Author: roymorgansocial

Digital giants must take rap for online comments

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Original article by Hugh Marks
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 39 : 3-Jul-19

Australian media companies receive little or no revenue from making their content available via digital platforms such as Facebook and Google. However, a recent court ruling means local media companies can be held liable for defamatory comments that are posted on their Facebook pages. At the same time, Facebook’s terms of use do not allow media companies to turn off comments. The federal government needs to take action regarding the issue of control over media content on digital platforms; it must also clarify who is liable for defamatory comments that are posted on such platforms.

CORPORATES
FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, SUPREME COURT OF NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC

Lowe leaves door open for more

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Original article by Andrew White
The Australian – Page: 17 & 25 : 3-Jul-19

Reserve Bank of Australia governor Philip Lowe has signalled the potential for further easing of monetary policy after the cash rate was reduced to a record low of one per cent on 2 July. Lowe says there is still a lot of spare capacity in the economy, and it should be possible to reduce both the unemployment and underemployment rate. It was the first time the RBA had cut official interest rates in two consecutive months since 2012, and Paul Bloxham of HSBC says this suggests that the central bank is worried about economic growth.

CORPORATES
RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, HSBC AUSTRALIA HOLDINGS PTY LTD, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA

Government Confidence jumps after L-NP win Election

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 3-Jul-19

Roy Morgan’s Government Confidence Rating has increased by 11.5pts to 104.5 following the L-NP’s victory at the Federal Election in mid-May. Interviewing conducted on the weekends of 22-23 and 29-30 June 2019 shows that 43.5% (up 6%) of electors now say that Australia is heading in the ‘right direction’, and 39% (down 5.5%) say Australia is heading in the ‘wrong direction’. The turnaround in Government Confidence since the Federal Election has been driven by strong increases in Government Confidence amongst a number of key demographics, including L-NP supporters and supporters of Independents/Others, electors in Country Areas, electors in Queensland and Western Australia, electors aged 50+ and electors of both genders. However, Government Confidence amongst ALP supporters has fallen 14.5pts to 84 after the party lost an election most Australians expected it to win.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence jumps to 118.9

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 3-Jul-19

ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence rose 4% to 118.9 in the week ended 30 June, one of the largest increases in a year. On an absolute level, the index is at a two-month high. Households’ views towards current financial conditions fell 2.2%, while views towards future financial conditions were up 1.0%. Consumers’ views toward current economic conditions rose 13.3% after falling for three consecutive weeks, and views toward future economic conditions rose 7.0% after four straight weekly losses. The ‘time to buy a household item’ index was up 3.2%, taking it close to the levels seen last July. The four-week moving average for inflation expectations was stable at 3.9%, although the weekly reading fell to 3.7%.

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

Australians see the Environment as the World’s biggest problem but in Australia it’s the Economy

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 3-Jul-19

In-depth research by Roy Morgan exploring the concerns of Australians shows that 46% believe that Environmental issues are the important problem facing the world, up from 22% in early 2018. This is followed by Economic issues (21%) and Social issues (11%). Meanwhile, Economic issues (led by Unemployment, Cost of living, Economic problems, Poverty and the gap between rich and poor, Homelessness/ Lack of housing and Housing affordability) were mentioned by almost 34% of Australians as the most important problems facing Australia. A further 24% of respondents identified Environmental issues as the most important problem facing Australia. This research is based on interviews with a representative cross-section of 638 Australians during June 2019.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED

CFMEU battles developer of Adelaide tower

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Original article by David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 6 : 2-Jul-19

The militant Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining & Energy Union alleges that property developer Kyren Group prevented union organisers from entering a building site to investigate workplace safety issues. The CFMMEU claims that the company’s actions constituted ‘unlawful picket action’ under laws introduced by the Coalition in 2016. The union’s statement of claim in the Federal Court also alleges that the site manager’s behaviour made the organisers feel ‘intimidated and threatened’.

CORPORATES
CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MARITIME, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, KYREN GROUP, FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Roy Hill bound for record profit despite volume miss

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 & 18 : 2-Jul-19

The Roy Hill iron ore project’s 2018-19 production is expected to be 55 million tonnes, although export volumes are likely to total 53 million tonnes. Recent data from Macquarie suggested that the Gina Rinehart-backed project would export 52.5 million tonnes in 2018-19, after shipping about 50.5 million tonnes in 2017-19. Looking ahead, Roy Hill has applied to increase its annual export capacity to 60 million tonnes in 2020. Roy Hill’s 2018-19 earnings should be boosted by a rally in the iron price in 2018-19, following a $558m profit in the previous financial year.

CORPORATES
ROY HILL HOLDINGS PTY LTD, HANCOCK PROSPECTING PTY LTD, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG

Embrace Pacific power role

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Original article by Ben Packham
The Australian – Page: 1 & 5 : 2-Jul-19

The new US ambassador to Australia, Arthur ­Culvahouse, says there would be no question of the US not coming to Australia’s aid if the latter was being threatened by a foreign power. Culvahouse says Australia has a lot of standing in the Pacific region, while he says he is confident that Prime Minister Scott Morrison will continue to "call out" bad behaviour by China when he sees it. Culvahouse says that while many Australians know that China is its biggest trading partner, not so many realise that the US is by a long way Australia’s biggest and most important economic partner.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Tax cut row blunting attacks, ALP MPs warn

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Original article by Geoff Chambers, Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 2-Jul-19

The federal government will introduce its income tax cuts package to the lower house on 2 July before putting it to the Senate, where the Coalition needs the support of four crossbenchers if it is opposed by Labor and the Greens. Centre Alliance is open to supporting the tax package if the government agrees to measures aimed at addressing the issue of high domestic gas prices, while independent senator Jacqui Lambie may also be open to backing the tax cuts. Meanwhile, shadow treasurer Jim Chalmers says Labor may be willing to support the tax package if the Senate rejects its proposed amendments to the bill.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, CENTRE ALLIANCE, ONE NATION PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY

Australians are bringing their own phone to new mobile plans

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Original article by
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 2-Jul-19

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey shows that 89.9% of Australians aged 14+ (18.6 million people) now own a mobile phone. This is up 0.7% points on a year ago and up 2.1% points from two years ago. Now 26.8% of Australians are on a post-paid mobile phone plan after providing their own mobile phone for the plan, up 5.8% points from two years ago. In addition, 32.9% of Australians have a pre-paid mobile phone, up 2.5% points from two years ago. In contrast, there has been a decline in the market for traditional mobile phone plans that include a handset, with 29.7% of Australians now having a post-paid mobile phone plan that includes a new phone, down 6.8% points in two years. There has also been a shift in the way pre-paid/’bring your own phone’ consumers purchase their mobile phone plans; from a shop is still the preferred way for over half (51.5%) of these consumers, but the numbers of customers purchasing a plan online has increased by 7.9% points to 23.7% over the last two years.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED