Australian government pays PR firm to copy existing Covid data into daily email to media

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Original article by Christopher Knaus
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 4-Aug-21

The federal government has attracted renewed scrutiny over questionable spending policies following revelations of a contract with Cox Inall Communications. The public relations firm is being paid to copy the daily COVID-19 vaccination data on the Department of Health’s website and email it to media outlets. The data is sent in the same PDF format in which it is displayed on the department’s website. The department has declined to comment on the cost of the contract, details of which have yet to be published on the government’s AusTender website. The department has an in-house media and communications team.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HEALTH, COX INALL COMMUNICATIONS

Inflation Expectations increase to 4.1% in July, highest for nearly 2 years since Oct 2019

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 4-Aug-21

In July 2021, Australians expected inflation of 4.1% annually over the next two years, up 0.1% and the highest Inflation Expectations since October 2019. Inflation Expectations are now up 0.9% points since the pandemic low of 3.2% in August 2020. Inflation Expectations are still 0.6% points below their long-term average of 4.7%, but are now 0.6% points higher than the 2020 monthly average of 3.5% and 0.7% points higher than in July 2020 (3.4%). A look at Inflation Expectations by occupation and employment category compared to a year ago shows increases across the board. Inflation Expectations for employed Australians increased by 0.8% points to 4.0% but still trail those of Australians who are not employed at 4.3%, an increase of 0.6% points from July 2020. Self-employed Australians now have the highest Inflation Expectations of any employment category at 4.4% in July, up 0.9% points since July 202; there has been a similar increase for Australians employed in private industry, with Inflation Expectations of 4.1% (up 0.9% points). However, those in the public service have a different view and their Inflation Expectations have only increased 0.3% points to 3.5%. On a State-based level Inflation Expectations are slightly higher than the national average and are now highest in Queensland and Tasmania at 4.2%.

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ROY MORGAN LIMITED

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence increases slightly to 101.8 as Melbourne & Adelaide lockdowns end

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 4-Aug-21

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence rose 1.1pts to 101.8 on July 31/August 1, after lockdowns in Melbourne and Adelaide ended and Australians were advised of vaccination targets to achieve to avoid future lockdowns. Consumer Confidence is well below the 2021 weekly average of 110.3; however, it remains 13.2 points higher than the same week a year ago (88.6). There were mixed fortunes for Consumer Confidence around the country, with increases in Melbourne and Adelaide, while there was a decline in Sydney after the lockdown was extended for another month. Now 26% (up 1ppt) of Australians say their families are ‘better off’ financially than this time last year, while 27% (unchanged) say their families are ‘worse off’ financially. In addition, 37% (up 3ppts) of Australians expect their family to be ‘better off’ financially this time next year, and 15% (unchanged) expect to be ‘worse off’ financially. Some 11% (down 1ppt) of Australians expect ‘good times’ for the Australian economy over the next 12 months, while 29% (up 2ppts) expect ‘bad times’. Meanwhile, 36% (up 2ppts) of Australians say now is a ‘good time to buy’ major household items, while 32% (down 3ppts) say now is a ‘bad time to buy’.

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

Berejiklian says too soon for road map out of lockdown

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Original article by Luke Cormack, Alexandra Smith
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: Online : 4-Aug-21

New South Wales has recorded 199 new locally-acquired COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, including at least 50 people who were active in the community while they were infectious. Premier Gladys Berejiklian says that although case numbers have plateaued in the last week, it is too soon to know if the current outbreak will worsen. She has also advised of a further delay in releasing a post-lockdown ‘road map’; it was first flagged on 7 July, and the state government had intended to release it on 28 July, the day on which the lockdown of Greater Sydney was extended by four weeks. Meanwhile, Berejiklian will now aim for six million people in NSW to be vaccinated by the end of August. Some 3.9 million doses have been administered to date.

CORPORATES
NEW SOUTH WALES. DEPT OF PREMIER AND CABINET

Santos could sell PNG gas stake to thwart rival bid: analysts

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Original article by Perry Williams
The Australian – Page: 17 : 4-Aug-21

Santos will have a 42.5 per cent stake in the Papua New Guinea LNG project if its proposed merger with Oil Search proceeds. Tom Allen of UBS has flagged the possibility that Santos could reduce its current stake of 13.5 per cent in the project by 10 per cent; he notes that this would align Santos with its joint venture partners and reduce the risk of that a counterbid for Oil Search will emerge. PNG LNG partners ExxonMobil and Total have been touted as potential bidders for Oil Search.

CORPORATES
SANTOS LIMITED – ASX STO, OIL SEARCH LIMITED – ASX OSH, UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD, EXXONMOBIL CORPORATION, TOTALENERGIES SE

Reserve Bank sticks to the plan despite Covid resurgence

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Original article by David Rogers
The Australian – Page: 15 & 20 : 4-Aug-21

The Reserve Bank of Australia has confirmed that it still intends to reduce its weekly bond-buying program from $5bn to $4bn in early September, following its latest monthly board meeting. Westpac’s chief economist Bill Evans says the decision was surprising, given that the RBA had consistently reiterated that its quantitative easing program would be guided by factors such as the economic outlook and the COVID-19 pandemic. The central bank has conceded that the economy is likely to contract in the September quarter, due to the impact of lockdowns. The RBA has also reiterated its view that the cash rate will not rise until inflation is ‘sustainably’ within its target range of 2-3 per cent.

CORPORATES
RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC

Vaccine targets essential: Roy Hill

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Original article by Nick Evans
The Australian – Page: 17 : 4-Aug-21

Roy Hill CEO Gerhard Veldsman addressed the annual Diggers and Dealers conference in Kalgoorlie on 3 August. He warned that the skilled labour shortage in Western Australia will continue while coronavirus-induced interstate travel restrictions remain in place. Veldsman also stressed the need for about 80 per cent of the nation’s population to be vaccinated, arguing that Australia risks falling behind the rest of the world. He added that the national cabinet’s latest four-stage plan to re-open the economy must include firm target dates for each of these stages.

CORPORATES
ROY HILL HOLDINGS PTY LTD, DIGGERS AND DEALERS FORUM

Updated national Covid plan suggests 80% of Australians could be fully vaccinated by end of 2021

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Original article by Sarah Martin
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 4-Aug-21

The federal government released an updated version of its National COVID Vaccine Campaign Plan on 3 August. Amongst other things, it outlines plans to ramp up the vaccine rollout by operating drive-through vaccination clinics in most states and territories by mid-October. Retail vaccinations hubs are also slated to commence in October, along with workplace vaccination programs. The rollout could also potentially be extended to schools by early December. The revised plan also indicates that 70 per cent of the eligible population could be fully vaccinated by November, potentially rising to 80 per cent by December.

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News Corp buys oil information service for $1.56b

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Original article by Miranda Ward
The Australian Financial Review – Page: Online : 4-Aug-21

Global media giant News Corporation has struck a deal to buy Oil Price Information Service, which provides referencing pricing and news and analytics for the energy and renewables sectors. News Corp will pay $US1.15bn ($1.56bn) for OPIS, which will become part of its Dow Jones Professional Information Business. OPIS is forecast to post revenue of around $US129m in the year to 30 November. News Corp has made a number of other acquisitions during 2021.

CORPORATES
NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, OIL PRICE INFORMATION SERVICE, DOW JONES AND COMPANY

Coles abandons enterprise bargaining for staff at its stores

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Original article by David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 2 : 28-Jul-21

The existing enterprise agreement for workers in Coles stores expired more than 14 months ago, but the retail giant has refused to negotiate a new deal with unions. The Fair Work Act prohibits workers from taking protected industrial action if their employer refuses to engage in enterprise bargaining. The full bench of the Fair Work Commission recently rejected an application by the Retail & Fast Food Workers’ Union for a majority support determination based on its petition of 2,000 Coles employees. The union plans to take Coles to the Federal Court to force it to the negotiating table. Coles still negotiates agreements with its distribution centres, which are heavily unionised.

CORPORATES
COLES GROUP LIMITED – ASX COL, RETAIL AND FAST FOOD WORKERS UNION INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION