Morning Headlines

More safety woes at Roy Hill

Gina Rinehart’s $US10 billion ($13.7 billion) Roy Hill project has received its 10th prohibition notice from the West Australian Department of Mines and Petroleum in just over a year after another safety incident involving a crane. The Fin

Westpac’s $1m-a-day IT glitch

Westpac Banking Corp is losing over $1 million a day because its computer systems do not allow it to charge property investors and owner-occupiers different interest rates. The Fin

Tobacco giant sues Australia

More than $50 million of taxpayer money is expected to go up in smoke defending cigarette plain packaging in a secretive international tribunal. The West

McLennan turns his back on Ten

Newly installed Ten Network chairman David Gordon has insisted the network is sticking to its turnaround strategy after the unexpected resignation of chief executive Hamish McLennan. The Aus

Going broke hard to do: BHP executive

BHP Billiton’s new chief commercial officer Dean Dalla Valle says depressed coal prices will persist because "going broke is hard to do", with the market seeing far fewer closures than expected in the past two years. The Fin

Crean backs China FTA as boost for jobs, economy

Former Labor trade minister Simon Crean is urging Bill Shorten to support the China Free Trade Agreement and to pass the deal before the end of the year to secure tariff reductions worth hundreds of millions of dollars for vital Australian industries. The Aus

The Australian Financial Review

Page 1: Westpac Banking Corp is losing over $1 million a day because its computer systems do not allow it to charge property investors and owner-occupiers different interest rates.

Page 3: Australia’s sharemarket is becoming a global backwater sucked dry of investment ambition by a dividend-obsessed superannuation culture and overcautious business leadership, a report shows.

Page 4: The chances of Tony Abbott allowing his MPs a conscience vote on gay marriage have diminished because of the push by the ALP Left faction to force all MPs to vote for the change.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has dismissed concerns of one of his MPs over the government’s latest assault on wind farms and said there would be ‘‘more than enough’’ renewable energy under the legislated target.

Page 5: A complex stand-off over dairy exports could be the key determinant of whether trade ministers seal an agreement on the world’s largest regional trade zone this week or it dissolves into further delays.

Page 10: The world’s big energy groups have shelved $US200 billion ($274 billion) of spending on new projects in an urgent round of cost-cutting aimed at protecting investors’ dividends as the oil price slumps for a second time this year.

Page 13: Securities dealers that traded through the now defunct BBY are feuding with the rebranded Asia Pacific Prudential Group, accusing the firm of failing to release client data and attempting to steal their customers.

Page 15: BHP Billiton’s new chief commercial officer Dean Dalla Valle says depressed coal prices will persist because "going broke is hard to do", with the market seeing far fewer closures than expected in the past two years.

Myer risks entering a "dangerous spiral" of declining customer service and sales if it cuts staff numbers and hours, analysts warn.

Gina Rinehart’s $US10 billion ($13.7 billion) Roy Hill project has received its 10th prohibition notice from the West Australian Department of Mines and Petroleum in just over a year after another safety incident involving a crane.

Page 19: Leading Australian cyber security expert Chris Gatford, of Hacklabs, warned that Australia is years behind the United States when it comes to cybercrime prevention, and that Australian companies were keeping quiet about breaches daily.

Page 20: ASX-listed foreign exchange and international currency transfer business OzForex is launching the world’s first large-scale transactional app, which will let customers make international transfers in 48 currencies.

The Australian

Page 1: As rates of autism diagnoses soar around the world, the tale of two Australian families struggling to pay for expensive early-intervention therapies for their children — one by themselves, the other through government — underscores the divisive cost.

A detailed plan to re-equip the Royal Australian Navy and to save the naval shipbuilding industry will be the centrepiece of the coming defence white paper.

Page 2: Former Labor trade minister Simon Crean is urging Bill Shorten to support the China Free Trade Agreement and to pass the deal before the end of the year to secure tariff reductions worth hundreds of millions of dollars for vital Australian industries.

Page 3: Tax Commissioner Chris Jordan has savaged Uber over accusations the ATO engaged in “irregular consultation” with the taxi industry, accusing the rideshare company of making false statements about the integrity of tax officials.

Page 5: Andrew Forrest’s bold mission to unite the world’s major faiths in a bid to end modern slavery has suffered a major setback with the sudden resignation of the Pope’s representative as chairman of the billionaire’s Global Freedom Network.

Page 7: The plight of farmers facing the might of mining giants was yesterday at the centre of an emotive Senate inquiry into the rights of landholders to object to exploration.

Page 19: Newly installed Ten Network chairman David Gordon has insisted the network is sticking to its turnaround strategy after the unexpected resignation of chief executive Hamish McLennan.

Page 20: Former Treasury secretary Martin Parkinson has taken his first major non-executive position, being appointed to the board of explosives maker Orica to take the place of Nora Scheinkestel, who will retire in December.

Page 23: Royal Dutch Shell’s planned $91 billion takeover of Britain’s BG Group could reduce the incentive to supply eastern gas users by making exports even more financially attractive, according to Manufacturing Australia, a group of chief executives of the nation’s biggest manufacturers.

The West Australian

Page 3: More than $50 million of taxpayer money is expected to go up in smoke defending cigarette plain packaging in a secretive international tribunal.

Page 10: The State Government plans to employ a private contractor to probe its use of Royalties for Regions funds to get contentious Pilbara housing projects Pelago East and Osprey Village off the ground.

Page 13: A $500 million expansion of Karrinyup Shopping Centre has hit a hurdle over council concerns it could cause traffic congestion and parking problems.

Page 14: Shoppers face a cost of living double whammy as the Federal Government looks to impose the GST on all imported goods and the Australian dollar continues to slide.

Business: The industrial umpire has rejected a bid by Griffin Coal Mining to slash labour costs at its loss-making Collie mine by reducing working hours.

Northern Star Resources boss Bill Beament says the tumbling gold price does not worry the WA miner, adding further falls could throw up new acquisition opportunities.

Ian Trahar’s proposal for a prawn farm, which could increase Australia’s production by 20 times, has been given the nod by the Northern Territory and Federal governments.

Pura Vida has placed its shares in a trading halt, at 26¢, pending first news from the MZ-1 well at its Mazagan permit off Morocco.

ANZ has poached McDonald’s Asia Pacific chief restaurant officer Catriona Noble for the role of the bank’s managing director, retail distribution Australia.