O75 Public Administration

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.

CORPORATES
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.

CORPORATES
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

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.

CORPORATES
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

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.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, MORGAN POLL, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, ONE NATION PARTY

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

PM rejects cost-of-living comparison with Trudeau

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Original article by Andrew Tillett
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 8-Jan-25

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has praised his outgoing Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau following the latter’s resignation after nine years in office. Albanese says Trudeau has had a good relationship with Australia under both the current Labor government and its Coalition predecessor. However, Albanese has downplayed concerns that factors which contributed to Trudeau’s departure – such as cost-of-living pressures, high inflation and immigration – could affect his own election prospects in 2025. He notes that Trudeau is the leader of a long-term government; Albanese is nearing the end of his first term in office.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, CANADA. OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER