Morning Headlines

Rinehart leads Warrego’s battle of Perth ‘billies’, eyes on Ellison

Perth Basin gas group Warrego Energy is expected to formally put Kerry Stokes’ Beach Energy on notice today, telling it to come up with at least another $40 million if it wants to bulk up in the Perth Basin. The Fin

Power plant fire knocks out IGO nickel mine in WA

Battery minerals producer IGO faces an uphill battle to have its Nova mine in Western Australia back in production before mid-January after a fire at the mine’s power station. The Fin

Coal price gift to budget

Soaring iron ore, coal and natural gas prices are set to add $58 billion to tax revenue over four years and deliver Treasurer Jim Chalmers a Christmas miracle – a federal budget bottom line temporarily in balance. The Fin

Review aims to rebuild trust in ARC

Years of political interference have corroded the integrity, capacity and independence of the Australian Research Council, says the head of a review into the funding body. The Fin

PM’s Pacific ‘weak spot’ warning

PNG Prime Minister James Marape has warned that his nation could become a “weak spot’’ in the Pacific unless it can strengthen its economy, but added that with financial stability it will be able to assist Australia with regional security. The Aus

150 foreign cops head to WA

Up to 150 foreign cops, including scores of British bobbies, are expected to join WA Police next year as the force’s ambitious recruitment drive goes global. The West

Hikes hit national growth

WA consumer confidence has plunged amid the toughest interest rate hikes in a generation but economists expect at least another two increases from the Reserve Bank, tipping Australia into record territory. The West

Nurses union talks down mass strikes because ‘people die’

Australian Nursing Federation secretary Janet Reah has claimed “not even 500 nurses” left their posts to take part in last month’s Statewide strike — an outcome she said was understandable because a mass walkout would mean “people die”. The West

The Australian Financial Review

Page 1: Soaring iron ore, coal and natural gas prices are set to add $58 billion to tax revenue over four years and deliver Treasurer Jim Chalmers a Christmas miracle – a federal budget bottom line temporarily in balance.

Page 4: An eighth straight interest rate rise is expected at the Reserve Bank’s final board meeting of 2022, with investors betting just two more increases next year will achieve the central bank’s goal of curbing rising inflation.

Page 6: Australians remain supportive of the American alliance but are wary about going all the way with the USA, with concerns it makes Australia a target for China and crimps Canberra’s ability to act independently in strategic policy, research has found.

Page 9: Australians forced to work from home at the onset of the pandemic say the experience was a hit to their productivity and led to no measurable increase in job satisfaction.

Page 13: Years of political interference have corroded the integrity, capacity and independence of the Australian Research Council, says the head of a review into the funding body.

Page 14: A landmark ruling against a gas development in the Timor Sea heightens the threat of gas shortages on the east coast next year as much-needed new developments face delays, analysts warn.

Page 16: Perth Basin gas group Warrego Energy is expected to formally put Kerry Stokes’ Beach Energy on notice today, telling it to come up with at least another $40 million if it wants to bulk up in the Perth Basin.

Gina Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting has the chequebook out – and not just for whole of company plays like Perth Basin gas group Warrego Energy.

Page 19: Battery minerals producer IGO faces an uphill battle to have its Nova mine in Western Australia back in production before mid-January after a fire at the mine’s power station.

The Australian

Page 1: Households and small businesses are unlikely to see lower electricity bills until at least the middle of next year under the federal government’s national energy plan, as Anthony Albanese makes a last-ditch push to strike a deal with Queensland and NSW to impose coal price caps.

A new UN study has found Papua New Guinea could have a population of 17 million – almost double the official estimate – slashing measures of its living standards and ramping up concerns over its fragility as a nation state.

Page 2: PNG Prime Minister James Marape has warned that his nation could become a “weak spot’’ in the Pacific unless it can strengthen its economy, but added that with financial stability it will be able to assist Australia with regional security.

Page 13: A looming pallet shortage that could threaten the delivery of food, groceries and medicines to retailers has prompted the nation’s peak representative for food and grocery suppliers to sound the alarm with competition tsar Gina Cass-Gottlieb and the Albanese government.

Page 14: Quadrant Private Equity’s Fitness and Lifestyle Group gyms business and AMart Furniture retailer are coming into focus.

Page 17: Live weather crosses to radio stations across the country will no longer be delivered by experienced meteorologists – instead they will be provided by a team of less-qualified “community information officers”.

The West Australian

Page 3: Former political staffer Brittany Higgins has been offered public support from politicians, celebrities and activists as it emerged she was preparing to sue two WA senators for damages.

Page 4: Australian Nursing Federation secretary Janet Reah has claimed “not even 500 nurses” left their posts to take part in last month’s Statewide strike — an outcome she said was understandable because a mass walkout would mean “people die”.

Page 5: Up to 150 foreign cops, including scores of British bobbies, are expected to join WA Police next year as the force’s ambitious recruitment drive goes global.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is ending the year on a high, posting his highest voter approval rating since taking office, according to the latest Newspoll.

Business: Investors should sleep with one eye open next year — that’s the advice of Shaw and Partners co-chief executive Earl Evans, who expects the economic reckoning caused by rate hikes to arrive in the first three months of 2023.

WA consumer confidence has plunged amid the toughest interest rate hikes in a generation but economists expect at least another two increases from the Reserve Bank, tipping Australia into record territory.