O75 Public Administration

Albanese given inner-city cafe policy warning

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Original article by Greg Brown, David Tanner
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 25-May-21

Federal Labor has been warned that it could potentially lose three seats in the Hunter Valley region of New South Wales at the next election. The Coalition is expected to target the region in the wake of NSW Labor’s resounding defeat in the by-election in the state seat of Upper Hunter. Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining & Energy Union official Peter Jordan says the by-election result shows that Labor is losing support in ‘coal country’ and needs to re-engage with blue-collar workers. Labor MP Pat Conroy, whose seat of Shortland is amongst those that may be at risk, says the by-election has no implications for Labor at federal level.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MARITIME, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA

Victorian budget a risk to recovery

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Original article by Rachel Baxendale, Geoff Chambers
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 21-May-21

The Victorian government’s May 2021 Budget shows that the state’s net debt will blow out to $156.3bn by mid-2025. However, the government has confirmed that the state’s deficit for 2020-21 will be much lower than previously forecast, at $17.4bn. The key measure announced in the Budget is a payroll tax surcharge of 0.5 per cent on businesses with a wages bill of more than $10m; this will rise to one per cent for businesses with wages costs of more than $100m. The surcharge is slated to raise $387m in 2021-22 and about $3bn over four years, with the proceeds to be used to finance a $3.8bn mental health package. The levy has been criticised by business leaders and federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, who warn that it will cost jobs and undermine the national economy’s recovery from the pandemic.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY

Jobs defy wage subsidy’s demise

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Original article by Patrick Commins, Geoff Chambers
The Australian – Page: 1 & 7 : 21-May-21

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg says the latest jobs data shows that the federal government was justified in ending the JobKeeper wage subsidy scheme in late March. New figures show that about 31,000 jobs were cut in April, well below forecasts that between 100,000 and 150,000 jobs would be lost when JobKeeper ended. The figures also show that 132,000 people have moved off income support since March. ACTU secretary Sally McManus has welcomed the slight fall in the official unemployment rate, but she says many workers are underemployed or in multiple jobs that are insecure and unreliable. Labor’s deputy leader Richard Marles notes that 1.8 million Australians are still looking for work.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, ACTU, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Don’t delay jab warning to over 50s

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Original article by Natasha Robinson, Adeshola Ore
The Australian – Page: 4 : 21-May-21

Amid reports of an increase in ‘vaccine hesitancy’, federal Health Minister Greg Hunt has urged people over the age of 50 to receive AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible. Australian Medical Association president Omar Khorshid agrees, warning that the nation will be at risk of another outbreak as winter approaches. He adds that over-50s who hold out for an mRNA vaccine such as Pfizer will not be a priority when more doses become available, as they chose not to have the vaccine that was available to them. Meanwhile, 24 cases of rare blood clots have now been reported among Australians who received the Astra-Zeneca vaccine. A 53-year-old South Australian man is among the six new cases; he is said to be in a ‘very serious condition’ in intensive care.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HEALTH, AUSTRALIAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION LIMITED, ASTRAZENECA PLC, PFIZER INCORPORATED

Vaccine passports risk a two-class country

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Original article by Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 4 : 21-May-21

Business leaders have questioned the merits of the federal government’s proposed ‘vaccine passport’ system for domestic travellers. It would allow fully vaccinated people to travel interstate and return without being subject to COVID-19 restrictions. Restaurant & Catering CEO Wes Lambert says it would be "very cumbersome" and create more red tape; he adds that it might also create two classes of Australians, based on their vaccination status. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and New South Wales counterpart Gladys Berejiklian both oppose the scheme. Meanwhile, five new COVID-19 cases have been reported in hotel quarantine nationwide in the last 24 hours.

CORPORATES
RESTAURANT AND CATERING INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA INCORPORATED, QUEENSLAND. DEPT OF THE PREMIER AND CABINET, NEW SOUTH WALES. DEPT OF PREMIER AND CABINET

50 is the new 60 when defining older worker

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Original article by Hannah Wootton
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 10 : 17-May-21

Seventeen per cent of business leaders now classify people aged 51-55 as ‘older’ workers, compared to just 11 per cent in 2018. This is according to a survey by the Australian Human Resources Institute and the Human Rights Commission; just under 50 per cent of those surveyed stated that they would be reluctant to hire someone over a specific age. Age Discrimination Commissioner Kay Patterson contends that businesses should be looking at the value of "multi-generational workplaces"; she notes the most important thing is the ability to do your job, rather than your chronological age.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN HUMAN RESOURCES INSTITUTE, AUSTRALIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION, QANTAS AIRWAYS LIMITED – ASX QAN

Refinery rescue will cost $2.35bn

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Original article by Ben Packham
The Australian – Page: 4 : 17-May-21

The federal government’s rescue package for the nation’s oil refineries was designed in consultation with Ampol and Viva Energy. The two companies will receive up to $2bn in direct taxpayer funding over the next decade. The variable payments system means that Ampol and Viva will receive greater taxpayer support during periods when their refineries’ margins are low. The government will also provide $302m for the refineries to shift to higher standards three years ahead of schedule. Australia’s two remaining oil refineries employ more than 1,200 people.

CORPORATES
AMPOL LIMITED – ALD, VIVA ENERGY GROUP LIMITED – ASX VEA

Call for medevac-style repatriation flights for Australians with Covid from India

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Original article by Calla Wahlquist
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 17-May-21

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has defended the federal government’s policy on repatriating Australian citizens and permanent residents in India. The first repatriation flight arrived in Darwin on 15 May, with just 80 returned travellers aboard; they are now at the Howard Springs quarantine facility. Another 42 people who tested positive for COVID-19 and 30 close contacts were barred from the flight. Morrison says it does not make sense to import COVID-19 into Australia by allowing people who have tested positive to board repatriation flights. However, epidemiologist Catherine Bennett contends that vulnerable Australians abroad who have the coronavirus should be treated as medical evacuees rather than returned travellers. Some of the people who were barred from the flight have since tested negative.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, DEAKIN UNIVERSITY

Federal public service boom

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Original article by John Rolfe
Herald Sun – Page: 8 : 13-May-21

The May 2021 Budget papers show that the ranks of the federal public service will swell to 174,300 in 2021-22, with almost 5,400 new staff to be recruited during the coming financial year. Government agencies that are taking on additional staff include the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity and the Productivity Commission. Public servant numbers peaked at 182,500 under the former Labor government, and the Coalition had reduced this to 165,600 by 2015-16. The public service’s operating expenses will rise from $76bn in 2020-21 to $78.1bn.

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Battle over high-income tax cuts

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 13-May-21

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has defended the decision to extend the low and middle income tax offset for another year in the May 2021 Budget. He argues that the tax offset will support aggregate demand and job creation, while he has not ruled out extending it again if circumstances warrant such a move. However, Frydenberg contends that the tax offset was never intended to be permanent and must end before the legislated stage-three income tax cuts take effect in 2024. Labor has not yet committed to supporting the tax cuts, which will benefit people on high incomes in particular.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY