Bowen signs up to global offshore wind club

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Original article by Hans van Leeuwen
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 12 : 16-Nov-22

The federal government will seek to accelerate the development of Australia’s nascent offshore wind power industry. Onshore wind farms account for about 10 per cent of the nation’s electricity generation capacity at present, and the government has announced that Australia will join the Global Offshore Wind Alliance. Climate and Energy Minister Chris Bowen, who is attending the COP27 climate summit in Egypt, says Australia’s offshore wind farm industry is starting from scratch, and the nation will benefit from being a member of the alliance.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF CLIMATE CHANGE, ENERGY, THE ENVIRONMENT AND WATER, GLOBAL OFFSHORE WIND ALLIANCE

Labor to boost whistleblower protections in last sitting fortnight of parliamentary year

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Original article by Paul Karp
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 16-Nov-22

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus will address the Australian Public Sector Anti-Corruption Conference in Sydney on Wednesday. He will reveal plans to pursue amendments to the Public Interest Disclosure Act which aim to provide increased protection for whistleblowers. Cabinet has approved the draft legislation, which will be introduced to parliament before it rises for the year. The federal government will pursue "priority amendments" to the Act, ahead of a fuller review in 2023. It wants stronger whistleblower protections to be in place before the National Anti-Corruption Commission becomes operational in mid-2023.

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AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT

Greens reveal key policies ahead of Victorian election

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Original article by Mitch Clarke
Herald Sun – Page: Online : 16-Nov-22

Action on climate action and housing affordability are among the key demands that the Victorian Greens will seek in return for supporting Labor if it is unable to form a majority government after the state election. Amongst other things, the Greens would push for a total ban on onshore and offshore gas exploration and production, a statewide ban on logging in native forests, and capping rent increases in line with wages. Premier Daniel Andrews has consistently ruled out any deals with the Greens or independent candidates.

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AUSTRALIAN GREENS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, VICTORIA. DEPT OF PREMIER AND CABINET

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence up 2.1pts to 80.8 – the weekly increase halts a run of six straight declines

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 16-Nov-22

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence rose 2.1pts to 80.8 in the week ended 13 November. It is now 25.2pts below the same week a year ago (106.0), and 8.6pts below the 2022 weekly average of 89.4. There were mixed results around the nation; Consumer Confidence increased in NSW and Queensland, Victoria was unchanged while the index was down in Western Australia and South Australia. Now 21% of Australians (down 2ppts) say their families are ‘better off’ financially than this time last year, while 46% (down 1ppt) say their families are ‘worse off’ financially. Some 31% (up 2ppt) of Australians expect their family to be ‘better off’ financially this time next year, while 35% (down 3ppts) expect to be ‘worse off’ financially. Only 8% (up 2ppts) of Australians now expect ‘good times’ for the Australian economy over the next 12 months, while 39% (down 4ppts) expect ‘bad times’. Meanwhile, 22% (down 1ppt) of Australians say now is a ‘good time to buy’ major household items, while 50% (unchanged) say now is a ‘bad time to buy’.

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

First step in long China thaw

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Original article by Ben Packham, Amanda Hodge, Will Glasgow
The Australian – Page: 1 & 7 : 16-Nov-22

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has described his brief meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the G20 leaders’ summit as an important step to moving forward in the bilateral relationship between the two nations. Albanese and Xi talked for 32 minutes on the sidelines of the Bali summit, with the latter praising Albanese for handling relations between the two countries in a "mature manner". Albanese raised a number of issues during the meeting, including China’s trade bans on Australian imports and Australia’s concerns about alleged human rights abuses in Xinjiang province. He also urged Xi to release two Australian citizens who have been detained in China on espionage charges and to use his influence with Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, GROUP OF TWENTY (G-20)

Review into ABC and SBS financial stability

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Original article by Sophie Elsworth
The Australian – Page: Online : 16-Nov-22

Communications Minister Michelle Rowland has advised that her department has commenced a review of the ABC and SBS that will examine measures to support the stability and independence of the public broadcasters. Rowland disclosed details of review while attending a function organised by ABC Friends, which is not affiliated with the ABC. She emphasised that the review will not consider issues such as funding of the ABC and SBS or proposals to merge them. The review will include public consultation in 2023.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORT, REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, SPECIAL BROADCASTING SERVICE (SBS)

Roy Morgan Trusted Brand Awards 2022: Australia’s most trusted brands in five key services and communications industries

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 16-Nov-22

Roy Morgan presented the inaugural Roy Morgan Trusted Brand Awards for 2022 in mid-October. Victoria-based ISP Aussie Broadband has taken out the inaugural award in the telecommunications category ahead of iiNet and TPG, and it has been Australia’s ‘Most Trusted Brand in Telecommunications’ since December 2020. The Salvation Army has won the inaugural ‘Most Trusted Brand in Charities’ Award after regaining top position in the category in June 2021. The excellent performance of Australia Post in dealing with the challenges of staff shortages caused by the pandemic and record high parcel deliveries, has been recognised in its victory in the ‘Most Trusted Brand in Services’ category, ahead of fellow finalists Wesfarmers and Choice. There was never much doubt which brand would emerge as the ‘Most Trusted Media Brand’, with the ABC leading this category since the inception of the survey four years ago. Meanwhile, Australia’s national research organisation the CSIRO is the inaugural winner of the ‘Most Trusted Brand in Government Services’ for 2022. The CSIRO has led the category for over two years and was one of only two finalists in the category to score a positive Net Trust Score – the other being Medicare in second place.

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ROY MORGAN LIMITED, AUSSIE BROADBAND LIMITED – ASX ABB, SALVATION ARMY, AUSTRALIA POST, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, CSIRO

Why haven’t I had COVID-19 yet? Am I a NOVID?

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Original article by Nathan Bartlett
abc.net.au – Page: Online : 14-Nov-22

The most recent survey of donor blood examined the proportion of people who had antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, finding at least two thirds of Australians have been infected with the viral disease. As to those that have not had COVID-19 as yet, or NOVIDs as some have dubbed them, one possibility as to why they have not is that they could have immunity from it as a result of having previously been infected by a similar virus, while another could be their genetic makeup.

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Origin suitor EIG expects intervention

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Original article by Perry Williams
The Australian – Page: 13 & 16 : 14-Nov-22

US private equity firm EIG has teamed up with Canadian firm Brookfield to make a $18.4 billion bid for Origin Energy, with EIG expected to acquire Origin’s integrated gas business if the bid succeeds. EIG CEO R Blair Thomas says it has had to deal with windfall taxes and price caps at its German and UK operations, and expects that the federal government will intervene in Australia’s domestic gas market. Thomas says the gas industry needs to keep the public onside as it progresses through the energy transition, with many households angry about soaring gas prices.

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ORIGIN ENERGY LIMITED – ASX ORG, EIG GLOBAL ENERGY PARTNERS, BROOKFIELD ASSET MANAGEMENT INCORPORATED

Streaming services come to the rescue of local TV drama

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Original article by Edmund Tadros
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 28 : 14-Nov-22

Data from Screen Australia shows that pay-TV and subscription streaming services spent $445m on producing Australian drama in 2021-22. In contrast, the nation’s free-to-air broadcasters invested just $208m in local dramas during the last financial year. Screen Australia CEO Graeme Mason says streaming services are producing more Australian drama because they know local audiences want to see Australian stories on the screen. However, Mason advocates imposing local content quotas on international streaming services such as Netflix and Disney+.

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SCREEN AUSTRALIA, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, DISNEY+