PM flags business growth plan
Tax and industrial relations reform, deregulation and fast-tracked infrastructure are back in the mix as Scott Morrison says an aggressive pro-business investment strategy must be pursued if the country is to claw its way out of the pandemic-induced recession. The Fin
Struggling businesses can’t afford JobKeeper wait period
Small to medium businesses are concerned they can’t afford to pay staff wages while waiting to receive JobKeeper, sparking fears of a new wave of job losses. The Fin
Australia leads way: world’s top gold miner
Australia’s bipartisan and federated response to the coronavirus has been applauded as best in class by the president of the world’s biggest gold multinational, but with the proviso that any restart of normal life should be guided by health experts and approached conservatively. The Fin
‘Domestic demand recession’ trumps WA mining
A domestic demand recession will hit WA, and the State’s heavy reliance on mining will not be able to cushion the blow, a leading economist has warned. The West
Jobless rate edges higher, worse to come
The jobless rate edged slightly higher to 5.2 per cent and workers took more leave in March, before a wave of job axings in response to coronavirus containment measures. The Fin
Crown awaits doctors’ orders for reopening
Crown Resorts chief executive Ken Barton says he will be guided by the advice of state chief medical officers as to when the group can reopen its Melbourne and Perth casinos, after it secured $1 billion in new debt facilities to help survive the coronavirus shutdown. The Fin
Student exodus adds to woes
Accommodation vacancies have surged across Australia after a growing exodus of foreign students and workers, prompting warnings that rents and house prices will come under severe pressure this year as the economy enters a major downturn. The Aus
States split on reopening schools
State and territory governments have failed to reach a national consensus on reopening schools during term two, despite pleas from Scott Morrison to get classrooms back to full capacity. The Aus
All teachers ‘should get face masks’
Principals are calling for teachers to be provided with face masks and gloves to wear in the classroom to protect them from COVID-19 if public schools are required to resume normal classes next term. The West
Abattoirs hone their virus plan
The State Government and the WA meat industry are determined local abattoirs won’t shut down in the event of a COVID-19 outbreak, as seen in several North American plants, by adopting ways to minimise the risk of spread. The West
The Australian Financial Review
Page 1: Tax and industrial relations reform, deregulation and fast-tracked infrastructure are back in the mix as Scott Morrison says an aggressive pro-business investment strategy must be pursued if the country is to claw its way out of the pandemic-induced recession.
Page 2: Small to medium businesses are concerned they can’t afford to pay staff wages while waiting to receive JobKeeper, sparking fears of a new wave of job losses.
Page 3: The Morrison government has slashed the time required to consult over changes to pay and conditions in enterprise agreements to allow for rapid responses to the coronavirus crisis.
Page 4: The ‘‘black swan’’ for superannuation in the coronavirus crisis is the realisation that certain funds are made vulnerable by their connection to a single industry or handful of industries, experts say.
Page 5: Australia’s bipartisan and federated response to the coronavirus has been applauded as best in class by the president of the world’s biggest gold multinational, but with the proviso that any restart of normal life should be guided by health experts and approached conservatively.
Page 6: National cabinet has been shown new local modelling data that reveals the COVID-19 infection rate is now running at half the level heath officials are targeting to control the epidemic.
Page 8: The jobless rate edged slightly higher to 5.2 per cent and workers took more leave in March, before a wave of job axings in response to coronavirus containment measures.
Bottle shops are set to come out of the coronavirus shutdown stronger than they went in, as a jump in people buying alcohol and drinking at home while venues are closed sees their sales climb.
Page 11: Prime Minister Scott Morrison has defended the World Health Organisation while declaring his frustration with the United Nations body for botching the response to the coronavirus outbreak.
Page 13: As America’s economy posted stunning records for collapsing retail sales and industrial production, President Donald Trump said the country had passed through the worst of coronavirus infections and would soon be preparing for states to reopen.
Page 16: Crown Resorts chief executive Ken Barton says he will be guided by the advice of state chief medical officers as to when the group can reopen its Melbourne and Perth casinos, after it secured $1 billion in new debt facilities to help survive the coronavirus shutdown.
Blood tests at check-in counters, a ‘‘Pacific passport’’ that allows travel to neighbouring countries such as New Zealand and two profitable airlines will be needed to get Australians back in the air when COVID-19 is under control, airport executives say.
Page 19: Health insurer NIB is preparing to offer customers cash handouts to compensate for lost benefits, as it attempts to halt a new trend of members cancelling their cover in response to economic fallout from the coronavirus crisis.
Page 20: Woodside Petroleum has ramped up work on getting gas from Pluto and other fields into the North West Shelf LNG plant to minimise a drop-off in production after delaying the $US20.5 billion ($32.6 billion) Browse gas project after the plunge in oil prices.
Page 23: Traffic across Transurban’s toll roads tumbled by almost 50 per cent in the first two weeks of April, with roads in Melbourne and North America hardest hit by people staying and working from home because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Australian
Page 1: A three-step process involving wider testing for COVID-19, enhanced tracing of cases and expanded capacity to control outbreaks will decide whether social restrictions can be relaxed from next month.
Page 3: State and territory governments have failed to reach a national consensus on reopening schools during term two, despite pleas from Scott Morrison to get classrooms back to full capacity.
Page 4: Accommodation vacancies have surged across Australia after a growing exodus of foreign students and workers, prompting warnings that rents and house prices will come under severe pressure this year as the economy enters a major downturn.
Page 13: A self-driving car start-up backed by Atlassian co-CEO Mike Cannon-Brookes has settled an intellectual property stand-off with car giant Tesla, with Zoox admitting some of its new employees stole confidential Tesla documents when they came across to the company.
The chair of industry fund giant HESTA’s investment committee and former Future Fund chief executive Mark Burgess has warned investors to be cautious about buying shares again amid what he expects will be a “messy exit” for Australia from the coronavirus pandemic.
Page 15: The value of Australian wines exported to mainland China slumped by almost half in March as the coronavirus pandemic saw entire Chinese regions in lockdown.
The West Australian
Page 4: Principals are calling for teachers to be provided with face masks and gloves to wear in the classroom to protect them from COVID-19 if public schools are required to resume normal classes next term.
Page 7: Patronage on Perth’s public transport system plunged to its lowest level in three years last month, with the number of people using the State’s trains, buses and ferries falling more than 20 per cent amid the coronavirus pandemic.
WA’s economy is set to lose $1.15 billion in the next three years because of the loss of international university students, modelling has revealed.
Page 8: The nation’s biggest airlines will keep flying through the coronavirus slowdown with taxpayers stumping up $165 million to underwrite Qantas and Virgin planes.
Business: A domestic demand recession will hit WA, and the State’s heavy reliance on mining will not be able to cushion the blow, a leading economist has warned.
The State Government and the WA meat industry are determined local abattoirs won’t shut down in the event of a COVID-19 outbreak, as seen in several North American plants, by adopting ways to minimise the risk of spread.
Shares in Nanoveu have doubled after the Perth-based nanotechnology company revealed its plans to incorporate antiviral protectors to smart devices to help combat the spread of coronavirus.
