O75 Public Administration

ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence cools down to 120.1

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 11-Jul-18

ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence fell 0.2% to 120.1 in the week ended 8 July. Consumers’ views towards current financial conditions fell 2.7%, following two consecutive 2.8% rises in the previous weeks. Meanwhile, sentiment around future financial conditions rose 1.5% on the back of a 0.2% bounce previously. Households’ views towards current economic conditions bounced 2.7%, partially reversing the previous week’s 6.6% fall. Similarly, views towards future economic conditions improved 1.6%, following a 2.5% decline the previous week. Both sub-indices sit above their long-term average.

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

Power rip-offs: ACCC lines up energy giants

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Original article by Simon Benson
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 11-Jul-18

The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission will release the final report on its investigation into retail energy pricing on 11 July. The ACCC has accused large energy companies of abusing their market power, and it has proposed major changes to the National Electricity Market in order to reduce electricity prices. Amongst other things, the ACCC has recommended banning companies from participating in mergers if they boast a 20 per cent share of the electricity generation market. It has also recommended giving the Australian Energy Regulator more powers to combat market manipulation.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN ENERGY REGULATOR, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, NEW SOUTH WALES. INDEPENDENT PRICING AND REGULATORY TRIBUNAL, QUEENSLAND MEDIA CLUB

‘Far from PM’: ALP attacks ex-leader

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Original article by Joe Kelly, Rachel Baxendale
The Australian – Page: 4 : 11-Jul-18

Former Labor leader Mark Latham has recorded a robocall message on behalf of the Liberal Democrats in the seat of Longman, just days after recording a similar message for One Nation in which he called Opposition Leader Bill Shorten a liar. Latham has also indicated that he is considering a return to politics, and that he has been approached by four political parties. Senior Labor MPs have criticised Latham, including Deputy Leader Tanya Plibersek and shadow treasurer Chris Bowen, while Shorten has described the furore over Latham’s robocall message in support of One Nation as a "sideshow".

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, ONE NATION PARTY, LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY

Hooyah! Cave boys finally free after miracle rescue

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Original article by Jacquelin Magnay
The Australian – Page: 1 & 10 : 11-Jul-18

Divers have rescued the last four schoolboys who were trapped in Thailand’s flooded Tham Luang cave system for more than two weeks with their soccer coach. After completing the complex operation, Thai navy SEALs described it as an "extraordinary rescue mission" and praised the many people who contributed to it. Colleagues of Adelaide-based doctor Richard Harris have also praised his contribution to the rescue effort. The cave-diving expert went down to the cave system each day and determined that the schoolboys were medically fit before allowing them to ascend to the surface.

CORPORATES
THAILAND. OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER

Dismay as candidates snub dual-citizenship checklist

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Original article by Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 4 : 10-Jul-18

New voluntary checklists aimed at assuring voters that political candidates are eligible under Australian citizenship laws were introduced in the wake of the dual-citizenship fiasco. It has been revealed that of the 48 candidates taking part in five upcoming by-elections, 17 have either not completed the checklist or chosen not to have the details made public. Constitutional law expert Anne Twomey says electors may decide not to vote for candidates who have decided not to fully participate in the checklist process.

CORPORATES
UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY, LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN ELECTORAL COMMISSION, CENTRE ALLIANCE

PM pushed on power prices

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Original article by Greg Brown
The Australian – Page: 1 & 5 : 9-Jul-18

The Greens will push for a commission of ­inquiry into retail electricity pricing, with energy spokesman Adam Bandt urging Coalition backbenchers to cross the floor and support the proposed bill. A number of Senate crossbenchers have expressed support for an inquiry into retail electricity prices, while several Coalition MPs have advocated holding a royal commission unless electricity retailers take action to reduce their prices. However, Deputy Prime Minister ­Michael McCormack says a royal commission is not on the Coalition’s agenda at present.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN GREENS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AGL ENERGY LIMITED – ASX AGL, ORIGIN ENERGY LIMITED – ASX ORG, ENERGYAUSTRALIA PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN ENERGY MARKET COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION

Unemployment drops to 8.7% in June, lowest since 2016

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 9-Jul-18

A Roy Morgan survey shows that 12,245,000 Australians were employed in June 2018, down 85,000 over the last year. The fall was driven by a drop in full-time employment, which was down 300,000 to 7,800,000; part-time employment increased by 215,000 to 4,445,000. The figures also show that 1,171,000 Australians were unemployed (8.7% of the workforce) in June, a decrease of 29,000 (down 0.2%) on a year ago. In addition, 1,302,000 Australians (9.7% of the workforce) are now under-employed, working part-time and looking for more work, a fall of 143,000 in a year (down 1%). Roy Morgan’s real unemployment figure of 8.7% for June remains substantially higher than the current ABS estimate for May of 5.4%. Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine says that over 2.4 million Australians looking for work or looking for more work in June explains why wage growth remains at record lows. Improving wage growth and the performance of the Australian economy is as simple as designing policies that engage these under-utilised workers and encourage employers to offer more jobs, and more hours, to Australians who want more work.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION

June Business Confidence down to 114.4

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 9-Jul-18

In Australia, Business Confidence fell 2.7pts (-2.3%) to 114.4 in June 2018, according to the latest Roy Morgan Business Single Source survey. However, it remains 2.6pts higher than a year ago and continues its best start to a year since 2014. Business Confidence traditionally falls in the months immediately following the Federal Budget and this year is no exception. Business Confidence has now decreased in six out of the last eight years in the two months following the Federal Budget (May and June). Despite the overall fall in confidence, businesses are still largely confident about the prospects for the Australian economy; 54.2% (down 0.2ppts) expect "good times" for the economy over the next 12 months and 50.3% (down 1.2ppts) expect "good times" for the economy over the next five years. Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine says the decision by Opposition Leader Bill Shorten to support the Federal Government’s company tax cuts for any business turning over up to $50 million came too late to impact Business Confidence in June but will support Business Confidence in July and following months.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION

Trade spats pose serious threat: WTO

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Original article by Timothy Moore
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 9 : 6-Jul-18

Group of 20 countries adopted 39 new trade restrictive measures between mid-October 2017 and mid-May 2018, according to the World Trade Organization. Additional restrictive measures have been announced since its survey, and WTO director-general Roberto Azevedo has urged G20 nations to show restraint when it comes to the adoption of trade restrictive measures. US President Donald Trump has accused the WTO of treating the US "very badly", and there are suggestions that he wants the US to leave the WTO.

CORPORATES
GROUP OF TWENTY (G-20), WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

Treasurer’s fix ends GST battle

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Original article by Ben Packham
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 6-Jul-18

Shadow treasurer Chris Bowen has criticised the Federal Government’s proposal to provide the states and territories with top-up goods and services tax payments. Treasurer Scott Morrison said the GST payments will be funded via consolidated revenue, but Bowen has warned that the government could potentially reduce funding for hospitals and schools to finance the deal. The states are expected to endorse the changes, which aim to ensure that each state’s share of GST revenue does not fall below $0.75 in the dollar.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, NEW SOUTH WALES. THE TREASURY