Author: roymorgansocial

Manifestation of a system in trouble

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Original article by Michael Bleby
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 34 : 25-Feb-19

Construction lawyer Bronwyn Weir says more building failures similar to the cracks that impacted Sydney’s Opal Tower are inevitable if serious reforms are not implemented by the states. Cracks in the apartment tower led to its residents being evacuated on Christmas Eve, with some still unable to return to their homes. Weir says developers and builders have no real interest in whether what they construct will perform over the long term, and they are not being held accountable for any actions that might negatively impact future owners.

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Slowdown in giving to charity a major issue

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 25-Feb-19

A Roy Morgan Single Source has found that 60% of Australians aged +14 donated to charity in the year to December 2018, compared with 61.8% in 2017 and 66% in 2014. In addition, the average amount donated is now $486, up only marginally from $460 in 2014 and representing a decline in real terms after allowing for inflation. The survey also shows that 70.1% of Australians aged 50-64 give to charity, ahead of those aged 35-49 (68.9%) and the 65+ age group (68.3%). These age groups are well ahead of all segments under the age of 35. The Single Source survey is based on in-depth personal interviews conducted face-to-face with over 50,000 Australians in their homes, including over 9,000 who have donated to charity over the last 12 months.

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ROY MORGAN LIMITED

Cosmetics and skincare products increasingly bought online

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 25-Feb-19

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey has found that over 5.3 million Australian women purchased cosmetics in an average six months in the year to December 2018, compared with less than 4.8 million in 2014. The survey also shows that 42% of women who purchase cosmetics in an average six months buy from Chemists/ Pharmacies, whether in-store or online, compared with 33% four years ago. Meanwhile, 26% of women who purchase cosmetics buy any health and beauty products online in an average three months, up from 18% four years ago (including 16% who now buy cosmetics online).

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ROY MORGAN LIMITED

The 2018 8th Annual Roy Morgan Customer Satisfaction Awards: Banking and Finance Winners

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 25-Feb-19

Australia’s most satisfying banks, insurers and superannuation funds have been announced at the 8th Annual Roy Morgan Customer Satisfaction Awards. In a very difficult year for banking with the Royal Commission, declining trust, combined with disrupters, it is a major achievement to be rated the number one bank for customer satisfaction. The winner in a very crowded field has to be a strong performer, and this honour goes to Heritage Bank. For the sixth year running, the Commonwealth Bank has claimed the annual award for Major Bank of the Year, driven in particular by strength in mobile and internet banking satisfaction. People’s Choice Credit Union is again the winner in the category of Building Societies and Credit Unions, while RACT has won the General Insurer award for the fourth year in a row, with a clean sweep of the 12 monthly titles. Meanwhile, not-for-profit health fund St Luke’s Health has again won the Private Health Insurer award, while Macquarie and Catholic Super are retail and industry super fund of the year respectively.

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ROY MORGAN LIMITED, HERITAGE BANK LIMITED, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, PEOPLE’S CHOICE CREDIT UNION, RACT INSURANCE PTY LTD, ST LUKE’S HEALTH INSURANCE, MACQUARIE SUPERANNUATION, CATHOLIC SUPER

Bishop bows out of politics, saying Coalition will win

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 9 : 22-Feb-19

Former foreign minister Julie Bishop is confident that the Coalition will win the upcoming federal election, citing its strong credentials regarding border protection and economic management. Bishop has ended speculation about her political future by confirming that she will not recontest the safe seat of Curtin in Western Australia. Bishop has been in federal parliament since 1998, and she served as deputy leader of the Liberal Party from 2007 to 2018.

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LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF JOBS AND SMALL BUSINESS, UNITED NATIONS. SECURITY COUNCIL

Nine chief upbeat as digital lifts earnings

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Original article by Lilly Vitorovich
The Australian – Page: 21 : 22-Feb-19

Nine Entertainment Company has posted a pro-forma net profit of $126m for the first half of 2018-19, which is five per cent higher than previously. EBITDA rose by six per cent to $252m, although revenue fell three per cent to $1.2bn. CEO Hugh Marks notes that broadcasting now accounts for 54 per cent of the group’s revenue, compared with 86 per cent prior to the merger with Fairfax Media. Nine’s shares closed 7.2 per cent higher at $1.57 on 21 February.

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NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED, STAN ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, MACQUARIE MEDIA LIMITED – ASX MRN, DOMAIN HOLDINGS AUSTRALIA LIMITED – ASX DHA, 9NOW, METRO MEDIA PUBLISHING PTY LTD, NINE.COM.AU, PEDESTRIAN

Lawyer X to be unmasked

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Original article by Anthony Dowsley, Patrick Carlyon
Herald Sun – Page: 1 & 4 : 22-Feb-19

Victoria’s Court of Appeal has upheld the High Court’s ruling that the media can disclose the identity of a gangland defence lawyer who became a police informant. The court has ruled that the ‘Herald Sun’ can publish the name of the woman dubbed ‘Lawyer X’ on 1 March, ending a five-year legal battle to reveal her identity. Lawyer X claims that information she has supplied to police has helped to arrest and charge 386 people, including her own clients in the underworld.

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COURT OF APPEAL (VICTORIA), HIGH COURT OF AUSTRALIA, VICTORIA POLICE, VICTORIA. DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC PROSECUTIONS

Super fund targets dirty dozen firms

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Original article by Joanna Mather, Tom McIlroy
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 22-Feb-19

The Climate Action 100+ investor group has more resources companies in its sights after its lobbying compelled Glencore to restrict its annual coal production to current levels. Australian companies in the sector that it will target include BHP, Rio Tinto, South32 and Woodside Petroleum, as well as other listed companies such as Woolworths, Qantas and Adelaide Brighton. Andrew Gray of industry fund AustralianSuper is a member of the Climate Action 100+ group’s global steering committee.

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CLIMATE ACTION 100+, GLENCORE PLC, BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, SOUTH32 LIMITED – ASX S32, WOODSIDE PETROLEUM LIMITED – ASX WPL, SANTOS LIMITED – ASX STO, WOOLWORTHS GROUP LIMITED – ASX WOW, QANTAS AIRWAYS LIMITED – ASX QAN, ADELAIDE BRIGHTON LIMITED – ASX ABC, BORAL LIMITED – ASX BLD, AGL ENERGY LIMITED – ASX AGL, ORIGIN ENERGY LIMITED – ASX ORG, BLUESCOPE STEEL LIMITED – ASX BSL, AUSTRALIANSUPER PTY LTD, WASHINGTON H SOUL PATTINSON AND COMPANY LIMITED – ASX SOL, NEW HOPE CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX NHC, WOOD MACKENZIE, DALIAN PORTS GROUP, TRIBECA INVESTMENT PARTNERS PTY LTD, TERRA CAPITAL PTY LTD, ADANI MINING PTY LTD, QUEENSLAND RESOURCES COUNCIL LIMITED, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MARITIME, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, QUEENSLAND. DEPT OF THE PREMIER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND SCIENCE, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, INVESTOR GROUP ON CLIMATE CHANGE AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND, MINERALS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, CALIFORNIA PUBLIC EMPLOYEES’ RETIREMENT SYSTEM, HSBC GLOBAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED, IRCANTEC, MANULIFE ASSET MANAGEMENT, HEALTH EMPLOYEES’ SUPERANNUATION TRUST AUSTRALIA LIMITED, CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING UNIONS’ SUPERANNUATION FUND, AMP CAPITAL INVESTORS LIMITED, BT FINANCIAL GROUP PTY LTD, COLONIAL FIRST STATE GLOBAL ASSET MANAGEMENT

China slaps ban on exports

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Original article by Perry Williams, Glenda Korporaal
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 22-Feb-19

The Australian dollar fell by more than one per cent on 21 February following reports that China has imposed an indefinite ban on thermal coal exports from Australia entering five ports in northern China. Trade Minister Simon Birmingham has asked Australia’ s ambassador in Beijing, Jan Adams, to investigate the apparent ban. Australia exported around $2.1 billion worth of thermal coal to the five ports in 2018. It has been suggested that China’s action could be linked to Australia’s ban on technology company Huawei.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES COMPANY LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN STRATEGIC POLICY INSTITUTE LIMITED, MINERALS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA

Glencore’s carbon cash cow: coal prices rising

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Original article by Paul Garvey, Perry Williams
The Australian – Page: 19 & 30 : 22-Feb-19

Glencore CEO Ivan Glasenberg says the Switzerland-based miner’s decision to cap annual coal production is likely to put upward pressure on coal prices, particular if global demand continues to increase. He notes that many other mining companies are also curbing coal output or seeking to divest coal assets. Dominic O’Kane of JP Morgan agrees that Glencore’s move could bolster coal prices, as well Glencore shareholders’ returns. Glencore has indicated that it has no plans to sell any of its coal mines or buy additional mines, although it has not ruled out increasing its stake in existing joint ventures.

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GLENCORE PLC, JP MORGAN AUSTRALIA LIMITED, DEUTSCHE BANK AG, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND SCIENCE, CLIMATE ACTION 100+, CHURCH OF ENGLAND, MINERALS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, WORLD COAL COUNCIL, AUSTRALIAN GREENS