In first NZ Roy Morgan Poll of 2026 National opens largest lead on Labour for over a year – since September 2024

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 4-Feb-26

Roy Morgan’s New Zealand Poll for January 2026 shows the National-led Government (National, ACT & NZ First) on 52%, up 1.5% points from a month earlier, and now 8% points in front of the Labour-Greens-Maori Party Parliamentary Opposition on 44% (down 3% points). This is the largest lead the National-led Government has had since September 2024. Amongst the Government support for National increased 1.5% to 34.5%, support for NZ First was down 1% to 9%, while support for ACT increased by 1% to 8.5%. For the Parliamentary Opposition, support for Labour dropped 2% points to 30.5%, support for the Greens dropped 1.5% points to 10.5%, and support for the Maori Party was up 0.5% to 3%. The survey results for January would lead to the National-led Government winning 65 seats (down three seats from the last election) and the Labour-led Parliamentary Opposition would win 55 seats (unchanged). This latest New Zealand Roy Morgan Poll on voting intention was conducted by telephone – both landline and mobile – with a New Zealand-wide cross-section of 881 electors from 6-26 January. Meanwhile, the Roy Morgan Government Confidence Rating was unchanged for a third straight month at 85 in January.

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ROY MORGAN LIMITED, MORGAN POLL, NATIONAL PARTY OF NEW ZEALAND, ACT NEW ZEALAND, NEW ZEALAND FIRST PARTY, LABOUR PARTY (NEW ZEALAND), GREEN PARTY OF AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND, THE MAORI PARTY

Union push to halt work in extreme heat

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Original article by David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 4-Feb-26

ACTU president Michele O’Neil contends that climate hazards such as extreme heat should be treated in the same way as other workplace health and safety threats. The ACTU wants Safe Work Australia to introduce a national safety standard to allow staff to stop work due to extreme heat. Construction labourers, airport ground staff, horticulture workers and miners are amongst those who are most at risk due to extreme heat. A Safe Work Australia spokesman says it is considering a range of proposals regarding extreme heat management as part of a best practice review that is slated to be completed in mid-2026.

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SAFE WORK AUSTRALIA

The 30 lifestyle factors linked to 40 per cent of all cancer cases

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Original article by Angus Thompson
The Age – Page: Online : 4-Feb-26

The World Health Organization has released the findings from its global analysis of the leading risk factors for 36 types of cancer. The research included data from 185 countries, and concluded that about 7.1 million of the 18.7 million new cancer cases recorded worldwide in 2022 were linked to 30 modifiable risk factors; lung, stomach and cervical cancers account for about 50 per cent of these potentially preventable cases. The authors found that Australia is the only country where exposure to UV radiation is the leading factor linked to preventable cancers in men; while tobacco smoking was in turn found to be the leading risk factor for cancer among Australian women.

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WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION

Last-ditch bid to reunite Coalition

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Original article by Greg Brown
The Australian – Page: 1 & 7 : 4-Feb-26

It has been revealed that Opposition leader Sussan Ley outlined several ‘non-negotiable’ conditions in talks with National Party leader David Littleproud about re-forming the Coalition. However, some Nationals MPs are said to have firmly rejected a requirement for three of its senators to remain relegated to the backbench for six months; their decision to breach shadow cabinet solidarity rules by voting against Labor’s hate speech laws had prompted the Coalition to split for the second time in less than a year. Nationals MP Llew O’Brien has indicated that he will not support reunification unless the Liberals and Nationals agree to repeal the hate speech laws. Littleproud is expected to seek another meeting with Ley today in a final attempt to reach a deal between the former Coalition partners.

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LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Bernardi backs One Nation to replace Libs

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Original article by David Penberthy
The Australian – Page: 7 : 4-Feb-26

Former Liberal senator Cory Bernardi says that frustration over the lack of a viable opposition in South Australia was a key driver of his decision to re-enter politics. The state election will be held on 21 March, and Bernardi says the SA Liberals have failed to make any inroads against Premier Peter Malinauskas. Bernardi will be the lead candidate on One Nation’s ticket for the state’s upper house; he says that One Nation could potentially replace the Liberals as Australia’s major conservative party. He adds that voters are desperate for both a political alternative and an open environment where they can state their views without being criticised.

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ONE NATION PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence drops 3.5pts to 80.5 after inflation spikes to 3.8% and spurs talk of interest rate rises

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 3-Feb-26

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence fell 3.5pts to 80.5 in the week to 1 February; it is now 8pts lower than a year ago (88.5), and 1.6pts below the 2026 weekly average of 82.1. Analysis by State shows decreases in the three largest States of New South Wales, Victoria, and Queensland, but increases in both Western Australia and South Australia. Now 18% of Australians (down 2ppts) say their families are ‘better off’ financially than this time last year, while 45% (up 6ppts) say their families are ‘worse off’. Looking forward, 24% (down 1ppt) of respondents expect their family to be ‘better off’ financially this time next year (the lowest figure for this indicator since the start of the pandemic in March 2020), while 36% (up 2ppts) expect to be ‘worse off’ (the highest figure for this indicator since June 2024). Only 8% (down 1ppt) of respondents expect ‘good times’ for the Australian economy over the next 12 months, while 33% (up 3ppts) expect ‘bad times’. Meanwhile, 21% (down 2ppts) of Australians say now is a ‘good time to buy’ major household items, while 39% (up 2ppts) say now is a ‘bad time to buy’.

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

Security fears for Herzog events

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Original article by Ben Packham, Lachlan Leeming
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 4-Feb-26

NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon has advised that a Public Assembly Restriction Declaration has been extended in certain parts of inner Sydney for an additional 14 days. The move is in response to the official visit of Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who will arrive in Sydney on Sunday. Lanyon says 3,000 NSW police will be on duty while Herzog is in Sydney; he adds that while there is "no particular known threat", the significant animosity regarding Israel could put community safety at risk. Pro-Palestine groups are organising protests in Sydney and Melbourne to coincide with Herzog’s visit. He will meet with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Canberra on Wednesday, and attend a function in Melbourne on Thursday.

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NEW SOUTH WALES POLICE FORCE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Rio Tinto investors lean to London

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 17 : 4-Feb-26

Rio Tinto’s Australian-listed shares have fallen by 1.5 per cent since the resources giant confirmed in early January that it is holding merger talks with Glencore, while its London-listed shares have gained nearly nine per cent. Rio Tinto’s Australian shares have traditionally traded at a premium to its London stock, but this premium has fallen from 23 per cent at the start of 2026 to around 14 per cent. Some observers believe that Rio Tinto is more likely to pay for the Glencore deal by issuing new Australian shares, which could result in the shareholdings of local investors being diluted.

CORPORATES
RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, GLENCORE PLC

Super fund satisfaction rises to new record highs driven by record highs for Retail Funds and Industry Funds

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 4-Feb-26

New data from Roy Morgan’s Superannuation Satisfaction Report shows an overall super fund satisfaction with financial performance rating of 78.8% in December 2025. This is an increase of 10.4% points from a year ago and up 13.8% points from the post-pandemic low of 65.0% in July 2023. Superannuation satisfaction is now 19.2% points above the long-term average of 59.6% since 2007. There has been significant improvement across all four categories of super funds over the last year; the largest increase is for Retail Funds, with customer satisfaction up 10.5% points to a new record high of 75.6%. Customer satisfaction for Industry Funds has risen by 9.6% points to 78.9% in the last year, which is also a record high. Customer satisfaction with Public Sector Funds is up 9.8% points to 83.6%, and now clearly the highest of any of the four categories, while customer satisfaction with Self-Managed Funds is up 3.1% points to 80.4%. The report’s findings are from Roy Morgan Single Source, Australia’s most trusted consumer survey, compiled by in-depth interviews with over 60,000 Australians each year.

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ROY MORGAN LIMITED

Treasurer under pressure to fix budget after RBA lifts rates for first time in two years

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Original article by Shane Wright, Millie Muroi
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: Online : 4-Feb-26

The Opposition contends that Treasurer Jim Chalmers must accept responsibility for yesterday’s increase in official interest rates to 3.85 per cent. Shadow treasurer Ted O’Brien said in parliament that the 25 basis point increase is a direct consequence of the govermment’s "addiction to spending", arguing that it has kept inflation higher for longer. Chalmers has rejected suggestions that government spending has contributed to a rising inflation rate, noting that the Reserve Bank’s monetary policy statement did not mention it. Reserve Bank governor Michele Bullock has declined to commence on whether government spending is to blame for rising inflation, and noted that the central bank considers both private and public sector spending. The Reserve Bank now does not expect inflation to return to its target range of 2-3 per cent until mid-2028.

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