Morning Headlines

Major miners push for net zero

The Minerals Council of Australia – which represents major resources companies including BHP, Rio Tinto, and Whitehaven Coal – has endorsed a net-zero by 2050 target as the Morrison government accelerates funding for carbon-capture and storage to reduce emissions on resources projects. The Aus

Anti-mandatory vaccine union gaining popularity

Australian Nursing Federation members who oppose mandatory vaccination are defecting to a new, unregistered union — with ANF State secretary Mark Olson expecting “hundreds” to leave in coming months. The West

Energy retailer unveils plan to invest big bucks in WA renewables

Alinta Energy is pursuing up to $2 billion of renewables projects in WA by the end of the decade as it looks to build a network of wind, solar and battery developments alongside its dominant retail gas business. The West

Energy crisis slams Chinese economy

Chinese factory output is likely contracting faster than bearish official data suggests, sparking warnings that power rationing across the world’s second-biggest economy could harm demand for a swathe of Australian commodities. The Fin

Legal threat on border closures

Tourism giant Flight Centre is prepared to mount a legal challenge against internal border closures if Queensland, Tasmania and Western Australia do not reveal “reasonable” plans to rejoin the nation in the coming weeks, accusing the states of costing the company $100m a month. The Aus

Push for firms to track gender pay progress

Requiring a wider range of organisations to report progress on male-female pay equity would harness the full potential of laws designed to close the gap, according to a plan by Australian National University researchers. The Fin

Lockdowns no barrier to budget tax jump

The federal budget is $6 billion ahead of forecasts despite lockdowns, as taxes paid by companies and individuals hold up better than expected early in the financial year. The Fin

Facebook studied how to win over young kids  

Facebook formed a special team to study the long-term business opportunities presented by children, calling them a “valuable but untapped audience”, leaked internal research has revealed. The Aus

WA MP looks set to be the next Speaker

The next Morrison Government could reward West Australian MPs, with Forrest MP Nola Marino told she may be House Speaker if the Coalition wins the election. The West

CBH withholds grain grower rebates again

CBH has withheld rebate payments to its growers for a second consecutive year and reinvested cash into its infrastructure network amid “some significant challenges to our supply chain”. The West

The Australian Financial Review

Page 1: Victorian supermarkets struggling with staff numbers expect to shut more than a dozen stores this weekend, after an alarming one-day surge in COVID-19 cases prompted Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews to warn that rule-breakers had put the reopening timelines at risk.

Page 3: Requiring a wider range of organisations to report progress on male-female pay equity would harness the full potential of laws designed to close the gap, according to a plan by Australian National University researchers.

Page 10: The federal budget is $6 billion ahead of forecasts despite lockdowns, as taxes paid by companies and individuals hold up better than expected early in the financial year.

Page 12: The nation’s peak legal industry body has denounced the Morrison government’s proposed overhaul of litigation funding laws, suggesting it is trying to avoid scrutiny and the changes could end up hurting those it is seeking to protect.

Page 15: Parcel deliveries have been disrupted across the country as thousands of FedEx workers walked off the job in the latest hit to supply chains already under strain from record demand and industrial action.

Page 21: Chinese factory output is likely contracting faster than bearish official data suggests, sparking warnings that power rationing across the world’s second-biggest economy could harm demand for a swathe of Australian commodities.

Page 23: Customer contact centre and digital chatbot company Probe CX, which has just been sold for $1.1 billion to private equity group KKR, wants to become a global heavyweight as some of its blue-chip customers including Afterpay expand aggressively around the world.

Page 24: Independent Reserve and Coinjar, Australia’s two original cryptocurrency exchanges that hold $2 billion in assets between them, have been awarded regulatory licences in Singapore and Britain respectively, contrasting Australia’s lack of consumer protections and regulatory oversight of the wildly popular investment markets.

The Australian

Page 1: The Minerals Council of Australia – which represents major resources companies including BHP, Rio Tinto, and Whitehaven Coal – has endorsed a net-zero by 2050 target as the Morrison government accelerates funding for carbon-capture and storage to reduce emissions on resources projects.

Page 3: Facebook formed a special team to study the long-term business opportunities presented by children, calling them a “valuable but untapped audience”, leaked internal research has revealed.

Page 4: Tourism giant Flight Centre is prepared to mount a legal challenge against internal border closures if Queensland, Tasmania and Western Australia do not reveal “reasonable” plans to rejoin the nation in the coming weeks, accusing the states of costing the company $100m a month.

Page 13: Foxtel has outlined an ambitious growth strategy targeting five million subscribers in the next three years as the media major transitions to a streaming-led future.  

Page 16: The competition regulator has dealt a blow to domestic gas users by effectively reaffirming its “netback” pricing formula and declining to substitute it for a cheaper US benchmark.

Page 20: ASX-listed Core has made a final investment decision on its $89m construction-ready Finniss Lithium project, located south of Darwin Port in the Northern Territory.

The West Australian

Page 1: Mining magnate Andrew Forrest has told of his grief at the death of a 25-year-old Fortescue Metals Group worker in what he described as a “freakish, unavoidable” accident.

Page 3: The next Morrison Government could reward West Australian MPs, with Forrest MP Nola Marino told she may be House Speaker if the Coalition wins the election.

Page 4: Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas has urged the Premier to “throw his weight behind” Perth securing hosting rights for the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

Page 7: Embattled Liberal MP Vince Connelly will challenge his failed preselection bid in the seat of Moore.

Page 8: Australian Nursing Federation members who oppose mandatory vaccination are defecting to a new, unregistered union — with ANF State secretary Mark Olson expecting “hundreds” to leave in coming months.

Stripping unvaccinated West Australians of their freedoms would be more effective at accelerating the State’s jab rollout than offering cash for jabs, a survey by WA’s peak business group has found.

Page 9: Two Melbourne football fans who allegedly breached quarantine restrictions to watch the AFL grand final could also face criminal charges in the Northern Territory.

Page 24: Grocery stores in remote Indigenous communities will be able to apply for grants of up to $500,000 to help reduce the cost of food on their shelves.

Business: Alinta Energy is pursuing up to $2 billion of renewables projects in WA by the end of the decade as it looks to build a network of wind, solar and battery developments alongside its dominant retail gas business.

HBF welcomes 79,000 new members to its books today with the mutual poised to complete its purchase of Queensland private health insurer CUA Health from Great Southern Bank.

CBH has withheld rebate payments to its growers for a second consecutive year and reinvested cash into its infrastructure network amid “some significant challenges to our supply chain”.

Rio Tinto, one of the world’s biggest mining companies, wants to start processing minerals in North America that are considered key to US national security.

WA’s events industry is about to get a boost with the launch of a an online service that matches companies and event spaces.