AUSTRALIA – POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Roy Morgan Poll on Federal voting intention shows support for the ALP recovering – up 3% points: ALP 52.5% cf. L-NP 47.5%

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 29-Nov-23

The ALP has regained the lead on 52.5% (up 3% on a week ago) ahead of the Coalition on 47.5% (down 3%) on a two-party preferred basis, according to the latest Roy Morgan Poll on Federal voting intention conducted over the last week. The result halts a run of three straight weeks of declines for the ALP. On primary vote the Coalition is now on 35% (down 2.5% from a week ago), ahead of the ALP on 32% (up 2.5%). The Greens are unchanged on 13.5% and One Nation is on 5%, down 1.5%. There has been a gain in support for Independents on 9%, up 2%, but a drop in support for Other Parties on 5.5%, down 0.5%. The latest Roy Morgan Poll is based on interviewing a representative cross-section of 1,379 Australian electors from November 20-26, 2023. For further details watch Roy Morgan’s weekly Market Research Update video presented by Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine.

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

More IR changes make bad bill worse

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Original article by David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 29-Nov-23

The federal government tabled 81 amendments to its Closing Loopholes Bill in the lower house on Tuesday. Australian Industry Group CEO Innes Willox and Minerals Council of Australia CEO Tania Constable have expressed concern about some of the amendments, with the latter contending that they will broaden the union movement’s powers with regard to the ‘same job, same pay’ provisions. However, Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke has described the amendments as "practical reforms".

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT AND WORKPLACE RELATIONS, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, MINERALS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA

Union bosses demand cost-of-living relief as PM flags further measures

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Original article by Paul Sakkal
The Age – Page: Online : 29-Nov-23

Prime Minister Albanese has told Labor MPs that the cost-of-living crisis has been at the top of the federal government’s top agenda, but he acknowledged that it must do more to assist households in the next year. ACTU secretary Sally McManus and the CFMEU’s national secretary Zach Smith have urged the government to make cost-of-living relief a priority; the latter has advocated measures such as a super profits tax on big business and short-term measures such as cutting the fuel excise or subsidising energy bills.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, ACTU, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MARITIME, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA

ALP divides to conquer on IR

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 1 & 5 : 22-Nov-23

The federal government has struck a deal with the Australian Resources & Energy Employer Association to exempt service contractors from the labour-hire provisions of the Closing Loopholes Bill. It follows week of negotiations between Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke and AREEA, whose CEO Steve Knott has been a vocal critic of the proposed reforms. The amendments to the bill mean that the Fair Work Commission will not be able to make labour hire pay orders if a business is providing a service to a client rather than supplying labour. The government has previously agreed to changes to the bill following talks with the Australian Hotels Association and gig economy platforms.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN RESOURCES AND ENERGY EMPLOYER ASSOCIATION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT AND WORKPLACE RELATIONS, AUSTRALIAN HOTELS ASSOCIATION

PM urged to be honest over Xi meeting

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Original article by Sarah Ison
The Australian – Page: 2 : 22-Nov-23

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is facing growing pressure to reveal whether he discussed a naval incident with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the recent APEC summit in San Francisco. Albanese stated on Monday that he does not disclose the discussions he has with any world leader, but he said allegations that divers from HMAS Toowoomba were injured by a sonar pulse from a Chinese warship have been raised in the "appropriate way". Opposition leader Peter Dutton says Albanese need to be "honest" as to whether he had discussed the issue with Xi. He has also described China’s denial that it had breached international laws as "propaganda". The incident took place within Japan’s exclusive economic zone.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Albanese accuses China of dangerous, unsafe and unprofessional behaviour in naval ship altercation

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Original article by Josh Butler, Amy Hawkins
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 21-Nov-23

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has responded to revelations that divers from the HMAS Toowoomba were injured by a sonar pulse from a Chinese warship in international waters last week. Albanese has criticised the Chinese vessel’s conduct, and stated that the federal government had made strong objections to China regarding the incident. However, Albanese has declined to comment on whether he raised the issue with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the recent APEC summit in San Francisco. Kevin Rudd, Australia’s ambassador to the US, says it is longstanding practice not to comment on the content of conversations between leaders.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Roy Morgan Poll on Federal voting intention shows third straight weekly decline for the ALP Government: ALP 49.5% cf. L-NP 50.5%

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 21-Nov-23

The Coalition on 50.5% (up 0.5% from a week ago) now leads the ALP on 49.5% (down 0.5%) on a two-party preferred basis, according to the latest Roy Morgan Poll on Federal voting intention conducted over the last week. The result matches the low-point the Albanese Government reached immediately after the defeat of ‘The Voice’ referendum in mid-October and is the third straight week of declines for the Government. On primary vote the Coalition is now on 37.5%, up 1% from a week ago, and clearly ahead of the ALP on 29.5%, down 0.5%. The Greens are on 13.5%, up 0.5%, and One Nation is on 6.5%, up 0.5%. There has been a loss of support for both Independents on 7%, down 1% and Other Parties on 6%, down 0.5%. The latest Roy Morgan Poll is based on interviewing a representative cross-section of 1,401 Australian electors from November 13-19, 2023. For further details watch Roy Morgan’s weekly Market Research Update video presented by Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine on Tuesday afternoon.

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

Foreign investment urgent for critical minerals: King

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Original article by Tom McIlroy
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 6 : 15-Nov-23

Resources Minister Madeleine King will use a speech at a rare earth conference to emphasis the strategic importance of Australia’s critical minerals to global supply chains and the energy transition. She will also stress the need for foreign investment in the nation’s rare earths and critical minerals sector. The federal government recently announced plans to increase funding for its Critical Minerals Facility to $4bn, as part of its strategy to reduce global reliance on China for minerals such as lithium and cobalt.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, SCIENCE AND RESOURCES

Labor delivers concessions on gig economy employment reforms

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The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 9-Nov-23

On-demand platforms have welcomed the federal government’s decision to make changes to the gig economy provisions of its Closing Loopholes Bill; however, they believe that the concessions do not go far enough. Amongst other things, the amendments will limit the introduction of traditional employment conditions for gig economy workers, such as penalty rates. The Fair Work Commission will be able to impose penalty rates if they are deemed to be appropriate for the type of work, although on-demand platforms had wanted weekend and evening penalty rates to be specifically excluded from the legislation.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION

Business blues over IR shake-up bill

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Original article by Geoff Chambers
The Australian – Page: 2 : 8-Nov-23

The federal government continues to attract scrutiny over its compromise agreement with the Australian Hotels Association regarding the casual employment provisions of the Closing Loopholes Bill. The deal has been criticised by Restaurant & Catering Australia, the Council of Small Business Organisations Australia and the Minerals Council of Australia. They have released legal advice from Corrs Chambers Westgarth which suggests that, despite the amendments, employers that breach the new definition of a casual could still incur existing penalties.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN HOTELS ASSOCIATION, RESTAURANT AND CATERING INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA INCORPORATED, COUNCIL OF SMALL BUSINESS ORGANISATIONS OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED, MINERALS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA