O75 Public Administration

In December Australian unemployment increased to 9.7% as overall employment dropped by 150,000

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 15-Jan-25

In December 2024, Australian ‘real’ unemployment increased by 180,000 to 1,542,000 (up 1.1% to 9.7% of the workforce), with many fewer people in part-time employment following the Black Friday sales period in November. In addition to the unemployed, a further 1.68 million Australians (10.6% of the workforce) were under-employed, i.e. working part-time but looking for more work (up 132,000 from November to a new record high). In total, 3.22 million Australians (20.3% of the workforce) were either unemployed or under-employed in December; this is the highest combined figure since August 2020. Meanwhile, Australian employment fell by 154,000 to 14,276,000; this decrease was driven by a fall in part-time employment (down 210,000 to 4,953,000 following the Black Friday sales period), while full-time employment increased by 56,000 to 9,323,000. The total workforce in December was 15,818,000 (up 26,000 from November, and up 866,000 from two years ago). Roy Morgan’s unemployment figure of 9.7% is clearly more than double the ABS estimate of 3.9% for November, but it is approaching the combined ABS unemployment and under-employment figure of 10.3%.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS

‘National day January 26 by law’: Dutton

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Original article by Brendan Kearns
The Australian – Page: 3 : 15-Jan-25

Some 81 local councils shifted the date of their citizenship ceremonies in 2024 via federal government’s laws that allow them to be held within three days on either side of 26 January. Opposition leader Peter Dutton has indicated that he would be open to formally legislating 26 January as the national holiday if the Coalition wins the upcoming election. Dutton has also urged Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to "stand up to mayors" whose local councils refuse to hold citizenship ceremonies on Australia Day. There is growing support for Dutton’s stance on Australia Day amongst many mayors, including some in federal seats that are held by Labor or independents.

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

‘Democracy is at stake’: SOS from PM’s envoy

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Original article by Alexi Demetriadi, Bianca Farmakis
The Australian – Page: 1 & 5 : 15-Jan-25

Australia’s inaugural envoy on anti-Semitism, Jillian Segal, has urged Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to convene a meeting of national cabinet to address the issue. Segal has called for harsher sentences and more prosecutions for hate crimes directed at Jewish Australians, arguing that the judiciary’s soft approach to sentencing is giving anti-Semites "effective impunity". Segal adds that politicians at federal and state level must take legislative action if current laws are not "up to the task". Segal notes that the recent attacks on the Jewish community are part of a "systematic pattern of intimidation" that began when no action was taken against people who targeted Jews at the Sydney Opera House on 9 October 2023.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Biden lauds AUKUS as key achievement

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Original article by Joe Kelly
The Australian – Page: 2 : 15-Jan-25

US President Joe Biden has praised his administration’s management of foreign policy in a State Department speech. Biden stated that the US is in a better strategic position regarding long-term competition with China than when he took office in 2021. Biden also said over the last four years the US has created new partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region in order to challenge China’s "aggressive behaviour". He praised the AUKUS alliance with Australia and the UK, and noted that the majority of NATO member nations have increased their defence spending during his administration.

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UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANISATION

Roy Morgan Poll: Coalition lead over ALP narrows in mid-January: L-NP 51.5% cf. ALP 48.5%

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 14-Jan-25

A Coalition Government, with a slim majority, would now win a Federal Election with two-party preferred vote narrowing from last week: L-NP 51.5% (down 1.5%) cf. ALP 48% (up 1.5%), the latest Roy Morgan survey finds. Primary support for the Coalition was unchanged at 40.5% and remains well ahead of the ALP on 30% (down 1%). Support for the Greens increased 0.5% to 12.5% – and their preferences shifted decisively in favour of the ALP this week after a closer than usual Greens preference split a week ago favoured the Coalition’s two-party preferred vote. Support for One Nation rebounded 1% to 4.5%, Other Parties were unchanged at 3.5% while support for Independents dropped 0.5% to 9%. On a State-based level the Coalition has retained its lead in Victoria, after the Coalition leadership change in that State, and also leads in Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia.

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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

High-fibre plan: Labor tips another $3b into NBN

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Original article by Ronald Mizen, Paul Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 14-Jan-25

The federal government has announced that it will invest a further $3 billion in the National Broadband Network, with the funding to give an extra 622,000 premises the option of full fibre access. With an additional injection of $800 million from NBN Co to be included, Labor expects it to result in over 94 per cent of premises on the fixed-line network having access to speeds of up to 1GB per second on fibre to the premises or hybrid fibre coaxial connections. The new $3 billion in funding will increase the government’s total investment in the NBN to $35 billion.

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AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, NBN CO LIMITED

Councils feel the heat over January 26

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Original article by Mohammad Alfares, Brendan Kearns
The Australian – Page: 5 : 14-Jan-25

Opposition leader Peter Dutton said on Monday that he would reinstate the requirement for councils to hold citizenship ceremonies on Australia Day within the first 100 days of a Coalition government. Commenting on Dutton’s declaration, the Australian Local Government Association’s president mayor Matt Burnett said there were a number of reasons why councils did not hold citizenship ceremonies on Australia Day, including costs and extreme heat. Adelaide Lord Mayor Jane Lomax-Smith said it would comply with any government directive to hold ceremonies on Australia Day, but that it might need to ask for compensation to cover any additional costs.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LOCAL GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION LIMITED

Loss of Western values: Lib MP slams Wong’s contempt

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Original article by Rhiannon Down
The Australian – Page: 5 : 14-Jan-25

Liberal MP Julian Leeser has accused Foreign Minister Penny Wong of having a ‘blind spot’ when it comes to Israel, and having a lack of faith in the Western values that Australia and Israel share. Leeser contends this lack of faith has resulted in Wong in being openly hostile to what is the only democracy in the Middle East, while he accused her of showing ‘quiet contempt’ by refusing to visit massacre sites on her official trip to Israel. Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council executive director Colin Rubenstein claims that Leeser’s comments about Wong "ring true".

CORPORATES
LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, AUSTRALIA-ISRAEL AND JEWISH AFFAIRS COUNCIL

Wages claims put state budgets at risk: S&P

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Original article by Michael Read, James Hall
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 14-Jan-25

S&P Global Ratings analyst Martin Foo has warned that demands for big public sector wage rises could more negatively impact on state governments’ budget bottom lines that treasurers had forecast. Foo notes that some recent above-average pay rises in the public sector could have a flow-on effect, with other unions likely to seek to match them. Foo adds that changes to some state governments’ public sector wage caps may also have contributed to higher wage claims. AMP’s chief economist Shane Oliver says state governments have limited ‘wiggle room’ to increase public sector wages.

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S&P GLOBAL RATINGS, AMP LIMITED – ASX AMP

Wages claims put state budgets at risk: S&P

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Original article by Michael Read, James Hall
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 14-Jan-25

S&P Global Ratings analyst Martin Foo has warned that demands for big public sector wage rises could more negatively impact on state governments’ budget bottom lines that treasurers had forecast. Foo notes that some recent above-average pay rises in the public sector could have a flow-on effect, with other unions likely to seek to match them. Foo adds that changes to some state governments’ public sector wage caps may also have contributed to higher wage claims. AMP’s chief economist Shane Oliver says state governments have limited ‘wiggle room’ to increase public sector wages.

CORPORATES
S&P GLOBAL RATINGS, AMP LIMITED – ASX AMP