Morning Headlines

China’s iron ore appetite wanes

Australia’s big miners — BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto and Fortescue Metals Group — yesterday sought to alleviate fears on the outlook for the economic titan at the China Iron and Steel Association conference in Qingdao, in China’s east. The Aus

Woodside looks for other ways to tap PNG resources

Woodside Petroleum may consider the creation of an energy venture with Papua New Guinea’s National Petroleum Company (NPCP) as it explores new ways to gain a foothold there following a rejected $11.6 billion bid this month for Oil Search. The Fin

BHP will give up billions in franking credits

BHP Billiton plans to effectively blow $2.6 billion in Australian tax credits a year because it doesn’t generate enough profits outside Australia to pay dividends to foreign shareholders. The Fin

Morrison’s tabloid tax crusade

New Treasurer Scott Morrison will ditch all international commitments and dedicate himself towards convincing ordinary people of the need for tax reform, which will include incentives to encourage retirees to unlock and spend the billions of dollars locked up in their homes and other assets. The Fin

Asset sales boom starts in west

The race for the Insurance Commission of Western Australia’s $800 million property portfolio is heating up with global private equity giants, local fund managers and listed Australian real estate investment trusts chasing the prize assets. The Aus

Virgin dumps Albany and Esperance

Virgin Australia will withdraw from routes taking in Perth to Albany and Esperance from March because of a lack of profit. The West

The Australian Financial Review

Page 1: New Treasurer Scott Morrison will ditch all international commitments and dedicate himself towards convincing ordinary people of the need for tax reform, which will include incentives to encourage retirees to unlock and spend the billions of dollars locked up in their homes and other assets.

BHP Billiton plans to effectively blow $2.6 billion in Australian tax credits a year because it doesn’t generate enough profits outside Australia to pay dividends to foreign shareholders.

Page 3: Fair Work Commission president Iain Ross has been accused of ostracising dissenters on the tribunal, resulting in decisions weighted in favour of unions.

Page 4: Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull says he plans to get on with economic reforms to cement the sharp rise in business and consumer confidence that has accompanied his ousting of Tony Abbott.

Page 6: The Turnbull government is considering fast-tracking a scheme to allow big emitters of carbon to buy international permits to offset their emissions.

Page 13: Law students are so desperate to gain their first break into the field they are increasingly competing for unpaid internships offered by ‘‘predatory’’ law firms and organisations that exploit students as ‘‘slave labour’’.

Page 21: Australian shares and the dollar plunged and government bond prices rose on Wednesday as more weak data from China added to concerns that the world’s second-biggest economy is slowing faster than expected.

Page 23: Woodside Petroleum may consider the creation of an energy venture with Papua New Guinea’s National Petroleum Company (NPCP) as it explores new ways to gain a foothold there following a rejected $11.6 billion bid this month for Oil Search.

The Australian

Page 1: Two of Australia’s top mining leaders have condemned the union movement’s campaign against the China-Australia free trade agreement, warning that it is potentially xenophobic and risks the nation’s reputation.

Page 2: Staff at the CFMEU have told a royal commission they were involved in the removal or destruction of hundreds of “irrelevant” and “old” documents the day a subpoena was issued — but none could explain why security cameras were covered over at the time.

Page 19: Australia’s big miners — BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto and Fortescue Metals Group — yesterday sought to alleviate fears on the outlook for the economic titan at the China Iron and Steel Association conference in Qingdao, in China’s east.

Page 21: Banks could be about to call an end to a ceasefire in the so-called “war for deposits”, ending years of sliding returns for savers that has pushed them into riskier assets like stocks and property.

Australians are slower to become hooked on TV series than other viewers globally, according to new research from global streaming TV giant Netflix.

Page 26: The race for the Insurance Commission of Western Australia’s $800 million property portfolio is heating up with global private equity giants, local fund managers and listed Australian real estate investment trusts chasing the prize assets.

The West Australian

Page 4: New Treasurer Scott Morrison has dusted off his predecessor’s early rhetoric, declaring Australia has a spending problem rather than a revenue problem.

Page 5: Perth’s flourishing small bar scene is setting the standard nationally with the city recognised as the home of Australia’s best small bar for the second year running.

Heavy rail in underground tunnels could be a longer term public transport solution for residents in Perth’s northern suburbs as Transport Minister Dean Nalder continues to grapple with the MAX light rail project.

Page 18: Virgin Australia will withdraw from routes taking in Perth to Albany and Esperance from March because of a lack of profit.

Business: Kerry Stokes, three property developers and a fruit and vegetable industry group will jostle for ownership of WA’s biggest wholesale produce markets in Canning Vale.

Quadrant Energy, the rebranded Apache Australia, has pulled out of the hunt for oil and gas in the Kimberley after the first two wells failed to live up to exploration hype.

Chinese-controlled Focus Minerals has successfully applied for a prospecting licence within the townsite boundary of the historic gold mining centre of Coolgardie.

The State Government’s industry regulator has broken its silence on the pending legal battle with potato grower and retailer Tony Galati.

Newmont Mining wants to buy joint-venture partner Barrick Gold out of the Kalgoorlie Super Pit, the US giant said on Tuesday night, confirming months of industry speculation.