Author: roymorgansocial

ABC pushes ahead with job cuts in arduous year

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Original article by Zoe Samios
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: Online : 10-Jun-20

ABC MD David Anderson has informed staff that budget cuts will force the public broadcaster to retrench more than 200 employees. Anderson also indicated that the ABC will initially seek voluntary redundancies in divisions that are likely to lose at least 10 employees, although forced redundancies will also be necessary. The ABC will releases its five-year plan later in June; it was delayed earlier in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. The federal government imposed a three-year funding freeze on the ABC in 2019.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION

Awareness of buy-now-pay-later services Afterpay and Zip soars to over 12.3 million Australians

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 10-Jun-20

The latest Roy Morgan Digital Payments Report shows that over 12.3 million Australians (59%) are now aware of buy-now-pay-later services such as Afterpay and Zip – up 22.1% in only 18 months. Afterpay is the clear market leader, with 55.8% of Australians aware of the service in the year to March 2020, up by 22% since September 2018. Main rival Zip is also making a significant impression on the Australian marketplace with over a third of Australians (35.2%) now aware of Zip – almost doubling awareness of the service in only 18 months. These new digital payment findings are from Roy Morgan Single Source, Australia’s leading consumer survey, compiled by comprehensive interviews with a sample of over 1,000 Australians each week.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, AFTERPAY LIMITED – ASX APT, ZIP CO LIMITED – ASX Z1P

Asset write-off extension to aid business

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Original article by Matthew Cranston, Tom McIlroy
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 9-Jun-20

The federal government will extend its $150,000 instant asset write-off scheme for another six months. It will be accessible to companies with annual turnover of less than $500 million, which covers more than 3.5 million businesses employing over 9.7 million people. Council of Small Business Organisations CEO Peter Strong says the government has done the right thing by the small business sector in extending the scheme.

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COUNCIL OF SMALL BUSINESS ORGANISATIONS OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED

China turning off the cash tap

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Original article by Glenda Korporaal
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 9-Jun-20

A report produced by KPMG and the University of Sydney shows that Chinese investment in Australia fell to a 12-year in 2019. Chinese investment fell by 60 per cent to $3.4bn in total, including the acquisition of Bellamy’s Australia for $1.5bn. The report also shows that China-based investors made just 42 deals in Australia during 2019, compared with 74 in 2018. The report covers completed deals worth more than $US5m. Doug Ferguson of KPMG says Chinese investment in Australia is likely to continue to fall in 2020.

CORPORATES
KPMG AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Beijing’s espionage, tech-theft has global reach

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Original article by Ben Packham
The Australian – Page: 2 : 9-Jun-20

The Australian Strategic Policy Institute has released a report on the Chinese Communist Party’s ‘united front system’. The report discloses how China’s global influence network extends well beyond the CCP’s United Front Work Department, and has been issued at a time of increased concern about the CCP’s influence in Australia, including Victoria, where Premier Daniel Andrews has advisers with United Front links; Victoria has previously signed up to China’s Belt and Road Initiative. The report was written by ASPI analyst Alex Joske, whose previous paper stressed the risks of scientific collaborations with Chinese military researchers.

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AUSTRALIAN STRATEGIC POLICY INSTITUTE LIMITED, COMMUNIST PARTY (CHINA)

AAP enters final stages of sale, will continue to operate but says some jobs will be lost

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Original article by Hannah Blackiston
Mumbrella – Page: Online : 9-Jun-20

A consortium of investors and philanthropists headed by former News Corp Australia CEO Peter Tonagh is set to acquire the newswire business of Australian Associated Press. The consortium has commenced negotiations with AAP for a binding sale contract, and the deal is expected to be finalised by mid-June. The Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance has welcomed the deal to sell the AAP Newswire business, but notes that it will result in the loss of some jobs. The consortium will retain 85-90 jobs, including at least 70 editorial staff. AAP’s existing shareholders will retain the other parts of its business.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN ASSOCIATED PRESS PTY LTD, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS

Iron ore surge a $100b elixir for coronavirus

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Original article by Brad Thompson
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 & 21 : 9-Jun-20

The rally in the price of iron ore to more than $US100 a tonne will boost federal government revenue by about $2.3bn. The 2019-20 Budget forecasts were based on the iron ore price averaging about $US62 when shipping costs are included, but it is currently averaging more than $80 a tonne. Australia’s export revenue from iron ore is set to top $100bn in 2019-20, eclipsing the previous annual record of $76bn in 2018-19. Meanwhile, shares in Australia’s three major iron ore producers have rallied since the end of March, and investors are set to receive big dividend payouts for the financial year.

CORPORATES
BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG

News in shared digital strategy

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Original article by Leo Shanahan
The Australian – Page: 19 : 8-Jun-20

News Corp Australia veteran Peter Blunden will head the media group’s new specialist network teams of journalists, which will produce content across its metropolitan, community and regional mastheads. He says the traditional ‘silo model’ of journalism is no longer relevant, and quality content must be shared across its portfolio of mastheads. Blunden has also defended the decision to adopt a digital-only model for some regional and community newspapers, arguing that the print editions were not sustainable.

CORPORATES
NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS

Wall St in the driving seat

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Original article by Terry McCrann
Sunday Herald Sun – Page: 57 : 7-Jun-20

Wall Street is now just eight per cent below its record high of late February, while the Australian sharemarket is still about 15 per cent off its pre-coronavirus peak. Wall St continues to drive the entire global financial system, in addition to sharemarkets across the world. Although Wall Street will drag the Australian market higher, the local bourse lacks the 21st century stocks that are leading the rebound. Meanwhile, a second wave of coronavirus infections would be devastating for the Australian economy; despite data from Roy Morgan showing that jobless numbers fell by 69,000 in May, the domestic economy will not quickly return to its pre-pandemic levels.

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Business Confidence jumps in May, up 13pts to 89.9 – highest in Western Australia & South Australia

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 9-Jun-20

In May 2020 Roy Morgan Business Confidence was up 13pts (+16.7%) to 89.9 and recovering significantly from the record low reached in April. Michele Levine, CEO of Roy Morgan, says: "For the first time in 2020 a majority of 50.5% of businesses expect the business will be ‘better off’ this time next year. The turnaround has been quickest in SA & WA. However, for the Australian economy to really get moving, the Governments of NSW and Victoria must improve their low Business Confidence by encouraging businesses to invest and seek opportunities for growth in the year ahead."

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ROY MORGAN LIMITED