O75 Public Administration

Labor decries Coalition complacency on economy

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Original article by Joe Kelly
The Australian – Page: 4 : 16-Jul-19

Deloitte Access Economics partner Chris Richardson contends that a slowdown in the economy is not the main reason why the Reserve Bank of Australia has cut interest rates in two consecutive months. Rather, he suggests that it is because the RBA has changed its view on how many new jobs need to be created in order to stimulate wage growth. Labor’s treasury spokesman Jim Chalmers says the opinion expressed in the latest Deloitte Business Outlook report is "just one opinion in a range of opinions". Chalmers claims that the Australian economy has gotten worse since the federal election, but that the Coalition still has its feet up.

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DELOITTE ACCESS ECONOMICS PTY LTD, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Stubborn workers keep lid on wages

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Original article by Michael Roddan
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 16-Jul-19

Analysis by the Treasury suggests that the reluctance of workers to leave unproductive companies has been a major contributor to Australia’s low wages growth. Treasury’s deputy secretary Meghan Quinn says the research shows that there is a link between the frequency of job switching and higher real wages, including for people who stay in their existing job. The national rate of job-switching is now about eight per cent, compared with 11 per cent in the early 2000s.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, ECONOMIC SOCIETY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA

Pull your weight: Feds tell states

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 16-Jul-19

Urban Infrastructure Minister Alan Tudge has called on the states to accelerate new infrastructure projects where possible to help stimulate the Australian economy. While noting that capacity constraints in the construction sector are at their highest level since the resources boom, Tudge has suggested three areas where new infrastructure can be fast-tracked, including the 166 small urban congestion projects that the federal government announced in the lead-up to the 18 May election.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, INFRASTRUCTURE AUSTRALIA

Minimum wage world’s highest

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Original article by Rachel Baxendale
The Weekend Australian – Page: 2 : 13-Jul-19

Australia’s minimum wage was increased by 3.5 per cent in 2018, with the increase giving Australia the highest minimum wage in the world when adjusted for inflation and purchasing power. This is according to recent OECD figures, which do not take into account the latest three per cent increase in the minimum wage. Australian Industry Group CEO Innes Willox says the OECD figures rebut union claims that the minimum wage system needs to be overhauled, although an ACTU spokesperson contends that it is a "basic principle of fairness" that no one who works full-time should be living in poverty.

CORPORATES
THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, ACTU, ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT

Renewables well short of the electricity target

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Original article by Adam Creighton
The Australian – Page: 2 : 12-Jul-19

Tony Wood from the Grattan Institute expects Australia’s Renewable Energy Target of 33GWh by 2020 to be met, despite the release of data showing that solar and wind power accounted for just 15 gigawatt hours of total electricity generation in 2018-19. Wood notes that uncertainty surrounding the RET has caused investment in renewables to be delayed, but he says separate data shows that such investment in renewables is slated to increase during 2019-20.

CORPORATES
GRATTAN INSTITUTE, AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS, AUSTRALIAN ENERGY REGULATOR, AUSTRALIAN ENERGY COUNCIL

Inflation sentiment defies Reserve Bank projections

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Original article by Adam Creighton
The Australian – Page: 2 : 12-Jul-19

Roy Morgan’s monthly inflation expectations survey shows that consumers expect inflation of 3.8 per cent for each of the next two years. This compares with the official inflation rate of 1.3 per cent for the year to March, and the Reserve Bank’s inflation target of 2-3 per cent. Julian McCrann of Roy Morgan says the decline in the housing market has been a big driver of lower inflation expectations in 2019.

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ROY MORGAN LIMITED, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA

Fiscal policy needs to play bigger role

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Original article by David Rogers
The Australian – Page: 27 : 12-Jul-19

HSBC Australia’s chief economist Paul Bloxham says the federal government’s tax cuts are likely to have a similar short-term economic impact as an 0.5 per cent reduction in the cash rate. Bloxham adds that there is plenty of scope for the government to stimulate the economy via fiscal policy, particularly given that there is limited capacity for monetary policy to provide further stimulus. He has also flagged the possibility of establishing an independent fiscal authority to co-ordinate fiscal and monetary policy.

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HSBC AUSTRALIA HOLDINGS PTY LTD, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA

RBA chief backs Frydenberg plan

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Original article by Richard Ferguson, Rachel Baxendale
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 12-Jul-19

Reserve Bank of Australia governor Philip Lowe says he is in full agreement with Treasurer Josh Frydenberg’s view that the Australian economy remains sound. Lowe and Frydenberg met for two hours in Melbourne on 11 July. Lowe said after the meeting that it was a "remarkable achievement" that more Australians have a job now than at any previous time in the country’s history, while shadow treasurer Jim Chalmers claimed that Frydenberg is letting the RBA do nearly all of the heavy lifting.

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RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC

Hanson flirts with Labor, warns PM

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Original article by Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 2 : 11-Jul-19

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson says she has a much better working relationship with Anthony Albanese than she had with former Labor leader Bill Shorten. Hanson says she is "cautious" of all major political parties, but adds that it is important talk to all sides of politics to ensure the best legislative outcomes. Hanson also says she has had no "meaningful engagement" with Prime Minister Scott Morrison since the federal election, but adds that he should not disregard her as she intends to contest the next election.

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

Road map for recognition

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Original article by Greg Brown
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 11-Jul-19

Ken Wyatt, Minister for Indigenous Australians, has told the National Press Club that the federal government intends to establish an indigenous voice to parliament. Wyatt also said he will push ahead with separate plans for a referendum to recognise indigenous people in the Constitution, and that he will seek to develop a model that will have the support of all sides of politics and the general public. Linda Burney, the shadow minister for indigenous Australians, says Labor is of the view that the indigenous voice should be enshrined in the Constitution.

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