ELECTIONS – AUSTRALIA

National nightmare of teals on a Green pitch

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Original article by Paul Garvey, Perry Williams, Colin Packham, Brad Thompson
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 26-Feb-25

Woodside Energy CEO Meg O’Neill says it would be bad for households, business and the environment if the Greens or the teals hold the balance of power after the federal election. Beach Energy CEO Brett Woods has expressed similar concerns, warning that a minority government could result in "exorbitant power" being given to a small collection of MPs who are focused solely on their own narrow agenda rather than the good of the nation. He contends that electors should vote for either Labor or the Coalition, as the consequences of giving the Greens or teals greater influence would include higher unemployment and severe energy shortages.

CORPORATES
WOODSIDE ENERGY GROUP LIMITED – ASX WDS, BEACH ENERGY LIMITED – ASX BPT, AUSTRALIAN GREENS

The one-cut wonder

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Original article by Greg Brown, Jack Quail, Sarah Ison
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 19-Feb-25

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the first official interest rate cut in more than four years will have no impact on the timing of the federal election, and that the budget is still set for 25 March. However, the Reserve Bank of Australia’s 25 basis point interest rate cut on Tuesday has provided Albanese with a trigger for an early election. RBA governor ­Michele Bullock has downplayed expectations of further interest rate relief, contending that the central bank’s board will need more evidence that inflation is falling to the middle of its 2-3 per cent target range. The RBA’s preferred measure of underlying inflation fell to 3.2 per cent in the year to December, and the central bank now expects it to fall to 2.7 per cent in June. The election must be held no later than 17 May.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA

PM, Dutton get ready to rumble – officially

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Original article by Geoff Chambers
The Australian – Page: 5 : 18-Feb-25

Federal government MPs are believed to have been told to prepare for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to formally announce the date of the election sometime between 3 and 11 March. Strategists from all political parties and activist groups such as Climate 200 now anticipate an election on either 5 or 12 April, with the latter seen to be the most likely. Climate 200 will help fund candidates in 35 seats nationwide, although this includes just four seats that are currently held by Labor. Meanwhile, history may be against Opposition leader Peter Dutton, given that no federal government has lost office after only one term since 1931.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, CLIMATE 200 PTY LTD, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Libs pan Chalmers over gross politicisation of public service

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Original article by Tom McIlroy
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 6 : 12-Feb-25

Shadow finance minister Jane Hume has criticised the federal government for getting Treasury officials to undertake costings for the Coalition’s proposal to give small businesses a tax deduction of up to $20,000 a year for business lunches. The major political parties have traditionally not costed each others policies since the independent Parliamentary Budget Office was established. Hume says public servants must not engage in ‘political activities’ as part of their employment, and she has urged Public Service Commissioner Gordon de Brouwer to emphasise this in the lead-up to the federal election.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. PARLIAMENTARY BUDGET OFFICE, AUSTRALIAN PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION

Top 10 Issues Shaping the 2025 Federal Election: Cost of Living and Crime on the Rise, Climate Change Fades

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 24-Jan-25

Roy Morgan’s in-depth survey data covering the last few years highlights the key issues gaining importance for Australian electors as we approach the Federal Election. Cost-of-living increasingly dominates voter concerns with several related issues rising significantly since the Federal Election in mid-2022. The most important issue for electors is clearly ‘Keeping day-to-day living costs down’ (up 7% points to 57%). ‘Keeping interest rates down’ (up 8% points to 19%) and ‘Managing immigration and population growth’ (surging 8% points to 14%) have also increased. The sharp rise in immigration-related concerns is during a period in which Australia has had record high immigration and housing affordability issues have been at the forefront. At the same time, public anxiety about safety has escalated significantly with ‘Reducing crime and maintaining law and order’ jumping 10% points to 23% – the largest increase for any issue. In contrast, there are two issues that have fallen rapidly in importance: ‘Global warming and climate change’ is down 9% points to 23% and ‘Open and honest government’ is down 6% points to 19%.

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ROY MORGAN LIMITED

Michele Levine, CEO of Roy Morgan, says understanding how electors feel about issues is critical as Federal Election approaches

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 24-Jan-25

Australians are shifting their focus on what are the ‘Issues of most importance’ ahead of this year’s Federal Election. The rising focus on cost-of-living pressures – spanning day-to-day expenses, interest rates, and housing affordability – reflects a growing urgency among voters to address financial strain, making it the defining issue of this election cycle. Concern about ‘reducing crime’ has surged around Australia and for supporters of all major parties, especially in Queensland, doubling from 16% to 32%, in Victoria, with a rise from 14% to 26% and in the NT, up 13% to 33%. In Victoria, new State Liberal Leader Brad Battin faces his first electoral test in early February in the Labor Government-held seat of Werribee. Battin is a former policeman, like Federal Coalition Leader Peter Dutton, and will be hoping his tough reputation will add momentum to the Liberal Party’s campaign to win the seat.

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ROY MORGAN LIMITED, LIBERAL PARTY OF VICTORIA, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Labor’s next woe: health premiums

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Original article by Michael Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 16-Oct-24

Sources have indicated that private health insurers will seek approval from the federal government to increase their premiums by 5-6 per cent in 2025. This would be the highest increase since 2016, when premiums rose by an average of 6.18 per cent. Private health insurers are slated to make their final submissions to Health Minister Mark Butler in early November; the size of the premium increases is traditionally announced between December and March, and they take effect from 1 April. With the federal election due by mid-May and the cost-of-living crisis weighing on many voters, the government will be reluctant to approve a large increase in premiums.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HEALTH AND AGED CARE

May poll firms as Labor sets its budget date

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Original article by Jack Quail
The Australian – Page: 4 : 11-Oct-24

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has frequently reiterated that the current parliament will run for its full term and he will not call an early election. The draft parliamentary sitting schedule for 2025 suggests that he still intends to go to the polls in May, given that Labor has pencilled in 25 March to hand down the budget. This would make 3 May the earliest possible date for an election, while the Constitition requires it to be held no later than 17 May. Meanwhile, Labor has advised that parliamentary inquiry into nuclear energy is slated to deliver its final report by the end of April; building seven nuclear power plants will be part of the Coalition’s election platform.

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

Jewish leaders: put Greens last

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Original article by Joe Kelly, David Tanner
The Australian – Page: 1 & 5 : 9-Oct-24

The Executive Council of Australian of Jewry and the Zionist Federation of Australia have joined forces to urge Labor and the Coalition to preference the Greens last on their how-to-vote cards at the upcoming federal election. The two Jewish groups argued in their letter to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition leader Peter Dutton that the two major political parties should preference each other ahead of the Greens, citing the minor party’s "shameful and cynical behaviour" in the 12 months since the October 7 terrorist attack on Israel. They also urged Albanese and Dutton to rule out any deal with the Greens to form a minority government.

CORPORATES
EXECUTIVE COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIAN JEWRY, ZIONIST FEDERATION OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Negative gearing in Labor’s sights as Albanese readies for election battle

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Original article by James Massola, David Crowe
The Age – Page: Online : 25-Sep-24

Several federal government sources have confirmed that Labor is considering potential changes to the negative gearing regime ahead of the upcoming election. One of the government officials has indicated that the Treasury has been asked to undertake modelling on possible reform options. Treasury is not believed to be considering the changes to the negative gearing and capital gains tax regimes that former Labor leader Bill Shorten took to the 2016 and 2019 elections.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY