Morning Headlines

China threat hits iron ore miners

Australian iron ore miners have taken another hit on the back of fresh speculation that Chinese authorities are preparing to intervene in iron ore markets, amid reports Beijing wants to establish a "centralised platform" to manage iron ore buying by its steel industry. The Aus

Nationals flag billions in pledges after net zero deal

The Nationals anticipate promising billions more on regional infrastructure and telecommunications projects between now and the federal election, as a result of supporting Scott Morrison’s adoption of net zero emissions by 2050. The Fin

Cochlear buys up big to beat supply crunch

Cochlear boss Dig Howitt says spending big on raw materials and semiconductor inventory will allow the hearing implant maker to ride out future ructions in global supply chains, which have been squeezed as the fight for semiconductors rages. The Fin

Loan repayments to jump 25pc

Australians could be paying 25 per cent more on their mortgages in as little as 18 months if financial markets are right and the Reserve Bank hikes the cash rate from 0.1 per cent to 2.25 per cent by September 2023. The Aus

Open WA border ‘won’t fix labour crisis’

Monadelphous chief executive Rob Velletri has warned the engineering group will continue to struggle to find enough workers for projects even when Western Australia’s border is open. The Fin

Russia crosses the line

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered tanks and troops into Ukraine’s breakaway eastern regions after proclaiming their independence, pushing the crisis to the brink of war and threatening global security. The Aus

Wharf battle over strike notice

Shipping companies are pushing to wind back the rights of wharfies to strike, seeking changes to IR laws that would force workers to give up to 64 days notice before they could take legal industrial action on the waterfront. The Aus

Seven Group's Ryan Stokes says inflation is back for good

Seven Group chief Ryan Stokes is warning that businesses will have to adapt to a return of inflation, high energy prices and labour shortages as the economy rebounds from the pandemic. The Aus

More women are climbing the property ladder

Women and millennials are driving new confidence in the property market, with a huge surge in those who believe they can one day buy their own home. The West

The Australian Financial Review

Page 1: The United States, its European allies and Australia are poised to impose tough sanctions against Russia imminently after President Vladimir Putin sent troops into eastern Ukraine on the pretence of a peacekeeping mission, pushing Europe closer to war.

Page 4: The Nationals anticipate promising billions more on regional infrastructure and telecommunications projects between now and the federal election, as a result of supporting Scott Morrison’s adoption of net zero emissions by 2050.

Page 8: Concerns about loss of audience to the large international streaming platforms has prompted the ABC to push on with its plan to personalise digital media offerings, mandating logins for 1.7 million ABC iview users despite concerns from privacy experts.

Page 9: Australia’s $3.4 trillion superannuation sector is poised to become a major lender to the nation’s big companies, but industry leaders say the prudential regulator’s new performance test could cause some funds to shy away from private credit markets.

Page 13: Cochlear boss Dig Howitt says spending big on raw materials and semiconductor inventory will allow the hearing implant maker to ride out future ructions in global supply chains, which have been squeezed as the fight for semiconductors rages.

Page 15: Monadelphous chief executive Rob Velletri has warned the engineering group will continue to struggle to find enough workers for projects even when Western Australia’s border is open.

Alumina expects freight costs to remain high for the rest of 2022, squeezing margins that propelled the company to a more than 28 per cent jump in annual profits last year.

The Australian

Page 1: Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered tanks and troops into Ukraine’s breakaway eastern regions after proclaiming their independence, pushing the crisis to the brink of war and threatening global security.

Shipping companies are pushing to wind back the rights of wharfies to strike, seeking changes to IR laws that would force workers to give up to 64 days notice before they could take legal industrial action on the waterfront.

Page 3: Australians could be paying 25 per cent more on their mortgages in as little as 18 months if financial markets are right and the Reserve Bank hikes the cash rate from 0.1 per cent to 2.25 per cent by September 2023.

A West Australian woman has won the right in the Supreme Court to collect sperm from her dying partner.

Page 4: Scott Morrison has thrown his support behind a bill to exclude trans-women from playing single-sex sports in a move that has further angered equality advocates.

Page 5: West Australian premier Mark McGowan says he will still spend a week in quarantine upon his return from testifying at his defamation battle with Clive Palmer, despite the court shifting the date of his appearance until after WA lifts its border restrictions.

Page 7: Shark fishing for recreation could soon be illegal at popular beaches across Western Australia following a fatal attack at a popular swimming spot where hobbyists had routinely bloodied the water.

Page 8: The British government will lift all remaining Covid-19 restrictions in England this week, including a legal requirement that those infected with the virus to self-isolate, as Prime Minister Boris Johnson looks to fully reopen the country two years after the pandemic first hit.

Page 13: Seven Group chief Ryan Stokes is warning that businesses will have to adapt to a return of inflation, high energy prices and labour shortages as the economy rebounds from the pandemic.

AGL Energy says the Mike Cannon-Brookes-led consortium will need to boost its takeover bid by at least $lbn to be taken seriously, with chief executive Graeme Hunt slamming its early coal retirement plan as unfeasible.

Page 15: Coles has emerged in a position of strength after the most disruptive shocks to its business since the pandemic emerged in late 2019, and is now predicting continued recovery in the economy, led by a confident consumer with plenty of pent-up savings to splash around at the shops.

Page 16: Australian iron ore miners have taken another hit on the back of fresh speculation that Chinese authorities are preparing to intervene in iron ore markets, amid reports Beijing wants to establish a "centralised platform" to manage iron ore buying by its steel industry.

The West Australian

Page 3: Perth drivers will be “punished” at the bowser on Wednesday as the price of petrol smashes through the $2 per litre mark for the first time.

Page 7: Josh Frydenberg has warned an escalation of hostilities between Russia and Ukraine could result in higher energy costs and significantly hit the global economic recovery.

Page 10: An elite private boys’ school is mandating face masks for all kids in Year 3 and above — well before the restriction flagged by the State Government is imposed on all primary schools.

Page 14: Women and millennials are driving new confidence in the property market, with a huge surge in those who believe they can one day buy their own home.

Business: Vessel operator Wellard has turned a $US500,000 ($695,000) profit for the first half of the financial year, despite the live export industry experiencing some of the toughest conditions ever seen.

Dozens of Perth homeowners have been left out of pocket by the collapse of Mt Hawthorn renovations company Changeovers, with customers rejecting claims that COVID-19 was to blame for the failure.

WA mining veterans Charlie Bass and Neil Warburton have been awarded honorary doctorates from Curtin University for their leadership and support of the next generation.