O75 Public Administration

Roy Morgan Business Confidence up 10.4pts to 109.1 in November – Confidence is now above 100 in four States – NSW, QLD, WA & SA

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 27-Nov-20

In November 2020 Roy Morgan Business Confidence jumped 10.4pts (+10.5%) to 109.1, the highest monthly reading since September 2019 (110.6). Business Confidence has now increased by a record 23.5pts (+27.5%) over the last two months. It is now 0.7pts higher than in November 2019 (108.4), but still 4.2pts below the long-term average of 113.3. An increasing majority of businesses, 57.9% (up 5.5ppts), said the next 12 months is a ‘good time to invest in growing the business’, the highest figure for this indicator since January 2014. On a State-based level Business Confidence is now in positive territory above 100 in four States. Confidence is highest in South Australia at 120.2 although it should be noted most interviewing was completed before the brief State-wide shutdown. Business Confidence is also above average in Western Australia (up 6pts to 114.4), New South Wales (up 8.4pts to 113.8) and jumped strongly in Queensland to 109.3 (up 18.8pts). However, Business Confidence in Victoria (97.8) and Tasmania (88.9) is now well below the national average.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED

More big firms to get capex break

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Original article by Tom McIlroy
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 11 : 23-Nov-20

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg is to expand the federal government’s business expense tax break so that more large companies can access it, with legislation to enact the changes to be introduced. Large companies that will now be able to access the scheme will include Coca-Cola Amatil and Boral, while large companies that will remain excluded include Wesfarmers, BHP, Telstra and Rio Tinto. Frydenberg says around 50 companies employing over 150,000 people are expected to benefit from the scheme’s expansion

CORPORATES
COCA-COLA AMATIL LIMITED – ASX CCL, BORAL LIMITED – ASX BLD, WESFARMERS LIMITED – ASX WES, BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, AGL ENERGY LIMITED – ASX AGL, INSURANCE AUSTRALIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX IAG

Vaccine’s immune boost

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Original article by Grant McArthur
Herald Sun – Page: 7 : 23-Nov-20

Research undertaken by scientists in Melbourne suggests that some people who contract COVID-19 may be immune from reinfection for a year or more. The researchers at Monash University, The Alfred hospital and the Burnet Institute tracked the immune cells of 25 COVID-19 patients and found that they were still able to fight off the virus some 242 days after contracting it. The scientists are hopeful that a COVID-19 vaccine would provide protection for a similar length of time, without the need for regular booster shots.

CORPORATES
MONASH UNIVERSITY, ALFRED HOSPITAL, THE MACFARLANE BURNET INSTITUTE FOR MEDICAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH LIMITED

HILDA report shows home ownership sliding, incomes falling and inequality rising

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Original article by Rod Myer
The New Daily – Page: Online : 20-Nov-20

The Melbourne Institute’s latest Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) report shows that the nation’s average household assets increased by 64 per cent to $1.37 million between 2002 and 2018. However, average household debt rose by 104 per cent to $213,496 over this period. The HILDA survey also found that the proportion of Australians with a mortgage rose from 33.8 per cent to 36.3 per cent, although home ownership has declined from 68.1 per cent in 2002 to 63.9 per cent.

CORPORATES
UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE. INSTITUTE OF APPLIED ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL RESEARCH

Victoria closes border to South Australia after outbreak

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Original article by Rachael Dexter, Benjamin Preiss, Craig Butt
The Age – Page: Online : 20-Nov-20

South Australian residents will be banned from crossing the border into Victoria for 48 hours. The border closure took effect at 11.59pm on 19 November, although some exemptions will apply, including freight drivers and people needing medical care. The Victorian government will introduce a permit system on 21 November. The border closure was prompted by the discovery of coronavirus traces in wastewater at Portland and Benalla. Acting Chief Health Officer Allen Cheng says they could be from an active case or a recovered case who is still shedding the virus. Victoria has now recorded 20 consecutive days with no new COVID-19 cases. Premier Daniel Andrews says his government is still on track to further ease coronavirus restrictions within days.

CORPORATES
VICTORIA. DEPT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, VICTORIA. DEPT OF PREMIER AND CABINET

SA COVID-19 lockdown: Marshall says public exercise ban will be first to go

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Original article by Andrew Hough, Matt Smith, Claire Bickers
The Advertiser – Page: Online : 20-Nov-20

South Australia recorded no new COVID-19 cases on 10 November, and the number of cases in the Parafield cluster has fallen to 22 after a close contact of a hotel security guard tested negative. However, health authorities are investigating 17 suspected cases that are linked to the cluster, while another 3,200 close and secondary contacts are in quarantine. Premier Steven Marshall has signalled that the unpopular ban on exercising in public places may be the first restriction to be eased, potentially before the six-day lockdown ends. There are 34 active COVID-19 cases across the state.

CORPORATES
SOUTH AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PREMIER AND CABINET

ABS October unemployment estimate counts 134,000 Australians working zero hours in October for economic reasons as employed

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Original article by Gary Morgan, Michele Levine, Julian McCrann
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 20-Nov-20

The ABS unemployment estimate for October 2020 claims 960,900 Australians were unemployed (7.0% of the workforce), up 0.1% points on September 2020. However, the ABS claim the participation rate has dropped from 66% in March to 65.8% in October. If the ABS participation rate was steady at 66% there would be an extra 60,000 people in the workforce now and a total of 1.03 million unemployed. In addition, within the ABS employment release for hours worked it notes that 133,800 Australians the ABS count as employed worked zero hours in October for economic reasons. If these non-workers are added the adjusted ABS unemployment estimate is 1.16 million – an unemployment rate of 8.4%. Combined with the ABS under-employment estimate of 1.43 million that would be 2.59 million Australians unemployed or under-employed in October – 18.8% of the Australian workforce. This ‘adjusted’ ABS estimate is significantly closer to Roy Morgan’s unemployment & under-employment estimate of 22.2% for October released two weeks ago.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS

New report into Consumers and COVID-19: from crisis to recovery examines the impact of COVID-19 on rental housing, mortgage providers, energy, telco, insurance, credit markets and more

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Original article by CPRC – Consumer Policy Research Centre
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 20-Nov-20

The Consumer Policy Research Centre (CPRC) has partnered with Roy Morgan Research to conduct monthly surveys measuring the financial impacts and consumer experiences of COVID-19 across essential and important services markets, including housing, energy, telecommunications, credit and insurance. The September Report has just been released which examines consumer concerns about financial wellbeing and dealing with household expenses such as telcos and those of essential services providers. The report explores how renters and mortgagors have been impacted and the steps they’ve taken to manage household expenses across a range of consumer sub-groups who have had to deal with very different impacts from COVID-19. Click through to view a detail report in granular detail on the impact of COVID-19 on Australians.

CORPORATES
CONSUMER POLICY RESEARCH CENTRE, ROY MORGAN LIMITED

Campbell apologises for Afghanistan war crimes

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Original article by Andrew Tillett
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 20-Nov-20

The Brereton report into war crimes by Australian Defence Force personnel in Afghanistan has recommended that 19 serving and former soldiers be referred for prosecution. Paul Brereton, the Assistant Inspector-General of the ADF, found that there is evidence that 25 special forces soldiers were involved in the murder of 39 prisoners and civilians between 2009 and 2013. He also concluded that the elite solders had attempted to cover up their crimes by planting weapons on the victims. Defence Force Chief Angus Campbell has responded to the report by abolishing the SAS squadron at the centre of the allegations; he has also announced a review of all honours and awards received by Australian soldiers in Afghanistan.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE FORCE, SPECIAL AIR SERVICE REGIMENT

Labor bans all MPs from sexual relationships with their staff

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Original article by Latika Bourke
The Age – Page: Online : 12-Nov-20

The conduct of federal MPs has come under renewed scrutiny in the wake of an ABC report on the extramarital activities of cabinet ministers Christian Porter and Alan Tudge. Labor leader Anthony Albanese has announced that all of his party’s MPs will be prohibited from having intimate relations with members of their staff. The federal government’s so-called ‘bonk ban’ applies only to ministers rather than backbenchers. It was introduced by former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull following a series of indiscretions by Coalition MPs.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY