O75 Public Administration

Dutton delays climate target, blasts teals

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 12-Jun-24

Opposition leader Peter Dutton says a Coalition government would scrap Labor’s legislated 2030 target to reduce carbon emissions by 43 per cent on 2005 levels. He contends that this target is not achievable and would result in higher power prices. Dutton adds that the Coalition will not release its alternative emissions reduction target until after the federal election, stating that it will take into account the "prevailing economic conditions" at the time. Dutton has also reiterated the Coalition’s support for a net zero emissions target of 2050. Meanwhile, he contends that teal MPs are out of touch with average families who are struggling to pay their power bills, and argues that some of them are essentially Greens.

CORPORATES
LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Melbourne Institute & Roy Morgan – Taking The Pulse of the Nation: Australians are still feeling the financial pinch and are more vulnerable to potential unexpected costs

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 12-Jun-24

Taking the Pulse of the Nation (TTPN) surveys the Australian population to capture their sentiments and behaviours related to current economic and social issues. Rising housing prices, utility bills, medical bills, and everyday expenses like food have been contributing to an increased risk in Australia for people becoming vulnerable and falling into poverty. Using the February TTPN survey data, we examine cost-of-living challenges based on residents in a high-, medium-, or low-poverty community. We find that regardless of community type, financial challenges remain high across the board. High and medium-poverty communities report higher rates of food challenges compared to low-poverty communities. For all other challenges (housing, utility bills, and medical needs) there is a high share of individuals across all communities reporting such challenges. The number of individuals reporting these types of challenges is higher compared to 2023. To view all Melbourne Institute – Roy Morgan Taking The Pulse of the Nation Reports visit the TTPN website portal: https://melbourneinstitute.unimelb.edu.au/data/ttpn.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE. INSTITUTE OF APPLIED ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL RESEARCH

Economy on track for soft landing: Chalmers

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Patrick Commins, Geoff Chambers
The Australian – Page: 4 : 12-Jun-24

Treasurer Jim Chalmers will use a speech on Wednesday to defend the federal government’s high-spending 14 May budget. He will contend that it would be irresponsible for the government to cut its expenditure too deeply in the current environment of flat economic growth and high interest rates. He will also state that Labor’s "more balanced approach" will bring inflation under control without "crunching the economy". Chalmers will in turn state that the government is "cautiously confident" that the economy will experience a ‘soft landing’.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY

Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine comments on drop in support for the ALP in the latest Roy Morgan Poll on Federal Voting Intention

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 12-Jun-24

The primary support for both major parties fell slightly this week. The main beneficiaries were the Greens (up 1.5% to 15.5%) and One Nation (up 1% to 5.5%). The strong protests by Greens supporters against Israel’s conduct in the war in Gaza over the last week, including with Greens Leader Adam Bandt addressing the crowd, have clearly been a factor behind the rising support for the Greens. This week’s results show over a third of Australian electors (34.5%) now supporting either a minor party or independent – up almost 3% points from the 2022 Federal Election (31.7%). The rising proportion of Australians supporting minor parties and independents increases the likelihood we will end up with a hung Parliament after the next Federal Election. However, the clear lead for the ALP this week means that if a Federal Election were held now the ALP would be re-elected with an increased majority.

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

Clashes to mar panda diplomacy

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Ben Packham
The Australian – Page: 1 & 5 : 12-Jun-24

The federal government has confirmed the itinerary for the official visit of Chinese Premier Li Qiang. He will arrive in Adelaide on Sunday, where he will attend a state lunch and visit Adelaide Zoo; Li is expected to announce that China will extend its loan of two pandas to the zoo, which is part of the nation’s policy of "panda diplomacy". Li will travel to Canberra on Monday for talks with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, while they will both go to Perth on Tuesday to visit Fortescue’s hydrogen plant and a Chinese-backed lithium processing plant. There are concerns that Li’s official visit to Australia will be marred by disruptions caused by pro-China activists and human rights protestors.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

ALP Government strengthens its two-party preferred lead over the Coalition to the largest for three months: ALP 53.5% cf. L-NP 46.5%

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 12-Jun-24

The Albanese Government has increased its two-party preferred lead over the Coalition: ALP 53.5% (up 1.5%) cf. Coalition 46.5% (down 1.5%). If a Federal Election were held now the ALP would be re-elected with an increased majority, the latest Roy Morgan survey shows. Support for the Government improved for a second straight week on a two-party preferred basis to its highest for over three months since the first week of March. For the second straight week the major States of New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland all swung to the ALP on a two-party preferred basis. The Albanese Government now leads clearly in NSW (56% cf. 44%) and Victoria (57.5% cf. 42.5%) and has narrowed the gap in Queensland (47% cf. 53%). Primary support for both major parties dropped this week. Support for the ALP was down 0.5% to 30.5% while support for the Coalition was down 1% to 35%. Looking at support for the minor parties shows support for the Greens increased 1.5% to 15.5%, support for One Nation was up 1% to 5.5%, support for Other Parties was down 1.5% to 4% and support for Independents was up 0.5% at 9.5%.

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

PM locked out by war protests

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Dennis Shanahan, Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 5-Jun-24

The security protection of federal MPs and Parliament House has been ramped up in the wake of the Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel on 7 October and the resultant pro-Palestine demonstrations across Australia. It has been revealed that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has not used his electorate office in Marrickville since early January due to concerns about the safety of his staff. Meanwhile, federal police and intelligence agencies are believed to have advised parliamentarians that anti-Israel demonstrations have been infiltrated by Islamic extremists.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

PC: mining subsidy not tax reform

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Michael Read
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 5-Jun-24

Productivity Commission chair Danielle Wood has defended the federal government’s critical minerals production tax credit regime, which was a key measure in the 14 May budget. Wood has told a Senate estimates hearing that the tax credit scheme is tax policy rather than tax reform. However, Treasurer Jim Chalmers has repeatedly described the tax credits scheme as tax reform. Wood also contended that reducing Australia’s company tax rate of 30 per cent would make the nation more internationally competitive.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY

Unions push for total ban on non-competes

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 6 : 5-Jun-24

The federal government is reviewing the use of non-compete clauses in employment contracts, amid growing concern that they have become too prevalent. The issue will be on the agenda for the ACTU’s upcoming triennial congress, and the union movement will push for a blanket ban on the use of these clauses. ACTU assistant secretary Joseph Mitchell says post-employment restraints are having a "chilling" effect on the labour market. However, economists favour imposing restrictions on the use of these clauses instead of a total ban, arguing amongst other things that they are needed to protect the intellectual property of business start-ups.

CORPORATES
ACTU

Sharp drop in profit growth amid anaemic household spending

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Michael Read
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 5-Jun-24

Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows that earnings outside the resource sector have risen by just 1.6 per cent over the last year. A downturn in consumer spending amid the cost-of-living crisis was the key contributor to the decline in earnings growth. However, lower coal and iron ore exports also weighed on earnings in the resources sector. KPMG’s chief economist Brendan Rynne says the figures show that the nation is "a heartbeat away from a recession". The quarterly national accounts data to be released today will provide more evidence regarding the state of the economy.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS, KPMG AUSTRALIA PTY LTD