Morning Headlines

Nahan warns McGowan on business links

The former Leader of the Opposition, Mike Nahan, has warned that the McGowan Government is too close to “select powerful business interests, particularly in the media and property sectors” in WA.

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WFH leads to more unpaid overtime: study

Working from home has contributed to a substantial rise in unpaid overtime this year, with a new study showing three out of four remote workers are doing at least some of their work during non-work time. The Fin

Rival plants heat hydrogen race in Tassie

Origin Energy and Fortescue Metals Group are going head-to-head with rival plans to export ‘‘green’’ hydrogen and ammonia from plants to be built in Tasmania’s Bell Bay as resources players jostle for position in the emerging clean fuel sector. The Fin

NSW leads on ending stamp duty

New South Wales will lead the way on tax reform with its plan to transition from stamp duty on property purchases to a land tax, as part of a suite of measures designed to stimulate the economy as it recovers from the coronavirus recession. The Fin

Super trustees switched funds in virus turmoil

Superannuation bosses who moved their personal retirement savings at the height of the coronavirus market turmoil are being put under the spotlight by the corporate and prudential regulators. The Fin

Another GST battle looms as NSW says our hard-won reforms 'unfair'

NSW wants WA stripped of its GST top-up payments, complaining that the hard-won reform of the distribution system is “fiscally unsustainable and profoundly unfair”. The West

We can work with Beijing

Josh Frydenberg has offered a critical circuit breaker to ease tensions with China, claiming the Morrison government is ready to re-engage in “respectful and beneficial” dialogue with Beijing amid escalating trade pressure but warning Australia’s national interest is non-negotiable and will never be compromised. The Aus

ASIC launches credit card and travel expenses review

The corporate watchdog has launched a widespread review of its travel expenses, allowances and corporate credit card spending following the sidelining of its chairman James Shipton over a claimed $120,000 personal tax advisory bill. The Fin

Afterpay’s Molnar flags data mining plan, returns as co-CEO

Afterpay is developing insights on Millennial and Gen Z spending patterns that it will provide to retailers to help justify its fees, says Nick Molnar, who will rejoin Anthony Eisen as co-chief executive of the fintech. The Fin

Trade deal step to reform: BHP

BHP chief executive Mike Henry says Australia must use the signing of a major regional trade agreement as a springboard for national leaders to meet face-to-face, saying it is in the national interest to “work with our partners”. The Aus

The Australian Financial Review

Page 1: New South Wales will lead the way on tax reform with its plan to transition from stamp duty on property purchases to a land tax, as part of a suite of measures designed to stimulate the economy as it recovers from the coronavirus recession.

Joint military exercises between Australia and Japan will escalate within a year after Scott Morrison and Japanese counterpart Yoshihide Suga reached in-principle agreement on a two-way defence treaty in Tokyo last night.

More than 4000 people deemed close contacts of those who have tested positive for COVID-19 in a cluster in Adelaide’s northern suburbs have been ordered to self-quarantine as South Australia battles to contain the outbreak.

Page 3: Superannuation bosses who moved their personal retirement savings at the height of the coronavirus market turmoil are being put under the spotlight by the corporate and prudential regulators.

The maker of one of the most profitable video games in history has brought its ‘‘battle royale’’ against Apple to Australia’s shores.

Page 4: The corporate watchdog has launched a widespread review of its travel expenses, allowances and corporate credit card spending following the sidelining of its chairman James Shipton over a claimed $120,000 personal tax advisory bill.

The federal government has taken a veiled swipe at the states that have shut their borders to South Australia, saying closures were never recommended by the state and federal medical experts who advise leaders on their coronavirus strategy.

Page 5: The two leading vaccine candidates for COVID-19 have now backed each other up, fuelling optimism about protection against the virus, but their data is preliminary and trials have a way to go.

Page 6: Working from home has contributed to a substantial rise in unpaid overtime this year, with a new study showing three out of four remote workers are doing at least some of their work during non-work time.

Page 7: Crown will cease dealing with junket operators unless they are licensed amid unprecedented scrutiny from three regulators into its relationships with high-roller facilitators.

Page 8: The Reserve Bank of Australia considered waiting further to implement its record low rate cut and $100 billion quantitative easing measures at its Melbourne Cup board meeting because of the impact on savers, greater risk-taking, perceptions around government financing and some improvement in economic data.

Page 13: Origin Energy and Fortescue Metals Group are going head-to-head with rival plans to export ‘‘green’’ hydrogen and ammonia from plants to be built in Tasmania’s Bell Bay as resources players jostle for position in the emerging clean fuel sector.

Afterpay is developing insights on Millennial and Gen Z spending patterns that it will provide to retailers to help justify its fees, says Nick Molnar, who will rejoin Anthony Eisen as co-chief executive of the fintech.

Page 15: The Australian Securities and Investments Commission has unloaded on the ASX for a second day, articulating its concern with the performance of the market’s main infrastructure and warning the market operator that its licence could be hit with ‘‘further actions’’.

Page 16: Turquoise Hill Resources wants to maximise the amount of asset-level debt attached to Mongolia’s Oyu Tolgoi mine, in comments that shed fresh light on a funding stoush with its biggest shareholder.

Page 17: Emboldened by the improving economic outlook, the prudential regulator will kickstart its policy agenda with a ‘‘massive piece of work’’ on bank capital that will seek to mitigate the risks created by a concentration of mortgages in the financial system.

The Australian

Page 1: Josh Frydenberg has offered a critical circuit breaker to ease tensions with China, claiming the Morrison government is ready to re-engage in “respectful and beneficial” dialogue with Beijing amid escalating trade pressure but warning Australia’s national interest is non-negotiable and will never be compromised.

Page 2: BHP chief executive Mike Henry says Australia must use the signing of a major regional trade agreement as a springboard for national leaders to meet face-to-face, saying it is in the national interest to “work with our partners”.

Page 9: Joe Biden has warned that more people will die if Donald Trump continues to block his transition process, saying it could lead to delays in the rollout of a new coronavirus vaccine.

Page 13: Mortgage broking groups are optimistic that record low interest rates, pent-up demand and growing confidence will buoy the housing market and prices in the months ahead, as they report bumper loan application levels.

Page 15: The China Inc. owner of Australian infant milk formula maker Bellamy’s has finally won approval to sell its Chinese-label tins in China, a prize long denied Bellamy’s shareholders when it was listed, after piggy-backing off a Chinese licence held by a New Zealand dairy manufacturer.

Page 20: The latest official graduate job figures show that degrees in maths and science have the same poor employment outcomes as humanities and social science degrees, challenging the federal government’s reasons for encouraging more students into maths and science with cheaper tuition fees.

The West Australian

Page 1: NSW wants WA stripped of its GST top-up payments, complaining that the hard-won reform of the distribution system is “fiscally unsustainable and profoundly unfair”.

Page 3: Hannah Beazley is expected to be re-endorsed as Labor’s candidate to replace Ben Wyatt in the seat of Victoria Park at the State election.

Page 5: Perth house prices are forecast to rise 12 per cent next year, partly on the back of an influx of east coasters moving to WA.

Page 8: Thousands of young Australians with mental health issues will be given more personalised care under a “game changing” program that will use data tracking to help identify suicide risk factors.

Page 22: Nationals MP Vince Catania has denied allegations of bullying a female member of his party after she spoke out last week about “bullying, threats and intimidation” within internal ranks.

Business: A slump in the beach price for lobsters — fuelled by the loss of the lucrative China market — is making it unattractive for WA’s lobster fishermen to return to work this week.

Hospital operator St John of God Health Care is “nearly back to normal” after falling into the red last financial year as COVID-19 forced cuts to elective surgery.

Popular international cosmetics company Lush has back paid in excess of $4 million to more than 3100 Australian employees after it was revealed staff had not been paid properly for eight years.

Shares in Perth-based tech group Nanoveu surged after the company said it had created a laptop screen cover that corrects far-sightedness, removing the need for the user to wear glasses.