Morning Headlines

‘High-wire act’ looms, warn mining bosses

Leading mining executives have warned that the nation’s biggest resources projects could be crippled by COVID-19 outbreaks in the months ahead as the omicron variant spreads, fearing significant workforce disruptions amid uncertainty around how infections and contacts will be managed. The Fin

Forrest adds Germany to tally of green deals

Billionaire miner Andrew Forrest has added another green hydrogen deal to his sheaf, promising to supply up to 100,000 tonnes a year to a German chemicals giant as soon as 2024. The Fin

Experts want a boost in teaching tech

With WA’s tech skills shortage leaving businesses struggling to fill positions, experts are calling for earlier coding education and increased industry engagement to help solve the State’s talent squeeze. The West

Djokovic kicked out of country

Men’s tennis world No.1 Novak Djokovic will leave Australia and not compete for a record 10th Australian Open title, after the full bench of the Federal Court ruled against his last-ditch effort to have his visa cancellation by the Immigration Minister quashed. The Fin

Omicron less painful than lockdown: Deloitte

The hit to supply chains and workers from the omicron virus wave will not derail the economy like earlier lockdowns, according to a new report by Deloitte Access Economics. The Fin

Tehan asked to extend air freight subsidies

Logistics companies have called on the federal government to further extend subsidies for air cargo flights to allow essential supplies such as personal protective equipment to be imported into Australia as the global spread of omicron delays the aviation recovery. The Fin

Focus on workers as miners report

The impact of Western Australia’s hard border restrictions will become clear over the next fortnight as a raft of miners report quarterly production figures amid resurgent prices for iron ore and other key commodities. The Aus

Workers to pocket $10bn in tax cuts

More than 11 million workers will pocket almost $10bn in tax cuts in the first half of the year, according to Treasury analysis of the government’s income tax plan that Josh Frydenberg will use to launch a pre-election scare campaign against Labor’s record in government. The Aus

LNG prices to buoy December numbers

Strong LNG prices and an uptick to forward prices for crude oil should help lift market sentiment about ASX-listed oil and gas producers when they start to report December quarter sales this week, even as analysts say the stocks are still trading below fair value. The Fin

Shortage of GPs in regions ‘at crisis point’

Rural doctor vacancies across Australia have soared into the hundreds as general practices and hospitals scramble to fill positions in a desperate attempt to manage regional communities’ health. The Aus

The Australian Financial Review

Page 1: Men’s tennis world No.1 Novak Djokovic will leave Australia and not compete for a record 10th Australian Open title, after the full bench of the Federal Court ruled against his last-ditch effort to have his visa cancellation by the Immigration Minister quashed.

Page 3: Australian exporters are withstanding China’s trade penalties imposed on farmers and coal miners, by successfully redeploying their products to other foreign markets, according to the federal government’s Australian Trade and Investment Commission.

Page 7: The hit to supply chains and workers from the omicron virus wave will not derail the economy like earlier lockdowns, according to a new report by Deloitte Access Economics.

Page 12: Leading mining executives have warned that the nation’s biggest resources projects could be crippled by COVID-19 outbreaks in the months ahead as the omicron variant spreads, fearing significant workforce disruptions amid uncertainty around how infections and contacts will be managed.

Page 14: Logistics companies have called on the federal government to further extend subsidies for air cargo flights to allow essential supplies such as personal protective equipment to be imported into Australia as the global spread of omicron delays the aviation recovery.

Billionaire miner Andrew Forrest has added another green hydrogen deal to his sheaf, promising to supply up to 100,000 tonnes a year to a German chemicals giant as soon as 2024.

Page 16: Strong LNG prices and an uptick to forward prices for crude oil should help lift market sentiment about ASX-listed oil and gas producers when they start to report December quarter sales this week, even as analysts say the stocks are still trading below fair value.

The Australian

Page 1: More than 11 million workers will pocket almost $10bn in tax cuts in the first half of the year, according to Treasury analysis of the government’s income tax plan that Josh Frydenberg will use to launch a pre-election scare campaign against Labor’s record in government.

Australia’s national medicines regulator is expected to fast-track a new application for Pfizer booster shots for 16 to 17-year-olds in a bid to provide better protection for teenagers returning to school in the coming weeks.

Page 5: Peak industry groups are calling for state and territory leaders to scrap mandatory daily rapid testing requirements for workers in critical industries, as businesses continue to be crippled by Covid-induced absenteeism.

Page 7: Rural doctor vacancies across Australia have soared into the hundreds as general practices and hospitals scramble to fill positions in a desperate attempt to manage regional communities’ health.

Page 13: One of the world’s biggest money managers has put Australian companies on notice they need to come clean on how they intend to hit net zero targets, arguing that climate change represents a “systemic risk” that has the potential to destroy value.

The AFL has clinched the first major cryptocurrency sports sponsorship in Australia as part of a groundbreaking deal with Crypto.com that will see the global company emerge as a major backer of the AFLW contest.

Page 15: The impact of Western Australia’s hard border restrictions will become clear over the next fortnight as a raft of miners report quarterly production figures amid resurgent prices for iron ore and other key commodities.

Crown Resort’s lucrative VIP business in Melbourne and Perth will not return to pre-pandemic levels until 2025, with strict international border controls and more regulatory oversight of junket operators slowing the recovery, equities analysts at Morningstar say.

The West Australian

Page 1: Masks are back as Premier Mark McGowan warns the Omicron strain of COVID-19 has started spreading through the community.

Page 9: The emergency department at a big country hospital was able to fill only 12 per cent of its medical roster at times in January before officials had to plead for urgent reinforcements, a leaked email reveals.

Page 11: Up to 6000 interstate and international passengers are due to touch down at Perth Airport on February 5, but the airport is confident of its COVID safety measures in place.

Business: China’s economic slowdown has been identified as one of the major threats to Australia’s recovery out of COVID-19.

With WA’s tech skills shortage leaving businesses struggling to fill positions, experts are calling for earlier coding education and increased industry engagement to help solve the State’s talent squeeze.

Hundreds of environmental activists have blocked several main roads in Serbia, including a border crossing to Bosnia, in the latest protests against Rio Tinto’s plans to develop a lithium mine.