O75 Public Administration

Arts degrees to cost $50,000 until at least 2027 despite Albanese reform promises, vice-chancellor says

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Original article by Krishani Dhanji
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 26-Aug-25

Western Sydney University’s vice-chancellor George Williams says changes to the former Coalition government’s job-ready graduates scheme will take some time to implement. The scheme prioritised courses whose graduates are in high demand, while increasing the cost of degrees in disciplines such as arts and humanities. Williams says the scheme was flawed from the outset, and it was a major disincentive for students to go to university – particularly for women and people from lower socio-economic backgrounds. He hopes the cost of arts degrees will be reduced in time for the 2027 student intake.

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WESTERN SYDNEY UNIVERSITY

Consultancy firms win nearly $1bn in Australian contracts in past year despite new outsourcing rules, research shows

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Original article by Henry Belot
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 26-Aug-25

Analysis undertaken by the Parliamentary Library on behalf of the Greens shows that the value of federal government contracts with consulting firms rose to $968m in 2024-25; this is 48 per cent higher than the previous financial year. However, the value of public contracts with the four major consulting firms – PwC, KPMG, EY and Deloitte – fell from $138m in 2023-24 to $114m. Greens senator Barbara Pocock says the analysis shows that while the government claims that it is spending less on consultants, it is merely shifting these contracts from the "big four" to other firms.

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AUSTRALIA. PARLIAMENTARY LIBRARY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS AUSTRALIA (INTERNATIONAL) PTY LTD, KPMG AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, ERNST AND YOUNG, DELOITTE TOUCHE TOHMATSU LIMITED

ALP maintains strong two-party preferred lead in August: ALP 56.5% cf. L-NP 43.5% as support for minor parties surges

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 26-Aug-25

The latest Roy Morgan shows that in August the ALP maintained its commanding two-party preferred lead on 56.5% (down 0.5% from July), ahead of the L-NP Coalition on 42.5% (up 0.5%). The Albanese Government’s two-party preferred lead is clearly above the 2025 Federal Election result in early May: ALP 55.2% cf. L-NP 44.8%. In the month of August primary support for both of the major parties was down, with support for the ALP at 34% (down 2.5% from July) ahead of the Liberal-National Coalition on 30% (down 1%). Support for the Greens was unchanged at 12%; however, support for One Nation increased by 2% to 9%. In addition, support for Independents/Other Parties increased by 1.5% to 15%.

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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

PM warns Taiwan of lengthy trade deal

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Original article by Ben Packham
The Australian – Page: 2 : 26-Aug-25

Six economies have applied to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership in recent years, including China and Taiwan. Australia is chairing the 12-nation trade bloc in 2025, and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says Taiwan is facing a "long process" in getting its application approved. China contends that Taiwan is not eligible to join the CPTPP because it is not a sovereign state. However, Liu Da-nien from Taiwan’s Chiang-Hua Institution for Economic Research notes that the island is a member of the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation forum, and he says APEC rules start that all members are entitled to join the CPTPP.

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COMPREHENSIVE AND PROGRESSIVE AGREEMENT FOR TRANS-PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, CHIANG-HUA INSTITUTION FOR ECONOMIC RESEARCH, ASIA-PACIFIC ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION

Australia urged to give AUKUS sub commitments to US in event of war

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Original article by Stephen Dziedzic
abc.net.au – Page: Online : 26-Aug-25

US think tank the Center for Strategic and International Studies has written a report on the AUKUS defence pact, which will see Australia get Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines from the US. With the Trump administration currently reviewing the pact, the CSIS calls on Australia to give the US ‘concrete commitments’ on how it would deploy the submarines in the event of war, while it urges the Trump administration not to abandon the pact.

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CENTER FOR STRATEGIC AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

Work from Home: Another Great Australian Divide

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 20-Aug-25

New research from Roy Morgan highlights a clear divide across Australia’s 150 federal electorates. Nationwide, 47% of working electors (around 5.94 million people) work from home at least some of the time. However, this flexibility is concentrated in just 45 electorates, and the majority of working electors continue to work in-person in the remaining 105 seats. The highest work from home electorates are concentrated in Australia’s inner-cities: Sydney (67%), Wentworth (66%), Bennelong (65%), Kooyong (65%) and Grayndler (62%) lead the nation. These affluent electorates are dominated by professional white-collar workers and are held by Labor or high-profile Independents. The electorates with the lowest levels of working from home are found in large regional and remote electorates, where on-site industries dominate; they include Mallee (31%), Durack (31%), Forrest (29%), Lingiari (28%) and Gippsland (28%). Among the 45 electorates where a majority work from home, Labor dominates with 30 seats, reflecting its strength in metropolitan hubs where hybrid work is most entrenched.

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ROY MORGAN LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

ACTU’s training levy a ‘crock’, say business leaders

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 20-Aug-25

The ACTU has used the first day of the federal government’s economic roundtable to call for a national skills levy, with its idea being roundly rejected by employer and business groups. Australian Industry Group CEO Innes Willox claimed that the proposal would impact 71,000 businesses with a combined payroll of about $300 billion; the ACTU stated that its proposal would involve a levy of 1.5 per cent of payroll for companies with annual turnover above $500,000, unless a business already spends that amount on training. Business Council of Australia CEO Bran Black says incentives to boost training, such as those provided to take on apprentices, are preferable to taxes.

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ACTU, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence increases for those with a mortgage, but down for home owners after Reserve Bank cuts rates

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 20-Aug-25

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence was virtually unchanged at 89.4 in the week to 17 August, after the Reserve Bank cut interest rates by 25 basis points to 3.6%. However, Consumer Confidence is now 6.4 points above the same week a year ago (83.0), and 2.6pts above the 2025 weekly average of 86.8. Analysis by State shows mixed results, with Consumer Confidence up in Queensland and South Australia, but down in New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia. Importantly, the Consumer Confidence of home owners has dropped by 2.6 points this week, although the Consumer Confidence for people with a mortgage has increased by 2.1 points. Meanwhile, 24% of Australians (up 3ppts) say their families are ‘better off’ financially than this time last year (the highest figure for this indicator so far this year), while 42% (up 2ppts) say their families are ‘worse off’. Looking forward, 29% (up 1ppt) of respondents expect their family to be ‘better off’ financially this time next year, while 32% (up 2ppts) expect to be ‘worse off’. Just 23% (down 1ppt) of Australians say now is a ‘good time to buy’ major household items, while 33% (unchanged) say now is a ‘bad time to buy’.

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

Zelensky ready for Putin

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Original article by Joe Kelly
The Australian – Page: 9 : 20-Aug-25

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says he is ready for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which would be Zelensky’s first face-to-face meeting with Putin since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in early 2022. The prospect of the two leaders meeting comes after Zelensky and European leaders met with US President Donald Trump in Washington on Monday, with a meeting between Zelensky and Putin to be followed by one that would also involve Trump. Russia’s Tass news agency reported that Putin told Trump he was open to the idea of direct talks with Zelensky. Meanwhile, Trump has ruled out deploying troops in Ukraine but indicated that the nation could provide air support as part of any peace deal.

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

Coalition vows Palestine policy reversal once in power

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Original article by Ben Packham
The Australian – Page: 7 : 13-Aug-25

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has defended his government’s decision to recognise a Palestinian state at the ­United Nations’ General Assembly meeting in September. Albanese says it will send a message to Israel that "enough is enough", and he is confident that the international community can prevent Hamas from playing any role in a future Palestinian state. Meanwhile, Opposition leader Sussan Ley says the shadow cabinet has resolved that a future Coalition government would revoke recognition of a Palestinian state; she argues that this must only occur at the conclusion of a proper peace process.

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