O75 Public Administration

No scrutiny of workplace laws

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Original article by David Marin-Guzman, Patrick Commins, Euan Black
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 8 : 13-Feb-24

The Productivity Commission has disclosed that the federal government did not consult it about proposed changes to industrial relations laws, including a legislated right for employees to ‘disconnect’ from their workplace. The revelation has strengthened concerns that the Closing Loopholes Bill No. 2 had been rushed through parliament. In addition, the bill as tabled by the government was subjected to a regulatory impact statement, but subsequent amendments – including the right to disconnect – were not subject to such scrutiny. The bill was passed by the lower house on Monday.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION

ALP maintains an election winning lead over the Coalition in mid-February: ALP 52% cf. L-NP 48%

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 13-Feb-24

Support for the Labor government (52%) is in an election winning position ahead of the L-NP (48%) on a two-party preferred basis, according to the latest Roy Morgan survey on Federal voting intention. This week’s result closely matches the result at the 2022 Federal Election (ALP 52.1% cf. 47.9%), and if a Federal Election were held now the Albanese government would be returned with a narrow majority. Polling trends over the last six months show that during this period, and including interviews with over 30,000 Australian voters, the average two-party preferred result is: ALP 52% cf. L-NP 48% – the same result as this week. Coalition primary support was unchanged at 37% while ALP support was up 1.5% to 34.5%. The Greens were unchanged at 12% and One Nation dropped 0.5% to 4.5%. Support for Independents & Other Parties dropped 1% to 12%. The latest Roy Morgan survey is based on interviewing a representative cross-section of 1,699 Australian electors from February 5-11. Further details will be released in Roy Morgan’s weekly video update presented by Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine.

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

Yang’s death sentence unlikely to stop Li visit

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Original article by Will Glasgow
The Australian – Page: 2 : 7-Feb-24

Sources have indicated that Chinese Premier Li Qiang is still is expected to visit Australia in late 2024. It would be the first visit by a Chinese leader since 2017, and is unlikely to be affected by a Beijing court’s decision to give Chinese-Australian academic Yang Hengjun a suspended death sentence on espionage charges. Associate professor Feng Chongyi says the federal government should make Li’s forthcoming state visit conditional on the release of Yang, whose sentence could potentially be reduced to life in prison after two years of good behaviour.

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Trump to back vital AUKUS, says Bannon

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Original article by Adam Creighton
The Australian – Page: 2 : 7-Feb-24

Steve Bannon headed the 2016 election campaign of former US president Donald Trump, and subsequently served as the White House’s chief strategist. Bannon says Trump regards Australia as a vital ally of the US, and he is likely to support the AUKUS deal to sell nuclear-powered submarines to Australia if he wins the 2024 election. Nikki Haley, the other remaining contender for the Republican nomination, also intends to support AUKUS and the transfer of nuclear-powered submarines to Australia if she becomes president.

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REPUBLICAN PARTY (UNITED STATES)

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence recovers 1.3pts to 83.8 after Albanese Government reveals substance of Stage 3 tax cut changes

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 7-Feb-24

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence rose 1.3pts to 83.8 in the week to 4 February, but it has now spent a record 53 straight weeks below the mark of 85. Consumer Confidence is now 0.2pts above the same week a year ago (86.6), and 5.8 points above the 2023 weekly average of 78.0. Consumer Confidence was up in NSW, Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia, but down in Victoria. Now 21% of Australians (up 2ppts) say their families are ‘better off’ financially than this time last year, while 52% (up 2ppts) say their families are ‘worse off’. Looking forward, 33% (down 1ppt) of Australians expect their family to be ‘better off’ financially this time next year, while 33% (up 1ppt) expect to be ‘worse off’. Now 11% (up 2ppts) of Australians now expect ‘good times’ for the Australian economy over the next 12 months (the equal highest figure for this indicator since April 2022), while 30% (down 1ppt) expect ‘bad times’ (the lowest figure for this indicator since May 2022). Meanwhile, 23% (up 1ppt) of Australians say now is a ‘good time to buy’ major household items, while 49% (up 1ppt) say now is a ‘bad time to buy’.

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

Dutton sets scene for election tax battle

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 7-Feb-24

The Coalition agreed to support changes to the legislated stage-three income tax cuts at a partyroom meeting on Tuesday. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton says the Coalition will back the tax cuts for people on low incomes, in order to support families amid the cost-of-living crisis. However, Dutton has indicated that the Coalition will take a "significant" tax policy to the next election; he says the Coalition will reduce taxes for Australian families, as they will need a lot of support to recover from Labor’s current term in office. Shadow treasurer Angus Taylor says ‘bracket creep’ is among the tax issues that the Coalition will aim to address.

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LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Crossbench close to workplace deal

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Original article by David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 7-Feb-24

The federal government and crossbench senators David Pocock and Jacqui Lambie are said to be close to a deal on key provisions of the Closing Loopholes No. 2 Bill. This includes the right of employees to ‘disconnect’ from their workplace outside of their standard hours of work. Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke has backed down on a contentious provision that could have resulted in employers being fined for unreasonably contacting staff outside of working hours. He says workers should also be entitled to ignore after-hours phone calls and emails from their employer without fear of being penalised for doing so. Burke and the crossbenchers are also believed to have reached agreement on the right of casual workers to request conversion to permanent employment.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT AND WORKPLACE RELATIONS

‘Job is not done’, says RBA boss

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Original article by Ronald Mizen
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 7-Feb-24

Investors have priced in a 41 per cent chance that the Reserve Bank of Australia will reduce the cash rate by June, compared with 53 per cent before the central bank left rates on hold at 4.35 per cent on Tuesday. RBA governor Michele Bullock says that while inflation fell to 4.1 per cent in the year to December, it remains too high for the central bank to begin easing monetary policy. She adds that the RBA will not begin doing so until it is confident inflation that will sustainably return to the target range of 2-3 per cent target; it does not expect this to happen until late 2025. Bullock also cautioned that further interest rate increases cannot be ruled out.

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RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA

CFMEU seals 25pc pay rise deal

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 1 & 5 : 6-Feb-24

Construction group Multiplex has reached a deal on a new enterprise agreement for its Western Australian workers who are members of the CFMEU. The new agreement includes a pay rise of 25 per cent over four years, comprising an immediate increase of 10 per cent and followed by three annual pay rises of five per cent. Zach Smith, the national secretary of the CFMEU’s construction division, rejects suggestions that the wage deal will be inflationary. Industrial action at Multiplex sites in WA that was scheduled for this week has been cancelled in the wake of the pay deal.

CORPORATES
CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MARITIME, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, BROOKFIELD MULTIPLEX LIMITED

Exit stage three: Libs in tax pivot

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Original article by Geoff Chambers, Joe Kelly, Patrick Commins
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 6-Feb-24

The Coalition will finalise its position on the proposed changes to the stage-three tax income cuts at a joint partyroom meeting on Tuesday. Sources have indicated that the Liberal and National parties are unlikely to oppose the federal government’s changes, although they are expected to seek some amendments to Labor’s legislation. Opposition leader Peter Dutton will also use parliament’s first question time of the year to attack the government and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for reneging on an election commitment to implement the stage-three tax cuts in full. He will also contend that the government plans to target the negative gearing regime, trusts and the family home.

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LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET