Welcome to the new year. This month: deaths in custody, rental affordability and homelessness services. Statistics releases in January 2022 If you are interested in any of the forthcoming releases or datasets, please contact the Parliamentary Library to discuss in more detail. Statistical reports Release date ANZ Job Advertisements, December 2021 4 Jan ABS Building Approvals, November 2021 10 Jan ABS International Trade in Goods and Services, November 2021 11 ... Read more...
A debate about how complaints are handled by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) has highlighted some enduring tensions in relations between the ABC and the Australian Government. Read more...
On 22 September 2021, Taiwan applied to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) following years of preparation. The case for Taiwan’s accession is being explored in the inquiry into expanding membership of the CPTPP by the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade. On 12 October 2021, Elliott Charng of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Australia appeared at the inquiry to explain Taiwan’s interest in acceding to the CPTPP, asserting that Taiwan’s membership would be beneficial to Australia. Read more...
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) published the latest issue of their Global Economic Outlook report on 1 December 2021. Sub-titled A Balancing Act, the report analyses global vaccination efforts and economic policy responses to the coronavirus outbreak, and the economic outlook globally, and by country. The report includes an extended discussion of the prospects for global inflation under the section on Key risks and vulnerabilities. The OECD warns inflation may remain higher than forecast as the timeframe for supply-chain bottlenecks, energy prices, and transportation costs to ease, which have contributed to global inflation, remains uncertain. The OECD proj... Read more...
Following an outbreak of violence in Solomon islands, Australia and Papua New Guinea have provided police to assist in maintaining peace in the country, while Fiji and New Zealand have also despatched peacekeeping personnel. The violence seen in the country in recent weeks has attracted global attention, and a diverse range of explanations, almost all invoking the role of foreign policy and, specifically, the Solomons’ relations with China. As such, in trying to understand how the situation emerged and may evolve, it is worth exploring recent developments in the country’s relations with the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Read more...
The report of the 15th Scanlon Mapping Social Cohesion survey was released on 30 November 2021. The survey again indicates that social cohesion in Australia remains strong, showing general resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic. A closer look, including through a new interview component, reveals where parts of the community may be more affected by the impact of the pandemic, and raises questions about shifts in Australians’ views and perceptions more generally. Read more...
With 2021 rapidly drawing to a close, it seems probable that the next federal election will happen in the first half of 2022. Read more...
On 26 November 2021 the World Health Organization (WHO) Technical Advisory Group on SARS-CoV-2 Virus Evolution (TAG-VE) advised the WHO that a SARS-Cov-2 variant, first detected on 9 November 2021 in South Africa, should be designated as a ‘Variant of Concern’ (VOC) named Omicron. Read more...
Last week the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) released the latest data on marriages and divorces in Australia. As expected, COVID-19 had a direct impact on the number of marriages in 2020. Last year, there were 78,989 marriages, a 30.6% decrease from 2019. The many restrictions in place, including social distancing, size limits on gatherings (including weddings) and travel, led to the largest annual marriage decrease ever reported by the ABS. Marriage in summary There were 78,989 marriages registered in Australia in 2020, compared with 113,815 in 2019. Annual marriage registrations are the lowest reported since 1961 (76,686). In 2020, Australia's crude marriage rate w... Read more...
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