Morning Headlines

3000 Alcoa jobs on line

At least 3000 jobs at WA alumina refineries would be at risk if Labor’s emissions reduction target is introduced, new Liberal party modelling claims. The West

Green power deal nets $150m

State-owned power provider Synergy may have made up to $150 million selling its renewable energy portfolio to a private investment fund, it has emerged. The West

Iron ore bolsters record earnings

Higher iron ore exports are expected to propel Australia’s resource and energy export earnings to a record $278 billion this financial year, giving Tuesday’s federal budget a $1.4 billion boost. The Fin

Qantas eyes Perth U-turn in fees stoush

Qantas is prepared to put its ultralong-haul international aircraft into “other opportunities” if it can’t resolve a legal impasse with Perth Airport over fees. The Aus

Property tax crackdown from Jan 1

Investors will have just over six months to beat new curbs on negative gearing and capital gains tax if Labor wins the May election, it will be confirmed today. The Fin

‘Lack of transparency masks true demand’ for lithium

Steve Promnitz, managing director of junior lithium miner Lake Resources, has brushed off concerns of oversupply in the lithium market and says a lack of transparency is masking true pricing and demand in the market. The Fin

National audit checks fuel-pump accuracy

Petrol stations have been put on notice by the Morrison government after the launch of a national audit into the accuracy of fuel pumps in the lead-up to the Easter long weekend. The Aus

China coal impasse ‘all politics’

Australia’s coal exports are being held up in Chinese ports because of “geopolitical tensions”, the chief executive of a leading US coal company says. The Aus

Major sponsor walks away after five years

The future of Perth’s premier fashion showcase has been plunged into doubt, with its only major sponsor Telstra walking away after five years and an unpaid supplier launching court action. The West

The Australian Financial Review

Page 1: Investors will have just over six months to beat new curbs on negative gearing and capital gains tax if Labor wins the May election, it will be confirmed today.

Page 3: Politicians and parties, such as One Nation, will not be kicked off Facebook but will have some of their views curtailed under a new policy to ban white nationalism and separatism from the platform as pressure builds on the social media giant in the wake of the Christchurch terrorist attacks.

Partners at the big four consulting firms Deloitte, EY, KPMG and PwC earned a collective $7.6 billion in business income in 2017 and had taxable income of $2 billion, according to never-before-revealed figures from the Australian Taxation Office.

Page 4: Disability groups, Labor and some states are demanding the government rule out using unspent funding on the National Disability Insurance Scheme to bolster the bottom line in next week’s budget amid speculation the underspend could be between $2.5 billion and $5 billion this financial year, and more next year.

Page 5: Higher iron ore exports are expected to propel Australia’s resource and energy export earnings to a record $278 billion this financial year, giving Tuesday’s federal budget a $1.4 billion boost.

Page 6: Job vacancies have grown 9.2 per cent in the year to February but the rate of growth has slowed considerably in the last three months.

Page 14: The mixed messages around China’s appetite for Australian coal has rattled Canberra, wiped billions of dollars off mining stocks and raised some uncomfortable questions about our economic dependency on China’s slowing economy.

Page 17: Fortescue Metals chief executive Elizabeth Gaines says growth in Chinese steel production is expected to slow to between 3 per cent and 4 per cent this year, but will still benefit from further state investment in infrastructure to stimulate the economy.

Page 21: UBS has upgraded its iron ore price forecast for 2019 for the second time this year as a result of January’s tailings dam disaster in Brazil, but mining analyst Glyn Lawcock expects Australia’s major producers to remain disciplined and focus on cash returns to shareholders rather than expansion.

Steve Promnitz, managing director of junior lithium miner Lake Resources, has brushed off concerns of oversupply in the lithium market and says a lack of transparency is masking true pricing and demand in the market.

Page 22: Pilbara Minerals has moved to sell up to a 49 per cent stake in its flagship Pilgangoora lithium project and dusted off plans to build what could become a fifth lithium chemicals plant in Western Australia.

The Australian

Page 1: The nation’s peak conservation organisation has launched a brutal, intimidatory campaign against some of Australia’s biggest companies, with members of the peak business group effectively being blackmailed over its perceived stance on climate change.

A resources-led export surge will help underwrite next week’s federal budget, with official forecasts expected to lift the total earnings from Australian exports by $20 billion to at least $280bn for the current year.

Page 4: The Coalition needs to make a down payment of $5 billion in next week’s budget to do half the work in bringing the average wait time for aged-care home-support packages down from one year to three months, the nation’s peak seniors group says.

Page 7: Petrol stations have been put on notice by the Morrison government after the launch of a national audit into the accuracy of fuel pumps in the lead-up to the Easter long weekend.

Page 17: Australia’s coal exports are being held up in Chinese ports because of “geopolitical tensions”, the chief executive of a leading US coal company says.

Lynas Corp promised the Malaysian government in writing that it was prepared to remove waste generated by its rare earths processing plant, contrasting with its current position that the waste should remain in Malaysia.

Page 19: Qantas is prepared to put its ultralong-haul international aircraft into “other opportunities” if it can’t resolve a legal impasse with Perth Airport over fees.

Page 20: Wesfarmers will get a second chance to grab an interest in a big Western Australian lithium mine after Pilbara Minerals announced it would look to sell an interest in its Pilgangoora project.

Page 23: Weak economic conditions in Perth have not scared off local developer Cedar Woods, which has purchased a 20ha development site at Brabham, north of the capital.

The West Australian

Page S4: Richard Goyder describes last year’s Telethon — his first as chairman — as a “very, very special weekend” with a record $38 million in donations raised to help children across WA.

Page 1: The future of Perth’s premier fashion showcase has been plunged into doubt, with its only major sponsor Telstra walking away after five years and an unpaid supplier launching court action.

Page 8: WA will share in a new $2.2 billion road safety package which will target high-risk crash zones and give local councils more money to fix danger roads.

Page 10: Breast cancer patients will soon be able to save up to $1500 on lifesaving scans, with the Federal Government to spend $32 million on improving the accuracy of diagnosis and treatment.

Page 11: At least 3000 jobs at WA alumina refineries would be at risk if Labor’s emissions reduction target is introduced, new Liberal party modelling claims.

Page 14: An appeal by the Police Commissioner in the Supreme Court to stop a delay to blanket liquor restrictions on bottle-shop sales in the Pilbara has been labelled a “questionable use of taxpayer money” by the State’s hotel lobby group.

Page 18: Andrew Forrest says the world is “sleepwalking into tragedy” if humankind does not plan for the potential negative impact of artificial intelligence.

Business: State-owned power provider Synergy may have made up to $150 million selling its renewable energy portfolio to a private investment fund, it has emerged.

Sheep exports will be prohibited during the northern hemisphere summer under a new set of rules which have been ratified by the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources.

Make-up artist Napoleon Perdis has lost control of the cosmetics empire he founded 25 years ago, with administrators announcing a sale of the business to an Australian investment firm.