O75 Public Administration

WA dumps masks as rules eased further

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Original article by Michael Bennet
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 27-Apr-22

The Western Australian government will relax more COVID-19 restrictions from 12.01am on Friday. Amongst other things, face masks will only by mandatory in high-risk indoor settings such as hospitals and aged-care homes, as well as public transport. Density and capacity limits for indoor venues will also be scrapped, and asymptomatic close contacts will no longer need to isolate. Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson concedes that the changes may result in higher case numbers and hospitalisations, although she says this can be managed. WA recorded 6,711 new cases and eight deaths on Wednesday; there were 9,849 new infections and 18 deaths in NSW, while Victoria reported 9,265 new cases and 15 deaths.

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WESTERN AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HEALTH

Stealth carbon tax warning

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Original article by Greg Brown
The Australian – Page: 1 & 5 : 27-Apr-22

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has stressed that the federal government is fully committed to its net-zero emissions target of 2050, after Nationals senator Matt Canavan claimed that other countries are abandoning the this target. Meanwhile, Whitehaven Coal CEO Paul Flynn claims that Labor’s proposed changes to the government’s safeguard mechanism for large industrial emitters constitutes a "carbon tax by stealth". Labor has confirmed that coal mines will be included in a revised safeguard mechanism if it wins the federal election.

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

Labor defends agricultural visa scheme as farmers brace for minimum wage rise

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Original article by Natasha May
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 27-Apr-22

Labor will make changes to the federal government’s Pacific Australia Labor Mobility scheme if it wins the 21 May election. It will introduce a Pacific Engagement Visa for agricultural workers from the Pacific Islands, which will offer a pathway to permanent residency. Meanwhile, a minimum wage for horticultural workers will take effect from Thursday; Daniel Walton of the Australian Workers’ Union describes it as a "momentous shift" for fruit pickers, saying they have been "routinely and systemically exploited and underpaid" under the piece rate system.

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AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN WORKERS’ UNION-FEDERATION OF INDUSTRIAL, MANUFACTURING AND ENGINEERING EMPLOYEES

L-NP closes gap on ALP for second straight week after the first Leaders’ Debate: ALP 54.5% cf. L-NP 45.5%

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 27-Apr-22

A Roy Morgan Poll conducted during the second week of the federal election campaign shows the L-NP gaining 0.5% points on a two-party preferred basis, but still well behind the ALP (54.5% cf. L-NP 45.5%). This is the closest since early November 2021, when the two-party preferred lead was 7% points: ALP 53.5% cf. L-NP 46.5%. If a Federal Election had been held last weekend the ALP would have won a clear majority. Primary support for the L-NP was unchanged at 35.5% and remains just ahead of the ALP on 35%, also unchanged from a week ago. Analysis by State shows that the ALP now leads in four States on a two-party preferred basis, but the L-NP has regained the lead in Queensland and has increased its lead in Western Australia. Meanwhile, the Roy Morgan Government Confidence Rating increased 6pts to 92 in the second week of the election campaign; now 38.5% (up 3.5% points) of Australians say the country is ‘heading in the right direction’, while 46.5% (down 2.5% points) say the country is ‘heading in the wrong direction’. This Roy Morgan Poll on Federal voting intention and Government Confidence was conducted via telephone and online interviewing of 1,393 Australian electors aged 18+ from Monday April 18-24.

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ROY MORGAN LIMITED, MORGAN POLL, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Fast-track tax cuts off budget plan

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Original article by Simon Benson, Geoff Chambers
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 16-Mar-22

Senior federal government sources have indicated that bringing forward the stage-three income tax cuts will not be on the agenda for the Budget on 29 March. The government will instead seek to address cost-of-living pressures with temporary and targeted assistance. The final stage of the government’s tax cuts package is slated to take effect in 2024-25; Deloitte Access Economics partner Chris Richardson says bringing forward the tax cuts is not necessary given that Australia’s unemployment rate is close to a five-decade low, and he warns that such a move would risk driving up inflation. The government has also considered extending the low-and-middle-income tax offset for another year.

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DELOITTE ACCESS ECONOMICS PTY LTD

Mining, defence top agenda on PM’s Perth visit

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 16-Mar-22

The federal government will provide four critical minerals projects with funding via its $1.3 billion modern manufacturing initiative. The $243m funding package will be announced by Prime Minister Scott Morrison during his trip to Western Australia; the projects include a battery material refinery hub near Kalgoorlie and a rare earth separation plant in the Northern Territory. Industry Minister Angus Taylor says the government support is aimed at addressing China’s global dominance of critical minerals supply. Morrison has also announced a $4.3bn upgrade of the Henderson naval shipyards in WA.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, SCIENCE, ENERGY AND RESOURCES

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence drops 4.3pts to 95.8 as Russian invasion of Ukraine causes spike in fuel prices

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 16-Mar-22

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence fell 4.3pts to 95.8 during the second week of March; it is now 15.1pts below the same week a year ago (110.9) and clearly below the 2022 weekly average of 100.6. Consumer Confidence is now below the neutral level of 100 in all States and dropped in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and South Australia, but it was up slightly in Western Australia. Now 26% (down 1ppt) of Australians say their families are ‘better off’ financially than this time last year, while 35% (up 4ppts) say their families are ‘worse off’ financially. In addition, 36% (down 1ppt) of Australians expect their family to be ‘better off’ financially this time next year, and 24% (up 4ppts) expect to be ‘worse off’ financially. Just 12% (down 1ppt) of Australians now expect ‘good times’ for the Australian economy over the next 12 months, while 29% (up 2ppts) expect ‘bad times’. Meanwhile, 35% (unchanged) of Australians say now is a ‘good time to buy’ major household items, while 36% (up 3ppts) say now is a ‘bad time to buy’.

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

Booster shots for children aged 12 to 15 considered by ATAGI

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Original article by Dana Daniel
Brisbane Times – Page: Online : 16-Mar-22

Some 85 per cent of Australians aged 12-15 have received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 79 per cent are now double-dosed. A meeting of the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation on Wednesday will consider whether to recommend extending the booster program to children in this age group. Epidemiologist Peter McIntyre says any booster shots should be administered to children aged 12-15 after six months rather than three, as they are at lower risk and the focus should be on immunising older and vulnerable people. Queensland recorded 5,589 new COVID-19 cases and 10 deaths on Tuesday; there were 10,689 new infections and six deaths in NSW, while Victoria reported 7,460 new cases and four deaths.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN TECHNICAL ADVISORY GROUP ON IMMUNISATION

Inflation Expectations up 0.2% points to 5.1% in February; highest for nearly eight years since June 2014

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 16-Mar-22

In February 2022, Australians expected inflation of 5.1% annually over the next two years, up 0.2% points from January. The level of Inflation Expectations in February is the highest since June 2014 (5.3%). Inflation Expectations are now 0.4% points above the long-term average of 4.7%, and 1.4% points higher than a year ago (3.7%). A look at Inflation Expectations by home ownership status in February 2022 shows that renters have clearly the highest Inflation Expectations at 5.9%, up 2.3% points since the low point of August 2020. People who are currently paying off their homes have the lowest Inflation Expectations at only 4.5% (up 1.5% points since August 2020), while those who own their home now have Inflation Expectations of 4.8% (up 1.7% points). During this same time period the Inflation Expectations of all Australians have increased by 1.9% points to 5.1%. On a State-based level Inflation Expectations were highest in Queensland at 5.5%; Inflation Expectations were also higher than the national average at 5.4% in both Western Australia and South Australia.

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ROY MORGAN LIMITED

Ukraine will not join NATO, says Zelensky, as shelling of Kyiv continues

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Original article by Isobel Koshiw, Jon Henley, Julian Borger
The Guardian – Page: Online : 16-Mar-22

Officials in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv have imposed a 35-hour curfew as Russian air strikes on the city continue. At least five people have been killed in the latest bombardment, amid indications that Russia has shifted its focus to targeting residential areas and civilian infrastructure in the besieged city. There have also been further air strikes on the city of Kharkiv, while Fox News has advised that two of its employees – a producer and a cameraman – have been killed in an air strike near Kyiv. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has conceded that his country will not become a member of the NATO defence pact. He has also warned that the Russian "war machine" will inevitably target more countries if it is not stopped.

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NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANISATION