O75 Public Administration

Criminal charges for food profiteering

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Original article by Tom McIlroy
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 20-Mar-20

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton claims that some members of the community are profiteering from coronavirus-inspired demand for groceries. Dutton has warned that people who are found to be buying groceries in bulk in order to send them overseas or to sell them on the black market could face criminal prosecution. Agriculture Minister David Littleproud notes that Australia produces three times the amount of food that is consumed domestically, so there is no need for panic buying.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HOME AFFAIRS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF AGRICULTURE AND WATER RESOURCES, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern has highest Net Trust Score of all political leaders while Australian PM Scott Morrison has a Net Distrust Score to overcome

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

A special Roy Morgan survey on ‘Trust’ and ‘Distrust’ of government leaders shows New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern scores the highest ‘Net Trust Score’ of all – meaning the ‘Trust’ felt toward the New Zealand leader far outweighs the ‘Distrust’ – according to a special Roy Morgan Snap SMS Survey of 974 Australians aged 14+ conducted over the last two days. Other leaders to score highly on Net Trust include Opposition Leader in the Senate Penny Wong, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and former ALP Deputy Leader Tanya Plibersek. Prime Minister Scott Morrison is mentioned as a ‘Trusted’ leader by more Australians than any other. However, there are far more Australians that have a ‘Distrust’ of the Prime Minister than ‘Trust’ him – leaving Morrison with a ‘Net Distrust Score’. Other prominent political leaders that have ‘Net Distrust Scores’ include Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton, US President Donald Trump and former National Party Leader Barnaby Joyce.

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ROY MORGAN LIMITED

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence hits decade low at 100.0

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 18-Mar-20

ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence fell 0.4% to 100.0 in the week ended 15 March, a somewhat surprising result given the news flow. The Federal Government’s fiscal package may have contributed to the resilience. Current economic conditions fell 9.3%, adding to declines of 8% and 16.6% in the previous two reading; future economic conditions strengthened for the second week in a row, rising 2.1%. Meanwhile, current financial conditions gained 3%, while future finances declined 0.5%. The ‘Time to buy a major household item’ subindex fell by 0.2%, its third straight weekly loss, and it remains at an 11-year low. The four-week moving average for inflation expectations was stable at 4.1%.

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

Operation Covid: save jobs

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Original article by Geoff Chambers, Simon Benson, Ewin Hannan, Robyn Ironside, Greg Brown
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 18-Mar-20

The global death toll from the coronavirus has risen to 7,950; more than 197,000 people worldwide have been diagnosed with the respiratory illness, including 452 in Australia. The federal government will respond to the crisis with new measures aimed at supporting businesses and protecting jobs, in addition to the $17.6bn stimulus package that has previously been announced. Council of Small Business Organisations Australia CEO Peter Strong says many businesses could collapse without financial relief, with the potential loss of 500,000 jobs. The government will also provide a $715m financial assistance package for airlines, with Qantas CEO Alan Joyce warning that the virus is the "single biggest shock" the sector has ever seen.

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COUNCIL OF SMALL BUSINESS ORGANISATIONS OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED, QANTAS AIRWAYS LIMITED – ASX QAN

Economy in recession fear businesses

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Original article by Adam Creighton
The Australian – Page: Online : 18-Mar-20

Businesses across the nation have declared the economy in recession for the first time in almost 30 years, as the death toll from the deadly coronavirus reaches five and infections soar above 450. Almost 60 per cent of more than 600 Australian businesses surveyed by Roy Morgan said the economy was in "recession" already, including almost 70 per cent in Queensland – more than any other state – whose tourism sector is expected to be hit especially hard by the collapse of international travel. "Some industries have been hit harder than others but majorities of businesses in most industries agree Australia is in a ‘recession’ including Manufacturing, Construction, Wholesale trade, Accommodation & Food services and Education & Training," said Roy Morgan chief executive Michelle Levine. "Although it’s obvious Australia is already in a ‘recession’ there are only a few things that can save Australia from experiencing a full-blown ‘depression’ which is recognised as a fall in GDP of at least 10 per cent," she added. The last recession in Australia in the early 1990s saw the jobless rate surge from 6.6 per cent to 9.5 per cent in the 12 months to 1991.

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ROY MORGAN LIMITED

A majority of Australian businesses say we’re in recession

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 18-Mar-20

A majority of 56% of Australian businesses say Australia is in its first ‘recession’ in nearly three decades, according to a special Roy Morgan Snap SMS Survey of 621 Australian businesses. Analysing by States shows over two-thirds (68%) of Queensland businesses say Australia is now in a ‘recession’ – higher than any other State. A majority of businesses in New South Wales (56%) and a slight majority in Victoria (51%) also agree that Australia is now in a ‘recession’. Although a small sample, Tasmanian businesses are more likely than those in any of the three larger States to say Australia is in a ‘recession’. In contrast a slim majority of businesses in both Western Australia (53%) and South Australia (52%) say Australia is ‘not’ in a ‘recession’.

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ROY MORGAN LIMITED

Economic dose of medicine

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Original article by Patrick Commins
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 17-Mar-20

The Reserve Bank of Australia is set to make an emergency interest rate cut in response to the coronavirus pandemic. RBA governor Philip Lowe has also flagged a government bond purchasing program to ensure that financial markets continue to function smoothly. The central bank injected some $5.9bn into the banking system on 16 March in order to boost liquidity. The US Federal Reserve and the Reserve Bank of New Zealand announced out-of-cycle interest rate cuts on 16 March; US rates have been reduced to near zero and NZ rates have been slashed by 75 basis points to just 0.25 per cent.

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RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, UNITED STATES. FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD, RESERVE BANK OF NEW ZEALAND

Call to delay minimum wage rise

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 5 : 17-Mar-20

The Australian Industry Group has not made a recommendation on an increase in the minimum wage in its submission to the Fair Work Commission. It has cited the uncertain outlook for the economy by 1 July, when any rise in the minimum wage is slated to take effect. Ai Group has also urged a delay in any such increase until 15 July; it argues that the FWC should hold off on finalising its wage review until after the release of national accounts data on 3 July. Ai Group CEO Innes Willox has warned that every segment of the economy will be affected by the coronavirus.

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AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP

Home care risks repeat of Italy disaster

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Original article by Jamie Walker
The Australian – Page: 2 : 17-Mar-20

The global death toll from the coronavirus has risen to 7,098 and the number of fatalities outside of China now exceeds the total in that country. More than 179,000 people worldwide have been diagnosed with the virus, including 375 in Australia. Infectious diseases expert Professor Dale Fisher says Australia should not allow people who are showing few symptoms of the virus to self-isolate at home. He notes that countries such as China and South Korea have managed to contain the virus by forcing anybody who tested positive to remain in hospital until they were completely clear of it. In contrast, 60 per cent of people who tested positive in Italy were sent home in the initial stages of the outbreak; the nation has now recorded 2,158 deaths from the virus.

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WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION

Small businesses in NSW and South Australia hardest hit by coronavirus crisis

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Original article by Adam Creighton
The Australian – Page: Online : 17-Mar-20

Research by Roy Morgan has found that 60 per cent of Australian businesses have now been affected by the coronavirus pandemic, compared with just 15 per cent in mid-February. The survey of more than 1,100 businesses also shows that 17 per cent of businesses have been affected ‘a great deal’ by the virus, up from two per cent in mid-February. Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine notes that more than 70 per cent of businesses with turnover of at least $1m have reported being affected by the coronavirus, at a time when the economy is still recovering from the bushfires. She says the federal government’s stimulus package will need to be significantly increased to avert a devastating recession.

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ROY MORGAN LIMITED