Morning Headlines

Aldi bid to sell booze in store

German supermarket giant Aldi has confirmed it intends to sell alcohol in its new WA stores, lodging an application for a liquor store licence last week. The West

Beef majors snap up iconic Stowe farm

One of former resources magnate Ric Stowe’s most iconic properties, the sprawling Western Australian wheatbelt farm known as Joanna Plains, has been sold to a group backed by the Shark Lake Food Group and Lawsons Angus, Australia’s largest Angus beef seed stock producer. The Aus

Horizon, Alinta told to seek access deal

Energy Minister Mike Nahan has told Alinta Energy and Horizon Power to negotiate access to each other’s Pilbara energy infrastructure, leading to hopes an integrated North West energy grid could finally be on the cards. The West

Medibank in sights after shock CEO exit

The shock early exit of Medibank Private chief executive George Savvides has raised the ire of some investors who have criticised the health insurer’s board and its failure to consult shareholders. The Fin

Wind down Masters, Woolworths told

Woolworths’ profits would rise 5 per cent and the retailer could generate $161 million in cash by pulling the plug on the loss-making Masters chain, according to Deutsche Bank. The Fin

Australia’s oldest company, the Australian Agricultural Company, has declared a success its transformation from an antiquated outback landholder and cattle producer into a modern vertically integrated global beef business.

New-look AACo in rebound

Australia’s oldest company, the Australian Agricultural Company, has declared a success its transformation from an antiquated outback landholder and cattle producer into a modern vertically integrated global beef business. The Aus

Unions attack Shorten on FTA

Unions have split with Labor over Bill Shorten’s deal with Malcolm Turnbull that will finalise the China free-trade agreement before Christmas and allow millions of dollars in tariff cuts to flow to Australian exporters. The Aus

Call for NBN to cover mobiles

Vodafone Australia chief executive Inaki Berroeta wants the government to widen the scope of the National Broadband Network so it includes mobile phone infrastructure to loosen Telstra’s grip on rural and regional Australia. The Aus

The Australian Financial Review

Page 1: The prudential regulator has warned superannuation funds will be expected to appoint a majority of independent directors unless they can provide a compelling reason not to, a shift that could lead to the long-term decline of union influence over the compulsory retirement savings system.

Page 2: Opposition Leader Bill Shorten will on Thursday release a suite of principles aimed at enshrining a ‘‘light touch’’ approach to technological disruption.

Page 7: Business has blamed the rigidity of the industrial relations system for the failure of a single employer to sign up to an agreement between the nation’s largest union and South Australian employers that traded off penalty rates for higher wages.

Page 11: Top universities want to set up a new $200 million early-stage commercialisation company to take research from the laboratory bench to the point where it is ready to be packaged up for investors.

Page 23: The shock early exit of Medibank Private chief executive George Savvides has raised the ire of some investors who have criticised the health insurer’s board and its failure to consult shareholders.

A fresh $US200 million ($275 million) cut to spending on BHP Billiton’s petroleum division should convince investors that further opportunity exists to pull costs out of the business, analysts say.

Page 25: Seven West Media has made a robust pitch to advertisers to keep faith in its television content, as it prepares to stream its channels across mobile phones and tablets in the face of growing competition for audiences from overseas internet giants such as Google, Facebook and Netflix.

Page 26: Woolworths’ profits would rise 5 per cent and the retailer could generate $161 million in cash by pulling the plug on the loss-making Masters chain, according to Deutsche Bank.

BC Iron managing director Morgan Ball is pining for a DeLorean time machine.

Bruce Gordon would have to find more than half a billion dollars in cash to help fund a straight buyout of Nine Entertainment Co, analysts estimate – that is, if he wanted to take advantage of any change to cross-media ownership laws by attempting such a deal.

The Australian

Page 1: Unions have split with Labor over Bill Shorten’s deal with Malcolm Turnbull that will finalise the China free-trade agreement before Christmas and allow millions of dollars in tariff cuts to flow to Australian exporters.

Page 4: NAB will contact potentially thousands of customers who may have been affected by bad financial planning advice over the past six years after evidence of poor practices among planners at the bank.

Page 19: Media and mining mogul Kerry Stokes has cautioned that Australia cannot expect its labour inefficiencies to be “subsidised by China” as he and other corporate heavyweights lined up to back the deal struck between Labor and the Coalition over the free trade pact with China.

Long-time Origin Energy managing director Grant King says he wants to remain at the helm until at least the completion of the $24.7 billion Australia Pacific LNG project at Gladstone, after his finance director Karen Moses made a sudden decision not to stand for board re-election at yesterday’s annual meeting.

Page 20: Australia’s oldest company, the Australian Agricultural Company, has declared a success its transformation from an antiquated outback landholder and cattle producer into a modern vertically integrated global beef business.

Page 22: Vodafone Australia chief executive Inaki Berroeta wants the government to widen the scope of the National Broadband Network so it includes mobile phone infrastructure to loosen Telstra’s grip on rural and regional Australia.

Tigerair Australia yesterday unveiled changes designed to put to rest the legacy of the airline’s shaky start and convince the flying public that the new-look airline is a different beast to the one that was grounded in 2011.

Page 28: One of former resources magnate Ric Stowe’s most iconic properties, the sprawling Western Australian wheatbelt farm known as Joanna Plains, has been sold to a group backed by the Shark Lake Food Group and Lawsons Angus, Australia’s largest Angus beef seed stock producer.

The West Australian

Page 3: German supermarket giant Aldi has confirmed it intends to sell alcohol in its new WA stores, lodging an application for a liquor store licence last week.

Page 4: Single parents and families with children at school will be the big losers and thousands of dollars worse off under the Turnbull Government’s overhaul to family payments and child care.

Page 12: A live streaming service, a suite of new shows and the Olympic Games are part of the Seven Network’s plan for a 10th year as Australia’s No.1 TV platform.

Business: Energy Minister Mike Nahan has told Alinta Energy and Horizon Power to negotiate access to each other’s Pilbara energy infrastructure, leading to hopes an integrated North West energy grid could finally be on the cards.

The Di Latte family has abruptly called off without public explanation a plan to privatise Diploma Group by buying out other shareholders.

Automotive Holdings Group’s $45 million sale of its Covs parts business to the US-based owner of Repco has hit a snag.