Author: roymorgansocial

Abbott mulls referendum

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 : 13-Aug-15

Prime Minister Tony Abbott is considering a referendum on gay marriage, an option also backed by Social Services Minister Scott Morrison. Despite backbench fears that a referendum would scupper the chances of reforming the Marriage Act, Abbott and his supporters are discussing taking the issue to the electorate, possibly in late 2016.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF SOCIAL SERVICES, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN CHRISTIAN LOBBY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Workers defy orders to stop protest

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Original article by Ewin Hannan, Mark Ludlow, Misa Han
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 8 : 12-Aug-15

Hutchison Ports has called the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) to stop an apparently spontaneous action of union members who ignored the order of the Fair Work Commission to cease industrial action. Paddy Crumlin, national secretary of the union, said the MUA was not involved in organising protests at Port Botany in Sydney and outside the company’s terminals in Brisbane on 11 August 2015. The protests were triggered by Hutchison Ports informing 97 employees via text messages and email that they would be made redundant.

CORPORATES
HUTCHISON PORTS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, MARITIME UNION OF AUSTRALIA, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA

Forrest steps up exploration focus

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Original article by Jonathan Barrett
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 6 : 12-Aug-15

Fortescue Metals Group founder Andrew Forrest has lodged exploration applications over his cattle stations in the Pilbara region in Western Australia. The applications were lodged through Forrest’s investment firm Squadron Resources in July 2015. It is unclear whether Forrest’s aim is exploration or rather blocking access to the area for other mining companies.

CORPORATES
FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, SQUADRON RESOURCES PTY LTD, WESTERN AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF MINES AND PETROLEUM, MINDEROO PTY LTD, HARVEY BEEF

Bumper debut for GPT Metro Office

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Original article by Nick Lenaghan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 37 : 12-Aug-15

Australian-listed GPT Metro Office, which was floated in October 2014, has reported earnings per unit of $A0.1128 for 2014-15. The fund announced a distribution of $A0.1015 per unit. The fund’s six assets had their valuation increased by $A24 million to $A401.8 million.

CORPORATES
GPT METRO OFFICE FUND – ASX GMF

Boral lobbies senators for ABCC

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 8 : 12-Aug-15

Boral CEO Mike Kane has met with Senate crossbenchers to persuade them to support the legislation that reinstates the Australian Building & Construction Commission (ABCC). The Senate will vote on the ABCC bill in mid-August 2015. Australian Mines & Metals Association CEO Steve Knott urged crossbenchers to support the bill.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION, BORAL LIMITED – ASX BLD, AUSTRALIAN MINES AND METALS ASSOCIATION (INCORPORATED), AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Go hard or go home: sports drinks in Australia

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 12-Aug-15

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey has found that eight per cent of Australians consumed sports drinks such as Powerade, Gatorade and Staminade in any given seven days during the year to March 2015. Young consumers are particularly enthusiastic about sports drinks, with 1.5 million Australians 14 years or older drinking these beverages in an average seven-day period. Powerade dominates in the sector, drunk by 58 per cent of sports drink consumers, followed by Gatorade (33 per cent), Maximus (seven per cent) and Staminade (six per cent).

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, COCA-COLA AMATIL LIMITED – ASX CCL, LUCOZADE

Cheap permits an option for emitters

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1&8 : 12-Aug-15

The Australian Government has announced a plan to cut emissions by 26 per cent to 28 per cent from 2005 levels by 2030. Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said on 11 August 2015 that the Government did not abandon the idea of allowing Australian companies to trade in international permits. This option will be reconsidered in 2017-18 or later.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, SNOWY HYDRO LIMITED, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, CLIMATE INSTITUTE (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED

Baird ‘consolidates’ ICAC powers

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Original article by Geoff Winestock
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 12-Aug-15

New South Wales Premier Mike Baird intends to implement all the recommendations of an expert panel which examined the powers of the New South Wales Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC). Baird said on 11 August 2015 that a "robust" ICAC is needed to fight corruption in the state. The panel recommended to remove a restriction that limited ICAC’s investigative powers to cases where there was "improbity" by a public official.

CORPORATES
NEW SOUTH WALES. DEPT OF PREMIER AND CABINET, NEW SOUTH WALES. INDEPENDENT COMMISSION AGAINST CORRUPTION, HIGH COURT OF AUSTRALIA, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN WATER HOLDINGS PTY LTD, ELECTORAL COMMISSION OF NEW SOUTH WALES

Gay marriage rocks PM

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Original article by Phillip Coorey, Laura Tingle
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1&8 : 12-Aug-15

A special meeting of Coalition MPs and senators, held on 11 August 2015, was devoted to the divisive issue of gay marriage. The proposal to introduce same-sex marriage through legislative changes was defeated by 66 votes to 33. Prime Minster Tony Abbott said the issue will be considered again in the next term of Parliament. His preferred option is a referendum which would allow the public to decide on gay marriage.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Netflix reaches 1.89 million Australians. Foxtel loses share (but not size) as Netflix expands pay and subscription TV market

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 12-Aug-15

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey has found that 1.89 million Australians aged 14+ in 737,000 households had a Netflix subscription in July 2015. Netflix has experienced strong growth in subscriptions, considering that it had 748,000 subscribers in April, 1.16 million in May and 1.53 million in June. Foxtel’s share of the pay/subscription TV market has declined to 76 per cent, although the size of its customer base remains almost unchanged (2,346,000). The total pay/subscription market has expanded almost 30 per cent since the start of 2015.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, STAN ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, PRESTO ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD