Author: roymorgansocial

Novavax’s Covid-19 vaccine could be a game changer for anti-vaxxers

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Maria Bervanakis
Herald Sun – Page: Online : 22-Dec-21

The European Union has approved the use of Novavax’s protein-based COVID-19 vaccine for people aged 18+. Protein-based vaccines have been safely used for decades, which may increase the vaccine take-up rate among people who have been hesitant about getting an mRNA-based vaccine like those of Pfizer and Moderna. Clinical trials have shown that the Novavax vaccine has an efficacy rate of around 90 per cent, with only mild or moderate side effects. The Australian government has ordered 51 million doses of the vaccine, which has yet to be approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration.

CORPORATES
NOVAVAX INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIA. THERAPEUTIC GOODS ADMINISTRATION

China accuses Australia of violent interference in Five Eyes response to Hong Kong election

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Daniel Hurst, Vincent Ni
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 22-Dec-21

Australia’s relationship with major trading partner China have become further strained in the wake of the recent election in Hong Kong. Australia and other members of the ‘Five Eyes’ intelligence alliance issued a joint statement expressing concern about the outcome of the election, which will result in Hong Kong’s new legislature being dominated by pro-Beijing candidates. China has responded by strongly condemning the joint statement; it has also accused Australia of "violently" interfering in China’s internal affairs, while noting that Australia has in turn been highly critical of other countries for alleged foreign interference.

CORPORATES

Australia wrote to Naval Group noting progress on submarines a week before contract was cancelled

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Daniel Hurst
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 22-Dec-21

The federal government’s decision to terminate a contract to buy French-designed conventional submarines has attracted renewed scrutiny. It has been revealed that the Department of Defence sent a three-page letter to Naval Group in early September in which it noted the successful completion of one of the six conditions for the government to move to the next stage of the $90bn project. The letter was sent just eight days before the government cancelled Naval Group’s contract and agreed to buy nuclear-powered submarines under a new defence alliance with the US and the UK.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF DEFENCE, NAVAL GROUP

Harvey says Australians are shopping like crazy

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Kanika Sood
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 17 : 22-Dec-21

The Australian Retailers Association recently forecast that pre-Christmas consumer spending will total $58.8bn in 2021, which is in line with 2020. Harvey Norman is among the retailers that are enjoying strong sales in the lead-up to Christmas, with executive chairman Gerry Harvey noting that all of its stores have been very busy and demand has been strong across its product range. Harvey adds that retailers may offer smaller discounts than usual at the upcoming Boxing Day sales, given that supply chain issues have resulted in less stock to discount.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN RETAILERS ASSOCIATION, HARVEY NORMAN HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX HVN

Call for calm: rampant Omicron not as severe

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Geoff Chambers, Michael McKenna, Jess Malcolm
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 22-Dec-21

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has ruled out the reintroduction of lockdowns to combat COVID-19, arguing that the nation must shift from a "culture of mandates" to a "culture of responsibility". The snap meeting of the national cabinet on Wednesday will receive updated modelling from the Doherty Institute; according to its worst-case scenario, about 200,000 people in Australia could become infected with the Omicron variant each day by late January unless action is taken to curb its spread. However, infectious diseases expert Peter Collignon says overseas evidence suggests that the new variant does not result in higher rates of hospitalisation or death than the Delta strain.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Forrest’s legal action over Facebook crypto scams

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by John Rolfe
The Daily Telegraph – Page: Online : 22-Dec-21

Facebook is under scrutiny by the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission for allowing scammers to place fake advertisements on its digital platforms. The ads feature ‘endorsements’ by high-profile individuals such as Andrew Forrest and Dick Smith to promote scams that have cost some Australians their life savings. Forrest has launched his own legal action against Facebook for allowing his name and image to be used in ads that promote online scams. He first raised concern about the practice in April 2019, and personally wrote to Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg about the issue in November of that year.

CORPORATES
FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION

New Covid variant could hit RBA’s plans to taper

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Ronald Mizen
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 8 : 22-Dec-21

The minutes of the Reserve Bank of Australia’s monthly board meeting for December show that the central bank remains upbeat about the outlook for the economy. The RBA does not expect the new Omicron variant of COVID-19 to "derail" the nation’s economic recovery. However, the variant may affect the RBA’s timetable for winding back quantitative easing.

CORPORATES
RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA

Over a third of Australians say 2022 will be a year of Economic difficulty while 19% expect Economic prosperity

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 22-Dec-21

A special Roy Morgan web survey taken in late November shows that 37% Australians think 2022 will be a year of ‘Economic difficulty’. This is down 11% on a year ago when 48% of Australians predicted ‘Economic difficulty’ for 2021. For the second straight year only 19% of Australians think next year will be a year of ‘Economic prosperity’. Nearly half of all Australians think next year will either ‘Remain the same’ (37%) or don’t know (7%) how the economy will perform. Analysis by State shows that a plurality of people in the largest States think next year will be a year of ‘Economic difficulty’, led by Queensland (43%), Victoria (38%) and New South Wales (35%). However, in Western Australia (46%) and South Australia (45%), a clear plurality of people expect in economic terms next year will ‘Remain the same’. Australians are not as positive about next year’s economic prospects as they are about whether 2022 in a more general sense will be ‘better’ or ‘worse’ than 2021. As we revealed previously, despite being down on a year ago, 37% of Australians say 2022 will be ‘better’ than 2021 compared to only 23% that say it will be ‘worse’.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence virtually unchanged at 108.4 in the leadup to the Holidays

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 22-Dec-21

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence was virtually unchanged at 108.4 on 18/19 December. Consumer Confidence is in line with the 2021 weekly average of 108.1, and it is now 0.6 pts below the same week a year ago (109.0). Consumer Confidence this week was up in New South Wales (+4.8pts) and Victoria, but saw modest drops in the smaller states of Queensland, WA, SA and Tasmania. Now 32% (up 2 ppts) of Australians say their families are ‘better off’ financially than this time last year, while 27% (down 2ppts) say their families are ‘worse off’ financially. In addition, 38% (up 1 ppt) of Australians expect their family to be ‘better off’ financially this time next year, and 16% (unchanged) expect to be ‘worse off’ financially. Some 19% (up 1ppt) of Australians expect ‘good times’ for the Australian economy over the next 12 months, while 20% (up 2ppts) expect ‘bad times’. Meanwhile, 41% (down 2ppts) of Australians say now is a ‘good time to buy’ major household items, while 30% (up 3ppts) say now is a ‘bad time to buy’.

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

Parliamentary inquiry to put behaviour of big tech under scrutiny

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Michelle Grattan
The Conversation – Page: Online : 1-Dec-21

The House of Representatives’ select committee on social media and online safety will hold an inquiry into large technology companies. Its terms of reference include examining the range of harms that Australians may be exposed to via online platforms such as social media and the risks associated with algorithm-driven content. Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are among the technology giants that will be invited to appear before the inquiry, as will Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen. The announcement of the inquiry will coincide with the release of an exposure draft of the federal government’s ‘anti-trolling’ bill.

CORPORATES
FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, TWITTER INCORPORATED, INSTAGRAM LLC