O75 Public Administration

Asia’s coal hunger to lift exports

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Original article by Greg Brown, Perry Williams
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 18-Dec-19

Australia’s coal production will grow by 1.4 per cent annually over the next five years, according to a report from the International Energy Agency. The nation’s coal output is forecast to top 444 million tonnes in 2024, compared with 409 million tonnes in 2018. Thermal coal exports are forecast to increase from 203 million tonnes to 223 million tonnes over this period, with coking coal shipments to rise from 179 million tonnes to 196 million tonnes. Demand for Australian coal is expected to be driven by nations such as India, Vietnam and Indonesia. Greens MP Adam Bandt has called for legislation to phase out coal exports by 2030, claiming that "coal will kill us".

CORPORATES
INTERNATIONAL ENERGY AGENCY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND SCIENCE, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, MINERALS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, ADANI MINING PTY LTD, SIEMENS AG

Fast-tracked income tax cuts unlikely

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 18-Dec-19

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has not ruled out bringing forward the next stage of the federal government’s income tax cuts package, which is due to take effect in mid-2022. However, sources have indicated that this is unlikely given the reduction in projected Budget surpluses over the next four years. Meanwhile, Chris Richardson of Deloitte Access Economics argues that bringing forward the second stage of the tax cuts to 2020-21 would require the iron ore price to remain about $US15 per tonne higher throughout that financial year.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, DELOITTE ACCESS ECONOMICS PTY LTD, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, SOUTH AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF TREASURY AND FINANCE

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence down to 108.0

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 18-Dec-19

ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence fell 0.9% to 108.0 in the week ended 15 December. Current financial conditions fell 1.5%, while future financial conditions gained 3.7%. Current economic conditions rose 1.6%, while future economic conditions were down 1.2%. The ‘time to buy a household item’ sub-index fell 6.4% and the four-week moving average of inflation expectations was up 0.1ppt to 4.0%.

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

Christmas pain as Jetstar faces further strikes

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 2 : 16-Dec-19

The Transport Workers’ Union’s national secretary Michael Kaine says passengers of budget airline Jetstar can expect further industrial action in the lead-up to Christmas. Jetstar pilots walked off the job on the weekend of 14-15 December, resulting in nearly 100 flights being cancelled. Jetstar is offering an annual pay rise of three per cent, but CEO Gareth Evans says the wage claim equates to an increase of 15 per cent. Jetstar’s ground crew and baggage handlers will impose work stoppages on 19 December.

CORPORATES
JETSTAR AIRLINES PTY LTD, TRANSPORT WORKERS’ UNION, AUSTRALIAN FEDERATION OF AIR PILOTS

London calling: Boris talks trade

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Original article by Simon Benson
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 16-Dec-19

The UK could potentially finalise a free-trade agreement with Australia within a year, after Prime Minister Boris Johnson signalled that it will be a priority for his newly re-elected government in the post-Brexit environment. Business Council of Australia CEO Jennifer Westacott says the UK election result will provide businesses with greater certainty, while a free-trade deal will benefit all Australians. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Scott Morrison says there are similarities between Johnson’s emphatic win and the Coalition’s election victory in May, as well as the election of US President Donald Trump in 2016.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, GREAT BRITAIN. OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LABOUR PARTY (GREAT BRITAIN)

Foreword – ANZ Roy Morgan Financial Wellbeing Indicator

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Original article by
Bluenotes – Page: Online : 16-Dec-19

The ANZ Roy Morgan Financial Wellbeing Indicator is a statistically robust snapshot of the personal financial wellbeing of Australians, reported as a 12-month rolling average every quarter. The indicator is derived from data gathered through the weekly Roy Morgan Single Source survey, which canvasses approximately 50,000 Australians annually. ANZ partnered with Roy Morgan Research to develop the indicator based on previous research conducted by ANZ on personal financial wellbeing in 2017. The result is an ongoing time-series measure of how Australians are faring financially.

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

Surplus to survive $30bn blow

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Original article by Simon Benson
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 16-Dec-19

The federal government’s mid-year economic and fiscal outlook is forecast to confirm that the Budget will remain in surplus for the next four years. However, government revenue is expected to be up to $30bn lower than projected in the 2019 Budget, due to expectations that global and domestic economic growth will be lower than was forecast in April. Growth in wages is also expected to be lower than was forecast in the Budget. Meanwhile, the government is expected to maintain its forecast that the price of iron ore will average $US55 a tonne in 2019-20, even though it is significantly higher at present.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, DELOITTE ACCESS ECONOMICS PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Call to end retrospective R&D audits for business

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Original article by Tom McIlroy
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 9 : 12-Dec-19

Small Business & Family Enterprise Ombudsman Kate Carnell has recommended changes to the administration of R&D tax incentives following a review of the scheme. Amongst other things, she has proposed that the federal government cease requiring recipients to undergo retrospective audits, often some years after they received the tax incentive. Carnell notes that the Australian Taxation Office has frequently required small businesses to repay the full amount of the tax incentive after an audit, including harsh financial penalties.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. OFFICE OF THE AUSTRALIAN SMALL BUSINESS AND FAMILY ENTERPRISE OMBUDSMAN, AUSTRALIAN TAXATION OFFICE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND SCIENCE, AIRTASKER PTY LTD

No senior minister but mega department will work

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Original article by Olivia Caisley
The Australian – Page: 4 : 12-Dec-19

The Department of Agriculture, Water & the Environment will be formally established on 1 February, as part of the federal government’s plans to streamline the bureaucracy. The existing ministers for each portfolio – Bridget McKenzie, Sussan Ley and David Littleproud – will remain in these roles, and McKenzie has confirmed that the new department will not have a senior minister. She is confident that the three ministers will work well together and that the new department will deliver "real outcomes" for regional communities.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF AGRICULTURE AND WATER RESOURCES, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY

Federal budget could be set for $30b boost: CBA

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Original article by Matthew Cranston
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 8 : 12-Dec-19

The Commonwealth Bank has upgraded its federal Budget surplus forecasts. Chief economist Michael Blythe says the surplus for fiscal 2020 is now likely to be $17.1bn rather than $7.1bn, while the surplus for the following year is set to be $19.1bn rather than $11bn. Blythe adds that factors such as strong jobs growth and the low inflation rate will boost the Budget bottom line by about $30bn over the next four years. He notes that government revenue will also be bolstered by a much higher iron ore rice than was forecast in the April 2019 Budget.

CORPORATES
COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, S&P GLOBAL RATINGS