Author: roymorgansocial

Medicare rebate freeze to stay

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Original article by Joanna Heath
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 4-Mar-15

Australian Medical Association president Brian Owler has backed the Federal Government’s decision to abandon its proposed Medicare co-payment. However, he says the decision to leave the Medicare rebate at its current level until 2018 should also be scrapped, arguing that it will reduce GPs’ income. Health Minister Susan Ley says the rebate freeze will also be reviewed, and has stressed the need for policies that help the Government to balance the Budget

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HEALTH, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HUMAN SERVICES. MEDICARE AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Chinese undeterred by new investment rules

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Original article by Tim Binsted
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 19 : 4-Mar-15

Geoff Raby & Associates founder Geoff Raby says his firm has received an increase in enquiries from prospective Chinese investors in Australia’s agricultural sector. This includes sectors such as dairy, meat and wheat, and includes both farmland and processing facilities. The Australian Government has proposed new regulations for foreign investors in assets such as farms and housing, including application fees that start from $A5,000

CORPORATES
GEOFF RABY AND ASSOCIATES, AUSTRALIA. FOREIGN INVESTMENT REVIEW BOARD, AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF AGRICULTURAL AND RESOURCE ECONOMICS AND SCIENCES, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, CBH LIMITED, CO-OPERATIVE BULK HANDLING LIMITED

Banks to put out welcome mats for the disruptors

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Original article by James Eyers
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 & 17 : 4-Mar-15

The New South Wales Government has unveiled plans for a financial technology hub in the Sydney CBD. The Stone & Chalk hub will receive financial backing from a range of companies, including major banks, insurers, retailers and technology groups. The hub will provide financial technology start-ups with subsidised office space and facilities to work with financial and technology companies to further develop their business

CORPORATES
NEW SOUTH WALES. DEPT OF PREMIER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, AMP LIMITED – ASX AMP, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, HSBC AUSTRALIA HOLDINGS PTY LTD, SUNCORP BANK, INSURANCE AUSTRALIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX IAG, WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, VEDA GROUP LIMITED – ASX VED, AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY, AMAZON.COM INCORPORATED, INTEL CORPORATION, ORACLE CORPORATION, FINZSOFT SOLUTIONS (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, ALLENS, KPMG AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, CAPITAL MARKETS CO-OPERATIVE RESEARCH CENTRE LIMITED, CENTRE FOR INTERNATIONAL FINANCE AND REGULATION, FINANCIAL SERVICES INSTITUTE OF AUSTRALASIA, AWI VENTURES LIMITED, SOCIETYONE AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, LEVEL39, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Internet gives intending car buyers their auto fill

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 3-Mar-15

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey has found that 30 per cent of Australians aged 14+ researched cars online in an average-six month period in the year to December 2014, whether they intended to buy a car or not. This compares with just 17 per cent in 2002. Meanwhile, 59 per cent of Australians looking to buy a brand new car in the next 12 months have researched at least one aspect of cars or dealers online in the last six months, as have 47 per cent of those planning to buy a used car

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED

Business fears a return to union chaos

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 4-Mar-15

Fair Work Building & Construction’s powers to take action over unlawful conduct by unions are slated to expire at the end of May 2015. The Australian Government faces resistance from the Opposition and the Australian Greens to extend these powers. Groups such as the Australian Industry Union and Master Builders Australia are concerned about the impact on the construction industry if the sunset clause introduced by the Australian Labor Party takes effect

CORPORATES
FAIR WORK BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, MASTER BUILDERS AUSTRALIA INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, PALMER UNITED PARTY

Dividends keep climbing despite weak corporate profits

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 & 18 : 4-Mar-15

Data from JP Morgan shows that the dividend payout ratio for companies in the S&P/ASX 200 increased by about five per cent overall during the February 2015 reporting season. Deutsche Bank in turn estimates that underlying earnings growth rose by about two per cent overall. The benchmark index gained 6.1 per cent during February. Meanwhile, JP Morgan and Citigroup have both scaled back their expectations for growth in earnings per share for the full year

CORPORATES
JP MORGAN AUSTRALIA LIMITED, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, DEUTSCHE BANK AG, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD, CONTANGO ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, FIDELITY INVESTMENTS AUSTRALIA LIMITED, S&P CAPITAL IQ

Borda exit from Santos surprises market

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Original article by Angela Macdonald-Smith, Joe Aston
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 4-Mar-15

Santos chairman Ken Borda will step down at the oil and gas producer’s annual meeting in April 2015. Borda succeeded Peter Coates as chairman in May 2013, and the latter will take up the role again. Santos has downplayed speculation that there have been tensions between Borda and CEO David Knox. Nik Burns of UBS says investors would have preferred Borda to remain in the role for another year to oversee the group’s investment in the Gladstone LNG project

CORPORATES
SANTOS LIMITED – ASX STO, UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD, DEUTSCHE BANK AG, GLENCORE PLC

Rinehart sues for Hancock ‘falsehoods’

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Original article by Jared Lynch
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 21 : 3-Mar-15

Australian billionaire Gina Rinehart is seeking damages from Nine Entertainment Company for alleged defamation. Rinehart says that 20 "glaring errors" were made in Nine’s two-part TV series "House of Hancock". Her claims, including that Nine committed the tort of injurious or malicious falsehood, were filed in the Supreme Court of New South Wales in late February 2015

CORPORATES
NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, SUPREME COURT OF NEW SOUTH WALES, HANCOCK PROSPECTING PTY LTD

Attacks on Turnbull boost Bishop

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 3-Mar-15

If Prime Minister Tony Abbott is forced to resign as leader of the Liberal Party of Australia, he will most likely be replaced either by Foreign Minister Julie Bishop or Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull. The latter has many conservative opponents within the party who do not share his views on issues such as gay marriage. Abbott has warned his colleagues to focus on governing and stop squabbling over the leadership

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, IPSOS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. PARLIAMENTARY BUDGET OFFICE

Regulators examine super switch breaches

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Original article by Clancy Yeates
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 18 : 3-Mar-15

The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority will look into allegations that banks are illegally trying to gain market share in the superannuation sector. UMR Research has released the findings of a survey which suggests that banks have offered inducements to encourage employers to change their default super funds to those offered by the banks. The Financial Services Council says UMR should disclose which banks have offered incentives to switch default funds

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY, UMR RESEARCH PTY LTD, FINANCIAL SERVICES COUNCIL, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, INDUSTRY SUPER AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, BT FINANCIAL GROUP PTY LTD