O75 Public Administration

Migrant nation born as Christian heritage fades

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Rick Morton
The Australian – Page: 1 & 8 : 28-Jun-17

Data from the 2016 Census shows that the proportion of Australians who identify as Christian has fallen to 52 per cent. The data also shows that 49.3 per cent of Australians were either born overseas or have at least one parent who was not born in Australia. Meanwhile, a growing number of migrations originate from Asia rather than Europe, with people from India and China accounting for 27 per cent of migrants since 2006. The Census data also indicates that the ageing of the nation’s population is gathering pace, with the number of Australians aged 65+ rising by 57 per cent since 2006.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS, AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY. CENTRE FOR SOCIAL RESEARCH AND METHODS

Demand for PM to purge frontbench

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 28-Jun-17

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is expected to make changes to his frontbench team in late 2017, but some members of the Coalition’s conservative faction want a cabinet reshuffle to be undertaken much sooner. They are pushing for moderates George Brandis and Marise Payne to be dropped from cabinet and replaced with conservatives. The leaking of a speech at a private function by moderate Christopher Pyne provided the impetus for the conservative faction to push for change, with some suggesting that Turnbull’s leadership may at risk if they are not given more representation in cabinet.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF DEFENCE, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence edges lower again to 111.8 (down 0.6pts)

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 28-Jun-17

ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence edged 0.5% lower to 111.8 in the week ended 25 June 2017, down for the second week in a row. The sub-indicators continue to show volatility. Households’ views around current financial conditions were largely unchanged (down 0.2%), while views towards future conditions fell 1.7%, following four consecutive weeks of gains. Households’ confidence in future economic conditions ticked 0.4% lower last week, while expectations of current economic conditions edged 2.4% higher, up for the second consecutive week.

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

Same-sex brawl fuels Lib turmoil

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by David Crowe
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 27-Jun-17

Leaked comments by Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne on the issue of same-sex marriage are causing major headaches for the Federal Government. Pyne’s comments appear to indicate that moderate Liberals could push for a conscience vote on the issue in the near future, despite Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull having previously committed to a plebiscite on same-sex marriage. Conservative Liberals have accused Pyne of "sheer stupidity" over his comments, contending that the issue has taken the spotlight off the Government’s successful passage of its schools funding package

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF DEFENCE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, SKY NEWS, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT, AUSTRALIAN CONSERVATIVES, NEWSPOLL

Xenophon’s revolt over SA bank tax

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Simon Evans, James Frost
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 27-Jun-17

The Australian Bankers’ Association has indicated that all of its member banks oppose the South Australian Government’s bank levy. They intend to campaign against the tax by targeting marginal seats. Meanwhile, Senator Nick Xenophon says the levy could deter investment in SA at a time when action is needed to bolster the state’s economy. Xenophon and federal Treasurer Scott Morrison argue that there is no need to impose a state levy on banks, noting that the federal levy reflects the Australian Government’s implicit guarantee on bank deposits.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BANKERS’ ASSOCIATION, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, SA BEST, GM HOLDEN LIMITED, ME BANK, LIBERAL PARTY OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR ADVISORY COUNCIL, AUSTRALIAN CONSERVATIVES, SOUTH AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF TREASURY AND FINANCE, PEOPLE’S CHOICE CREDIT UNION

Dismissal actions crippling business: IPA

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Joe Kelly
The Australian – Page: 4 : 26-Jun-17

The Institute of Public Affairs claims that Australia’s unfair dismissal laws serve as a discentive for businesses to hire staff. IPA research indicates that the number of unfair dismissal claims lodged with the Fair Work Commission exceeded 18,000 in 2015-16, compared with fewer than 6,000 in 2005-06. The IPA’s Gideon Rozner says unfair dismissal claims take an unnecessarily long time to process, while FWC determinations are often contradictory. He contends that many businesses are paying complainants cash just to get them off their back.

CORPORATES
INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION

Unions need to argue wage rises drive growth, says Swan

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 26-Jun-17

Former federal treasurer Wayne Swan says the Australian Labor Party and the union movement need to better argue the case for improved wages for middle-class workers. Swan will tell the annual ACTU congress that he fears that the Australian middle-class will become like the fast-disappearing US middle-class if wages do not rise. Swan’s comments follow those recently made by Reserve Bank governor Philip Lowe, who said employees need to be more forceful when it comes to asking for wage rises.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, ACTU, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, DEMOCRATIC PARTY (UNITED STATES)

Canberra has legal doubts on SA bank tax

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 26-Jun-17

The South Australian Government’s levy on the big four banks and Macquarie Group is expected to raise around $A100 million per annum. The tax is additional to the levy that was recently announced by the federal government. Federal minister Christopher Pyne has attacked the SA levy on the grounds that the state government offers no form of guarantee to the banks, thus admitting that the federal levy is in return for it providing a guarantee to them.

CORPORATES
MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. OFFICE OF THE AUSTRALIAN SMALL BUSINESS AND FAMILY ENTERPRISE OMBUDSMAN

Australians’ Concerns

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 26-Jun-17

A special Roy Morgan study has examined Australians’ attitudes towards issues facing Australia and the World. The survey, which was carried out from 22-24 May 2017, shows that 38% of Australians identified Economic Issues (including Unemployment, Housing affordability, the Economy in general, Poverty and the gap between the rich and poor) as the most important problems facing Australia. When considering the wider World, the largest theme to emerge was about concerns related to War & Terrorism. These issues, including the more general fears about safety and security, were mentioned by 31% of Australians. Single-issue analysis of the responses shows that the specific issue of greatest concern for Australia is unemployment (mentioned by almost 9% of respondents). The single biggest World problems are Terrorism and Climate change/Global warming, with both issues mentioned by just under 17% of respondents.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED

Public service fat cats, MPs get the cream

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Adam Creighton, Primrose Riordan, David Uren
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 23-Jun-17

Australia’s Remuneration Tribunal has granted federal politicians, judges and high-ranking public servants a two per cent pay rise from 1 July 2017. Greens leader Richard Di Natale has queried the need for a pay rise, as has Liberal Democrats senator David Leyonhjelm. Nadine Flood of the Community & Public Sector Union says its members, who have been battling with the Coalition government for improved wages since it was elected in 2013, are unlikely to be impressed.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. REMUNERATION TRIBUNAL, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY, COMMUNITY AND PUBLIC SECTOR UNION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, HIGH COURT OF AUSTRALIA, HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF DEFENCE, AUSTRALIAN TAXATION OFFICE