Author: roymorgansocial

Living standards at a five-year standstill

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Original article by David Uren
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 12-Apr-16

Australian households’ disposable income rose by 22 per cent during the last five years of the government of former prime minister John Howard. However, data from the Australian National University’s Centre for Social Modelling shows that household income has barely grown in the last five years, when factors such as inflation and population growth are taken into account. Meanwhile, the household savings rate has fallen from 11 per cent of income to 7.6 per cent over this period.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY. CENTRE FOR SOCIAL MODELLING, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS

Labor bars banks’ super-profits tax

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Original article by Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 4 : 11-Apr-16

Australians Greens MP Adam Bandt has told Sky News that the nation’s largest banks should be subject to a new tax. He argues that the major banks can access the wholesale funding market at much lower rates than smaller rivals as the Federal Government will provide bailouts in the event of financial problems. However, Opposition Treasury spokesman Chris Bowen says the Australian Labor Party will not introduce a "super-profits" tax on banks.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN GREENS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY

Streaming sends music sales bouncing upwards

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Original article by Dominic White
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 29 : 11-Apr-16

Data from the Australian Recording Industry Association shows that sales of recorded music grew by five per cent in 2015, to $A334m. Sales of digital music increased by 11 per cent to $A208m, with music streaming services boasting revenue of $A71.1m. However, sales of physical music were three per cent lower at $A126m, although this followed an 18 per cent decline in 2014.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN RECORDING INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION LIMITED, APPLE INCORPORATED, SPOTIFY LIMITED, YOUTUBE INCORPORATED, CREDIT SUISSE AG, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, STAN ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, VEVO, FUTURE CLASSIC, ENDEMOL SHINE AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Old power stations under fire in ALP’s climate change plan

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Original article by Sid Maher
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 11-Apr-16

The Federal Opposition is developing a new climate change policy whose aims will include generating of 50 per cent of Australia’s energy via renewable sources by 2030. The policy is also believed to include measures to decommission coal-fired power stations, the progressive reintroduction of an emissions trading scheme and an inquiry into the nation’s electric power industry. However, the Opposition has ruled out a carbon tax.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. CLIMATE CHANGE AUTHORITY, PITT AND SHERRY CONSULTING ENGINEERS, GRATTAN INSTITUTE

Scrap road body now, truckies urge Turnbull

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Original article by Sarah Martin, Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 4 : 11-Apr-16

Independent Contractors Australia has urged the Federal Government to abolish the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal when Parliament is recalled. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Employment Minister Michaelia Cash have committed to scrapping the RSRT if the Coalition wins the 2016 federal election, and Cash stresses that it lacks sufficient support in the Senate for legislation to abolish the agency. There are concerns that the RSRT’s pay ruling will force many owner-drivers out of the trucking industry.

CORPORATES
INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS OF AUSTRALIA INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIA. ROAD SAFETY REMUNERATION TRIBUNAL, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, HIGH COURT OF AUSTRALIA, TRANSPORT WORKERS’ UNION

Is Australia the barbecue hotspot of the world?

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 8-Apr-16

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey has found that 5.8 million Australian households owned a barbecue (63.7 per cent of total households) in the year to December 2015, compared with 63.2 per cent in 2011. The survey also shows that 75.6 per cent of households in country South Australia owned a barbecue in 2015, ahead of the Australian Capital Territory (73.5 per cent) and country Western Australia (71.2 per cent). Meanwhile, 347,000 Australian households reported buying a new barbecue at some point in the preceding 12 months, and 249,000 households reported that they intend to buy one at some point in the coming 12 months.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED

News, Fairfax, Nine, Ten called to Senate inquiry

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Original article by Dominic White
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 29 : 11-Apr-16

The CEOs of some of Australia’s largest media groups have been asked to appear before the Senate’s environment and communications legislation committee on 29 April 2016. The committee is holding an inquiry into the Federal Government’s proposed changes to cross-media ownership laws, but it is not scheduled to report its findings until 12 May. The Government must call an election no later than 11 May if it is to be held in July.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. SENATE STANDING COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT, COMMUNICATIONS, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND THE ARTS, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD

Australian unemployment jumps to 11%

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 8-Apr-16

A Roy Morgan Research survey on Australia’s labour market has found that the real unemployment rate rose by one per cent to 11 per cent in March 2016. The number of people in the workforce totalled 12,944,000 in March 2016 (up 274,000 since March 2015, but down 230,000, month-on-month), and 11,522,000 Australians are employed (up 220,000 in the last 12 months). Meanwhile, 1,011,000 people (7.8 per cent of the workforce) are under-employed. The official unemployment rate was 5.8 per cent in February 2016.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Anxious TV executives seek meeting with PM

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Original article by Dominic White
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 29 : 11-Apr-16

The free-to-air TV industry is concerned that the Australian Government will not include a reduction in broadcasting licence fees in the May 2016 Budget. Free TV Australia is said to have lobbied Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull for a meeting with industry executives to discuss the issue. Some observers have speculated that the Government may opt to progressively reduce the licence fee over several years.

CORPORATES
FREE TV AUSTRALIA LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, NETFLIX INCORPORATED

PM’s ticket to deliver fast train

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Original article by Sarah Martin
The Australian – Page: 1& 4 : 11-Apr-16

The Australian Government will reveal a new infrastructure and cities policy in the lead-up to the May 2016 Budget. It will propose linking Sydney and Melbourne to regional cities via high-speed rail services, in order to promote population growth in regional areas and curb the growth of capital cities. The Government also wants to eventually develop a Melbourne-Brisbane high-speed rail link. It will also examine alternatives to taxpayer funds for financing infrastructure projects, including so-called "value capture" financing.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT