Secret email plea to lock down Sydney

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Original article by Anton Nilsson
The Daily Telegraph – Page: Online : 25-Nov-21

The New South Wales government’s response to the Delta variant outbreak is under further scrutiny. It follows the revelation that chief health officer Kerry Chant and senior NSW Health officials were urged to lock down Greater Sydney on 24 June. A NSW Health official in the Hunter Region called for such action due to the widespread detection of coronavirus fragments in wastewater in areas of Sydney and Wollongong. A lockdown was imposed in some parts of Sydney on 25 June, but Greater Sydney was not locked down until the next day. NSW recorded 248 new COVID-19 cases and two additional deaths on Wednesday.

CORPORATES
NEW SOUTH WALES. MINISTRY OF HEALTH

Oil Search gets proxy nod for merger

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Original article by Perry Williams
The Australian – Page: 16 : 25-Nov-21

Some 75 per cent of Oil Search’s investors will need to approve the proposed merger with Santos for the $21bn deal to proceed. Proxy adviser Institutional Shareholder Services has recommended that shareholders endorse the all-scrip offer, citing factors such as the 16.8 per cent premium over Oil Search’s share price, the pre-tax synergies and the absence of a superior offer. Wilson Asset Management also supports the merger, although Allan Gray Australia opposes it. Oil Search shareholders will vote on the deal on 7 December.

CORPORATES
OIL SEARCH LIMITED – ASX OSH, SANTOS LIMITED – ASX STO, INSTITUTIONAL SHAREHOLDER SERVICES INCORPORATED, WILSON ASSET MANAGEMENT, ALLAN GRAY AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Retailers ready to ride Black Friday wave

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Original article by Richard Henderson, Simon Evans
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 22 & 34 : 25-Nov-21

Research by Boston Consulting Group shows that 82 per cent of Australians intend to participate in the Black Friday sales in 2021, compared with 43 per cent in 2020. Australian Retailers Association CEO Paul Zahra notes that November has displaced December as the nation’s biggest month for retail sales over the last two years, primarily due to the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales. Roy Morgan’s research shows that the four-day event will generate sales of $5.4bn in 2021. Some retailers have been offering big discounts ahead of the Black Friday sale on 26 November.

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THE BOSTON CONSULTING GROUP PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN RETAILERS ASSOCIATION, ROY MORGAN LIMITED

ARIA engrossed by songbook of Genesis

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Original article by Andrew McMillen
The Australian – Page: 3 : 25-Nov-21

The debut album of hip-hop artist Genesis Owusu has been named album of the year in the annual ARIA awards. ‘Smiling With No Teeth’ also took out the awards for best independent release, best hip-hop release and best cover art. Meanwhile, The Kid Laroi won the ARIA award for best pop release and best artist, while indie rock band Spacey Jane won the public-voted song of the year award. The ARIA awards were streamed on YouTube and 9Now, and held without a live audience for the second consecutive year.

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AUSTRALIAN RECORDING INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION LIMITED

Big cities tipped to lead fall in prices

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Original article by Ben Wilmot
The Australian – Page: 3 : 25-Nov-21

SQM Research has forecast that growth in residential property prices will slow in the first quarter of 2022 before falling in the second half of the year. SQM Research MD Louis Christopher says there are signs that the national housing market is nearing its peak, adding that the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority could further intervene in the mortgage market as soon as December. SQM Research has also forecast that Sydney and Melbourne will record the biggest fall in house prices.

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SQM RESEARCH PTY LTD

Over three-quarters of Victorians (76%) agree that an employed worker in Victoria is not allowed to enter their employer’s workplace unless fully vaccinated

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 25-Nov-21

A large majority of 76% of Victorians agree that an employed worker in Victoria is not allowed to enter their employer’s workplace unless fully vaccinated compared to only 24% that disagree, according to a special Victorian Roy Morgan SMS Poll conducted yesterday (November 24, 2021). Agreement with this policy is consistently strong across Gender, Age and Location although there are significant political differences. An almost unanimous 96% of ALP supporters agree with the policy compared to 91.5% of Greens supporters but only 55% of L-NP supporters and just 4% of supporters of the United Australia Party (UAP). The ALP has increased its two-party preferred lead to almost 20% points with the ALP on 59.5% cf. L-NP on 40.5%. Support for the ALP is strongest amongst women: ALP 62.5% cf. L-NP 37.5% while there is a tighter result for men: ALP 55.5% cf. L-NP 44.5%. The survey found 63.5% of Victorian electors approve of the way Premier Daniel Andrews is handling his job while a minority of 36.5%, down 3% points disapprove of his handling of the job.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, UNITED AUSTRALIA PARTY, VICTORIA. DEPT OF PREMIER AND CABINET

Low-carbon steel’s cost challenges stand in the way of greener Pilbara

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 12 : 25-Nov-21

BHP estimated in 2020 that 72 per cent of the world’s steel mills are blast furnaces, which use iron ore and coking coal. However, they also generate carbon dioxide in the steel-making process, even if the plant is powered by renewable energy. Electric arc furnaces are an alternative to traditional blast furnaces, and use either scrap metal or direct reduced iron as feedstock. Rio Tinto is working on a project to make direct reduced iron using ‘green’ hydrogen rather than methane, which is a greenhouse gas. Rio Tinto has cautioned that converting the world’s steel industry to this process would require massive amount of renewable energy.

CORPORATES
BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO

Prime Media welcomes Seven, castigates the Nationals

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Original article by Miranda Ward
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 27 : 25-Nov-21

Prime Media Group’s CEO Ian Audsley says the proposed takeover by Seven West Media is in the best interests of the regional affiliate’s shareholders. He has told Prime’s AGM that digital disruption has had an "irreversible and negative" impact on traditional media businesses in regional Australia. Audsley also warned that Prime’s future would be uncertain if the merger does not proceed. In addition, he has criticised the federal government – and the National Party in particular – over its failure to pursue further media reforms.

CORPORATES
PRIME MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX PRT, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Unvaxxed BHP miners agree to get the jab

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 5 : 25-Nov-21

BHP has advised that fewer than 35 workers at its Mt Arthur coal mine have yet to provide evidence that they are vaccinated against COVID-19. The resources group recently stood down nearly 80 of the mine’s workers under its mandatory vaccination policy. The CFMEU and the ACTU are challenging the validity of this policy in the Fair Work Commission, contending that BHP did not comply with the consultation requirements of the Work, Health and Safety Act.

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BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MARITIME, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, ACTU, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION

First act in office would be to kill voter ID law: Labor

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Original article by Tom McIlroy
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 24-Nov-21

Special Minister of State Ben Morton has told a parliamentary committee that nobody will be denied the right to vote under the federal government’s proposal to require people to prove their identity at polling booths. He also that more than 700 people had admitted to voting more than once at the 2019 election, and the Australian Electoral Commission had identified 311 multiple votes before they were counted. However, Labor senator Don Farrell has urged the government to withdraw the voter ID legislation; he also says Labor’s first priority would be to repeal the legislation if it wins the next election.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN ELECTORAL COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY