Morning Headlines

JobKeeper lifts dividends

Retailers receiving millions of dollars in federal government wage subsidies from the emergency $102 billion JobKeeper program are earning higher profits and paying significantly increased dividends to shareholders. The Fin

Restrictions beyond Christmas likely: PM

Scott Morrison says it is likely Australians will be living under economic restrictions beyond Christmas, as some states keep their borders closed and others re-impose new limitations in response to the outbreak in Victoria. The Fin

Roy Hill rejects need for Aboriginal heritage reform

Gina Rinehart-owned iron ore miner Roy Hill has fired a shot across the bows of federal and state politicians looking to rewrite Aboriginal heritage laws in the fallout from Rio Tinto’s destruction of ancient rock shelters. The Fin

Bank of America lifts iron ore forecasts as China’s appetite remains healthy

Australia’s iron ore miners can thank Chinese steel output and Brazil’s Vale for a very bullish outlook for the price of iron ore, according to Bank of America. The Fin

E-commerce supply chains under pressure

Online retailers are facing logjams and delayed deliveries because of Victorian government requirements to reduce distribution centre workforces by one-third in an attempt to slow the spread of the coronavirus. The Fin

Gage Roads gets green light for A Shed venue

Victoria Quay’s A Shed will be transformed into a brewery, restaurant and bar showcasing one of Fremantle’s biggest recent success stories — Gage Roads Brewing. The West

Jobs row starts over new port

Premier Mark McGowan has set a collision course with WA’s most militant union after a report commissioned by the State Government recommended the construction of a new Kwinana outer harbour by 2032 — with Fremantle to eventually cease operation as a working port. The West

Border ban ‘destroys drug trade, drives down crime rates’

Mark McGowan’s COVID-19 border ban and social restrictions have smashed the West Australian drug trade and driven down crime rates in the state, including in Aboriginal communities. The Aus

Corridors of power

West Australian jobs could be bolstered with the Federal Government ticking off on a potential new resources corridor to help drive local and international investment. The West

Rates hot issue for hopefuls

Perth mayoral candidates have called for rate freezes in response to new data showing the CBD is the costliest in Australia in which to do business. The West

The Australian Financial Review

Page 1: Retailers receiving millions of dollars in federal government wage subsidies from the emergency $102 billion JobKeeper program are earning higher profits and paying significantly increased dividends to shareholders.

Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei built a data centre in Papua New Guinea that exposed secret government files to being stolen, according to a report that catalogues Beijing’s efforts to spy on the Pacific nation.

Page 2: The federal government may have to make good on its threat to ‘‘go it alone’’ on pushing through changes to the enterprise bargaining system amid early signs of a stand-off with Labor.

Page 3: Scott Morrison says it is likely Australians will be living under economic restrictions beyond Christmas, as some states keep their borders closed and others re-impose new limitations in response to the outbreak in Victoria.

Page 4: More than 60 per cent of people who received government stimulus payments said they mostly spent it, a survey reflecting the first COVID-19 lockdowns in April has shown.

Page 8: Medical and health researchers say the government has relied on their work to battle COVID-19 despite putting in practically no extra money, and the process has revealed Australia’s research funding system is highly dysfunctional and militates against long term results.

Page 10: Australian superannuation funds will more than double their private equity exposure over the next five years as the coronavirus pandemic and the government’s early release scheme make them focus on reducing costs and deploying capital, according to Boston Consulting Group.

Page 13: Online retailers are facing logjams and delayed deliveries because of Victorian government requirements to reduce distribution centre workforces by one-third in an attempt to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Page 14: Japan Post is progressing plans to end its time at Toll Holdings.

Page 17: Australia’s iron ore miners can thank Chinese steel output and Brazil’s Vale for a very bullish outlook for the price of iron ore, according to Bank of America.

Gina Rinehart-owned iron ore miner Roy Hill has fired a shot across the bows of federal and state politicians looking to rewrite Aboriginal heritage laws in the fallout from Rio Tinto’s destruction of ancient rock shelters.

Page 18: GrainCorp chief executive Robert Spurway says the company’s new joint venture can go a long way towards making cattle industry critics eat their words.

The Australian

Page 1: Federal authorities have failed to prepare for, manage or even investigate the deadly spread of coronavirus through nursing homes, the aged-care commission has heard.

Page 4: Industrial action by wharfies has delayed the unloading of tens of thousands of containers by up to five days, with employers warning the union stoppages are exacerbating supply chain pressures during the COVID-19 crisis.

Mark McGowan’s COVID-19 border ban and social restrictions have smashed the West Australian drug trade and driven down crime rates in the state, including in Aboriginal communities.

Page 7: Qantas is under fire from its most senior pilots over what they perceive to be unequal treatment under a redundancy scheme to shrink the airline’s workforce by 6000 staff.

Page 13: Investors are ramping up pressure on the David Murray-led AMP board to rectify cultural issues and expedite change, following the sudden exit of senior executive Alex Wade over inappropriate conduct.

Page 14: An explosion of sales and a higher share price for furniture retailer Nick Scali has positioned the company to make acquisitions as COVID-19 continues to disrupt the market.

The West Australian

Page 3: Mattel’s games brands Scrabble and Pictionary have announced a rule change — all players must put their smartphones into the empty game box lid.

Page 4: Scott Morrison has lashed out at “amoral and hideous” suggestions that elderly Australians should be sacrificed to coronavirus.

Page 5: West Australian jobs could be bolstered with the Federal Government ticking off on a potential new resources corridor to help drive local and international investment.

Clive Palmer has given the strongest signal yet that he has no intention of dropping his High Court challenge over WA’s closed borders.

Page 7: Victoria Quay’s A Shed will be transformed into a brewery, restaurant and bar showcasing one of Fremantle’s biggest recent success stories — Gage Roads Brewing.

Premier Mark McGowan has set a collision course with WA’s most militant union after a report commissioned by the State Government recommended the construction of a new Kwinana outer harbour by 2032 — with Fremantle to eventually cease operation as a working port.

Business: Tony Sage’s corporate and Perth Glory fix-it man has copped a 14-month suspended jail sentence over what a magistrate described as persistent breaches of bankruptcy laws.

Shares in Perth-based medicinal cannabis researcher Emerald Clinics have surged after it announced it would provide services for Spectrum Biomedical, the British subsidiary of the world’s biggest cannabis company.

Mader Group, whose maintenance crews help keep WA’s mining fleets in running order, is seeing “definite” shortages in some key skills.

Perth mayoral candidates have called for rate freezes in response to new data showing the CBD is the costliest in Australia in which to do business.

The Federal Government’s tolerance for Chinese investment in Australia will be tested again, with Sheffield Resources believed to have struck a project, equity and offtake deal with Hong Kong-based Yansteel.