Australia’s Most Mentioned Issues in the News (May 7 – 13, 2016)
With the Federal Budget released last week and Australia's PM Malcolm Turnbull heading to the Governor-General to call a July 2 election last weekend, it is the government’s proposed changes to superannuation that has topped our ranking of syndicated media mentions across press, broadcast, and online, with 17,132 over the past week. The Institute of Public Affairs has claimed parts of the package are unfair, calling for the government to admit the changes are retrospective, while Treasurer Scott Morrison says the changes will only affect four per cent of savers with “very substantial wealth” will be affected. Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has released a seat-by-seat breakdown of its key election promise to boost school funding by $4.5 billion in 2018-19, fully funding the Gonski reforms for the next two years. Shorten described Labor as “the real country party”, highlighting an extra $1.8 billion for regional schools. PM Malcolm Turnbull said his government is spending more on school education than “in the history of the Commonwealth”.The annual Logie Awards were held in Melbourne on Sunday night, with Most Popular Personality on Australian TV going to Waleed Aly of The Project, and Noni Hazlehurst entering the Logie Hall of Fame, the second woman ever to be given the award. The government’s Budget proposal to cut tax for all firms to 25 per cent over a decade has been estimated to cost $16.5 billion per year in 2026/27. While business groups have strongly supported the moves, the plan has been criticized for its cost and claims it will have a minimal affect on the employment rate after 30 years.Asylum seekers rose one place to third this week on traditional media, and to first place on social with over 5,000 mentions in political conversations, with PNG authorities announcing asylum seekers and refugees are no longer in detention on Thursday. Labor candidate Sophie Ismail has revealed concerns about boat turnbacks and offshore detention, while a picture of Labor candidate Cathy O’Toole holding a #LetThemStay sign has surfaced.Quote of the week: "Do not adjust your sets ... there's nothing wrong with the picture. I'm sure there's an Instagram filter you can use to return things to normal," – Waleed Aly of The Project, accepting his award for Most Popular Personality on Australian TV
