O75 Public Administration

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence drops 1.6pts to 112.4 as Greater Perth enters three-day lockdown

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 28-Apr-21

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence fell 1.6pts to 112.4 on April 24/25. Despite the fall, Consumer Confidence is still above the 2021 weekly average of 111.0 and 27.4pts higher than the same week a year ago (85.0). Now 28% (up 1ppt) of Australians say their families are ‘better off’ financially than this time last year, while 26% (up 1ppt) say their families are ‘worse off’ financially. In addition, 37% (down 2ppts) of Australians expect their family to be ‘better off’ financially this time next year, and 13% (unchanged) expect to be ‘worse off’ financially. Some 21% (down 2ppts) of Australians expect ‘good times’ for the Australian economy over the next 12 months, while 15% (unchanged) expect ‘bad times’. Meanwhile, 44% (unchanged) of Australians say now is a ‘good time to buy’ major household items, while 23% (down 1ppt) say now is a ‘bad time to buy’ (the lowest figure for this indicator since March 1, 2020).

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

JobKeeper aid helped prevent 500 suicides

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Original article by Simon Benson
The Australian – Page: 5 : 28-Apr-21

Ian Hickie, the joint director of Sydney University’s Brain and Mind Centre, says the best thing the federal government can do to reduce mental health stress and preventable suicide is to maintain economic and jobs growth. The centre’s latest modelling suggests that COVID-19 support measures such as the JobKeeper wage subsidy will prevent 469 suicide deaths and 4,226 hospitalisations for self- harm between 2020 and 2025. It is also likely to avert more than 51,000 mental health presentations at hospitals’ emergency departments over the same period.

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UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY. BRAIN AND MIND RESEARCH INSTITUTE

Australia examines modern slavery laws amid concerns over products linked to Uyghur abuse

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Original article by Daniel Hurst
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 28-Apr-21

Australian Border Force official Vanessa Holben says the federal government will review the Modern Slavery Act in 2022. The legislation has been criticised over its lack of financial penalties for companies that fail to deal with the use of slave labour in their supply chains. Holben says the government is "deeply concerned" about reports of human rights abuses against the Uyghur people in China’s Xinjiang region. Independent senator Rex Patrick has proposed legislation to ban imports from Xinjiang and other parts of China that are produced by using forced labour. The bill is being scrutinised by a Senate committee.

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AUSTRALIAN BORDER FORCE

Health officials beg for hotel quarantine to be upgraded

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Original article by Christopher Knaus, Melissa Davey
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 28-Apr-21

Public Health Association of Australia president Tarun Weeramanthri has urged the national cabinet to end the ‘political blame game’ over hotel quarantine and address deficiencies with the system. He says airborne transmission of COVID-19 in hotels with inadequate ventilation is the single biggest risk in terms of the virus spreading. Chief medical officer Paul Kelly has defended the hotel quarantine system; he has told a parliamentary inquiry that the system is ‘fit for purpose’, but concedes that improvements can be made. Some state governments are continuing to advocate housing returned travellers in purpose-built facilities in regional areas.

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PUBLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HEALTH

Morrison’s crisis aid for India

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Original article by Phillip Coorey, Emma Connors
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 28-Apr-21

The federal government will provide a COVID-19 support package to assist India to combat its second wave of the coronavirus. The initial aid will include 500 ventilators, 100 oxygen concentrators and personal protective equipment such as surgical masks, face masks and surgical gloves. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has also announced that all direct flights from India will be suspended until at least 15 May. The move will affect up to 9,000 Australian citizens and permanent residents who are currently in India. Meanwhile, India has recorded 323,144 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours; Australia has reported 23 new cases in hotel quarantine.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

‘We must get real on a possible China war’: Dutton

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Original article by Olivia Caisley
The Australian – Page: 4 : 26-Apr-21

Defence Minister Peter Dutton says Australia must continue to be a ‘good neighbour’ in the Asia-Pacific and work with its partners and allies to maintain peace in the region. He adds that China has made it clear that reunification with Taiwan is firmly on its agenda, and he has warned that war over Taiwan cannot be ruled out in the future. Dutton has also indicated that thousands of deals with foreign governments are being reviewed following the Coalition’s decision to terminate Victoria’s deal to participate in China’s Belt and Road Initiative. They include the 2015 deal to lease the Port of Darwin to a Chinese company for 99 years.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF DEFENCE

Perth facing more COVID limits, slashes international arrivals by half

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Original article by
The West Australian – Page: Online : 26-Apr-21

Australia has recorded seven new COVID-19 cases in hotel quarantine nationwide in the last 24 hours. Western Australia recorded one locally-acquired case on 24 April, the first day of a snap-three day lockdown of Perth and the Peel region. Premier Mark McGowan has warned that some restrictions are likely to remain in place if the lockdown ends as scheduled at 11.59pm on 26 April. It was prompted by two cases of community transmission that have been linked to the Mercure quarantine hotel in Perth. McGowan also says the federal government has accepted his request to temporarily cap the state’s returned travellers at just 512 per week from 29 April. He adds that WA cannot return to its previous weekly cap of 1,025 unless ‘proper’ commonwealth quarantine facilities are used.

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WESTERN AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PREMIER AND CABINET

Business calls to fast-track tax cuts

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Original article by Joe Kelly
The Australian – Page: 2 : 26-Apr-21

The third stage of the federal government’s income tax cuts package is slated to take effect from 1 July 2024. Business Council of Australia CEO Jennifer Westacott says the government should consider bringing forward the tax cuts in order to boost the economy and create jobs in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Australian Council of Social Service CEO Cassandra Goldie recently called for the third-stage tax cuts to be dropped, arguing that they will benefit people on high incomes the most.

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BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL OF SOCIAL SERVICE

Parental leave a $5bn earner

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Original article by Joe Kelly, Geoff Chambers
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 26-Apr-21

The Business Council of Australia has called for paid parental leave to be increased to 26 weeks for couples who agree to more equally share the amount of time they take off work. The BCA has also proposed increasing the childcare subsidy for lower-income households from 85 to 95 per cent; it notes that modelling by KPMG suggests that this would boost the economy by about $5bn a year. The BCA contends that the high cost of childcare is deterring many women from returning to the workforce. Some Liberal MPs have urged the federal government to include childcare reforms in the Budget on 11 May.

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BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Anzac Day services and private commemorations across Australia remember ultimate sacrifice of war

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Original article by
abc.net au – Page: Online : 26-Apr-21

Over 4,000 people with special tickets attended the national Anzac Day dawn service at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, with Prime Minister Scott Morrison speaking at the service. He paid special tribute to the 41 Australians who have lost their lives in Afghanistan, following his recent announcement that the last 80 remaining troops will be withdrawn later in 2021. Seating at the dawn service complied with social distancing requirements, with similar measures in place at other services across Australia; crowds were barred from Anzac Day services in Perth due to the snap COVID-19 lockdown.

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