Morning Headlines

Rio Tinto to buy electric locomotives for Pilbara

Rio Tinto has kick-started the major task of decarbonising its vast Pilbara iron ore rail operations, agreeing to buy four battery-electric trains from US manufacturer Wabtec ahead of a ‘‘series’’ of green investments in the region in coming years. The Fin

Virgin flights cut, venues in staffing crisis

Virgin Australia will ground its lone international service and suspend nine domestic flights as it battles to keep as many planes as possible in the air while the omicron COVID-19 strain rips through staff and quells demand. The Fin

Synergy boss gets nod as CEO of Perth Mint

Western Australia’s state-owned gold refiner has poached the head of WA’s state-owned energy utility as its new chief executive. The Aus

Miner misses green cut-off

Perth-based uranium miner Toro Energy has failed to meet an environmental approval deadline for a proposed project in WA’s Goldfields. The West

Supply chain issues threaten bumper year for advertising

Supply chain issues cast a shadow over what could be a bumper start to the year for the advertising industry, as it shrugs off concerns about the omicron strain and begins to consider 2020’s ad spend crunch a one-off. The Fin

Omicron wave to slow rebound

The omicron virus wave will slow the economic recovery early this year, due to a temporary spending pullback by consumers and crippling worker shortages, market economists and the Prime Minister have conceded. The Fin

DuckDuckGo says Google not playing fair

Google is already facing mounting legal challenges from regulators globally, who accuse the tech giant of maintaining an illegal monopoly over its search and digital advertising businesses. The Fin

Health funds’ windfall spurs cashback call

The nation’s private hospital body has resuscitated its long-running feud with health insurers after recent bans on elective surgery sent their shares soaring, demanding the federal government formalise a mechanism to return a profit windfall to policyholders. The Aus

Students skip hard subjects

The dwindling number of WA students prepared to tackle the hardest Year 12 subjects that require them to sit exams has fallen to a new low. The West

Chip shortages will linger

Supply of semiconductor chips will remain tight despite companies learning to live with COVID-19, Moody’s Analytics has warned. The West

The Australian Financial Review

Page 1: The Morrison government was embarrassed internationally yesterday after a court sensationally overturned its attempt to deport world men’s No. 1 tennis player Novak Djokovic for not being vaccinated against COVID-19.

The omicron virus wave will slow the economic recovery early this year, due to a temporary spending pullback by consumers and crippling worker shortages, market economists and the Prime Minister have conceded.

Page 5: Retailers, pubs, cafes and restaurants are pleading for state governments to further relax isolation rules to fix staff shortages but unions are gearing up to fight any attempt to weaken workplace health and safety laws.

Page 8: Supply chain issues cast a shadow over what could be a bumper start to the year for the advertising industry, as it shrugs off concerns about the omicron strain and begins to consider 2020’s ad spend crunch a one-off.

Page 12: Virgin Australia will ground its lone international service and suspend nine domestic flights as it battles to keep as many planes as possible in the air while the omicron COVID-19 strain rips through staff and quells demand.

Page 13: One of Europe’s largest fintechs, London-based Wise, has accused Australian banks of anti-competitive behaviour in refusing to provide it with banking services over several years, as the Council of Financial Regulators begins an investigation into ‘‘debanking’’ in response to concerns raised by Treasury and AUSTRAC.

Rio Tinto has kick-started the major task of decarbonising its vast Pilbara iron ore rail operations, agreeing to buy four battery-electric trains from US manufacturer Wabtec ahead of a ‘‘series’’ of green investments in the region in coming years.

Page 15: Listed explosives and fertilisers giant Incitec Pivot will pay €91 million ($142 million) to buy French industrial explosives manufacturer and drilling, blasting and technical services provider Titanobel.

Page 18: To cryptocurrency true believers, bitcoin is the ultimate store of value, the most solid hedge against the rampant inflation manufactured by reckless central banks and their money-printing.

Google is already facing mounting legal challenges from regulators globally, who accuse the tech giant of maintaining an illegal monopoly over its search and digital advertising businesses.

The Australian

Page 2: The proportion of Aboriginal women who drank alcohol while pregnant fell from 65 per cent to less than 15 per cent during the decade after bottleshops were shut in a deeply-troubled pocket of the Kimberley, according to an analysis of work by senior Indigenous women and medical experts.

Australia will buy 127 army tanks and combat vehicles from the US as part of a $3.5bn investment in the nation’s defence fleet.

Page 4: As fresh produce piles up in warehouses around the country because worker shortfalls are preventing deliveries to supermarkets, peak industry bodies welcomed the Morrison government’s push to loosen state-imposed isolation requirements for critical industries.

The nation’s peak social services body has called for mutual obligations for welfare recipients to be suspended until March to keep Australians safe amid the surging number of Omicron variant.

Page 13: The nation’s private hospital body has resuscitated its long-running feud with health insurers after recent bans on elective surgery sent their shares soaring, demanding the federal government formalise a mechanism to return a profit windfall to policyholders.

The battle for home loan market share will be less interest-rate driven in 2022, as banks look to improve turnaround times, prepare for slower rates of mortgage credit growth and fight harder to retain customers.

Page 14: Battery technology company Novonix has shifted gears in its plans for a strategic US listing, delivering a healthy one-day boost to major backers, including rich-lister Trevor St Baker.

Western Australia’s state-owned gold refiner has poached the head of WA’s state-owned energy utility as its new chief executive.

The West Australian

Page 4: Novak Djokovic has already hit the tennis court following his release from immigration detention after the Federal Government’s decision to cancel his visa was sensationally overturned.

Page 6: WA building approvals slipped in November, bucking a trend which saw them increase around the nation.

Page 7: The dwindling number of WA students prepared to tackle the hardest Year 12 subjects that require them to sit exams has fallen to a new low.

Business: WA’s $2 billion Investigator investment fund has accelerated its contrarian push into fossil fuels by bulking up on China’s foremost energy company.

BHP has invested $US50 million ($69.6m) in a nickel company working in Tanzania to develop battery-grade metals.

Perth-based uranium miner Toro Energy has failed to meet an environmental approval deadline for a proposed project in WA’s Goldfields.

Magnetite is enjoying a resurgence in the WA iron ore industry as changing economic, energy and environmental tides boost its credentials.

Supply of semiconductor chips will remain tight despite companies learning to live with COVID-19, Moody’s Analytics has warned.