INFRASTRUCTURE (ECONOMICS) – GOVERNMENT POLICY – AUSTRALIA

Big projects putting home target at risk

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Original article by Michael Bleby
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 25 : 9-Nov-23

Property developers and builders have warned that the pipeline of publicly-funded infrastructure projects will make it hard to achieve the federal government’s revised target of 1.2 million new homes by 2029. This target is already uncertain, given that the number of housing starts fell to just 40,720 in the June quarter, which is its lowest level in a decade. Master Builders ACT CEO Michael Hopkins notes that the house construction sector is competing with infrastructure projects for the limited supply of labour. He adds that the construction sector will require an additional 500,000 workers nationwide by November 2026, including 7,000 in the ACT.

CORPORATES
MASTER BUILDERS’ CONSTRUCTION AND HOUSING ASSOCIATION OF THE AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY

IMF calls on RBA to raise rates

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Original article by John Kehoe
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 2-Nov-23

The International Monetary Fund now believes that Australia’s inflation rate will not return to the Reserve Bank’s target range of 2-3 per cent until early 2026. The central bank itself expects inflation to return to the upper limit of its target band by late 2025. Abdoul Wane, the IMF’s mission chief to Australia, notes that although the inflation rate is gradually declining, further interest rate increases are needed in order to bring inflation under control more quickly. Wane also contends that the federal and state governments should defer some infrastructure projects in order to alleviate inflationary pressures.

CORPORATES
INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA

NBN push for fibre to the home

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 11 : 23-Sep-20

The federal government has forecast that a major upgrade of the national broadband network will boost GDP by $6.4bn a year by 2024. The $4.5bn upgrade project is also expected to generate about 25,000 jobs over coming years as more businesses and households gain fast internet access. NBN Co will allocate $3.5bn to rolling out high-speed fibre cables to nearly 10 million households and businesses, which will be given the option of taking up a fibre-to-the-premises connection. Communications Minister Paul Fletcher says it was always the Coalition’s intention to upgrade the NBN to full fibre when the initial rollout was completed.

CORPORATES
NBN CO LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORT, REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS

Leaders say fiscal stimulus is the answer

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Original article by James Thomson, Tony Boyd
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 & 27 : 10-Dec-19

Tax cuts and increased spending on infrastructure are among the suggestions from business leaders to help stimulate the Australian economy. Rio Tinto CEO Jean-Sebastien Jacques has urged the federal government to revive its push for corporate tax relief, while Woodside Petroleum CEO Peter Coleman has called for the introduction of an investment allowance to boost business confidence. Meanwhile, Telstra CEO Andy Penn has stressed the importance of innovation to Australia’s future economic growth.

CORPORATES
RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, WOODSIDE PETROLEUM LIMITED – ASX WPL, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, COCA-COLA AMATIL LIMITED – ASX CCL, BENDIGO AND ADELAIDE BANK LIMITED – ASX BEN, ENERGYAUSTRALIA PTY LTD, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, SEEK LIMITED – ASX SEK, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY

Investment strike keeps growth low

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Original article by Glenda Korporaal
The Australian – Page: 17 & 27 : 5-Dec-19

Commonwealth Bank economist Michael Blythe says the latest GDP data shows that Australia has a two-speed economy, with private sector spending down 0.1 per cent in the September quarter and 0.3 per cent year-on-year, while public sector spending increased by 1.1 per cent and 4.8 per cent respectively. Master Builders Australia has urged the federal government to fast-track smaller infrastructure projects, with chief economist Shane Garrett noting that businesses and consumers lack the confidence to spend at present.

CORPORATES
COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, MASTER BUILDERS AUSTRALIA INCORPORATED, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, WAGNERS HOLDING COMPANY LIMITED – ASX WGN

Tax breaks to fast-track big projects

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Original article by Simon Benson
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 14-Nov-19

The federal government will provide a concessional tax rate of 15 per cent for foreign investments in qualifying infrastructure projects that are worth more than $500m. This will include ­energy, transport, water and communications projects. Meanwhile, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg will use the Sir John Downer Oration in Adelaide on 14 November to urge greater co-operation between the federal and state governments to address inefficiencies in the economy. He will also stress the need for responsible fiscal management.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY

Indigenous-owned iron ore venture gets $12m NAIF loan

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Original article by Mark Ludlow
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 7 : 20-Sep-19

The federal government’s $5 billion Northern Australian Infrastructure Facility has made a $12.5 million loan to the $45 million First Iron mining project in Western Australia’s Pilbara region. The project, which is being developed by the Australian Aboriginal Mining Corporation, will use the loan to construct new supporting infrastructure for the First Iron mine, which is to supply ore for Fortescue Mining’s Cloudbreak operations. The NAIF has now awarded $1.4 billion in concessional loans to 13 projects in Australia’s north, with the NAIF stating the loans will help create over 4,000 jobs and generate $3 billion in public benefit.

CORPORATES
NORTHERN AUSTRALIA INFRASTRUCTURE FACILITY, AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINAL MINING CORPORATION

Morrison spruiks infrastructure as key

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Original article by Richard Ferguson
The Australian – Page: 4 : 6-Sep-19

Prime Minister Scott Morrison hopes the federal government’s massive infrastructure investment program will help stimulate the economy. The government will spend some $100bn on infrastructure projects over the next decade, including $48.2bn over the next four years. However, shadow infrastructure minister Catherine King contends that the government failed to meet its infrastructure spending commitments in its first five Budgets.

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

Hydro project wins $610m federal loan

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Original article by Mark Ludlow
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 8 : 12-Jul-19

Genex Power will receive a $610m loan from the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility for its proposed pumped hydro project in Queensland. NAIF CEO Laurie Walker notes that the project will provide northern Queensland with an additional 250 megawatts of power, with EnergyAustralia in the process of concluding a deal to receive electricity from the project. The concessional loan is the largest allocation made by the $5 billion NAIF to date.

CORPORATES
GENEX POWER LIMITED – ASX GNX, NORTHERN AUSTRALIA INFRASTRUCTURE FACILITY, ENERGYAUSTRALIA PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY, J-POWER AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, QUEENSLAND. DEPT OF ENERGY AND WATER SUPPLY

Big super ready to fund infrastructure

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Original article by Joanna Mather
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 7 : 9-Jul-19

IFM Investors CEO Brett Himbury has argued the case for industry superannuation funds to invest in public infrastructure, saying they are prepared to buy into both new and existing assets. Himbury concedes that there is still some concern about the partial sale of public assets; however, he stresses that unlike some private investors, super funds are focused on long-term returns rather than short-term profits. Former ACTU secretary Bill Kelty has proposed the creation of a new government-backed asset class that is focused on infrastructure.

CORPORATES
IFM INVESTORS PTY LTD, ACTU, INFRADEBT PTY LTD