Morning Headlines

Metcash plays down threat of Aldi expansion into WA, SA

Metcash chief executive Ian Morrice says investors are over-simplifying the problems facing the company in South Australia and Western Australia when German discounter Aldi starts in 2016, by automatically assuming the eastern states’ experience will be repeated. The Fin

Glencore woes savage market

Mining giant BHP Billiton slumped to its lowest level since the global financial crisis, pushing the Australian share market to a new two-year low, as fears grew that the value of one of Australia’s largest coal exporters, Glencore, could be worthless due to its $US50 billion ($71 billion) debt pile. The Fin

Alcoa demerger could jump-start deals

Alcoa chief executive Klaus Kleinfeld says his company’s plans to demerge its upstream and downstream businesses will give the company ‘‘optionality’’ for deal making, with analysts pointing to the potential for multibillion dollar transactions involving Alumina Ltd, Rio Tinto and South32. The Fin

Rinehart accused of withholding papers

Mining giant Gina Rinehart has been accused of failing to hand over key documents relating to a $5 billion family trust she lost control of in May and of which her children are the key beneficiaries. The Fin

Push on Turnbull for jobs shake-up

Companies including Qantas, Toll and major meat processor Teys Australia, as well as peak business groups, have written to the Productivity Commission ahead of its final report to the Turnbull government in November. The Aus

Liquidator ready to act

Liquidators of the Ellendale diamond mine are poised to launch civil action against parent company Kimberley Diamonds and the officers of its collapsed subsidiary. The West

The Australian Financial Review

Page 1: Mining giant BHP Billiton slumped to its lowest level since the global financial crisis, pushing the Australian share market to a new two-year low, as fears grew that the value of one of Australia’s largest coal exporters, Glencore, could be worthless due to its $US50 billion ($71 billion) debt pile.

New Treasurer Scott Morrison has given his strongest hint yet he is open to funding income tax cuts to return bracket creep with an increased GST.

Page 4: Company directors have backed Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s decision to seek consensus on reform priorities, with business, community and union leaders saying his approach was creating ‘‘a strong sense of optimism’’.

Page 5: Big business has urged the Productivity Commission to present Malcolm Turnbull with radical proposals for workplace policy change including restrictions on the content of enterprise agreements and awards.

Page 9: Mining giant Gina Rinehart has been accused of failing to hand over key documents relating to a $5 billion family trust she lost control of in May and of which her children are the key beneficiaries.

Page 15: AGL Energy’s latest climate change commitments have taken the heat out of a shareholder resolution to be put to the annual general meeting on Wednesday but the company is still under pressure to show how it will live up to its pledges while attention is turning to rival Origin Energy to follow suit.

Page 17: Metcash chief executive Ian Morrice says investors are over-simplifying the problems facing the company in South Australia and Western Australia when German discounter Aldi starts in 2016, by automatically assuming the eastern states’ experience will be repeated.

Page20: Alcoa chief executive Klaus Kleinfeld says his company’s plans to demerge its upstream and downstream businesses will give the company ‘‘optionality’’ for deal making, with analysts pointing to the potential for multibillion dollar transactions involving Alumina Ltd, Rio Tinto and South32.

The Australian

Page 1: Australia will launch a new bid for membership of the UN Security Council as the Turnbull government looks to cast off the Abbott era’s scepticism of multilateralism diplomacy in favour of a new era of internationalism.

A ship laden with 4000 Australian cattle bound for Jakarta will leave Darwin early tomorrow, the first export shipment since Indonesia yesterday confirmed normal resumption of the pivotal $700 million live cattle trade.

Page 2: A hardline stand taken by US negotiators in last-minute TransPacific Partnership talks this week is threatening to scuttle the ground-breaking multilateral trade deal between 12 nations.

Page 3: The ACT will today become the first jurisdiction in Australia to announce the legalisation of ridesharing networks such as Uber, proposing regulations that could guide other governments facing a taxi industry backlash.

Page 6: Business and industry groups are urging the Turnbull government to intervene in the industrial umpire’s review of modern awards to help make a stronger case for penalty rate reform.

Page 21: Companies including Qantas, Toll and major meat processor Teys Australia, as well as peak business groups, have written to the Productivity Commission ahead of its final report to the Turnbull government in November.

The world’s largest travel review company, TripAdvisor, wants to roll out its much-vaunted instant hotel booking platform over mobile devices in Australia and use its purchase of the nation’s largest online restaurant booking group to help it expand in Asia.

Page 22: An increasing number of Australian start-ups are moving to the US, with more looking overseas for funding, says Murray Hurps, the chief executive of start-up campus Fishburners.

Page 26: Listed office giant Dexus Property Group has sold a suburban Sydney office building earmarked for apartments for $95 million, reaping a 44 per cent premium to its book value as the residential building boom rolls on.

The West Australian

Page 1: Serious misconduct allegations against Education Department staff rose 40 per cent last year amid sharp increases in accusations of inappropriate online or sexualised contact with students, physical assault and fraud or theft.

Page 15: The head of WA’s peak council lobby group would like to see voting in council elections become compulsory.

Business: WA’s first government chief information officer says he is excited at the prospect of bringing the State’s information and communications technology (ICT) into a new era and saving hundreds of millions of dollars of taxpayers’ money along the way.

Liquidators of the Ellendale diamond mine are poised to launch civil action against parent company Kimberley Diamonds and the officers of its collapsed subsidiary.

Western Areas has moved to the second stage of a farm-in deal with juniors Standline Resources and Monax Mining with plans to move to 90 per cent of their Western Gawler project in South Australia.