Blackstone in talks with Packer
Blackstone has begun direct discussions with James Packer’s Consolidated Press Holdings – Crown Resort’s largest shareholder – as it continues to raise pressure on the gaming group to move ahead with an $8.5bn takeover bid. The Aus
Lithium mining boss to lead $347m battery SPAC
Former Galaxy Resources chief executive Simon Hay is the latest Australian mining executive to pursue a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) in the United States. The Fin
PM’s uni research plan a ‘pitiful amount of money’
Australian universities earned a record $242 million from commercialising research last year as money to pay for it took a dive on the back of collapsing international student numbers. The Fin
Jobs boom puts the recovery in top gear
Australia’s economic recovery has been bolstered by the creation of 350,000 new jobs, helping almost 49,000 people move off JobSeeker welfare payments in just five weeks. The Aus
Honey praises Lord Mayor’s potential
WA Liberal Party leader David Honey has talked up Basil Zempilas making a run at State politics in 2025, describing the TV personality as an “outstanding Western Australian” who would be a “pretty popular candidate”. The West
Income management ‘failing kids in need’
Compulsory income management programs implemented across Australia over nearly 15 years have led to no demonstrable improvement in child welfare, a new report concludes. The Aus
Foreign student strategy targets skills, diversity
A new federal governmentbacked strategy to revive the international education industry calls on universities to pull back on the Chinese market and also make efforts to shift students into courses that will ease Australian skill shortages if they choose to stay here after they graduate. The Aus
Tax ruling clips Virgin’s wings
A court has ruled that airports rather than aircraft are the primary place of employment for aircrew in a victory for the Australian Taxation Office over Virgin Australia. The Aus
Backing for new super uni
Former academics have thrown their support behind a proposal to merge WA’s public universities into one entity, arguing that four universities for two million people is a “significant” waste of resources. The West
Battery test for EVs looks positive
A subsidiary of Australian Vanadium has completed the first phase of a trial of battery technology that could deliver a network of green charging stations for electric vehicles. The West
The Australian Financial Review
Page 1: Scott Morrison has slammed the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption as a ‘‘kangaroo court’’ that mounted a ‘‘most shameful attack’’ on former premier Gladys Berejiklian, as he ended any prospect of revamping his own proposed federal anticorruption body.
Page 3: KPMG has nabbed high-profile former AustralianSuper boss Ian Silk to advise clients on environmental, social and governance issues.
Page 4: Australian engineers and designers are seeking legal advice to fight the Defence Department’s failure to pay out a retention bonus worth at least $40,000 despite promising to cover all entitlements after shutting down the French submarine program.
Page 6: Australian universities earned a record $242 million from commercialising research last year as money to pay for it took a dive on the back of collapsing international student numbers.
Page 10: More than 100 Australian troops and police are being deployed to the Solomon Islands to help restore order after violent protests erupted against Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, demanding he resign.
Page 13: Not-for-profit industry fund giant QSuper allegedly rorted savings by overcharging for mandatory life insurance premiums it forced on its members through a for-profit business it created in 2016, according to a new class action against the $120 billion fund.
Page 15: Former Galaxy Resources chief executive Simon Hay is the latest Australian mining executive to pursue a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) in the United States.
Page 17: The competition regulator said it would not oppose National Australia Bank’s $1.2 billion purchase of Citi’s consumer business but cautioned the approval does not serve as a precedent for a more accommodative approach to big bank acquisitions generally.
The Australian
Page 2: China is the winner from Australia’s decision to drop plans for a year-round runway in Antarctica, say experts and backbenchers who fear Beijing or Moscow will steal the strategic advantage.
Page 4: Australia’s economic recovery has been bolstered by the creation of 350,000 new jobs, helping almost 49,000 people move off JobSeeker welfare payments in just five weeks.
An overwhelming majority of Australians believe essential service providers should disclose cyber breaches, a boost for the Morrison government’s new critical infrastructure bill, polling has revealed.
Page 5: Compulsory income management programs implemented across Australia over nearly 15 years have led to no demonstrable improvement in child welfare, a new report concludes.
Page 6: A new federal government-backed strategy to revive the international education industry calls on universities to pull back on the Chinese market and also make efforts to shift students into courses that will ease Australian skill shortages if they choose to stay here after they graduate.
Page 13: Blackstone has begun direct discussions with James Packer’s Consolidated Press Holdings – Crown Resort’s largest shareholder – as it continues to raise pressure on the gaming group to move ahead with an $8.5bn takeover bid.
Page 15: The corporate watchdog is probing potential share-trading violations by listed cannabis products developer Creso Pharma, prompting the Perth-based company to unveil a significant management shake-up on Thursday.
HESTA has taken a $120m stake in private firm Citadel Group, cementing the industry super fund’s push into health technology investments and gaining exposure to a company that is growing quickly from a series of recent deals in Britain and Europe.
Page 16: A court has ruled that airports rather than aircraft are the primary place of employment for aircrew in a victory for the Australian Taxation Office over Virgin Australia.
The West Australian
Page 9: The Prime Minister was in damage control yesterday after the Government lost a vote in the House of Representatives when Tasmanian MP Bridget Archer crossed the floor to side with Labor and the Independents to establish a Federal integrity watchdog.
Page 16: WA Liberal Party leader David Honey has talked up Basil Zempilas making a run at State politics in 2025, describing the TV personality as an “outstanding Western Australian” who would be a “pretty popular candidate”.
Page 22: A judge has described disgraced former Labor MP Barry Urban as the “real life Pinocchio of Parliament” as she jailed him for three years for lying about his education and police and military service — and then continuing his lies before a powerful parliamentary committee.
Page 28: Former academics have thrown their support behind a proposal to merge WA’s public universities into one entity, arguing that four universities for two million people is a “significant” waste of resources.
Business: Supermarket giant Woolworths has increased its own label milk prices, with farmers hoping to have the costs passed back to them.
WA shoppers are tipped to spend $560 million in the next four days as Black Friday sales fever kicks in.
A subsidiary of Australian Vanadium has completed the first phase of a trial of battery technology that could deliver a network of green charging stations for electric vehicles.
The “considerable time” NRW Holdings claims to have spent addressing shareholder concerns over its executive pay have not prevented the group incurring what is believed to be an Australian record fourth consecutive pay strike.
WA’s powerhouse economy could be losing some steam, according to economists, with the State following a national pull-back in online retail sales in October despite the absence of lockdowns.
