The Top 20 sports played by Aussies young and old(er)

Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 19-Mar-15

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey has found that swimming is the most common sporting activity in Australia. The survey, which was carried out in the year to December 2014, shows that 14.4 per cent of Australian adults and children regularly go swimming, while 10.8 per cent go cycling and 8.2 per cent play soccer. Meanwhile, 45.3 per cent of Australians aged 14+ regularly go walking for exercise, ahead of going to the gym or weight training (13 per cent). The most popular sporting activities for Australians aged 6-13 are swimming (48.8 per cent) and soccer (48.7 per cent)

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED

Future of work could be one award

Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 9 : 20-Mar-15

The Business Council of Australia’s submission to an inquiry into workplace relations has proposed a gradual shift to a single industrial award for all sectors of the economy. As an interim measure, just one award would apply to each industry before being phased out in favour of a universal award. The employers’ association also proposes the adoption of one penalty rate for all employees, and paring back awards to cover just 10 employment issues

CORPORATES
BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION

Online shopping on the rise for most retail categories

Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 19-Mar-15

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey has found that 7,630,000 Australians aged 14+ bought at least one product online in an average four weeks during the year to December 2014. This compares with 5,704,000 in 2011. The survey also shows that 1,586,000 Australians bought food and beverages online in 2014, compared with 568,000 in 2011. Likewise, some 2,016,000 Australians bought reading material in an average four weeks in 2014, up from 1,095,000 in 2011. All of the top 10 online retail categories have increased in popularity since 2011

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED

Murdoch eyes radio assets in APN play

Original article by Dominic White, Sarah Thompson
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 & 18 : 20-Mar-15

Independent News & Media (INM) and Baycliffe have exited the share register of Australian-listed APN News & Media. INM netted about $A180m for its 191 million shares, while Baycliffe offloaded 125 million shares for $A117m. Meanwhile, News Corporation has built a 14.99 per cent stake in APN, although under existing media ownership laws it is prohibited from increasing this. APN shares were placed in a trading halt at $A0.94 on 19 March 2015

CORPORATES
APN NEWS AND MEDIA LIMITED – ASX APN, INDEPENDENT NEWS AND MEDIA PLC, BAYCLIFFE LIMITED, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, NOVA ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, KIIS1065, AUSTRALIAN RADIO NETWORK PTY LTD, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, 101.7 WS-FM, NOVA 96.9 PTY LTD, SMOOTHFM, 2DAY FM AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NZME, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. FOREIGN INVESTMENT REVIEW BOARD, CREDIT SUISSE (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED, ALLAN GRAY AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Bid to clean up ‘feral’ Senate

Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 20-Mar-15

Liberal Party of Australia MP Tony Smith has urged changes to the voting system for the upper house. Smith has expressed concern that the current system can be "gamed" by independents and minor parties to secure seats in the Senate. He favours a system of optional preference voting for people who chose to vote "above-the-line" on the ballot paper, which would not result in the distribution of preferences. Australian Greens senator Lee Rhiannon has supported the reform push

CORPORATES
LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Major iiNet shareholder labels TPG bid price ‘absurd’

Original article by David Ramli, Jemima Whyte
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 & 18 : 20-Mar-15

BT Investment Management’s Paul Hannan says the fund manager is disappointed that iiNet directors have not contacted major shareholders regarding TPG Telecom’s takeover offer. Hannan adds that the current offer gives iiNet shareholders little benefit from synergies arising from a merger. Andrew Abercrombie, who holds 500,000 shares in iiNet, has also criticised the telco’s lack of communication with investors in recent months

CORPORATES
IINET LIMITED – ASX IIN, TPG TELECOM LIMITED – ASX TPM, BT INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT LIMITED – ASX BTT, NBN CO LIMITED, INTERNODE SYSTEMS PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF COMPANY DIRECTORS, AZURE CAPITAL PARTNERS LP, SINGTEL OPTUS PTY LTD

Budget gets $80b worse under Libs

Original article by Laura Tingle, Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 20-Mar-15

Analysis of the Australian Government’s Budget papers shows that the nation’s cumulative deficits for the three years to 2017-18 now total $A103.9bn. This compares with the Government’s forecast of $A24.5bn in deficits. The Government seems likely to achieve about $A8bn worth of savings that it has pursued since taking office in 2013. The budget deficit for 2014-15 is expected to exceed $A40bn, compared with the Government’s forecast of just $A24bn

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA

Third of super funds ‘vulnerable’

Original article by Clancy Yeates
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 6 : 19-Mar-15

The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) has found evidence of insufficient awareness of conflicts of interest among superannuation funds. A third of the 40 funds reviewed by APRA were found to have policies on conflicts of interest that were judged to be "weak" or "vulnerable". APRA will send a letter to super funds about the need for more vigilance in this area

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY, CONFERENCE OF MAJOR SUPERANNUATION FUNDS (CMSF) PTY LTD, CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING UNIONS’ SUPERANNUATION FUND, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA

Union could face $500,000 in penalties

Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 19-Mar-15

Fair Work Building & Construction director Nigel Hadgkiss will pursue significant financial penalties against the construction industry union following a Federal Court ruling. The court has ruled that the Construction, Forestry, Mining & Energy Union’s conduct during industrial action in Melbourne in 2012 was in breach of workplace laws. The union and six officials could face fines of more than $A500,000

CORPORATES
CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, FAIR WORK BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION, FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA, EMPORIUM MELBOURNE, McNAB PTY LTD, SUPREME COURT OF VICTORIA, GROCON PTY LTD, MONJON AUSTRALIA

Economist’s $8m parting gift to gallery

Original article by Timna Jacks
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 19-Mar-15

The late Alan Boxer has bequeathed a collection of paintings by Australian modernists to the National Gallery of Australia. The 19 artworks include paintings by Sidney Nolan, Brett Whiteley and Arthur Boyd, and are estimated to be collectively worth $A8m. Boxer, who died in 2014, worked as the Federal Treasury from 1975 to 1986, and began collecting artworks in the 1950

CORPORATES
NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY