O75 Public Administration

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.

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

ALP support jumps strongly (up 2.5%) after detail of Stage 3 tax cuts is revealed: ALP 53% cf. L-NP 47%

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 6-Feb-24

Labor government support jumped 2.5% to 53% well ahead of the Coalition on 47% (down 2.5%) on a two-party preferred basis, according to the latest Roy Morgan survey on Federal voting intention. Support rebounded after the Albanese Government provided detail on its changes to the ‘Stage 3 tax cuts’ due in mid-year. Treasury analysis shows 84% of taxpayers will be better off under the changes. If this week’s result was repeated at a Federal Election the Albanese government would be returned with a large majority. ALP primary support increased 2% to 33%, Coalition support dropped 0.5% to 37%, the Greens dropped 1% to 12% and One Nation dropped 0.5% to 5%. Support for Independents & Other Parties was unchanged at 13%. The latest Roy Morgan survey is based on interviewing a representative cross-section of 1,709 Australian electors from January 29 – February 4. Further details will be released in Roy Morgan’s weekly video update presented by Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine.

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

Australian academic Yang Hengjun given suspended death sentence by Chinese court

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Original article by Helen Davidson, Ben Doherty, Paul Karp
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 6-Feb-24

Foreign Minister Penny Wong says the federal government is appalled by the decision of a Chinese court to impose a suspended death sentence on Australian academic Yang Hengjun. An Australian citizen who was born in China, he was arrested in 2019 at Guangzhou airport, accused of spying for an undisclosed foreign country, and has been in detention ever since. A spokesperson for his family said the court’s decision was at the "extreme end of worst expectations", while Human Rights Watch’s Australia director, Daniela Gavshon, said Yang’s sentence was "catastrophic".

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH

Inflation Expectations in late January are at 5.1% – down by 0.2% points from the month of December (5.3%)

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 31-Jan-24

The latest weekly Inflation Expectations are at 5.1% for the week of January 22-28, which is in line with the four-week average of 5.1% and 0.2% points lower than the month of December. A look at the monthly Inflation Expectations for December shows the measure at 5.3% for the month, a decrease of 0.1% points on November (5.4%). Inflation Expectations are following a similar trend as the broader official ABS inflation measure. The lower-than-expected inflation reading for November has raised hopes that the RBA will not undertake any further interest rate increases. The ABS will release the December quarterly and monthly inflation readings later this week, which will inform the RBA’s actions at their first meeting of the year next week. The data for the Inflation Expectations series is drawn from the Roy Morgan Single Source, which has interviewed an average of around 5,100 Australians aged 14+ per month over the last decade, and includes interviews with 6,028 Australians aged 14+ in December 2023.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS

Prominent Australians urge Albanese government to adopt activist middle power role to head off war between US and China

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Original article by Daniel Hurst
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 31-Jan-24

Academics, former politicians and social justice advocate are among 50 prominent Australians who have signed a joint statement calling for the federal government to take a key role in easing tensions between the US and China. They have called for a ‘new detente’ between the two nations in order to reduce threats to both regional and global peace and prosperity. The signatories have argued that Australia can play an ‘activist middle power diplomacy’ role, in close consultation with its key neighbours in the Indo-Pacific region.

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PNG backs down on China security deal

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Original article by Andrew Tillett
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 8 : 31-Jan-24

Papua New Guinea’s Foreign Minister Justin Tkachenko has emphasised that security and defence agreements with Australia and the US are the nation’s top priority. This follows revelations that China had approached the PNG government in September about a possible security and policing deal. Tkachenko says PNG will not jeopardise or compromise relations with its two traditional security partners. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the nation is the security partner of choice for PNG and most of the countries in the Pacific region. Australia signed a $200m security agreement with PNG in December.

CORPORATES
PAPUA NEW GUINEA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, TRADE AND IMMIGRATION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

National/ ACT/ NZ First with majority support of 51.5% ahead of Labour/ Greens/ Maori on 42.5%

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 31-Jan-24

The Roy Morgan New Zealand Poll for December 2023 shows new Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and the National-led Government (National, ACT & NZ First) with a majority of 51.5% (down 6.5% from November) in their first month since being sworn in on November 27, 2023). Support for National was down 1.5% to 36%, while support for ACT dropped 3% points to 9.5% and support for NZ First was down 2% points to 6%. In December support for the defeated Labour-Greens-Maori Party Parliamentary Opposition was at 42.5%, up 6.5% points from November. Support for Labour increased 1% point to 22%, while support for the Greens surged 3% points to 15.5% (the highest support for the Greens since October 2022) and support for the Maori Party was up 2.5% points to 5%. The survey results for December would lead to 66 seats (down eight seats) being won by the current National/ ACT/ NZ First governing coalition, compared to only 56 seats (up eight seats) for the Labour/ Greens/ Maori Party Opposition. This latest New Zealand Roy Morgan Poll on voting intention was conducted by telephone – both landline and mobile – with a New Zealand-wide cross-section of 947 electors during December. Meanwhile, the Roy Morgan Government Confidence Rating increased 2.5pts to 93 in December.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, MORGAN POLL, NATIONAL PARTY OF NEW ZEALAND, ACT NEW ZEALAND, NEW ZEALAND FIRST PARTY, LABOUR PARTY (NEW ZEALAND), GREEN PARTY OF AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND, THE MAORI PARTY

$3bn tied to lift in learning

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Original article by Natasha Bita
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 31-Jan-24

The federal government’s share of public school funding has traditionally been set at 20 per cent. However, Education Minister Jason Clare will propose progressively increasing this to 22.5 per cent by 2026. The state and territory governments will in turn be required to increase their own funding for public schools. The additional funding will have to be spent on measures aimed at improving teaching standards and educational outcomes, including assistance for students who are at risk of being ‘left behind’. The Australian Education Union has advocated lifting the federal government’s share of education funding to 25 per cent.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EDUCATION, AUSTRALIAN EDUCATION UNION

Sovereign Borders wasted and mismanaged millions, claims senior official

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Original article by Nick McKenzie, Michael Bachelard
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: Online : 31-Jan-24

The former Coalition government’s offshore detention regime for asylum seekers is under renewed scrutiny following the release of sworn evidence given by the Department of Home Affairs’ assistant secretary Derek Elias. It has been revealed that Elias raised concerns about the waste and misuse of taxpayers funds via the so-called Pacific Solution policy in evidence given to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal in his claim for workers’ compensation. The federal government has yet to release a report on the offshore processing regime by the nation’s former director-general of security, Dennis Richardson.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HOME AFFAIRS, AUSTRALIA. ADMINISTRATIVE APPEALS TRIBUNAL

Burke open to IR bill concessions

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 2 : 31-Jan-24

A Senate inquiry’s report on the federal government’s Closing Loopholes Bill will be tabled on Thursday, and the remaining provisions of the bill are set to be debated in parliament next week. Sources have indicated that the government is prepared to make some amendments to the bill in order to secure the support of Senate crossbenchers. These could potentially include delaying the starting date for measures relating to casual employment and the gig economy. However, Business Council of Australia CEO Bran Black says the bill requires substantial changes rather than ‘technical amendments’, given that it will have a significant economic impact on jobs and employment.

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BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA