Morning Headlines

PM taunts Labor with climate plan

Scott Morrison has challenged Labor to an election fought over climate change after unveiling a plan for net zero emissions by 2050 that relies largely on unproven or undeveloped technologies, and a contribution by every sector of the economy, including agriculture. The Fin

Forrest at forefront of the energy revolution

Australia’s richest man, Andrew Forrest, has spent four years studying and preparing for this moment: convincing the world that green hydrogen is the future. The Aus

Miners face car crash risk

The State’s miners have been urged to rethink their rosters after a study found FIFO workers were at significant risk of car crashes on fly-home day because most were tired, inattentive or intoxicated. The West

APRA slams super funds for wasting sports millions

The prudential regulator has slammed super funds for spending members’ money on sporting sponsorships and marketing campaigns, and warned the sector it will take action if they cannot justify their expenditure. The Fin

WA alone as others now open

WA looks set to be sealed off from the rest of the country until sometime “after the school holidays” because Mark McGowan does not want to “spoil Christmas” by reintroducing masks and social distancing. The West

Oil and gas directors warned against ‘greenwashing’

Directors and management of oil and gas producers have been warned they will be held to account for the emissions reductions targets and other ESG claims companies make under heightened scrutiny on all sides of potential ‘‘greenwashing’’. The Fin

Consumers to pay for shipping backlog and China’s energy crisis

WA businesses are shouldering enormous price hikes as China’s energy crisis sends raw material and freight costs soaring and experts warn it won’t be long before consumers feel the impact. The West

Tax office ‘should have to prove debts in court’

The Australian Taxation Office should have to prove tax debts in court before they become payable, and the onus of proof should be on the ATO rather than the taxpayer, a parliamentary committee has found. The Aus

Pilbara may get investment boost

The Federal Government says regional areas such as the Pilbara can expect to benefit from big infrastructure projects as demand for coal reduces. The West

BHP to use Powerledger blockchain tech

A Perth company that uses blockchain-based technology to enable the tracking and trading of energy is expanding into South America to assist BHP with a sustainability project. The West

The Australian Financial Review

Page S1: Scott Morrison has challenged Labor to an election fought over climate change after unveiling a plan for net zero emissions by 2050 that relies largely on unproven or undeveloped technologies, and a contribution by every sector of the economy, including agriculture.

Page 2: Patrick Terminals is seeking to end decades of union conditions and controls over its workforce in the face of a two-year bargaining stand-off, potentially forcing hundreds of wharfies on to the industry minimum.

Page 4: Crown Resorts chief executive Steve McCann has stood by the gambling giant’s practice of centrally managing its Perth, Melbourne and Sydney sites under the broader company banner, despite inquiries in all three states questioning whether doing so complies with its various casino licensing requirements.

Page 6: The prudential regulator has slammed super funds for spending members’ money on sporting sponsorships and marketing campaigns, and warned the sector it will take action if they cannot justify their expenditure.

Page 9: Telstra’s deal to buy a South Pacific telecommunications company was partly motivated by currying favour with the federal government for future regulatory decisions, such as the privatisation of the national broadband network, according to political insiders and industry analysts.

Page 10: The government predicts ‘‘ultra low cost’’ solar could eclipse coal and gas as Australia’s dominant energy source by 2050 as Energy and Climate Change Minister Angus Taylor moved to tip more public money into making the technology more effective.

Page 15: Greenhouse gas concentrations hit a record last year and the world is ‘‘way off track’’ in capping rising temperatures, the United Nations said on Monday (Tuesday AEDT), in a stark illustration of the tasks facing UN climate talks in Scotland.

Page 16: Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg, besieged by dozens of stories about his company’s inadequate response to hate speech, misinformation and violent content, has sought to paint a rosier picture of the social network’s future, outlining new efforts to attract young users and build immersive digital experiences.

Hertz says it will convert more than 20 per cent of its rental fleet to Tesla electric cars by the end of next year, an announcement that has helped propel Tesla’s stock value beyond $US1 trillion ($1.33 trillion) for the first time.

Page 17: Directors and management of oil and gas producers have been warned they will be held to account for the emissions reductions targets and other ESG claims companies make under heightened scrutiny on all sides of potential ‘‘greenwashing’’.

The Australian

Page 3: ABC managing director David Anderson failed to consult the public broadcaster’s board before he decided that the taxpayer would cover the legal costs – which stand at $184,000, and rising — of a successful defamation action brought against high-profile reporter Louise Milligan for a social media post she made on her private Twitter account.

Page 4: Economists and business groups say the Morrison government’s refusal to release modelling underpinning its net-zero emissions by 2050 plan makes it impossible to judge whether Australians will be better off under the plan.

Scott Morrison will push for more financial support and stronger action in supporting developing nations to reduce emissions at the UN climate change conference in Glasgow and call on G20 leaders to increase security and safety on social media platforms.

Australia is forecast to produce 215 million tonnes of emissions a year across the electricity, industrial, agriculture and transport sectors in 2050 under Scott Morrison’s climate change plan – a reduction of 65 per cent on 2005 levels.

Page 5: Australia’s richest man, Andrew Forrest, has spent four years studying and preparing for this moment: convincing the world that green hydrogen is the future.

Page 7: New employees at the Intercontinental Hotels Group will be able to work at more than 40 hotels across Australia under an initiative designed to combat labour shortages and appeal to workers who want to travel around the country as Covid restrictions ease.

The Australian Taxation Office should have to prove tax debts in court before they become payable, and the onus of proof should be on the ATO rather than the taxpayer, a parliamentary committee has found.

Page 17: Gaming at Victoria’s only casino will never be the same, with the state’s royal commission into Crown Resorts recommending sweeping changes to how long punters will be able to gamble in the facility, and how much they will be able to spend while doing it.

The West Australian

Page 3: The State’s miners have been urged to rethink their rosters after a study found FIFO workers were at significant risk of car crashes on fly-home day because most were tired, inattentive or intoxicated.

Page 4: Roughly eight people a day have appeared in Perth’s two main courthouses on a range of child sex offences since little Cleo Smith vanished from her family’s tent in Carnarvon.

Page 11: The Federal Government says regional areas such as the Pilbara can expect to benefit from big infrastructure projects as demand for coal reduces.

Page 16: About 300 deaths a year could be avoided if just five Aussie food manufacturers cut salt in certain packaged foods down to government target levels.

Page 20: WA looks set to be sealed off from the rest of the country until sometime “after the school holidays” because Mark McGowan does not want to “spoil Christmas” by reintroducing masks and social distancing.

Mixing and matching COVID-19 vaccines will be “inevitable” when booster shots are made available to the general public, according to a leading epidemiologist.

Page 24: The property boom has hit the metropolitan area unevenly, with more than 150 suburbs cheaper now than seven years ago.

Business: A new company run by Perth businesswoman Kim Tran has secured a distribution deal with Australian-listed biopharmaceutical group Starpharma.

Larry Fink, the chief executive and chairman of Blackrock, sees addressing climate change as having massive potential for new businesses.

A Perth company that uses blockchain-based technology to enable the tracking and trading of energy is expanding into South America to assist BHP with a sustainability project.

WA businesses are shouldering enormous price hikes as China’s energy crisis sends raw material and freight costs soaring and experts warn it won’t be long before consumers feel the impact.