Morning Headlines

Lithium delay won’t halt IGO nickel plans

Teething problems at IGO Group’s battery-grade lithium processing plant have not dimmed the miner’s desire to go further down the value chain: managing director Peter Bradford has suggested work on Australia’s second battery-grade nickel processing plant could be under way by September. The Fin

Spill looms as prawn project goes underwater

One of Australia’s biggest aqua-culture businesses has fallen further into disarray, with a board spill now expected by mid-June following the collapse of its $2bn flagship project in the Northern Territory. The Aus

ACTU pushes for ‘new class of gig worker’

ACTU chief Sally McManus has vowed to push ahead with the creation of a new class of gig economy worker that would allow riders and drivers to band together to argue for minimum rates of pay while retaining flexibility around when they work. The Fin

Billionaire bid to blow up AGL split

Tech billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes has dramatically intervened in a bid to single-handedly foil AGL Energy’s proposed demerger, taking enough of an interest in the company to try to ensure the plan collapses. The Fin

Push for rise in electric vehicles

The Coalition and Labor face calls to increase the uptake of electric cars by introducing a fuel-efficiency standard as well as a cap-and-trade scheme for the vehicle fleet on top of measures to raise demand. The Aus

Qantas eyes profits again as travel soars

Qantas says it will return to profitability in the next financial year as leisure and corporate travel markets roar back to life and begin to outstrip pre-pandemic passenger levels. The Fin

Boot into shipping blues

The boss of a Perth-based safety footwear manufacturer has called for big shipping companies to be held accountable for their “oligopoly-type price behaviours” and impact on rising global inflation. The West

Labor in market for some house repairs

An independent assessor will determine the extra money home buyers can claim from renovations when they sell a house bought through Anthony Albanese’s home-equity scheme, as Labor revealed it was open to expanding the program beyond 10,000 places a year. The Aus

$250m ramping crisis cure

WA’s record ramping will be targeted by a $252 million “reform package” designed to free up space in hospitals and improve the transfer of patients from ambulances to emergency departments. The West

Concerns as Future Fund dips

Australia’s $250 billion sovereign wealth fund has warned returns are becoming harder after recording its worst quarterly performance since COVID-19 ravaged global stocks two years ago. The West

The Australian Financial Review

Page 1: Tech billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes has dramatically intervened in a bid to single-handedly foil AGL Energy’s proposed demerger, taking enough of an interest in the company to try to ensure the plan collapses.

Page 3: Former Reserve Bank of Australia governor Ian Macfarlane says house prices must fall to help solve growing wealth inequality for younger Australians, amid warnings that Labor’s home equity scheme could drive up prices.

Cost of living pressures and debt have overtaken the pandemic as the biggest concern for professionals and could drive workers to chase better pay and jobs.

Page 6: ACTU chief Sally McManus has vowed to push ahead with the creation of a new class of gig economy worker that would allow riders and drivers to band together to argue for minimum rates of pay while retaining flexibility around when they work.

Page 8: Mining billionaire Clive Palmer has conceded that his plan to force banks to cap home loan interest rates could push up house prices and would require a change to the constitution.

Page 12: Qantas says it will return to profitability in the next financial year as leisure and corporate travel markets roar back to life and begin to outstrip pre-pandemic passenger levels.

Page 13: Cement companies need a major chemical technology breakthrough to make big cuts in carbon emissions beyond 2030, but in the medium term Australia’s largest cement group, Adbri, has outlined plans to prune emissions gradually in two of its biggest businesses.

Page 15: Teething problems at IGO Group’s battery-grade lithium processing plant have not dimmed the miner’s desire to go further down the value chain: managing director Peter Bradford has suggested work on Australia’s second battery-grade nickel processing plant could be under way by September.

Regional Express has taken its first tentative steps into the international air travel market, signing a letter of intent with US carrier Delta for reciprocal interline ticketing and baggage services from September.

Page 17: Gazprom PJSC’s daily natural gas sales to key foreign markets slipped to the lowest in three months in April as customers turned to cheaper supplies on the spot market amid mild weather and a wave of LNG.

The Australian

Page 1: An independent assessor will determine the extra money home buyers can claim from renovations when they sell a house bought through Anthony Albanese’s home-equity scheme, as Labor revealed it was open to expanding the program beyond 10,000 places a year.

Page 2: The Australian Workers’ Union will target farm operators who have complained about paying the new minimum wage to fruit pickers, declaring legitimate farmers should not be disadvantaged by “shonks and abusers”.

Page 5: The Coalition and Labor face calls to increase the uptake of electric cars by introducing a fuel-efficiency standard as well as a cap-and-trade scheme for the vehicle fleet on top of measures to raise demand.

Page 6: Tens of thousands of Australians with Covid-19 will have to vote by phone this federal election, under emergency measures enlisting help from government call centres.

Page 13: Future Fund chairman Peter Costello has warned investors should brace for an extended period of lower returns after the sovereign wealth fund’s performance turned negative amid rising inflation and the war in Ukraine.

Page 15: Little Green Pharma has signed a three-year distribution agreement with Sana Life Sciences for supply and distribution of its products across the United Kingdom.

Page 16: One of Australia’s biggest aqua-culture businesses has fallen further into disarray, with a board spill now expected by mid-June following the collapse of its $2bn flagship project in the Northern Territory.

The West Australian

Page 3: WA’s record ramping will be targeted by a $252 million “reform package” designed to free up space in hospitals and improve the transfer of patients from ambulances to emergency departments.

Page 5: Anthony Albanese has promised workers he will lead a government determined to increase their pay packets, with Labor singling out the gender pay gap as a key plank of its plan to lift stagnant wages growth.

Business: Qantas was within just 11 weeks of declaring bankruptcy after COVID-19 reached Australia’s shores in early 2020.

Australia’s $250 billion sovereign wealth fund has warned returns are becoming harder after recording its worst quarterly performance since COVID-19 ravaged global stocks two years ago.

A small West Leederville-based consulting firm is embroiled in a legal stoush with a State Government department over claims it breached copyright by accessing and forwarding one of its reports without permission.

NAB has agreed to an enforceable undertaking to improve its anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing law compliance.

Chalice Mining has highlighted the underground potential of its Julimar project 70km north-east of Perth, with recent drilling at its famed Gonneville polymetallic deposit revealing mineralisation continuing at depth.

The boss of a Perth-based safety footwear manufacturer has called for big shipping companies to be held accountable for their “oligopoly-type price behaviours” and impact on rising global inflation.