O75 Public Administration

Allan stands by signature rail loop

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Original article by Lily McCaffrey, Amelia Swan
The Australian – Page: 5 : 2-Apr-25

Victoria’s Premier Jacinta Allan says she remains "determined" to go ahead with the Suburban Rail Loop in the wake of the Coalition’s decision to scrap all federal funding for the controversial project if it wins the 3 May election. However, Allan declined to comment on how the state will pay for the project if federal funding is withdrawn. Federal Opposition leader Peter Dutton has described the SRL as a "$200bn pipe dream"; he contends that Allan, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the CFMEU are the only ones that are in favour of it. Dutton intends to redirect SRL funding to other road and rail projects in Victoria.

CORPORATES
VICTORIA. DEPT OF PREMIER AND CABINET, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Gas producers question whether Coalition’s energy plan will cut consumer prices

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Original article by Kate Lyons, Adam Morton
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 2-Apr-25

Shell Australia chair Cecile Wake is amongst the energy industry executives who attended the Australian Domestic Gas Outlook conference on Tuesday. She noted the lack of detail in the proposed ‘east coast gas reservation policy’ which Opposition leader Peter Dutton announced in his recent budget reply speech. Dutton’s policy would require gas exporters to redirect an additiona1 10-20 per cent of their output to the domestic market. Wake says the policy could see gas supply in the domestic market exceed demand, which could in turn result in gas prices falling to a level where future investment decisions are not economic. She adds that an oversupply may not necessarily result in lower gas prices for households and businesses.

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SHELL COMPANY OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Job losses not RBA’s priority as bank keeps rates on hold

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Original article by Shane Wright, Millie Muroi
The Age – Page: Online : 2-Apr-25

Reserve Bank of Ausralia governor Michele Bullock says that keeping inflation under control will be its top priority, after the central bank’s new monetary policy board left the cash rate unchanged on Tuesday. Bullock contends that there is no point in letting inflation rise because it would eventually result in higher unemployment. The RBA’s monetary policy statement noted that although underlying inflation is continuing to ease, the board needs to be confident that inflation will return to the middle of its target range of 2-3 per cent and stay there. Shadow treasurer Angus Taylor says the RBA’s interest rates decision affirms the fact that living standards have declined since Labor took office in 2022.

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RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence up 1.1pts to 85.3 after the Federal Election Budget is handed down

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 2-Apr-25

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence rose 1.1pts to 85.3 in the week to 30 March. Consumer Confidence is now 2.5 points above the same week a year ago (82.8), but it is 1.3pts below the 2025 weekly average of 86.5. Analysis by State shows that increases in New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia drove the weekly up-tick, while there were small declines in Victoria and South Australia. Now 21% of Australians (unchanged) say their families are ‘better off’ financially than this time last year, while 45% (down 4ppts) say their families are ‘worse off’. Looking forward, 28% (down 3ppts) of Australians expect their family to be ‘better off’ financially this time next year, while 29% (down 3ppts) expect to be ‘worse off’. Now 10% (up 2ppts) of Australians expect ‘good times’ for the Australian economy over the next 12 months, while 30% (down 2ppts) expect ‘bad times’. Meanwhile, 23% (down 3ppts) of Australians say now is a ‘good time to buy’ major household items, while 39% (down 4ppts) say now is a ‘bad time to buy’ (the lowest figure for this indicator since May 2022).

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

Australia first: PM ready for trade row

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Original article by Ben Packham, Joe Kelly
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 2-Apr-25

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has responded to the Trump administration’s new list of trade grievances with Australia, ahead of the formal announcement of the reciprocal tariffs regime. The report on foreign trade barriers was released by US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, and includes Australia’s import bans on uncooked US meat and poultry products, the News Media Bargaining Code and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Albanese stated that these issues are "not up for negotiation", stating that the federal government will "defend Australia’s interests". Opposition leader Peter Dutton supported his stance, saying that he will stand up for the nation’s interests every day if the Coalition wins the election on 3 May.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Inflated promise to low-paid workers

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 2-Apr-25

The federal government will call for an "economically sustainable real wage increase" for people on award and minimum wages from mid-July. Its submission to the Fair Work Commission’s annual wage review will not specify a percentage amount, except that it should be above the inflation rate. The budget papers show that the Treasury expects an inflation rate of 2.5 per cent for 2024-25, rising to three per cent in 2025-26, when the new minimum wage will take effect. A three per cent increase would equare to a minimum wage rise of $27 per week. Employers’ groups are expected to urge the FWC to opt for a minimum wage rise that is in line with or below the inflation rate.

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AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION

Australian Made welcomes unprecedented level of support

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Original article by
AuManufacturing – Page: Online : 1-Apr-25

The Australian Made Campaign has welcomed additional funding of $20m in the federal government’s budget. Amongst other things, this funding will allow the organisation to launch a new campaign to encourage more Australians to buy locally made products, and assist more local manufacturers and producers to obtain Australian Made certification. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Industry Minister Ed Husic have noted in a joint statement that research by Roy Morgan in 2024 found that more than 90 per cent of Australians have a preference for buying locally-made products.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN MADE CAMPAIGN LIMITED, ROY MORGAN LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, SCIENCE AND RESOURCES

Economists warning over Greens’ demands over tax, spending agenda

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Original article by Matthew Benns
Herald Sun – Page: Online : 1-Apr-25

The independent Parliamentary Budget Office’s analysis suggests that the Greens’ policy demands in return for supporting a minority Labor government would cost about $110bn. Amongst other things, the Greens want to expand Medicare to include dental services, which would cost an estimated $46bn over four years. The Greens propose to finance its policies via a 40 per cent tax on the excessive profits of large companies and by increasing the tax rate of 150 billionaires. EQ Economics’ MD Warren Hogan says large companies and billionaires would simply take their money – and jobs – offshore.

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AUSTRALIA. PARLIAMENTARY BUDGET OFFICE, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, EQ ECONOMICS

Australia should persist with AUKUS despite risk of US relationship ‘becoming unstuck’, former defence department secretary says

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Original article by Ben Doherty
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 1-Apr-25

Dennis Richardson has told a Security and Sovereignty conference organised by former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull that Australia should stick with the $368 billion AUKUS submarine deal. Richardson, who is a former secretary of both the defence and foreign affairs departments, says this is despite the US becoming a "less reliable and a more demanding ally" under Donald Trump’s second administration. He said that acquiring nuclear submarines was in Australia’s national interest, while Turnbull told the conference that Australia’s relationship with the US had been "irrevocably altered" by the new Trump administration.

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Albanese says federal EPA will not be same model as earlier one he promised but didn’t deliver

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Original article by Dan Jervis-Bardy
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 1-Apr-25

Labor recently indicated that it will press ahead with plans to establish a federal environmental protection agency if it wins the election on 3 May. A federal EPA was part of Labor’s platform for the 2022 election, but the policy was shelved earlier in 2025 amid a pushback in Western Australia. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has advised that Labor will adopt a new model for the proposed EPA. He adds that Labor will consult widely to ensure that it gets federal environment laws right. Meanwhile, shadow environment minister, Jonno Duniam has warned that a federal EPA would result in more green lawfare and regulation, while not guaranteeing any further protection for the environment.

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