O75 Public Administration

Lower interest rates a welcome relief, critical banks pass on full cut

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Original article by
Australian Retailers Association – Page: Online : 13-Aug-25

Retailers have welcomed the Reserve Bank of Australia’s announcement of a 25-basis-point interest rate cut as a vital confidence boost for the sector’ recovery. The Australian Retailers Association and the National Retail Association said that lower interest rates will encourage much-needed discretionary spending. The ARA’s CEO Chris Rodwell says the two clear messages that stem from the decision are that the RBA remain open to further cuts in 2025 – given that retail growth and consumer confidence remain subdued – and it is critical that banks act now to pass on the full rate cut. Rodwell adds that a stronger Australian economic trajectory cannot happen without a retail recovery.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN RETAILERS ASSOCIATION, NATIONAL RETAIL ASSOCIATION LIMITED, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA

New Zealand: In July, National and Labour tied at 31%; National-led Government retains clear lead

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 6-Aug-25

Roy Morgan’s New Zealand Poll for July 2025 shows the National-led Government (National, ACT & NZ First) virtually unchanged on 51% (down 0.5% points) and the Labour-Greens-Maori Party Parliamentary Opposition on 46% (up 1.5% points). For the tenth straight month neither major party has managed to secure a third of the vote. Within the National-led Government support for National was down 1% point to 31%, support for ACT was down 1% point to 10.5% and support for NZ First increased 1.5% points to 9.5% (the highest support for NZ First since the last New Zealand Election). For the Parliamentary Opposition, support for Labour was up 2.5% points to 31%, support for the Greens increased 0.5% points to 11.5%, and support for the Maori Party dropped 1.5% to 3.5%. A further 3% (down 1% point) of electors supported a minor party outside Parliament. This latest New Zealand Roy Morgan Poll on voting intention was conducted by telephone – both landline and mobile – with a New Zealand-wide cross-section of 832 electors from 30 June to 27 July. Meanwhile, the Roy Morgan Government Confidence Rating fell 11.5pts to 83.5 in July.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, MORGAN POLL, NATIONAL PARTY OF NEW ZEALAND, ACT NEW ZEALAND, NEW ZEALAND FIRST PARTY, LABOUR PARTY (NEW ZEALAND), GREEN PARTY OF AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND, THE MAORI PARTY

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence up 3.9pts to 90.6 – first rating above 90 for over three years since May 2022

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 6-Aug-25

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence rose 3.9pts to 90.6 in the week to 3 August. Consumer Confidence is now 9.3 points above the same week a year ago (81.3), and 3.9pts above the 2025 weekly average of 86.7. Analysis by State shows increases across the board with all five mainland States up this week, led by Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia – all at 90 or above. Now 22% of Australians (up 2ppts) say their families are ‘better off’ financially than this time last year, while 40% (down 4ppts) say their families are ‘worse off’ (the lowest this figure has been since May 2022). Looking forward, 28% (up 2ppts) of respondents expect their family to be ‘better off’ financially this time next year, while 28% (down 6ppts) also expect to be ‘worse off’. Now just 12% (unchanged) of respondents expect ‘good times’ for the Australian economy over the next 12 months, while 27% (down 1ppt) expect ‘bad times’. Meanwhile, 26% (up 1ppt) of Australians say now is a ‘good time to buy’ major household items, while 32% (down 1ppt) say now is a ‘bad time to buy’.

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

Roy Morgan Business Confidence up slightly in July as business grow more confident about their prospects

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 6-Aug-25

In July 2025, Roy Morgan Business Confidence increased 0.6pts to 103.0, despite the Reserve Bank electing to leave interest rates unchanged at 3.85% amid widespread expectations of a cut to interest rates. Business Confidence is now 7pts below the long-term average of 110, although it is up 7.9pts from July 2024. Now 32.2% (up 5.8ppts) of businesses says their business is ‘better off’ financially than this time a year ago (the highest figure for this indicator so far this year), while 33.5% (down 7.1ppts) say the business is ‘worse off’. Meanwhile, 40.9% (up 1.3ppts) of respondents expect the business will be ‘better off’ financially this time next year, while 20.3% (down 1.4ppts) expect the business will be ‘worse off’. The latest Roy Morgan Business Confidence results for July are based on 1,246 detailed interviews with a cross-section of Australian businesses from each State and Territory.

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ROY MORGAN LIMITED

Offshore option as Japan frigate wins

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Original article by Ben Packham
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 6-Aug-25

Defence Minister Richard Marles has advised that a contract for Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to build three general purpose frigates will be signed in early 2026. Marles says the Japanese frigate is the best option for Australia; Germany’s ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems also pitched for the contract. The frigates will be built in Japan, and are slated to be delivered between 2029 and 2034. An additional eight Mogami-class frigates will be built by Austal at its Henderson shipyard in Perth. Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy has conceded that the shipyard may not be able to accommodate the first three vessels to be built in Australia, but Western Australia’s Premier Roger Cook says they must be built in his state.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF DEFENCE, MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES LIMITED, THYSSENKRUPP MARINE SYSTEMS, WESTERN AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PREMIER AND CABINET

Government sends strongest signal yet on Palestinian recognition

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Original article by Matthew Knott
Brisbane Times – Page: Online : 6-Aug-25

It has been revealed that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese discussed the issue of Palestine in a conversation with the United Nations’ Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday. Albanese has also talked to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, and the two leaders committed to meet on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meeting in New York in September. This has prompted growing speculation that Australia will join other nations in formally recognising Palestinian statehood at the meeting. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Penny Wong has warned that there may be no Palestine left to recognise unless progress is made on a two-state solution.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, UNITED NATIONS, PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE

ANZ-Roy Morgan Inflation Expectations up slightly to 4.9% in late July – up from 4.8% for the month of June

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 30-Jul-25

The weekly ANZ-Roy Morgan Inflation Expectations were 4.9% for the week of 21-27 July, up 0.1% points from the month of June but down from the peak of 5% in early July. A look at monthly Inflation Expectations for June 2025 shows the measure at 4.8% for the month – an increase of 0.2% points from May and level with the average so far this year (also 4.8%). Looking back over the last year, weekly Inflation Expectations have moved in a band of 4.2% to 5.2% since the start of June 2024 and averaged 4.8%. A look at Monthly Inflation Expectations on a State-based level for June shows mixed results, with increases in New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia driving the overall increase. The data for the Inflation Expectations series is drawn from the Roy Morgan Single Source, which has interviewed an average of around 5,300 Australians aged 14+ per month over the last decade, and includes interviews with 4,051 Australians aged 14+ in June 2025.

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

Taking wind out of Bowen’s sails

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Original article by Paul Garvey, Perry Williams
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 30-Jul-25

Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen has revealed that the federal government will expand its capacity investment scheme by 25 per cent, to 40 gigawatts. However, analysis by Rystad Energy shows that no wind farm projects that will be part of the national electricity market commenced construction during the first six months of 2025. There were some new wind farm projects in Western Australia, which is not part of the NEM. Rystad has forecast that renewables will account for 64 per cent of the NEM’s energy by 2030, which is well below the government’s 82 per cent renewable energy target by this date. Government adviser Ross Garnaut has in turned warned that this target will be missed by a "big margin", even with an expanded capacity investment scheme.

CORPORATES
RYSTAD ENERGY AS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF CLIMATE CHANGE, ENERGY, THE ENVIRONMENT AND WATER

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence virtually unchanged for a third straight week at 86.7 in late July

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 30-Jul-25

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence was virtually unchanged at 86.7 in the week to 27 July; however, Consumer Confidence is 3.6 points above the same week a year ago (83.1), and in line with the 2025 weekly average of 86.5. Analysis by State shows mixed results, with Consumer Confidence up in Victoria and Queensland, but down slightly in New South Wales, Western Australia and South Australia. Now 20% of Australians (unchanged) say their families are ‘better off’ financially than this time last year, while 44% (down 1ppt) say their families are ‘worse off’. Looking forward, 26% (unchanged) of respondents expect their family to be ‘better off’ financially this time next year, while 34% (up 3ppts) expect to be ‘worse off’. Now just 12% (up 1ppt) of respondents expect ‘good times’ for the Australian economy over the next 12 months, while 28% (unchanged) expect ‘bad times’. Meanwhile, 25% (up 1ppt) of Australians say now is a ‘good time to buy’ major household items, while 33% (down 2ppts) say now is a ‘bad time to buy’.

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

IMF upgrades Australian growth forecasts, despite tariffs uncertainty

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Original article by Thomas Morgan
abc.net.au – Page: Online : 30-Jul-25

The International Monetary Fund has upgraded its economic growth forecast for Australia in 2025 to 1.8 per cent; its previous forecast issued in April was for GDP growth of 1.6 per cent in the current calendar year. The growth outlook for Australian in 2026 has in turn been upgraded from 2.1 per cent to 2.2 per cent. The IMF has also increased its growth forecasts for the global economy in both 2025 and 2026, although it has cautioned that risks to the outlook remain tilted to the downside.

CORPORATES
INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND