APA emerges as suitor for part of Woodside stake in Pluto-2 LNG plant
As Woodside Petroleum moves ahead with a busy schedule to sell down some of its LNG exposure, the country’s biggest pipeline operator, APA Group, has emerged as a potential suitor to acquire a stake in the expanded Pluto-2 plant. The Aus
Western Areas eyes Odysseus offtake deals
Western Areas will court big Asian battery makers as potential offtake partners for nickel from its long-life Odysseus mine. The West
Miner warns against tax hike on gas sector
BHP has cautioned the federal government against hiking taxes on the liquefied natural gas sector, warning any fiscal changes might threaten a pending investment decision on its $US11bn ($16.4bn) Scarborough gas field off Western Australia. The Aus
Top unis face $1.2bn virus hit
Ten leading universities face the loss of $1.2bn in fees from about 65,800 students who are at risk of cancelling their first semester courses because they are stranded in China due to the Morrison government’s coronavirus travel ban. The Aus
Tourism gears up to counter downturn
The Morrison government is preparing to ramp up promotion of Australia on the global stage within weeks as it moves to bolster the tourism industry, which is suffering from plummeting guest numbers because of bushfires and the coronavirus outbreak. The Fin
Judges should review encryption requests: security watchdog
Law enforcement agencies that want tech companies to help gain access to encrypted messages could be forced to go before a senior judge, according to the lawyer charged with reviewing the controversial laws. The Fin
Ansell cleans up in China virus fight
Surgical gloves and protective clothing group Ansell says demand has jumped in China for its products because of COVID-19 and the company has been given special status to fast track imports while ramping up production at a plant in Xiamen in China. The Fin
We can have both higher wages and super: Albanese
Anthony Albanese will say you can have both higher wages and higher superannuation, as he attacks the ‘‘unholy alliance’’ of Coalition MPs, think-tanks and the welfare lobby for opposing an increase to the super guarantee. The Fin
Japan deal powering on
Australia and Japan are on the cusp of renewing a major defence and security agreement amid strained relations with Asian superpower China as the deadly coronavirus outbreak continues to cast a shadow over the world. The West
Sporting body prepares for life without Holden
Supercars chief executive Sean Seamer said the sporting body had been preparing for life without the Commodore and had opened discussions with a number of car manufacturers to plot a new road forward to deal with the shock exit of the Holden brand from Australia. The Fin
Bezos pledges $15bn to fight climate change
Amazon chief executive Jeff Bezos says he is committing $US10bn ($15bn) to start a new fund to fight climate change, the biggest philanthropic move to date for the world’s richest man. The Aus
The Australian Financial Review
Page 1: Coles has insisted all of its managers clock on and off when they work after discovering they are owed $20 million in overtime as the supermarket giant became the latest of dozens of businesses caught out for underpaying workers.
Surgical gloves and protective clothing group Ansell says demand has jumped in China for its products because of COVID-19 and the company has been given special status to fast track imports while ramping up production at a plant in Xiamen in China.
Page 3: Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister, James Marape, is backing a full investigation into allegations the ASX-listed Horizon Oil ignored corruption warnings and paid a shell company linked to a senior minister $US10.3 million.
Law enforcement agencies that want tech companies to help gain access to encrypted messages could be forced to go before a senior judge, according to the lawyer charged with reviewing the controversial laws.
Page 5: Corporate profits and personal income tax are poised to reach a two-decade high 75 per cent of the total federal tax take, as economists and politicians warned Australia’s tax system is becoming ‘‘dumber’’.
Page 6: Anthony Albanese will say you can have both higher wages and higher superannuation, as he attacks the ‘‘unholy alliance’’ of Coalition MPs, think-tanks and the welfare lobby for opposing an increase to the super guarantee.
Page 8: Supercars chief executive Sean Seamer said the sporting body had been preparing for life without the Commodore and had opened discussions with a number of car manufacturers to plot a new road forward to deal with the shock exit of the Holden brand from Australia.
Page 10: Big four consulting firm PwC will require all of its administrative staff to record their working hours, including their start, finish and break times as part of a push to avoid being caught underpaying employees.
Page 11: Non-profit super fund Prime Super has broken ranks to concede that lifting the compulsory contribution rate to 12 per cent is ‘‘unrealistic’’ in a climate of low wages growth.
Page 13: The Morrison government is preparing to ramp up promotion of Australia on the global stage within weeks as it moves to bolster the tourism industry, which is suffering from plummeting guest numbers because of bushfires and the coronavirus outbreak.
Page 17: Hearing implant maker Cochlear is facing short-term headwinds from the coronavirus outbreak and a slide in sales in its acoustics business, but the mid-to-long-term future remains rosy.
Page 19: Seven West Media chief executive James Warburton said all assets are on the table as the under pressure free-to-air broadcaster looks to make a material dent in its more than half a billion debt pile.
The Australian
Page 1: Ten leading universities face the loss of $1.2bn in fees from about 65,800 students who are at risk of cancelling their first semester courses because they are stranded in China due to the Morrison government’s coronavirus travel ban.
Josh Frydenberg is refusing to abolish the luxury car tax that forces Australians to pay thousands of dollars more on imported vehicles priced at more than $67,500 — even though the tariff was set up to protect Holden and locally made cars.
Page 3: Mining heir Julian Wright was not tricked by his late brother Michael and sister Angela out of his share in their father Peter’s mining fortune, the Supreme Court in Perth has heard.
Page 6: Chinese telco Huawei has been subjected to “an unprecedented and malicious campaign of smear and innuendo” and reserved the right to take legal action against organisations that “falsely” attacked the company as a state-owned security risk, its Australian lawyer, Nick Xenophon, said yesterday.
Page 7: Former teachers at Australia’s largest all-indigenous boarding school say staff are routinely writing students’ work for them and 30 senior students are forced to share seven laptops for online courses.
Page 8: Amazon chief executive Jeff Bezos says he is committing $US10bn ($15bn) to start a new fund to fight climate change, the biggest philanthropic move to date for the world’s richest man.
Page 18: As Woodside Petroleum moves ahead with a busy schedule to sell down some of its LNG exposure, the country’s biggest pipeline operator, APA Group, has emerged as a potential suitor to acquire a stake in the expanded Pluto-2 plant.
Page 19: Scentre Group, the listed owner of the local Westfield empire, has laid out plans for mixed-use developments at key centres as it looks to combat the soft retail outlook, the impact of the coronavirus on luxury precincts and a series of retail chain collapses.
Almost 10,000 Australians dumped private health cover in the last three months of last year, leaving the share of members with hospital cover at its lowest level in 12½ years and deepening the industry’s “death spiral” crisis.
Page 22: BHP has cautioned the federal government against hiking taxes on the liquefied natural gas sector, warning any fiscal changes might threaten a pending investment decision on its $US11bn ($16.4bn) Scarborough gas field off Western Australia.
The West Australian
Page 1: The price of a block of beer will increase by almost $4 when WA’s cash-for-containers scheme begins in June.
Page 3: Most WA children who have had contact with the juvenile justice system say they have been the victims of abuse at some point in their lives, according to research that has prompted calls for more mental health support for kids who end up before the courts.
Page 5: Wheel clamping will be banned in WA and Premier Mark McGowan is hoping to stamp out the “disgraceful scam” before next year’s State election.
Page 10: Australia and Japan are on the cusp of renewing a major defence and security agreement amid strained relations with Asian superpower China as the deadly coronavirus outbreak continues to cast a shadow over the world.
Page 16: Premier Mark McGowan is under pressure to “do the honourable thing” and demand his party hand back $60,000 in donations that Labor pocketed from a troubled native title group.
Business: Australia is staring down a $12 billion export hit from coronavirus amid warnings the crisis could trigger a recession.
The Reserve Bank of Australia is still hoping for an “uptick” in mining investment despite concerns about coronavirus disrupting Chinese demand for commodities like iron ore and oil.
Chinese and Korean brands are expected to be the big winners from the demise of Holden.
Western Areas will court big Asian battery makers as potential offtake partners for nickel from its long-life Odysseus mine.
Brookfield is seeking nearly triple the number of car bays allowed at its upcoming towers, claiming the development needs more parking so it can compete with nearby apartments and attract families to Elizabeth Quay.