O75 Public Administration

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence increases for eighth straight week, up 1.6pts to 99.7 – up in Sydney, Melbourne & Perth

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 28-Oct-20

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence rose 1.6pts to 99.7 on the weekend of October 24/25. It is now 10.7pts lower than a year ago (110.4), but 5.6pts above the 2020 weekly average of 94.1. Consumer Confidence is also at its highest since March 14/15 (110.4), and it is up 9.5pts since ending August at 90.2. Now 26% (up 2ppts) of Australians say their families are ‘better off’ financially than this time last year, while 32% (down 1ppt) say their families are ‘worse off’ financially (the lowest figure for this indicator since March 14/15). In addition, 35% (unchanged) of Australians expect their family to be ‘better off’ financially this time next year, and 16% (down 2ppts) expect to be ‘worse off’ financially. Only 9% (unchanged) expect ‘good times’ for the Australian economy over the next 12 months, while 34% (down 2ppts) expect ‘bad times’ (the lowest figure for this indicator since early October 2019). Meanwhile, 36% (down 2ppts) of Australians say now is a ‘good time to buy’ major household items, while 31% (down 2ppts) say now is a ‘bad time to buy’ (the lowest figure for this indicator since June 20/21).

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

Australia Post chair to front Senate inquiry

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Tom McIlroy
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 27-Oct-20

Australia Post chairman Lucio Di Bartolomeo has been asked to appear before a special Senate estimates hearing on 13 November. The call for Di Bartolomeo to appear at the special hearing came as the terms of reference for an inquiry into the purchase of expensive watches for senior Australia Post executives were released by the federal government. Australia Post CEO Christine Holgate, who purchased the watches, has stood aside during the investigation, while John Stanhope, who was chairman of Australia Post at the time Holgate bought the watches, says he will co-operate with the inquiry.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA POST

Australia outraged over Qatar incident

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 8 : 27-Oct-20

Foreign Minister Marise Payne has asked Qatari authorities for a report into an incident that occurred at Doha airport on 2 October. Dozens of women, including 13 Australians, were taken from a plane that was due to fly from Doha to Sydney and examined against their will in an ambulance on the tarmac. Authorities were searching for a woman who had delivered a baby in a terminal toilet but then abandoned it. About the only action Australia can take if Qatar chooses not to do so over the incident is to limit or ban flights to Australia by Qatar Airways. However, it is one of the few airlines that are returning stranded expatriates to Australia

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, QATAR AIRWAYS

Shipton likely to follow Crennan in ASIC exit ‘by year’s end’

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Richard Gluyas
The Australian – Page: 13 & 17 : 27-Oct-20

The Australian Securities & Investments Commission’s deputy chairman Daniel Crennan maintains that he had received advice that his expense claims had been line with the corporate regulator’s policy. Crennan formally resigned on 26 October in the wake of the expenses scandal that has embroiled himself and chairman James Shipton; Crennan indicated that he had intended to retire from ASIC in mid-2021 anyway. Meanwhile, former Australian Competition & Consumer Commission chairman Allan Fels expects Shipton to resign before the end of 2020. Fels says ASIC has had a "very poor record over many years".

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION

Boxing Day Test crowd allowed at MCG after Melbourne lockdown ends

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 27-Oct-20

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has conceded that the easing of coronavirus lockdown restrictions has come too late to allow people to attend the Melbourne Cup at Flemington on 3 November. However, Andrews is confident that the traditional Boxing Day Test at the MCG will be played before a live crowd, although he cautions it is too soon to know how many people will be allowed through the gates. Australia is scheduled to play India in a four-Test series during the upcoming summer; more than 73,000 people were at the MCG for the first day of the Boxing Day match against India in 2018.

CORPORATES
VICTORIA. DEPT OF PREMIER AND CABINET

New pub and restaurant rules too restrictive

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Stephen Lunn, John Lethlean
The Australian – Page: 5 : 27-Oct-20

Owners of hospitality venues have welcomed the Victorian government’s decision to ease lockdown restrictions, but some warn that the measures do not go far enough. Pubs, cafes and restaurants will be able to serve up to 20 patrons indoors and 50 outdoors from 11.5pm on 27 October. However, the number of patrons in each room will be restricted to no more than 10. Lucas Restaurant Group CEO Chris Lucas says the density limit needs to be increased to 20, arguing that it will not be commercially viable for some restaurants to open under the revised restrictions.

CORPORATES
LUCAS RESTAURANT GROUP

Zero to hero: Andrews opens economy at last

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Rachel Baxendale
The Australian – Page: 1 & 5 : 27-Oct-20

Victoria recorded no new coronavirus cases on 26 October, and the number of active cases statewide has fallen to 91. It was the first day with zero new cases since 9 June, prompting Premier Daniel Andrews to announce major changes to lockdown measures from 11.59pm on 27 October. Amongst other things, Melbourne retailers and hospitality venues will be permitted to re-open, although there will be limits on the number of patrons, while Melbourne residents will be allowed to leave their home for any reason for the first time since 9 July. However, some restrictions will remain in place until at least 8 November, including the 25km travel limit.

CORPORATES
VICTORIA. DEPT OF PREMIER AND CABINET

ASIC overhaul as chair faces exit

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Richard Gluyas
The Australian – Page: 13 & 16 : 26-Oct-20

An independent review into the expenses of Australian Securities & Investments Commission chairman James Shipton is expected to be completed before the end of 2020. Shipton has stepped aside pending the outcome of the review, but sources have suggested that he is unlikely to remain in the role. ASIC’s acting chair Karen Chester is tipped to succeed Shipton, who has agreed to repay the expenses he incurred in relocating from the US to Australia. ASIC’s deputy chair Daniel Crennan will also repay expenses associated with moving from Melbourne to Sydney.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION

Digital dossiers designed to blackmail, intimidate

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Angus Grigg
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 26-Oct-20

Matt Pottinger has confirmed to the London think tank Policy Exchange that China is constructing ‘digital dossiers’ of millions of people around the world. The comments of Pottinger, who is the Deputy National Security Adviser to US President Donald Trump, follow the revelation that a Chinese military contractor had a database with profiles of over 2.4 million people globally, with the Australians listed including Prime Minister Scott Morrison and technology billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes. Pottinger says the compilation of such ‘dossiers’, aimed at influencing, humiliating, dividing and blackmailing opponents, has always been a feature of Leninist regimes.

CORPORATES
POLICY EXCHANGE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Fan-free Cup day as crowds banned

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Damon Johnston
The Australian – Page: 5 : 26-Oct-20

The four-day Melbourne Cup Carnival attracted about 275,000 people in 2019. The Victoria Racing Club had hoped that 10,000 people would be able to attend each day of the flagship event in 2020, with appropriate coronavirus measures in place. However, VRC chair Amanda Elliott has advised that Flemington racecourse will be closed to the general public for the entire event. The VRC remains hopeful that some racehorse owners can attend in person. The state government barred owners from attending the Cox Plate on 24 October.

CORPORATES
VICTORIA RACING CLUB LIMITED