O75 Public Administration

Australia’s economy up there with best: IMF

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Original article by David Uren
The Australian – Page: 4 : 18-Apr-18

The International Monetary Fund is upbeat about the outlook for the Australian economy, forecasting that it will expand by three per cent in 2018 and 3.1 per cent in 2019. This compares with growth of just 2.3 per cent in 2017. The IMF also forecasts that Australia’s unemployment rate will fall to 5.3 per cent in 2018 and 5.2 per cent in 2019. The IMF is also bullish about the outlook for the global economy, although it has cautioned that global growth could be undermined by any trade war between the US and China.

CORPORATES
INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY

ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence bounces, up 0.9pts to 116.0

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

ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence rose 0.8% to 116.0 in the week ended 15 April, ending a string of weekly declines. Although the headline increase was modest, the detail was more encouraging, with four out of five sub-indices posting gains. Views towards current financial conditions rose 4.6%, after three successive falls. Views towards future conditions bounced 3.5%, entirely reversing the previous week’s fall. Sentiment toward both current and future economic conditions continued to recover, rising 0.5% and 0.9% respectively, following similar gains in the previous week. The current conditions sub-index has risen to 103.9 after falling to its long-term average of 101.9 in the last week of March.

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

Stop market rejig

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Original article by Wendy Tuohy
Herald Sun – Page: 4 : 17-Apr-18

Pollster Gary Morgan says Melbourne’s Queen Victoria Market will become "Queen Victoria Chadstone" if a proposed $A250 million re-development goes ahead. Morgan, who is running for the position of Melbourne lord mayor, agrees with fellow candidate Sally Warhaft that the development should not proceed. Warhaft and Morgan, who had not met before the mayoral campaign, have urged voters to treat the by-election as a referendum on the market’s future. Morgan says Melbourne will lose a major tourist attraction if the re-development proceeds.

CORPORATES
CITY OF MELBOURNE, QUEEN VICTORIA MARKET, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, ROY MORGAN LIMITED

Patrick braces for illegal seven-day strike at Port Botany

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Original article by David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 2 : 17-Apr-18

Stevedoring firm Patrick will ask the Fair Work Commission to block Maritime Union of Australia members from taking unlawful industrial action at its Port Botany facility in Sydney. The MUA proposes a seven-day strike over negotiations for a new enterprise bargaining agreement with Kalmar, which provides crane maintenance services for Patrick. The union imposed work bans on the weekend of 14-15 April in response to Kalmar’s move to deploy contractors to replace staff who were on sick leave.

CORPORATES
PATRICK CORPORATION LIMITED, MARITIME UNION OF AUSTRALIA, KALMAR LMV, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION

Greens unveil plan to sell marijuana through agency

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Original article by Tom McIlroy
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 8 : 16-Apr-18

The Greens have called for cannabis to be legalised in Australia for recreational use, with its sale to be managed through a government agency. The Australian Cannabis Agency would serve as the sole wholesaler of the drug, while people would be able to grow up to six cannabis plants at home for their own use. Announcing its policy, Greens leader Richard Di Natale said "the war on drugs has failed". The Greens contend that its policy would help to reduce crime, as well as boosting the Budget by hundreds of millions of dollars.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN GREENS, AUSTRALIAN DRUG LAW REFORM FOUNDATION, AUSTRALIA. PARLIAMENTARY BUDGET OFFICE

Migration a net boost to economy

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Original article by Simon Benson, Sam Buckingham-Jones
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 17-Apr-18

The Treasury and the Department of Home Affairs have released a report which highlights the economic benefits of Australia’s immigration policy. It concludes that at current levels, the nation’s permanent migrant intake will boost average GDP growth by between 0.5 per cent and one per cent annually over the three decades to 2050. Amongst other things, the report estimates that skilled migrants who were granted permanent visas in 2014-15 will make a combined net contribution of $A6.9bn to government revenue over their lifetime. Treasurer Scott Morrison says the report supports the government’s policy of not having a fixed annual permanent migrant intake.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HOME AFFAIRS, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Consumer Confidence & Business Confidence start 2018 on a high

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 16-Apr-18

Roy Morgan Business Confidence and ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence have both begun 2018 on a high, recording their highest ratings for the March quarter in several years. Roy Morgan Business Confidence for the March quarter 2018 was recorded at 119.7, up 5.7pts on a year ago. This is the highest Business Confidence rating for the March quarter since 2014, when Business Confidence was an impressive 123.2 for the opening months of 2014. ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence has almost matched its fellow confidence measure, recording a confidence rating of 119.4 for the March quarter 2018, up 3.2pts on a year ago. This makes 2018 the best start to a year for Consumer Confidence since the March quarter 2013, when Consumer Confidence averaged 120.6 for the first three months of that year. Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine says the improved political performance of the Turnbull Government in the two latest Morgan Polls and the positive start to 2018 for both Roy Morgan Business Confidence and ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence mean next month’s Federal Budget presents a clear opportunity for Treasurer Scott Morrison to set the Government on the path to a strong performance at the next Federal election.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, MORGAN POLL, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY

Million job milestone under federal scheme

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Original article by Joe Kelly
The Australian – Page: 10 : 13-Apr-18

Jobs Minister Michaelia Cash says the best form of welfare is getting a job. Cash is due to announce that more than one million people have now been helped in securing a job through the federal government’s jobactive scheme, with those under the age of 30 benefiting the most. Nearly 80 per cent of those who have been helped in finding work have secured permanent positions, while 65.8 per cent of placements have been in metropolitan areas and 34.2 per cent have been in regional areas.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF JOBS AND SMALL BUSINESS

Migrant numbers in sharp plunge

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Original article by Simon Benson
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 13-Apr-18

Australia’s permanent migrant intake fell to 183,608 in 2016-17, and stricter scrutiny of visa applicants is expected to see it fall to between 160,000 and 170,000 in 2017-18. The downturn in permanent migrant numbers will require the Federal Government to adjust its estimates in the 2019 Budget, although the May 2018 Budget will not be affected. Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton proposed reducing the permanent migrant intake by 20,000 in 2017. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has confirmed that the issue had been discussed by ministers, he says it was not put before Cabinet.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HOME AFFAIRS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF IMMIGRATION AND BORDER PROTECTION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

ACTU’s new bargaining bid risks industrial chaos

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Original article by David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 11 : 13-Apr-18

The Federal Government and business leaders have criticised the ACTU’s push for changes to the Fair Work Act to allow employees and employers to negotiate wages and conditions at the industry level rather than the enterprise level. The ACTU’s six-point plan also includes the right to take protected industrial action at industry level. Workplace Relations Minister Craig Laundy warns that the proposals would see industrial action rise to the levels of the 1970s, while Australian Industry Group CEO Innes Willox says militant unions would be the sole beneficiaries of any such reforms.

CORPORATES
ACTU, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF JOBS AND SMALL BUSINESS, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANIZATION, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA