Author: roymorgansocial

Sims pushes for competition in e-conveyancing

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Original article by Joyce Moullakis
The Australian – Page: 17 & 20 : 19-Aug-19

Australian Competition & Consumer Commission chairman Rod Sims has indicated that it may seek to become more involved in the electronic property settlement market. Revenue from e-conveyancing is estimated to be around $270 million a year, with PEXA seen to be effectively operating as a regulated monopoly. A review commissioned by the National Electronic Conveyancing Council found that enabling a competitive market within the sector may not necessarily be a good thing, although David Wills, the CEO of Sympli contends that consumers will benefit from competition and interoperability.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, PROPERTY EXCHANGE AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL ELECTRONIC CONVEYANCING COUNCIL, SYMPLI, ASX LIMITED – ASX ASX, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA

BHP to release a dividend smash hit

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 14 : 19-Aug-19

The consensus of analysts polled by Bloomberg is that BHP will post a 2018-19 underlying profit of $US9.91bn on 20 August. UBS is more bullish, forecasting a profit of at least $US10bn. UBS also expects shareholders to receive a final dividend of $US0.82 per share, with a full-year payout of $US2.39. Citigroup in turn anticipates a final dividend of $US0.79 a share and a total dividend of $US2.36 for the year. BHP paid out $US8.6bn ($12.7bn) worth of dividends earlier in 2019.

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BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, BLOOMBERG LP, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO

NSW snowfields move further ahead of Victorian rivals in 2019

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 19-Aug-19

The latest tourism data from Roy Morgan shows that 49% of Australians 14+ who regularly or occasionally go skiing or snowboarding say they would like to visit at least one of the nation’s snow areas within the next two years; this is up 2% on a year ago. Driving the increase over the last two years is an increasing preference for the New South Wales Snowfields/High Country area, now mentioned by 35% of skiers/snowboarder as a destination for a holiday during the next two years (up 4% points on a year ago). Thredbo/Perisher/Smiggins is clearly the most popular Australian snow resort area, mentioned by 29% of skiers/snowboarders (up 1% point on a year ago) while other Snowy Mountains resorts are mentioned by 10% of skiers/snowboarders (up 2% points in a year). The leading Victorian snow fields have lost ground on their NSW counterparts over the last year, with 22% of skiers/snowboarders looking to visit the Victorian snow fields for a holiday during the next two years (down 2% points on a year ago). This decline has been spread across the major resorts, with all three experiencing a decline compared to a year ago. Mt Hotham continues to lead the way as the preferred snow destination in Victoria, mentioned by 11% of skiers/snowboarders (down 2% points), ahead of Falls Creek on 10% (down 1% point) and Mt. Buller on 7% (down 5% points).

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ROY MORGAN LIMITED

AFL support increases for 2018 Premiers West Coast Eagles as well as the high-flying Lions and the Demons

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 19-Aug-19

The Sydney Swans have again topped the annual Roy Morgan AFL supporter ladder, with 1.100 million supporters, although this is down 74,000 (-6.3%) from a year ago. The 2019 annual Roy Morgan AFL club supporters survey shows that reigning AFL Premiers West Coast Eagles had the biggest increase, lifting their support base by 186,000 (+34%) to 733,000, to be Australia’s second-most widely supported AFL club. Melbourne’s supporter base increased by 44,000 (+22.2%) to 242,000 following the club’s run to the 2018 Preliminary Final, while the Brisbane Lions have increased their support by 84,000 (+19.5%) to 515,000. Collingwood is again the most widely supported Victorian club with 637,000 supporters, ahead of Essendon with 592,000 supporters. Despite holding the two top supporter slots in Victoria, both clubs saw declines in support over the last year. Meanwhile, the Gold Coast Suns has the highest supporter to membership conversion rate, at 39%.

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ROY MORGAN LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE, WEST COAST EAGLES FOOTBALL CLUB, BRISBANE LIONS FOOTBALL CLUB, COLLINGWOOD FOOTBALL CLUB, ESSENDON FOOTBALL CLUB, MELBOURNE FOOTBALL CLUB

Inflation Expectations jump to 4.1% in July after RBA rate cuts

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 19-Aug-19

Australians aged +14 expect inflation of 4.1% per year over the next two years, according to the Roy Morgan Inflation Expectations Index for July 2019. This is up 0.3% on June, but down 0.2% on July 2018. Inflation Expectations increased in July following back-to-back interest rate cuts in June and July. Amongst the generations, Inflation Expectations have fallen most significantly for Baby Boomers and Millennials. Analysis by voting intentions shows that Inflation Expectations increased for supporters of all three leading parties. However, Inflation Expectations for electors as a whole are now below those of the general population, at 3.9%. July Inflation Expectations are based on personally interviewing a nationwide representative sample of 5,031 Australians aged 14+ face-to -face in their own homes.

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ROY MORGAN LIMITED, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS

Tourism industry now employs one in 13 working Australians

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Original article by Mark Ludlow, Luke Housego
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 16-Aug-19

China remains the biggest market for the Australian tourism industry, according to a new Austrade report, with 1.432 million visitors in the year to June. Tourism jobs have risen by 34 per cent in the last 10 years, and the sector now employs almost one million people. Tourist spending has increased for nine years in a row to reach $143 billion a year, a rise of $50 billion over the past decade. Around 47 per cent of tourism jobs are part-time, due to its seasonal nature.

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AUSTRADE

CFMEU seeks to lock in pay rises forever

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Original article by David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 7 : 16-Aug-19

New South Wales employers say the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union draft pattern agreement for that state is the most restrictive they have seen. The agreement essentially calls for pay increases of five per cent a year for as long as the agreement is not terminated or replaced, while it also calls for a ban on large concrete pours after 11am. It also calls for increases to various allowances and casual loadings, for a rostered day off every second week, and for employer contributions to various union-linked entities. The Australian Building and Construction Commission states the draft agreement breaches the federal government’s building code.

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CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MARITIME, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION

Facebook listened in on private talk

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Original article by David Swan
The Australian – Page: 3 : 16-Aug-19

The Irish Data Protection Commission is investigating whether Facebook and other technology companies have breached EU privacy rules. This follows revelations they listened in on anonymous audio conversations in order to improve their products. Daniel Muchow, from Sydney company Risk-Logic, says the eavesdropping was a further example of Facebook taking advantage of user data for its own benefit, while he contends Facebook is "milking user apathy".

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IRISH DATA PROTECTION COMMISSION, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, RISK-LOGIC

Full-time earnings return to solid growth

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Original article by David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 16-Aug-19

The Australian Bureau of Statistics reported on 15 August that full-time employees are earning an average of $1634.80 a week for ordinary time work. This represents an increase of 3.1 per cent for the year to May, and compares to an increase of 2.7 per cent for the previous year. Professor Mark Wooden from Melbourne University noted that with the CPI at 1.5 per cent, weekly earnings are well above inflation. By way of contrast to the average earnings data, the wage price index (WPI) has remained at 2.3 per cent for the first half of 2019.

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AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS, UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE

Stop arguing: Industrial Relations tsar’s call to bosses, unions

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 16-Aug-19

Fair Work Commission president Iain Ross says he agrees with Business Council of Australia CEO Jennifer Westacott that improving living standards relies on boosting productivity. However, he has queried her claim that the Fair Work Act’s ‘better off overall test’ (BOOT) is a "productivity killer", with the BCA recently saying it wants it replaced with a different test . Ross says doing away with the BOOT could lift profits and reduce wages, but may not necessarily lift productivity. He noted the BCA proposal had received a "predictable response" from Labor and the ACTU that it was Work Choices Mark II.

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AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, ACTU, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY