O75 Public Administration

Voters will be asked to show identification to vote under Morrison government proposal

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Original article by Paul Karp
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 27-Oct-21

The federal government has attracted criticism over plans to make it compulsory for voters to supply identification documents at polling stations on election day. The bill has been endorsed by the Coalition’s partyroom but has yet to introduced to parliament. Shadow special minister of state Don Farrell says Labor will oppose any bill that includes "anti-democratic thought bubbles". The government had first proposed voter ID laws in late 2018, while One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts recently introduced a voter ID bill in the upper house.

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AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, ONE NATION PARTY

Movement in the Sydney CBD increased to 27% of pre-pandemic levels in the first week after lockdown ended

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 27-Oct-21

A special analysis of movement data in Australia’s Capital City CBDs since the COVID-19 pandemic began shows that movement in the Sydney CBD increased to 27% of pre-pandemic levels in the first week after Greater Sydney’s 107-day lockdown ended. The average 7-day movement level in the Sydney CBD hit a low of 8% of pre-pandemic levels in late July and had increased to 17% before the lockdown ended on Monday October 11. In the first week of re-opening average movement levels increased by 10% points to 27% – the highest level for over four months. Meanwhile, the short and sharp three-day lockdown in southern Tasmania led to a plunge in movement levels in the Hobart CBD, with the average 7-day movement levels at only 44% of pre-pandemic levels in mid-October. The Greater Melbourne area has finally emerged from its sixth lockdown and we are told this will be the final lockdown as over 70% of Victorians are now fully vaccinated. Average movement levels in the Melbourne CBD were at only 18% of pre-pandemic levels in mid-October before the lockdown ended. The movement levels in other Capital City CBDs have increased over the last few weeks as we move into the warmer months. The Adelaide CBD is again the standout with average movement levels closest to pre-pandemic ‘normal’ at 76% – the highest level of movement since early May. Roy Morgan has partnered with leading technology innovator UberMedia to aggregate data from tens of thousands of mobile devices to assess the movements of Australians as we deal with the restrictions imposed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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ROY MORGAN LIMITED, UBERMEDIA

Crown on last warning

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Original article by Rachel Baxendale, Lachlan Moffet Gray
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 27-Oct-21

Royal commissioner Ray Finkelstein has made 33 recommendations in his final report on Crown Resorts. Finkelstein found that Crown is unsuitable to operate its Melbourne casino, and stated that Crown Melbourne’s conduct was "variously illegal, dishonest, unethical and exploitative" over a number of years. However, Crown will retain its sole Victorian casino licence for two years, although it will subject to strict conditions. Among other things, Stephen O’Bryan has been appointed as a special manager to supervise Crown’s Melbourne casino, while James Packer will be required to reduce his 37 per cent stake in Crown to less than five per cent by September 2024.

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CROWN RESORTS LIMITED – ASX CWN, CROWN MELBOURNE LIMITED

Bring it on: PM goads Labor towards climate action poll

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 10 : 27-Oct-21

The federal government’s net zero emissions target of 2050 envisions that all sectors of the economy will bear the burden of the push for carbon neutrality. The energy sector will be required to slash its emissions by 91-97 per cent by 2050, transport’s emissions will be cut by 53-71 per cent, and the mining and manufacturing sectors’ emissions will have to fall by 18-54 per cent. The government’s own technology road map is slated to reduce carbon emissions by 40 per cent, by expanding the number of priority technologies to include ultra-low-cost solar power. The other five priority technologies are not yet commercially viable. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has signalled that climate change could be a key issue for the next federal election.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence virtually unchanged at 106.8 as Melbourne’s sixth lockdown ends

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 27-Oct-21

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence fell 0.2pts to 106.8 on 23/24 October. Consumer Confidence remains below the 2021 weekly average of 108.2, but it is now 7.1 points higher than the same week a year ago (99.7). Consumer Confidence was up slightly in Victoria, and Melbourne, as the city began to re-open from its sixth lockdown; however, it was down slightly in NSW and Sydney nearly two weeks after that city re-opened earlier in October. Now 28% (up 1ppt) of Australians say their families are ‘better off’ financially than this time last year, while 28% (up 2ppts) say their families are ‘worse off’ financially. In addition, 37% (down 1ppt) of Australians expect their family to be ‘better off’ financially this time next year, and 17% (up 3ppts) expect to be ‘worse off’ financially. Some 19% (unchanged) of Australians expect ‘good times’ for the Australian economy over the next 12 months, while 20% (also unchanged) expect ‘bad times’. Meanwhile, 39% (up 2ppts) of Australians say now is a ‘good time to buy’ major household items, while 29% (down 1ppt) say now is a ‘bad time to buy’.

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

Roy Morgan Business Confidence jumps by 10.7pts (+10.2%) to 115.3 in October as lockdowns end in Sydney and Melbourne

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 26-Oct-21

In October 2021, Roy Morgan Business Confidence rose 10.7pts (+10.2%) to 115.3. This is the biggest increase in Business Confidence so far during 2021 and comes as long-running lockdowns have ended in Greater Sydney, Greater Melbourne and the ACT. Business Confidence is now 16.6pts (+16.8%) higher than in October 2020 (98.7), and it is back above the long-term average of 113.8 for the first time since July 2021. Now 55.1% of businesses expecting ‘good times’ for the economy over the next 12 months, while 55% of businesses say the next 12 months is a ‘good time to invest in growing the business’. Business Confidence in October was up strongly in all six States from a year ago. The biggest increase was in South Australia, where Business Confidence increased by 46.5pts (+50%) to 139.5 to be higher than any other State. Western Australia has the second highest level of Business Confidence at 130.8, up 22.4pts (+20.7%) from a year ago; it is now over 15pts higher than the national figure of 115.3.

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ROY MORGAN LIMITED

NAB facing criminal charges for failing to pay casuals entitlements

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Original article by Charlotte Grieve
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: Online : 26-Oct-21

National Australia Bank has been accused of allegedly violating Victorian laws over its failure to pay long service leave entitlements to casual employees. Victoria’s recently established Wage Inspectorate has filed criminal charges against NAB, while the bank has filed a counter-claim in the Federal Court over the issue. NAB executive Susan Ferrier notes it does not provide casual workers with long service leave under enterprise agreements that have been in place for 20 years, while she says the NAB does not believe casual workers are not covered by state laws for long service leave.

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NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA, VICTORIA. WAGES INSPECTORATE

New move could gift Andrews unprecedented power

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Original article by Shannon Deery
Herald Sun – Page: Online : 26-Oct-21

The Victorian government will shortly introduce a bill to parliament that will replace the existing state of emergency powers, which have been in place since March 2020. The draft bill would give Premier Daniel Andrews the power to declare a pandemic and extend it indefinitely for three months at a time. The proposed legislation would also transfer authority to issue public health orders from the state’s chief health officer to the minister for health. Shadow Attorney General Tim Smith has questioned the need to hand more power to Andrews, given his government’s handling of the pandemic.

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$5.5 million grant was a priority project for Berejiklian, ICAC told

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Original article by Lucy Cormack
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: Online : 22-Oct-21

The NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption has heard evidence from senior public servant Chris Hanger. He has told the inquiry that in early 2017 he was asked to review the business case for a $5.5m upgrade of a shooting club in Wagga Wagga. The initial business case for the project had a benefit-to-cost ratio of less than one, which meant it could not be approved by Infrastructure NSW. Hanger told ICAC that an adviser to former deputy premier John Barilaro had asked him to review the business case; however, he believed that the request had come from Gladys Berejiklian, who had recently become the state’s premier. Hanger says he was not aware of her relationship with former Wagga Wagga MP Daryl Maguire at the time.

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NEW SOUTH WALES. INDEPENDENT COMMISSION AGAINST CORRUPTION, INFRASTRUCTURE NEW SOUTH WALES

Victoria AMA says Covid-deniers and anti-vaxxers should opt out of public health system and let nature run its course

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Original article by Melissa Davey
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 22-Oct-21

Anti-vaxxers and covid-deniers should update their advanced care plans and inform their relatives that they do not wish to be treated in the public health care system if they become infected with COVID-19, and let "nature run its course". This is according to Australian Medical Association Victorian president Dr Roderick McRae, with his comments coming as Victoria prepares to ease some of its restrictions as it passes the 70 per cent double vaccination target. He has urged Victorians celebrating the easing of restrictions not to get drunk and have any accidents that will result in them needing medical care, because the "hospitals are full".

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AUSTRALIAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION LIMITED