O75 Public Administration

Staff shared around in first multi-employer deal

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Original article by David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 4-Apr-24

The Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union has struck the first multi-employer agreement in the private sector since the federal government’s industrial relations reforms were enacted. The in-principle deal with air-conditioning manufacturers is also said to be the first enterprise agreement that allows employers to use a shared labour pool during peak periods. This will require an employer to offer extra work to the permanent staff of other companies that have signed the new agreement. However, Australian Industry Group CEO Innes Willox has expressed concern about such workplace arrangements.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN MANUFACTURING WORKERS’ UNION, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence virtually unchanged at 82.8 as Australians enjoy Easter holiday weekend

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 4-Apr-24

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence was virtually unchanged at 82.8 in the week to 31 March. However, the index has now spent a record 61 straight weeks below the mark of 85. Consumer Confidence is now 4.6 points above the same week a year ago (78.2), and virtually identical to the 2024 weekly average of 83.0. Consumer Confidence was down in New South Wales, up in Victoria, Queensland and South Australia and virtually unchanged in Western Australia. Now 20% of Australians (down 1ppt) say their families are ‘better off’ financially than this time last year, while 52% (unchanged) say their families are ‘worse off’. Looking forward, 34% (unchanged) of Australians expect their family to be ‘better off’ financially this time next year, while 33% (up 2ppts) expect to be ‘worse off’. Now 11% (up 1ppt) of Australians expect ‘good times’ for the Australian economy over the next 12 months, while 31% (down 1ppt) expect ‘bad times’. Meanwhile, 22% (up 1ppt) of Australians say now is a ‘good time to buy’ major household items, while 51% (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

AUKUS subs construction delayed by years: US navy

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Original article by Adam Creighton
The Australian – Page: Online : 4-Apr-24

The federal government’s deal to acquire US nuclear-powered submarines via the AUKUS alliance is under renewed scrutiny following revelations that the construction of Virginia-class vessels is 2-3 years behind schedule. An internal investigation by the US Navy has found that work on building every class of vessel is behind schedule at present, while deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell notes that the submarines program is continuing to be affected by supply-chain disruptions arising from the pandemic. Campbell has also downplayed concerns about the future of the AUKUS alliance if Donald Trump wins the presidential election.

CORPORATES
UNITED STATES NAVY

PM signals budget help for families, small business

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Original article by James Massola
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: Online : 4-Apr-24

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will use a speech on Thursday to state that small businesses and families will be ‘front and centre’ again in the federal government’s budget on 14 May. He will note that assisting families and small businesses with their energy bills was a key priority of the 2023 budget. Albanese’s comments in his Council of Small Business Organisations of Australia speech will heighten expectations that the government is set to extend its Energy Bill Relief fund, which is slated to end on 30 June. He will also emphasise the importance of small businesses to Australia’s future prosperity, noting that they are job creators, innovators and early adopters of technology such as clean energy.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, COUNCIL OF SMALL BUSINESS ORGANISATIONS OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED

PM’s fury at Israel raises Jewish fears

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Original article by Ben Packham
The Australian – Page: 1 & 5 : 4-Apr-24

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the Israeli airstrike that killed Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom and six of her colleagues was "completely unacceptable". Albanese discussed the botched airstrike with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday, stating that he told Netanyahu that Australians are outraged by the tragedy; he also demanded full accountability for the incident, in which three humanitarian aid vehicles in Gaza were targeted by Israeli drones. Foreign Minister Penny Wong has reiterated the federal government’s call for a ceasefire in Gaza and a two-state solution; however, Jewish community leaders in Australia are concerned that a ceasefire would leave Hamas in control of Gaza.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE

Cap rise in wages: small business

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 2 : 3-Apr-24

The Council of Small Business Organisations Australia has used its submission to the Fair Work Commission’s annual wage review to call for the minimum wage increase to be restricted no more than three per cent. COSBOA has argued that the minimum wage and award rates should be increased in line with the Reserve Bank’s inflation target of 2-3 per cent. The group notes that labour costs represent at least 40 per cent of some small businesses’ overall operating costs, while the sector is also facing increased energy, rent, insurance and supply-chain costs.

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COUNCIL OF SMALL BUSINESS ORGANISATIONS OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION

Bosses should give union delegates iPads: CFMEU

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Original article by David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 9 : 3-Apr-24

The CFMEU’s construction division has urged the Fair Work Commission to increase the minimum rights of union delegates in the building industry award. The CFMEU has used its FWC submission to call for all union delegates on construction sites to be given access to employer-funded office facilities, including a telephone, a table and chairs, and an iPad with internet access. The CFMEU’s national secretary Zach Smith contends that union delegates would use iPads to undertake compliance and safety checks on construction sites. The proposal has been criticised by employers’ groups.

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CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY AND MARITIME EMPLOYEES UNION, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION

Yes campaign groups received millions more in donations than No side for Voice referendum

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Original article by Paul Sakkal
The Age – Page: Online : 3-Apr-24

Data from the Australian Electoral Commission shows that the ‘Yes’ campaign for an Indigenous Voice to parliament received about five times more funding than the ‘No’ campaign. Australians for Indigenous Constitutional Recognition received a total of $47.4m in donations, while it spent $43.8m on advocating a ‘Yes’ vote in the referendum. The separate Yes23 group, Uluru Dialogues, received about $10m in funding for its campaign. Meanwhile, the ‘No’ campaign received about $13m in funding, led by Australians for Unity. The AEC figures also show that the Paul Ramsay Foundation was the biggest individual donor, contributing $7m to the ‘Yes’ campaign.

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AUSTRALIAN ELECTORAL COMMISSION, PAUL RAMSAY FOUNDATION

Dutton’s perks for nuclear plan

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Original article by Simon Benson
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 3-Apr-24

The Coalition’s push to add nuclear energy to Australia’s energy mix has received a boost from a report released by the US Department of Energy. The report concluded that replacing coal-fired power stations with nuclear reactors can generate significant economic benefits to communities where the power stations are built. Shadow climate change and energy minister Ted O’Brien says the Coalition’s energy policy will include an incentive package for coal-fired power station workers to upgrade to higher-paying jobs at nuclear plants. The Coalition has already identified about six potential sites for nuclear reactors.

CORPORATES
LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, UNITED STATES. DEPT OF ENERGY

ALP leads on two-party preferred support on the back of high Greens primary vote: ALP 51% cf. L-NP 49%

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 3-Apr-24

Support for the ALP was up 1% to 51% during the Easter week and ahead of the Coalition on 49% on a two-party preferred basis – although primary support for both major parties dropped. If a Federal Election were held now the result would be a hung parliament with the Albanese Government re-elected with the support of minor parties and independents, the latest Roy Morgan survey shows. Primary support for the Coalition was down 0.5% to 37.5% ahead of the ALP on only 30%, down 1.5% from a week ago. Importantly for Labor, support for the Greens increased 1.5% to 15.5% – the highest level of support for the Greens for over six months since mid-September 2023. This high level of Greens support is providing the preference flow to keep Labor ahead on the two-party preferred support. At the 2022 Federal Election the ALP and Greens scored a combined vote of 44.9% and now have combined support of 45.5% due to the increase in Greens support – 3.2% higher than in 2022. For the other parties, One Nation support dropped 1% to 3.5%. Support for Independents was up 1.5% to 9% and support for Other Parties was unchanged at 4.5%. The latest Roy Morgan survey is based on interviewing a representative cross-section of 1,677 Australian electors from March 25-31, 2024.

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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