O75 Public Administration

First step in long China thaw

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Original article by Ben Packham, Amanda Hodge, Will Glasgow
The Australian – Page: 1 & 7 : 16-Nov-22

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has described his brief meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the G20 leaders’ summit as an important step to moving forward in the bilateral relationship between the two nations. Albanese and Xi talked for 32 minutes on the sidelines of the Bali summit, with the latter praising Albanese for handling relations between the two countries in a "mature manner". Albanese raised a number of issues during the meeting, including China’s trade bans on Australian imports and Australia’s concerns about alleged human rights abuses in Xinjiang province. He also urged Xi to release two Australian citizens who have been detained in China on espionage charges and to use his influence with Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, GROUP OF TWENTY (G-20)

Why haven’t I had COVID-19 yet? Am I a NOVID?

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Original article by Nathan Bartlett
abc.net.au – Page: Online : 14-Nov-22

The most recent survey of donor blood examined the proportion of people who had antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, finding at least two thirds of Australians have been infected with the viral disease. As to those that have not had COVID-19 as yet, or NOVIDs as some have dubbed them, one possibility as to why they have not is that they could have immunity from it as a result of having previously been infected by a similar virus, while another could be their genetic makeup.

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ALP lead over Coalition in Victoria narrows since October and is back to 2018 Election result as minor parties surge: ALP 57% cf. L-NP 43%

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 14-Nov-22

A special Roy Morgan Snap SMS Poll shows that the ALP has retained a large election-winning lead over the Liberal-National Coalition in Victoria. The ALP is now on 57% (down 3.5% points since campaigning began) on a two-party preferred basis, well ahead of the L-NP on 43% (up 3.5% points). The two-party preferred results of this week’s Snap SMS Poll are almost identical to the results from the 2018 Victorian Election in which the ALP on 57.3% defeated the L-NP on 42.7% – a margin of 14.6% points. However, comparing the primary voting results from this Snap SMS Poll to the 2018 Victorian Election shows a large move to minor parties and independents – the same thing Roy Morgan saw at this year’s Federal Election. Primary vote support for the two major parties shows the ALP now at 40% (down 2.9% points from the 2018 Victorian Election) ahead of the L-NP on 29% (down 6.2% points). Support for the Greens is at 11.5% (up 0.8% points) while total support for ‘Other parties and independents’ is now at 19.5% (up 8.3% points). Among the minor parties support for so-called ‘Teal Independents’ is now at 4.5% while there is 1% support for Derryn Hinch’s Justice Party, 0.5% support for Clive Palmer’s United Australia Party and 13.5% support other minor parties and independents. This special Roy Morgan Snap SMS Poll was conducted with a Victoria-wide cross-section of 1,030 Victorian electors aged 18+ conducted from Wednesday November 9 to Thursday November 10.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF VICTORIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, JUSTICE PARTY, UNITED AUSTRALIA PARTY

Covid waves here for a decade or so

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Original article by Rhiannon Down
The Australian – Page: 5 : 14-Nov-22

More than 54,000 new cases of COVID-19 were reported across Australia in the last week; some 975 people are currently in hospital with the respiratory illness, including 32 in intensive care. Infectious diseases expert Peter Collignon has downplayed concerns about the new wave of cases, arguing that the key metrics of hospitalisations and deaths are much lower than in previous waves. He adds that new variants of COVID-19 are likely to emerge for the next 5-10 years. Meanwhile, epidemiologists say the arrival of the Majestic Princess cruise ship in Sydney with 800 Covid-positive passengers is unlikely to have much impact on Australia’s fourth wave of cases.

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PM breaks ice with China

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Original article by Ben Packham, Amanda Hodge
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 14-Nov-22

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese briefly spoke with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang at the East Asia Summit’s gala dinner on Saturday night. It was the first face-to-face meeting between leaders of the two nations in three years, and Albanese says the four-minute conversation focused on the upcoming 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Australia and China. Albanese also had an unscheduled 40-minute meeting with US President Joe Biden on the final day of the summit on Sunday; they discussed issues such as the AUKUS alliance and climate change, and Albanese invited Biden to address a joint sitting of parliament in 2023 when he visits Australia for a meeting of Quadrilateral Security Dialogue nations. Albanese hopes to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the G20 leaders’ summit in Bali.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, EAST ASIA SUMMIT, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, GROUP OF TWENTY (G-20)

Call for energy ministers to agree to gas price cap at 30% of current market offers

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Original article by Peter Hannam
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 28-Oct-22

Federal and state energy minister will meet in Melbourne on Friday, in the wake of the budget forecast of big increases in electricity and gas prices. Energy Users Association of Australia CEO Andrew Richards has called for gas prices to be capped in response to the energy crisis that has been driven by the invasion of Ukraine. He notes that some industrial users are being offered contracts for gas at about $35 per gigajoule. This compares with about $10 per gigajoule just over a year ago, and Richards contends that capping prices at around this level would be "pretty fair and reasonable" for manufacturers and gas producers alike.

CORPORATES
ENERGY USERS ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA

Melbourne Institute & Roy Morgan – Taking The Pulse of the Nation: Long COVID linked to mental distress, unemployment and is affecting more women than men

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 28-Oct-22

Several large-scale studies are attempting to measure the prevalence of long COVID in the population and its long-term impact. In this TTPN report, we examine the association between long COVID and mental distress and employment. The proportion of the Australian population who have ever tested positive for COVID-19 increased dramatically from 15.1% in March 2022 to 48.9% in September 2022, following the winter peak in COVID cases. Of those who tested positive, 15.5% reported that their symptoms lasted for more than one month; 6% of those testing positive reported symptoms lasting for 3 months or more. Long COVID affects a large proportion of the population who can have severe symptoms not usually associated with having a cold or the flu. These symptoms are associated with high levels of mental distress and unemployment, affect women more than men, and across all age groups, especially those aged between 50 to 69. Having a booster is the best long-term defence against the effects of COVID, yet rates of booster vaccinations remain dangerously low and immunity is waning. The Australian government needs to significantly increase booster shots using the best evidence on how to do this successfully. This report is based on a total of 1,013 respondents from data collected in September 2022. Visit the Melbourne Institute Taking the Pulse of the Nation web portal for further information and to access interactive charts and other findings: https://melbourneinstitute.unimelb.edu.au/data/ttpn.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE. INSTITUTE OF APPLIED ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL RESEARCH

Right to strike law risks jobs

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Original article by David Marin-Guzman, Phillip Coorey, Carrie LaFrenz
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 28-Oct-22

The federal government tabled its Secure Jobs, Better Pay bill in parliament on Thursday. A Senate inquiry into the proposed legislation will report on 17 November, after a push by independent senator David Pocock to delay it until February was rejected. Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke has indicated that he is open to making changes to the multi-­employer bargaining provisions of the bill, which will allow unions to undertake industry-wide industrial action for the first time. Business leaders have expressed concern about the proposed reforms; Australian Industry Group CEO Innes Willox says they will result in more strikes and fewer jobs, while Minerals Council of Australia CEO Tania Constable warns that expanding multi-employer bargaining will "unleash industrial chaos" on the mining sector.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT AND WORKPLACE RELATIONS, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, MINERALS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA

Higgins lashes justice system stacked against victims

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Original article by Kristin Shorten, Remy Varga, Sarah Ison
The Australian – Page: 1 & 5 : 28-Oct-22

Alleged rape victim Brittany Higgins could potentially face a contempt of court charge over comments she made after the trial of Bruce Lehrmann was aborted. Higgins addressed the media after the jury had been discharged, stating that she felt that she had been the person on trial as her life had been publicly scrutinised while Lehrmann was not required to give evidence during his trial. Lehrmann’s lawyers have referred Higgins to both the Australian Federal Police and the ACT Supreme Court over the comments. The jury was discharged after it emerged that one of them had an academic paper on sexual assault. Justice Lucy McCullum said she had warned the jurors on multiple occasions that they must not undertake any research of their own on matters relating to the case. Lehrmann will face a new trial in February.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE, SUPREME COURT OF THE AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY

Future dark under ALP: Dutton

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Original article by Geoff Chambers
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 28-Oct-22

Opposition leader Peter Dutton has used his budget-reply speech to criticise the federal government’s stance on a range of issues, including industrial relations, energy policy, housing and taxation. Dutton described Labor’s push for multi-employer bargaining as a "throwback to the 1980s" that will reduce productivity and result in strike action across the country. Dutton also contended that the government’s first budget will leave the average family about $2,000 worse off by Christmas, given that it will result in a rise in power prices, the cost of living, taxes, interest rates, unemployment and the deficit. Dutton said the government has already broken its election promise to reduce energy bills by $275 within three years, and he claimed that Labor is "laying the groundwork to break" its promise on the stage-three tax cuts. He also backed the Coalition’s proposal to allow people to use superannuation savings to buy their first home, contending that Labor’s budget plan to encourage super funds and other institutional investors to fund one million new homes is unrealistic.

CORPORATES
LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY