AUSTRALIA – POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

D-day is on the horizon for Meta

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Original article by James Madden
The Australian – Page: 19 : 9-Dec-24

The federal government will shortly decide whether to ‘designate’ Facebook parent Meta under the news media bargaining code. This would force the digital giant to negotiate revenue-sharing deals with Australian news publishers, almost a year after it announced plans to terminate these arrangements. A spokesman for Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones has downplayed suggestions that a decision on designating Meta is imminent, although sources have indicated that the government will act before Christmas.

CORPORATES
META PLATFORMS INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY

PM finally acknowledges act of terror at synagogue

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Original article by Cameron Stewart, Sarah Ison, Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 1 & 3 : 9-Dec-24

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has defended the federal government’s track record on anti-Semitism in the wake of an arson attack on a Melbourne synagogue on Friday. Albanese used a press conference on Sunday to contend that his government has consistently called out the rise in anti-Semitism. He also belatedly expressed his personal view that the attack on the Adass Israel Synagogue was an act of terrorism. However, Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan has declined to do so, stating that the firebombing was an "act of anti-Semitic evil". Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has linked the firebombing to the federal government’s "extreme anti-Israeli position".

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, VICTORIA. DEPT OF PREMIER AND CABINET

Adam Bandt pushes for formal power-sharing deal with Anthony Albanese in case of minority election

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Original article by Jacob Greber, Greg Jennett
abc.net.au – Page: Online : 4-Dec-24

Greens leader Adam Bandt has outlined his party’s terms for helping Labor to form government if the 2025 federal election results in a hung parliament. Bandt says there would be a "lot of merit" in establishing a formal power-sharing deal with Labor that clearly states the legislative priorities for the next parliament. Bandt adds that priority areas will include expanding Medicare to include dental and mental health care for adults, free access to GPs, and action to address the rising cost of rental housing. The Greens have been more co-operative in recent weeks, and the party backed more than 40 government bills on the final day of parliament for the year.

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AUSTRALIAN GREENS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Roy Morgan Poll: Coalition regains two-party preferred lead after Albanese Government does deals with the Greens to pass legislation

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 3-Dec-24

Coalition 51% (up 2%) are now ahead of the ALP 49% (down 2%) on a two-party preferred basis. If a Federal Election were held now the result would be ‘too close to call’ the latest Roy Morgan survey finds. As we said a week ago, when leaders meet world leaders there is often a short-term ‘boost’, but this usually proves short-lived as voters return to focusing on the ‘bread and butter’ issues. At home the Government did several deals last week – including several ‘deals’ with the Greens – to pass legislation. The Greens’ ‘deals’ included RBA governance reforms, a supermarket code of conduct, the Future Made in Australia scheme and housing reforms to boost rental supply – despite this ‘success’ Government support returned to where it was before Albanese met World leaders in South America at the APEC and G20 meetings.

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

Bosses reject ACTU’s new bargaining push

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 4 : 3-Dec-24

The Australian Resources & Energy Employer Association has called for restrictions on the use of multi-employer bargaining. Its submission to a review of the federal government’s ‘Secure Jobs, Better Pay’ laws has argued that it should only be available in workplaces where an employer has agreed to bargain collectively. AREEA also opposes the ACTU’s push to broaden the scope of multi-employer bargaining, while it has called for the intractable bargaining provisions to be wound back.

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AUSTRALIAN RESOURCES AND ENERGY EMPLOYER ASSOCIATION, ACTU

Federal public sector jobs surging under Albanese

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 5 : 27-Nov-24

The federal government tabled the latest State of the Service report in parliament on Tuesday, which shows that the number of public sector employees has risen sharply since Labor took office in May 2022. The headcount was 159,190 in mid-2022, but this had risen by 16.4 per cent to 185,343 by the end of the 2023-24 financial year. The National Disability Insurance Agency has recorded the biggest increase in headcount amongst federal agencies. The report also shows that 555 public servants were found to have breached the code of conduct in 2023-24, although only 61 had their employment terminated.

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AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

ALP hidden spending to top $87b

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Original article by Michael Read
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 27-Nov-24

The federal government’s growing trend towards ‘off-budget’ spending will be a key contributor to the overall deficit blowout that Deloitte Access Economics has forecast. The firm expects the government to post an underlying deficit of $33.5bn for 2024-25, but it estimates that the headline deficit will be $54.8bn. Economist Chris Richardson says the latter figure deserves greater scrutiny, as it can be used to conceal the real state of the nation’s finances. So-called off-budget spending – which does not affect the budget deficit or surplus – is forecast to reach a record $87.1bn over the next four years.

CORPORATES
DELOITTE ACCESS ECONOMICS PTY LTD

Roy Morgan Poll: ALP regains two-party preferred lead over the Coalition in late November

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 26-Nov-24

ALP support at 51%, up 2% points from a week ago, is now narrowly ahead of the Coalition 49% (down 2% points) on a two-party preferred basis, as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese travelled to the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation and Group of 20 leadership forums in South America. If a Federal Election were held now the result would be ‘too close to call’, the latest Roy Morgan survey finds. The close result this week, and the large size of the crossbench (currently 16 seats) means the ALP or Coalition would require the support of minor parties and independents to form government. ALP primary support recovered this week, up 2.5% to 31.5% at the expense of the Coalition, down 2% to 37%. Support for the Greens dropped 1% to 12.5%, One Nation was unchanged at 6.5%, Other Parties were down 0.5% to 4% and Independents increased 1% to 8.5%.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, MORGAN POLL, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, ONE NATION PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, ASIA-PACIFIC ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION, GROUP OF TWENTY (G-20)

‘Punitive regime’: X tells Labor social media ban won’t work

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Original article by Tom McIlroy
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 6 : 26-Nov-24

The federal government and the Opposition are seeking to rush through legislation this week that will bar children aged under 16 from accessing social media, with a parliamentary inquiry given just three hours on Monday to examine the legislation. Elon Musk’s X has used a written submission to the inquiry to claim that the proposed ban will not work and is likely to be unlawful, while youth mental health charity Headspace told the inquiry that the ban would drive children into using unregulated sections of the internet such as encrypted apps. Meanwhile, Privacy Commissioner Carly Kind told the inquiry that she supports the essential intent of the legislation, but she has concerns about the privacy implications of making an age ban work in practice.

CORPORATES
X CORPORATION, HEADSPACE, AUSTRALIA. OFFICE OF THE FEDERAL PRIVACY COMMISSIONER

Deficit disorder: spending blows budget

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Original article by Jack Quail
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 26-Nov-24

Deloitte Access Economics expects the federal government to post a budget deficit of $33.5bn for 2024-25, following a surplus of $15.8bn for the 2023-24 financial year. The Treasury itself had forecast a 2024-25 deficit of $28.3bn, and a cumulative deficit of $122.1bn over the four-year estimates period; Deloitte now expects the latter figure to be $149bn. Deloitte partner Stephen Smith adds that both the government and the Opposition will face pressure to provide further cost-of-living relief ahead of the 2025 election. Deloitte also notes that there has been a sharp increase in ‘off-budget’ spending, while the firm expects net debt to reach $727.6bn by mid-2028.

CORPORATES
DELOITTE ACCESS ECONOMICS PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY