Author: roymorgansocial

Carroll warns of historic stakes as Labor fears election wipe-out

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Original article by Anthony Galloway, Lily McCaffrey
The Australian – Page: 6 : 4-Nov-26

The Victorian government officially went into caretaker mode yesterday evening, after Governor Margaret Gardner issued writs for the election on 28 November. Premier Ben Carroll says it is the "most consequential election" in the state’s history, and noted that opinion polls suggest that the outcome will be a Liberal-One Nation coalition government; he warned that this would result in $40bn in spending cuts and the ‘Americanisation’ of the state’s health system. However, there is concern within Labor’s ranks that the government is facing a big defeat. Meanwhile, Opposition leader Jess Wilson says the election is about turning around the future of Victoria.

CORPORATES
VICTORIA. DEPT OF PREMIER AND CABINET, LIBERAL PARTY OF VICTORIA, ONE NATION PARTY

MPs granting powerful political lobbyists unfettered access to Australia’s parliament, data reveals

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Original article by Tom McIlroy
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 4-Nov-26

More than 2,000 companies and lobby groups currently have passes that give them access to private areas of Parliament House in Canberra. New rules require two MPs to sponsor lobbyists to register for a pass, and the names of parliamentarians who do so must be disclosed on a public register. Analysis of the available data shows that both Labor and Coalition MPs have sponsored passes for companies such as Woodside Energy, ConocoPhillips and Alinta Energy, as well as lobby groups including the Minerals Council of Australia and Responsible Wagering Australia.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, WOODSIDE ENERGY GROUP LIMITED – ASX WDS, CONOCOPHILLIPS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, ALINTA ENERGY (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, MINERALS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, RESPONSIBLE WAGERING AUSTRALIA

Maher makes point in Melbourne Cup trifecta

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Original article by Adam Pengilly
The Australian – Page: 24 : 4-Nov-26

The Victoria Racing Club has advised that 97,112 people attended yesterday’s Melbourne Cup, which was the biggest crowd since 2016. Trainer Ciaron Maher won his second Melbourne Cup, with seven horses in the ‘race that stops a nation’; Point Of Law came in first ahead of stablemates Zahrann and Juja Kibo, with Maher becoming the first trainer to sweep the Cup placings. Point Of Law was also the first favourite since 2013 to win the Melbourne Cup; the four-year-old stallion was previously owned by King Charles III before being sold to an Australian syndicate earlier this year.

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VICTORIA RACING CLUB LIMITED

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence drops 1.7pts to 66.2 in early November before the Reserve Bank meeting

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 4-Nov-26

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence fell 1.7pts to 66.2 in the week to 1 November, to its lowest level since late May. Consumer Confidence is now 18.3pts lower than a year ago (84.5), and 5.6pts below the 2026 weekly average of 71.8. Analysis by State shows that Consumer Confidence has fallen in New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia, but increased slightly in Victoria, reversing the results of a week ago. Now just 14% of Australians (down 2ppts) say their families are ‘better off’ financially than this time last year, while 56% (up 4ppts) say their families are ‘worse off’. Looking forward, 19% (unchanged) of respondents expect their family to be ‘better off’ financially this time next year, while 44% (up 2ppts) expect to be ‘worse off’. Only 5% (unchanged) of respondents expect ‘good times’ for the Australian economy over the next year, while 48% (up 1ppt) expect ‘bad times’. Meanwhile, 14% (unchanged) of Australians say now is a ‘good time to buy’ major household items, while 48% (also unchanged) say now is a ‘bad time to buy’.

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ROY MORGAN LIMITED, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ

Defiant Chalmers refuses to resign as difficult reforms take toll

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Original article by Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 5 : 4-Nov-26

Treasurer Jim Chalmers is under growing pressure over the federal government’s handling of the budget, and the latest rise in the cash rate will result in more scrutiny of him. Chalmers says he accepts responsibility for the "difficult" reforms that he is pursuing, but he is adamant that he will not step down. Chalmers adds that Australians are looking for reasons for the pressures they are under, and the government is acting through tax cuts, more bulk billing, cheaper medicines and ‘decent’ wages. Meanwhile, some government MPs have stated privately that internal morale is at its lowest level since Labor took office in May 2022.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Fortescue steams ahead on green fuel

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Original article by Nick Evans
The Australian – Page: 15 : 4-Nov-26

Fortescue has reached a major milestone in its program to decarbonising its shipping operations. A bulk carrier that is fuelled by ‘green’ ammonia rather than diesel was loaded with iron ore from the company’s Pilbara mines yesterday. Fortescue’s CEO Dino Otranto thinks the vessel is the first bulk carrier to undertake a commercial voyage fuelled by green ammonia. He adds that the cost of the fuel, which is sourced from China, is close to parity with diesel-fuelled vessels.

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FORTESCUE LIMITED – ASX FMG

Abu Dhabi’s XRG in $2.1b deal to buy Shell out of North West Shelf

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Original article by Angela Macdonald-Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 : 4-Nov-26

The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company’s investment arm XRG has struck a deal to acquire Shell’s 16.7 per cent stake in Australia’s North West Shelf LNG project. The deal will cost XRG at least $US1.45bn ($2.08bn), which includes an additional payment if the Browse LNG project is approved. The transaction is subject to approval by the Foreign Investment Review Board, while the North West Shelf’s other partners have pre-emption rights which could allow them to block the deal. XRG had previously attempted to enter the Australian gas market via a $36.4bn takeover bid for Santos, which it withdrew in September 2025.

CORPORATES
ABU DHABI NATIONAL OIL COMPANY, XRG, SHELL PLC, NORTH WEST SHELF LNG PTY LTD, SANTOS LIMITED – ASX STO

Fashion labels freeze deliveries as David Jones faces collapse

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Original article by Sarah Perillo, Kathleen Skene
The Australian – Page: 15 : 4-Nov-26

Retail industry insiders say speculation suggests that voluntary administrators could be appointed to department store group David Jones within days. CEO Erica Berchtold wants to reduce the number of stores from 38 to just 20, while suppliers claim that stock is being directed to the few stores that are still profitable. David Jones posted a pre-tax loss of $95.5m in 2025, following a $74.1m loss for the previous year; the embattled group has also missed the deadline to file its 2026 accounts with the Australian Securities & Investments Commission. Meanwhile, some fashion labels will cease supplying David Jones stores due to concern that they may not be paid.

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DAVID JONES LIMITED

CBA warns of record year-long 15pc price slump

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Original article by Nick Lenaghan, Lucy Slade
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 24 & 26 : 4-Nov-26

Commonwealth Bank of Australia economists are bearish about the near-term outlook for the housing market. The bank’s revised forecast – which was released prior to yesterday’s Reserve Bank interest rate decision – is for the average dwelling price across the nation’s capital cities to fall by 15 per cent over the next year. CBA expects the bottom of the housing market to be reached in late 2027. The economists expect a peak-to-trough fall of 15 per cent for house prices in Sydney; prices in Melbourne and Adelaide are forecast to fall by 13 per cent, while an 18 per cent decline is expected for Brisbane and Perth.

CORPORATES
COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA

Chalmers flags budget cuts to fight inflation as interest rates hit 4.85 per cent

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Original article by Shane Wright, Millie Muroi
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: Online : 4-Nov-26

The Reserve Bank of Australia’s decision to increase the cash rate to an 18-year high of 4.85 per cent was not unanimous; three members of the nine-person monetary policy board voted to keep interest rates on hold. RBA governor Michele Bullock said that although Australia is not yet in a recession, it will feel that way to many people as they cope with falling real wages, higher inflation and higher mortgage interest rates. Meanwhile, Treasurer Jim Chalmers says the federal government’s budgets have not been a primary contributor to inflation, although he adds that Labor intends to play a "helpful roll" in curbing inflation. The government’s expenditure review committee met earlier this week, amid expectations that next month’s mid-year budget update will include spending cuts.

CORPORATES
RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY