O75 Public Administration

Kelty approves of super-union divorce move

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Original article by Ewin Hannan, Greg Brown
The Australian – Page: 5 : 9-Dec-20

The federal government’s hopes of getting the unions demerger bill through parliament before it rises for the year have been boosted after Labor signalled that it will not opposed the legislation. Former ACTU secretary Bill Kelty has expressed support for the legislation, and he contends that breaking up the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining & Energy Union would be quite easy as it is an ‘amalgamation of divisions’. However, Electrical Trades Union national secretary Allen Hicks says that despite targeting the CFMMEU, the legislation would have ‘unintended consequences’ for the entire union movement, and he has urged Labor to reject it.

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CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MARITIME, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, ACTU, ELECTRICAL TRADES UNION

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence up 1.8pts to 109.3 as more Australians say now is a good time to buy major household items

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 9-Dec-20

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence rose 1.8pts to 109.3 on December 5/6. It is now 13.8pts above the 2020 weekly average of 95.5 and 0.3pts higher than a year ago (109.0). This is the first time Consumer Confidence has been higher than a year ago since June 2019. Now 24% (unchanged) of Australians say their families are ‘better off’ financially than this time last year, while 31% (also unchanged) say their families are ‘worse off’ financially. In addition, 38% (unchanged) of Australians expect their family to be ‘better off’ financially this time next year, and 13% (down 2ppts) expect to be ‘worse off’ financially (the lowest figure for this indicator since January 11/12. Some 17% (unchanged) of Australians expect ‘good times’ for the Australian economy over the next 12 months, while 21% (down 2ppts), expect ‘bad times’ (the lowest figure for this indicator since March 2013). Meanwhile, 43% (up 2ppts) of Australians say now is a ‘good time to buy’ major household items (the highest figure for this indicator since February 8/9), while 25% (unchanged) say now is a ‘bad time to buy’ (the equal lowest figure for this indicator for nine months).

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

Bright future ahead: OECD forecasts great things for Australia

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Original article by Patrick Commins
The Australian – Page: 1 & 5 : 2-Dec-20

The OECD is upbeat about the outlook for the Australian economy, forecasting that it will grow by 3.2 per cent in 2021. This compares with its previous forecast of 2.5 per cent. The domestic economy is now expected to contract by just 3.8 per cent in 2020, rather than 4.1 per cent as forecast by the OECD in September. The Paris-based organisation has also cautioned against withdrawing fiscal and monetary policy support prematurely. Meanwhile, economists have forecast that the economy grew by between 2.8 per cent and four per cent in the September quarter, ahead of the release of national accounts data on 2 December.

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ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT

IR reforms could save billions in back pay

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Original article by David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 2-Dec-20

The federal government’s industrial relations omnibus bill will be put before parliament before it rises for the year. The bill is expected to be discussed at a cabinet meeting on 2 December, along with a proposed legislative response to the Workpac v Rossato case. The Federal Court ruled that casual staff who work "regular and predictable" hours are entitled to benefits such as paid annual leave in addition to a casual loading. The government is believed to be considering reforms that would allow employers to use a casual worker’s 25 per cent loading to help offset any retrospective leave liability.

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FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

States on $500bn debt binge

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Original article by Adam Creighton
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 2-Dec-20

Centre for Independent Studies research fellow Robert Carling says that rising state government debt means that some states could have their credit ratings downgraded in coming years. Analysis of state governments’ Budget papers show that their combined debt will top $491bn by mid-2024, compared with just $200bn in June 2020. Carling contends that while some of the increase in debt is inevitable, some states are taking on more debt than necessary. Chris Richardson of Deloitte Access Economics in turn says rising debt is better than the alternative of lower debt and an unemployment rate that is higher for longer.

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THE CENTRE FOR INDEPENDENT STUDIES LIMITED, DELOITTE ACCESS ECONOMICS PTY LTD

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence up 3pts to 107.5 as confidence grows about Australia’s economic performance over the next year

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 2-Dec-20

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence rose 3pts to 107.5 on November 28/29. It is now 12.3pts above the 2020 weekly average of 95.2 and only 0.6pts lower than a year ago (108.1). Now 24% (up 1ppt) of Australians say their families are ‘better off’ financially than this time last year, while 31% (down 1ppt) say their families are ‘worse off’ financially. In addition, 38% (down 1ppt) of Australians expect their family to be ‘better off’ financially this time next year, and 15% (down 1ppt) expect to be ‘worse off’ financially. Some 17% (up 3ppts) of Australians expect ‘good times’ for the Australian economy over the next 12 months, while 23% (down 4ppts) expect ‘bad times’ (the lowest figure for this indicator since April 2019). Meanwhile, 41% (up 1ppt) of Australians say now is a ‘good time to buy’ major household items, while 25% (down 4ppts) say now is a ‘bad time to buy’.

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

Labor willing to engage on IR changes: Burke

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 10 : 27-Nov-20

Shadow employment minister Tony Burke says Labor is likely to pass the federal government’s industrial relations omnibus bill if the proposed reforms are based on those agreed upon by the Coalition’s working groups. However, Labor will refer the legislation to a Senate committee, which ensure that the bill is not debated and voted upon before Parliament rises for the year. The government has given indications that the reforms will include changes to the Fair Work Act’s ‘better-off-overall-test’, although reinstating the ‘no disadvantage test’ will be on its agenda.

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AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Thais that bind: secret mission ends Aussie’s torment

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Original article by Ben Packham, Richard Ferguson
The Australian – Page: 1 & 11 : 27-Nov-20

It has been revealed that Australia’s director-general of national intelligence Nick Warner led a secret, year-long effort to secure the release of Melbourne University lecturer Kylie Moore-Gilbert after she had spent over 800 days in Iranian jails. Moore-Gilbert was released in a prisoner swap deal that involved Thailand releasing three Iranian terrorists; Moore-Gilbert had been serving a 10-year sentence on trumped-up espionage charges. Warner had been Australia’s ambassador in Iran during the mid-1990s and used his connections in Iran to help secure her release. Australia’s ambassador to Thailand, Allan McKinnon, lobbied that nation’s authorities to release the three Iranian terrorists.

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UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE

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.

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ROY MORGAN LIMITED

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.

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