BHP aims to catch Rio on cost gap
BHP Billiton has vowed to supply iron ore as cheaply as arch rival Rio Tinto and will considering reactivating its $20 billion outer-harbour project at Port Hedland as it pushes ahead with an aggressive production plan. The Fin
Swift axe for carbon tax
The carbon price will be dead within days as the government uses its new Senate support to circumvent delaying tactics by Labor and the Greens, and bring a swift end to the policy. The Fin
McGowan goes after red tape
WA Labor has thrown down its pitch to the WA business community, announcing plans for a regulation reform agency and the appointment of a technology minister as the party moves towards the next State election. The West
Barrick’s Zambia mine in spotlight
Suitors are circling Barrick Gold’s Lumwana copper mine in Zambia as expectations build that the becalmed gold giant could be open to a $1 billion-plus offer. The Aus
Nickel West attracts six
The looming battle for BHP Billiton’s Nickel West operations is heating up, with reports suggesting six bidders had entered into the due diligence process. The West
New kid on export block flags CBH tie-up
Mitsubishi has become the latest international company to reach out to CBH after the Japanese giant paid a huge premium for a controlling stake in Olam Grain Australia. The West
Billions to flow from Abe visit
Mitsubishi Corp chairman Yorihiko Kojima has declared Australia a “veritable lifeline” for Japan’s resource-dependent economy and hinted at a string of looming investments here on the eve of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s historic visit. The Aus
Body corporate spanner in TPG works
TPG Telecom’s plan to extend its fibre network to half a million of the nation’s most lucrative apartment blocks is hitting major hurdles as building managers, wary that the company could lock out competing broadband providers, begin blocking the company from installing its equipment. The Aus
Shell flies in $30m for air support
The first pieces of support infrastructure to back up the burgeoning Browse Basin oil and gas industry have arrived, with Royal Dutch Shell committing $30 million to underpin a dedicated search and rescue helicopter service out of Broome. The West
The Australian Financial Review
Page 1: The carbon price will be dead within days as the government uses its new Senate support to circumvent delaying tactics by Labor and the Greens, and bring a swift end to the policy.
Macquarie Group has been drawn into the Commonwealth Bank of Australia financial planning scandal with accusations it failed to co-operate with the Senate committee which examined the issue.
Japan’s biggest telecommunications player, NTT, is lobbying Telstra to be its biggest partner in its new push to become a dominant player in Asia.
Page 5: The Climate Change Authority has urged the federal government not to abandon the carbon market altogether and consider the purchase of cheap permits from developing countries to ensure Australia meets its emissions reduction target.
Page 7: The federal government’s changes to Labor’s Future of Financial Advice laws are set to be put to the sword as early as next week after the Commonwealth Bank of Australia’s financial advice scandal hardened the resolve of Senate parties to kill them off.
Page 8: Tourism Australia has unveiled plans to build an elite network of travel agents in China that are specially trained to sell Australian tour packages to high-yielding clients from the increasingly lucrative inbound Chinese market.
Page 15: BHP Billiton has vowed to supply iron ore as cheaply as arch rival Rio Tinto and will considering reactivating its $20 billion outer-harbour project at Port Hedland as it pushes ahead with an aggressive production plan.
Page 17: Australia’s largest infrastructure manager, IFM Investors, is courting iron ore majors in the Pilbara to take equity stakes in their prized port and rail assets.
Page 36: The beer wars have taken a fresh twist with Lion’s XXXX Gold reclaiming the top spot as Australia’s biggest-selling brew from Carlton & United Breweries’ Victoria Bitter.
Page 39: A new consolidation phase in Australia’s cattle station market has begun with private investors, such as Australia’s richest person Gina Rinehart, through to overseas investors and institutional money stepping into the distressed sector.
The Australian
Page 1: Mitsubishi Corp chairman Yorihiko Kojima has declared Australia a “veritable lifeline” for Japan’s resource-dependent economy and hinted at a string of looming investments here on the eve of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s historic visit.
Voters in Coalition strongholds of Western Australia and Queensland have delivered the strongest rebuke of the Abbott government’s first budget.
Page 3: Domestic electricity bills for could be cut by as much as $165 a year if more advanced metering systems were introduced and households were encouraged to use less power at peak times.
Page 5: Tony Abbott should abandon his “unfair” paid parental leave scheme and replace it with a loan scheme similar to HECS at scarcely more than one-tenth the cost, according to a proposal from a libertarian think tank.
Page 17: Depressed iron ore prices could wipe out $US11 billion $11.7bn) of cash returns for BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto shareholders over the next two years, with analysts saying buybacks the miners flagged could start to look unlikely next month.
TPG Telecom’s plan to extend its fibre network to half a million of the nation’s most lucrative apartment blocks is hitting major hurdles as building managers, wary that the company could lock out competing broadband providers, begin blocking the company from installing its equipment.
Page 18: Horizon Oil chairman Fraser Ainsworth says it will be a travesty for both companies if Roc Oil shareholder Allan Gray torpedoes a planned $800 million tie-up between the two.
Page 19: Suitors are circling Barrick Gold’s Lumwana copper mine in Zambia as expectations build that the becalmed gold giant could be open to a $1 billion-plus offer.
Page 23: The ABC and Fairfax have refused to answer questions over their failure to prominently cover court proceedings involving Clive Palmer’s alleged use of siphoned Chinese cash in his election campaign.
The West Australian
Page 6: Moves to grant rank-and-file members of the WA Labor Party more power in preselecting candidates will not be extended to a number of smaller branches.
Opposition Leader Mark McGowan has accused the Barnett Government of “having its head in the sand” on the therapeutic use of cannabis after it hosed down his plan to legalise it.
Page 10: Between 30 and 40 people are expected to front the State’s first Sunday court each week as part of a $2.7 million plan to have antisocial offenders out of police lockups faster.
Page 11: The two leading contenders in Indonesia’s presidential race have vowed to cut imports of Australian cattle.
Page 13: There is a growing divide between Perth’s haves and have-nots, with research showing wealthier workers have enjoyed much bigger pay rises than the poor.
Business: The looming battle for BHP Billiton’s Nickel West operations is heating up, with reports suggesting six bidders had entered into the due diligence process.
The first pieces of support infrastructure to back up the burgeoning Browse Basin oil and gas industry have arrived, with Royal Dutch Shell committing $30 million to underpin a dedicated search and rescue helicopter service out of Broome.
WA Labor has thrown down its pitch to the WA business community, announcing plans for a regulation reform agency and the appointment of a technology minister as the party moves towards the next State election.
Mitsubishi has become the latest international company to reach out to CBH after the Japanese giant paid a huge premium for a controlling stake in Olam Grain Australia.