Strike Energy unveils ambitious $2.3b fertilisers project in WA
Well-connected oil and gas junior Strike Energy has unveiled ambitious plans for a $2.3 billion fertilisers venture in Western Australia that will take advantage of the wealth of low-cost gas it has found in the Perth Basin and fits neatly with governments’ strategy for a gas-fired economic recovery. The Fin
WA flags battle over GST split
Premier Mark McGowan has warned the rest of the country not to mess with the split of goods and services tax between the states and that any move by the Morrison government to backtrack on Western Australia’s revenue share would represent a ‘‘massive betrayal’’. The Fin
Surplus in $1.5b iron ore boost
WA is on track to bank nearly $1.5 billion more in iron ore royalties than predicted in December — a windfall that would nearly double the State’s forecast surplus to an incredible $3.7b. The West
Gorgon LNG permits slashed by decade
Australia’s second-biggest liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facility has had the tenure of its environmental approvals halved by the West Australian government after a sustained campaign of pressure by conservation groups. The Fin
Juukan fallout on miners
Any slowdown in mining approvals in resources-rich Western Australia in 2021 will stem from the actions of Rio Tinto and companies taking an ultra-cautious approach on Aboriginal heritage issues, says Premier Mark McGowan. The Fin
Early vaccine will inject life, says Treasurer
The accelerated rollout of the coronavirus vaccine will provide an economic and budget boost, Josh Frydenberg said, as the Treasurer stood firm against extending wage subsidies for businesses being hit by the rolling series of lockdowns and border closures. The Fin
Cimic replaces CFO ahead of results
Cimic, Australia’s biggest construction group, has kicked off the year with a new finance boss and a stronger balance sheet after completing the $2.2 billion sale of half its mining business, Thiess. The Fin
Woodside set to shine as spot LNG prices soar
Woodside Petroleum stands to cash in from an expected doubling of spot LNG prices in 2021, Bernstein analysts say, after the fossil fuel soared to an all-time record. The Aus
Liberal vow to stop Royalties for Regions rorts
The WA Liberals have vowed to stop the Nationals from using Royalties for Regions “like a slush fund” if the two conservative parties form government. The West
Rethink on CBD footprint
Perth’s CBD office market could shrink this year, with more than a third of city-based businesses wanting to shed space in the wake of the tectonic shift towards remote working. The West
The Australian Financial Review
Page 1: Premier Mark McGowan has warned the rest of the country not to mess with the split of goods and services tax between the states and that any move by the Morrison government to backtrack on Western Australia’s revenue share would represent a ‘‘massive betrayal’’.
Differences between states on COVID-19 suppression or elimination, and border controls is now irreconcilable, according to business groups, which are scathing of Victoria’s new system of traffic light restrictions on movement.
Page 2: Any slowdown in mining approvals in resources-rich Western Australia in 2021 will stem from the actions of Rio Tinto and companies taking an ultra-cautious approach on Aboriginal heritage issues, says Premier Mark McGowan.
Page 3: Former Leighton Holdings chief operating officer David Savage was arrested leaving a Sydney hotel yesterday and charged with two counts of giving false or misleading information in a long-running investigation into alleged bribes paid to secure contracts in Iraq.
Social media companies will have the spotlight shone on their policies for banning users from platforms under a proposed overhaul of online safety laws, amid growing criticism on free speech grounds of Twitter’s silencing of Donald Trump.
Page 5: The accelerated rollout of the coronavirus vaccine will provide an economic and budget boost, Josh Frydenberg said, as the Treasurer stood firm against extending wage subsidies for businesses being hit by the rolling series of lockdowns and border closures.
Page 6: More restrictive lockdowns, enhanced contact tracing and extra protective layers would be needed if the UK strain of the virus were to take hold in the Australian community, a scientist has warned.
Page 13: Small businesses relying on holiday trading to top up their coffers after a challenging year are hopping mad after an issue with payment devices provided by Tyro has resulted in as many as 10,000 eftpos terminals being locked for six days.
Page 14: Cimic, Australia’s biggest construction group, has kicked off the year with a new finance boss and a stronger balance sheet after completing the $2.2 billion sale of half its mining business, Thiess.
Well-connected oil and gas junior Strike Energy has unveiled ambitious plans for a $2.3 billion fertilisers venture in Western Australia that will take advantage of the wealth of low-cost gas it has found in the Perth Basin and fits neatly with governments’ strategy for a gas-fired economic recovery.
Page 15: Australia’s second-biggest liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facility has had the tenure of its environmental approvals halved by the West Australian government after a sustained campaign of pressure by conservation groups.
Page 17: The new chief executive of the Andrew Forrest-backed fintech Azupay says more government partnerships may be on the horizon after a deal with NSW that has allowed liquor and gaming licence holders to pay fees through the company’s systems since last June.
The Australian
Page 1: Australia’s hospitality industry has called for urgent help from the federal and state governments, warning that businesses have largely missed out on the lucrative Christmas holiday period after being hamstrung by sudden border closures.
Page 4: China has agreed to allow a team of World Health Organisation experts to enter the country to investigate the origins of the coronavirus pandemic, days after the UN agency’s top official criticised Beijing for holding up the mission.
Page 13: Two of the world’s biggest batteries, worth a combined $1bn, will be built at the sites of NSW coal plants in a move to ease strains in the power grid and provide backup for renewable energy generation.
South32 is set to walk away from its half-owned Eagle Downs metallurgical coal project in Queensland as the mining major edges further away from the coal business.
Page 16: Woodside Petroleum stands to cash in from an expected doubling of spot LNG prices in 2021, Bernstein analysts say, after the fossil fuel soared to an all-time record.
The West Australian
Page 5: The WA Liberals have vowed to stop the Nationals from using Royalties for Regions “like a slush fund” if the two conservative parties form government.
Page 6: Toyota will hand back more than $18 million in JobKeeper payments to the Australian Taxation Office after car sales rebounded in spectacular fashion in the final quarter of 2020.
Page 7: WA is on track to bank nearly $1.5 billion more in iron ore royalties than predicted in December — a windfall that would nearly double the State’s forecast surplus to an incredible $3.7b.
Page 8: Seven in 10 West Australians are swimming closer to shore due to increased shark fears after a spate of fatal attacks over the past decade.
Page 12: A new Australian study has found students that spent one to two hours a night on the internet or gaming had improved NAPLAN reading scores.
Page 16: Nearly 600 West Australians have signed up to be volunteer fireys in the past 18 months, reversing a decade-long downward trend and bolstering the State’s bushfire preparedness in time for summer.
Young people who vape are three times more likely to become regular cigarette smokers.
Business: Perth’s CBD office market could shrink this year, with more than a third of city-based businesses wanting to shed space in the wake of the tectonic shift towards remote working.
Retail spending growth in WA surged by more than 16 per cent in the 12 months to last November, the best result in the nation, with experts attributing the outcome in part to WA’s successful containment of COVID-19.
A Perth-listed fintech has admitted issuing millions of shares to the parents of a director in breach of the Australian Securities Exchange’s listing rules.
Conservationists have won a limited victory against Chevron, successfully arguing that the environmental licence for the gas giant’s Gorgon LNG project be reduced to allow for more frequent reviews.
Perth-based Vection Technologies has debuted a new version of its Mindesk program that allows businesses to view their projects in virtual reality at the world’s biggest consumer electronics convention, CES.
