O75 Public Administration

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence virtually unchanged at 103.3 before Victorian re-opening plan outlined on Sunday

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 22-Sep-21

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence rose 0.2pts to 103.3 on September 18/19, before Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews outlined the State’s re-opening plan; the full impact on confidence won’t be felt until next weekend. Consumer Confidence remains well below the 2021 weekly average of 108.6, but it is now 9.8 points higher than the same week a year ago (93.5). Consumer Confidence this week was down slightly in both NSW and Victoria, although still in positive territory in both States. Consumer Confidence increased in both Queensland and South Australia, and was virtually unchanged – and higher than anywhere else – in Western Australia at well over 110. Now 26% (down 1ppt) of Australians say their families are ‘better off’ financially than this time last year, while 30% (up 2ppts) say their families are ‘worse off’ financially. In addition, 38% (up 1ppt) of Australians expect their family to be ‘better off’ financially this time next year, and only 13% (down 1ppt) expect to be ‘worse off’ financially. Some 14% (unchanged) of Australians expect ‘good times’ for the Australian economy over the next 12 months, while 24% (down 2ppts) expect ‘bad times’. Meanwhile, 34% (down 1ppt) of Australians say now is a ‘good time to buy’ major household items, while 32% (unchanged) say now is a ‘bad time to buy’.

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

US has ‘no closer ally than Australia’, says Biden after AUKUS pact

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Patrick Wintour
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 22-Sep-21

Prime Minister Scott Morrison and US President Joe Biden have held their first official in-person meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Biden praised Australia ahead of the meeting, stating that the US has no "closer or more reliable ally". Biden had earlier addressed the general assembly, but his speech did not directly mention the new AUKUS security alliance between Australia, the UK and the US. Meanwhile, former prime minister Kevin Rudd has criticised Morrison’s handling of the cancelled submarines contract, particularly his failure to inform the French government that the deal would be dropped in favour of nuclear-powered subs under the new alliance.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, UNITED NATIONS. GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Rampaging thugs unleash destructive anarchy on Melbourne

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by John Ferguson, Angelica Snowden, Remy Varga
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 22-Sep-21

Sixty-two people were arrested during violent protests in Melbourne on 21 September, in response to the Victorian government’s mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy for construction workers and a two-week shutdown of the sector. An estimated 2,000 people participated in the protest, including construction workers, tradespeople and unionists, while there have been claims that the demonstration had been infiltrated by far-right activists and anti-vaxxers. Further protests are expected in coming days. Meanwhile, the state government has revised downward the number of COVID-19 cases linked to the construction sector since early August from 403 to just 337. This includes 239 cases that are linked to construction sites in metropolitan Melbourne.

CORPORATES

57% of Australians approve of the Federal Government’s agreement to purchase nuclear submarines from the USA

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 17-Sep-21

A special Roy Morgan Snap SMS survey shows that 57% of Australians approve of the Federal Government’s agreement to buy nuclear-powered submarines from the US, while 43% disapprove. Some 89% of L-NP supporters approve of the agreement, compared to 47% of ALP supporters and only 14% of Greens supporters. Meanwhile, 68% of men and 46% of women approve of the agreement. There is also a clear ‘age gap’ on views of the agreement, with strong approval among people aged 50-64 (60%) and those aged 65+ (72%); in contrast, 53% of people aged 18-24 and 51% of those aged 25-34 disapprove of the agreement. This Roy Morgan Snap SMS survey was conducted with an Australia-wide cross-section of 1,714 Australians aged 18+ on 16 September.

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

Two NSW regions return to lockdown

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Mary Ward, Daniella White
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: Online : 17-Sep-21

New South Wales has recorded 1,351 new locally-acquired COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, while the state’s death toll from the current outbreak has risen by 12 for a second consecutive day. The latest fatalities ranged in age from their 40s to their 90s, and Health Minister Brad Hazzard has emphasised that 10 of these people had not been vaccinated. Meanwhile, the regional local government areas of Albury and Lismore will be placed in lockdown for at least seven days after reporting new COVID-19 cases; however, 12 regional LGAs have emerged from lockdown after case numbers stabilised.

CORPORATES
NEW SOUTH WALES. MINISTRY OF HEALTH

Australia’s nuclear sea zone

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Ben Packham
The Australian – Page: 1 & 3 : 17-Sep-21

Australia’s new fleet of up to eight nuclear-powered submarines will cost significantly more than the cancelled deal to build 12 French-designed conventional subs. The first of the nuclear vessels is also unlikely to enter service until the late 2030s; the first Attack-class sub had been slated to do so in 2034. However, nuclear subs can be deployed for many months at a time without needing to surface, while conventional subs must do so regularly in order to recharge their batteries. The federal government has already invested some $2.5bn in the Attack-class contract with Naval Group. The government will also extend the operational life of the existing Collins-class submarines until the new fleet is delivered.

CORPORATES
NAVAL GROUP

France says Australia’s $90b submarine deal cancellation is a stab in the back

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Jack Hawke
abc.net.au – Page: Online : 17-Sep-21

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has defended the federal government’s decision to cancel the submarine contract with France-based Naval Group. He has argued that decisions must be made in the best interests of national security, and stressed that France is still an important partner in the Pacific region. However, France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian has criticised the decision to ditch the contract in favour of nuclear-powered submarines, arguing that the relationship of trust between the two nations has been broken.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, NAVAL GROUP

NSW to review COVID-19 hotspot boundaries across Sydney suburbs

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Lucy CormackMary Ward
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: Online : 15-Sep-21

New South Wales has recorded 1,127 new locally-acquired COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, as well as two additional deaths from the current outbreak. Meanwhile, the state government is under growing pressure to review its hotspot boundaries and ease the lockdown restrictions for Sydney suburbs that have low case numbers and high vaccination rates. Deputy Chief Health Officer Jeremy McAnulty says the state’s hotspots are assessed on a daily basis. The proportion of NSW residents aged 16+ who have received at least one vaccine dose is expected to reach 80 per cent on 15 September.

CORPORATES
NEW SOUTH WALES. MINISTRY OF HEALTH

Outdoor freedoms could be granted for Victorians within days

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Paul Sakkal
The Age – Page: Online : 15-Sep-21

Victoria has recorded 445 new locally-acquired COVID cases in the last 24 hours, with 129 having been linked to known clusters. The state has also reported two additional deaths from the current outbreak, including a man in his 20s. The death of a man in his 40s will be included in the daily report on 15 September. Premier Daniel Andrews is set to release details of his government’s reopening road map on 19 September. Clinical epidemiologist Professor Nancy Baxter says the eased restrictions are likely to include allowing people to attend small outdoor gatherings. Some 158 Victorians are currently in hospital with COVID-19, and only one has been fully vaccinated. Meanwhile, the number of COVID-19 cases in regional Victoria is rising, with Ballarat recording its first cases in more than a year.

CORPORATES
VICTORIA. DEPT OF PREMIER AND CABINET

Special Roy Morgan Micro Webinar on the latest June quarter rankings for Australia’s most TRUSTED & DISTRUSTED brands

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 15-Sep-21

Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine and social scientist Dr. Ross Honeywill present the latest QUARTERLY rankings of Australia’s most TRUSTED and DISTRUSTED brands. The special 20-minute Micro Webinar highlights the Top 20 most TRUSTED brands including leading supermarkets Woolworths, Coles and ALDI as well as highly trusted retailers such as Bunnings Warehouse, Kmart, Myer, Big W and Target. There are also a suite of brands outside these two categories to also score highly during the June quarter. As well as the most TRUSTED the webinar also highlights the Top 20 most DISTRUSTED brands in the June quarter, the big movers such as Harvey Norman which jumped from 35th to 18th most distrusted brand, as well as a deeper dive into what is driving consumer reactions to the key brands in the Australian marketplace.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED