AUSTRALIA – POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Tough visa rules to ban countries

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Original article by Andrew Tillett
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 27-Mar-24

The House of Representatives has passed legislation that targets failed asylum-seekers who refuse to co-operate with immigration authorities regarding their removal from Australia. The legislation allows them to be jailed for up to five years and specifies that fears of persecution if they are returned to their home country will not be regarded as a reasonable excuse for their lack of co-operation. The government will also have the power to block visa applications from all citizens of countries that refuse to refuse to accept the return of failed asylum seekers. The legislation was passed with the support of the Coalition, although it has forced Labor to agree to a Senate inquiry into the bill.

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Utes win big reprieve on emissions

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Original article by Phillip Coorey, Jacob Greber
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 26-Mar-24

The federal government’s revised fuel-efficiency standards for new vehicles were approved by cabinet on Monday. The changes follow consultation with the car industry, amid concerns that popular vehicles such as utes and SUVs could have been forced out of the Australian market under the original version of the National Vehicles Emissions Scheme. The scheme will impose annual emissions caps on small passenger cars and light commercial vehicles such as utes. However, heavy SUVs that use the same chassis and drivetrain as a ute will now be classified as light commercial vehicles; they were previously to have been classified as passenger vehicles, which would have attracted much stricter emissions caps.

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Premiers revolt over federal NDIS law, fearing cost time bomb

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Original article by David Crowe, Natassia Chrysanthos
Brisbane Times – Page: Online : 26-Mar-24

The state governments are concerned that changes to the National Disability Insurance Scheme will impose a huge financial burden on them. A meeting of the national cabinet in late 2024 agreed to the reforms, which will establish a new state and territory disability system to be called ‘foundational supports’; its aim is to provide services to about 2.5 million Australians with a disability who need less intense support than the NDIS, with a focus on children with autism and developmental delay. The states want the draft bill to be delayed to allow more time for consultation about the reforms.

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Labor working tails off to lift primary vote

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 26-Mar-24

Labor won the 2022 federal election with a primary vote of just 32.6 per cent. The combined vote for the major political parties fell to a record low of 68.3 per cent; in contrast, the vote for minor parties and independents reached a record high of 31.7 per cent. There was a similar trend against the major parties in Saturday’s state election in Tasmania. However, Labor believes that its low primary vote is not permanent but reflects voters concerns about issues such as the cost of living crisis and migrant numbers. Treasurer Jim Chalmers says Labor is working hard to give people the government they "need and deserve". He adds that the next election will be "close and hard fought".

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AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY

Federal voting intention: Support for the ALP and L-NP Coalition is even in late March – ALP 50% cf. L-NP 50%

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

Support for the ALP was down 1.5% to 50% in late March and is now even with the L-NP Coalition on 50% (up 1.5%) on a two-party preferred basis. If a Federal Election were held now the result would be a hung parliament with the support of minor parties and independents required for either of the major parties to form minority government, the latest Roy Morgan survey shows. A look at the States shows the biggest swing to the Coalition was in Queensland – up by 5.5% points. The swing in Queensland came after the poor showing for the ALP at the previous week’s local government and key by-elections in the state seats of Inala (19.5% swing to LNP) and Ipswich West (17.9% swing to LNP). Primary support for the Coalition increased 1% to 38% and is now clearly ahead of the ALP on 31.5%, unchanged from a week ago. Support for the Greens increased 1.5% to 14% and One Nation support dropped 1% to 4.5%. Support for Independents was down 1.5% to 7.5% and support for Other Parties was unchanged at 4.5%. The latest Roy Morgan survey is based on interviewing a representative cross-section of 1,633 Australian electors from March 18-24. 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

Immigration not on target to drop

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Original article by Sarah Ison
The Australian – Page: 4 : 26-Mar-24

Recent data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows that net overseas migration totalled 548,000 in the year to September. The Coalition has questioned the federal government’s claim that its policies will reduce net overseas migration to just 375,000 in the year to June. The Coalition estimates that net overseas migration would need to be reduced by 27 per cent – or 76,600 people – in the remainder of the current financial year in order to achieve this. Former Department of Immigration bureaucrat Abul Rizvi believes that net overseas migration for 2023-24 is likely to be around 400,000 to 500,000.

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AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS

Bullock backs Chalmers in RBA stoush with Coalition

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Original article by Michael Read
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 20-Mar-24

Treasurer Jim Chalmers wants the Coalition’s support for legislation to overhaul the Reserve Bank of Australia, as he does not want to negotiate with the Greens. The Coalition is concerned that Chalmers wants the RBA existing board members to be appointed to its new governance board so he can "stack" the interest rates-setting board with people who are aligned with Labor. RBA governor Michelle Bullock says she would like "continuity with respect to both boards", but adds that she has no firm views on just how many current board members should serve on each of the new boards.

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RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

End of subsidy will risk power bill cut

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Original article by Patrick Commins, Sarah Ison
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 20-Mar-24

The Australian Energy Regulator’s proposed changes to the default market offer could reduce household power bills by up to 7.1 per cent in 2024-25. Businesses in turn could see their electricity costs fall by up to 10 per cent. However, the AER’s proposed changes to the default market offer will be offset by a likely big increase in electricity bills for many households if the federal government does not renew its commitment to the energy bill relief fund in 2024-25, which is jointly funded by the states. It has provided energy subsidies to people on low incomes and small businsses.

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AUSTRALIAN ENERGY REGULATOR

Independents move to ban mega donations in far-reaching political transparency overhaul

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Original article by Paul Karp
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 19-Mar-24

Political donations of more than $1.5 million would be banned under the fair and transparent elections bill, which is being tabled by crossbench and independent MPs in both houses of federal parliament. The bill also calls for a ban on donations from socially harmful industries such as the fossil fuel sector and for ‘truth-in-political advertising’. It further calls for the donation disclosure threshold to be lowered to $1,000, but it does not support a recommendation from the electoral matters committee to cap spending on elections, due to concerns that this could effectively entrench the two major parties.

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Federal voting intention unchanged in mid-March ALP 51.5% cf. L-NP 48.5%

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 19-Mar-24

The latest Roy Morgan survey shows that support for the ALP is unchanged at 51.5%, ahead of the Coalition on 48.5% (also unchanged) on a two-party preferred basis. If a Federal Election were held now the Albanese Government would be re-elected, but forced into minority government with the support of minor parties and independents. Primary support for both major parties fell: support for the Coalition was down 1% to 37%, while support for the ALP was down 0.5% to 31.5%. Support for the Greens dropped 0.5% to 12.5%, One Nation support increased 1.5% to 5.5%, with the biggest increase in support in Queensland, up 2.5% to 8%. Support for Independents was unchanged at 9% and support for Other Parties was up 0.5% to 4.5%. The latest Roy Morgan survey is based on interviewing a representative cross-section of 1,710 Australian electors from March 11-17. 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