AUSTRALIA – POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Union demands action over bank branch closures

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Original article by David Ross
The Australian – Page: 14 : 22-Jan-25

The Finance Sector Union’s national secretary Julia Angrisano has urged federal government intervention to ensure that consumers still have access to bank branches. Data from the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority shows that 2,334 branches have been closed nationwide over the last seven years. The Bank of Queensland recently advised that it will close another 14 branches, in addition to several that were already slated to close. Agrisano says the government has failed respond to a review of banking in regional areas, where many people no longer have access to branch banks.

CORPORATES
FINANCE SECTOR UNION, AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY, BANK OF QUEENSLAND LIMITED – ASX BOQ

Dutton pledges mandatory sentences for terror

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Original article by Rhiannon Down, Ellie Dudley
The Australian – Page: 4 : 21-Jan-25

Opposition leader Peter Dutton has urged Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to convene a meeting of the national cabinet to address the growing problem of anti-Semitism and extremism. Dutton has also committed to introducing a minimum mandatory sentence of six years for terrorism offences and 1-5 years for displaying Nazi symbols and those of prohibited terrorist organisations. However, Law Council of Australia president Juliana Warner and Australian Lawyers Alliance spokesman Greg Barns have criticised Dutton’s push for mandatory sentencing for such crimes.

CORPORATES
LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, LAW COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LAWYERS ALLIANCE

Roy Morgan Poll: Coalition lead over ALP strengthens in mid-January: L-NP 52% cf. ALP 48%

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

A Coalition Government, with a slim majority, would now win a Federal Election with a marginally improved two-party preferred vote from last week: L-NP 52% (up 0.5%) cf. ALP 48% (down 0.5%), the latest Roy Morgan survey finds. Primary support for the Coalition increased 1.5% to 42% at the expense of the ALP, down 1.5% to 28.5%. Support for the Greens was up 0.5% to 13%, One Nation was down 0.5% to 4%, Other Parties were up 0.5% to 4% while Independents dropped 0.5% to 8.5%. The rising level of anti-Semitic attacks has raised questions about how seriously the Albanese Government is taking the issue. The Coalition is clearly benefiting from the strong stance it has taken in condemning these actions forthrightly and consistently under Opposition Leader Peter Dutton.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, MORGAN POLL, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, ONE NATION PARTY

Seeds of positivity for Albanese-Trump relationship: ex-envoy

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Original article by Joe Kelly
The Australian – Page: 1 & 9 : 21-Jan-25

Australia’s ambassador to Washington, Dennis Richardson, says comments by Marco Rubio are a promising sign that the relationship between new US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will be a positive one. Rubio, the incoming US secretary of state, recently backed the AUKUS security agreement, while Richardson says there could be uncertainties in the trade relationship between the US and Australia. Foreign Minister Penny Wong says she will lobby for Australia to be exempt from any US tariffs while she is in Washington for Trump’s inauguration; she notes that the US has had a trade surplus with Australia since the time of President Truman.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

‘National day January 26 by law’: Dutton

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Original article by Brendan Kearns
The Australian – Page: 3 : 15-Jan-25

Some 81 local councils shifted the date of their citizenship ceremonies in 2024 via federal government’s laws that allow them to be held within three days on either side of 26 January. Opposition leader Peter Dutton has indicated that he would be open to formally legislating 26 January as the national holiday if the Coalition wins the upcoming election. Dutton has also urged Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to "stand up to mayors" whose local councils refuse to hold citizenship ceremonies on Australia Day. There is growing support for Dutton’s stance on Australia Day amongst many mayors, including some in federal seats that are held by Labor or independents.

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

‘Democracy is at stake’: SOS from PM’s envoy

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Original article by Alexi Demetriadi, Bianca Farmakis
The Australian – Page: 1 & 5 : 15-Jan-25

Australia’s inaugural envoy on anti-Semitism, Jillian Segal, has urged Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to convene a meeting of national cabinet to address the issue. Segal has called for harsher sentences and more prosecutions for hate crimes directed at Jewish Australians, arguing that the judiciary’s soft approach to sentencing is giving anti-Semites "effective impunity". Segal adds that politicians at federal and state level must take legislative action if current laws are not "up to the task". Segal notes that the recent attacks on the Jewish community are part of a "systematic pattern of intimidation" that began when no action was taken against people who targeted Jews at the Sydney Opera House on 9 October 2023.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Roy Morgan Poll: Coalition lead over ALP narrows in mid-January: L-NP 51.5% cf. ALP 48.5%

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 14-Jan-25

A Coalition Government, with a slim majority, would now win a Federal Election with two-party preferred vote narrowing from last week: L-NP 51.5% (down 1.5%) cf. ALP 48% (up 1.5%), the latest Roy Morgan survey finds. Primary support for the Coalition was unchanged at 40.5% and remains well ahead of the ALP on 30% (down 1%). Support for the Greens increased 0.5% to 12.5% – and their preferences shifted decisively in favour of the ALP this week after a closer than usual Greens preference split a week ago favoured the Coalition’s two-party preferred vote. Support for One Nation rebounded 1% to 4.5%, Other Parties were unchanged at 3.5% while support for Independents dropped 0.5% to 9%. On a State-based level the Coalition has retained its lead in Victoria, after the Coalition leadership change in that State, and also leads in Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, MORGAN POLL, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, ONE NATION PARTY

High-fibre plan: Labor tips another $3b into NBN

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Original article by Ronald Mizen, Paul Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 14-Jan-25

The federal government has announced that it will invest a further $3 billion in the National Broadband Network, with the funding to give an extra 622,000 premises the option of full fibre access. With an additional injection of $800 million from NBN Co to be included, Labor expects it to result in over 94 per cent of premises on the fixed-line network having access to speeds of up to 1GB per second on fibre to the premises or hybrid fibre coaxial connections. The new $3 billion in funding will increase the government’s total investment in the NBN to $35 billion.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, NBN CO LIMITED

High-fibre plan: Labor tips another $3b into NBN

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Original article by Ronald Mizen, Paul Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 14-Jan-25

The federal government has announced that it will invest a further $3 billion in the National Broadband Network, with the funding to give an extra 622,000 premises the option of full fibre access. With an additional injection of $800 million from NBN Co to be included, Labor expects it to result in over 94 per cent of premises on the fixed-line network having access to speeds of up to 1GB per second on fibre to the premises or hybrid fibre coaxial connections. The new $3 billion in funding will increase the government’s total investment in the NBN to $35 billion.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, NBN CO LIMITED

Roy Morgan Poll: Coalition lead over ALP narrows in mid-January: L-NP 51.5% cf. ALP 48.5%

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 14-Jan-25

A Coalition Government, with a slim majority, would now win a Federal Election with two-party preferred vote narrowing from last week: L-NP 51.5% (down 1.5%) cf. ALP 48% (up 1.5%), the latest Roy Morgan survey finds. Primary support for the Coalition was unchanged at 40.5% and remains well ahead of the ALP on 30% (down 1%). Support for the Greens increased 0.5% to 12.5% – and their preferences shifted decisively in favour of the ALP this week after a closer than usual Greens preference split a week ago favoured the Coalition’s two-party preferred vote. Support for One Nation rebounded 1% to 4.5%, Other Parties were unchanged at 3.5% while support for Independents dropped 0.5% to 9%. On a State-based level the Coalition has retained its lead in Victoria, after the Coalition leadership change in that State, and also leads in Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, MORGAN POLL, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, ONE NATION PARTY