Morning Headlines

No rush to lift migration 

The Morrison government is resisting calls by business and others to fast-track the migration intake between now and the federal election amid fears such a move could hamper wages growth. The Fin.

Super set to deliver bumper returns

Super funds are on track to deliver double-digit returns this year, brushing off fears that Chinese property developer Evergrande could default on its debts and cause sharemarket prices to crash. The Fin.

a2 defends bonuses

The a2 Milk Company’s chairman David Hearn defended the payment of bonuses to executives after a year in which the baby formula and fresh milk maker’s share price halved, as he told the annual meeting how challenging the 2021 fiscal year had been. The Fin.

Hiring spree

Employers in Australia want to hire more than 280,000 people before the end of the year as border restrictions ease and wage growth returns to pre-pandemic levels. The Australian.

Catholic priests latest in jab mandates

Catholic Priests in Australia are required to be double vaccinated for COVID-19 in a month following a precedent setting directive from Archbishop of Brisbane Mark Coleridge. The Australian.

McGowan office closed under threats

The WA premier has been forced to close his Rockingham office “indefinitely” after several alleged violent threats were made to his staff. The West.
St John of God labour squeeze

St John of God Health Care is looking to employ up to 500 workers across its hospitals as part of a major recruitment drive ahead of international and domestic border reopenings. The West.

Liontown strikes native title agreement  

A native title agreement struck on Wednesday between Liontown Resources and an Indigenous group to pave the way for a $473 million lithium operation is being heralded as a model for others to follow. The West.

The Australian Financial Review

Page 1: The Morrison government is resisting calls by business and others to fast-track the migration intake between now and the federal election amid fears such a move could hamper wages growth.

EverBlu Capital chairman Adam Blumenthal, one of the subjects of a sweeping federal police raid on his office and home this week, says he will co-operate with the ASIC investigation.

Page 5: White-collar wages are rising faster than any other sector, with 3.4 per cent annual growth, as professional services firms ratchet up their offerings or try to stop employees from being poached.

Page 6: Super funds are on track to deliver double-digit returns this year, brushing off fears that Chinese property developer Evergrande could default on its debts and cause sharemarket prices to crash. 

A wave of mergers will lead to the creation of a dozen mega super funds within four years, as the prudential regulator piles pressure on small funds to exit the $3.3 trillion sector.

Page 8: Former Labor MP Adem Somyurek has cleared his vaccination status with the Victorian Parliament, ending his suspension and clearing the way to vote and derail the Andrews’ government’s controversial pandemic bill today.

Academics are warning that universities and researchers need an injection of funding if the Morrison government hopes to secure control of emerging critical technologies and meet its climate change goals.

Page 17: Construction of the southern hemisphere’s first Amazon robotics fulfilment centre – which will be Australia’s largest warehouse with a footprint equal in area to 24 rugby league fields – is nearly complete.

The a2 Milk Company’s chairman David Hearn defended the payment of bonuses to executives after a year in which the baby formula and fresh milk maker’s share price halved, as he told the annual meeting how challenging the 2021 fiscal year had been.

Page 19: Freedom Foods Group will pay $US35 million ($48 million) under a settlement of a court case brought by a key supplier which will allow it to keep selling its growth brand Milklab.

Page 22:  Volkswagen plans to double staff numbers at its charging and energy division, roll out new payment technology next year and strike more alliances to take on Tesla in a key electric vehicle (EV) battleground: power infrastructure.

The Australian

Page 1: Employers in Australia want to hire more than 280,000 people before the end of the year as border restrictions ease and wage growth returns to pre-pandemic levels. 

Page 1: Former Labor MP Craig Thomson could face time in jail after being charged as the primary facilitator of “migration fraud scheme” under which he allegedly pocketed as much as $2 million. (An earlier version of this article incorrectly referred to Craig Kelly. Craig Kelly is unrelated to this article. We apologise to Mr Kelly for the error.”)

Page 2: A former Japanese ambassador has urged Australia to work with Japan to fast-track Taiwan’s entry into one of the regions top trading blocs.

Page 4: Catholic Priests in Australia are required to be double vaccinated for COVID-19 in a month following a precedent setting directive from Archbishop of Brisbane Mark Coleridge. 

Page 13: Commonwealth Bank’s warning about intense mortgage competition and record low interest rates his been felt throughout the banking sector as investors question the industry’s future earnings.

Page 14: Meridian Energy is close to selecting a winner for the $1 billion sale of its Australian business, with final bidders down to Spain’s Iberdrola, UK’s Shell and Italy’s Enel.

Page 15: Afterpay chair Elana Rubin says the famed buy now, pay later lister is not “anti-regulation” ahead of moves by the reserve bank to regulate the sector.

Department store David Jones and fashion house Country Road Group have warned earnings will take a hit following lockdowns and a lack of government wages support.

Page 16: The collapse of one of the Australia’s largest homebuilders, Privium, has left hundreds of homes across New South Wales and Victoria unfinished, with subcontractors owed around $28 million.

Evolution Mining has struck a $1 billion deal with Glencore to take complete control of Queensland’s Ernest Henry copper and gold mine.

The West Australian

Page 4: Huge areas of Crown land that’s unused or under pastoral lease is set to be unlocked for “green hydrogen” projects across WA.

Page 7: A number of media personalities are in the running to replace the late Russell Woolf on ABC Perth radio including The West Live’s Ben O’Shea, 7NEWS Flashpoint host Tim McMillan, former Channel 10 newsreader Craig Smart and ABC24 evening news host Michael Tetlow, according to the West Australian.

Page 10: The WA premier has been forced to close his Rockingham office “indefinitely” after several alleged violent threats were made to his staff. 

Page 16: Australian businesses are victim to a ransomware attack every 11 seconds, according to Business Australia.

Page 19: St John of God Health Care is looking to employ up to 500 workers across its hospitals as part of a major recruitment drive ahead of international and domestic border reopenings. 

Page 20: Seven Group Holdings chief executive Ryan Stokes says its Caterpillar dealer WesTrac is benefitting from strong mining and construction demand, but that COVID-19 induced supply chain pressures and industrial action are proving problematic.

Page 20: Rio Tinto was found to have missed a deadline to call for a price review on a contract with Chevron’s Gorgon operation, in a decision made by the Court of Appeal on Wednesday.

Page 49: PwC’s latest Aussie Mine report has warned Australia’s green energy transition will need trillions in investment as demand for electric vehicles, solar and renewable technologies outstrips supply.

Page 49: WA cattle baron Paul Holmes a Court increased his stake in The Australian Cattle Co to 6 per cent after investing $12 million in the company since July.

Page 51: A native title agreement struck on Wednesday between Liontown Resources and an Indigenous group to pave the way for a $473 million lithium operation is being heralded as a model for others to follow.