Morning Headlines

330km skyrail hinges on port

Chris Ellison’s plan to build a 330km skyrail to service stranded iron ore deposits in the Pilbara rests on being able to convince the State Government that Mineral Resources should be allowed to build and operate a trans-shipping terminal at Port Hedland. The West

Rinehart boost to game

Gina Rinehart’s riches and keen interest in volleyball have given the sport a big boost and allowed the sport to recruit a star coach for its high-performing men’s team. The Fin

Macmahon in talks after losing Fortescue contract

Struggling mining services company Macmahon Holdings says it is “deeply disappointed” its largest single mining contract, with Fortescue Metals Group, has been scrapped, forcing it into talks with its banks. The Aus

Calls for wider inquiry into financial planning

Calls are growing for a royal commission into the entire financial planning industry as a new leaked document reveals that National Australia Bank identified five key areas within its wealth advisory activities for further investigation. The Fin

BHP tipped to post 36pc profit fall as CEO talks up spin-off

BHP Billiton chief executive Andrew Mackenzie has talked up the benefits of the group’s $US15 billion ($19bn) spin-off of non-core assets into South32, saying it is an “enormous lever” that can be pulled just as investors are fretting about the impact of the broad retreat in commodity prices on the industry. The Aus

Toll rivals say JP sale poses sovereign risk

Logistics groups that compete with Toll Holdings have called on regulators to consider sovereign risk issues, as the Foreign Investment Review Board prepares to assess Japan Post’s $6.5 billion takeover bid for the Australian firm. The Fin

100,000 mums ‘to lose care subsidy’

More than 100,000 working mothers would be denied childcare support if a key Productivity Commission recommendation is accepted by the federal government, according to an analysis of its modelling. The Aus

The Australian Financial Review

Page 1: Prime Minister Tony Abbott will tell Australians today that the threat from home-grown Islamist terrorists is worsening, with thousands being investigated over potential terror links and thousands more in danger of being radicalised by slick death-cult online campaigns.

Australia’s $16 billion in thermal coal exports could be protected from climate change pressures by ultra-low emission power stations that Japan’s electricity industry is seeking to export through Asia.

Page 5: Gina Rinehart’s riches and keen interest in volleyball have given the sport a big boost and allowed the sport to recruit a star coach for its high-performing men’s team.

Page 7: The government is likely to have to write off 40 per cent of the ballooning cost of HECS-type loans to vocational students as bad debt, according to estimates from the Grattan Institute.

Page 11: As universities come under increased pressure from green activists to divest coal and oil stocks, a new US study has found that shunning energy stocks has high costs for investors.

Page 13: Calls are growing for a royal commission into the entire financial planning industry as a new leaked document reveals that National Australia Bank identified five key areas within its wealth advisory activities for further investigation.

Logistics groups that compete with Toll Holdings have called on regulators to consider sovereign risk issues, as the Foreign Investment Review Board prepares to assess Japan Post’s $6.5 billion takeover bid for the Australian firm.

Page 15: Woodside Petroleum is in talks to take capacity in LNG import terminals in India and elsewhere in Asia in what would be a dramatic scaling up of the company’s gas-trading business.

Outgoing Telstra chief David Thodey says the company is prepared for a potential exit of some senior staff in the wake of chief financial officer Andy Penn being picked as his replacement.

NBN Co will today sign a $400 million deal with US tech company Arris Group to turn the Telstra and Singtel-Optus cable TV networks into one of Australia’s fastest sources of high-speed internet.

Page 18: Former Rio Tinto executive Mal Randall said the iron ore spot pricing model has ‘‘been a disaster’’ and the major producers should consider returning to long-term benchmark contracts.

The Australian

Page 3: More than 100,000 working mothers would be denied childcare support if a key Productivity Commission recommendation is accepted by the federal government, according to an analysis of its modelling.

Page 4: Tests on imported food for dangerous microbes have been wound back in recent years — and are yet to apply to the frozen berries suspected of spreading hepatitis A — even though more than one in 60 samples fails to meet health standards.

Page 6: The previous federal government was warned in 2010 of “potential misuse” of incentives under its National Rental Affordability Scheme, but still allowed the social housing program to be exploited.

Page 17: Australia’s coal sector contributed $66.2 billion to the east coast economy in one year, a figure top miners warn is at risk from “unsupportive” governments stifling growth.

Atlassian co-founder Mike Cannon-Brookes says a public float is “not the finish line” and would be little more than a “speed bump” for the development of the $US3 billion-plus ($3.8bn) global software company.

BHP Billiton chief executive Andrew Mackenzie has talked up the benefits of the group’s $US15 billion ($19bn) spin-off of non-core assets into South32, saying it is an “enormous lever” that can be pulled just as investors are fretting about the impact of the broad retreat in commodity prices on the industry.

Page 18: Struggling mining services company Macmahon Holdings says it is “deeply disappointed” its largest single mining contract, with Fortescue Metals Group, has been scrapped, forcing it into talks with its banks.

Page 19: Residential dwelling activity will peak this financial year at a record number and begin to fall over the next two years, according to new forecasts released by the Housing Industry Association.

Page 23: Nine boss David Gyngell has thrown his support behind historic calls for multi-million-dollar television licence fees to be axed, as the three main commercial networks warn outdated regulations are jeopardising big investments in the free-to-air TV industry.

The West Australian

Page 3: A reported sex offence at a private school boarding house is among details of critical incidents revealed for the first time since standards were updated to force private schools to adopt similar reporting practices as public schools.

Page 5: Fines for parking on footpaths or in clearways and for damaging a ticket machine are about to soar under plans to tackle congestion in the city.

Page 12: While others on the shipbuilding strip are laying off staff and tapping in to cheaper overseas labour, Echo Yachts is going gangbusters after securing a $100 million-plus tender to supply a Singaporean billionaire with a veritable luxury fleet.

Page 13: WA’s economy will have to rely on shoppers opening their wallets as the housing sector comes off the boil.

Business: Chris Ellison’s plan to build a 330km skyrail to service stranded iron ore deposits in the Pilbara rests on being able to convince the State Government that Mineral Resources should be allowed to build and operate a trans-shipping terminal at Port Hedland.

Canada’s First Quantum Minerals booked a $US117.3 million pre-tax profit on its Ravensthorpe nickel mine last year, before a burst acid tank forced its temporary closure in December.

Virgin Australia Regional Airlines chief executive Merren McArthur, says VARA, which took over Skywest in 2013, is sailing into blue skies operationally and commercially.