O75 Public Administration

Congress defies mob

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Cameron Stewart
The Australian – Page: 1 & 7 : 8-Jan-21

A state of emergency remains in place in Washington until Joe Biden’s inauguration on 20 January after a day of violence that saw supporters of Donald Trump storm the US Capitol, with the attack having been incited by Trump. One protestor was shot inside the Capitol and later died, while three other protestors died as a result of medical emergencies. Once the Capitol was cleared, Congress continued its counting of Electoral College votes, formally certifing Biden as US president in an early morning sitting. Biden said the attack bordered on sedition, while former Republican president George W. Bush condemned the protestors and the politicians who "inflamed them".

CORPORATES

Australia demands WHO entry to China without delay

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by John Kehoe
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 7-Jan-21

A delegation from the World Health Organisation was due to depart in early January on a visit to China to investigate the origins of COVID-19. However, there have been delays in China in issuing their permits, which has prompted WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesu say he was "very disappointed", while Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne has called on China to allow the entry of the WHO delegation "without delay". Australia led the call for an independent investigation into the COVID-19, and it has been suggested this was a major factor in China’s ongoing retaliatory trade action against Australia.

CORPORATES
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE

Warnock projected to defeat Loeffler in Georgia, moving Democrats closer to control of Senate

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Hannah Mio
cnbc.com – Page: Online : 7-Jan-21

Democrat Raphael Warnock has won the Georgia U.S. Senate runoff according to NBN projections; he would be the first Black Senator elected in Georgia if his victory is confirmed. Democrat Jon Ossoff was leading Republican Senator David Perduff in the other runoff with 98 per cent of the expected vote counted. If Ossoff wins, the Senate will be equally split between Republicans and Democrats, giving Vice-President elect Kamala Harris the tie-breaking vote. An earlier ABC News exit poll had indicated the Georgia vote would be tight, with voters evenly divided on preferred control of the Senate

CORPORATES

Spending holds up despite outbreaks

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Patrick Commins
The Australian – Page: 4 : 7-Jan-21

Spending by ANZ cardholders increased by 6 per cent in December over November, with spending by Victorian cardholders up nearly five per cent and spending in New South Wales up two per cent. Spending by South Australian cardholders rose by 16 per cent, while Queensland spending was up 10 per cent. Spending on entertainment was up almost 25 per cent, while spending on accommodation was up 20 per cent.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ

Donald Trump supporters clash with police, sending US Capitol into lockdown as Congress counts votes

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Peter Marsh
abc.net.au – Page: Online : 7-Jan-21

The US Capitol has been placed into lockdown after a rally by President Donald Trump prompted his supporters to storm it. Congress was in the process of counting the Electoral College votes to confirm Joe Biden’s presidential victory, while Vice President Mike Pence had earlier defied Trump’s push to have the election result overturned. Trump has tweeted for his supporters to "stay peaceful", while there are reports that guns have been drawn inside the House of Representatives.

CORPORATES

PM rejects election drive as Labor clears deck for early poll

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Richard Ferguson
The Australian – Page: 4 : 6-Jan-21

A recent newspaper article has claimed that most Coalition MPs are expecting a federal election to be held between August and November. However, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on 5 January that his view on the government going full term had not changed, with Morrison noting the election is not due until 2022. He said he had enough to do in 2021 in dealing with the pandemic and helping the economy to recover to think about an election. Having recently shelved former leader Bill Shorten’s controversial franking credit policies, Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese has arguably put Labor on an "early election footing"

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Julian Assange’s lawyers fear offer to return to Australia would result in extradition

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Samantha Maiden
Herald Sun – Page: Online : 6-Jan-21

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange could return to Australia if a US appeal against a UK judge’s decision not to extradite him to the US fails. However, lawyers for Assange claim the US could simply seek to have him extradited from Australia if he chose to return to the country of his birth, and they have called on Australia to ask the US to drop its case against him entirely. Were Assange to be extradited to the US at some point, he would be facing charges that carry a maximum penalty of up to 175 years in prison.

CORPORATES
WIKILEAKS

In NSW thousands in isolation as cluster threatens regions

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Kieran Gair
The Australian – Page: 5 : 6-Jan-21

New South Wales recorded four new locally acquired COVID-19 cases on 5 January, while an additional case will be added to the total for 6 January. The additional case is a young man who travelled some thousands of kilometres in rural NSW while unknowingly infectious, visiting towns such as Orange and Broken Hill. Shoppers who attended the Berala Woolworths between 20 December and 31 December have been urged to get tested and self-isolate until they get the result, while people from ‘hotspot’ suburbs linked to the Berala cluster will be fined $1,000 if they try to attend the Test at the SCG.

CORPORATES

PM powerless on border closures, defends slow rollout

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by John Kehoe
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 6-Jan-21

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says he hopes lower numbers of COVID-19 cases in Sydney in recent days could see border restrictions between Victoria and New South Wales "eased as soon as possible". However, he has conceded he does not have the power to stop premiers and chief ministers closing their borders for health reasons. Morrison rejected criticisms that the federal government was taking too long to rollout a COVID-19 vaccine, saying that the Therapeutic Goods Administration needs to rigorously examine vaccine testing data, while vaccine batches in Australia will also need further testing.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Deliveroo safety reps elected in milestone

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 5-Jan-21

Riders from food delivery company Deliveroo in Sydney recently elected seven health and safety representatives (HSRs) from among their ranks. It represents the first election of HSRs in the Australian gig economy, with the HSRs having various powers, such as being able to issue emergency stop work directions, while Deliveroo will pay them for their time when they are involved in tackling safety issues. The Transport Workers’ Union has described the election of the seven HSRs as a milestone for the gig economy, while Deliveroo has urged riders with any safety concerns to contact their HSR.

CORPORATES
DELIVEROO AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, TRANSPORT WORKERS’ UNION