Sledger's answer only applies if the objects that you want to modify are all clones / instances of the same base object.

I interpret your query as wanting a method of selecting a number of unique objects and transforming each of them within their own local space.

Example: Select 3 separate objects (each of which is in a different position on the page) and rotate each by 45 degrees about its center, or shrinking each to 50% size towards its top-left corner.

So far as I know there is no simple way to achieve this in Xara (any version). Transforms are performed on the entire group, not the individual elements within a selection.

Paste attributes will not work since it ignores scaling and rotation.

Unfortunately there isn't even a 'repeat the last action' command that would partially automate the procedure.

Don't know if anyone else has a smart work around for this scenario?