O75 Public Administration

Australian employment increased to over 14 million for the first time in November, but still over 3 million unemployed or under-employed

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 13-Dec-23

The latest Roy Morgan employment series data shows that the number of Australians who are unemployed fell by 37,000 to 1,505,000 (9.7% of the workforce, down 0.2%) in November. Under-employment fell by 45,000 to 1,532,000 (9.9% of the workforce). A total of 3.04 million Australians (19.6% of the workforce) were unemployed or under-employed in November. Meanwhile, employment rose by 51,000 to a new record high of 14,010,000 in November. The increase was due to a rise in part-time employment (up 52,000 to a new record high of 5,002,000), while full-time employment was virtually unchanged at 9,008,000. Roy Morgan’s unemployment figure of 9.7% for November is more than double the ABS estimate of 3.7% for October, but it is almost identical to the combined ABS unemployment and under-employment figure of 10.0%.

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ROY MORGAN LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS

Albanese calls for Gaza ceasefire in joint statement with NZ and Canada PMs

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Original article by
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 13-Dec-23

The Australian, New Zealand and Canadian governments have condemned the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel on 7 October. The joint statement issued by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his counterparts Chris Luxon and Justin Trudeau also calls for a sustainable ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and for Hamas to release all remaining hostages, stop using Palestinian civilians as human shields and lay down its arms. The three leaders have also recognised Israel’s right to defend itself but have emphasised that the nation must respect international humanitarian law.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, NEW ZEALAND. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, CANADA. OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER

Secret Qld deal puts unions miles ahead

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Original article by Lydia Lynch, Sarah Elks, Michael McKenna
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 13-Dec-23

The Queensland government is set to announce changes to its cabinet team after incoming premier Stephen Miles is sworn in on Friday. Treasurer Cameron Dick will become deputy premier after his Right faction agreed to support Miles over rival Left faction candidate Shannon Fentiman. The latter withdrew from contention after union powerbrokers negotiated a factional agreement in return for an industrial deal over government-funded infrastructure projects. Miles says his priorities will include the cost of living, health, housing, infrastructure and the 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games. His first initiative will be a 12-month freeze on vehicle registrations, which will take effect from mid-2024.

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QUEENSLAND. DEPT OF THE PREMIER AND CABINET, QUEENSLAND. TREASURY

Penny Wong most trusted Australian politician; Peter Dutton most distrusted

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 13-Dec-23

A Roy Morgan Snap SMS survey has found that Senator Penny Wong has emerged as the political leader with the highest Net Trust Score. She was followed by Shadow Indigenous Affairs Minister Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, who came to the forefront of Australian politics as a lead spokesperson for the successful ‘No’ campaign in the October Voice referendum. Penny Wong retains the position she held in March 2022. Nampijinpa Price and Treasurer Jim Chalmers also record more trust than distrust. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has emerged as the most distrusted politician (up from second-most distrusted last year). Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has moved into Net Distrust territory, having been a trusted leader in 2022. Meanwhile, Andrew Forrest is the only business leader to record a Net Trust Score. These Roy Morgan Snap SMS surveys were carried out from 28 February to 1 March 2022 and from 16-20 November 2023.

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ROY MORGAN LIMITED

Micro-taxes stifle productivity

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Original article by Patrick Commins
The Australian – Page: 5 : 13-Dec-23

The Productivity Commission has released a research paper which raises concern about the growing use of industry levies by Australia’s federal and state governments. The Commission has found that governments are using these levies to raise $11bn in revenue a year ‘by stealth’. The agricultural sector was initially the focus of industry levies, but the Commission notes that the sector now accounts for just $600m of this revenue. Deputy chairman Alex Robson contends that taking action to rein in the use of industry levies could help to boost the nation’s productivity.

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AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION

Qld Labor faces messy brawl for Palaszczuk replacement

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Original article by Ronald Mizen
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 12-Dec-23

Queensland’s Deputy Premier Steven Miles and Health Minister Shannon Fentiman have both confirmed their intention to run for the Labor leadership. They are both members of state Labor’s Left faction, which accounts for 25 of the party’s 52 MPs. However, the Right faction – which has 18 MPs – could potentially emerge as the ‘kingmaker’ in the leadership ballot. The Right faction’s Cameron Dick could also be a leadership contender, although he is regarded as more likely to become deputy premier. Meanwhile, outgoing premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has rejected suggestions that she resigned after losing the support of Left faction powerbroker and union leader Gary Bullock.

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QUEENSLAND. DEPT OF THE PREMIER AND CABINET, QUEENSLAND HEALTH, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

$10 billion more in spending cuts, changes aimed at inflation fight

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Original article by Shane Wright
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: Online : 12-Dec-23

Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Finance Minister Katy Gallagher will release the mid-year budget update on Wednesday, and they are tipped to reveal that almost $10 billion in federal spending will either be cut or redirected to other areas to help fight inflation. However, the budget update will also include $5.2 billion in what the federal government has labelled ‘unavoidable’ spending, including $1.5 billion to end a special COVID-era visa program and $254 million on additional biosecurity spending, including on efforts to stop a growing incursion of imported red fire ants.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY

Roy Morgan Federal voting intention poll is unchanged this week: ALP 51% cf. L-NP 49%

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 12-Dec-23

Roy Morgan’s latest Federal voting intention survey shows support for the ALP is unchanged at 51% on a two-party preferred basis; support for the Coalition is also unchanged at 49%. The ALP’s primary vote has fallen by 2% from a week ago to 30.5%, while the Coalition’s primary vote is down 0.5% to 37%. However, the Greens are up 1.5% to 14% and One Nation is unchanged on 5%. Support for Independents dropped 1% to 7.5%, but support for Other Parties increased by 2% to 6%. The latest Roy Morgan survey is based on interviewing a representative cross-section of 1,719 Australian electors from December 4-10. 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

Family businesses face union delegate threat

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Original article by Robert Gottliebsen
The Australian – Page: 21 : 12-Dec-23

The elements of the Closing Loopholes Bill that were recently passed by federal parliament include provisions that will subject the majority of family businesses to compulsory union power. Any family business that employs a union member needs to be aware of these provisions, as they give the union the power to declare that employee as a union delegate; multiple delegates can also be appointed to the same business. The obligations of these union delegates will be determined by the Fair Work Commission, but they will almost certainly include the way the family business is conducted. Employers must not in any way restrict the delegate in carrying out his or her duties, and must ensure that they receive training in carrying out these duties.

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AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION

Overseas student numbers expected to drop by 100,000

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Original article by Julie Hare
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 12-Dec-23

Experts say the federal government’s new visa requirements on international students will help to ‘weed’ out people who are seeking to use the student visa system as a ‘back door’ to the Australian jobs market. Internal government estimates indicate that the new requirements could see the number of foreign students coming to Australia to study fall by around 70,000, while 38,000 graduates could find themselves being sent home for failing to meet English-language tests.

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