Morning Headlines

Cyclone hits Pilbara iron ore mines

The heavy rains over the mines could further disrupt the industry after exports ground to a halt late last week when Western Australia’s biggest commodity ports closed in anticipation of the cyclone’s destructive winds and tidal surges. The Fin

LNG tensions erupt over virus claims

Tensions between LNG producers and importers in the oversupplied and virus-hit Asian market have dramatically escalated as exporters hit back against moves by Chinese players to renege on purchase commitments. The Fin

Pressure on tech titans to act fairly

News Corp Australasia executive chairman Michael Miller has urged Facebook and Google to come to the table in good faith and strike a deal in which the tech giants would pay for original journalism that tech platforms rely on for billions in clicks and revenue. The Aus

BCA plots path to zero emissions

The lobby group for the nation’s biggest companies is on a collision course with the Morrison government, kicking off work on a new energy and climate policy that formally backs a price on carbon and net zero emissions for the economy by 2050. The Aus

Green shoots: Metcash’s bold growth plans

After seeing off disrupters Kaufland and iRexchange, Metcash is taking a leaf out of the playbooks of Coles and Woolworths to reignite sales growth and carve a bigger share of the market for independent retailers. The Fin

Iron ore filing breathes new life into old curse

The heirs to a multi-billion-dollar iron ore fortune will air their feud in Western Australia’s Supreme Court this week in the latest instalment of the iron curse that has torn apart wealthy families and lined the pockets of Perth’s legal fraternity. The Aus

Give best teachers a pay rise & mentorships

Top teachers could earn up to $180,000 a year and tour schools across the country under a radical overhaul being proposed by education experts who say Australia is failing to make use of its best educators. The West

Horizon slips on PNG oil slick

A nine-year-old payment in Papua New Guinea threatens to derail Australian-listed Horizon Oil after the firm repeatedly ignored corruption warnings and paid $US10.3 million ($15.4 million) to an unknown shell company. The Fin

CIMIC’s Thiess Indonesian sale interests Macmahon

The Spanish-controlled majority owners of CIMIC are understood to have opted for a sale of the Thiess Indonesian operations, with industry rival Macmahon thought to be well positioned to buy the business. The Aus

Climate is hot topic

The resources industry is urging the McGowan Government to resist imposing greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets in WA, warning it jeopardises future investment. The West

The Australian Financial Review

Page 1: China is struggling to contain the spread of the deadly coronavirus which has claimed 813 lives after reaching a record daily death toll over the weekend, with President Xi Jinping under growing pressure to tackle public anger over the death of a whistleblower doctor.

A nine-year-old payment in Papua New Guinea threatens to derail Australian-listed Horizon Oil after the firm repeatedly ignored corruption warnings and paid $US10.3 million ($15.4 million) to an unknown shell company.

Page 4: The federal government plans to make it easier and cheaper for large companies to borrow money from mum and dad investors, with Treasurer Josh Frydenberg directing a parliamentary review into the retail corporate bond market.

The heavy rains over the mines could further disrupt the industry after exports ground to a halt late last week when Western Australia’s biggest commodity ports closed in anticipation of the cyclone’s destructive winds and tidal surges.

Page 12: Changing the way teachers work by introducing higher-paid specialist categories would be the best way to ensure the extra $20 billion going to schools in the next decade under the Gonski reforms is not ‘‘frittered away’’, according to the Grattan Institute.

Page 13: Tensions between LNG producers and importers in the oversupplied and virus-hit Asian market have dramatically escalated as exporters hit back against moves by Chinese players to renege on purchase commitments.

Page 18: After seeing off disrupters Kaufland and iRexchange, Metcash is taking a leaf out of the playbooks of Coles and Woolworths to reignite sales growth and carve a bigger share of the market for independent retailers.

Page 22: UK fund management giant Aberdeen Standard Investments says Australia’s chaotic and highly politicised approach to climate policy is scaring off investors, with foreign funds particularly cautious of the political risk.

The Australian

Page 1: Scott Morrison has defined Indonesia as playing a pivotal role in the government’s push to diversify Australia’s economy and broaden trade and strategic partners in the region to hedge against the heavy reliance on China and unexpected global shocks such as the coronavirus.

Page 2: News Corp Australasia executive chairman Michael Miller has urged Facebook and Google to come to the table in good faith and strike a deal in which the tech giants would pay for original journalism that tech platforms rely on for billions in clicks and revenue.

Page 3: The heirs to a multi-billion-dollar iron ore fortune will air their feud in Western Australia’s Supreme Court this week in the latest instalment of the iron curse that has torn apart wealthy families and lined the pockets of Perth’s legal fraternity.

Page 5: A booming jobs market and tighter eligibility rules have helped push Australia’s welfare dependency to its lowest level in more than 30 years.

Page 17: The lobby group for the nation’s biggest companies is on a collision course with the Morrison government, kicking off work on a new energy and climate policy that formally backs a price on carbon and net zero emissions for the economy by 2050.

Australia’s sovereign wealth fund has quietly ratcheted up the risk in its $10bn long-term debt portfolio to the point where two-thirds of its fixed interest holdings are now high-yield, below investment grade securities such as junk bonds and unrated private debt.

Page 18: The Spanish-controlled majority owners of CIMIC are understood to have opted for a sale of the Thiess Indonesian operations, with industry rival Macmahon thought to be well positioned to buy the business.

Page 23: Seven West Media boss James Warburton has warned sporting bodies they should better demonstrate their value to broadcasters as Rugby Australia prepares to stoke interest in the television rights for the struggling code.

The West Australian

Page 1: Shocking new figures obtained by The West Australian reveal the number of boys being bullied has rocketed by almost 25 per cent in a year.

Page 5: Top teachers could earn up to $180,000 a year and tour schools across the country under a radical overhaul being proposed by education experts who say Australia is failing to make use of its best educators.

Page 14: The resources industry is urging the McGowan Government to resist imposing greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets in WA, warning it jeopardises future investment.

Page 18: Workers in the bush at risk of being laid off or hit with reduced hours could have their wages topped up with Centrelink payments to stop regions haemorrhaging, new Federal Nationals deputy leader David Littleproud has revealed.

Business: A new lager featuring WA’s iconic Dingo branding will be released next month, after a long battle between WA farmer and businessman Mathew Walker and the $1 billion flour and bakery juggernaut Allied Pinnacle over ownership of the trademark.

The prized sports oval and local primary school grounds at Newdegate are blanketed in dead grass, most farm dams in the area have run dry, and water is being carted for hundreds of kilometres to keep sheep alive.

More international aviation companies are withdrawing from the Singapore Airshow as concerns about the novel coronavirus outbreak mount.