O75 Public Administration

Turkey threatens Anzac ties

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Original article by Simon Benson, Ben Packham
The Australian – Page: 1 & 9 : 21-Mar-19

The federal government has not ruled out severing diplomatic ties with Turkey in the wake of inflammatory comments by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has requested urgent talks with Turkey’s ambassador to Australia, and he has demanded an apology after Erdogan said Australian tourists could return home in coffins in reprisal for the Christchurch mosque attacks. The diplomatic row has cast doubt on future Gallipoli commemorations and heightened concerns about the safety of Australians who travel to Turkey for the upcoming ANZAC Day service.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Migration cuts won’t harm economy: PM

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 21-Mar-19

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has downplayed concerns that a new cap on Australia’s permanent migrant intake will have an impact on economic growth. Business Council of Australia CEO Jennifer Westacott and Australia Industry Group CEO Innes Willox are among the business leaders who have warned that cutting the migrant intake could impact on the economy. Morrison argues that the larger cut advocated by some cabinet ministers would have had an effect on economic growth.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, ONE NATION PARTY

Hold on rates due to strong jobs data

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Original article by David Uren
The Australian – Page: 2 : 20-Mar-19

The minutes of the Reserve Bank’s monthly board meeting show that the central bank expects the labour market to remain strong, negating the need for any change to the cash rate in the near-term. The Reserve Bank also maintained its guidance for GDP growth of about three per cent in 2019, although the board meeting was held the day before the release of data showing GDP growth of just 0.2 per cent for the December 2018 quarter.

CORPORATES
RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS

Business wants more detail on ALP’s emissions reduction policy

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Original article by Mark Ludlow
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 9 : 20-Mar-19

Business Council of Australia CEO Jennifer Westacott has urged both major political parties to reveal details of how their greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets will be achieved. She notes that a report by former bureaucrat Brian Fisher shows that the policies of both Labor and the Coalition will have an impact on the economy. Minerals Council of Australia CEO Tania Constable has called for a measured response to meeting Australia’s emissions reduction target to avoid any negative economic impact.

CORPORATES
BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, MINERALS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY. CRAWFORD SCHOOL OF PUBLIC POLICY

Weaker unions not the problem

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Original article by David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 8 : 20-Mar-19

University of Sydney economist Stephen Kirchner contends that Australia’s low level of wages growth is not linked to the decline in union membership. In a paper that has been published by the US Studies Centre, Kirchner also disputes the ACTU’s claim that wages growth is no longer linked to productivity increases. Kirchner adds that the rise in house prices has been the major contributor to the decline in labour’s share of income over the long-term.

CORPORATES
UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY. UNITED STATES STUDIES CENTRE, ACTU, CENTRE FOR FUTURE WORK

PM rolls out rail, migrant strategy

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Original article by Simon Benson
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 20-Mar-19

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says the federal government’s revised migrant intake is aimed at easing congestion in major cities. The nation’s permanent migrant intake will be capped at 160,000 a year, although some cabinet ministers had favoured reducing it to 155,000. Some 23,000 skilled migrants will also be required to live in regional areas for three years before qualifying for permanent residency. Meanwhile, the April 2019 Budget is expected to include funding for three proposed fast-rail projects in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HOME AFFAIRS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, MIGRATION COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA

Shorten slaps down union super bosses

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Original article by Joanna Mather
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 2 : 20-Mar-19

The union movement continues to attract scrutiny for using industry superannuation funds to promote its industrial relations agenda. Labor leader Bill Shorten says the legal requirement of super fund trustees to act in the best interests of members overrides any other allegiances they may have. ACTU president Michele O’Neil recently urged super funds to use their influence as investors to ensure that companies offer secure and well-paid jobs. O’Neil is an alternate director on the board of AustralianSuper, which is partly owned by the ACTU.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, ACTU, AUSTRALIANSUPER PTY LTD, TRANSPORT WORKERS’ UNION, TWUSUPER, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY, EQUIPSUPER PTY LTD, SUNSUPER PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION

ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence lifts to 111.9

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 20-Mar-19

ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence rose 2.2% to 111.9 in the week ended 17 March, after a fall of 4.6% in the previous week. The index is still below the long-term average of 113.1. Households’ views towards current financial conditions rose 6%, after falls in the previous three readings; views toward future financial conditions rose 1.7%. Consumers’ views toward current economic conditions were up 4.8% after the sharp fall of 7.9% in the previous week, and views toward future economic conditions were up marginally by 0.1%. The ‘time to buy a household item’ index fell by 0.5%, its third consecutive fall.

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

Wage rise will cost jobs: retailers

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

Master Grocers Australia has urged the Fair Work Commission to limit the 2019 increase in the minimum wage to 1.2 per cent, which equates to $8.60 a week. It warns that a large increase in the minimum wage would force independent retailers to cut staff numbers or allocate more shifts to junior employees. The ACTU is pushing for the minimum wage to be increased by $43 a week, while the Victorian and Queensland governments have called for it to be increased by $40.66 and $25 a week respectively.

CORPORATES
MASTER GROCERS’ AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, ACTU, IGA, FOODWORKS SUPERMARKET GROUP LIMITED, CELLARBRATIONS, THE BOTTLE-O, DUNCAN’S LIQUOR

G20 must act on social evils

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Original article by Simon Benson, Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 19-Mar-19

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says greater regulation of social media platforms should be a top priority for the next G20 leaders’ meeting in the wake of the Christchurch mosque attack. Morrison has written to G20 chairman Shinzo Abe arguing that the internet should not be regarded as an ungoverned space, and technology companies should be more accountable for the objectionable content that is distributed via their digital platforms. Facebook removed some 1.5 million live-streamed videos from its platform during the first 24 hours after the attack.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, GROUP OF TWENTY (G-20), FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, NEW ZEALAND. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, JAPAN. OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, YOUTUBE INCORPORATED, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, SINGTEL OPTUS PTY LTD