Former Fortescue Metals Group chief executive and current Perth Airport chairman Nev Power has been recruited by the prime minister to lead a National COVID-19 Coordination Commission.
People already waiting at the Western Australian border will be allowed into the state after the closure deadline, as the premier flagged banning regional travel and shutting down beaches.
Domestic gas reservation schemes have earned a rebuke from the Productivity Commission, while it has called for an end to drilling bans and warned on the massive cost of approval delays.
Department of the Premier and Cabinet director general, Darren Foster, is stepping down immediately, with senior bureaucrats Rebecca Brown and Sharyn O’Neill stepping into the breach.
A $20 billion loan guarantee for small businesses, $31.9 billion of grants to encourage small businesses to keep workers and $18 billion of support for welfare recipients and people who lose their jobs are the key elements in the federal government’s second round COVID-19 economic response.
Two new facilities to support lending worth a combined $105 billion are key elements of the Reserve Bank and federal government’s plans to support the economy in response to COVID-19, while the RBA cut rates to 0.25 per cent and promised an unprecedented target on government bond yields.
Support for businesses to hold on to workers should be prioritised over cash handouts for households, according to Deutsche Bank, which forecasts Australia’s economy will fare better than most with a contraction of only 0.1 per cent in 2020.
A growing number of hospitality venues are either closing or revising their operations, after the Prime Minister announced the ban of all non-essential gatherings of 100 plus people. The ban is effective immediately and will impact religious services.
The growing global appetite for state involvement in industry, as evidenced by two recent decisions of Boris Johnson’s new government in the UK, is also taking hold in Australia.
Australia has upgraded its international travel advice to the highest level, with all citizens being told not to travel overseas because of coronavirus. It comes as Virgin Australia suspended all international travel for more than two months.
A freeze on household bills, a slight rise of the payroll tax threshold and small businesses grants will form part of a $607 million state government stimulus package, while the Commonwealth and the Reserve Bank are considering further steps.
Chinese consul general Dong Zhihua is confident international trade won’t suffer long-term disruption from the COVID-19 pandemic, and is pitching for local businesses to come to a trade fair in November.
The federal government will be advising against mass gatherings of more than 500 people from Monday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said today, in response to the growing coronavirus threat.
As the effects of the coronavirus pandemic worsen, businesses are making sure they are prepared for disruption, with many trialing work from home arrangements.
The travel industry is reeling from a decision by the US government to ban all travel from Europe for a month, while the Australian government has decided against a similar move after consideration. Shares in ASX-listed travel companies were smashed today in response to the clamp down and as travel dries up globally.
Concerns over coronavirus have led to the cancellation of several sporting, cultural and business events but most organisations are planning to proceed with scheduled activities.
OPINION: Clear, sensible thinking and strategising are essential, both on a personal level and in business, when responding to threats posed by the coronavirus.
The state government has urged Western Australian tourism operators to bring forward deals and promotions in support of the local industry, as it launches a ‘Do it in WA’ campaign that will use existing funding.
Liza Harvey has positioned herself as a reliable ally for WA businesses, outlining an agenda prioritising job creation and economic diversification at a Politics & Policy breakfast today.
Premier Mark McGowan has called for federal support to get a new research centre for hydrogen and LNG exports off the ground, while there’s work under way to attract investment in new industries using domestic gas.
The federal government will announce a stimulus package of up to $20 billion tomorrow to fight the impact of the Covid-19 virus, it has been reported this afternoon, while $2.4 billion of new health funding was announced today.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison told business leaders today that its stimulus package to address the impact of coronavirus would be proportionate, targeted, scalable and temporary.
The state government plans to halt three major contracts at Fiona Stanley Hospital held by Serco Australia, resulting in 650 jobs moving back to the public sector at a cost of $93 million over 10 years.This adds to similar moves in the water and corrections portfolios.
The Morrison government has reached an agreement with the states and territories to bear the health costs of tackling the coronavirus on a 50/50 basis, which could end up costing $1 billion.
OPINION: The Corruption and Crime Commission has experienced highs and lows since being established with draconian powers in 2004 by the Gallop Labor government to root out poor practices in the public sector.
The national economy put in a better than expected performance during the back end of 2019 with GDP growing 0.5 per cent in the December quarter, but the news for Western Australia was not so good, with state final demand falling.
