject of more than 23,000 claims for damages and compensation, and joint venture partners BHP and Vale will be liable for any payouts that cannot be financed by Samarco itself. BHP anticipates that the final cost of compensation payouts will be much lower than the value of the claims that have been received to date.

CORPORATES
BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, SAMARCO MINERACAO SA, VALE SA

Kids’ favourites don’t have be a guessing game

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 21-Sep-16

Roy Morgan Research’s Young Australians Survey has found that 8.0 per cent of all Australian children aged 6-13 nominate Bugs Bunny as their favourite cartoon character. He is the most popular cartoon character among both girls and boys aged 6-9 and 10-13. The survey also shows that overall, 15.3 per cent of children aged 6-13 name Batman as their favourite superhero. While Batman is the most popular superhero among boys aged 6-9 and 10-13, Wonder Woman is the most popular superhero among girls of both age groups. Meanwhile, Minecraft is the top-ranked computer/console game for 14.3 per cent of all children aged 6-13.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED

Rise for $38-a-day Newstart ruled out

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Original article by David Crowe
The Australian – Page: 4 : 21-Sep-16

It is estimated that about 770,000 people currently receive the Newstart payment, and the Australian Council of Social Service advocates increasing it by $A53 a week. However, Social Services Minister Christian Porter has rejected calls for an increase in Newstart, arguing that while the base payment is set at $A38 per day, the majority of recipients also receive other welfare payments. Porter has also defended the Budget measure which requires people to wait four weeks before being eligible to claim the Newstart allowance.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF SOCIAL SERVICES, AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL OF SOCIAL SERVICE, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN GREENS

Teoh focused on TPG future despite hurdles

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13/18 : 21-Sep-16

TPG Telecom has posted a 2015-16 net profit of $A384.6m, which is 71.6 per cent higher than previously. TPG anticipates that its underlying EBITDA for 2016-17 will be $A820m to $A830m, and capital expenditure will be between $A370m and $A420m. CFO Craig Levy has warned that the price ISPs pay for wholesale services from NBN Co are too high and will have to fall as more customers migrate to the national broadband network. TPG shares closed 21.4 per cent lower at $A9.28 on 20 September 2016.

CORPORATES
TPG TELECOM LIMITED – ASX TPM, NBN CO LIMITED, IINET LIMITED, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, SINGTEL OPTUS PTY LTD, OPHIR ASSET MANAGEMENT PTY LTD

LNP leader ‘open to $5bn ports sale’

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Original article by Sarah Elks
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 21-Sep-16

The privatisation of public assets was a key issue in the last two Queensland elections, and Treasurer Curtis Pitt has indicated that asset sales are not on the government’s agenda. However, Opposition Leader Tim Nicholls has flagged the possible sale of assets such as ports if the Liberal-National Party wins the next state election. Peter Simpson of the Electrical Trades Union has warned that the union movement will revive an anti-privatisation campaign if the LNP again seeks to sell public assets.

CORPORATES
QUEENSLAND. TREASURY, LIBERAL-NATIONAL PARTY OF QUEENSLAND, ELECTRICAL TRADES UNION, PORT OF MELBOURNE, QIC LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Choice of default super may open up

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Original article by Sally Rose
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 8 : 21-Sep-16

Australia’s default superannuation fund system is currently dominated by industry super funds, but it could be opened to competition from retail funds. The Productivity Commission’s review of the default super regime has raised the possibility of introducing alternatives to the existing system, including allowing non-industry funds to bid to be included in the list of default funds. Financial Services Council CEO Sally Loane says there is a need for greater competition in the sector.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION, FINANCIAL SERVICES COUNCIL, AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, INDUSTRY SUPER AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, GRATTAN INSTITUTE

Holidays waiting to happen: Australian workers, 134 million days of annual leave, and travel plans

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 21-Sep-16

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey has found that Australians aged +14 who are in the paid workforce have collectively accrued 133,737,000 days of annual leave. The survey, which was carried out in the year to June 2016, also shows that 33.9 per cent of the nation’s 8.5 million paid workers have four or more weeks’ worth of annual leave accrued, while 25.8 per cent have between two and four weeks’ leave and 23.4 per cent have less than two weeks’ leave due. Meanwhile, 80.8 per cent of paid employees in Australia intend to take a holiday some time in the coming 12 months.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED

BHP faces fight over $1bn tax bill

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Original article by Ben Butler
The Australian – Page: 19 & 27 : 21-Sep-16

BHP Billiton CFO BHP Peter Beaven has defended the resources group’s use of a Singapore marketing hub, describing it as a "legitimate, stand-alone business". BHP states in its annual tax transparency report that it has received a revised tax assessment of $A537m from the Australian Taxation Office for 2009 to 2013. It had previously been issued with a revised tax bill regarding its Singapore operations of $A362m, covering the years 2003 to 2008. The ATO has also ordered BHP to pay an additional $A117m in minerals resource rent tax for 2013.

CORPORATES
BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, AUSTRALIAN TAXATION OFFICE, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, STEIN INSURANCE, APPLE INCORPORATED, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT

iPhone delivers high usage for photos, music and video

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 21-Sep-16

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey has found that almost half of Australia’s 16 million smartphone owners are using an Apple iPhone. They were much more likely than others to use the handset as a camera or for playing videos and music in an average four weeks in the year to June 2016. The survey shows that 85 per cent of iPhone owners take photos on their device, compared with 77 per cent of those with a different brand of smartphone. Likewise, 51 per cent of iPhone owners use it to play music and 32 per cent play videos, compared with 35 per cent and 25 per cent respectively for owners of other smartphones.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, APPLE INCORPORATED

ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence dips – down 2.2% to 115.5

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 21-Sep-16

ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence fell by 2.2 per cent to 115.5 in the week ended 18 September 2016, unwinding some of the previous week’s gain. Last week’s sell-off in financial markets – which raised fears of a sharper correction across bonds and equities – was likely the main driver of the fall in confidence. Financial market weakness looks to have trumped the news of a dip in the unemployment rate to a three-year low of 5.6 per cent. The weakness in confidence was broadly based. Consumers’ views towards their current and future finances both declined 1.8 per cent. Households’ views of the 12-month economic outlook dropped 1.1 per cent while views of the five-year economic outlook dipped 1.4 per cent.

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