BHP Billiton, Rio to outline iron ore lift
Australia’s major miners BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto are both tipped to reveal jumps in iron ore production when they release quarterly reports this week, but the focus will be on the impact of the low oil price. The Aus
Stokes’s towering plan for apartment blocks in CBD
Kerry Stokes’s Seven Group Holdings is embarking on its most ambitious property project yet — the development of two 50-storey apartment towers in the Perth CBD. The Aus
No more relief for miners, says Barnett
Western Australian Premier Colin Barnett says his government will not become a “bank of last resort” for the resources sector after sweetening conditions for miners struggling to survive a sustained rout in iron ore prices. The Fin
Jobs axed as lead mine shuts
WA’s most controversial mine, the Paroo Station lead operation in the Goldfields, is set to shut for a third time in less than a decade, this time falling victim to collapsing metal prices. The West
Push to widen port sale
Advisers working on the sale of two of Western Australia’s ports, Rothschild and Deloitte, may be trying to convince the government to broaden the process to include other state assets at a time when falling demand for iron ore could reduce the level of buyer interest. The Aus
Union funds may lose inside run
Unions have been put on notice that their influence over Australia’s $1.9 trillion retirement savings industry will be dramatically scaled back under new Assistant Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, who plans to put superannuation governance and competition at the centre of his policy agenda. The Fin
The Australian Financial Review
Page 1: Unions have been put on notice that their influence over Australia’s $1.9 trillion retirement savings industry will be dramatically scaled back under new Assistant Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, who plans to put superannuation governance and competition at the centre of his policy agenda.
The construction union is expanding its militant approach beyond Victoria and Western Australia to South Australia, Queensland and the ACT, according to the industry watchdog.
Page 7: Parents with children at top private schools will again see tuition fees rise by more than inflation in 2015.
Page 11: Pepperstone, Australia’s largest retail foreign exchange broker, is eyeing acquisitions of distressed competitors after the Swiss central bank’s shock removal of its currency peg obliterated some of the largest players in the rapidly growing $380 billion dollar-a-day industry.
Western Australian Premier Colin Barnett says his government will not become a “bank of last resort” for the resources sector after sweetening conditions for miners struggling to survive a sustained rout in iron ore prices.
Page 13: Rio Tinto is tipped to reveal it has sold more stockpiled iron ore than expected on Tuesday, to bolster its balance sheet ahead of a highly anticipated round of cash returns next month.
Ten Network Holdings and its adviser Citi will resume negotiations with bidders for the troubled broadcaster this week with Discovery Communications and Foxtel in pole position with a 23¢ a share joint offer.
With iron ore prices mired near five-year lows, analysts have warned that Arrium is bleeding cash in Page 17: its mining business, and the company is increasingly likely to shutter its higher cost Southern Iron operation.
The Australian
Page 1: Two out of every five students with a tertiary admission rank of 50 or lower who applied for university last year were offered a place, a figure that has quadrupled since 2009, when the figure was one in 10.
Tony Abbott’s hopes of boosting infrastructure spending are being frustrated by the poor financial position of state governments, which are cutting back as fast as the federal government increases its contribution.
Page 2: Anger is swelling within Liberal ranks over the failed push to cut GP rebates, with MPs condemning the move and urging caution on the introduction of a co-payment amid damaging reports of a cabinet-level split.
Page 17: NBN Co is ramping up its assault against TPG Telecom’s moves to cherry-pick its most lucrative customers, unveiling plans to connect about 6000 apartments with its fibre network by the middle of this year.
Myer’s head of womenswear and youth, Nicole Naccarella, has left the company in the latest management loss for chief executive Bernie Brookes.
Page 18: Advisers working on the sale of two of Western Australia’s ports, Rothschild and Deloitte, may be trying to convince the government to broaden the process to include other state assets at a time when falling demand for iron ore could reduce the level of buyer interest.
Australia’s major miners BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto are both tipped to reveal jumps in iron ore production when they release quarterly reports this week, but the focus will be on the impact of the low oil price.
Page 19: Record low reported sales and profitability during the crucial Christmas trading season has exacerbated business pessimism about the Australian economy according to a new survey, prompting calls for interest rate cuts and urgent fiscal repair.
Page 21: Kerry Stokes’s Seven Group Holdings is embarking on its most ambitious property project yet — the development of two 50-storey apartment towers in the Perth CBD.
The West Australian
Page 3: Students at Perth public schools achieve similar results to students at expensive private schools, according to a new analysis by public education advocacy group Save Our Schools.
Page 4: Tony Abbott returns to work today in the wake of a damaging top-level leak showing a rift with two senior ministers and questions about when he will visit Queensland for the State election campaign.
Page 6: Albany’s new National Anzac Centre, built to commemorate the sacrifices of our World War I soldiers, has been named as one of the world’s top new travel experiences of the year by influential international travel guide Lonely Planet.
Privatisation has shaved 20 to 30 per cent off British Government jail costs, multinational operator Serco told a WA Government inquiry into the efficiency and performance of its prison services.
Page 9: WA’s economy remains in healthy shape despite the State slipping to third spot nationally.
Page 13: Fresh TAFE fee rises that will push the average course cost up more than 20 per cent will make training unaffordable for thousands of young Western Australians, the State Opposition claims.
Page 21: WA’s energy safety regulator says cuts to a proposed spending plan by the company that runs the South West’s network of gas pipelines will compromise safety and the reliability of supplies.
Business: WA’s most controversial mine, the Paroo Station lead operation in the Goldfields, is set to shut for a third time in less than a decade, this time falling victim to collapsing metal prices.
The owner of the historic Christmas Island phosphate rock mine has been quietly absorbed by its biggest shareholder in a $100 million deal designed to cut costs and streamline management ranks.
The natural evolution from fixed-price, long-term settlements to actively traded futures contracts for the pricing of iron ore was too slow to allow most speculators to profit from one of history’s greatest bull markets.
Engineered wood products group Wesbeam Holdings claims a “180-degree” turnaround in market conditions is set to improve its bottom line, after it posted yet another annual loss.
Ross Smith’s Phytotech Medical is set to make its sharemarket debut on Thursday to become Australia’s first listed medical marijuana company.