O75 Public Administration

Handouts row: Take a hike, says Reserve

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Original article by Matthew Cranston, Thomas Henry
The Australian – Page: 1 & 5 : 6-May-26

Treasurer Jim Chalmers says the Reserve Bank of Australia’s decision to increase the cash rate to 4.35 per cent yesterday will add to the pressure that families and businesses are already facing. He adds that the federal governments intends to play a helpful rather than harmful role in the fight against inflation. However, RBA governor Michele Bullock has cautioned against giving households more money in next week’s budget, arguing that this would make it harder for the central bank to bring inflation under control. AMP’s chief economist Shane Oliver says the government should reduce public spending in the budget to help alleviate underlying inflation pressures, while also introducing reforms aimed at boosting productivity and capacity in the economy.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, AMP LIMITED – ASX AMP

Plea for certainty on fuel excise as tourism braces for school holiday hit

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Original article by Sarah Ison
The Australian – Page: 4 : 1-May-26

Transport & Tourism Forum CEO Margy Osmond says the federal government must soon decide whether to extend the temporary fuel excise tax reduction beyond 30 June. Osmond says the tourism industry needs more certainty regarding the excise tax relief ahead of the mid-year school holidays. The TTF has also joined forces with Accommodation Australia and the Caravan Industry Association of Australia to urge the government to develop a ­national fuel dashboard, which would allow motorists to track fuel prices and shortages across state borders.

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TOURISM AND TRANSPORT FORUM, ACCOMMODATION AUSTRALIA, CARAVAN INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED

‘Incubated in hatred’: Warnings, risks laid bare as Bondi royal commission zeroes in on security flaws

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Original article by Alexandra Smith, Matthew Knott, Michael McGowan
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: Online : 1-May-26

The Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion’s interim report has made 14 recommendations in total, although five of them remain confidential. Amongst other things, royal commissioner Virginia Bell examined NSW Police’s response to a request from the volunteer Jewish-led Community Security Group in November 2025 for a police presence at the upcoming Hannukah celebrations at Bondi Beach. The CSG warned that a terrorist attack against the Jewish community was likely; police officers were instructed to send a "car crew or two" to Bondi on 14 December but were told that they did not need to stay for the whole event. NSW Premier Chris Minns and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese have stated that all recommendations in the interim report will be implemented in full.

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AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION ON ANTISEMITISM AND SOCIAL COHESION, NEW SOUTH WALES POLICE FORCE, NEW SOUTH WALES. DEPT OF PREMIER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Super funds set to avoid CGT change

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Original article by John Kehoe, Lucas Baird
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 1-May-26

The federal government’s widely-tipped changes to the 50 per cent capital gains tax discount are likely to affect personal investors who have held assets such as property and shares for more than one year. However, sources claim that the government has told superannuation funds that the budget on 12 May will not include any major changes that will affect them. This suggests that super funds’ current CGT discount on their earnings will be retained. Meanwhile, Treasurer Jim Chalmers has not explicitly ruled out exempting any existing assets from potential changes to the CGT discount, although he has indicated that any impact on such assets would be minimal.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY

Budget leak: Chalmers’ productivity centrepiece

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Original article by Matthew Cranston, Greg Brown
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 1-May-26

Treasurer Jim Chalmers has indicated that the federal govenment’s budget on 12 May will include a "productivity package". There is growing expectation within the business community that the focus of this package will be reducing red tape, rather than major new company tax incentives. However, Chalmers is believed to favour making the asset write-off for businesses with annual turnover of less than $10m a permanent feature of the tax system; the instant asset write-off of up to $20,000 a year was extended for 12 months in 2025. Tax & Transfer Policy Institute director Bob Breunig contends that broader tax reform than simply extending the asset write-off is needed.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY. CRAWFORD SCHOOL OF PUBLIC POLICY. TAX AND TRANSFER POLICY INSTITUTE

US seeks international help to reopen Strait of Hormuz as crude prices surge

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Original article by Timothy Gardner
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: Online : 1-May-26

The US is calling for other countries to form an international coalition to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which remains closed two months into the Iran war. France, the UK and other countries have held talks on contributing to such a coalition, but have indicated that they are only willing to help open the strait after hostilities between the US and Iran cease. The US’s push for a coalition comes as oil prices soared to their highest in more than four years. Foreign Minister Penny Wong has confirmed that Australia has been briefed by the US about its proposed coalition and was "engaging on options"; however, a government source has indicated that no decision has been made.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE

Chinese spy fears tossed in the boot: more EV choices for MPs

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Original article by Ben Packham, Elizabeth Pike
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 29-Apr-26

Special Minister of State Don Farrell has added Chinese-made electric vehicles to the list of taxpayer-funded cars that are available to federal MPs and senators for their private use. The revised list includes six vehicles made by BYD and one made by MG; the Toyota Prado and four utes are the only internal conbusion engine cars among the 22 on the list of approved vehicles. ASIO director-general Mike Burgess has previously raised concerns about the potential security concerns associated with Chinese-made vehicles, warning that conversations of a classified nature should not be held in them due to the potential for eavesdropping. The US is set to to ban the installation of Chinese software in electric vehicles.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN SECURITY INTELLIGENCE ORGANISATION

ANZ-Roy Morgan Inflation Expectations were at 6.6% in late April – up 0.3% points from the month of March

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 29-Apr-26

The weekly ANZ-Roy Morgan Inflation Expectations increased in the month of March 2026 and have continued to increase in April as the US and Israel war on Iran has continued, and are now at 6.6% for the week of 20-26 April (up 0.3% points from the month of March). Inflation Expectations have averaged 6.1% over the first 16 weeks of 2026. However, a look at monthly Inflation Expectations for March shows the measure at 6.3% for the month (up 1% point from the prior month of February, and 0.2% points above the current average for 2026). Looking back over the last six months, since mid-October 2025, weekly Inflation Expectations have averaged 5.8% over this extended period. The data for the Inflation Expectations series is drawn from the Roy Morgan Single Source, which has interviewed an average of around 5,300 Australians aged 14+ per month over the last decade, and includes interviews with 4,115 Australians aged 14+ in March 2026.

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

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence increased 3.5pts to 67.8 in late April – highest for over a month

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 29-Apr-26

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence rose 3.5pts to 67.8 in the week to 26 April, although this is still the seventh-lowest Consumer Confidence reading of all time. Consumer Confidence is now 15.6pts lower than a year ago (83.4), and 4.8pts below the 2026 weekly average of 72.6. Analysis by State shows that Consumer Confidence improved significantly in Victoria and South Australia, was up slightly in New South Wales and Queensland, but down in Western Australia.. Now 17% of Australians (up 2ppts) say their families are ‘better off’ financially than this time last year, while 54% (down 3ppts) say their families are ‘worse off’. Looking forward, 20% (down 1ppt) of respondents expect their family to be ‘better off’ financially this time next year, while 44% (down 1ppts) expect to be ‘worse off’. Only 4% (unchanged) of respondents expect ‘good times’ for the Australian economy over the next 12 months, while 48% (down 5ppts) expect ‘bad times’. Meanwhile, 17% (up 2ppts) of Australians say now is a ‘good time to buy’ major household items, while 51% (unchanged) say now is a ‘bad time to buy’.

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

King champions AUKUS, NATO in historic speech to US Congress

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Original article by Vanessa Marsh
Herald Sun – Page: Online : 29-Apr-26

King Charles III has emphasised the defence, intelligence and security ties between the UK and the US in his address to a joint session of Congress. King Charles noted amongst other things that the two nations are co-operating on the F-35 jet fighter program and the AUKUS submarine alliance; he received a standing ovation from some members of congress when he mentioned AUKUS, of which Australia is also a member. King Charles stressed the importance of the NATO alliance, which has been criticised President Donald Trump since the Iran war began, while he said that he hopes the close ties between Britain and the US will continue. Trump was not present for the King’s speech due to protocol.

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UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANISATION