O75 Public Administration

Extra leave bid for frontline staff

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 6 : 9-Apr-20

The ACTU will push for eight industry awards to be amended to provide workers in the health, aged care, pharmacy and disability sectors with paid pandemic leave. The peak union body contends that such workers should also be entitled to paid leave more than once, as they are generally at greater risk of both being exposed to the coronavirus and having to self-isolate for 14 days. The Fair Work Commission has ruled that workers who are covered by some awards are entitled to two weeks of unpaid pandemic leave. It will consider the ACTU’s proposal to provide frontline workers with paid pandemic leave.

CORPORATES
ACTU, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION

Coronavirus JobKeeper package passes Parliament after Labor amendments fail

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Original article by Matthew Doran
abc.net.au – Page: Online : 9-Apr-20

More than 730,000 businesses have registered with the Australian Taxation Office to access the federal government’s wage subsidy scheme. A special sitting of parliament has passed the JobKeeper legislation, with eligible businesses to receive $1,500 per fortnight for each worker they continue to employ during the pandemic. Labor backed the legislation despite failing in its push for the scheme to be expanded to include casual workers who have been with their employer for less than a year and temporary visa holders.

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AUSTRALIAN TAXATION OFFICE, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Coronavirus data due within weeks to reveal Australia’s path out of health crisis

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Original article by Sophie Scott, Nick Sas
abc.net.au – Page: Online : 9-Apr-20

Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy recently said that Australia’s progress on containing the coronavirus will become clearer within a week or so, as people returning from overseas are skewing the infection data at present. Health experts state that more data on the rate of community transmission will be needed before any decisions are made about relaxing the coronavirus restrictions. Health Minister Greg Hunt says the nation will be able to commence lifting the restrictions once the rate of community transmission is under control, although he warns that the restrictions are unlikely to be eased for some time.

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AUSTRALIA. OFFICE OF THE CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HEALTH

Coronavirus data shows job advertisements in freefall

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Original article by Catherine Hanrahan
abc.net.au – Page: Online : 9-Apr-20

Data from job listings group Seek shows that the number of job advertisements has declined by 65 per cent year-on-year due to the coronavirus pandemic. New South Wales has recorded a 72 per cent fall in job listings, ahead of Victoria with a 67 per cent decline. The sport and recreation sector has been the hardest hit, recording a 98 per cent decline in job advertisements. In contrast, job ads in the mining, resources and energy sector have fallen by just 30 per cent.

CORPORATES
SEEK LIMITED – ASX SEK

Extra 1.4 million Australians out of work in wake of COVID-19 pandemic – 3.92 million (27.4% of workforce) now unemployed or under-employed

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

The latest Roy Morgan unemployment estimate for the second half of March jumped a staggering 1.4 million to 2.4 million (16.8%) and under-employment increased 374,000 to 1.52 million (10.6%). This means a record high 3.92 million (27.4%) of Australians were either unemployed or under-employed and looking for more work in the second half of March – far more Australians looking for work than was the case during the last recession in 1990/91. Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine said: "The results from today’s Roy Morgan late March employment and unemployment estimates show the value of timely data closely tracking the employment statuses of Australian workers. In this uncertain times it is vital for Governments and policy-makers dealing with the COVID-19 ‘fallout’ to have the most up-to-date data on the state of the Labour market to make the correct decisions".

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ROY MORGAN LIMITED

PM plans staggered virus exit

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 8-Apr-20

Theoretical modelling suggests that just 12 per cent of Australians would be infected by the coronavirus and less than one per cent would require hospitalisation if people comply with lockdown measures. However, failure to do so could see 89 per cent of the population become infected, while only 15 per cent of people who need an intensive care bed would get one. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has warned that the economy cannot afford to be shut down for too long, and he has flagged a staged winding back of lockdown restrictions. He also says Australia will need to reduce its dependence on imports in the post-virus world, particularly critical supplies such as medical equipment.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Prepare to be hit but we’ll ease blow: RBA

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Original article by Adam Creighton
The Australian – Page: 4 : 8-Apr-20

Reserve Bank of Australia governor Philip Lowe has indicated that the cash rate will remain at 0.25 per cent until inflation returns to its target range of 2-3 per cent and the unemployment rate falls to around 4.5 per cent. The central bank will also maintain its bond-buying program until these targets are achieved. Lowe has warned that the domestic economy faces a "very large economic contraction" due to the coronavirus, while he says the unemployment rate will rise to its highest level in many years. The RBA left the cash rate on hold at its April board meeting.

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RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA

JobKeeper flexibilities give employers power to alter hours, ask staff to take leave

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Original article by Samantha Maiden
The New Daily – Page: Online : 8-Apr-20

Labor will support the federal government’s JobKeeper wage subsidy package when parliament reconvenes for a one-off sitting on 8 April. Attorney-General Christian Porter says the temporary changes to the Fair Work Act will allow employers to reduce an employee’s agreed hours of work for six months due to the pandemic. However, he stresses that any such reduction in agreed hours must be reasonable. The changes will also allow employers to request that staff use some of their annual leave entitlements during the pandemic.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, SKILLS, SMALL AND FAMILY BUSINESS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, ACTU

Nearly two-thirds of Australians (65%) now say Australian Government is handling COVID-19 well – up 22% in a week

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 8-Apr-20

A special Roy Morgan web survey shows that 65% of Australians aged 18+ now say the Australian Government is handling COVID-19 well, up 22% in a week. Just 29% (down 20%) of Australians disagree that the Australian Government is handling the Coronavirus well. While previously only 38% of those in New South Wales agreed that the Australian Government was handling COVID-19 well, this has increased to 59% (up 21% in a week). This is similar to clear majorities in other states: Queensland 70% (up 28%), Victoria 66% (up 21%), Western Australia 75% (up 22%) and South Australia 58% (up 11%). Meanwhile, 59% of Australians now say the ‘worst is yet to come’ over the next month in regards to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic – down 26% in a week. The survey of a cross-section of 987 Australians aged 18+ was conducted over the weekend of April 4-5.

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ROY MORGAN LIMITED

Cardinal George Pell leaves prison after High Court quashes abuse convictions

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Original article by
The New Daily – Page: Online : 8-Apr-20

Victoria’s Office of Public Prosecutions has declined to comment on the High Court’s unanimous decision to quash Cardinal George Pell’s conviction on historical child sexual abuse charges. The full bench ruled that the evidence had failed to establish his guilt to the requisite standard of proof. Cardinal Pell had spent 400 days in jail after being convicted on five charges in December 2018. He has released a statement saying that a "serious injustice" had been remedied and reiterated that he is innocent of all charges. The father of one the alleged victims intends to pursue a civil case against Cardinal Pell.

CORPORATES
VICTORIA. DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC PROSECUTIONS