Red tape cuts save telcos millions
The nation's telecommunications companies including Telstra, Optus and iiNet could soon be saving millions of dollars in annual costs after the government unveiled the first tranche of red tape it plans to cut as part of its regulatory repeal day. The Aus
Chinese react to Palmer attack
A bitter dispute between federal MP Clive Palmer and his estranged China-owned business partner has hurt Australia’s business reputation, according to Palmer United Party’s lead Senate candidate in Western Australia. The Fin
Zahra’s premium price warning in merger bid
David Jones boss Paul Zahra says Myer is going to have to pay the “maximum” price if it wants a $3 billion merger of the department store chains to go ahead. The West
China will buy our beef, Barnaby Joyce tells Japan over FTA
Barnaby Joyce has been quoted by a senior Japanese politician as saying that "there is plenty of demand for Australian beef from China". The Aus
Multinationals to lose $8.8bn in tax breaks
The Tax Office estimates up to 330 multinationals could be denied debt deductions totalling $8.8 billion because of changes to tax rules announced in last year’s budget. The Fin
Qantas workers to lobby pollies
Qantas workers and their union delegates from across Australia are flying to Canberra to warn politicians of the harm they say changes to the Qantas Sale Act will bring. The Fin
Wolf taps markets to fund UK mine
Wolf Minerals is pulling in more than $182 million to get its Hemerdon tungsten-tin project near Plymouth in southwest England into production next year. The Aus
The Australian Financial Review
Page 1: Prime Minister Tony Abbott declared Arthur Sinodinos will return to the ministry after the senator stood down as assistant treasurer in the face of a corruption inquiry, disrupting the government’s budget plans in the process.
Page 3: The Abbott government is battling to contain an explosion in long-delayed welfare, education, aid and defence spending that will hit the official budget bottom line for the first time in May.
The top ranks of investment banks, and accounting and law firms remain dominated by men, the latest data from the 2013 reports filed with the Workplace Gender Equality Agency shows.
Page 6: The Australian Communications and Media Authority will have the power to ignore consumer complaints it decides are not worthy of its time, under legislative changes that will be made as part of the government’s repeal day.
Page 9: A bitter dispute between federal MP Clive Palmer and his estranged China-owned business partner has hurt Australia’s business reputation, according to Palmer United Party’s lead Senate candidate in Western Australia.
Page 10: Former Prime Minister Julia Gillard will be forced to appear before the royal commission on unions but corporate Australia will likely be confronted with tough questions too, lawyers said.
Page 11: A powerful parliamentary body will consider whether tough new restrictions are needed on foreign investment in housing despite industry warnings supply could collapse if access is tightened.
Page 12: Chief executives from the transport, tourism and infrastructure industries urged the Abbott government to invest in urban public transport as an official estimate put the cost of road congestion at $15 billion a year by 2030.
Page 13: The Tax Office estimates up to 330 multinationals could be denied debt deductions totalling $8.8 billion because of changes to tax rules announced in last year’s budget.
Page 25: VGI Partners, a $600 million hedge fund, has acquired a stake of up to 3 per cent in Echo Entertainment and is pushing for the casino operator’s new management to restore value to what it calls the “cheapest casino stock in the developed world”.
David Jones has strengthened its defence against a nil-premium merger offer from Myer by delivering its strongest department store profit growth for several years and opening the door to the sale or development of its property portfolio.
Page 30: UK gas major BG Group , set to be the first exporter of gas from Queensland, has forecast the market for liquefied natural gas will remain tight for longer than many expect in a bullish assessment of the global outlook.
Page 41: Australand Property Group is staring down the barrel of a takeover by Stockland , with industry sources agreeing it is the most likely scenario.
Page 49: The long-serving managing director of Leighton Properties, Mark Gray, will retire by the end of the year.
The Australian
Qantas workers and their union delegates from across Australia are flying to Canberra to warn politicians of the harm they say changes to the Qantas Sale Act will bring.
Complaints about telcos have hit their lowest level in six years, but the industry Ombudsman continues to receive an average of about 360 a day.
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 in the southern Indian Ocean has moved closer to Australia, with experts halving the area of water where the plane might be found.
The removal of thousands of pieces of unnecessary regulation will lift a heavy burden off business, Treasurer Joe Hockey says.
The Abbott government has kept its election promise to scrap the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits-Commission as charities oppose the move.
Job ads on the internet in February fell by 3.3 per cent, seasonally adjusted, to be one per cent down on the year.
A potential wave of cross-border takeover deals is likely to set up new tests for the Foreign Investment Review Board and Joe Hockey.
The nation's telecommunications companies including Telstra, Optus and iiNet could soon be saving millions of dollars in annual costs after the government unveiled the first tranche of red tape it plans to cut as part of its regulatory repeal day.
Barnaby Joyce has been quoted by a senior Japanese politician as saying that "there is plenty of demand for Australian beef from China".
Asciano chief executive Jon Mullen says Australia's infrastructure investment is happening at a "glacial" pace and is urging government to introduce incentives such as infrastructure bonds or tax breaks to fund much-needed projects.
Wolf Minerals is pulling in more than $182 million to get its Hemerdon tungsten-tin project near Plymouth in southwest England into production next year.
Padbury Mining, the junior company that wants to breathe life back into the failed $6 billion Oakajee port and rail project, has given the market hope it is on track to do just that.
Origin Energy has begun a phased restart of drilling operations at coal-seam gas sites in Queensland after last week suspending work when asbestos was detected in drilling fluids.
Toyota has agreed to pay $US1.2 billion after admitting it hid information about defects that led to injury and death.
The West Australian
Page 3: David Jones has delivered another blow to Westfield’s long delayed $190 million expansion of Whitford City shopping centre by withdrawing as anchor tenant.
WA football fans are facing exorbitant prices to fly to Melbourne during grand final week as airlines prepare for the prospect of Fremantle again playing on the last Saturday in September.
Page 10: Just over two weeks from the WA Senate repeat election, the Abbott Government has lost its first minister amid a corruption probe.
Page 13: A WA scenic helicopter flight company will face court over allegations it underpaid two pilots more than $15,000 in total.
Page 14: The Abbott Government has set a “bonfire” to 1000 redundant pieces of law but is under pressure from charities and the financial sector to keep red tape in place to protect ordinary people.
Page 16: Perth has overtaken Melbourne as Australia’s multicultural melting point as record numbers of migrants call the city home.
Business: David Jones boss Paul Zahra says Myer is going to have to pay the “maximum” price if it wants a $3 billion merger of the department store chains to go ahead.
The difference between the letters TAM and ABU has proven to be a $64,000 question for stockbroker Hartleys.
Drought-hit WA farmers have been warned that any help from the latest multimillion-dollar aid package announced by the Commonwealth is months away.
China’s Ansteel has grabbed the reins at Gindalbie Metals’ Karara magnetite project, appointing one of its executives as managing director and taking majority control of Karara Mining’s board.
Live cattle exporters have been warned to maintain high standards of animal welfare in their rush to fill orders for Indonesia after movement on port access.
WA taxpayers are wearing huge write-downs on electricity assets because the State Government insists on owning them, the energy industry says.