O75 Public Administration

Unemployment measurement is "absurd" says Australian historian Geoffrey Blainey

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Gary Morgan, Michele Levine, Julian McCrann, Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 31-Jan-17

Renowned Australian historian Geoffrey Blainey has correctly identified the real problem facing the Australian economy in 2017 – the absurd measurement of unemployment means the true level of real unemployment and under-employment is under-reported. As Blainey correctly pointed out in an interview on the ABC 7.30 Report last Friday, someone who works for only one hour a week being classified as employed is "absurd". Using this definition of unemployment allows the Government to rely on inflated figures of real employment provided by the ABS each month, while simultaneously down-playing the real levels of (much higher) real unemployment and under-employment. The latest Roy Morgan December employment estimates show 20% (2.584 million) of Australians are either unemployed or under-employed. Nearly half a million people (445,000), that Roy Morgan considers unemployed the ABS consider either employed (280,000) or not in the workforce (165,000).

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS

Fair Work dysfunction needs fixing

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by David Marin-Guzman, Aaron Patrick
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 24-Jan-17

The Fair Work Commission is under scrutiny following the resignation of vice-president Graeme Watson, who accused it of being "‘partisan, dysfunctional and divided". Australian Mines & Metals Association CEO Steve Knott has called for a review of the FWC, while former prime minister Tony Abbott claims that it is "pro union and anti-jobs". Eight members of the FWC have either resigned or opted for early retirement since 2013.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN MINES AND METALS ASSOCIATION (INCORPORATED), AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, UNIVERSITY OF ADELAIDE, FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA, ACTU, AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION

Unions pressure Shorten on TPP

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Joanna Mather
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 18-Jan-17

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull believes that the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal can proceed without the US. However, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has questioned why Turnbull is still supporting the TPP when it is unlikely to go ahead. ACTU president Ged Kearney has urged Shorten to state whether the Australian Labor Party will vote against the TPP legislation if it is put before Parliament. Shorten has only indicated that Labor will consider the bill.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, TRANS-PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, ACTU, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, REPUBLICAN PARTY (UNITED STATES)

$200b ‘Google tax’ could snare innocent businesses

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Joanna Mather
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 18-Jan-17

Chartered Accountants Australia & New Zealand has warned that the Federal Government’s Diverted Profits Tax will deter investment in Australia, while discouraging local multinational companies from pursuing overseas expansion. Greenwoods & Herbert Smith Freehills has expressed concern about the scope of the draft legislation compared with the British version of the tax. The tax, which aims to combat profit-shifting by multinationals, is forecast to raise about $A200m over four years and is slated to take effect from mid-2017.

CORPORATES
CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND, GREENWOODS AND HERBERT SMITH FREEHILLS PTY LTD, CORPORATE TAX ASSOCIATION, AUSTRALIAN TAXATION OFFICE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT

Turnbull lashes Shorten for TPP stand

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Joe Kelly, Annabel Hepworth
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 17-Jan-17

Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten will move to block a push to bring forward a parliamentary vote on ratification of the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Shorten argues that there is no point in proceeding with a vote on the TPP as the US will not ratify the 12-nation agreement under incoming President Donald Trump. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has criticised Shorten’s stance and indicated that the TPP could potentially proceed without the US. The Greens also oppose the TPP.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, TRANS-PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, JAPAN. OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, ASIA-PACIFIC ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION. BUSINESS ADVISORY COUNCIL, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA

Turnbull lashes Shorten for TPP stand

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Joe Kelly, Annabel Hepworth
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 17-Jan-17

Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten will move to block a push to bring forward a parliamentary vote on ratification of the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Shorten argues that there is no point in proceeding with a vote on the TPP as the US will not ratify the 12-nation agreement under incoming President Donald Trump. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has criticised Shorten’s stance and indicated that the TPP could potentially proceed without the US. The Greens also oppose the TPP.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, TRANS-PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, JAPAN. OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, ASIA-PACIFIC ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION. BUSINESS ADVISORY COUNCIL, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA

US collision course with China

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by John Kehoe, Lisa Murray, Angus Grigg, Primrose Riordan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 10 : 13-Jan-17

US Secretary of State nominee Rex Tillerson has issued a stern warning to China. He told the US Senate on 12 January 2017 that China should not be allowed to access disputed islands in the South China Sea. Hugh White, a professor of strategic studies at the Australian National University, is alarmed by Tillerson’s bellicose statement, which he sees as a sign of his ignorance and irresponsibility. If the US-China relationship deteriorates, Australia will be under pressure to choose between the two countries.

CORPORATES
UNITED STATES. DEPT OF STATE, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Forecast tax take out by $30bn

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by David Uren
The Australian – Page: 2 : 13-Jan-17

The Parliamentary Budget Office has released its review of the Australian Government’s mid-year budget update. It shows that the forecast for revenue from personal income tax was $A21.1bn lower than in the May 2016 Budget, while company tax revenue was scaled back by $A6.7bn. Meanwhile, the budget update included savings of some $A10bn due to a reduction in the forecast cost of age pensions, carers’ payments and childcare subsidies. The forecasts for spending on health and education were largely unchanged from the Budget.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. PARLIAMENTARY BUDGET OFFICE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HUMAN SERVICES. CENTRELINK

Greens amid top spenders on flights

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Rachel Baxendale
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 13-Jan-17

The travel expenses of federal politicians have come under further scrutiny amid revelations that Australian Greens leader Richard Di Natale spent $A56,526 on travel during the first half of 2016. The Greens’ community services spokeswoman Rachel Siewert submitted claims for $A63,934 worth of travel expenses during the period. The Greens have criticised the high travel expenses of members of the major political parties, and Di Natale stresses that his team’s travel expenses were solely work-related.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN GREENS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF SOCIAL SERVICES, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HEALTH, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF IMMIGRATION AND BORDER PROTECTION

Shorten family election travel bill triple PM’s

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Rachel Baxendale
The Australian – Page: 2 : 12-Jan-17

The travel costs of Australia’s political leaders has come under scrutiny in the wake of the expenses scandal that has embroiled Health Minister Sussan Ley. It has been revealed that Opposition Leader Bill Shorten claimed $A51,531 in travel expenses for himself and his family in the first half of 2016. In contrast, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was reimbursed just $A14,441 in travel expenses during the period. Meanwhile, Turnbull is tipped to receive the findings of the inquiry into Ley’s travel expenses in coming days.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HEALTH, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE