O75 Public Administration

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence virtually unchanged at 80.5 in early June

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 5-Jun-24

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence was virtually unchanged at 80.5 in the week to 2 June, but it has now spent a record 70 straight weeks below the mark of 85. Consumer Confidence is now 4.7 points above the same week a year ago (75.8), but 1.8 points below the 2024 weekly average of 82.3. Consumer Confidence was up in Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia, down in Queensland and virtually unchanged in New South Wales. Now 21% of Australians (down 1ppt) say their families are ‘better off’ financially than this time last year, while 51% (unchanged) say their families are ‘worse off’. Looking forward, 31% (unchanged) of Australians expect their family to be ‘better off’ financially this time next year, while 35% (also unchanged) expect to be ‘worse off’ (the equal highest figure for this indicator so far this year). Now 8% (unchanged) of Australians expect ‘good times’ for the Australian economy over the next 12 months, while 35% (unchanged) expect ‘bad times’. Meanwhile, 21% (unchanged) of Australians say now is a ‘good time to buy’ major household items, while 49% (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

Scared, scarred: the women Giles forgot

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Original article by Alexi Demetriadi, Rhiannon Down, Liam Mendes, Simon Benson
The Australian – Page: 1 & 5 : 5-Jun-24

Immigration Minister Andrew Giles will announce a replacement for Ministerial Directive 99 by the end of this week. However, it could take up to six weeks for the new directive to take effect, based on Home Affairs’ advice to Giles in late 2022. Shadow immigration spokesman Dan Tehan says Giles must explain how he will deal with decisions made by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal during this period. Meanwhile, single mother Jesica Mills has revealed that she had lived in constant fear of a former neighbour after he subjected her to threats and harassment; the New Zealand-born career criminal was released from immigration detention in February under MD99. Giles is on record as having stated that Australia has an "obligation" to foreign-born criminals who have been in the country for most of their life.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HOME AFFAIRS, AUSTRALIA. ADMINISTRATIVE APPEALS TRIBUNAL

MPs fight to force shops to take cash

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Original article by Shane Wright
The Age – Page: Online : 4-Jun-24

Cash is now used in just 13 per cent of all transactions in which money changes hands, compared with about 70 per cent in 2007. The pandemic accelerated Australia’s shift to a cashless society, but independent MP Andrew Gee has introduced a private member’s bill that would impose a $25,000 fine on businesses that refuse to accept cash payments of less than $10,000; individuals would be fined up to $5,000. Gee’s bill has the support of fellow independents such as Bob Katter and Dai Le; however, federal parliament has passed only 30 private member’s bills since Federation in 1901.

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Balancing act on minimum wage as low paid get 3.75pc

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 4-Jun-24

Fair Work Commission president Adam Hatcher says the cost-of-living pressures facing people who are reliant on modern industry awards was a key factor in its decision to increase the minimum wage by 3.75 per cent. ACTU secretary Sally McManus says the decision will deliver a small real wage increase to the 2.6 million workers on award rates and the minimum wage, although she is disappointed that the FWC has deferred a decision on the peak union body’s push for an additional wage rise of four per cent for workers in female-dominated sectors. Australian Industry Group CEO Innes Willox in turn warns that workers on low wages will be at greater risk of unemployment and underemployment due to the ruling. The minimum wage will increase by $33 per week to $915.90 from 1 July.

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AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, ACTU, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP

Company tax cut will shift pain to others

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Original article by Patrick Commins
The Australian – Page: 6 : 4-Jun-24

Australia’s company tax rate of 30 per cent is currently the third-highest among OECD nations, and Industry Minister Ed Husic recently suggested that it should be reduced. However, Treasury secretary Steven Kennedy contends that any tax changes should be revenue-neutral, adding that a reduction in the company tax rate would need to be offset by an increase in other taxes. Kennedy also rejected calls for income thresholds to be adjusted every year to combat ‘bracket creep’. Meanwhile, Kennedy says that national accounts data to be released on Wednesday will show that the Australian economy was
"very weak" at the start of 2024.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, SCIENCE AND RESOURCES, ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT

Shorten to tell world Australia stands with Ukraine

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Original article by Matthew Knott
Brisbane Times – Page: Online : 4-Jun-24

Government Services Minister Bill Shorten will represent Australia at a Ukraine peace summit that will be held in Switzerland on 15-16 July. He says Australia is unwavering in its support for the Ukrainian people in their fight against Russia’s "criminal and unforgivable" war. Shorten adds that he will tell the summit that victory for Russian President Vladimir Putin in Ukraine would "embolden dictators globally". Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong will not attend the summit, as it will coincide with Chinese Premier Li Qiang’s official visit to Australia.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. SERVICES AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE

‘Reckless’: Penny Wong condemns Peter Dutton’s threats to cut ties with International Criminal Court

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Original article by Daniel Hurst
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 4-Jun-24

Foreign Minister Penny Wong has used a Senate estimates hearing to attack Opposition leader Peter Dutton over what she claims is his "reckless" threat to sever Australia’s ties with the International Criminal Court, claiming it would make it harder for Australia to insist that China follow international law. Wong also used the hearing to attack the Greens for "participating in protests which have become violent and aggressive"; the Greens later issued a statement in which it stated that the party supported "peaceful protests", and that Wong’s assertions were incorrect.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT

Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine explains what has driven the ALP’s resurgence over the past week to take the two-party preferred lead once more

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 4-Jun-24

The Albanese Government has regained the advantage on a two-party preferred basis with the ALP on 52% ahead of the Coalition on 48% – a return to the Roy Morgan Poll results for the four-week stretch from April 15 – May 12. Primary support for the ALP increased 2.5% to 31% and helped power the Government back into the two-party preferred lead. The rise in support came after the Government issued a new directive to prioritise community safety and dump the former policy known as ‘Directive 99’ when dealing with foreign-born criminals released from Australian prisons. On a gender basis the two-party preferred swing was larger among men than women – with both genders now preferring the ALP over the Coalition. Analysis of results on a State-by-State basis shows the swing to the ALP was most significant in the three largest States of New South Wales (+7%), Victoria (+6%) and Queensland (+4.5%). In addition to the ‘national issues’, it is worth noting the Miles ALP Government in Queensland reduced all public transport fares to 50 cent for the next six months – a significant saving amounting to thousands of dollars for many commuters in Brisbane. In New South Wales, the Minns ALP Government announced that Australia’s largest coal-fired power station, Eraring, would have its operating life extended for two years until 2027. This will secure lower energy prices over the next two years for residents of New South Wales.

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

ALP Government regains the initiative after vowing to dump Directive 99 and the tragedy in Papua New Guinea grabbed the headlines: ALP 52% cf. ALP 48%

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 4-Jun-24

The Albanese Government has regained the lead on a two-party preferred basis: ALP 52% (up 3.5%) ahead of the Coalition 48% (down 3.5%). If a Federal Election were held now the ALP would be re-elected with a slim majority as they have now, the latest Roy Morgan survey shows. Support for the Government improved after dumping the controversial ‘Directive 99’ and issuing a new directive to ensure community safety outweighs any other consideration when assessing the visa conditions of foreign-born criminals released from Australian prisons. In addition, the terrible landslide in Papua New Guinea, which buried as many as 2,000 people, dominated news headlines; while there finally appears to be progress towards peace in the Middle East with Israel and Hamas considering a three-phase peace deal to end the conflict. Primary support for the ALP increased 2.5% to 31% and support for the Coalition was down 1% to 36%. This is the closest the two parties have been since before the Federal Budget in early May. Support for the Greens was down 1% to 14%, support for One Nation decreased 1.5% to 4.5%, support for Other Parties was up 1% to 5.5% and support for Independents was unchanged at 9%.

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

Number of days since Giles’ last blunder: 0

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Original article by Simon Benson, Rhiannon Down
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 4-Jun-24

The future of Immigration Minister Andrew Giles is under renewed scrutiny after he admitted that drones are not being used to monitor foreign-born criminals who were released into the community due to the High Court’s NZYQ ruling. However, Giles claimed that he had relied on advice from Department of Home Affairs officials when he initially claimed that 28 violent offenders were being monitored via drones. Meanwhile, it has been revealed that the controversial Ministerial Directive 99 was introduced in response to pressure from the New Zealand government over the deportation of NZ-born criminals. A government spokeswoman has indicated that Giles will announce a replacement for Directive 99 by the end of this week.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HOME AFFAIRS, HIGH COURT OF AUSTRALIA