O75 Public Administration

ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence Edges Higher – up 0.6pts to 114.1

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 6-Sep-17

ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence edged up 0.5% to 114.1 in the week ended 3 September 2017, following a 3.9% rise in the previous week. Households’ views towards current financial conditions slipped 2.0%, partially unwinding the previous 4.7% rise. Similarly, sentiment around future financial conditions fell 1.7%, following a solid 6.4% increase earlier. Despite the fall, confidence in overall financial conditions remains close to its long-term average. Meanwhile, consumers’ views towards current and future economic conditions posted another solid rise (2.6% and 5.5% respectively). Even so, views towards both current and future economic conditions are running below long-run averages.

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

New CET bid to extend life of coal-fired power

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Original article by Mark Ludlow
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 4-Sep-17

The Australian Government is hoping to secure agreement from backbenchers on a Clean Energy Target before the end of 2017. It is understood that the proposed CET includes provision for existing coal-fired power stations to have their operating lives extended, as well as the possibility of a new coal-fired power station to be funded by the $A5 billion Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility. Both the Government and the Australian Energy Market Operator are keen to ensure greater stability within the National Electricity Market.

CORPORATES
NORTHERN AUSTRALIA INFRASTRUCTURE FACILITY, AUSTRALIAN ENERGY MARKET OPERATOR LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AGL ENERGY LIMITED – ASX AGL, GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, GREENSYNC PTY LTD, PJM

Boral’s threat to fire workers over building code unlawful

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Original article by David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 7 : 4-Sep-17

Most of De Martin & Gasparini’s employees in Sydney rejected proposed changes to their enterprise agreement in June, prompting parent company Boral to threaten all DMG employees with dismissal. The Federal Court has ruled that Boral acted unlawfully in threatening to sack DMG staff unless they endorsed changes to make their enterprise agreement compliant with the new building code. DMG subsequently secured a deal with the Construction, Forestry, Mining & Energy Union to make its enterprise agreement compliant with the code.

CORPORATES
BORAL LIMITED – ASX BLD, DE MARTIN AND GASPARINI PTY LTD, FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA

Australian Inflation Expectations up to 4.5% in August. Generations Y & Z consistently have highest Inflation Expectations

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 4-Sep-17

Australians aged +14 expect inflation of 4.5% per year over the next two years, according to the Roy Morgan Inflation Expectations Index for August 2017. This is up 0.2% in a month and up 0.6% from August 2016. However, it is well below the seven-year average of 5.1%. Analysis by State shows that Inflation Expectations are highest in Tasmania at 4.9%, closely followed by New South Wales (4.8%) and Queensland (4.6%). Inflation Expectations in Australia’s other States were below the national average. Analysing Inflation Expectations by generations reveals a clear split in how different generations view Inflation. The two youngest generations consistently have higher Inflation Expectations than older generations.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED

Union deals hit workers’ pay slips

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Original article by Ewin Hannan, Sofia Gronbech Wright
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 4-Sep-17

Analysis by the Department of Employment suggests that workers in the retail and fast-food sectors would need to work for up to 50 hours during the week to offset the impact of lower Sunday penalty rates in union-backed enterprise agreements. Employment Minister Michaelia Cash says the analysis refutes claims by unions and the Australian Labor Party that workers are compensated for lower weekend penalty rates via higher hourly pay rates during the week. However, the Australian Industry Group has questioned the validity of the analysis.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, ACTU, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, BIG W DISCOUNT STORES, DAVID JONES LIMITED, PIZZA HUT AUSTRALIA, McDONALD’S AUSTRALIA LIMITED, SHOP, DISTRIBUTIVE AND ALLIED EMPLOYEES’ ASSOCIATION

Business Confidence down in August to 114.4 as high energy prices a threat to economic growth

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 4-Sep-17

Business Confidence in Australia fell 2.6pts (-2.2%) to 114.4 in August 2017, according to the Roy Morgan Business Single Source survey, following extensive discussions about the high cost of energy in Australia. However, businesses remain largely positive with a majority of businesses expecting to be "better off" financially this time next year (51.7%), and most businesses say now is a good time to invest in growing the business (54.9%). The fall in Business Confidence was driven by large falls in confidence in several industries including Manufacturing, Electricity, Gas, Water and Personal, repair and other services.

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

Delay likely for small business waiting on penalty rate trade-off

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 4 : 1-Sep-17

A proposal to allow smaller retailers and fast-food restaurants to scrap penalty rates and overtime pay in return for a 25 per cent increase in base pay has the support of Council of Small Business Australia CEO Peter Strong. However, the Fair Work Commission is not expected to consider permitting a trial of "loaded rates" before the second half of 2018. Strong says unions and employers’ groups that represent large companies are likely to object to the proposal, as many such companies have already traded off Sunday penalty rates in their enterprise agreements.

CORPORATES
COUNCIL OF SMALL BUSINESS ORGANISATIONS OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, ACTU, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AEROCARE OPERATIONS PTY LTD, TRANSPORT WORKERS’ UNION

Corporates finally ramp up capex

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Original article by Jacob Greber
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 1-Sep-17

Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows that private-sector companies anticipate capital expenditure of $A101.8bn in 2017-18. This is 17.6 per cent higher than had been forecast three months ago, and compares with analysts’ expectations of $A95.9bn. The figures also show that there was an 0.8 per cent increase in capex during the final quarter of 2016-17. Telstra and Santos are among the companies that have recently announced plans for increased capex in 2017-18.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, SANTOS LIMITED – ASX STO, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, CAPITAL ECONOMICS LIMITED, PERENNIAL VALUE MANAGEMENT LIMITED, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY

Labor tells Coalition on CET: we’re here to help

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 1-Sep-17

The Australian Government is aiming to finalise a Clean Energy Target by the end of 2017. The main hindrance to it doing so is a conservative backbench that wants "clean coal" to be included in the CET. Labor’s energy spokesman Mark Butler has indicated that the party would be willing to accept a CET that includes clean coal, arguably because it knows the chances of any new coal-fired power stations being built are non-existent.

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

Joyce and Nash should step aside, expert warns

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 31-Aug-17

Constitutional law expert Professor George Williams has told the National Press Club that cabinet ministers Barnaby Joyce and Fiona Nash should step down from their portfolios until the High Court determines whether they are eligible to be in Parliament. He says there is potential for all ministerial decisions they have made since the 2016 election to be subject to a legal challenge if they are disqualified from Parliament due to dual citizenship. Williams adds that an audit of all federal MPs and senators should not be held until the court hands down its ruling.

CORPORATES
NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, HIGH COURT OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, ONE NATION PARTY, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, NATIONAL PRESS CLUB (AUSTRALIA)