O75 Public Administration

Virus triggers surplus retreat

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Original article by Rosie Lewis, Simon Benson
The Australian – Page: 1 & 8 : 26-Feb-20

The global death toll from the coronavirus has risen to 2,711, and more than 80,000 people worldwide have been diagnosed with the respiratory illness. Meanwhile, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has warned that the virus will have a greater economic impact on the Australian economy than the summer bushfires, while Prime Minister Scott Morrison has stressed the impact of the virus is not restricted to the education and tourism sectors. Chris Richardson of Deloitte Access Economics says there is still a chance that the government will achieve a Budget surplus for 2019-20.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, DELOITTE ACCESS ECONOMICS PTY LTD

ASIO uncovers sleeper agent running spy ring

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Original article by Simon Benson
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 25-Feb-20

Australian Security Intelligence Organisation director-general Mike Burgess says countering terrorism remains ASIO’s top priority. He was delivering the Annual Threat Assessment on 24 February, with Burgess stating the ­number of active terrorist leads ASIO was investigating had doubled in the past 12 months. He revealed that ASIO had uncovered a ‘sleeper agent’ running a major spy ring, although he did not disclose what had happened to the agent. Burgess said ASIO had used controversial new encryption laws within 10 days of them coming into effect in 2018 in order to prevent a possible terrorist attack.

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AUSTRALIAN SECURITY INTELLIGENCE ORGANISATION

Inflation expectations much higher among ALP supporters than Liberal, National or Greens supporters

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 25-Feb-20

Australians aged +14 expect inflation of 3.9% annually over the next two years, according to the Roy Morgan Inflation Expectations Index for January 2020. This is a slight decrease of 0.1% on December, but down 0.3% on a year ago. This is the lowest expectation of future price increases to start a year since the series began in 2010, and compares to price expectations of 6.6% annually over the next two years in January 2011. Comparing price expectations by Federal voting intention shows that the highest price expectations are held by those voting for Independents/Others at 4.4% annually over the next two years, equal to those who can’t say who they would vote for (also 4.4%). In terms of supporters of the major parties, ALP supporters expect annual price increases of 4.1% over the next two years which is slightly higher than the national average of 3.9% and significantly higher than both L-NP supporters on 3.5% and Greens supporters on 3.7%. January Inflation Expectations are based on personal interviews with a nationally representative sample of 4,052 Australians aged 14+.

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ROY MORGAN LIMITED

Already 1-in-6 Australian businesses have been affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19)

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 25-Feb-20

In mid-February around 1-in-6 Australian businesses (15%) have already been affected by the coronavirus. This new threat to business comes after 28% of Australian businesses said they have been affected by the extensive bushfires over the last few months, according to a special Roy Morgan Snap SMS Survey of 1,170 Australian businesses. A little over a week after the Australian Government stopped all direct commercial flights to China in early February the coronavirus (COVID-19) is already striking several industries. Around two-fifths of Manufacturers are already reporting being affected, closely followed by a third of Education & training businesses and those in the Wholesale industry. Other industries to already be feeling the effects of the coronavirus include Accommodation & Food services (which includes travel and tourism businesses), Community services, Administrative & Support services and Property & Business services. Meanwhile, a deeper analysis of the industries most heavily impacted by the bushfires/floods shows that over 40% of businesses in the Accommodation and Food services sector, which includes travel and tourism, say they have been affected either ‘A great deal’ or ‘Somewhat’. Around a third of businesses in the Retail and Property & Business services industries have been affected, while there have also been disproportionately large impacts on Manufacturing, Transport, Postal and Warehousing, Public administration & defence, Education & training and Recreation & personal.

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ROY MORGAN LIMITED

Power stability critical

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Original article by Angela Macdonald-Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 24-Feb-20

The Energy Security Board’s latest annual report card has stated that electricity affordability improved from ‘critical’ in 2018 to ‘moderate-critical’ in 2019. This was due to a combination of falling costs and government pressure on retailers. The ESB noted that power generation from wind and solar is tipped to grow from 16 per cent of supply in 2019 to more than 40 per cent by 2030. However, it warned that the growth of wind and solar poses a threat to the stability of the national grid, with greater intervention needed.

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AUSTRALIA. ENERGY SECURITY BOARD

ALP target a business bodyblow

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Original article by Rosie Lewis, Elias Visontay
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 24-Feb-20

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann has criticised Labor’s target of net zero carbon emissions by 2050, describing it as "reckless and irresponsible". Labor leader Anthony Albanese has indicated that the net zero emissions target will be economy-wide, prompting concern among sectors such as agriculture and logistics. Agriculture Minister David Littleproud has warned that achieving this target would require Australia to eliminate most of its cattle herd, which would in turn result in higher costs for consumers.

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AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF AGRICULTURE AND WATER RESOURCES, NATIONAL FARMERS’ FEDERATION LIMITED

World is approaching coronavirus tipping point, experts say

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Original article by Angela Giuffrida, Patrick Wintour, Sam Jones
The Guardian – Page: Online : 24-Feb-20

The global death toll from the coronavirus has risen to 2,470, and more than 78,000 people worldwide have been diagnosed with the respiratory illness. There have been 2,444 confirmed deaths in China, while the number of fatalities in other countries is rising; there have now been eight deaths in Iran, six in South Korea and three in Italy. South Korea has raised its alert on the coronavirus to the highest level, while coronavirus expert Paul Hunter of the University of East Anglia has warned that time is running out to avert a global pandemic.

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UNIVERSITY OF EAST ANGLIA

Lifting super punishes women on low incomes

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Original article by Michael Roddan
The Australian – Page: 17 & 19 : 24-Feb-20

The National Foundation for Australian Women has used its submission to a review of the retirement income system to argue against progressively increasing the superannuation guarantee. Professor Helen Hodgson of the NFAW says the legislated increase from 9.5 to 12 per cent by 2024 will reduce the take-home pay of low-income earners, and women in particular. However, Women In Super contends that the increase in the super guarantee should be brought forward.

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NATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR AUSTRALIAN WOMEN LIMITED, WOMEN IN SUPER

Wage theft: Employer calls to reform award system are a bare-faced con job

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Original article by Martijn Boersma
The New Daily – Page: Online : 23-Feb-20

PwC has estimated that Australian workers are underpaid $1.35 billion each year, with 13 per cent of the workforce impacted. In certain sectors, the figure increases to 21 per cent of workers. Companies that have been found to have underpaid staff are tending to blame the award system for the problem, contending that it is overly complicated. Employers and employer groups say that the system needs to be simplified, but what they are really want is to reduce the role of governments and unions in wage determination.

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PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS AUSTRALIA (INTERNATIONAL) PTY LTD, CALTEX AUSTRALIA LIMITED – ASX CTX, COLES GROUP LIMITED – ASX COL, SUPER RETAIL GROUP LIMITED – ASX SUL, WOOLWORTHS GROUP LIMITED – ASX WOW

Practical focus for fire inquiry

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Original article by Rosie Lewis, Rachel Baxendale, David Ross, Sarah Elks, Yoni Bashan
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 21-Feb-20

The federal government has released the terms of reference for its bushfires royal commission, which will be headed by former defence force chief Mark Binskin. The six-month inquiry’s focus will be on natural disaster management and improving Australia’s resilience to natural disasters. Labor and the Greens have criticised the government for excluding policies aimed at reducing carbon emissions from the inquiry’s terms of reference.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS