O75 Public Administration

PM’s last word on press freedom as Li departs

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Original article by Paul Garvey, Will Glasgow, Joe Kelly
The Australian – Page: 2 : 19-Jun-24

Chinese Premier Li Qiang ended his four-day visit to Australia on Tuesday. However, the federal government failed to make any progress in getting China to lift its ban on Australian lobster imports, which is the only major export that remains subject to Chinese trade restrictions. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has belatedly responded to Chinese officials’ attempts to block freed journalist Cheng Lei from the view of cameras during a joint press conference with Li on Monday. Albanese said the action was "clumsy" and "ham-fisted", but Opposition leader Peter Dutton has called on him to "grow a backbone" and stand up for Australia. The government also waited until Li had left Australia before releasing a statement expressing its "grave concern" over an incident in which Chinese ships had rammed Philippines vessels in the South China Sea.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Investment tax break call falls on deaf ears

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Original article by Brad Thompson
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 6 : 19-Jun-24

The federal government has declined to state its position on whether companies with links to China will be eligible to receive production tax credits. Resources Minister Madeleine King says the main purpose of this incentive is to encourage the downstream processing of critical minerals in Australia. She acknowledged that China-based Tianqi is doing this at its Kwinana lithium processing plant in Western Australia. Chinese Premier Li Qiang visited the plant on Tuesday, accompanied by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Li has told China’s state-run media that he hopes for a "fair and non-discriminatory" business environment for Chinese companies that have assets in Australia.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, SCIENCE AND RESOURCES, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, TIANQI LITHIUM CORPORATION

Treasurer on the defensive as RBA raises alarm over big-spending budgets

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Original article by Patrick Commins
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 19-Jun-24

Reserve Bank governor Michele Bullock says the central bank’s board is prepared to "do what is necessary" to restore inflation to its target range by mid-2025. The RBA’s decision on Tuesday to leave the cash rate unchanged at 4.35 per cent had been widely expected by economists. Bullock has indicated that the board had considered a rate rise, while a rate cut had not been on the agenda; she notes that the inflation figures for April were "a bit higher than expected". The RBA also expressed concern in its monetary policy statement that cost-of-living relief and other spending measures in federal and state budgets may fuel inflation. However, Treasurer Jim Chalmers says the government’s strategy is "the right one".

CORPORATES
RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY

Outlier economist predicts two rate rises this year

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Original article by Matt Bell
The Australian – Page: 15 : 18-Jun-24

Economists at three of Australia’s four major banks are of the view that interest rates have peaked and the Reserve Bank of Australia will begin easing monetary policy in November. Other economists expect the first rate cut in 2025. However, Judo Bank’s economic adviser Warren Hogan expects the RBA to increase the cash rate in both August and November. He says the central bank’s board will be concerned about recent economic data such as higher-than-expected jobs growth in May, which suggests that inflation will remain above the target range. He adds that tax cuts and governments’ cost-of-living relief may add to inflation.

CORPORATES
JUDO BANK PTY LTD, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA

Setka’s CFMEU branch backs pay deal worth 20pc

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Original article by David Marin-Guzman, Gus McCubbing
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 18-Jun-24

CFMEU members have backed John Setka’s final deal as Victorian secretary of the union before his retirement. The deal with Master Builders Victoria provides for a 20 per cent increase in pay for construction workers over the next four years and reinstates conditions banned under the former Coalition government’s building code, including union flags on site and union vetoes on rostered days off. The deal is expected to be rolled out to the rest of the construction industry in coming weeks.

CORPORATES
CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY AND MARITIME EMPLOYEES UNION, THE MASTER BUILDERS ASSOCIATION OF VICTORIA

Candid meeting clears the air

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Original article by Andrew Tillett
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 18-Jun-24

Five memorandums of understanding between Australia and China were signed following the meeting between Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Monday, although their details will not be released until after Li concludes his visit in Perth on Tuesday. In what was described as a "candid" meeting, Li and Albanese agreed to improve military-to-military lines of communications in order to hopefully prevent potentially dangerous confrontations in the air or at sea, while Li stated that the two countries could seek common ground while "shelving their differences".

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Australian federal politicians awarded 3.5% pay rise by independent tribunal

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Original article by Sarah Basford Canales
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 18-Jun-24

The Remuneration Tribunal has defended its pay rise for federal public office holders, stating that it took into account factors such as the minimum wage case, changes in private and public sector wages and the budget position. MPs, senators and bureaucrats will receive a pay rise of 3.5 per cent from 1 July, and the independent tribunal notes that they have received a ‘modest’ cumulative pay rise of just 18.25 per cent since 2015. The salary of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will rise by more than $20,000 a year, to $607,471; Opposition leader Peter Dutton will in turn be paid $432,239 a year, an increase of about $25,000. The salary of Department of Prime Minister & Cabinet secretary Glyn Davis will rise $34,202 a year to more than $1m.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. REMUNERATION TRIBUNAL, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

‘More secretive than the Morrison government’: Labor accused of transparency failure

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Original article by Amy Remeikis
The Guardian – Page: Online : 18-Jun-24

When they were in opposition, Labor MPs were critical of the Morrison government over what they claimed was its secrecy and its failure to deal with issues of transparency issues. However, independent MPs, who were elected on a platform to boost transparency and restore trust in Australian democracy, claim that Labor is more secretive in government than the Morrison government was. Independent MP Andrew Wilkie, who has been in federal parliament for 14 years, rates the Albanese government as a "a fail for transparency", while fellow independent MP Helen Haines contends the major parties only believe in transparency when they are in opposition.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Melbourne Institute & Roy Morgan – Taking The Pulse of the Nation: Many women are dissatisfied with the division of unpaid domestic work between them and their partner

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 19-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. The March 2024 survey reveals that, while the total hours of unpaid domestic work has decreased since March 2023 for parents of dependent children, women -and mothers in particular – continue to undertake disproportionately more household work. Such activities include grocery shopping, food preparation, laundry, grounds care and gardening, home and vehicle maintenance, caring for children, caring for adults, and paying bills. Although the gender gap in part reflects differences in employment status – and, thus, could reflect a conscious decision to specialise within couples – women are more often dissatisfied with the division of household tasks than men. 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

ALP & Coalition are now even on two-party preferred terms in mid-June: ALP 50% cf. L-NP 50%

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

The Albanese Government and the Liberal-National Coalition are now ‘dead even’ on two-party preferred terms: ALP 50% (down 3.5%) cf. Coalition 50% (up 3.5%). If a Federal Election were held now the result would be too close to call with a hung parliament and the support of minor parties and independents required for either the ALP or Coalition to form a minority government, the latest Roy Morgan survey shows. The major States of New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland drove the swing to the Coalition this week with each State swinging by at least 3% away from the Government. Primary support for the Coalition increased 3% to 38% this week. The increase for the Coalition came at the expense of the ALP, down 1% to 29.5%, and the Greens, down 2% to 13.5%. Support for One Nation was down 0.5% to 5%, support for Other Parties was up 1.5% to 5.5% and support for Independents was down 1% at 8.5%.

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