O75 Public Administration

Welfare crackdown tipped for frontline

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Original article by Rick Morton, Sarah Martin
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 26-Sep-16

The Australian Government is examining a range of options for welfare reform, including giving people who run approved unemployment programs the power to suspend the payments of participants who lack a valid reason for non-attendance. Meanwhile, the Nick Xenophon Team has yet to decide whether it will support the Government’s plan to impose a four-week waiting period before some people below the age of 25 are eligible to receive Newstart. The support of NXT may be crucial in passing the proposed reform.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF SOCIAL SERVICES, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HUMAN SERVICES, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, ONE NATION PARTY, BROTHERHOOD OF ST LAURENCE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HUMAN SERVICES. CENTRELINK, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS

Obama optimistic about TPP but signs not good

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 23-Sep-16

US President Barack Obama is confident that Congress will ratify the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement later in 2016, but his optimism is not warranted. He spoke about the TPP with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on 22 September 2016. Turnbull believes that the TPP will stimulate economic growth and ensure political stability in the region.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, REPUBLICAN PARTY (UNITED STATES), DEMOCRATIC PARTY (UNITED STATES)

Lowe: RBA can only do so much

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Original article by Jacob Greber
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 8 : 23-Sep-16

Reserve Bank of Australia governor Philip Lowe sees the role of the central bank as primarily dealing with inflation. He told members of the House of Representatives economics committee in Sydney on 22 September 2016 that interest rate cuts can only have a limited impact on the property market. Lowe said house prices are high because of inadequate supply and easy access to credit.

CORPORATES
RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA

Gary Morgan for Melbourne Lord Mayor & Team Morgan to launch Melbourne Council Election campaign

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 23-Sep-16

Media and friends are invited to the Team Morgan official launch at 11am next Monday September 26 at 401 Collins St. Lord Mayoral candidate Gary Morgan and his Deputy Michael O’Brien and Team Morgan’s Councillor candidates Dr. Jackie Watts, Michael Kennedy and Farida Fleming will present their range of policies to reinvigorate the City of Melbourne after eight years of incumbent Robert Doyle. Team Morgan’s key policies include retaining the historic Queen Victoria Market, putting a stop to the wasteful Melbourne Council spending including over $100 million mooted for new Council offices and amending the City of Melbourne Code of Conduct to prevent what current Melbourne Lord Mayor Robert Doyle did over the last four years which included spending $28,000+ on his Melbourne Council credit card for his own personal expenses.

CORPORATES
MELBOURNE CITY COUNCIL, CITY OF MELBOURNE, ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED

Polling Methodology

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 23-Sep-16

Roy Morgan Research CEO Michele Levine appears on podcast "The Daily" to discuss how public opinion polls are carried out, in the wake of an online Essential poll which showed that 49 per cent of Australians support a ban on Muslim immigration. Levine notes that the Essential poll uses an online panel, whereas Roy Morgan uses face-to-face interviews and telephone surveys in order to ensure that its polls represent an accurate cross-section of Australians. She adds that a Roy Morgan poll in 2015 found that just 28 per cent of Australians opposed Muslim immigration.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, MORGAN POLL, ESSENTIAL RESEARCH

Rise for $38-a-day Newstart ruled out

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Original article by David Crowe
The Australian – Page: 4 : 21-Sep-16

It is estimated that about 770,000 people currently receive the Newstart payment, and the Australian Council of Social Service advocates increasing it by $A53 a week. However, Social Services Minister Christian Porter has rejected calls for an increase in Newstart, arguing that while the base payment is set at $A38 per day, the majority of recipients also receive other welfare payments. Porter has also defended the Budget measure which requires people to wait four weeks before being eligible to claim the Newstart allowance.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF SOCIAL SERVICES, AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL OF SOCIAL SERVICE, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN GREENS

LNP leader ‘open to $5bn ports sale’

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Original article by Sarah Elks
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 21-Sep-16

The privatisation of public assets was a key issue in the last two Queensland elections, and Treasurer Curtis Pitt has indicated that asset sales are not on the government’s agenda. However, Opposition Leader Tim Nicholls has flagged the possible sale of assets such as ports if the Liberal-National Party wins the next state election. Peter Simpson of the Electrical Trades Union has warned that the union movement will revive an anti-privatisation campaign if the LNP again seeks to sell public assets.

CORPORATES
QUEENSLAND. TREASURY, LIBERAL-NATIONAL PARTY OF QUEENSLAND, ELECTRICAL TRADES UNION, PORT OF MELBOURNE, QIC LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Choice of default super may open up

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Original article by Sally Rose
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 8 : 21-Sep-16

Australia’s default superannuation fund system is currently dominated by industry super funds, but it could be opened to competition from retail funds. The Productivity Commission’s review of the default super regime has raised the possibility of introducing alternatives to the existing system, including allowing non-industry funds to bid to be included in the list of default funds. Financial Services Council CEO Sally Loane says there is a need for greater competition in the sector.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION, FINANCIAL SERVICES COUNCIL, AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, INDUSTRY SUPER AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, GRATTAN INSTITUTE

ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence dips – down 2.2% to 115.5

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 21-Sep-16

ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence fell by 2.2 per cent to 115.5 in the week ended 18 September 2016, unwinding some of the previous week’s gain. Last week’s sell-off in financial markets – which raised fears of a sharper correction across bonds and equities – was likely the main driver of the fall in confidence. Financial market weakness looks to have trumped the news of a dip in the unemployment rate to a three-year low of 5.6 per cent. The weakness in confidence was broadly based. Consumers’ views towards their current and future finances both declined 1.8 per cent. Households’ views of the 12-month economic outlook dropped 1.1 per cent while views of the five-year economic outlook dipped 1.4 per cent.

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

Jackson silent as 70 charges laid bare

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Original article by Pia Akerman
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 20-Sep-16

The Melbourne Magistrates’ Court has imposed strict bail conditions on the Health Services Union’s former national secretary, Kathy Jackson. She will return to court for a committal hearing in January 2017, when she will face 70 charges of fraud and theft relating to the unauthorised use of the union’s funds. Amongst other things, Jackson is accused of transferring union funds to her personal bank account and paying for personal expenses with the union’s credit cards. Jackson could face up to 10 years in jail if she is convicted.

CORPORATES
HEALTH SERVICES UNION OF AUSTRALIA, MELBOURNE MAGISTRATES’ COURT, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO TRADE UNION GOVERNANCE AND CORRUPTION, FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA, JB HI-FI LIMITED – ASX JBH, LAWSONS AUCTIONEERS AND VALUERS, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION