Union readies for new tug of war with BHP
BHP’s flagship iron ore division could face fresh industrial tensions, with a union representing tugboat workers at Port Hedland expected to file a notification of dispute against the miner and its contractors within weeks. The Fin
Miners warn of skill shortage
Australia’s peak mining lobby is warning of serious skills shortages by the end of the decade if the Federal Government does not act urgently to encourage school leavers to take up engineering and geology degrees. The West
City CEO on leave over $25,000 secret inquiry
The City of Perth has been engulfed in fresh turmoil with claims $25,000 of ratepayers’ money was spent on a secret investigation that has prompted its chief executive to take indefinite leave. The West
Perth-based shipbuilder Austal riding wave of success
Listed shipbuilder Austal says winning a contract to build frigates for the US Navy would underpin its American operations for the next two decades. The Fin
Health merger takes on majors
Australia’s health insurance industry is set for a major shake-up with the top two not-for-profit funds, HCF and HBF, set to merge as ongoing affordability issues put the sector at the centre of political debate. The Aus
Myer considers legal options after latest Lew attack
Myer executive chairman Garry Hounsell is considering his legal options following a ferocious attack from Solomon Lew, who called the former EY and Arthur Andersen partner ‘‘incompetent’’ and ‘‘discredited’’ in his latest attempt to garner support from shareholders to overthrow the board. The Fin
Woodside bumper raising gets solid institutional backing
Woodside Petroleum garnered strong support from professional investors for the institutional part of its surprise $2.5 billion equity raising, with chief executive Peter Coleman maintaining the result showed an endorsement of the company’s strategy. The Fin
Backdown on radical wage plan
Bill Shorten’s Labor Party is backing away from a controversial proposal to legislate significant minimum wage rises, instead considering a plan to force the Fair Work Commission to give greater weight to the needs of low-paid workers when awarding minimum wage increases. The Aus
The Australian Financial Review
Page 1: Party officials believe increasingly that Barnaby Joyce’s tenure as Nationals leader has become untenable but say the ultimate decision whether to keep him rests with Nationals MPs.
Page 3: Overcoming local political and community opposition to privatising infrastructure in the United States presents the biggest challenge for Australian investors hoping for a slice of Donald Trump’s proposed $US1 trillion spend.
Page 6: BHP’s flagship iron ore division could face fresh industrial tensions, with a union representing tugboat workers at Port Hedland expected to file a notification of dispute against the miner and its contractors within weeks.
Page 7: NAB is poised to cut 1000 jobs as part of a strategy to remove layers of middle management and simplify the bank that was announced by chief executive Andrew Thorburn in November.
Page 9: Listed shipbuilder Austal says winning a contract to build frigates for the US Navy would underpin its American operations for the next two decades.
Page 13: Accelerating economic growth in the United States has presented logistics giant Brambles with a fresh set of problems as rising transport costs and higher prices for the timber used in its 100 million pallets in that market emerge, just as the core business benefits from rising volumes.
Myer executive chairman Garry Hounsell is considering his legal options following a ferocious attack from Solomon Lew, who called the former EY and Arthur Andersen partner ‘‘incompetent’’ and ‘‘discredited’’ in his latest attempt to garner support from shareholders to overthrow the board.
GetSwift shares plummeted 55 per cent yesterday after the logistics software maker told the market that less than half its announced contracts had progressed to a revenue generating stage.
Page 15: Woodside Petroleum garnered strong support from professional investors for the institutional part of its surprise $2.5 billion equity raising, with chief executive Peter Coleman maintaining the result showed an endorsement of the company’s strategy.
Page 18: The chief executive of ASX-listed funerals group InvoCare says Baby Boomers want champagne and canapes at a celebration marking the end of their life, not a cup of tea and a biscuit.
The Australian
Page 1: Bill Shorten’s Labor Party is backing away from a controversial proposal to legislate significant minimum wage rises, instead considering a plan to force the Fair Work Commission to give greater weight to the needs of low-paid workers when awarding minimum wage increases.
Page 2: The ABC’s Media Watch last night added its voice to criticism of Emma Alberici, saying the ABC chief economics correspondent overstepped the mark in online articles she wrote about corporate tax payments.
Page 5: Malcolm Turnbull is expected to tap into growing domestic pressure mounting against Donald Trump’s protectionist trade policies to advocate open trade and the potential for the US to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
Former Labor leader Kim Beazley has warned that escalating tensions on the Korean peninsula and Donald Trump’s unpredictability could spark nuclear war, with implications for Australia.
Page 17: Australia’s health insurance industry is set for a major shake-up with the top two not-for-profit funds, HCF and HBF, set to merge as ongoing affordability issues put the sector at the centre of political debate.
Page 20: The union for bank employees has lashed out at National Australia Bank over its workplace revolution, saying the bank’s plan to slash 1000 jobs falls short of community expectations.
Page 23: Former Google, Slack and Apple engineering leader Leslie Miley says Australian start-ups can learn from the “trash fire” of Twitter, encouraging our future tech leaders to think closely about the future they want to build.
Page 25: Public Wi-Fi is now common in Australian cities and the general consumer connecting to these networks more often than not assumes the networks are secure.
The West Australian
Page 4: Nationals MPs are under pressure to resolve the future of party leader and Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce before Parliament resumes next week as one potential candidate for the job damaged his chances with an unconvincing television interview.
Page 6: WA Liberals will call for an inquiry into the small number of Australian Army personnel based in WA, suggesting the Federal Government should adopt a “two-armies” policy, with echoes of a World War II defence strategy.
Page 7: The City of Perth has been engulfed in fresh turmoil with claims $25,000 of ratepayers’ money was spent on a secret investigation that has prompted its chief executive to take indefinite leave.
Page 9: An inquiry into the financial dealings of the Barnett government will hand down its report today.
Page 10: Thousands of West Australians are risking hefty fines by using nicotine electronic cigarettes as the State Government moves to tighten laws that could outlaw vaping as much as smoking.
Page 12: Australia’s peak mining lobby is warning of serious skills shortages by the end of the decade if the Federal Government does not act urgently to encourage school leavers to take up engineering and geology degrees.
Page 14: The Wheatbelt has been the regional area hardest hit by rising electricity prices, with the number of households unable to pay their bills rocketing more than 400 per cent in a year.
Business: Lawyers, accountants, academics and farmers are among the 22 HBF councillors who will decide the future of the health insurer’s $4 billion merger proposal.
Kondinin farmer Natalie Browning has created history by becoming the first female grower elected to Co-operative Bulk Handling’s board.
