Author: roymorgansocial

Pezzullo faces Home Affairs axe

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Original article by Joe Kelly, Geoff Chambers
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 26-Sep-23

Former Australian Public Service commissioner Lynelle Briggs will undertake an independent review into the conduct of Home Affairs Secretary Mike Pezzullo. This follows revelations that Pezzullo had sent hundreds of encrypted text messages to Liberal Party powerbroker Scott Briggs over several years. The federal government has advised that Pezzullo has agreed to step aside pending the outcome of the review, and senior public service officials believe that he will not return to the role that has a remuneration package of up to $928,340. The Greens contend that Pezullo’s position is untenable and that he should resign.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HOME AFFAIRS, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN GREENS

Business alarmed at Labor’s work goal

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Original article by Sarah Ison
The Australian – Page: 4 : 26-Sep-23

The federal government has attracted criticism over its employment white paper’s revised definition of ‘full employment’. The government’s goal is for ‘everyone who wants a job to be able to find one without searching for too long’. Treasurer Jim Chalmers say the technical definition of full employment – the non-accelerating inflation rate of unemployment, which is used by the Reserve Bank – is distinct but complementary to the government’s objective. However, Australian Chamber of Commerce & Industry CEO Andrew McKellar contends that having dual definitions for full employment could undermine the RBA’s efforts to restore inflation to its target range. The white paper estimates that about 2.8 million people are either unemployed and looking for work or underemployed and seeking more work.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT AND WORKPLACE RELATIONS, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

Hollywood writers in deal to end strike

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Original article by Geordie Gray
The Australian – Page: 8 : 26-Sep-23

The Writers Guild of America has advised that it has reached a deal to end Hollywood’s 146-day writer’s strike. The ‘tentative’ three-year deal follows five days of negotiations with film studios and production companies. However, the WGA has emphasised that the strike will continue until members vote on the deal and it is ratified. Amongst other things, WGA members will receive increased royalty payments for streaming content and guarantees regarding the use of artificial intelligence to generate content. Separate industrial action by Hollywood actors is continuing, and no talks between the actors’ union and film studios are currently scheduled.

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WRITERS GUILD OF AMERICA

Lachie Neale claims second Brownlow Medal after stunning count

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Original article by Jon Pierik
Brisbane Times – Page: Online : 26-Sep-23

Brisbane Lions co-captain Lachie Neale has won his second Brownlow Medal, becoming the 16th player to have claimed multiple medals. Neale won this year’s medal with 31 votes, finishing ahead of Marcus Bontempelli (29 votes) and Nick Daicos (28). Neale finished the night with seven best on ground votes, while he said "I am pretty rattled to be honest, I didn’t expect this", when asked to comment on his win. The award for mark of the year went to GWS player Harry Himmelberg, while Brisbane player Will Ashcroft won goal of the year and the Jim Stynes Community Award went to Sam Docherty from Carlton.

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Roy Morgan predicts No will win The Voice referendum; No (44%) well ahead of Yes (39%) as voting set to start

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 26-Sep-23

Now 44% (up 8% points since May) of Australians say they would vote ‘No’ to establish an ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice’ at next month’s referendum if it were held today – the first time more Australians have indicated to Roy Morgan that they would vote ‘No’ to this proposition. In comparison, only 39% (down 7% points since May 2023) say they would vote ‘Yes’ and a further 17% (down 1% point) are ‘Undecided’ on how they would vote. If ‘Undecided’ respondents are removed the split in favour of the ‘No’ vote is 53% cf. 47%. However, past experience with surveys conducted before previous referenda shows that ‘Undecided’ voters are far more likely to end up as a ‘No’ rather than a ‘Yes’ vote, meaning the actual figure is likely to be a larger majority in favour of ‘No’ than indicated here. This special Roy Morgan online survey was conducted with an Australia-wide cross-section of 1,511 Australian electors aged 18+ from Monday September 18 – Sunday September 24.

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ROY MORGAN LIMITED

El Nino a threat to power grid

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Original article by Rhiannon Down
The Australian – Page: 2 : 26-Sep-23

The Bureau of Meteorology’s CEO Andrew Johnson has warned that the El Nino weather pattern will present some challenges for Australia’s electricity grid during the coming summer. He says renewable energy generation will be impacted by El Nino, with expectations of more sunshine in some parts of the country and lower-than-average wind levels in others. Johnson adds that the proportion of renewables in the energy mix has increased since Australia’s last very hot summer. Tony Wood from the Grattan Institute notes that coal-fired power stations can also be heavily impacted by hot weather.

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AUSTRALIA. BUREAU OF METEOROLOGY, GRATTAN INSTITUTE

Halloween hits sweet spot with Aussies – $490 million boost predicted

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Original article by
Australian Retailers Association – Page: Online : 26-Sep-23

Research from the Australian Retailers Association in collaboration with Roy Morgan shows that more than 5.3 million Australians will celebrate Halloween in 2023, an increase of 300,000 year-on-year. Those celebrating Halloween plan to do so in a variety of ways, such as attending or hosting a Halloween-themed party, decorating their homes, getting dressed up and going out, or staying home and welcoming trick or treaters. Total spending on Halloween is forecast to reach $490m, up 14 per cent on 2022; average spending per person is forecast to rise 8.1% to $93. ARA CEO Paul Zahra says the increased spend this year in the face of cost-of-living pressures demonstrates the growing popularity of Halloween in Australia, particularly for adults.

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AUSTRALIAN RETAILERS ASSOCIATION, ROY MORGAN LIMITED

$21.7b dividend windfall set to land

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Original article by Tom Richardson
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 29 : 26-Sep-23

BHP tops the list of Australian companies that will pay dividends in the final week of September. The resources group accounts for $6.34bn of the $21.7bn worth of dividends that investors will receive in coming days. Commonwealth Bank shareholders will in turn receive a combined $4bn worth of dividends, while Fortescue Metals Group’s payout will be about $3.01bn. Cyan Investment Management portfolio manager Dean Fergie expects fewer shareholders to invest their dividends in equities, given that banks are offering much better returns on cash deposits compared with recent years.

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BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, CYAN INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT PTY LTD

US pursuit of Assange may damage alliance

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Original article by Adam Creighton
The Australian – Page: 5 : 22-Sep-23

Greens senators David Shoebridge and Peter Whish-Wilson are part of a group of Australian politicians in Washington trying to persuade the US government to drop its espionage charges against Wikileaks founder Julian Assange. Shoebridge claims that an "an overwhelming part of the Australian public" want Assange to be allowed to return to Australia from the UK, where he has been in prison since being removed from the Ecuadorean embassy in London in April 2019, with Shoebridge saying the alliance between Australia and the US will be "damaged" if the US does not drop the charges against Assange.

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WIKILEAKS, AUSTRALIAN GREENS

Tax bounty brings record $22b surplus

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Original article by John Kehoe
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 22-Sep-23

The federal government will confirm on Friday that the budget surplus for 2022-23 was $22.1bn. This represents a significant turnaround from the $77.9bn deficit that former treasurer Josh Frydenberg had forecast in March 2022. It will also be the first surplus since 2007-08 and the first under a Labor government since Paul Keating was treasurer more than three decades ago. Treasurer Jim Chalmers says Labor has delivered a surplus while providing cost-of-living relief and investing in the long-term growth of the economy. The budget bottom-line was boosted by factors such as high commodity prices and rising income tax revenue due to a strong labour market.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY