O75 Public Administration

Boosted funding for at-risk industries

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Original article by Geoff Chambers, Simon Benson, Richard Ferguson
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 17-Mar-20

Legislating the federal government’s $17.6bn economic stimulus package will be a priority when parliament resumes on 23 March. The government will pursue additional stimulus measures that will target industries that will be hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic; the Budget in May is also tipped to include more government support for businesses. Meanwhile, the national cabinet will consider restrictions on gatherings in enclosed spaces such as cinemas and restaurants. The existing ban on gatherings of more than 500 people has resulted in the cancellation of many cultural and sports events.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Bosses call for wages freeze, or jobs will go

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 5 : 16-Mar-20

Master Grocers Australia has urged the Fair Work Commission to freeze award pay rates in the retail sector for 12 months in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The MGA warns in its submission to the FWC’s annual review of the minimum wage that the impact of the coronavirus is likely to be felt for at least a year, so it is not an appropriate time to be increasing award wages. The MGA also contends that a small increase in the minimum wage may be justified, but not the three per cent rise in 2019. Most workers employed by MGA members are paid minimum award rates.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, MASTER GROCERS’ AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Qantas worker underpay hit $7.1m

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Weekend Australian – Page: 10 : 14-Mar-20

National carrier Qantas has become embroiled in the wage underpayments scandal, after admitting that it had been in breach of the Fair Work Act for several years. Qantas has agreed to an enforceable undertaking with the Fair Work Ombudsman following revelations that 638 employees were underpaid a total of $7.1m over an eight-year period. The scandal will cost Qantas around $9m when back-pay and interest is taken into account. It will also made a contrition payment of $390,000, which the Australian Services Union says is inadequate.

CORPORATES
QANTAS AIRWAYS LIMITED – ASX QAN, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN SERVICES UNION

Virus to shatter weak consumer confidence

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Original article by Elias Visontay
The Australian – Page: 18 : 16-Mar-20

KPMG has stated that the coronavirus could result in an 0.9 per cent hit to the Australian economy in 2020, and that up to 36 million work days could be lost. Simon Bligh, the CEO of data analytics company Ilion, notes that there was a big jump in people falling behind in credit card and mortgage repayments in the lead-up to the virus outbreak, while he suggests that consumer confidence could fall to its lowest point since the global financial crisis as a result of the coronavirus. Bligh contends that the $750 payments being made to low-income earners as part of the federal government’s $17.6 billion stimulus program are a "great initiative".

CORPORATES
KPMG AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, ILION TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION

Coronavirus: Most people will catch it from those who seem perfectly healthy

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Original article by John Elder
The New Daily – Page: Online : 16-Mar-20

The World Health Organization has advised that people should keep at least a metre away from someone who is showing symptoms of the coronavirus. However, analysis suggests that the majority of people will contract the respiratory illness from somebody who is not showing any symptoms and is not aware that they have the virus. The fact that anybody you come into contact with could be infected underlines the importance of measures such as social distancing.

CORPORATES
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION

PM urges G20 to call crisis meeting

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 16-Mar-20

India and Australia are among the countries calling for an urgent meeting of the Group of 20 nations to better co-ordinate the world’s response to the coronavirus. The next G20 leaders’ summit is not due to be held until November. Prime Minister Scott Morrison says that as well as needing to hold a meeting of G20 leaders soon, there needs to be another meeting of the G20 finance ministers given the subsequent economic deterioration since the last one was held less than a month ago. He said any meeting would need to be held by videoconference, given the current travel bans.

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GROUP OF TWENTY (G-20), AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Isolate rule to kill airlines: Flight Centre

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Original article by Simon Evans
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 17 : 16-Mar-20

Flight Centre CEO Graham Turner does not expect that self-quarantining people who arrive in Australia will be effective in stopping the coronavirus from spreading, while he warns that it will have a major impact on airlines and the domestic economy. Meanwhile, Qantas and Jetstar will offer travel credit vouchers to customers who want to cancel domestic and international flights that have been booked up to the end of May. Virgin Australia has advised that it is still considering its response to the new travel restrictions.

CORPORATES
FLIGHT CENTRE TRAVEL GROUP LIMITED – ASX FLT, QANTAS AIRWAYS LIMITED – ASX QAN, JETSTAR AIRLINES PTY LTD, VIRGIN AUSTRALIA HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX VAH

Virus puts nation on war footing

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Original article by Geoff Chambers, Simon Benson
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 16-Mar-20

The global death toll from the coronavirus has risen to 6,492. More than 168,000 people worldwide have been diagnosed with the respiratory illness, including 300 in Australia, while the nation has recorded its fifth death from the pandemic. The federal government has announced that all people arriving in Australia from overseas will be required to self-isolate for 14 days; those who fail to do so can be jailed for up to 12 months and fined up to $50,000. International cruise ships will also be banned from Australian ports for at least 30 days, while a ban on non-essential gatherings of more than 500 people takes effect on 16 March.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Woolies to pay self-isolating casuals

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Original article by David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 6 : 13-Mar-20

Woolworths announced on 12 March that it would pay its casual workers two weeks pay if they have to self-isolate because of COVID-19. The retailer is Australia’s biggest employer, with 190,000 staff and around 55,000 casual workers. It will also pay full-time and part-time staff if they have to self-isolate and have used up all their paid sick leave. Meanwhile, the federal government has announced it will waive the waiting period for casuals who wish to apply for sickness payments available through the federal welfare system.

CORPORATES
WOOLWORTHS GROUP LIMITED – ASX WOW TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS

Coronavirus crisis: stay calm and keep spending, says Scott Morrison

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Original article by Geoff Chambers Simon Benson
The Australian – Page: Online : 13-Mar-20

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has urged Australians to keep calm over the coronavirus crisis in a nationally televised ­address on 12 March. Morrison said the federal government was taking the crisis seriously, and that it had a "clear plan" to see Australia through it. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg had earlier unveiled a $17.6 billion stimulus package, aimed at preventing Australia from falling into recession for the first time since 1991; it will include $11 billion worth of direct stimulus prior to 30 June. Frydenberg noted he was in contact with global counterparts who were working on their own stimulus packages.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY