Author: roymorgansocial

Turnbull to open way for media mergers

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Original article by David Crowe
The Australian – Page: 7 : 2-Dec-15

Communications Minister Mitch Fifield has told a private meeting of Coalition MPs that he is keen to abolish the "reach rule" and the "two-out-of-three rule". The Federal Government may formally reveal its position on cross-media ownership reforms before the end of 2015, although with Parliament about to rise for the summer break any such changes will be on hold until 2016. The Opposition supports scrapping the reach rule, although it has not yet declared its stance on the two-out-of-three rule.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, SOUTHERN CROSS AUSTEREO PTY LTD, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, PRIME MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX PRT

Theme park travellers head to where the fun is

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 30-Nov-15

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey has found that 740,000 Australians aged 14+ visited at least one theme park on their last holiday. The survey, which was carried out in the year to September 2015, also shows that 55 per cent of holiday-makers whose last holiday was in Australia visited a theme park, compared with the 45 per cent of Australians whose last holiday was overseas. Some 33 per cent of the latter visited the US, ahead of Japan (15 per cent) and Singapore (12 per cent).

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED

Iron ore price dives below $US43

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Original article by Daniel Palmer
The Australian – Page: Online : 1-Dec-15

The price of benchmark iron ore for immediate delivery to China’s port of Tianjin has fallen by 1.6 per cent to a new long-term low of $US42.80 per tonne. Meanwhile, iron ore futures in Singapore have fallen below $US40 per tonne. The iron ore price has shed nearly 25 per cent in the last seven weeks, and Axiom Capital Management’s Gordon Johnson expects the price of the steel input to remain subdued.

CORPORATES
PORT OF TIANJIN, AXIOM CAPITAL MANAGEMENT INCORPORATED, ROY HILL IRON ORE PTY LTD, BLOOMBERG LP

Super industry told to sort out ‘fit and proper’

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Original article by Sally Rose
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 17 : 1-Dec-15

The Australian Government is right to insist on higher governance standards among superannuation funds. JPMorgan global pensions executive Benjie Fraser says it is vital to ensure that only "fit and proper" persons hold managerial and board positions within a super fund. The Government wants one third of super funds’ boards to be independent directors.

CORPORATES
JP MORGAN AUSTRALIA LIMITED, TELSTRA SUPERANNUATION SCHEME, AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION

Federal Voting Intention unchanged. L-NP (56%) cf. ALP (44%); Confidence in Turnbull Government up again – highest since March 2011

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Morgan Poll Update – Page: Online : 30-Nov-15

A multi-mode Morgan Poll on Federal voting intention has found that support for Australia’s ruling Liberal-National Coalition on a two-party preferred basis is unchanged at 56 per cent. The poll, which was carried out on the weekends of 21-22 and 28-29 November 2015, also shows that the Coalition’s primary vote has risen by 0.5 per cent to 46.5 per cent, while the Roy Morgan Government Confidence Rating has risen by 2.5 points to 122 points. Roy Morgan Research executive chairman Gary Morgan says that despite the issues of global warming and terrorism dominating the news headlines lately, Malcolm Turnbull’s most important task as Prime Minister is to ensure a growing Australian economy which provides gainful employment to as many Australians as possible. Ultimately it is job creation and sustainable economic growth in Australia which will decide the success or otherwise of Turnbull’s Prime Ministership.

CORPORATES
MORGAN POLL, ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, KATTER’S AUSTRALIAN PARTY, PALMER UNITED PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Retirees urged to sell homes

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Original article by Jacob Greber
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 1-Dec-15

The Productivity Commission will release a report on housing and retirement on 1 December 2015. The commission will recommend releasing capital which is now frozen as equity in residential property. This money could be used as retirement income. Commissioner Karen Chester says Australians must change their attitude to property.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION, THE ASSOCIATION OF SUPERANNUATION FUNDS OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED

Cbus workers charged over CFMEU leak

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Original article by Ewin Hannan, Nick McKenzie, Richard Baker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 1-Dec-15

Former Cbus employees Maria Butera and Lisa Zanatta have been charged with giving misleading evidence to the Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption. They allegedly leaked details of the superannuation fund’s members to Brian Parker, the New South Wales secretary of the Construction, Forestry, Mining & Energy Union. Parker may also be charged.

CORPORATES
CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING UNIONS’ SUPERANNUATION FUND, LIS-CON HOLDINGS PTY LTD, MELBOURNE MAGISTRATES’ COURT, AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO TRADE UNION GOVERNANCE AND CORRUPTION

The power of Tim Tams: Arnott’s puts bite on Coles in price war

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Original article by Eli Greenblat
The Australian – Page: 2 : 1-Dec-15

Coles will no longer stock certain Arnott’s products following a pricing dispute with the biscuit maker. Arnott’s had sought price rises ranging from 2.2 per cent to 9.9 per cent on more than 40 of its popular biscuit products, and the supermarket chain’s resistance prompted a ban on deliveries of Arnott’s products to its stores. Coles eventually backed down, although it has refused to accept price increases on some products and will cease selling them.

CORPORATES
COLES SUPERMARKETS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, ARNOTT’S BISCUITS LIMITED, CAMPBELL SOUP COMPANY, WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, ALDI STORES SUPERMARKETS PTY LTD, FOSTER’S GROUP LIMITED

Fossil fuel phase-out dumped after revolt

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 8 : 1-Dec-15

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull will not sign a global agreement to gradually eliminate fossil fuel subsidies. Opposition from mining companies and farmers was too strong for the Australian Government to ignore. The Fossil-Fuel Subsidy Reform Communique, which the Government was meant to sign on 30 November 2015, was opposed by these two sectors on the grounds that it would cost jobs.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT, MINERALS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, INTERNATIONAL ENERGY AGENCY, AUSTRALIAN CONSERVATION FOUNDATION INCORPORATED

Dick Smith on defence as shares fall

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Original article by Sue Mitchell
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 & 18 : 1-Dec-15

Shares in Dick Smith Holdings closed 57 per cent lower at $A0.28 on 30 November 2015, after reaching an intra-day low of $A0.20. The sell-off was prompted by the household electronics retailer’s decision to write down the value of its inventory by 20 per cent. Some fund managers have questioned whether Dick Smith will remain solvent, but such concerns have been downplayed by the retailer. Dick Smith shares were issued at $A2.20 in 2013, providing a huge windfall for Anchorage Capital Partners.

CORPORATES
DICK SMITH HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX DSH, ANCHORAGE CAPITAL PARTNERS PTY LTD, WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, FORAGER FUNDS MANAGEMENT PTY LTD