AUSTRALIA – POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Labor using population surge for jobs spin

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Original article by Geoff Chambers
The Australian – Page: 2 : 10-Apr-24

The federal government recently claimed that it has created about 790,000 new jobs since it won the May 2022 election. This is an average of 1,220 jobs per day, which Labor says is the highest of any government. However, shadow treasurer Angus Taylor contends that the growth in jobs merely reflects the fact that Australia’s adult population has increased by more than one million people since Labor took office, which is equivalent to an average of 1,369 per day. He adds that immigration is the only thing keeping the economy going at present. Taylor also notes that nearly one million people are now working a ­second or third job due to the cost-of-living crisis.

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AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

NDIS cost shifting criminal: Shorten

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Original article by Christine Middap, Ellie Dudley, Stephen Lunn
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 10-Apr-24

The federal government has flagged a crackdown on the use of the National Disability Insurance Scheme by convicted criminals. NDIS Minister Bill Shorten has responded to revelations that one of the nation’s worst serial sex offenders will receive an NDIS support package when he is released from prison. Shorten says the government does not believe that it is appropriate for this person to receive NDIS funding. He adds that state governments should not use the NDIS as a ‘dumping ground’ to fund support for violent criminals, contending that providing them with such services is the responsibility of state justice and corrections departments.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF SOCIAL SERVICES

Labor turns screw on mergers

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Original article by Ronald Mizen
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 10-Apr-24

The federal government will give the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission new powers to block merger deals in reforms to be announced by Treasurer Jim Chalmers today. He contends that the existing competition laws do not adequately address ‘serial acquisitions’ by large companies and acquisitions that entrench the power of market leaders. The reforms will not be as extensive as ACCC chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb wanted. She has pushed for merger partners to be required to satisfy the ACCC that the deal is unlikely to substantially lessen competition. However, the ACCC will have to be reasonably satisfied that a merger is likely to substantially lessen competition in order to block a deal.

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AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY

Wong suggests Australian government considering recognising Palestinian statehood

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Original article by Stephen Dziedzic
abc.net.au – Page: Online : 10-Apr-24

Australia’s Jewish community has expressed concern over comments made by Foreign Minister Penny Wong which suggested that the federal government may be open to recognising a Palestinian state. Wong has used a speech at a National Security College conference to contend that international recognition of Palestinian statehood could provide a pathway to a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Wong also argued that recognition of Palestinian statehood would help to undermine the Hamas terrorist organisation. Zionist Federation of Australia president Jeremy Leibler says Hamas must be removed from power in Gaza before there can be any consideration of statehood; he adds that there must be a new generation of Palestinian leaders who recognise Israel’s right to exist.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, ZIONIST FEDERATION OF AUSTRALIA

Federal voting intention: Coalition takes two-party preferred lead over ALP after support for One Nation surges: L-NP 50.5% cf. ALP 49.5%

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 9-Apr-24

Support for the Coalition increased 1.5% to 50.5% to edge narrowly ahead of the ALP on 49.5% on a two-party preferred basis as Australians began to return from Easter holidays. If a Federal Election were held now the result would be too close to call with a hung parliament and the support of minor parties and independents required for either the ALP or Coalition to form a minority government, the latest Roy Morgan survey shows. Several issues hurt the Albanese Government’s support last week, in particular the surge in crime in Alice Springs which forced the imposition of a youth curfew in the outback town. There was also the arrival of a new asylum seeker boat in Western Australia and the death of an Australian aid worker in Gaza. Primary support for the Coalition increased 0.5% to 38% ahead of the ALP on only 29.5%, down 0.5% from a week ago. In addition, hurting the ALP on a two-party preferred basis was the decrease in support for the Greens, down 2% to 13.5%. The biggest beneficiary of the decline in support for the ALP and Greens last week was One Nation, which surged 2.5% to 6% – the highest level of support for the party for six months since November 2023. The majority of One Nation preferences flow to the Coalition. Support for Independents was unchanged at 9% and support for Other Parties was down 0.5% to 4%. The latest Roy Morgan survey is based on interviewing a representative cross-section of 1,731 Australian electors from April 1-7, 2024. Further details will be released in Roy Morgan’s weekly video update presented by CEO Michele Levine.

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

Supermarket hit could rock us all

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Original article by Jess Malcolm, Geoff Chambers, Lydia Lynch
The Australian – Page: 4 : 9-Apr-24

The Australian Chamber of Commerce & Industry has expressed reservations about any push to make the food and grocery code of conduct mandatory rather than voluntary. ACCI CEO Andrew McKellar has responded to the release of Craig Emerson’s interim report on his review of the code of conduct by warning that excessive regulation could have "unintended consequences". Amongst other things, Emerson has recommended fining supermarkets up to 10 per cent of their turnover for breaches of the code. Meanwhile, Opposition leader Peter Dutton has described Emerson’s inquiry as a "Mickey Mouse review conducted by a Labor mate"; Emerson is a former federal Labor minister.

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AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

PM’s fury at Israel raises Jewish fears

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Original article by Ben Packham
The Australian – Page: 1 & 5 : 4-Apr-24

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the Israeli airstrike that killed Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom and six of her colleagues was "completely unacceptable". Albanese discussed the botched airstrike with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday, stating that he told Netanyahu that Australians are outraged by the tragedy; he also demanded full accountability for the incident, in which three humanitarian aid vehicles in Gaza were targeted by Israeli drones. Foreign Minister Penny Wong has reiterated the federal government’s call for a ceasefire in Gaza and a two-state solution; however, Jewish community leaders in Australia are concerned that a ceasefire would leave Hamas in control of Gaza.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE

PM signals budget help for families, small business

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Original article by James Massola
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: Online : 4-Apr-24

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will use a speech on Thursday to state that small businesses and families will be ‘front and centre’ again in the federal government’s budget on 14 May. He will note that assisting families and small businesses with their energy bills was a key priority of the 2023 budget. Albanese’s comments in his Council of Small Business Organisations of Australia speech will heighten expectations that the government is set to extend its Energy Bill Relief fund, which is slated to end on 30 June. He will also emphasise the importance of small businesses to Australia’s future prosperity, noting that they are job creators, innovators and early adopters of technology such as clean energy.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, COUNCIL OF SMALL BUSINESS ORGANISATIONS OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED

Dutton’s perks for nuclear plan

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Original article by Simon Benson
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 3-Apr-24

The Coalition’s push to add nuclear energy to Australia’s energy mix has received a boost from a report released by the US Department of Energy. The report concluded that replacing coal-fired power stations with nuclear reactors can generate significant economic benefits to communities where the power stations are built. Shadow climate change and energy minister Ted O’Brien says the Coalition’s energy policy will include an incentive package for coal-fired power station workers to upgrade to higher-paying jobs at nuclear plants. The Coalition has already identified about six potential sites for nuclear reactors.

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LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, UNITED STATES. DEPT OF ENERGY

ALP leads on two-party preferred support on the back of high Greens primary vote: ALP 51% cf. L-NP 49%

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

Support for the ALP was up 1% to 51% during the Easter week and ahead of the Coalition on 49% on a two-party preferred basis – although primary support for both major parties dropped. If a Federal Election were held now the result would be a hung parliament with the Albanese Government re-elected with the support of minor parties and independents, the latest Roy Morgan survey shows. Primary support for the Coalition was down 0.5% to 37.5% ahead of the ALP on only 30%, down 1.5% from a week ago. Importantly for Labor, support for the Greens increased 1.5% to 15.5% – the highest level of support for the Greens for over six months since mid-September 2023. This high level of Greens support is providing the preference flow to keep Labor ahead on the two-party preferred support. At the 2022 Federal Election the ALP and Greens scored a combined vote of 44.9% and now have combined support of 45.5% due to the increase in Greens support – 3.2% higher than in 2022. For the other parties, One Nation support dropped 1% to 3.5%. Support for Independents was up 1.5% to 9% and support for Other Parties was unchanged at 4.5%. The latest Roy Morgan survey is based on interviewing a representative cross-section of 1,677 Australian electors from March 25-31, 2024.

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