O75 Public Administration

IMF finds our growth near target

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Original article by Jacob Greber
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 7-Oct-15

The International Monetary Fund’s revised economic growth rate for Australia in 2015 is 2.4 per cent, which is slightly lower than its previous forecast in April. However, its forecast for global economic growth has been cut by 0.4 per cent to 3.1 per cent. The IMF’s latest World Economic Outlook has also maintained its economic growth forecasts for China in 2015 and 2016.

CORPORATES
INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY

‘Stepping stone to growth’

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Original article by Phillip Coorey, John Kehoe
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 7-Oct-15

Australian businesses in a range of sectors will benefit from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which will account for about 40 per cent of the global economy. Trade Minister Andrew Robb is hopeful that other nations will sign up to the Pacific Rim trade deal, after 12 nations reached agreement on the TPP on 6 October 2015. However, the trade deal must still be ratified by each nation, and there are concerns that it could be rejected by the US and Canadian legislatures.

CORPORATES
TRANS-PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN LABORATORY SERVICES PTY LTD, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, DEMOCRATIC PARTY (UNITED STATES), REPUBLICAN PARTY (UNITED STATES), AUSTRALIA. FOREIGN INVESTMENT REVIEW BOARD, CHINA. MINISTRY OF COMMERCE

Shorten locks in penalty rates as key election issue

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Original article by Misa Han
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 9 : 6-Oct-15

Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has refuted suggestions that penalty rates contribute to unemployment in Australia. He has vowed to make penalty rates a major issue for the next federal election, after Workplace Relations Minister Michaelia Cash indicated that the Federal Government is likely to use the election to seek a mandate for changes to penalty rates and the industrial relations regime.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

L-NP (56%) leads ALP (44%) – biggest lead for L-NP since June 2013 – a vote of confidence in Turnbull’s new Ministry

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Morgan Poll Update – Page: Online : 5-Oct-15

A multi-mode Morgan Poll on Federal voting intention has found that support for Australia’s ruling Liberal-National Coalition on a two-party preferred basis has risen by one per cent to 56 per cent. The poll, which was carried out on the weekends of 26-27 September and 4-5 October 2015, also shows that the Coalition’s primary vote has risen by one per cent to 47 per cent, while the Roy Morgan Government Confidence Rating has risen by six points to 109 points.

CORPORATES
MORGAN POLL, ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, KATTER’S AUSTRALIAN PARTY, PALMER UNITED PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, 7-ELEVEN STORES PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION

Australian September real unemployment 8.3% – lowest since May 2012

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 5-Oct-15

A Roy Morgan Research survey on Australia’s labour market has found that the real unemployment rate was 8.3 per cent in September 2015, compared with 9.9 per cent 12 months earlier. The number of people in the workforce now totals 12,764,000 (up 540,000 since September 2014), while the number of people who are underemployed has fallen by 79,000 in the last 12 months to 936,000 (7.3 per cent of the workforce). The official unemployment rate was 6.2 per cent in August 2015. Roy Morgan Research executive chairman Gary Morgan says that while it appears that Australia’s employment market is heading in the right direction, it is obviously early days for the new Turnbull Government and the momentum of recent months must be built upon rather than squandered by policy timidity.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, 7-ELEVEN STORES PTY LTD, UNITED PETROLEUM PTY LTD, BAKER’S DELIGHT HOLDINGS LIMITED, DOMINO’S PIZZA ENTERPRISES LIMITED – ASX DMP, SUBWAY SANDWICHES PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION

Uber cases to test work laws

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Original article by Marianna Papadakis
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 9 : 5-Oct-15

Uber claims that its drivers are independent contractors rather than employees, but they have launched a class action in the US seeking to be classified as employees. Clayton Utz lawyer Saul Harben says the outcome of the case could have implication for the definition of an employee under Australia’s workplace laws. He adds that workplace laws should be amended to include a definition of what constitutes an independent contractor.

CORPORATES
UBER TECHNOLOGIES INCORPORATED, CLAYTON UTZ, AUSTRALIAN TAXATION OFFICE, AUSTRALIAN TAXI INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION, AUSTRALIAN TAXI DRIVERS ASSOCIATION, FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA, SUPREME COURT OF NEW SOUTH WALES, AIRBNB INCORPORATED, LYFT INCORPORATED, TASK RABBIT, MARQUE LAWYERS PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION

Trafficking of workers ‘a spider’s web’

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Original article by Ben Schneiders, Royce Millar
The Age – Page: 8 : 5-Oct-15

Victoria’s Industrial Relations Minister, Natalie Hutchins, says the exploitation of both local and foreign workers is widespread. She warns that many people are setting up labour hire companies with the intention of hiring workers on below-standard wages and conditions. The State Government will shortly release a discussion paper as part of its inquiry into illegal labour practices. A recent Fairfax Media expose revealed the existence of a "black economy" in Australia, whereby overseas workers are employed for less than the minimum wage.

CORPORATES
VICTORIA. DEPT OF STATE DEVELOPMENT, BUSINESS AND INNOVATION, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, 7-ELEVEN STORES PTY LTD

Start-ups may avoid all capital gains tax

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Original article by Fleur Anderson
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 5-Oct-15

The Parliamentary Budget Office estimates that a proposal to abolish capital gains tax for investing in business start-ups would cost the budget about $A30m annually by 2018-19. A Federal Government taskforce is considering the proposal, which was put forward by backbencher David Coleman and had the support of former treasurer Joe Hockey. The tax break would apply to investments in companies that have been in business for less than two years and whose annual revenue is less than $A1m.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. PARLIAMENTARY BUDGET OFFICE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, NINEMSN PTY LTD, PUBLISHING AND BROADCASTING LIMITED, STARTUPAUS, KPMG AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Sunday penalties hurt businesses, cost jobs

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 1-Oct-15

Federal Employment Minister Michaelia Cash stresses that any changes to weekend penalty rates will be entirely up to the Fair Work Commission. However, she says Australia’s ability to be globally competitive is being hindered by Sunday penalty rates, which force many businesses in the tourism and hospitality sector to remain closed on weekends due to high wage bills. Cash notes that many women and university students would welcome the opportunity to work on Sundays.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION

Australia lags in competitive rankings

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Original article by Ben Potter
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 10 : 1-Oct-15

Australia is ranked 21st in the World Economic Forum’s 2015-16 Global Competitiveness report, compared with 22nd position previously. However, the nation is ranked 26th in terms of innovation and 36th for labour market flexibility. Australian Industry Group CEO Innes Willox says the report demonstrates the need for government policy to focus on areas such as innovation, workplace relations and taxation. Switzerland and Singapore are the two most competitive nations, according to the report.

CORPORATES
WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND SCIENCE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, CSL LIMITED – ASX CSL