Author: roymorgansocial

Small business tax cuts miss the point

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Original article by Ronald Mizen
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 7 : 30-Aug-18

Prime Minister Scott Morrison recently signalled that the small and medium business sector will be the focus of his government’s company tax policy. However, Jeremy Thorpe of PricewaterhouseCoopers argues that tax cuts for the small business sector should not be a priority as such businesses generally do not need to be globally competitive. Grant Wardell-Johnson of KPMG agrees, noting that large companies deliver the great economic benefit from tax cuts.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS AUSTRALIA (INTERNATIONAL) PTY LTD, KPMG AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, ERNST AND YOUNG, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

TPG, Vodafone set for merger of equals as Telstra and Optus put on notice

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Original article by Bridget Carter
The Australian – Page: 17 & 28 : 30-Aug-18

The merger between TPG Telecom and Vodafone Hutchison Australia, to be announced on 30 August, may affect the amount the federal government raises from its upcoming auction of 5G spectrum. Vodafone will control 50.1 per cent of the combined company, which will boast a market capitalisation of around $10bn. Vodafone CEO Inaki Berroeta will take on the same role at the merged group, with TPG CEO David Teoh to become chairman. TPG shares have rallied in the last week, with the stock closing $0.28 higher at $7.88 on 29 August.

CORPORATES
TPG TELECOM LIMITED – ASX TPM, VODAFONE HUTCHISON AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, WASHINGTON H SOUL PATTINSON AND COMPANY LIMITED – ASX SOL, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, SINGTEL OPTUS PTY LTD, MACQUARIE CAPITAL PTY LTD, DEUTSCHE BANK AG, BANK OF AMERICA AUSTRALIA LIMITED, MERRILL LYNCH (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, VODAFONE NEW ZEALAND LIMITED

Future Fund wary as economy holds up

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Original article by Jonathan Shapiro
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 17 & 31 : 30-Aug-18

The Future Fund has posted a 2017-18 return of 9.3 per cent for 2017-18, compared with its targeted return of 6.1 per cent a year. It has achieved a return of 8.7 per cent each year over the last decade. Meanwhile, the Future Fund has reduced its cash holdings in the last year, while its exposure to Australian shares and the private equity sector has increased. MD David Neal says asset prices are likely to fall when synchronised global economic growth comes to an end, while chairman Peter Costello says the tariff war will also affect asset prices.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. FUTURE FUND MANAGEMENT AGENCY

Firms face off in AMP class action

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Original article by Michael Roddan
The Australian – Page: 19 : 30-Aug-18

A class action lawsuit against AMP over its fee-for-no-service is likely to be heard in the Supreme Court of New South rather than the Federal Court. Four law firms filed separate class action applications in the Federal Court, but Justice Jonathan Beach has ruled that they should be transferred to the Supreme Court where a competing lawsuit had already been filed. Justice Beach criticised the law firms, noting that their class actions are on behalf of a similar body of shareholders and cover similar grievances. Only one of the class actions will be permitted to proceed.

CORPORATES
AMP LIMITED – ASX AMP, SUPREME COURT OF NEW SOUTH WALES, FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA, QUINN EMANUEL URQUHART AND SULLIVAN LP, PHI FINNEY McDONALD PTY LTD, SLATER AND GORDON LIMITED – ASX SGH, MAURICE BLACKBURN PTY LTD, SHINE LAWYERS, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO MISCONDUCT IN THE BANKING, SUPERANNUATION AND FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY

CBA may need a rethink on dividend

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Original article by Sarah Turner
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 31 : 30-Aug-18

Analysts suggest that the Commonwealth Bank may have to reduce its dividend payout if it proceeds with the demerger of CFS Group. Shareholders received a total dividend of $4.31 per share for the 2017-18 financial year, but Richard Wiles of Morgan Stanley estimates that this could fall to around $4 per share if its wealth management and mortgage broking assets are demerged. However, Andrew Martin of Alphinity Investment Management does not expect the bank to reduce its dividend in the near-term.

CORPORATES
COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, CFS GROUP, MORGAN STANLEY AUSTRALIA LIMITED, ALPHINITY INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, JP MORGAN AUSTRALIA LIMITED, CLIME ASSET MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, PLATYPUS ASSET MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC

Costello slams ASIC for banks’ appalling acts

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Original article by Joanna Mather, Jonathan Shapiro
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 11 : 30-Aug-18

Future Fund chairman Peter Costello says the banking royal commission should look into the failings of the Australian Securities & Investments Commission in responding to misconduct in the financial services sector. The former federal treasurer argues that while the misconduct of banks has been appalling, ASIC bears some responsibility for allowing it to occur. Costello forecasts that the royal commission will result in lower profits in the banking sector, while financial advice will cost more and it will become harder to obtain credit.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. FUTURE FUND MANAGEMENT AGENCY, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO MISCONDUCT IN THE BANKING, SUPERANNUATION AND FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC

‘NEG is dead’: States go it alone

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Original article by Mark Ludlow, Ben Potter
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 30-Aug-18

Uncertainty about the future of the federal government’s national energy guarantee in the wake of the leadership spill has prompted Labor-led state governments to press ahead with their own renewable energy targets. Queensland’s Energy Minister Anthony Lynham says he has not anything from the federal government about the NEG since the leadership change, adding that the state remains committed to its renewable energy target of 50 per cent. The Australian Capital Territory’s Climate Change Minister Shane Rattenbury says it appears that the NEG will not proceed.

CORPORATES
QUEENSLAND. DEPT OF ENERGY AND WATER SUPPLY, AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY. DEPT OF ENVIRONMENT, PLANNING AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENTS, AUSTRALIA. ENERGY SECURITY BOARD

Price cuts come first over Paris emissions

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Original article by Ben Packham
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 30-Aug-18

Australia’s new Energy Minister Angus Taylor says his top priority in the portfolio will be to pursue measures that will result in lower electricity prices, rather than implementing carbon emission reduction targets under the Paris climate agreement. Taylor will use a Council of Small Business Organisations speech on 30 August to criticise the Opposition’s carbon emissions reduction target, arguing that it reduce the nation’s energy security as coal-fired power stations would be forced to close.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, COUNCIL OF SMALL BUSINESS ORGANISATIONS OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, McKINSEY AND COMPANY

Rates on the rise: Westpac takes first shot with interest hike

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Original article by Michael Roddan, Adam Creighton
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 30-Aug-18

Sally Tindall of RateCity expects Westpac’s major rivals to quickly follow its lead in announcing an increase in its mortgage interest rates. Westpac has cited higher funding costs for its decision to increase the rates on interest-only and principal-and-interest loans for owner-occupiers and property investors from 19 September. Westpac CEO Brian Hartzer says the bank is of the view that higher funding costs are likely to be sustained for some time. The Reserve Bank has not increased official interest rates since August 2016.

CORPORATES
WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, RATECITY PTY LTD, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO MISCONDUCT IN THE BANKING, SUPERANNUATION AND FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, BENDIGO AND ADELAIDE BANK LIMITED – ASX BEN, AMP BANK LIMITED, BANK OF QUEENSLAND LIMITED – ASX BOQ, ING DIRECT, ME BANK, SUNCORP BANK, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, BEYOND BANK AUSTRALIA, AUSWIDE BANK LIMITED – ASX ABA, MYSTATE LIMITED – ASX MYS, QBANK, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. FUTURE FUND MANAGEMENT AGENCY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Unions double down on trickle down Morrison

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Original article by Dana McCauley
The Age – Page: 5 : 29-Aug-18

The ACTU has signalled that industrial relations will be a key focus of its campaigning in the next federal election. ACTU secretary Sally McManus has described Prime Minister Scott Morrison as the "architect of trickle-down economics" and accused him of being out of touch with working people. The ACTU’s national president Michele O’Neil has urged Industrial Relations Minister Kelly O’Dwyer to support the introduction of paid domestic violence leave. Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has committed to introducing such leave if he wins office.

CORPORATES
ACTU, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF JOBS AND SMALL BUSINESS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY