O75 Public Administration

Security ban for DeepSeek AI

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Original article by Ben Packham
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 5-Feb-25

The Department of Home Affairs has issued a protective ­security order which bans the use of DeepSeek on all federal government devices. Every government department and agency has been directed to remove the artificial intelligence app from their systems and devices, prevent future access to the app and report compliance with the order to Home Affairs. The total ban follows an assessment by intelligence agencies that the software poses an "unacceptable risk" to national security. Chinese short-video app TikTok was banned on all federal government-issued devices in 2023 due to similar concerns.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HOME AFFAIRS

No retaliation if Trump targets us, says Chalmers

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Original article by Ben Packham
The Australian – Page: 5 : 5-Feb-25

The federal government is optimistic that Australian imports to the US will not be targeted under President Donald Trump’s new tariffs policy. Treasurer Jim Chalmers has indicated that Labor is not contemplating the need to impose retaliatory measures on US imports, citing factors such as the two nations’ close strategic partnership and the large US trade surplus with Australia. Business Council of Australia CEO Bran Black also believes that such factors will enable Australia to avoid being targeted by Trump.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA

Allan’s shock confession that bail laws are too soft

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Original article by Shannon Deery
Herald Sun – Page: Online : 4-Feb-25

Victoria’s Premier Jacinta Allan has ordered a review of the state’s bail laws, amid an ongoing crime wave. Allan has asked Attorney-General Sonya Kilkenny and Police Minister Anthony Carbines to review the existing bail laws, which were strengthened just six months ago. Allan says that while these reforms are already making a difference, it is clear that more needs to be done to address community safety. Shadow police minister David Southwick says Victoria has become a lawless state due to the government’s lack of leadership on the issue of crime.

CORPORATES
VICTORIA. DEPT OF PREMIER AND CABINET

ANZ-Roy Morgan New Zealand Consumer Confidence down 4.2pts to 96.0 in January

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 4-Feb-25

ANZ-Roy Morgan New Zealand Consumer Confidence fell 4.2pts to 96.0 in January. The future conditions index eased 1 point to 104.2, and the current conditions index fell by 9 points to 83.8. Net perceptions of current personal financial situations fell 3 points to -17% in January; only 23% of respondents said they are ‘better off financially’ compared to a year ago (down 3% points from December), while 39% (down 1% point) say they are ‘worse off financially’. Meanwhile, a net 23% of respondents expect to be ‘better off’ this time next year (up 2% points), while a net 16% of respondents think it is a ‘bad time’ to buy a major household item (down 15% points from a month ago). Two-year-ahead CPI inflation expectations were steady at 3.9%.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED

Renewables target: 82 per cent of no chance

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Original article by Greg Brown
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 4-Feb-25

Australian Chamber of Commerce & Industry CEO Andrew McKellar doubts that the federal government’s 2030 renewable energy target is realistic. He says Labor will need to reconsider its goal of having 82 per cent of the nation’s electricity generated via renewables by the end of the decade. McKellar contends that while renewables will be the ‘backbone’ of the energy grid in the medium to longer term, there will need to be a strong focus on gas exploration, production and supply in the near-term. Council of Small Business Organisations Australia CEO Luke Achterstraat agrees that the renewables target should be reviewed.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, COUNCIL OF SMALL BUSINESS ORGANISATIONS OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED

Visa plan a golden invitation for crime

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Original article by Stephen Rice
The Australian – Page: 6 : 4-Feb-25

Sir Bill Browder has attacked plans by Opposition leader Peter Dutton to consider reinstating the significant investor visa if the Coalition wins the federal election. Dubbed the ‘golden ticket’ visa, they were given to people who committed to invest $5 million if they were granted entry to Australia, but they were scrapped by the federal government last year after it was revealed they were being used by foreign criminals and corrupt regime officials to secure Australian citizenship. Sir Bill was the main force behind the creation of the Magnitsky laws, which sanction human rights abusers and corrupt officials; he claims that bringing back the significant investor visa would amount to "reopening the door to organised crime".

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Dark money totalling $67.2m flowed to Labor, Coalition and Greens in 2023-24

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Original article by Dan Jervis-Bardy, Sarah Basford Canales
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 4-Feb-25

Data from the Australian Electoral Commission shows that Labor, the Coalition and the Greens declared a total of $156m in political donations for the last financial year. Labor and its state branches received $67.5m worth of political donations in 2023-24; the Coalition received $72.2m and the Greens received $17.1m. However, the four major political parties did not declare the source of a combined $67.2m worth of donations. These financial contributions were below the disclosure threshold of $16,300 which the federal government wants to reduce this to just $1,000. Rob Keldoulis was the biggest individual political donor in 2023-24, contributing $1.1m to the Climate 200 organisation personally and via his private investment company.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN ELECTORAL COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, CLIMATE 200 PTY LTD

Axe the red tape: Big business presses for Trump-like attack on regulation

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Original article by Shane Wright
The Age – Page: Online : 4-Feb-25

The Business Council of Australia has urged the federal government and the opposition to adopt a Donald Trump-like attack on red tape, contending living standards will fall if business regulation is not reduced. The BCA’s biggest wish is for the creation of a minister for deregulation, while the BCA would like to see the Productivity Commission come up with an annual list of regulations that could be eliminated. Along with reduced regulation, the BCA would also like to see the company tax rate cut to 25 per cent, the adoption of investment allowances for all businesses and a possible increase to the GST.

CORPORATES
BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA

Roy Morgan Poll: ALP and Coalition are now level on two-party preferred terms

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 4-Feb-25

If a Federal Election were held now the result would be a hung parliament and ‘too close to call’, with the ALP on 50% (up 2%) and Coalition on 50% (down 2%) on a two-party preferred basis. The ALP or Coalition would require the support of minor parties and independents to form a minority government, the latest Roy Morgan survey finds. Primary support for the Coalition dropped 2% to 38.5%, the ALP increased 0.5% to 30%, the Greens were unchanged at a 12-month low of 11.5%, One Nation dropped 0.5% to 5.5%, Other Parties were up 0.5% to 4% and Independents increased 1.5% to 10.5%.

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ROY MORGAN LIMITED, MORGAN POLL, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, ONE NATION PARTY

ACTU calls for a ban on employee lockouts

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 7 : 30-Jan-25

Australian Industry Group CEO Innes Willox has urged the federal government to reject the ACTU’s push for legislative changes to ban employers from locking out their workers. ACTU secretary Sally McManus contends that reforms are needed to prevent employers from ‘abusing their power’. Her comments were made after visiting the Opal paper mill in Victoria, where its entire workforce has now been locked out for 13 days in retaliation for industrial action by a small number of staff. Willox has described the ACTU’s stance as an ‘extreme’ attack on the collective bargaining rights of employers.

CORPORATES
OPAL, ACTU, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP