O75 Public Administration

G20 goes soft on Russia

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: Online : 20-Nov-24

The final declaration of the G20 leaders’ summit in Rio de Janeiro has failed to mention the 7 October 2023 terrorist attacks on Israel. The declaration merely stated "deep concern" regarding the "catastrophic humanitarian situation" in the Gaza Strip and the escalation of the conflict in Lebanon. It also emphasised the need for an "unwavering commitment" to a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, while not mentioning the remaining Israeli hostages in Gaza or the roles of Hamas and Hezbollah in the current hostilities. The final declaration also did not specifically refer to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but noted the "human suffering and negative added impacts of the war" in Ukraine. The G20 leaders also did not commit to achieving net zero emissions by 2050.

CORPORATES
GROUP OF TWENTY (G-20)

The new $1.5 million fine facing NSW retailers

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Angus Thompson
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: Online : 19-Nov-24

Anecdotal evidence suggests that the crackdown on vaping products is reducing the number of unregulated vapes that are available to consumers. NSW compliance officers seized 42,000 vapes during 362 inspections between July and September; this compares with 153,000 vapes in 290 inspections in the same period last year, which was before the federal government’s ban on disposable vapes took effect. The NSW government now intends a further crackdown on illegal vapes, proposing legislation that will increase the fine for individuals who sell vapes from just $1,650 to more than $1.5m; the maximum jail term will also rise from six months to seven years.

CORPORATES

‘Turnaround’: Xi talks up China ties in G20 talks with Albanese

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by David Crowe
The Age – Page: Online : 19-Nov-24

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Chinese President Xi Jinping have held talks at Xi’s hotel in Rio de Janeiro, ahead of the G20 Summit that is being held in the Brazilian city. Xi noted that there had been "twists and turns" in the relationship between China and Australia over the last decade, but that there had been a "turnaround" in recent times. Both he and Albanese noted that their meeting was held 10 years to the day that their two countries had signed a comprehensive strategic partnership, when Tony Abbott was prime minister and Xi had visited Australia and had addressed federal parliament.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, GROUP OF TWENTY (G-20)

Kyiv wins Biden OK on missile strikes in Russia

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Gordon Lubold, Alexandra Ward
The Australian – Page: 11 : 19-Nov-24

US President Joe Biden has given Ukraine permission to use the US’s Army Tactical Missile System to conduct strikes on Russia. The ACTAMS have sufficient range to be used in the Kursk region, where Russia has amassed over 50,000 troops in a bid to recapture it from Ukraine, which seized it earlier in the year. Biden’s permission is seen as a sign that he wants to give as much help as he can to Ukraine before Donald Trump takes office, with Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance expected to push for negotiations to end the conflict in Ukraine.

CORPORATES
UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

Roy Morgan Poll: Coalition maintains a narrow two-party preferred lead over Labor for the third straight week

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 19-Nov-24

If a Federal Election were held now the result would be ‘too close to call’ with the Coalition 51% (up 0.5%) ahead of the ALP 49% (down 0.5%) on a two-party preferred basis, the latest Roy Morgan survey finds. The close result means either the ALP or Coalition would require the support of minor parties and independents to form government. The Coalition increased its primary vote to 39% (up 1.5%) and is now 10% in front of the ALP on 29% (down 1.5%) – the largest primary vote lead since July. The rise in support for the Coalition comes in the first full week of interviewing conducted entirely after Donald Trump’s victory in the Presidential Election.

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

Crown versus Alan Jones, accused sexual predator

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Stephen Lunn, Liam Mendes, Ellie Dudley
The Australian – Page: 1 & 7 : 19-Nov-24

Veteran broadcaster Alan Jones was charged on Monday with 24 counts of historical sexual and assault ­offences by NSW police, with his lawyer, Chris Murphy, saying Jones "denies any misconduct" and will "assert" his innocence in court. The charges followed Jones’ arrest at his Circular Quay apartment at around 7.45am, with his alleged offences involving eight males. Assistant commissioner in charge of state crimes Michael Fitzgerald told a press conference that the youngest of Jones’s alleged victims was 17, and that police ­believe more people would come forward with allegations against Jones; Jones was granted conditional bail to appear in Downing Centre Local Court on 18 December.

CORPORATES

Inflate this: PM’s public service splurge costs taxpayers extra $5bn

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Simon Benson
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 13-Nov-24

Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows that 26,100 permanent positions have been added to the federal public service since Labor took office in May 2022. The annual public sector wages bill has risen from $32.5bn in June 2022 to more than $37bn, and the federal public sector workforce has risen to 365,400. Meanwhile, the total cost of the public service across Australia’s three tiers of government is now almost $250bn a year. Public Service Minister Katy Gallagher contends that the federal government has been rebuilding the Australian Public Service after a decade of neglect under the Coalition. However, shadow treasurer Angus Taylor says Labor is using the public sector to prop up the jobs market and GDP.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Victoria’s debt levies haul in far more than expected

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Patrick Durkin, Gus McCubbing
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 11 : 13-Nov-24

The Victorian government’s budget update shows that the state’s net debt is slated to top $188bn by 2027-28. The update also reveals that the government’s Covid debt levies are expected to raise $529m more over four years than had been forecast in the 2023 budget. The levy on businesses with payrolls exceeding $10m had been expected to raise $3.9bn over four years, and the levy on property investors was slated to raise $4.7bn. Meanwhile, the government’s employee expenses rose by 7.94 per cent to $15.48bn in 2023-24.

CORPORATES

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence unchanged at 86.7 in mid-November after RBA leaves interest rates unchanged at 4.35%

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 13-Nov-24

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence was unchanged at 86.7 in the week to 10 November; however, it has stayed above the mark of 85 for a fourth consecutive week for the first time since January 2023. Consumer Confidence is now 12.4 points above the same week a year ago (74.3), and 4.2 points above the 2024 weekly average of 82.5. A look at Consumer Confidence by State shows varied results around the country with small increases in NSW, WA and SA, and small declines in Victoria and Queensland. Now 22% of Australians (down 1ppt) say their families are ‘better off’ financially than this time last year, while 48% (up 1ppt) say their families are ‘worse off’. Looking forward, 34% (down 1ppt) of Australians expect their family to be ‘better off’ financially this time next year, while 30% (unchanged) expect to be ‘worse off’. Now 10% (unchanged) of Australians expect ‘good times’ for the Australian economy over the next 12 months, while 30% (up 2ppts) expect ‘bad times’. Meanwhile, 26% (up 4ppts) of Australians say now is a ‘good time to buy’ major household items (the highest figure for this indicator since January 2023), while 45% (down 1ppt) say now is a ‘bad time to buy’.

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

In October Australian unemployment dropped to 9.2% as full-time employment grew and over 100,000 left the workforce

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 13-Nov-24

In October 2024, Australian ‘real’ unemployment dropped 60,000 to 1,450,000 (down 0.3% to 9.2% of the workforce), as over 100,000 people left the workforce. In addition to the unemployed, a further 1.48 million Australians (9.4% of the workforce) were under-employed, i.e. working part-time but looking for more work, up 22,000 from September. In total, 2.93 million Australians (18.6% of the workforce) were either unemployed or under-employed in October. Australian employment dropped 58,000 to 14,247,000; this decrease was driven by a fall in part-time employment (down 190,000 to 4,743,000), but full-time employment increased 132,000 to a new record high of 9,504,000. The total workforce in October was 15,697,000 (down 118,000 from September, but up 867,000 from two years ago). Roy Morgan’s unemployment figure of 9.2% for October is more than double the ABS estimate of 4.1% for September, but it is approaching the combined ABS unemployment and under-employment figure of 10.4%.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS