Threat to gas market in China trade spat
China has again hinted at winding back LNG imports from Australia as part of a growing economic backlash against the Federal Government’s push for an independent inquiry into the COVID-19 pandemic. The West
Checkout.com snaps up Perth fintech
London-based payments company Checkout.com has acquired Pin Payments in a deal that shows how Australian fintechs are on the radar of foreign players seeking to expand in Asia. The Fin
Retailers push reform, unions prepare to fight
Retailers will push for changes to strict roster limits, award classifications and the approval test for collective agreements as part of a fresh bout of industrial relations reform talks to restore jobs in the post-pandemic recovery. The Fin
Foreign students a priority: mayors
Capital city mayors are calling for new foreign students to be urgently allowed into the country, saying that international education arrivals are needed to kickstart CBD economies. The Aus
Labor flags super for work deal
The ACTU faces pressure from the broader labour movement to safeguard the legislated 12 per cent superannuation guarantee ahead of negotiations with business, industry and government on industrial relations reform. The Fin
DJs mulls property dump as sales tumble
David Jones’ South African parent has appointed investment bank UBS to run the rule over its property portfolio in order to reduce debt, which could lead to the sale of its flagship stores, following a double-digit decline in sales amid the COVID-19 crisis. The Fin
Vulcan Energy aims to supply lithium in Europe
An ASX-listed mining start-up aims to be at the heart of Europe’s quest to end its reliance on Chinese lithium supplies as it powers up a domestic battery industry and a post-coronavirus push towards electric cars.
Put $60b windfall into free child care
A former South Australian premier who heads up WA charity Minderoo’s early childhood initiative says Canberra should use its $60 billion JobKeeper surplus for free early learning for all kids. The West
Ords taking stock over return to WA
The new Perth team at Ord Minnett says returning to Perth during a pandemic is not ideal timing but they are confident of expanding their local presence. The West
The Australian Financial Review
Page 1: The ACTU faces pressure from the broader labour movement to safeguard the legislated 12 per cent superannuation guarantee ahead of negotiations with business, industry and government on industrial relations reform.
Page 2: The Australian Federal Police (AFP) has ruled out charging News Corp journalist Annika Smethurst, more than a year after her home was raided over intelligence leaks.
Page 3: Australians are feeling slightly less depressed and financially stressed than during the severe COVID-19 shutdown a month ago, the latest Melbourne Institute survey shows.
Page 4: Retailers will push for changes to strict roster limits, award classifications and the approval test for collective agreements as part of a fresh bout of industrial relations reform talks to restore jobs in the post-pandemic recovery.
Page 5: A plan by Scott Morrison to try to reform federation will most likely hinge on whether the state and territory leaders agree to keep the national cabinet after the coronavirus crisis abates.
The banking regulator has warned against a ‘‘dangerously naive’’ assumption of an economic snap-back and told banks to delay a rush to rebuild capital buffers as it guards against ‘‘substantial’’ threats to financial stability.
Page 6: Funding and state government bureaucracy, not the link between awards and trade certification, are the obstacles behind the introduction of reform to the Australia’s training system, according to one of the architects of industrial relations reform in manufacturing.
Page 10: Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian failed to renew a cross-border agreement when it expired last year – a sign of a further deterioration of the relationship between the two leaders.
Page 13: Australian businesses in China, alarmed at rising hostilities between Beijing and Canberra, have urged the Morrison government not to abandon plans for a $44 million foundation to foster bilateral relations and asked both countries to find common ground.
Page 15: Blackmores’ major shareholder, Marcus Blackmore, says he is being ultra-cautious in staying out of the $117 million capital raising by the vitamins group, but he is steering funds into a new house being constructed on Sydney’s northern beaches and a new boat being built in South Africa.
Page 17: David Jones’ South African parent has appointed investment bank UBS to run the rule over its property portfolio in order to reduce debt, which could lead to the sale of its flagship stores, following a double-digit decline in sales amid the COVID-19 crisis.
Page 21: New rules are urgently being considered to head off the threat of a cascading failure of cash-strapped electricity retailers because of COVID-19.
An ASX-listed mining start-up aims to be at the heart of Europe’s quest to end its reliance on Chinese lithium supplies as it powers up a domestic battery industry and a post-coronavirus push towards electric cars.
The Australian
Page 1: Stripping back awards in the distressed hospitality and tourism sectors, new deals locking in pay rates for the life of massive projects, and a trade-off over the entitlements of casual workers have emerged as priority targets of the government’s workplace reform talks.
Page 3: A push to improve teacher training courses and ensure children are taught phonics skills is facing mounting opposition, with the release of a research paper attacking reforms for reinforcing “neoliberal ableism” and signalling a lack of trust in the “ability and creativity” of teachers.
Page 5: Capital city mayors are calling for new foreign students to be urgently allowed into the country, saying that international education arrivals are needed to kickstart CBD economies.
Page 7: Contrite West Australian Premier Mark McGowan has conceded his state’s health department was informed of three sick crew on board the Al Kuwait sheep ship before it berthed at Fremantle port.
Page 13: Visy Industries executive chairman Anthony Pratt has hit out at listed companies for diverting excess profits into share buybacks and boosting dividends instead of capturing the funds for investment in future growth.
Page 14: Brookfield Asset Management may still be interested in bidding for Virgin Australia despite being knocked out of the contest.
Page 22: Cricket Australia plans to kick off the Test summer with a day-night match against Afghanistan in Perth on November 21 before a four-course main meal against India in Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney.
The West Australian
Page 1: Corrective Services deputy commissioner Richard Elderfield — one of the most senior bureaucrats in the WA prison system — has been stood down amid a human resources investigation.
Page 3: Indigenous Australians ripped off by unfair food prices in remote communities could have a greater avenue to claim compensation following the launch of a parliamentary inquiry after an investigation by The West Australian.
Page 6: China has again hinted at winding back LNG imports from Australia as part of a growing economic backlash against the Federal Government’s push for an independent inquiry into the COVID-19 pandemic.
Page 8: A former South Australian premier who heads up WA charity Minderoo’s early childhood initiative says Canberra should use its $60 billion JobKeeper surplus for free early learning for all kids.
Page 17: An after-school care service lost two three-year-old boys in five days, with one of the children suspected to have escaped through a gap in a fence before he was spotted 30 minutes later by his mother behind her reversing vehicle in the carpark.
Business: The new Perth team at Ord Minnett says returning to Perth during a pandemic is not ideal timing but they are confident of expanding their local presence.
The Federal Court has appointed receivers to an alleged Ponzi scheme run by a Perth man that may have lost more than $200 million owed to 132 investors.
Wastewater charges dubbed the “toilet tax” have been temporarily dumped after Water Minister Dave Kelly bowed to pressure to offer regional businesses some relief.
Kambalda mining entrepreneur Ian Junk’s private explorer ACH Minerals has secured conditional environmental approval for its Ravensthorpe gold project, 17km south-east of the town.
The mental health of WA fly-in, fly-out workers is at risk as COVID-19 mine site restrictions take a toll, according to trade union secretary Greg Busson.
Research by State and Federal government agencies may have cracked the code to finding more gold in the Yilgarn province, 400km east of Perth.