O75 Public Administration

Roy Morgan Poll: ALP support drops in mid-December as expenses scandal impacts several senior ministers

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 17-Dec-25

In the week of December 8-14, primary support for the ALP was at 30.5% (down 2.5% from the first three weeks of December), the Coalition was at 27.5% (up 1.5%), One Nation was at 17% (up 2%), the Greens were at 13% (down 0.5%), and Independents/Other Parties were at 12% (down 0.5%) according to the latest Roy Morgan survey conducted with a representative Australia-wide cross-section of 1,574 electors. On a two-party preferred basis, the ALP is now on 54.5% (down 1.5% from early December) ahead of the Coalition on 45.5% (up 1.5% from early December). If a Federal Election were held now the ALP would be returned to Government with a decreased majority. All interviewing for this Roy Morgan survey was conducted before the shocking terrorist attack on Bondi Beach early on Sunday evening.

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

Gun laws fail to quell rising anger

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 2 : 17-Dec-25

The federal government is attracting growing criticism over its plans for gun controls in the wake of the Bondi Beach terrorist attack. Former prime minister John Howard is concerned that the government is using gun laws as a diversion to deflect attention from its failure to show leadership on the issue of anti-Semitism. He says Labor’s initial response to the 7 October 2023 terrorist attacks in Israel had been "weak and unconvincing"; he contends that some of the anti-Semitism that has been allowed to spread over the last two years may have been prevented if Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had taken a firmer stance from the outset. Queensland’s Premier David Crisafulli supports gun law reform but agrees that cracking down on anti-Semitism must be a priority.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, QUEENSLAND. DEPT OF THE PREMIER AND CABINET

Telcos accused of Triple-Zero death cover-up

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Original article by Jenny Wiggins, Nicola Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 10-Dec-25

Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young has accused the nation’s telecommunications companies of a "cover-up" during the second hearing of an inquiry into Optus’s triple-zero outage, which has been linked to several deaths. She was responding to the revelation that a person had died after an outdated Samsung mobile phone was used to call triple-zero; the device defaulted to Vodafone’s decommissioned 3G network. This incident had been reported six days after the Optus outage on 24 September, but it was not publicly disclosed. Communications Minister Anika Wells was also criticised over her handling of the Optus outage; she had been in New York at the time, promoting the government’s social media age restrictions.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN GREENS, SINGTEL OPTUS PTY LTD, VODAFONE AUSTRALIA LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORT, REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS

Secret state backing anti-mining activists

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Original article by James Dowling
The Australian – Page: 5 : 10-Dec-25

The Minerals Council of Australia has criticised a court’s decision to impose a 30-year suppresssion order on much of the evidence that informed the federal government’s decision to block development of the McPhillamys gold mine in NSW. Federal Court judge James Stellios contended amongst other things that the suppression order was necessary to "prevent prejudice to the proper administration of justice" and to uphold Indigenous traditional law. However, a spokesman for the MCA says the decision has made Australia a "secret state" that supports the interests of anti-mining activists

CORPORATES
MINERALS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

We will stand firm against the tech giants

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Original article by Sarah Ison
The Australian – Page: 4 : 10-Dec-25

Communications Minister Anika Wells says the federal government is proud of its "world-leading" social media age restrictions, which come into effect today. She adds that the government is on the side of kids, parents and families with regard to online safety, rather than social media platforms. Wells has emphasised that Labor will defend its ban on under-16s’ use of social media platforms, amid several legal challenges and resistance to the policy amongst some technology companies. Meanwhile, Reddit has advised that it will comply with the ban, having previously flagged a legal challenge.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORT, REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, REDDIT

Overall Australian unemployment and under-employment at 3.34 million in November – 12 months straight above 3 million

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 10-Dec-25

In November 2025, Australian ‘real’ unemployment was virtually unchanged at 1,628,000 (10.2% of the workforce). There were fewer people looking for full-time work (down 89,000 to 599,000), which was largely offset by the rise in people looking for part-time work (up 80,000 to 1,029,000). In addition to the unemployed, a further 1.71 million Australians (10.7% of the workforce, up 0.3%) were under-employed, i.e. working part-time but looking for more work (63,000 from October). In total 3.34 million Australians (20.9% of the workforce) were either unemployed or under-employed in November. Meanwhile, employment increased by 119,000 to 14,339,000; Roy Morgan estimates the overall workforce size (which adds together the employed and unemployed) at 15,967,000 in November, up 110,000 on a month ago, and representing 68.8% of Australians aged 14+.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED

Turnbull slams secrecy over AUKUS demands

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Original article by Jessica Gardner
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 12 : 10-Dec-25

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated after the annual AUSMIN talks that his nation is seeking "practical, realistic" ways to improve AUKUS alliance. Meanwhile, Defence Minister Richard Marles says the federal government is still "working through" the Pentagon’s review of the alliance, which is believed to have recommended a number of changes. Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull contends that Marles should reveal details of the changes that the US has requested before the government makes its next $US1bn AUKUS downpayment. Turnbull adds that there is still a real possibility that Australia will not receive any Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines.

CORPORATES
UNITED STATES. DEPT OF DEFENSE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF DEFENCE

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence drops 2pts to 83.5, as buying sentiment plunges after Black Friday sales weekend

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 10-Dec-25

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence fell 2pts to 83.5 in the week to 7 December; it is now 2pts lower than a year ago (85.5), and 0.9pts below the 2025 weekly average of 86.4. Analysis by State shows a split result, with Consumer Confidence down significantly in Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia, but up slightly in New South Wales and Victoria. Now 21% of Australians (unchanged) say their families are ‘better off’ financially than this time last year, while 45% (also unchanged) say their families are ‘worse off’. Looking forward, 25% (down 2ppts) of respondents expect their family to be ‘better off’ financially this time next year, while 35% (up 1ppt) expect to be ‘worse off’. Only 9% (unchanged) of respondents expect ‘good times’ for the Australian economy over the next 12 months, while 31% (up 1ppt) expect ‘bad times’. Meanwhile, 26% (down 3ppts) of Australians say now is a ‘good time to buy’ major household items, while 34% (up 3ppts) say now is a ‘bad time to buy’.

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

Overheating economy pushes RBA to uncomfortable hike talks

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Original article by Matthew Cranston
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 10-Dec-25

The Reserve Bank of Australia’s decision to leave the cash rate unchanged at 3.6 per cent on Tuesday had been widely expected, given the rise in both headline and underlying inflation in November. However, RBA governor Michele Bullock has stated that the underlying momentum in the economy suggests that further interest rate cuts may not be needed. Meanwhile, HSBC’s chief economist Paul Bloxham says his firm believes that the RBA may increase the cash rate in the September quarter, while Andrew Ticehurst from Nomura expects interest rates to remain on hold throughout 2026. Financial markets in turn have priced in the potential for two interest rate rises next year.

CORPORATES
RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, HSBC AUSTRALIA HOLDINGS PTY LTD, NOMURA AUSTRALIA LIMITED

Albanese says his use of family travel allowance in accordance with the rules as MPs call for fresh look at entitlements

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Original article by Josh Butler, Krishani Dhanji
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 10-Dec-25

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has become embroiled in the federal government’s controversy over travel expenses. Data from the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority shows that Albanese has claimed a total of $2,778 in travel expenses on three separate occasions since 2022 for his family to join him on trips to attend sports events in Melbourne and Brisbane. A government spokesperson has indicated that all of Albanese’ disclosures were "in accordance with the rules". Meanwhile, Communications Minister Anika Wells has referred herself to IPEA for an audit of her travel expenses, although she believes all of her expenses complied with parliamentary rules. However, some MPs and senators have called for a review of travel expense claims.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORT, REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIA. INDEPENDENT PARLIAMENTARY EXPENSES AUTHORITY