Port dividend bonanza rankles Pilbara miners
The State Government pulled dividends worth almost $165 million out the Pilbara Ports Authority last financial year amid a tumbling iron ore price and widespread industry criticism of charges levied at WA’s biggest iron ore export terminal. The West
Rio’s Harding defends bond call of $100m in WA Supreme Court
Rio Tinto iron ore boss Andrew Harding has defended the miner’s decision to terminate contracts and call in $100 million in bank securities just days after one of its contractors, Forge Group, collapsed. The Fin
Barrick rules out Super Pit fire sale
Canada’s Barrick Gold says there will be no fire sale of its half-share in Kalgoorlie’s Super Pit, Australia’s second-biggest goldmine. The Aus
Palmer empire has a ‘cash-flow’ problem
Clive Palmer’s lawyer has revealed a lack of cash flow is causing problems for the federal MP’s business empire, as Mr Palmer’s private company Mineralogy launched another attempt to grab cash from his estranged Chinese business partner. The Aus
Ridout slams Transfield activists
Australia’s biggest industry superannuation fund has condemned the divestment campaign targeting Transfield Services because of its contract managing the government’s refugee detention centres on Manus Island and Nauru. The Fin
Mr Smith, 81, fans a Forrest fire
Mining magnate Andrew Forrest appears likely to resort to legal action in an attempt to evict an elderly man from a $16 million mansion overlooking Perth’s ritzy Cottesloe Beach. The Aus
Minister hits pause on uni reforms
WA’s university chiefs have mixed views on whether deregulating student fees should still be pursued after the Government shelved higher education reforms until after the next election. The West
The Australian Financial Review
Page 1: The federal government has been given the green light by business, industry, unions and community groups to target tax concessions, including those on superannuation, as part of a reform package it will take to the next federal election.
Australia’s biggest industry superannuation fund has condemned the divestment campaign targeting Transfield Services because of its contract managing the government’s refugee detention centres on Manus Island and Nauru.
Page 3: ANZ Banking Group, AMP, IBM and Westpac are among large companies moving to embrace robot technology to automate back office, finance and human resources functions as the IT automation market burgeons from just $US183 million in 2013 to $US1.98 billion by 2020.
Page 5: The International Monetary Fund has downgraded its outlook for Australia’s medium-term growth and warns that the federal and state governments’ current efforts to return the budget to surplus is having an excessively negative impact on the economy.
Page 6: Christopher Pyne’s higher education reforms have been abandoned by the Turnbull government and the new minister, Simon Birmingham, will consult to come up with a ‘‘fair, equitable and sustainable’’ funding system for universities.
Page 8: Superannuation fees are forecast to drop below an average of 1 per cent within the next year, as the benefits of the no-frills MySuper regime flow through the market.
Page 9: A Guangzhou-based vegetable oil producer is the latest Chinese bidder to enter the race for S. Kidman & Co, Australia’s largest landholder.
Page 11: The national broadband network’s ‘‘Sky Muster’’ satellite has completed the first phase of its mission after a 780-tonne rocket carrying the $500 million piece of communications hardware blasted off from the coast of French Guiana without incident.
Page 13: Institutional investors have been quick to climb on board for Origin Energy’s $2.5 billion share offer that is priced at a discount that makes the stock attractive even after analysts slashed price targets.
Page 23: Arrium will cut jobs and overhaul operating practices at its Whyalla steelworks in South Australia to save $100 million as the company rolls ahead with an auction for its prized mining consumables business.
Rio Tinto iron ore boss Andrew Harding has defended the miner’s decision to terminate contracts and call in $100 million in bank securities just days after one of its contractors, Forge Group, collapsed.
The Australian
Page 1: Malcolm Turnbull is considering an overhaul of giant federal-state spending programs, targeting waste in health, poor outcomes in education and training, and inefficient taxes as a key plank of his reform and innovation agenda.
Clive Palmer’s lawyer has revealed a lack of cash flow is causing problems for the federal MP’s business empire, as Mr Palmer’s private company Mineralogy launched another attempt to grab cash from his estranged Chinese business partner.
Page 4: An overhaul of the training and education sector, a federal takeover of TAFE and changes to the work-for-the-dole scheme have been identified as key priorities for the Turnbull government.
Page 5: Mining magnate Andrew Forrest appears likely to resort to legal action in an attempt to evict an elderly man from a $16 million mansion overlooking Perth’s ritzy Cottesloe Beach.
Page 19: Incoming ANZ chief Shayne Elliott will review the bank’s lofty financial targets as part of an “evolution” of incumbent Mike Smith’s Asia-focused super regional strategy that has divided the market and weighed on shares of the nation’s fourth most valuable bank.
Page 20: Australia’s most highly prized agricultural assets are coming under intense scrutiny by deal makers hoping to capitalise on their rising popularity among investors, with the Van Diemen’s Land Company and Australian Agricultural Company the current points of focus.
Canada’s Barrick Gold says there will be no fire sale of its half-share in Kalgoorlie’s Super Pit, Australia’s second-biggest goldmine.
Page 28: Qantas will centralise its fuel programs and use cutting-edge software to boost fuel efficiency to industry-leading levels.
The West Australian
Page 17: Perth cemeteries are trebling the number of oversize cremators that cater for the obese to keep pace with demand.
Page 22: Liberals are becoming worried about Tony Abbott’s intentions after he surfaced again yesterday to undercut new Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.
Page 24: WA’s university chiefs have mixed views on whether deregulating student fees should still be pursued after the Government shelved higher education reforms until after the next election.
Page 28: Volkswagen faces being hauled before a court and fined by the consumer watchdog if pollution-cheating software is found in its Australian cars.
Business: The State Government pulled dividends worth almost $165 million out the Pilbara Ports Authority last financial year amid a tumbling iron ore price and widespread industry criticism of charges levied at WA’s biggest iron ore export terminal.
Kids will take centre stage during the commercial breaks of tomorrow’s AFL grand final as Brownes Dairy launches a new yoghurt campaign.
A clean energy technology company backed by Wesfarmers and the University of WA wants to list on the ASX through a $5 million initial public offering.
Newcrest Mining has sold its remaining stake in rival gold producer Evolution.