O75 Public Administration

ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence Rebounds – up 3.2pts to 118.6

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 7-Dec-16

ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence rose a solid 2.8% to 118.6 in the week ended 3 December 2016. The headline index is now at its highest level in 10 weeks. The details were also positive. The strength in the headline index was broadly based, with the biggest improvement coming from a 4.4% jump in households’ view of future finances. Households’ views of their finances compared to a year ago also improved, but by a much more modest 0.2%. Households’ views of economic conditions over the next 12 months rose a strong 2.9%, while households’ view of the economic outlook in the next five years bounced a solid 2.2%.

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

PM rules out carbon price

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Original article by Sarah Martin
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 7-Dec-16

The Australian Government will proceed with its review of its Direct Action climate change policy, but Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg says introducing an emissions intensity scheme will not be on the agenda. A number of Coalition MPs have warned against the introduction of any policy that resulted in higher electricity prices, including a carbon tax or an emissions trading scheme. However, the Opposition has indicated that it supports an emissions intensity scheme.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN ENERGY COUNCIL, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE

Michele Levine, CEO of Roy Morgan Research, comment on improving Consumer Confidence – up 3.2pts to 118.6

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 7-Dec-16

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence has improved strongly this week driven by rising confidence about personal financial situations and that now is a good time to buy major household items. The improvement in Consumer Confidence is matched by the increase in Roy Morgan November Business Confidence – now at 116.7 – its highest since the Federal Election. Both measures have improved despite the election victory of Donald Trump in the US, which many suggested would cause problems for the global economy. Of course, Trump is not yet in office, so will President Trump stand by his campaign promises or move away from them as President? The major test for Trump is whether he can convince the Federal Reserve not to raise interest rates whilst real unemployment and under-employment in America (well over 20%) is clearly higher than the "unbelievable" figures released by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics showing US unemployment of only 4.6% in November. In addition, Trump’s stance on US free-trade "deals" will be particularly important to the Australian economy which has benefited from free-trade agreements with important trading partners like China, Japan and South Korea. If Trump increases trade barriers with important Australian trading partners this will obviously impact on Australian Business Confidence which so far has been steady since the Trump victory.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, UNITED STATES. FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD

English tipped to lead NZ after Key quits

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Original article by Luke Malpass, Aaron Patrick
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 8 : 6-Dec-16

New Zealand’s Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Bill English is likely to become the country’s next prime minister. Commentators say that his political views are close to those of outgoing Prime Minister John Key, who has resigned. Other possible candidates include Economic Development Minster Steven Joyce, Minister of State Services Paula Bennett and Police Minster Judith Collins.

CORPORATES
NEW ZEALAND. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, NEW ZEALAND. DEPT OF POLICE, NEW ZEALAND. DEPT OF STATE SERVICES, NEW ZEALAND. DEPT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, NATIONAL PARTY OF NEW ZEALAND, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, NEW ZEALAND. TREASURY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, MOODY’S INVESTORS SERVICE INCORPORATED

Parties split over Adani coal loan

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Original article by Phillip Coorey, Mark Ludlow
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 2 : 6-Dec-16

The Carmichael coal and rail project had received initial approval from the Queensland and Federal Governments, but the funding for the project has not yet been arranged. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has requested the Federal Government to provide Adani with a loan of up to $A1 billion from the Northern Australia Infrastructure Fund. The Australian Labor Party says the private project should not be subsidised with public funds.

CORPORATES
ADANI MINING PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, QUEENSLAND. DEPT OF THE PREMIER AND CABINET, QUEENSLAND. DEPT OF MINES AND ENERGY

Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine’s comment on the rise in Roy Morgan November Business Confidence

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Original article by Michele Levine, Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 6-Dec-16

Business Confidence increased for the third straight month, up by 0.5pts (+0.4%) in November to 116.7. This is the highest Business Confidence has been since the Federal Election in July when the Turnbull Government was returned with a majority of only one seat. Analysing the movement of Business Confidence across the States in November shows a strong increase in Queensland being the main driver of this month’s increase – now clearly above the national average along with a slight improvement in Victoria while Tasmania continues to have the highest Business Confidence of any State. In contrast Business Confidence is virtually unchanged in Australia’s largest State of New South Wales and is down significantly in the mining State of Western Australia – now clearly the lowest of any State. Business Confidence in South Australia also fell for the second straight month following the State’s widespread blackout in late September and is now in line with the national average. In terms of industries, the most confident industries in November were the Retail trade industry heading into the most important time of the year over the Christmas-New Year’s sales period, Accommodation and food services which also traditionally benefits from the Summer holiday period and Public administration, safety and security – all of these industries were more than 10% above the national average.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED

Business Confidence up slightly in November to 116.7 (up 0.4%); highest since Federal Election

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 6-Dec-16

Roy Morgan Research’s Business Confidence rose 0.4% to 116.7 in November 2016. The small rise in Business Confidence occurred as the Australian All Ordinaries ended November at 5,502.4 (up 100.0pts from October 31). This month’s small rise in Business Confidence means Business Confidence is now just above the 6-year average (116.6) and above the current ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence rating of 115.4. Businesses are increasingly confident about their prospects over the year ahead, with net expectations of business performance over the next 12 months up 10.3ppts to 30.3pts in November and net views of whether the next 12 months will be a "good/bad time to invest" now 20.5pts (up 2.3ppts).

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

Budgets too crucial to leave to MPs

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Original article by Joanna Mather
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 5-Dec-16

Chartered Accountants Australia & New Zealand argues that the Parliamentary Budget Office should be given responsibility for monitoring the federal budget. It also calls for politicians to cease using the size of government as a criteria in assessing the nation’s financial health, while the impact of major policy decisions should be projected over a decade. CAANZ has also criticised the fiscal policies of the Howard and Rudd governments.

CORPORATES
CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND, AUSTRALIA. PARLIAMENTARY BUDGET OFFICE, INSTITUTE FOR FISCAL STUDIES, GERMANY. COUNCIL OF ECONOMIC EXPERTS

Welfare debt squad hunts for $4bn

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Original article by Sarah Martin
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 5-Dec-16

The Australian Government expects data-matching technology to result in about 1.7 million welfare recipients being issued with compliance notices over the next three years. Welfare recipients have been ordered to repay almost $A650m since the automated system was introduced in July, which equates to about $A4.5m per day. The Government’s crackdown on fraud and overpayments is aimed at reining in the cost of welfare, which is forecast to total $A158.6bn in fiscal 2016.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HUMAN SERVICES, AUSTRALIAN TAXATION OFFICE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF SOCIAL SERVICES, AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL OF SOCIAL SERVICE

Losing triple-A rating inevitable: Hewson

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Original article by Simon King
The Australian – Page: 4 : 5-Dec-16

The former leader of the Liberal Party of Australia, John Hewson, believes that it is a matter of when rather than if the nation’s "AAA" credit rating is downgraded. Hewson adds that it will be a challenge for the Federal Government to achieve a Budget surplus by the end of the decade, and argues that neither of the major political parties have policies that will achieve this outcome.

CORPORATES
LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, STANDARD AND POOR’S FINANCIAL SERVICES LLC, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY