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Roy Morgan Customer Satisfaction Awards 2018: Australia’s most service-oriented retailers announced

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 4-Mar-19

The winners of the 14 retail categories in the Roy Morgan 2018 Customer Satisfaction Awards include a mix of first-timers and veterans. Kmart (Discount Department Store of the Year), Discount Drug Stores (Chemist/Pharmacy of the Year) and Ikea (Furniture/Electrical Store of the Year) are among the first-time winners. Among the repeat champions were Foodland (Supermarket of the Year), Myer (Department Store of the Year), Bunnings (Hardware Store of the Year), Rebel (Sports Store of the Year) and The Reject Shop (Discount Variety Store of the Year for the seventh year running).

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, KMART AUSTRALIA LIMITED, DISCOUNT DRUGSTORES PTY LTD, IKEA TRADING PTY LTD, FOODLAND AUSTRALIA LIMITED, MYER HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX MYR, BUNNINGS GROUP LIMITED, REBEL SPORT LIMITED, THE REJECT SHOP LIMITED – ASX TRS

House slump hits Harvey Norman

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Original article by Sue Mitchell
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 17 & 22 : 1-Mar-19

Furniture and electronics retailer Harvey Norman has posted a 2018-19 interim net profit of $222.8m, which is 7.3 per cent higher than previously. Its Australian franchised stores recorded sales of $2.95bn for the period, a decline of 1.7 per cent, and there was an 0.6 per cent fall in same-store sales. However, its overseas stores boasted sales of $1.07bn, an increase of 12.1 per cent. Chairman Gerry Harvey is confident that Harvey Norman’s overseas stores will eventually contribute 50 per cent of its earnings.

CORPORATES
HARVEY NORMAN HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX HVN, ALLERON INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT LIMITED, IKEA

Mission for Ita: deliver ABC back to the people

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Original article by Simon Benson, Joe Kelly
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 1-Mar-19

The ABC’s incoming chair Ita Buttrose notes that the majority of Australians do not think the public broadcaster is biased and that it is the nation’s most trusted source of news. Prime Minister Scott Morrison says the media industry veteran is the ideal person to protect the ABC’s audiences and make sure that its focus is on them. Labor leader Bill Shorten says he does not have any objections to Buttrose’s appointment, but he says the selection process should have been politically impartial. Morrison has attracted scrutiny for ignoring the recommendations of an independent selection panel, which did not consider Buttrose for the role.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, GILBERT AND TOBIN LAWYERS, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, HOLDING REDLICH

Buttrose move clears way for new ABC MD

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 28-Feb-19

Media industry veteran Ita Buttrose has declined to comment on reports that she is set to succeed Justin Milne as the ABC’s chair. However, former ABC presenter Quentin Dempster says a new chair should not be appointed until the Senate concludes its inquiry into allegations of political interference at the public broadcaster. Centre for Media Transition director Peter Fray says Buttrose’s expected appointment means the ABC’s acting MD David Anderson is likely to be given the role permanently.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, CENTRE FOR MEDIA TRANSITION, WALKLEY FOUNDATION FOR JOURNALISM, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Morrison puts Ita in ABC’s hot seat

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Original article by Rosie Lewis, Greg Brown
The Australian – Page: 3 : 27-Feb-19

Senior federal government sources have confirmed that media industry veteran Ita Buttrose will succeed Justin Milne as the ABC’s chair. Cabinet is said to have approved her appointment and a formal announcement is likely within days. However, Labor leader Bill Shorten has accused the government of bungling the succession process, arguing that Buttrose was not on a shortlist of candidates for the role.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, KORN/FERRY INTERNATIONAL, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED, GILBERT AND TOBIN LAWYERS, HOLDING REDLICH, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN GREENS

Buttrose wins backing for top ABC job

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Original article by Lilly Vitorovich, Greg Bright
The Australian – Page: 3 : 26-Feb-19

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says cabinet has yet to discuss the appointment of a successor to former ABC chairman Justin Milne. Amid growing speculation that media industry veteran Ita Buttrose will be given the role, some observers believe that her appointment would be inappropriate as she was not on the short-list compiled by Korn Ferry or considered by the independent nomination panel. However, former ABC chairman Donald McDonald is among those who believe that Buttrose would be a good choice for the role.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, KORN/FERRY INTERNATIONAL, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, COMMUNITY AND PUBLIC SECTOR UNION, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED, GILBERT AND TOBIN LAWYERS, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, HOLDING REDLICH

Letter in response to ‘Tribal warfare saps our energy’ by Paul Kelly

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Paul Kelly writes of middle-class climate moralism (Weekend Australian 23/2/10). I am a geologist and therefore a scientist; I am on a pension supplemented by a reverse mortgage. I am a conservative voter and might be ‘middle-class’.

My messages to the ‘middle class’ are these. Assuming that many of you are not scientists, do not trust the words of every scientist. Some say what they say because their continued salary and status depends on the support of global catastrophism.

Skeptical scientists are sacked because of their views, which is why many are self-employed or choose not to speak the real truth until they retire. You can believe that carbon dioxide is your friend, not your enemy, and is a non-polluting gas that is essential to all life on this planet.

It exists in our atmosphere in very small quantities, together with much larger quantities of water vapour, which is also a so-called ‘greenhouse gas’ that has zero negative consequences for our well-being.

Hundreds of factual data graphs from Antarctica to Iceland to Japan and to buoys in a channel in San Francisco Bay show NO global warming whatsoever for the past 50 years or more, so the push for emissions control and renewables is nothing more than a feel-good fad, albeit one which has the potential to crucify this nation economically.

If you want a grand future for your children, then do everything possible to return this country to what it once possessed – the lowest cost energy in the world, based on the blessings of fossil fuels.

Geoff Derrick
February 25, 2019

Buttrose poised to head the ABC

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Original article by Kylar Loussikian, Bevan Shields, Jennifer Duke
The Age – Page: 1 : 25-Feb-19

Media industry veteran Ita Buttrose is tipped to succeed Justin Milne as the ABC’s chair. Communications Minister Mitch Fifield is expected to seek cabinet approval for her appointment in coming days, although a government spokesman has indicated that a decision has not yet been made. Buttrose has extensive experience in print and broadcast media, and she has held several directorships in the sector. She did not feature on an independent panel’s shortlist of candidates for the ABC role.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, GILBERT AND TOBIN LAWYERS, FILM VICTORIA, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN CONSOLIDATED PRESS, CHIEF EXECUTIVE WOMEN, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE

Nine chief upbeat as digital lifts earnings

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Original article by Lilly Vitorovich
The Australian – Page: 21 : 22-Feb-19

Nine Entertainment Company has posted a pro-forma net profit of $126m for the first half of 2018-19, which is five per cent higher than previously. EBITDA rose by six per cent to $252m, although revenue fell three per cent to $1.2bn. CEO Hugh Marks notes that broadcasting now accounts for 54 per cent of the group’s revenue, compared with 86 per cent prior to the merger with Fairfax Media. Nine’s shares closed 7.2 per cent higher at $1.57 on 21 February.

CORPORATES
NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED, STAN ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, MACQUARIE MEDIA LIMITED – ASX MRN, DOMAIN HOLDINGS AUSTRALIA LIMITED – ASX DHA, 9NOW, METRO MEDIA PUBLISHING PTY LTD, NINE.COM.AU, PEDESTRIAN

Fairfax regional papers to be sold by mid-year

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Original article by Lilly Vitorovich
The Australian – Page: 21 : 22-Feb-19

Nine Entertainment Company has advised that prospective buyers are undertaking due diligence on its Australian Community Media business, and a deal should be finalised by mid-2019. Formerly owned by Fairfax Media, ACM comprises more than 170 community and regional newspapers. Nine has also commenced the sale process for its New Zealand division, Stuff, as well as its events business.

CORPORATES
NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN COMMUNITY MEDIA, STUFF LIMITED, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, ALLEGRO FUNDS PTY LTD, ANCHORAGE CAPITAL PARTNERS PTY LTD, PLATINUM EQUITY HOLDINGS, DOMAIN HOLDINGS AUSTRALIA LIMITED – ASX DHA