O75 Public Administration

Older Australians pressured into paying unfair robotax debts will not be compensated, government says

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Original article by Jonathan Barrett
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 3-Jul-24

The federal government will pursue legislative amendments to enable tax debts that were incurred before 2017 to remain on hold indefinitely. However, it has been criticised for refusing to provide refunds to people who have already paid historic tax debts in response to the Australian Taxation Office’s so-called ‘robotax’ campaign. Finance Minister Katy Gallagher has stated that people who responded to the letters from the ATO will not be refunded, given that they had paid legitimate tax debts. Greens senator Nick McKim says this stance is "manifestly unfair".

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AUSTRALIAN TAXATION OFFICE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, AUSTRALIAN GREENS

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence up 0.9pts to 81.3 as End of Financial Year (EOFY) sales provide a late June boost

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 3-Jul-24

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence rose 0.9pts to 81.3 in the week to 30 June, although it has now spent a record 74 straight weeks below the mark of 85. Consumer Confidence is 7.2 points above the same week a year ago (74.1), but it is still 0.6 points below the 2024 weekly average of 81.9. Consumer Confidence was unchanged in the two largest States of New South Wales and Victoria, and up slightly in Queensland, WA and SA. Now 20% of Australians (up 1ppt) say their families are ‘better off’ financially than this time last year, while 50% (down 2ppts) say their families are ‘worse off’. Looking forward, 31% (up 1ppt) of Australians expect their family to be ‘better off’ financially this time next year, while 36% (up 1ppt) expect to be ‘worse off’. Now 8% (unchanged) of Australians expect ‘good times’ for the Australian economy over the next 12 months, while 37% (up 2ppts) expect ‘bad times’. Meanwhile, 25% (unchanged) of Australians say now is a ‘good time to buy’ major household items, while 46% (down 2ppts) say now is a ‘bad time to buy’ (the lowest figure for this indicator since the first week of January).

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

Dutton’s retail break-up plan ‘madness’: Kennett

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Original article by Tom McIlroy
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 3-Jul-24

The Coalition proposes to introduce legislation that would force companies in certain sectors to divest assets if they are found to have abused their market power. The divestiture powers would specifically target grocery and hardware retailers with annual turnover of more than $5bn, which would include Coles, Woolworths and Bunnings. The proposed laws have been criticised by former Victorian Liberal premier Jeff Kennett and Business Council of Australia CEO Bran Black. The introduction of divestiture powers was also rejected by former Labor MP Craig Emerson in his recent review of the food and grocery code of conduct.

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LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, COLES GROUP LIMITED – ASX COL, WOOLWORTHS GROUP LIMITED – ASX WOW, BUNNINGS GROUP LIMITED, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Albanese mulls reshuffle to re-energise troops

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Original article by Geoff Chambers
The Australian – Page: 4 : 3-Jul-24

There is growing speculation that the federal government will use parliament’s five-week midwinter break to revamp its frontbench team. Labor has to date avoided any changes to cabinet since taking office in May 2022, although several ministers have come under intense scrutiny over the management of their portfolios in recent months. The possibility of an early election may also prompt Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to consider a cabinet refresh. Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil and Immigration Minister Andrew Giles are widely tipped to be most likely to be shifted from their current portfolios.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HOME AFFAIRS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Roy Morgan Poll: Federal two-party preferred voting intentions unchanged this week: ALP 51% cf. L-NP 49%

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 2-Jul-24

The Albanese Government has retained a narrow lead over the Coalition on two-party preferred terms: ALP 51% (unchanged) cf. Coalition 49% (unchanged), the latest Roy Morgan survey shows. If a Federal Election were held now the result would be a hung parliament, with the ALP likely to form a minority government with the support of minor parties and independents. Primary support for the Coalition was down 0.5% to 36.5% while the ALP was unchanged on 31.5%, the Greens were unchanged on 13%, One Nation dropped 1.5% to 4.5%, Other Parties increased 1.5% to 5.5% and Independents increased 0.5% to 9%.

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

Miners win same pay for same job

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 6 : 2-Jul-24

The Fair Work Commission has ruled that labour hire workers at Batchfire Resources’ Callide coal mine in Queensland are entitled to the same pay as directly-employed workers who are covered by an enterprise agreement. Mitch Hughes from the Mining & Energy Union contends that WorkPac employees at the mine are currently paid between $10,000 and $20,000 less than direct employees. The FWC’s ruling is the first to be made via the federal government’s ‘same job, same pay’ industrial relations reforms. Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke says the ruling means that the "labour hire loophole is officially closed".

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BATCHFIRE RESOURCES PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, MINING AND ENERGY UNION, WORKPAC PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT AND WORKPLACE RELATIONS

Victorian politicians get 3.5 per cent pay rise

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Original article by Rachel Eddie
The Age – Page: Online : 2-Jul-24

The Victorian Independent Remuneration Tribunal announced on Monday that the state’s politicians will get a 3.5 per cent pay increase, with the increase to take effect on the day of the Tribunal’s announcement. It is the second 3.5 per cent pay rise for Victorian MPs in two years, and will see Premier Jacinta Allan’s base salary increase to $435,434 a year. Some submissions to the Tribunal had called for MPs salaries to be reduced, frozen or increased by three per cent only, with the public sector wage cap being set at that figure.

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VICTORIA. INDEPENDENT REMUNERATION TRIBUNAL

Exiled Payman defiant after PM tells her to consider her position as senator

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Original article by Paul Sakkal, James Massola
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: Online : 2-Jul-24

Senator Fatima Payman claims she has been "exiled" by her federal Labor colleagues as a result of her defying party convention and crossing the floor over the conflict in Gaza, and that their actions appear to be aimed at intimidating her into resigning from the Senate. Her comments come a day after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese summoned Payman to The Lodge to advise that she was suspended indefinitely from the Labor caucus, while it has been confirmed that Albanese told Payman that she should consider her position as a parliamentarian.

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AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Supreme Court limits prosecutions of former presidents, casting cloud over charges against Trump

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Original article by Jess Bravin
The Australian – Page: Online : 2-Jul-24

Efforts to prosecute Donald Trump over his alleged attempt to subvert the 2020 presidential election result have been struck a blow by the US Supreme Court, which has ruled that former US presidents retain significant immunity from prosecution for acts taken while in office. The Court’s decision could impact public opinion of it, given that three of its nine judges are Trump appointees, as well as the public perception of Trump’s potential criminality.

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SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence virtually unchanged after the Reserve Bank leaves interest rates unchanged

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 26-Jun-24

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence was virtually unchanged at 80.4 in the week to 23 June, although it has now spent a record 73 straight weeks below the mark of 85. Consumer Confidence is now 5.5 points above the same week a year ago (74.9), but is still 1.5 points below the 2024 weekly average of 81.9. A look at Consumer Confidence by State shows that there were increases in NSW and Victoria, but modest declines in Queensland, WA and SA. Now 19% of Australians (up 1ppt) say their families are ‘better off’ financially than this time last year, while 52% (down 1ppt) say their families are ‘worse off’. Looking forward, 30% (down 3ppts) of Australians expect their family to be ‘better off’ financially this time next year, while 35% (up 3ppts) expect to be ‘worse off’. Now 8% (down 1ppt) of Australians expect ‘good times’ for the Australian economy over the next 12 months, while 35% (unchanged) expect ‘bad times’. Meanwhile, 25% (up 4ppts) of Australians say now is a ‘good time to buy’ major household items, while 48% (down 2ppts) say now is a ‘bad time to buy’.

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