O75 Public Administration

Public service’s dirt job for Chalmers

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Simon Benson
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 26-Feb-25

The federal government is continuing to attract scrutiny over claims that it had asked the Treasury to undertake costings on the Coalition’s proposal to offer tax breaks of up to $20,000 for small businesses. Treasury is not permitted to provide the government of the day with costings on the opposition’s policies. However, a series of emails between senior Treasury officials and the office of Treasurer Jim Chalmers shows that the Treasury was aware that it was modelling Coalition policy. Chalmers has publicly stated that he had asked Treasury to cost the policy; shadow treasurer Angus Taylor has accused him of using the Treasury as his personal "dirt unit".

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY

Ukraine agrees minerals deal after Washington drops toughest demands

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Christopher Miller, Alec Russell, Gideon Rachman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: Online : 26-Feb-25

Ukrainian officials have advised that the war-torn nation’s government will sign a deal with the US to jointly develop its mineral and energy resources after the Trump administration agreed to abandon its most onerous conditions. The US had initially sought a right to some $US500 billion ($788 billion) in potential revenue from exploiting Ukraine’s mineral and energy resources. The final version of the agreement will establish a fund into which Ukraine will contribute 50 per cent of proceeds from the future monetisation of state-owned mineral and energy resources, as well as and associated logistics; The fund would invest in projects in Ukraine. However, the agreement does not mention the US security guarantees that Ukraine had sought in return for backing the deal.

CORPORATES

Roy Morgan Poll: ALP takes lead on two-party preferred after Reserve Bank cuts interest rates: ALP 51% cf. L-NP 49%

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

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

The latest Roy Morgan survey shows that if a Federal Election were held now the result would be a hung parliament; the ALP is on 51% (up 2.5%) on a two-party preferred basis, just ahead of the L-NP Coalition on 49% (down 2.5%). The ALP or the Coalition would require the support of minor parties and independents to form a government. The ALP gained significant ground on primary support this week, up 3.5% to 31.5%, while the Coalition was down 3% to 36.5%. Support for the Greens increased 1% to 13.5%. Support for One Nation dropped 0.5% to 5%, support for Other Parties dropped 1% to 3.5% and support for Independents was unchanged at 10%.

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

Cash splash to increase tax burden

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by John Kehoe
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 25-Feb-25

Analysis shows that the federal government has made $123.6bn worth of discretionary spending decisions in the three budgets it has handed down since taking office in May 2022. The government has also announced some $20bn worth of election promises since the start of 2025, headlined by the $8.5bn expenditure on Medicare. Independent economist Chris Richardson says the cost of Labor’s spending decisions since taking office will ultimately be borne by taxpayers via ‘bracket creep’. He adds that it will also delay any prospect of further tax cuts by 5-6 years.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Albanese confident US would come to Australia’s defence in event of attack

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Kate Lyons
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 25-Feb-25

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese discussed issues such as Australia’s alliance with the US, the cost-of-living crisis and social cohesion in a special edition of the ABC’s Q&A program on Monday night. Amongst other things, Albanese expressed confidence that Australia could rely on the US to help defend the nation if it were to come under attack; however, he also emphasised the need for Australia to invest in its own defence. Albanese described anti-semitism as "abhorrent and completely unacceptable", in response to criticism from an audience member regarding his perceived lack of action against people who have been targeting Jewish Australians.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Ukraine, US close to a deal over nation’s natural resources

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Daryna Krasnolutska, Alex Wickham
The Australian Financial Review – Page: Online : 25-Feb-25

Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna says it and the US are close to concluding a deal that would see the US get a share of Ukraine’s mineral resources. The deal is seen as a vital part of US President Donald Trump’s plans to broker a ceasefire agreement in regard to Russia’s three-year war against Ukraine. It is understood that the US will commit to a "free, sovereign and secure" Ukraine and a "lasting peace" as part of the deal, and that the US will state that anyone who acted adversely against Ukraine during the conflict should not derive any benefit from its reconstruction.

CORPORATES
UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

Chinese expose navy’s chronic decline

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Andrew Tillett
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 25-Feb-25

Analysis shows that the Royal Australian Navy has retired 14 surface ships from service since the federal government took office in May 2022. Four new patrol boats have been added to the navy’s fleet over this period, and the navy now has just 25 surface vessels. Former rear admiral Rowan Moffitt says the navy is in "serious, accelerating and chronic decline", although he emphasises that this has been developing for more than two decades. The strength of the nation’s defence force has been under scrutiny in the wake of revelations that the Chinese navy has conducted live-fire exercises in the Tasman Sea.

CORPORATES
ROYAL AUSTRALIAN NAVY

Robb cautions against losing tariff advantage

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Joe Kelly
The Australian – Page: 4 : 19-Feb-25

Former Coalition minister Andrew Robb has weighed into the debate regarding the tariff policies of US President Donald Trump. Robb has used a Sydney University speech to warn that the foundations of the global trading system are facing their "most significant challenge" since the post-World War II era. He notes that the US has traditionally been the strongest advocate of the "three pillars" of globalisation, but these pillars are now under threat. These pillars include the law of comparative advantage, and the former trade minister says Australia must resist "throwing it out the window".

CORPORATES
UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence drops 1.6pts to 85.1 in the week before key Reserve Bank meeting on interest rates

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 19-Feb-25

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence fell 1.6pts to 85.1 in the week to 16 February, due to rising concerns about personal finances and the Australian economy over the next year. Consumer Confidence is now 2.3 points above the same week a year ago (82.8), but 1.6 points below the 2025 weekly average of 86.7. A look at Consumer Confidence by State shows a mixed result, with decreases in Victoria, Western Australia and South Australia, virtually unchanged in New South Wales, and increasing in Queensland. Now 20% of Australians (up 1ppt) say their families are ‘better off’ financially than this time last year, while 50% (up 2ppts) say their families are ‘worse off’ (the highest figure for this indicator so far this year). Looking forward, 32% (down 2ppts) of Australians expect their family to be ‘better off’ financially this time next year (the lowest figure for this indicator so far this year), while 31% (up 3ppts) expect to be ‘worse off’. Now 10% (down 1ppt) of Australians expect ‘good times’ for the Australian economy over the next 12 months, while 29% (up 1ppt) expect ‘bad times’. Meanwhile, 24% (down 2ppts) of Australians say now is a ‘good time to buy’ major household items (the lowest figure for this indicator since before the Black Friday sales period), while 45% (up 1ppt) say now is a ‘bad time to buy’.

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

Robo-debt officials to be investigated, in anti-corruption commission backflip

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Olivia Ireland
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: Online : 19-Feb-25

Former High Court judge Geoffrey Nettle has ruled that National Anti-Corruption Commission should investigate six public officials over their role in the robodebt scandal. Nettle was commissioned to undertake an independent review of the NACC’s June 2024 announcement that it would not pursue an investigation into six individuals who had been referred to it by the robodebt royal commission. The names of the six officials have not been disclosed. The welfare debt recovery scheme was implemented by the former Coalition government, and subsequently deemed to have been unlawful.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. NATIONAL ANTI-CORRUPTION COMMISSION, HIGH COURT OF AUSTRALIA